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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Instltuta  for  Historical  Microraproductlons  /  Instltut  Canadian  de  mlcroreproductions  historiqum 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 

n 


D 
D 


D 
0 


D 


0 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

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mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  fiim^es. 


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Transparence 


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Quality  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
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Only  edition  available/ 
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D 


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Additional  comments:/ 
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Irregular  pagination:   [ii]  -  [x] ,  [19]  •  771  p. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

aox 

v/ 

,- 

12X                             16X                             20X                             24X                             28X                             32X 

The  copy  filmad  here  hat  b««n  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Seminary  of  Quebec 
Library 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reprodult  grice  A  la 
g6n4rosit4  de: 

S^minaire  de  Quebec 
Bibliotlidque 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  Images  suivantes  ont  iti  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetA  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  ies  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrsted  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  orlginaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
premlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fllmte  A  dee  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reprodnit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bes,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
lllustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

*  •  'S 


'  «^  >  * 


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>'..-»     >^    . 


S'  ""^     A  QUE- 
Quebec  4,  UU=-- 


■-*,*-, 


v] 


\ 


THE 


mSTOEY  OF  THE  WORLD : 


COMPHDHNO 


A  GEXERAL  HISTOllY,  BOTH  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN, 


or 


ALL  THE  rRINCIPAL  NATIONS  OF  THE  GLOBE, 

TIIEIU    RISE,    PROGKKSS,    PRESENT    CONDITION,    ETC. 

33ii  Inninrl  S^Iannhr, 

AUTllon  or   "the  TBEASUUT   ok   knowledge,"    "  BIOORAPHIOAI  TKEASrRY,"    ETC. 


INCLUDINO 

A  COMPLETE  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  TO  THE 

PRESENT  TIME, 

ALSO, 

THE  LATE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO,  CALIFORNIA,  ETC. 
EDITED  BY  JOHN  INMAN,  ESQ. 

THE   WnOLR   ElinKLLWIIEn   WITH   NfMEROrS  ENORAVINOB,    (SOMK   OF   WIlIiII    ABfc 

BKAlTIFtLI.Y   COLOKEI")   liKPUESKNTINU   BATTLE  SCEXm,  VIKWS   OF   cmES, 

THE   0RY8TAL   PALAt'E,   FLAOS  OF  THE   UIFKEBKNT   NATIONS, 

CORONATIONS,   PROCESSIONS,   COSTUMES,   ETC.   KTC. 


IN     TWO     VOLUMES. 
VOL.    I. 

(sold  ONLT  BT  SDBaCRIFTlON,) 


NEW    YORK: 
PUBLISHED   BY    HENRYJPII 

1853. 


■■.^mmimKmm 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1853 

Br  Henbt  Bill, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  Uie  District  Court  for  the  district  of  <>)Mni'cticnt. 


> 


I 


CONTENTS    OF    VOL.    I. 


s  PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS, 

HutOIUOAL,  ChRONOLOOICAL,  and  GlOORArUIOAL 19 

Tub  t>iTiiioN8  OP  History 21 

GCNKRAL  IIllTORT  or  MoDIRN   EOROPI  21 

CimONOLOOT •.••••2t 

GcoaRAPRicAL  Sketch  op  thi  World »       •       .    29 

Divisions  op  the  Earth        ..•.*.■•••    SO 


INTRODUCTORY  OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL 

HISTORY. 

CHAPTER  I.— Of  tho  Origin  of  the  World,  ami  the  Primitive  Condition  of 

Mankind 33 

CHAPTER  H.— From  tlio  Deluge  to  the  Settlement  of  the  Jews  in  Canaan    .    35 

CHAPTER  HI — The  Fabulous  and  Heroic  Ages,  w  the  institution  of  tho 

Olympic  Games 37 

CHAPTER  IV.— From  tho  institution  of  the  Olympic  Games,  to  the  death  of 

Cynu 38 

CHAPTER  V. — From  the  erection  of  the  Persian  Empii-e,  to  tho  division  of 

tho  Grecian  Empire  after  the  Dnath  of  Alexander         .        .        .        .40 

CHAPTER  VI.— From  the  Wars  of  Rome  and  Carthage,  to  the  Burth  of  Christ    41 

CHAPTER  VII. — From  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  to  the  appearance 

of  Mahomet 43 

CHAPTER  VIH. — From  the  rise  of  Mahomet,  to  the  commencement  of  the 

Crusades , 4b 

CHAPTER  IX.— From  the  first  Cnisade,  to  the  Death  of  Saladin  .        .  .  4S 

CHAPTER  X.— From  the  Death  of  Saladin,  to  the  end  of  the  Crusades .  .  52 

CHAPTER  XI.— From  tho  time  of  Genghis  Khan,  to  that  of  Tameriane  .  54 

CHAPTER  XII.— From  tho  time  of  Tamerlane,  to  the  Sixteenth  Century  .  65 

CHAPTER  XIII.— The  Reformation,  and  progress  of  events  during  the  Six- 
teenth Century 56 


I      n  iniiin  jmt- 


Xl  (ONI  KNT.-*. 

CHAl'TKIl  XIV. — Friini  tne  cuniiiiuiicfiiii'iit  of  ilio  K  venioeiith  Ccntiiry,  to 

the  I'fiico  (if  U'L'Htpliiiliu        ....  ...    90 

CHAPTKR  XV.— From  llio  Civil  War  in  I'.iiuliiml,  to  tlio  Peoco  of  Ryuwick  .    61 

CHAI'TKR  XVI.— Commouceineut  of  the  Kighteeulh  Ceutury,  to  the  Peace 

of  Ctreiht .64 

CHAPTER  XVII.— The  Age  of  Chmlon  XII.  of  Sweden,  and  Peter  tlie  Great 

of  Riisaia OH 

CHAPTKK  XVIII.— The  AfTaiM  of  Kurope,  from  the  ettablishmcnt  of  the 

Iliuioveriun  Sucueuion  in  England,  to  the  year  1740      .         .        .         .7 

CHAI'TER  XIX. — From  tlie  nccewiion  of  the  Empreai  Thoroga,  of  Austria,  to 

thu  Peace  of  Aix-la-CImpRlie 72 

CHAPTER  XX.— Progrcus  of  oventjt  during  the  Seven  Yeart'  War  in  Europe, 

America,  and  the  EuHt  Indies 75 

CHAPTER  XXI.— From  the  concision  of  the  Seven  Yearn'  War,  to  the  final 

partition  of  Poland 79 

CHAPTER  XXII. — From  the  conimiMicKiiient  of  the  American  War,  to  the 

recognition  of  the  Independence  (if  the  United  Statet  .        .        .81 

CHAPTER  XXIII. — From  the  commencement  of  the  French  Revolutinn,  to 

the  death  of  Robcipierre 82 

CHAPTER  XXIV.— From  the  establishment  of  the  French  Directory    to  the 

Peace  of  Amiens Q3 

CHAPTER  XXV. — From  the  recommencement  of  Hostilities,  to  the  treaty  of 

Tilsit 88 

CHAPTER  XXVI. — The  French  Invasion  of  Spain,  and  subseiiiient  Peiiiniiu- 

lar  War 89 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — From  the  Invasion  of  Russia  by  the  French,  to  the  res- 
toration of  the  Bourbons 90 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.— From  the  return  of  Doniparte  from  Elba,  to  the  Gen- 
eral Peace ,        ....    99 

EUROPE— ASIA— AFRICA— AMERICA       ...  U 


A  SERIES  OF  SEPARATE  HISTORIES. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

BRITISH     AND     KOMAM      PERIOD. 

CHAPTER  1.— The  British  and  Roman  Period,  to  the  Subjugation  of  the  Is- 
land by  the  Saxons ... 


tn 


THI     HEPTARCHT. 

CHAPTER  II  —The  Heptarchy,  or  the  seven  Kingdoms  of  the  Saxons  ia 

Britain  ....  .        .  .  .  Iff* 


* 


CUNTRNT8.  yil 

CHAPTER  III.— The  Iloptarchy  (contiimod) IIS 

CHAPTER  IV.— The  Heptarchy  (concludod) Ut 


k  M  at-O't  kXO  H     XINOI. 

CHAPTER  v.— Tlio  Anglo-Suxoiu  al'ior  the  Diuulutioii  of  the  Heptarchy.— 
Reign*  of  Kgliort,  Kthulwolf,  and  Ktholliold 

CHAPTER  VI.— The  reign*  of  Kthulbort  and  Ethelred  .... 

CHAPTER  VII.— The  roign  of  Alfred  llie  Oreiit  .        .  .        .        . 

CHAPTER  Vin.— Hixtory  of  the  Ani^lo-Saxoni,  from  the  Death  of  Alfred 
the  Giuut  to  tlio  reign  of  Edwurd  the  Martyr       .        .  .        . 

CHAPTER  IX.— From  iho  accessif.n  of  Edward  the  Martyr  to  the  death  of 
Canute 

CHAPTER  X. — Tlio  roignii  of  Harold  and  Hordicanute 

CHAPTER  XI.— The  reigu  of  Edward  tlio  Confe«.wr    . 

CHAPTER  XII.— The  roign  of  Harold  the  Second 

NORMAN      LINK. 

CHAPTER  XIII.— The  reign  of  William  I.,  usuallyityled  "  Willii 
qnoror" •        .        . 

CHAPTER  XIV.— The  reign  of  William  I.  (continued) 

CHAPTER  Xy.— The  reign  of  W'lliain  II.    . 

CHAPTER  XVI.— The  roign  ol  Henry  I.      . 

CHAPTER  XVII.— The  reign  of  Stephen 


11» 
121 

134 


PLANTAOKNCTf. 

CHAPTER  XVIII.— The  reign  of  Honry  II.;  preceded  by  ObterratioM  on 
tlio  right  of  the  Engliah  to  territory  ill  France 

CHAPTER  XIX.— The  reign  of  Henry  II.  (continued) 

CHAPTER  XX.— The  reign  of  Henry  II.  (concludod) 

CHAPTER  XXI.— The  mign  of  Richard  I.   . 

CHAPTER  XXII.— The  reign  of  John  . 

CHAPTER  XXIII.— The  reign  of  Henry  III. 

CHAPTER  XXIV.— The  reign  of  Edward  I. 

CHAPTER  XXV.— The  reign  of  Edward  II. 

CHAPTER  XXVI.— The  reign  of  Edward  III.      . 

CHAPTER  XXVII.— The  reign  of  Richard  II.      . 

HOUSK     or     I.  ANCAITBK. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.— The  reign  of  Heury  IV.     . 
CHAPTER  XXIX.— The  reign  of  Honty  V. 
CHAPTER  XXX.— The  reign  of  Henry  VL 


209 

ais 

229 
23i 
243 
263 
278 
«96 
307 
3!3(< 

342 

341) 


I. 


A 


f 


y,ji  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXI.— The  reign  of  Henry  VI.  (continued) 
CHAPTER  XXXII.— The  reign  of  Henry  VI.  (concluded)  . 

BOVsfeorroRK. 
CHAPTER  XXXIII.— The  reign  of  Edwmtl  IV.  . 
CHAPTER  XXXIV.— The  roign  of  Edward  V.     .        .        . 
CHAPTER  XXXV.— The  reign  of  Richard  III.    . 

HOUSE     OF     TUDOR. 

CHAPTER  XXXVI.— The  reign  of  Henry  VII.    . 
CHAPTER  XXXVII.— The  reign  of  Henry  VII.  (continued) 
CHAPTER  XXXVIII.— Tho  roign  of  Henry  VII.  (concluded) 
CHAPTER  XXXIX.— The  roign  of  Henry  VIII.  . 
CHAPTER  XL.— The  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  (continued) 
CHAPTER  XLI.— The  reign  of  Henry  VIIL  (concluded) 
CHAPTER  XLII.— The  reign  of  Edward  VI. 
CHAPTER  XLIII.— The  reign  of  Edward  VI.  (concluded) 
CHAPTER  XLIV.— The  reign  of  Mary 
CHAPTER  XLV.— The  reign  of  Mary  (concluded) 
CHAPTER  XLVI.— The  reign  of  Elizabeth  . 
CHAPTER  XLVII.— The  reign  of  ElL-.abeth  (concluded) 

RODSK     or     STUART. 

CHAPTER  XLVIII.— The  reign  of  James  I, 
CHAPTER  XLIX.— The  reign  of  James  I.  (concluded) 
CHAPTER  L.— The  reign  of  Charles  I. 
CHAPTER  LI.— The  reign  of  Charles  I,  (continued) 
CHAPTER  LIL— The  reign  of  Charles  I.  (concluded) 

THE     COMMONWEALTH. 

CHAPTER  LIII.— The  Commonwealth 

BOUSE     or     STUART. 

CHAPTER  LFV.— The  reign  of  Charles  IL 
CHAPTER  LV.— The  reign  of  James  11. 
CHAPTER  LVI.— The  reign  of  William  IIL 
CHAPfER  LVII.— The  roign  of  Anno 

HOUSE     or    BRUHSWICI 

CHAPTER  i.  'III.— The  Reign  of  George  L 
CHAPTER  LIX.— The  reign  of  George  U. 


37fl 
381 

SOS 
40S 

413 

41«t 
i2i 
433 
438 
443 
453 
470 
47S 
485 
498 
509 
538 

547 

558 
5C7 
672 
586 

503 

605 
616 

623 

628 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  LX.— The  reign  of  George  III. 
CHAPTER  LXL— The  Reign  of  George  III.  (continueil)  . 
CHAPTER  LXIL— The  reign  of  George  III.  (coutiuued)  . 
CHAPTER  LXIII.— The  reign  of  George  III.  (the  Regency) 
CHAPTER  LXIV.— The  --ign  of  George  IV.  .  .  . 
CHAPTER  LXV.— The  reign  of  William  IV.  .  .  . 
CHAPTER  LXVL— T»»«  reign  of  Victorui     .... 


csa 

669 
088 
702 

n 

730 
799 


■fTff* 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


VOLUME   I. 


I 


To  faea  page 

Landino  of  Julius  Caesar 100 

BOADICEA    IIARANQUINO    TIIK    BRITISH    TrIDES 105 

York,  from  the  Ancient   Ramparts 174 

Death  op  Pr'nce  William  and  his  Sister 201 

Hubert  and  Prince  Arthur 251 

Earl  Varenne  defendin«  the  Title  to  his  Estates..    .     280 
Queen  Puilippa  interceding  for  the  Burgesses  of  Calais  320 

Death  of  Wat  Tyler 329 

Murder  of  the  Pri.nces  in  the  Tower 411 

Trial  of  Queen  Catherine 452 

Trial   of   Lambert  ueforb   Henry  VIH.,  in  Westminster 

Hall 466 

Queen  Elizabeth 509 

Surrender  of  Mary  Queen  op  Scots  at  Carberry  Hill..   524 

Locu  Levin  Castle 525 

Charles  L  and  Armor  Bearer 567 

Trial  op  Charles  1 586 

Cromwell  dissolving  the  Long  Parliament 598 

Defeat  of  the  Dutch  Fleet  by  Blake ...   600 

Death  of  General  Wolfe .   651 


PRELIMINARY   OBSERVATIONS. 


HISTORICAL,  CHRONOLOGICAL,    AND   GEOGRAPHICAL 


"It  is  not  without  reason,"  says  RoUin,  "that  History  has  always 
been  considered  as  the  light  of  ages,  the  depository  of  events,  the  faithfui 
evidence  of  truth,  the  source  of  prudence  and  good  counsel,  and  the  rule 
of  conduct  and  manners.  Confnied  witliout  it  to  the  bounds  of  the  age 
and  country  wherein  we  live,  and  shu-  up  witiiin  the  narrow  circle  of 
such  branches  of  knowledge  as  are  peculiar  to  us,  and  the  limits  of  our 
own  private  reflections,  we  continue  in  a  kind  of  infancy,  which  leaves  us 
strangers  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  profoundly  ignorant  of  all  that  has 
preceded,  or  even  now  surrounds  us.  What  is  the  small  number  of  years 
that  make  up  tlie  longest  life,  or  what  the  extent  of  country  which  we  are 
able  to  progress  or  travel  over,  but  an  imperceptible  point  in  comparison, 
to  the  vast  regions  of  the  universe,  and  the  long  series  of  ages  which  have 
succeeded  one  another  since  the  creation  of  the  world  1  And  yet  all  we 
are  capable  of  knowing  must  be  limited  to  this  imperceptible  point,  unless 
we  call  in  tlie  study  of  History  to  our  assistance,  which  opens  to  us  every 
age  and  every  country,  keeps  up  a  correspondence  between  us  and  the 
great  men  of  antiquity,  sets  all  their  actions,  nil  their  achievements,  vir- 
tues and  faults  before  our  eyes;  and,  by  the  prudent  reflections  it  either 
presents,  or  gives  us  an  opportunity  of  making,  soon  teaches  Ui.  to  be 
wise  before  our  time,  and  is  in  a  manner  far  superior  to  all  the  lessons  of 
the  greatest  masters.  •  •  •  It  is  History  which  fixes  the  seal  of  im 
mortality  upon  actions  truly  great,  and  sets  a  mark  of  infamy  on  vices 
which  no  after  age  can  ever  obliterate.  It  is  by  History  that  mistaken 
merit  and  oppressed  virtue,  appeal  to  the  incorruptible  tribunal  of  pos- 
terity, wliieii  renders  them  the  justice  their  own  age  has  sometimes  refused 
them,  and  wiliiout  respect  of  persons,  and  the  fear  of  a  power  which  sub- 
sists no  more,  condemns  tt'e  unjust  abuse  of  authority  with  inexorable 
rigour.  •  •  •  •  Thus  History,  when  it  is  well  taught,  become:  a 
school  of  morality  for  all  mankind.  It  condemns  vice,  throws  off  the 
mask  from  false  virtues,  lays  open  popular  errors  and  prejudices,  dispels 
the  delusive  charms  of  riches,  and  all  the  vain  pomp  which  dazzles  the 
imagination,  and  shews,  by  a  thousand  examples,  that  are  more  availing 
than  all  reasonings  whatsoever,  that  nothing  is  great  and  commendable 
but  honour  and  probity."  The  foregoing  exordium  is  as  just  as  it  is  elo- 
quent— as  apposite  as  it  if>  complete. 

It  has  been  very  truly  remarked;  that  the  love  of  fame,  and  a  desire 
to  communicate  information,  have  influenced  men  in  almost  every  age  and 
every  nation,  to  leave  behind  them  some  memorials  of  their  existence, 
actions  and  discoveries.  In  the  earliest  ages  of  the  world,  the  mode  ot 
conveying  to  posterity  an  account  of  important  facts  was  very  vague  and 
uncertain :  the  most  obvious  and  easy  was  first  resorted  to.  Thus,  when 
Joshua  led  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  over  the  river  Jordan,  in  a  mirac 
ulous  manner,  he  set  up  twelve  stones  for  a  memorial ;  but  it  was  neces- 
sary for  tradition  to  explain  the  circumstances  which  gave  rise  to  it ;  and 


20 


PRELIMIMAEY  OBSERVATIONS 


f    1 


he  said  accordingly,  "When  your  children  shall  ask  their  fathers,  m 
time  to  come,  what  mean  these  stones  1  Then  ye  sliall  let  your  child- 
ren know,  saying,  Israel  came  over  this  Jordan  on  dry  land  "  (Joshua, 
c.  iv.,  V.  21.)  Poets  who  sung  to  the  harp  the  praises  ot  deceased 
warriors  at  the  tables  of  kings,  are  mentioned  by  Homer :  the  Scandi- 
navians, Gauls,  and  Germans,  had  their  bards;  and  the  savages  of  Amer- 
ica preserved  similar  memorials  in  the  wild  strains  of  their  country.  To 
supply  the  defects  of  such  oral  tradition  as  this,  founders  of  states  and 
leaders  of  colonies  gave  their  own  names  to  cities  and  kingdoms ;  and 
national  festivals  and  games  were  exhibited  to  commemorate  extraordi- 
nary events. 

From  such  imperfect  attempts  to  rescue  the  past  from  the  ravages  of 
time  and  oblivion,  the  progress  to  inscriptions  of  various  kinds  was 
made  soon  after  the  invention  of  letters.  The  Babylonians  recorded  their 
first  astronomical  observations  upon  bri..k  ;  and  tiie  mosi  ancient  nionu 
ments  of  Chinese  literature  were  inscribed  upon  tables  of  stone.  In 
Greece  and  Rome  very  similar  methods  were  sometimes  idopted ;  two 
very  curious  monuments  of  which  are  till  extant — the  Arindelian  mar- 
bles, upon  which  are  inscribed,  in  »jreek  capital  letters,  some  records  of 
the  early  history  of  Greece ;  and  the  names  of  the  consuls  registered 
upon  the  Capitolme  marbles  at  Rome.  Snch  was  the  rude  commencement 
of  annals  and  historical  records.  But  when,  in  succeeding  times,  nations 
became  more  civilized,  and  the  various  branches  of  literature  were  cul- 
tivated, persons  employed  themselves  in  recording  the  actions  of  their 
contemporaries,  or  their  ancestors ;  and  history  by  degrees  assumed  its 
proper  fi)rm  and  character.  At  length  "  the  great  masters  of  the  art  arose, 
and  after  repeated  essays,  produced  the  harmonious  light  and  shade,  the 
glowing  colours  and  animated  groups  of  a  perfect  picture." 

*'  All  history,"  says  Dryden,  "  is  only  the  precepts  of  moral  philoso- 
phy, reduced  into  examples."  He  also  observes,  "  the  laws  of  history  in 
general  are  truth  of  matter,  method,  and  clearness  of  expression.  The 
first  property  is  necessary,  to  keep  our  understanding  from  the  imposi- 
tions of  falsehood,  for  history  is  an  argument  framed  from  many  partic- 
ular  examples  or  inductions:  if  these  examples  arc  not  true,  then  those 
measures  of  life  which  we  take  from  them,  will  be  false,  and  deceive  ui 
in  their  consequences.  The  second  is  grounded  on  the  former;  for  if  the 
method  be  confused,  if  the  words  or  expressions  of  thought  be  obscure, 
then  the  ideas  which  we  receive  must  be  imperfect,  and  if  such,  we  are 
not  taught  by  them  what  to  elect,  or  what  to  shun.  Truth,  therefore,  ii 
required  as  the  foundation  of  history,  to  inform  us ;  disposition  and  per- 
spicuity, as  the  manner  to  inform  us  plainly." 

The  manner  in  which  History  ought  to  be  studied  is  the  next  impor- 
tant consideration.  To  draw  the  line  of  proper  distinction,  says  a  judi- 
cious writer  on  this  subject,  is  the  tirst  object  of  the  discerning  reader. 
Let  him  not  burden  his  memory  with  events  that  ought  perhaps  to  pass 
for  fables;  let  him  not  fatigue  his  attention  with  the  progress  of  empires, 
or  the  succession  of  kings,  which  are  thrown  back  into  the  most  remote 
ages.  He  will  find  that  Tittle  dependence  is  to  be  placed  upon  the  rela- 
tions of  those  affairs  in  the  Pagan  world,  which  preceded  the  invention 
of  letters,  and  were  built  upon  mere  oral  tradition.  Let  him  leave  the 
dynasties  of  the  Egyptian  kings,  the  expeditions  of  Sesostris,  Bacchus, 
and  Jason,  and  the  exploits  of  Hercules  and  Theseus,  for  poets  lo  em- 
bellish, or  chronologists  to  arrange.  The  fabulous  accoiuits  of  these 
heroes  of  antiquity  may  remind  him  of  the  sandy  deserts,  lofty  mount- 
ains, and  frozen  oceans,  which  are  laid  down  in  the  maps  of  the  ancient 
geographers,  to  conceal  their  ignorance  of  remote  countries.  Let  him 
hasten  to  firm  ground,  where  he  may  safely  stand,  and  behold  the  strik- 
ing events  and  memorable  actions  which  the  light  of  authentic  record 


s    ,?^^ 


HISTORICAL,  CHRONOLOGICAL  AND  GEOGRAPHICAL. 


21 


displays  to  his  view.  They  alone  are  amply  sufficient  to  enrich  his  mem- 
ory, and  to  point  out  to  him  well-attested  exiunples  of  all  that  is  magnan- 
imous, as  well  as  all  that  is  vile ;— of  all  that  has  debased,  and  all  that 
has  ennobled  mankind. 


THE  DIVISIONS  OF  HISTORY. 

Considered  with  respect  to  the  nature  of  its  subjects,  History  may  be 
divided  into  General  and  Particular;  and  with  respect  to  time,  into  Ancient 
and  Modern. 

Ancient  History  commences  with  the  creation,  and  ends  in  the  year 
of  Christ  470,  with  the  destruction  of  the  Roman  empire  in  the  West 
Modern  History  commences  from  the  fall  of  that  empire,  and  extends  to 
the  present  time.  Ancieni.  History  is  divided  into  two  parts,  or  ages ; 
the  fabulous  and  the  historic.  The  Fabulous  Age  begins  with  the  first 
empires,  about  2000  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  closes  with  the 
foundation  of  Rome  :  a  period  which  comprehends  1240  years. 

The  Historic  Age  had  its  beginning  at  the  foundation  of  Rome,  753 
years  before  Christ,  and  terminated  with  ancient  history.  The  foundation 
of  Rome  is  chosen  for  the  commencement  of  this  important  division,  be- 
cause at  that  time  the  clouds  which  were  spread  over  the  historic  page 
began  to  dissipate  daily ;  and  because  this  period,  in  ihe  end,  has  served 
as  an  era  for  all  the  West,  and  also  a  part  of  the  East.  This  age  pre 
sents  us  with  the  grandest  revolutions  in  Europe  and  Asia.  In  the  latter, 
the  entire  destruction  of  the  Assyrian  empire,  and  the  foupf'-tion  of  three 
celebrated  monarchies  upon  its  ruins.  In  Europe,  the  establishment  of 
the  principal  republics  of  Greece,  the  astonishing  progress  of  legislation, 
and  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts.  This  division  embraces 
<230  years. 


GENERAL  HISTORY  OF  MODERN  EUROPE. 

The  history  of  Modern  Europe  commences  with  the  fall  of  the  Ro- 
man empire  in  the  West,  and  cotitinues  to  the  present  time :  it  embraces 
nine  remarkable  periods,  the  epochs  of  which  are : —  a.d.        a.d. 

1.  The  fall  of  the  Western  Empire 470  to    800 

2.  The  re-establishment  of  that  empire  by  Charlemagne    .  800  "    9C2 

3.  The  translation  of  the  Empire  to  Germany,  by  Olho 

the  Great 902  "  1074 

4.  The  accession  of  Henry  IV.  to  the  imperial  crown,  and 

the  Crusades 1074  "  127.1 

5.  The  elevation  of  Rodolph  of  Hapsburg  to  the  imperial 

throne 1273  "  1453 

6.  The  fall  of  the  Empire  of  the  East 1453  '•  1G48 

7.  The  peace  of  Westphalia 1648  "  1713 

8.  The  peace  of  Utrecht 1713  "  1789 

9.  The  French  Revolution  to  the  present  time    ...    .  1789  "  — 

first  period. — (476 — 800.) 
In  the  fifth  century  many  of  the  modern  monarchies  of  Europe  had 
their  commencement ;  the  empire  of  the  East  having  been,  about  that 
period,  brought  to  the  very  verge  of  ruin  by  the  innumerable  hosts  of  bar- 
barians from  the  north,  which  poured  in  upon  it,  and,  at  length,  subdued 
It  in  the  year  470.  The  Vandals,  the  Suevi,  and  the  Alans,  were  tiie  first 
adventurers.  These  were  soon  followed  by  the  Visigoths,  the  Burgun. 
dians,  the  Germans,  the  Franks,  the  Lombards,  the  Angles,  the  Saxon«, 


99  PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS, 

and  the  Huns.  These  depredators  taking  different  routes,  armed  with 
fire  and  sword,  soon  subjected  to  their  yoke  the  terrified  victims  of  theil 
ferocity,  and  erected  their  conquests  into  kingdoms. 

The  Visigoths,  after  having  driven  out  the  Vandals,  destroyed  th« 
Alans,  subdued  the  Suevi,  and  founded  a  new  kingdom  in  Spain. 

The  Angels  and  tiie  Saxons  made  a  conquest  of  Britain  from  the  Ro» 
mans  and  natives,  and  formed  the  Heptarchy,  or  seven  kingdoms. 

The  Huns  established  themselves  in  Pannonia,  and  the  Germans  or 
the  banks  of  the  Danube.  Thu  Heruli,  after  having  destroyed  the  West- 
ern empire,  founded  a  slate  in  Italy,  which  continued  but  a  short  time, 
being  driven  out  by  the  Ostrogoths.  Justinian  retook  Italy  from  the  Ostro- 
goths. The  greater  part  of  Italy  soon  after  fell  under  the  power  of  the 
Lombards,  who  formed  it  into  a  kingdom.  The  exarchate  of  Ravenna, 
raised,  by  them,  to  the  empire  of  the  East,  enjoyed  it  but  a  short  time. 
The  exarchate  being  conquered  by  Charlemagne,  was  settled,  by  him,  on 
the  Pope,  which  may  be  properly  styled  the  epoch  of  the  temporal  gran- 
deur of  the  Roman  pontiffs,  and  of  the  real  commencement  of  the  com- 
bination of  churcli  and  state. 

Numerous  bodies  of  people,  from  various  countries,  having  taken  posses- 
sion of  Gaul,  founded  therein  several  kingdoms,  which  were,  at  length, 
united  by  the  Franks,  under  the  name  of  France.  Pharamond  was  its 
first  monarch ;  and  under  Clovis  it  arrived  at  considerable  eminence. 
Pepin  le  Bref  (the  Short)  expelled,  in  the  person  of  Childeric  III.,  the 
race  of  Pharamond  (called  the  Merovingian)  from  the  throne,  apd  as- 
sumed the  government.  His  son,  Charlemagne,  the  greatest  prince  of 
his  time,  retrieved  the  honour  of  France,  destroyed  the  Lombardian  mon- 
archy, and  renewed  the  empire  of  the  West,  being  himself  crowned  em- 
peror at  Rome. 

About  the  middle  of  this  period,  Mohammed,  styling  himself  a  prophet, 
by  successful  imposture  and  the  force  of  arms,  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
considerable  empire,  the  East,  out  of  tlie  ruins  of  whicii  are  formed  the 
greater  part  of  the  present  existing  monarchies  in  western  Asia. 

SECOIfD  PERIOD. — (800 — 962.) 

Under  Charlemagne,  France  was  the  most  powerful  kingdom  of  Eu- 
rope ;  and  the  title  of  Roman. emperor  was  renewed  by  one  of  the  descend^ 
ants  of  the  destroyers  of  that  empire ;  the  other  monarchies,  hardly 
formed,  were  eclipsed  by  the  lustre  of  this  new  kingdom. 

Spain  was  subdued  by  the  Saracens,  who  formed  a  new  kingdom  in 
the  mountains  of  Asturias.  The  Moors  and  Christians  arming  against 
each  other,  laid  waste  this  beautiful  country. 

The  seven  Saxon  kingdoms,  which  formed  the  Heptarchy,  were  united 
by  Egbert,  who  became  the  first  king  of  England:  but  the  incursions 
of  the  Danes  prevented  that  power  from  making  any  considerable  figure 
among  the  states  of  Europe.  The  North  was  yet  plunged  in  barbarism, 
without  laws,  knowing  even  but  very  little  of  the  arts  of  the  first  neces- 
sity. 

The  French  monarchy,  which  had  risen  to  such  a  high  pitch  of  gran 
deur  under  Charlemagne,  became  weak  under  his  successors.     The  em- 

Eire  was  transferred  to  the  kings  of  Italy ;  which  event  was  followed 
y  civil  and  foreign  wars  in  France,  in  Germany,  in  Italy ;  while  the 
Hungarians,  from  Tartary,  augmented  the  troubles.  Otho  the  Great 
subdued  Italy,  which  he  united  to  Germany  with  the  dignity  of  emperor, 
and  shewed  to  a  barbarous  age,  the  talents  of  a  hero  and  the  wisdotn  of  a 
great  legislator. 

THIRD   FERIOD. — (962 — 1074.) 

The  German  empire  during  this  period  reached  the  summit  of  its  gran- 
Jeur  under  Otho  the  Great.      Conrad  II.  joined  the  kingdom  of  Bur 


>;* 


HlSTOttlCAL,  CHHONOLOQIOAL   AVD  GKOGRAPHICAL 


23 


gundy  to  his  possessions ;  and  his  son,  Henry  III.,  added  a  part  of  Hun 
gary.    Tiiis  empire  arrived  at  a  high  degree  of  power;  but  was  soon  aftei 
brought  into  a  state  of  decay  by  the  influence  of  its  nobles,  and  by  the 
feudal  government. 

Spain,  although  desolated  by  the  continual  wars  between  the  Visigoths 
and  the  Saracens,  was  again  divided  by  the  differences  of  worship  of 
those  two  rival  nations.  In  France  the  Carlovingian  kings  Were  de- 
posed by  the  usurpation  of  Hugh  Capet,  chief  of  the  third  or  Capetian  race 
of  kings. 

The  Danes  ravaged  England,  and  now  became  masters  of  it  under  Ca- 
nute the  Great,  who  conciliated  the  love  of  his  new  subjects.  Edward 
the  Confessor  succeeded  the  Danish  princes.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Harold  II.,  a  virtuous  prince  slain  in  battle  by  William  duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, who  made  a  conquest  of  England.  At  the  same  lime  the  Normans 
established  themselves  in  Sicily,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  new  king- 
dom. 

Italy,  oppressed  by  little  tyrants,  or  devoted  to  anarchy,  offered  nothing 
of  interest,  if  we  except  Venice,  which  was  every  day  extending  its  com- 
merce. The  other  states  of  Europe  did  not  furnish  any  important  event, 
being  at  this  period  plunged  in  obscurity  and  barbarity. 

FOURTH    PERIOD. — (1074—1273.) 

The  quarrels  between  the  emperors  and  the  popes  diminished  the  gran- 
deur and  power  of  the  empire :  the  discords  which  began  uider  the 
emperor,  Henry  IV.,  agitated  Germany  and  Italy  during  several  centuries ; 
the  factions  of  the  Guelphs  and  the  Ghibelines  (the  one  partisans  of  the 
popes,  and  the  other  of  the  emperors)  were  alternately  destroying  each 
other.  Frederic  I.  and  Frederic  II.  endeavored  to  uphold  the  majesty 
of  the  empire ;  but  the  house  of  Hohenstauffen  at  length  yielded :  they 
were  despoiled  of  their  possessions,  and  driven  from  the  throne.  The 
empire  was  much  weakened  by  the  incapacity  of  its  chiefs,  the  disunion 
of  its  members,  and  the  authority  of  the  popes,  ever  aiming  at  their  fur- 
ther aggrandizement.  The  Crusades  commenced :  a  part  of  Asia  Minor, 
Syria  and  Palestine,  were  presently  wrested  from  the  uifidels ;  aifd  the 
banner  of  the  cross  was  planted  on  Mount  Sion.  In  the  meantime  the 
crusaders  established  a  kingdom  in  Jerusalem,  which  was  of  short  dura- 
tion. It  was  during  the  time  of  the  crusades,  that  the  Greek  empire,  sap- 
ped to  its  foundation,  passed  to  the  Latins.  Michael  Paleologus,  emperor 
of  Nice,  retook  Constantinople.  The  Crusades  flnsihed  in  1231.  It  is 
said,  that  to  them  was  owing  the  origin  of  armorial  bearings,  military 
orders,  and  tournaments. 

Spain  continued  to  be  the  theatre  of  wars  between  the  Christian  kings 
and  the  Moors.  The  kings  of  Castile,  Arragon,  and  Navarre  signalized 
themselves  by  their  conquests  over  the  Saracens. 

In  France,  the  number  of  great  vassals  was  somewhat  diminished;  but 
the  continental  wars  with  the  English  exhausted  it  both  of  men  and  money. 

The  power  of  England  increased  considerably ;  the  navy  became  puis- 
sant; and,  in  consequence  of  the  civil  wars  between  the  king  and  the 
people,  the  royal  authority  became  more  weakened,  and  a  preponderance 
was  given  to  democratical  institutions. 

The  provinces  of  Naples  and  Sicily  were  erected  into  a  kingdom. 
Roger,  prince  of  Normandy,  was  the  first  king;  and  his  family  possessed 
the  crown  till  1194.  It  them  passed  into  the  house  of  Hohenstauffen, 
which  house  was  dispossessed  by  that  of  Anjou. 

Denmark  increased  in  power  under  Walidemar  II.,  but  the  influence 
of  Sweden  seemed  to  be  of  little  weight  in  the  European  system. 

Russia  groaned  under  the  yoke  of  the  Tartars,  who  also  made  incur- 
aions  into  Poland.    Bohemia,  and  the  island  of  Sardinia,  were  erected 


Tif 


94 


PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS, 


into  kingdoms.  Genoa  and  Venice  were  inrreasing  in  power :  by  the 
strength  of  their  navies,  they  supported  an  extensive  commerce.  Ven- 
ice became  possessed  of  Dalmatia,  and  a  part  of  the  Islands  in  the  Ar- 
chipelago. 

rirxH  PKRioD.— (1273— 1453.) 

The  states  of  Europe  enjoyed  an  equality  or  equilibrium  during  this 
period.  Rome  alone  seemed  to  possess  superior  power  at  first,  but  this 
power  very  soon  diminished  considerably :  it  laboured  without  effect  to 
drive  the  (ihibelines  out  of  Italy,  and  to  reunite  the  Greeks  to  the  church. 

The  empire  of  Germany,  confined  to  its  own  limits,  underwent  some 
changes.  Its  chaotic  goveniment  was  renoered  somewhat  more  clear; 
and  emperors  of  different  houses  successively  occupied  the  throne.  At 
the  death  of  Sigismund,  Albert  II.,  of  Iho  house  of  Hapsbirg,  or  Austria, 
was  elected ;  from  which  time  to  the  present  day,  this  family,  with  little 
exception,  have  possessed  the  imperial  crown. 

France  was  considerably  agitatud  by  intestine  feuds,  but  became  more 
powerful  by  the  expulsion  of  the  English.  Legislation  and  police  were 
beginning  to  be  understood,  which  served  to  soften  the  manners  of  the 
people,  and  promote  the  tranquillity  of  the  nation. 

Edward  111.  rendered  England  the  terror  of  its  neighbonrs :  he  held  at 
the  same  time  three  kings  prisoners ;  and  France  was  reduced,  by  his 
prowess,  to  the  condition  of  an  humble  supplicant.  The  factions  of  the 
red  and  white  roses,  (the  first  as  ihe  supporters  of  the  title  of  the  house 
of  Lancaster,  and  the  latter  that  of  York,)  were  deluging  their  native 
land  with  the  blood  of  each  other  at  the  close  of  this  period. 

Spain  continued  to  enrich  itself  with  the  spoils  of  the  Saracens;  who, 
notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  the  Spaniards,  were  yet  masters  of  all  the 
southern  parts.  In  Portugal,  the  legitimate  descendants  of  Henry  became 
extinct,  and  an  illegitimate  prince  of  the  same  house  ascended  the 
throne.  Sicily  was  taken  by  Peter  of  Arrngon,  of  the  house  of  Anjou, 
who  also  held  the  kingdom  of  Naples.  Margaret,  queen  of  Denmark, 
the  Semiramis  of  the  north,  united  in  her  person  the  three  crowns  of 
Denmark,  Sweden  and  Norway.  This  union,  made  at  Calmar,  continued 
■jut  a  short  tim^.  Thu  Swedes  broke  the  treaty,  and  choose  for  them- 
selves a  king. 

Russia,  (hitherto  under  the  yoke  of  the  Tartars)  was  delivered  from 
slavery  and  obscurity.  In  Poland,  the  royal  dignity  began  to  have  per- 
manency. In  Hungary,  the  house  of  Anjou  mounted  the  throne ;  the 
crown  of  which,  as  well  as  that  of  Bohemia,  soon  after  passed  to  the 
house  of  Austria. 

Othman,  sultan  of  the  Turks,  erected  a  monarchy,  which  arrived  to 
great  power  under  Mohammed  II.  This  prince  took  Constantinople,  and 
put  an  end  to  the  empire  of  the  East.  The  consequence  resulting  from 
the  capture  of  this  fine  city,  was  a  reflux  of  letters  from  the  East  to  the 
West,  which  contributed  to  the  establishment  of  the  arts.  Printing,  en 
graving  of  prints,  papermaking,  painting  in  oil,  gunpowder,  and  the  mar 
iner's  compass,  were  the  principal,  among  many  other  useful  inventions. 

SIXTH  PERIOD.— (1453 — 1648.) 

The  history  of  Europe  during  this  period  becomes  very  interesting. 
The  discovery  of  the  East  Indies  and  America,  and  the  great  changes 
brought  about  in  religious  opinions  by  the  successful  endeavours  of  Luther, 
Calvin,  and  others,  gave  a  new  appearance  to  many  states  in  this  quarter 
of  the  world. 

The  house  of  Austria  increased  in  territorial  possessions.  Europe 
appeared  like  a  vast  republic,  the  balance  of  power  therein  being  at  thik 
time  on  a  better  fooling  than  it  was  in  Ancient  Greece. 


IS. 


HISTOHICAL,  CHRONOLOaiCAL  AND  GEOQBAPHICAL. 


SA 


;i 


Almost  every  state  in  Europe  uaderwent  important  revolutions.  Ger- 
many was  considerably  improved  in  its  legislation  under  Maximilian  I.; 
the  Imperial  Chamber  and  Aulic  Council  were  established.  The  reli- 
gioufl  disputes  brought  on  a  succession  of  cruel  and  destructive  wars ; 
tiiey  were,  however,  terminated  by  the  treaty  of  Passau,  the  peace  of 
1555,  and  that  of  Westphalia. 

In  France,  the  feudal  government  was  at  length  destroyed  by  Charle« 
VII.  and  Louis  II.  The  wars  against  England  succeeded  those  of  Italy ; 
and  those  were  followed  by  intestine  wars  against  the  Huguenots,  or  Pro- 
testants, wliich  were  terminated  by  the  reduction  of  Uochelle,  and  the 
expulsion  of  tlie  Protestants.  In  Spain,  the  three  Christian  kingdoms 
v/ere  united.  This  monarchy,  founded  by  Ferdinand  V.,  surnanied  the 
Catholic,  arrived  at  its  zenith  of  power  under  his  grandson,  Charles  V.  It 
lost  a  part  of  its  splendour  under  Philip  III.  and  Philip  IV.,  princes  without 
genius,  valour  or  resources 

Portugal  became  formidable  under  Emanuel;  but  grew  weak  after  the 
death  of  Sebastian.  The  kingdom  submitted  to  the  Spanish  yoke  :  which 
it  shook  off  in  1040,  when  the  house  of  Braganza,  by  an  unexpected 
revolution,  ascended  the  throne. 

England  gained  strength  under  Henry  VII.,  and  became,  from  time  to 
time,  more  powerful  under  his  successors,  the  Tudors,  by  its  policy  and 
its  commerce,  and  particularly  so  during  the  reign  of  queen  Elizabeth. 
After  thfl  death  of  Elizabeth,  James  VI.,  king  of  Scotland,  ascended  the 
English  throne,  and  took  the  title  of  James  I.,  kini?  of  Great  Britain;  but 
neither  himself,  nor  his  successors,  possessed  the  genius  or  the  activity 
of  that  celebrated  princess. 

Italy  was  divided  into  many  small  states.  Tuscany,  Parma  and  Pla- 
centia,  heretofore  c.'lies  of  the  kingdom  of  Italy,  were  raised  to  the  dig- 
nity of  dukedoms.  Tlie  princes  of  Florence  encouraged  t'le  progress  of 
the  arts  and  sciences  by  honours  and  rewards.  Venice  was  less  consid- 
erable for  its  commerce  than  formerly  ;  the  discovery  of  the  compass  en- 
ablinfi^  other  nations  to  partake  with  the  Venetians  in  tlie  profits  arising 
from  navigation.  G(  noa  also  experienced  a  considerable  diminution  of 
commerce  from  the  same  cause. 

The  seven  United  Provinces,  viz.  Holland,  ice.  threw  off  the  Spanish 
yoke,  and  became  free ;  while  the  Swiss,  in  the  centre  of  their  rocky 
fastnesses,  formed  governments  for  the  protection  of  their  liberty. 

Denmark,  under  the  kings  of  the  house  of  Oldenburg,  now  began  to 
make  a  figure  among  the  powers  of  Europe.  Tiie  Swedes  tlirew  off 
the  Danish  yoke,  and  elected  Gustavus  Vnsa  for  their  king,  who  redeem- 
ed the  lustre  of  the  nation.  Gustavus  Adolphus  added  considerably  to 
its  power  by  his  valour  and  his  victories.  Uussia  also  assumed  a  new 
face.  Iwan  Basilowitz  delivered  his  country  from  the  Tartarian  yoke. 
Iwan  Basilowitz  II.  extended  the  empire.  The  house  of  Romanof  as- 
cended the  throne,  and  commenced  those  grand  schemes  which  the 
genius  and  perseverance  of  Peter  the  Great  afterwards  executed. 

Poland  flourished  under  the  Jagellon  race  of  princes ;  but  these  becom- 
ing extinct,  foreigners  were  introduced  to  the  throne.  Hungary  and  Bo- 
hemia, after  having  had  kings  of  different  nations  fell  to  the  house  of 
Austria. 

The  Ottoman  empire  augmented  its  grandeur  and  power  under  Soly- 
man  II.    After  his  death,  the  government  falling  into  tiie  hands  of  indo 
lent  and  effeminate  princes,  became  considerably  v.'eakcncd,  and  the  un- 
bridled power  of  the  Janissaries  now  arrived  at  its  highest  pitch. 

SEVENTH   PERIOD. — (1648 — 1714.) 

The  political  system  of  Europe  experienced  a  change  at  the  com 
mencement  of  this  period.    France  extended  its  territory,  and  became 


^}ll 


u 


86 


PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS. 


very  powerful  under  Louis  XIV.;  but  tlio  wars  carriel  on  by  this  prince 
■gainst  Spain,  Holland,  atid  the  empire,  exhausted  the  resources  of  the 
kingdom. 

Germany  presented  some  interesting  elmnges.  Leopold  established  a 
ointh  electorate  in  favour  of  the  house  of  Hanover.  Augustus,  elector  of 
Saxonv,  was  elected  king  of  Poland;  and  George,  elector  of  Hanover, 
ascended  the  throne  of  Great  Britain.  Prussia  was  erected  into  a  king> 
dom  under  Frederic,  the  third  elector  of  Brandenburg,  who  took  the  title  of 
Frederic  \. 

Spain  lost  power  under  the  latter  princes  of  Austria,  and  was  dismem* 
bered  by  the  "  succession"  war,  which  terminated  in  favour  of  the  house 
of  Bourbon. 

Alphonsus  VF.,  king  of  Portugal,  was  deposed  and  the  kingdom  de- 
clared independent  of  Spain  by  the  peace  of  Lisbon. 

In  England,  Charles  I.  was  beheaded,  and  the  monarchy  abolished. 
Oliver  Cromwell  was  declared  protector  of  the  Commonwealth,  which 
lasted  but  a  short  time  after  his  death.  The  Stuart  family  were  estab- 
lished again  on  the  throne.  James  II.  abdicated.  William,  stadtholder 
of  the  United  Provinces,  was  elected  king,  and  secured  the  succession  of 
the  house  of  Hanover  at  (he  death  of  Anne. 

Italy  underwent  an  almost  entire  change  by  the  peace  of  Utrecht , 
the  house  of  Austria  was  put  in  possession  of  its  most  fertile  countries. 
At  the  same  time  the  house  of  Savoy,  profiting  both  by  the  war  and  the 
peace,  increased  its  possessions  in  Italy,  and  thereby  raised  its  influence 
m  Europe. 

The  United  Provinces  increased  in  riches  and  power:  their  indepen- 
dence was  secured  by  the  peace  of  Westphalia ;  but  they  engaged  in  wars 
which  drained  them  of  their  treasures,  without  augmenting  their  power. 

The  republics  of  Switzerland  and  of  Venice  appeared  to  be  of  less  con- 
sequence among  the  FJuropean  states  than  heretofore ;  but  ihe  former  con- 
tinued to  be  happy  in  its  mountains;  the  latter  tranquil  among  its  lakes. 

Sweden,  whose  power  was  prodigious  under  Charles  X.  and  Chhrles 
XII.,  lost  much  of  its  grandeur  after  the  defeat  of  the  latter  prince  at 
Pultowa.  Itussia  became  almost  on  a  sudden  enlightened  and  powerful, 
under  the  auspices  of  Peter  the  Great.  Poland,  unfortunate  under  John 
Casimir,  was  made  respectable  under  John  Sobieski.  Hungary  was 
desolated  by  continual  intestine  war,  and  deluged  with  the  bloud  of  its 
own  inhabitants. 

The  Ottoman  empire  continued  weak  under  princes  incapable  of  gov- 
erning, who  placed  the  sceptre  in  the  hands  of  ministers  altogether  as 
weak  and  incapable  as  themselves. 

EIGHTH   PERIOD. — (1714 — ^1789.) 

This  period  was  replete  in  negotiation,  in  treaties,  and  in  wars.  The 
balance  of  power,  intended  systematically  to  produce  perpetual  peace, 
had,  on  the  contrary,  been  the  means  of  exciting  continual  war.  The 
peace  of  Utrecht,  signed  by  almost  all  the  powers  of  Europe,  failed  to 
reconcile  the  emperor  and  the  king  of  Spain.  Pliilip  V.  commenced  war. 
The  English  and  Dutch  procured  the  treaty  of  Vienna,  in  1731,  which  put 
■an  end  to  that  calamity;  but  a  new  war  commenced  on  the  p\ection  of  a 
king  of  Poland.  France  declared  war  against  the  emperor,  which  termi- 
nated by  the  peace  of  Vienna.  The  death  of  Charles  VL,  1740,  pro<luced 
a  new  war,  more  important  than  the  former  was,  and  of  longer  duration. 
France  took  the  part  of  the  elector  of  Bavaria,  as  a  competitor  for  imperial 
dignity  against  the  house  of  Austiia.  The  success  of  the  arms  of  tlio 
French  and  Bavarians,  induced  the  queen  of  Hungary  to  detach  the  king 
of  Prussia  from  the  alliance.  The  defection  of  this  prince  changed  the 
''ace  of  affairs ;  and  the  subsequent  victoric^s  of  marshal  Saxe  obliged  the 


FI13T0IUCAL,  CHllONOLOaiCAL  AND  OKOORAPHICAL. 


9^ 


ly  this  prince 
uurees  of  the 

established  a 
lUB,  elector  o( 
of  Hanover, 
d  into  a  king- 
jok  the  title  of 

was  dismem* 
;r  of  the  house 

!  kingdom  de- 

!hy  abolished, 
wealth,  which 
ly  were  eslab- 
m,  stadtholder 
succession  of 

■0  of  Utrecht, 
irtile  countries, 
he  war  and  the 
ed  its  influence 

iheir  indepen- 
iigaged  in  wars 
r  their  power. 
I  be  of  less  con- 
ihe  former  con- 
moiig  its  lakes. 
X.  and  Charles 
latter  prince  at 
d  and  powerful, 
jate  under  Jolni 
Hungary  was 
ihe  blood  of  its 

capable  of  gov- 
's altogether  an 


in  wars.  The 
lerpctual  peace, 
nual  war.  The 
Wuropc,  failed  to 
omnienccd  war. 

1731,  which  put 
the  ejection  of  a 
or,  which  termi- 
.,  1740,  produced 
longer  duration, 
litor  for  imperial 
the  arms  of  tiin 

detach  the  king 
ince  changed  liie 
Saxe  obliged  the 


belligerent  powers  to  conclude  the  peace  of  Alx-lo-ChapcUo,  which  af. 
forded  but  a  short  calm  to  ensanguined  Europe.  The  houses  of  Bourbon 
and  Austria,  so  long  enemies  and  rivals,  now  united  their  eflbrts  to  main- 
tain the  balance  of  power.  But  the  Englisli  and  French  soon  found  pre- 
text for  nesv  disagreements,  and  war  was  again  declared.  The  king  of 
Prussia  took  part  with  the  English,  and  the  kmg  of  Spain  with  the  French. 
Tliis  war  terminated  much  in  Aivour  of  the  English,  and  peace  was  con- 
cluded in  1703.  In  Italy  the  houses  of  Austria  and  Bourbon  had  the  prin- 
cipal sway.  Savoy,  assisted  by  England,  augmented  its  power:  the 
island  of  Sardinia  was  given  in  exchange  for  Sicily.     Charles  Emanuel 

III.  joined  a  small  part  of  the  Milanese  to  this  territory,  aud  Corsica  be- 
came a  provinco  to  France.  In  Holland,  William  IV.,  prince  of  Orange, 
was  declared  stadtholder  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces. 

Sweden,  after  tho  death  of  Charles  XII.,  underwent  an  entire  change  : 
the  liouse  of  Holstein-Eutin  ascended  the  throne.  Gustavus  III.,  the 
second  king  of  this  family,  seized  upon  the  liberiies  of  his  people,  and  be- 
came a  despot.  In  Uussia  the  four  princesses  who  had  held  the  sceptre 
since  the  death  of  Peter  the  Great,  rendered  the  empire  worthy  of  the 
great  genius  who  may  bo  sty'cd  its  founder.  Poland  was  dismembered 
by  its  three  powerful  neighbours,  Russia,  Austria  and  Prussia. 

Prussia,  which  had  not  ceased  to  aggrandize  itself  since  the  elector  of 
Brandenburg  received  the  title  of  king,  was  raised  to  the  height  of  grandeur 
tnd  power  under  the  wise  government  of  that  celebrated  hero  and  philo- 
sopher, Frederic  II. 

In  Turkey,  Achmet  III.  was  obliged  to  surrender  his  crown  to  his 
nephew,  Moliammed  V.  Mustapha  III.  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Poles 
against  the  Russians,  and  sustained  great  losses.     His  successor,  Achmet 

IV.  put  an  end  to  this  unfortunate  war  by  a  peace,  to  gain  which  he  made 
great  sacrifices. 

Tho  English  colonics  in  America  revolted  from  the  mother  country, 
threw  off  its  yoke,  and  declared  themselves  independent.  France,  Spam 
and  Holland,  declared  in  iheir  favour ;  when  after  a  war  of  eight  years,  it 
was  terminated  by  in  1783  by  a  peace,  whereby  they  were  acknowledged 
as  an  independent  nation. 

NIMTII  PERIOD — (1789—1815.) 

This  period  was  ushered  in  by  one  of  the  greatest  revolutions  that  evei 
happened  in  Europe,  or  the  world.  The  French,  so  long  habituated  to 
despotism,  threw  off, as  it  were  in  a  moment,  tho  yoke  imposed  upon  them 
and  their  forefathers  for  many  ages.  Their  king,  Louis  XVI.,  apparently 
joined  in  the  effort,  but  at  length,  wanting  firmness  for  so  trying  an  occa- 
sion, prevaricated,  and  attempted  to  fly  ;  he  was  seized,  tried,  imquitously 
condemned  and  executed.  His  queen,  Antoinette  of  Austria,  suffered 
also  under  the  guillotine.  The  powers  of  Europe,  headed  by  the  emperor 
and  the  king  of  Prussia,  coalesced  together  to  crush  the  revolutionary 
•pirit  of  France.  Great  Britain,  Spain,  Russia,  Holland,  Sardinia,  Naples, 
the  Pope,  and  a  variety  of  inferior  powers,  joined  the  confederacy :  to 
this  was  added  a  powerful  party  in  the  interior,  and  the  flames  of  civil 
war  spread  far  and  wide.  Massacre,  rapine  and  horror,  stalked  through 
the  land;  notwithstanding  which,  the  Convention  formed  a  constitution, 
levied  numerous  armies,  and  conquered  Holland,  the  Netherlands,  and  all 
the  country  west  of  the  Rhine.  Italy  submitted  also  to  the  Gallic  republi- 
cans ;  and  Germany  was  penetrated  to  its  centre. 

Several  changes  took  place  in  the  government  Buonaparte  conquered 
Egypt:  and,  in  his  absence,  France  lost  great  pdrt  of  his  conquests  in 
Italy.  He  returned,  and  assuming  the  government  under  the  title  of  first 
consul,  reconquered  Italy.  Soon  after,  he  established  the  Italian  repub- 
lic ;  was  himself  constituted  president ;  and  made  peace  with  England, 


I 


f8 


PnELTMINARY  0D8ERVATI0NR, 


which  lasted  but  a  thort  time.     A  new  war  commenced.    Buonapnrt"  wa« 
elected  emperor  of  the  French. 
Grent  Hritain,  notwilhstandinff  the  part  it  took  in  the  ronfrderate  Mur, 

fushcd  its  commerce  and  manufacliircs  to  an  extent  heretofore  unknown, 
t  made  several  conquests,  nearly  annihilated  the  French  navy,  and 
obliged  their  army  to  evacuate  Egypt.  Peace  was  restored,  but  was  of 
short  duration.  War  again  commenced:  a  military  spirit  sliowod  itself 
throughout  the  nation,  and  tremoiidous  efforts  were  made.  French  ini. 
petuosity  and  British  valour  were  for  years  witnessed  in  tlic  Xp:mish 
peninsula.  Russia  was  invaded  by  a  powerful  host  under  Napoleon  Buo- 
naparte but  the  invaders  were  utterly  aimibilntcd.  The  crowning  act  of 
the  war  was  the  ever-memorable  battle  of  Waterloo,  whereby  the  over- 
throw of  Napoleon  was  effected,  and  the  peace  of  the  world  restored,  after 
gigantic  efforts  and  sacrifices,  on  all  sides,  which  have  no  parallel  in  history. 


CHRONOLOGY. 

OoMPARATivr.LT  spcakiug,  the  science  of  Chronology  is  but  »f  recent 
origin ;  for  many  ages  elapsed  before  the  mode  of  computing  time ,  or  even 
of  giving  dates  to  important  events,  was  at  all  regarded  :  nay,  after  the 
value  of  historical  writings  was  felt  and  acknowledged.  Chronology  long 
remained  imperfect;  the  most  ancient  Instorians  leaving  the  precise 
periods  they  record  undetermined.  When  Homer  and  Herodotus  wrote, 
and  for  centuries  afterwards,  there  was  no  regular  distribution  of  time 
into  such  parts  as  months,  weeks,  and  hours;  nor  any  reference  to 
clocks,  dials,  or  other  instruments,  by  which  the  perpetual  current  of  time 
was  subdivided.  The  divis,  u.s  of  time  whii-h  are  considered  in  Chrono- 
logy, relate  either  to  'he  ciaferent  methods  of  computing  days,  months, 
inci  years,  or  the  remarkable  eras  or  epochs  from  which  any  year  receives 
its  name,  and  by  means  of  which  the  date  of  any  event  is  fixed.  'I'lie 
choice  of  these  epoelis  is  for  the  most  part  arbitrary,  each  nation  preferring 
its  most  remarkable  revolution  as  the  standard  by  which  to  regulate  its 
measurement  of  time.  Thus,  the  Greeks  have  their  Argonautic  expedi- 
tion, their  siege  of  Troy,  their  arrival  of  Cecrops  in  Attica,  and  their 
Olympic  Games.  The  Romans  reckoned  from  the  foundation  of  their  city , 
but  in  their  annals  they  also  frequently  advert  to  their  various  civil  ap 
pointments  and  external  conquests.  The  modern  Jews  reckon  from  the 
Creation;  and  the  Christians  from  the  Birth  of  our  Saviour.  From  tliis 
we  count  our  years  backward  towards  the  begiiming  of  time,  and  forward 
to  the  present  day.  But  it  was  not  till  the  year  532  that  this  plan  was  in- 
troduced; and  even  then  the  abb6  Dionysius,  whc  invented  it,  erred  in 
his  calculations  :  nor  was  liis  error  discovered  forii^jsvufiiy  .f  f  ^x  centuries 
afterwards,  when  it  was  found  to  be  deficient  four  v  .W'  vt  tin  true  period. 
But  as  an  alteration  of  a  system  which  had  be  •  i  m  nearly  a, 
Europe,  would  have  occasioned  incalculable  intt/.r  i  iencca  in  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  affairs,  the  error  was,  by  general  consent,  suffered  to  re- 
main, and  we  continue  to  reckon  from  what  is  called  the  "vulgar  era," 
which  wants  four  years  and  six  days  of  the  real  Christian  epoch. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  there  are  many  diffieulties  in  the  way  of  fixing 
a  correct  Chronology ;  but  still  there  are  four  data  from  which  satisfac- 
sory  conclusions  relative  to  certain  events  may  be  drawn;  and,  by  ascer- 
tai  "'..i,  whether  ^lhers  occurred  before  or  after  them,  we  may  in  general 
arrange  the  m'>F\  remote  transactions  with  a  degree  of  regularity  that  at 
the  first  view  ni^ht  have  appeared  hopeless.  These  are,  1.  Astronomical 
vbservations,  particularly  of  the  eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon,  combined 
with  the  calculations  of  the  years  and  eras  of  particular  nations.    2.  The 


HI8T011ICAL.  CIiaONOLOOiCAT,   <IJD  QEOCill  ^^HICAL. 


W 


;onapnrt»»  wa« 

ifrcU'rato  var, 
uro  unknown, 
[•h  navy,  and 
d,  but  was  of 
showed  ilHi'lf 
French  im- 
11  the  Spiii\i»h 
Napoleon  Huo- 
rowning  act  of 
reby  the  over- 
restored,  after 
allel  in  history. 


9  but   >f  recent 
ig  tim(  .oreven 
:  nny,  afttr  the 
:hronology  h»nK 
ng   the    preciNd 
crodotus  wrote, 
rihution  of  time 
ny  reference  to 
current  of  tinie 
ercd  in  Chroiio- 
g  days,  nionilis, 
.ny  year  receives 
t  is  fixed.     'I'he 
lation  preferring 
h  to  reguhite  its 
gonautie  expedi- 
Attica,and  their 
tion  of  their  city, 
various  civil  ap- 

reckon  from  the 
iour.    From  this 
time,  and  forward 
tl\is  plan  was  in- 
ciited  it,  erred  in 
,,  ,  f  ('.x  centuries 
jf  the  tnic  period, 
•^i  M      '  nearly  »■ 
jnccs  in  civil  and 
jt,  suffered  to  re- 
the  "  vulgar  era, ' 
m  epoch, 
the  way  of  fixmg 
m  which  satisfac- 
vn;  and,  by  ascer- 
\'0  may  in  general 
regularity  that  at 
0,  1.  Astronomical 
d  moon,  combined 

nations.    2.  Tlie 


icstimonics  of  credible  authors.  3.  Tiiose  po'  hs  in  httt.^ry  which  arc 
■0  well  attested  and  determined  as  "over  to  ha. c  ifen  controverted.  4 
Ancient  medals,  coins,  monuments  and  inscriptions.  We  li.i  ^  also  some 
artificial  distinctions  of  time,  which  nevertheless  depend  on  astiimomical 
calculations;  such  arc  the  Solar  and  Lunar  Cycles,  the  Roman  ladi  noH, 
the  Feast  of  Easter,  the  Bissextile  or  Leap-Year,  the  Jubilees  and  Sab- 
batic Years  of  the  Israelites,  the  Olympiads  of  the  Greek  the  Hegir-\  of 
the  Mohammedans,  Sec.  But  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  ih  the  siud\  of 
Chnmo'  (fy,  though  so  useful  to  the  clear  understanding  <f  hialon  al 
rii.'oi'N,  IS  a  distinct  science,  and  requires  to  be  studied  nu  'dically.^ 
')i!'  K^t  "o  in  this  place  is  merely  to  point  to  it  as  one  of  '  .ue  eyes  of 
historj ." 

GEOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  WORLD  AND  ITS 
INHABITANTS. 

Br  Geography  is  understood  a  description  of  the  Earth.  It  is  divided 
into  Physical  or  Natural  Geography,  and  Civil  and  Political  Geography. 
The  first,  or  Physical  Geography,  refers  to  the  surface  of  the  earth,  it- 
divisions,  and  their  relative  situations;  the  climate  and  soil;  the  face  of 
the  country ;  and  its  productions,  animal,  vegetable  and  mineral.  The 
second,  or  Civil  Geography,  includes  the  various  nations  of  the  earth,  as 
divided  into  empires,  kingcloms,  republics,  provinces,  &c.,  and  the  origini 
language,  religion,  government,  political  power,  commerce,  education  and 
manners  and  customs  of  those  nations. 

The  form  of  the  earth  is  very  nearly  spherical ;  the  polar  axis  being 
only  about  38  miles  shorter  than  the  equatorial ;  and  as  the  diameter  is 
nearly  8000  miles,  so  slight  a  diffcrcnco  in  a  globular  body  would  be  im- 
perceptible. 

In  the  study  of  Geography,  maps  and  globes  are  indispensable ;  but, 
owing  to  their  form,  globes  give  a  better  idea  of  the  relative  sizes  and  sit- 
uations of  countries  than  can  be  learned  from  maps. 

The  earth  has  an  annual  and  a  diurnal  motion ;  it  moves  completely 
round  the  sun  in  about  305  days,  6  hours ;  and  turns  completely  round,  as 
if  on  an  axis  or  spindle,  from  west  to  cast,  in  about  24  hours :  an  imag- 
inary line,  therefore,  passing  through  its  centre,  is  called  its  Axis.  The 
extremities  of  the  axis  are  called  Poles — North  and  South — the  one  near 
est  to  the  country  we  inhabit  being  the  Norih  Pole. 

A  line  drawn  round  a  globe  is  obviously  a  circle;  and  as  various  circles 
are  described  on  artificial  globes,  for  reasons  hereafter  mentioned,  wo 
speak  of  them  as  thougli  they  were  really  so  delineated  on  the  earth's 
surface. 

The  principal  'ircles  on  the  globe  are  the  Equator,  the  Ecliptic,  the 
Tropic  of  Canc^  ,  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn,  and  the  Arctic  and  Antarctic 
circles.  All  circles  are  considered  as  divisible  into  360  equal  parts,  called 
degrees;  each  degree  into  CO  minutes,  and  each  minute  into  60  seconds: 
a  degree  is  thus  marked  °,  a  minute  thus ',  and  a  second  thus  ":  so 
that  28^  69  26"  means  28  degrees,  5ii  minutes,  36  seconds.  And  as  a 
whole  circle  contains  3G0  degrees,  a  semi-circle  (or  half  a  circle)  will  con 
tain  180°,  iM  «  quadrant  (or  quarter  of  a  circle)  90°. 

That  circle  tm  'N;  surface  of  the  globe  which  is  everywhere  equally  dis- 
tant from  each  p..le,  is  culled  the  Equator;  and  it  divides  the  globe  into 
two  equal  parts  or  Htmispheres,  the  Northern  and  Southern.  The  appel- 
lation Equator,  ur  Eqiiinocti;il  (nodes  aquantur),  is  given  to  it,  because, 
when  V':P  *un,  thnmgh  the  ivnnual  motion  of  the  earth,  is  seen  in  this  cir- 
cle, the  da<j^(i  and  uights  are  »qual  in  every  part  of  the  world. 

The  Ecliptic  is  su  eallud,  becnuae,  all  eclipses  cfthe  sun  or  moon  can 


so 


PRELIMINARY  OBSERVATIONS, 


r 


i^ 


0 


only  take  place  when  tlie  moon  is  in  or  near  that  circle.  This  circle  ib 
described  on  the  terrestrial  globe  solely  for  the  purpose  of  performing  a 
greater  number  of  problems. 

The  Tropics  are  two  parallels  to  the  equator,  drawn  through  the  eclip- 
tic, at  those  points  where  the  ecliptic  is  at  the  greatest  distance  from  the 
equator;  which  is  about  23°  SC  from  the  equator,  on  either  side.  When 
the  sun  is  opposite  to  one  of  the  tropics,  those  people  who  are  as  far  from 
the  corresponding  pole  as  the  tropic  is  from  the  equator,  see  the  sun  for 
more  than  twenty-four  hours.  This  is  the  case  with  every  part  nearer 
to  the  poles,  but  never  with  any  part  farther  from  them.  To  point  out 
this  pecuharity,  a  circle  is  described  on  the  globe,  234°  from  each  pole 
One  of  these  Polar  Circles  is  called  the  Arctic,  the  other  the  Antarctic ;  sig- 
nifying the  north,  and  that  which  is  opposite  to  the  north. 

The  Zones  (so  called  from  a  Greek  word  signifying  belts  or  girdles)  de- 
note those  spaces  between  the  several  principal  circles  before  described. 
Thus  between  the  poles  and  polar  circles  are  the  two  frigid  zones,  be- 
tween the  two  frigid  zones  and  the  tropics  are  the  two  temperate  zones, 
and  between  the  two  tropics  the  torrid  zone ;  deriving  these  appellations 
from  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere. 

The  Latitude  of  a  place  is  its  distance  from  the  equator.  It  is  measured 
by  the  number  of  degrees,  &c.,  in  the  arc  of  the  meridian,  between  the 
place  and  the  equator;  and  i?  called  North  or  Som^A,  according  as  the 
place  is  north  or  south  of  the  equator. 

Longitude  is  the  distance  of  any  place  from  a  given  spot,  generally  the 
capitalof  the  country,  measured  in  a  direction  east  or  west,  either  along 
the  equator  or  any  circle  parallel  to  it.  The  English  measure  their  lon- 
gitude east  and  west  of  Greenwich,  the  French  east  and  west  of  Paris,  &c. 

Meridians,  or  circles  of  longitudes,  are  so  called  from  meridics,  or  mid- 
day; because,  as  the  earth  makes  one  complete  revolution  round  its  own 
axis  in  twenty-four  hours,  every  part  of  its  surface  must  Ln  the  course 
of  that  time  be  directly  opposite  to  the  sun.  The  sun,  therefore,  at  that 
point,  will  appear  at  its  greatest  altitude,  or,  in  other  words,  it  will  be 
mid-day  or  noon. 

Divisions  or  the  Earth. 

It  was  usual  until  the  present  century  to  speak  of  the  great  divisions  of 
the  Earth  as  the  Four  Quarters  oj  the  World,  viz ;  Europe,  Asia,  Africa, 
and  America.  But  a  more  scientific  distribution  has  since  been  generally 
adopted ;  and  the  chief  terrestrial  divisions  of  the  earth's  surface  are  now 
thus  enumerated  :  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  North  and  South  America,  Australia, 
and  Polynesia.  Of  these.  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  form  the  Eastern 
Hemisphere,  (or  the  Old  World) ;  and  America  the  Western  Hemisphere, 
which,  from  its  not  being  known  to  Europeans  till  the  close  of  the  15th 
<;entury,  is  called  the  New  World.  Australia  includes  that  extensive  re- 
gion called  New-Holland,  together  with  New-Zealand  and  adjacent  isles; 
and  Polynesia  comprehends  the  numerous  groups  of  volcanic  and  coraline 
islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  extending  eastward  to  the  Philippine  Islands 
and  from  New-Guinea  to  the  coast  of  America. 

The  Ocean  occupies  about  two  thirds  of  the  earth's  surface ;  and  its 
waters  are  constantly  encroaching  upon  the  land  in  some  places,  and  re- 
ceding from  it  in  others.  To  this  cause  may  be  attributed  the  formation 
of  many  islands  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  Tiie  greatest  depth  of  the 
ocean  which  has  brcn  ascertained,  is  about  900  fathoms ;  its  mean  depth 
is  estimated  at  about  200  fathoms.  Near  the  tropics  it  is  extremely  salt, 
but  the  saltness  considerably  diminishes  towards  the  poles. 

This  immense  expanse  of  water  is  divided  into  smaller  oceans  or  seas, 
gulfs,  bays,  &c.,  limited  partly  by  real,  partly  by  imaginary  boundaries. 
The  Pacific  Ocean,  which  covers  nearly  one  third  of  the  earth's  surface 


i^' 


we 


HISTORICAL,  CHRONOLOGICAL,  AND  QEOaRAPHlCAL. 


31 


I  circle  ib 
brming  a 

he  eclip- 
from  the 
;.  When 
9  far  from 
le  sun  for 
art  nearer 
point  out 
iach  pole 
irciic ;  9ig- 

irdles)  de- 
describcd. 
zones,  bc- 
ate  zones, 
jpellations 

)  measured 
Hween  the 
ing  as  the 

ncrally  the 
ther  along 
their  lon- 
f  Paris,  &c. 
'ics,  or  mid- 
nd  its  own 
the  course 
ore,  at  that 
s,  it  will  be 


divisions  ol 
sia,  Africa, 
n  generally 
ice  are  now 
3,  Australia, 
he  Eastern 
[emisphere, 
:)f  the  15th 
tensive  re- 
acent  isles ; 
indcoralino 
)iae  Islands 

e ;  and  Us 
:es,  and  re- 
formation 
depth  of  the 
mean  depth 
remely  salt, 

fins  or  seas, 
boundaries, 
h's  surfaet 


and  is  about  10,000  miles  in  breadth,  lies  between  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia 
and  Australia,  and  the  western  coast  of  America.  The  Atlantic  Ocean  lies 
between  Europe  and  Africa  on  the  east,  and  America  on  the  west.  The 
Pacilic  and  Atlantic  Oceans  are  each  distinguished  into  North  and  South. 
The  Indian  Ocean  is  bounded  by  Asia,  Africa,  and  Australia.  The  Arctic 
or  Frozen  Ocean,  lies  to  the  north  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  part  of  America. 
The  Southern  Ocean  lies  south  of  all  the  continents. 


■■a,- 


In  this  condensed  Work  which  we  now  submit  to  the  public,  it  will  not 
be  expected  that  the  manifold  uses  and  advantages  of  a  knowledge  of  His- 
tory could  be  discussed,  or  that  many  facts  and  reasonings  which  might 
elucidate  obscure  or  controverted  passages  could  be  brought  forward ;  but 
we  trust  it  will  generally  be  found  that  the  materials  we  have  made  use 
of  have  been  derived  from  the  most  accurate  sources  of  historical  infor- 
mation ;  that  while  a  great  mass  of  matter  has  been  brought  together,  it 
may,  at  the  same  time,  appear,  that  judgment  and  circumspection  have 
been  used  in  proportion  to  the  importance  and  difficulty  of  the  task ;  and, 
moreover,  that  truth  and  impartiality  have  been  regarded  beyond  all  other 
considerations.  Upon  events  which  have  recently  occurred,  or  are  in 
progress  at  the  present  moment,  we  know  that  different  opinions  will  pre- 
vail and  therefore,  in  relating  such  transactions,  an  honest  and  fearless 
regard  for  truth  and  the  good  of  society  is  tiie  bounden  duty  of  every  one 
who  presumes  to  narrate  them.  By  this  golden  rule  we  have  endeavoured 
to  abide,  and  humbly  hope  we  have  succeeded. 

The  idea  of  making  the  Treasury  of  History  extend  to  another  volume 
was  at  first  entertained ;  and,  in  truth,  no  small  portion  of  it  was  prepared 
under  an  impression  that  such  was  inevitable.  If,  therefore,  it  should  appear 
that  some  of  the  Histories  have  not  due  space  allotted  to  them,  this  fact  is 
offered  as  our  most  valid  reason  for  such  apparent  inequality  :  but  it  is  by 
no  means  intended  as  an  excuse  for  the  leiigth^f  the  History  of  England; 
for  it  is  almost  impossible  to  speak  of  any  great  events  which  have  occur- 
red among  civilized  nations — especially  witliin  the  last  century — that  do 
not,  directly  or  indirectly,  bear  on  British  interests,  and  which  consequent- 
ly, come  wjthin  our  province  to  notice. 

It  seems,  however,  that  a  few  words  of  an  explanatory  or  apologetic 
nature  are  still  neccessary.  To  be  brief,  then : — A  uniform  method  of 
spelling  foreign  proper  names  has  not  always  been  rigidly  adhered  to;  or, 
it  may  be,  such  names  are  spelt  differently  in  other  works.  For  instance, 
we  have  written  Genghis-Khan,  as  the  most  usual  orthography  ;  but  we 
have  found  it  elsewhere  written  Zingis  Khan,  Ciiigis  Khan,  and  Jenghii 
Khan.  The  name  of  Mahomet,  or  Mohammed,  is  written  both  ways,  and 
each  has  its  advocates,  though  modern  custom,  we  think,  is  in  favour  of 
the  latter  method.  Many  others  might,  of  course,  be  mentioned ;  but  in 
none  are  so  many  variations  to  be  found  as  in  the  Chinese  names.  It  may 
also  happen  that  the  transactions  of  one  country  may  appear  to  be  given 
more  fully  than  necessary  in  the  history  of  another ;  and  vice  versa.  The 
necessity  of  avoiding  needless  repetitions,  in  a  work  so  condensed,  and 
the  desire  al  the  same  time  to  omit  nothing  of  importance,  must  plead  our 
excuse  for  such  faults ;  while  the  too  frequent  absence  of  a  vigorous  or 
elegant  stylo  of  composition,  may  be  thought  to  require  a  similar  apology. 
We  are,  indeed,  fully  sensible  that,  with  all  our  care,  many  imperi^ctions 
will  be  found,  and  that  we  must  rely  chiefly  upon  tlie  candour  and  liberality 
of  that  public,  whose  kind  support  and  encouragement  on  former  occasiona 
■re  have  felt  and  gratefully  acknowledged. 


I  ■« 


1 

li 

, 

m 

1 

1^ 

lln 

1 

4 

lis 

1 

> 

IR 

) 

; 

i' 

L 

THK 


TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


INTRODUCTORY   OUTLINE    SKETCH 


OF 


GEINERAL    HISTORY. 


.5  t' 


CHAPTER  1. 

THE    ANTKDILUVIAN    WORLD. 

Hisi OR r,  beyond  all  otiier  Studies,  is  calculated  to  ciilifjliteu  the  judg- 
ment and  enlarge  the  understanding.  Every  page  cunvcys  some  useful 
lesson,  every  sentenec  has  its  moral ;  and  its  range  is  as  boundless  as  its 
matter  is  various.  It  is  accordingly  admitted,  as  an  inilisputable  axiom, 
that  there  is  no  species  of  literary  composition  to  which  the  faculties  of 
the  mind  can  be  more  laudably  directed,  or  from  which  more  useful  infor- 
mation  may  be  derived.  While  it  imparts  to  us  a  knowledge  of  man  in 
his  social  relations,  and  thereby  enables  us  to  divest  ourselves  of  many 
errors  and  prejudices,  ii  tends  to  strengthen  our  abliorrcnce  of  vice,  and 
creates  an  honourable  ambition  for  the  attaimnent  of  true  greatness  and 
solid  glory.  Nay,  if  considered  as  a  mere  source  of  rational  amusement, 
History  will  siill  be  found  infinitely  superior  to  the  extravagant  fictions 
of  romance,  or  the  distorted  pictures  of  living  manners  ;  for  by  the  habit- 
ual  perusal  of  these,  however  polished  their  style  or  quaint  their  humour 
the  intellect  is  frequently  debilitated,  and  the  heart  too  often  corrupted. 

In  all  the  records  of  ancient  history  tbere  is  a  mi.Mure  of  poetical  fable : 
nor  is  it  wholly  to  the  historian's  immaturity  of  reason,  or  to  the  general 
superstition  that  prevailed  in  remote  ages,  that  we  are  to  ascribe  this  pre- 
dilection for  marvellous  and  wild  narration.  It  has  with  great  truth  been 
said  that  the  first  transactions  of  men,  were  bold  and  extravagant — their 
ambition  being  more  to  astonish  their  fellow-creatures  by  the  vastness  of 
their  designs,  and  the  difficulties  they  could  overcome,  than  by  any  ra 
tional  and  extensive  plan  of  public  utility. 

Modern  liistory,  however,  claims  our  more  particular  regard.  In  that  is 
described  those  actions  and  events  which  have  a  necessary  connection 
with  the  times  in  which  we  live,  and  which  have  a  direct  influence  upon 
the  government  and  constitution  of  our  country.  It  unfolds  the  secret 
wheels  of  political  intrigue,  the  artifices  of  diplomacy,  and  all  those  com- 
plications of  interest  which  arise  from  national  rivalship;  while  at  the 
saiTie  time  it  lays  before  us  the  causes  and  consequences  of  great  events, 
and  edifies  us  by  examples  which  come  home  to  our  understandings,  and 
are  congenial  with  our  habits  and  feelings.  Hut  we  will  not  take  up  more 
of  the  reader's  time  in  expatiating  on  the  relative  merits  of  anc  ent  and 
modern  history ;  trusting  that  sufficient  has  been  said  to  induce  him  to 
accompany  us  while  we  attempt  to  describe  the  rise,  progress  and  subver- 
•ion  of  empires,  and  the  causes  of  their  prosperity  or  decay. 

As  speculations  upon  the  origin  and  formation  of  the  world  belong  rather 
to  philosophy  than  hUtory,  we  should  deem  it  supererogatory  to  notice 
I.— 3 


i^ 


>|H| 


34 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  01'  Or.NERAL  HISTORY 


the  sulijt-cf,  liowcvor  sliglitly,  were  it  not  probable  that  its  entire  omission 
mig:ht  be  considered  an  unnecessary  deviation  from  an  almost  universal 
practice,  inasmuch  as  it  has  been  sanctioned  by  the  example  of  the  most 
tminent  writers  of  ancient  and  modern  limes.  On  these  and  other  qties 
lions,  alike  uncertain,  the  most  opposite  opinions  have  been  promulgated, 
and  the  most  irreconcilable  hypotheses  advanced  in  their  support ;  we 
•iliall,  however,  not  stop  to  inquire  into  the  relative  merits  of  the  various 
and  discordant  theories  which  have  so  long  and  so  uselessly  occupied  the 
.ittention  of  philosophers,  naturalists,  and  theologians. 

That  the  earth  has  undergone  many  violent  revolutions,  no  possible 
doubt  can  exist  in  the  mind  of  any  one  who  has  paid  even  the  most  su- 
perficial attention  to  the  discoveries  in  geological  science  during  the  last 
and  present  centuries;  but  the  mighty  i)rocess  by  which  our  globe  was 
originally  formed  is  a  mystery  quite  as  unfathomable  now  as  it  was  in  the 
darkest  periods  of  human  existence.  Let  us,  then,  be  content  with  the 
sublime  cxordiimi  of  the  great  Jewish  lawgiver ;  and  we  shall  find  that 
the  nccoiuit  he  gives  of  the  creation,  though  eloquently  brief,  is  neither  al 
legorical  nor  myst  cal,  but  corresponds,  in  its  bold  outline,  with  the  phe 
nomeiia  which  is  exhibited  to  us  in  the  great  book  of  nature.  It  is  true 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  writings  of  Moses  either  calculated  or  intended 
to  satisfy  curiosity  ;  his  object  was  simply  to  declare  that  the  whole  was 
(he  work  of  an  Almighty  architect,  who  as  the  Creator  and  Sovereign  of 
the  Universe,  was  alone  to  be  worshipped. 

With  regard  to  the  primitive  condition  of  mankind,  two  very  opposite 
opinions  prevail.  vSome  represent  a  golden  age  of  innocence  and  bliss  j 
others  a  state  of  wild  and  savage  barbarism.  The  former  of  these  is  found 
not  only  in  the  inspired  writings  of  the  Jews,  but  in  the  books  esteemed 
6acred  by  various  oriental  ntitions,  as  the  Chinese,  Indians,  Persians,  Ha- 
byloniaiis,  and  Kgyptians.  The  latter  began  their  history  with  dynasties 
of  gods  and  heroes,  who  were  said  to  have  assumed  human  form,  and  to 
have  dwelt  among  men.  The  golden  age  of  the  Hindoos,  and  their  nu- 
merous avatars  of  the  gods,  are  fictions  of  a  similar  diameter,  as  well  as 
their  two  royal  dynasties  diiscended  from  the  sun  and  moon,  with  which 
we  find  a  remarkable  coincidence  in  the  traditions  of  Peru.  According  to 
the  other  doctrine,  the  human  race  was  originally  in  the  lowest  state  of 
culture  ;  and  gradually,  but  slowly,  attained  perfection.  It  is  in  vain,  how- 
ever, for  us  to  look  to  tke  traditionary  tales  of  antitjuity  ;  for  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Mosaic  history,  as  contained  in  the  first  six  chapters  of 
Genesis,  we  can  find  none  which  does  not  cither  aboimd  withlhegrossest 
absurdities,  or  lead  us  into  absolute  darkness. 

"Commentators,"  says  Anquetil,  "have  amplified  by  their  reveries  the 
simple,  natural,  and  alTecting  narrative  of  Moses.  That  historian  has  in- 
formed us,  in  a  few  words,  wh;it  was  the  origiit  of  various  customs  and 
arts,  and  recorded  the  names  of  their  inventors.  I  -unech,  the  son  of  Cain, 
gave  the  first  example  of  polygamy.  Cain  himsell,  built  the  first  city,  aiicl 
introduced  weights  and  measures.  One  of  his  grandsons  '  was  the  father 
of  such  as  dwell  in  tc.its,  and  of  such  as  have  cattle.'  Jubal  jivented 
music,  Tabul-Cain  the  arts  of  forging  iron,  and  casting  brass;  and  a  female 
named  Naamah,  those  of  spinning  and  weaving." 

That  the  antediluvians  led  a  pastoral  and  agricrultural  life,  forming  one 
vast  community,  without  any  of  tlutse  divisions  into  different  nations 
whicli  have  since  taken  place,  seems  fully  evident.  But  the  most  mate- 
rial part  of  th(-ir  history  is,  that  having  once  began  to  transgress  the  divine 
commands,  they  followed  the  alhtrements  of  passion  and  sensuality,  and 
proceeded  in  their  c;ireer  of  wickedness,  till  at  length  the  universal  cor- 
ruption and  impiety  of  the  world  had  reached  its  zenith,  and  the  Almighty 
Creator  revealed  to  Noah  his  purpose  of  destroying  the  whole  human  race 
except  himself  and  his  family,  by  a  general  deluge ;  commanding  him  to 


J 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


35 


ire  omission 
st  universal 
of  the  most 

oliicr  ques 
iromulgated, 
iiipport ;   we 

the  various 
occupied  the 

no  possible 
he  most  su- 
ring  the  lust 
ir  globe  was 

it  was  in  the 
eiit  with  the 
hall  find  that 
,  is  neither  al 
;ith  the  phe 
It  is  true 
nd  or  intended 
ic  whole  was 
Sovereign  of 

very  opposite 
ee  and  bliss ; 
these  is  found 
loks  esteemed 

Persians,  Ha- 
vith  dynasties 

form,  and  to 

and  their  nu- 
ter,  as  well  as 
II,  with  whieh 

According  to 
)\vcst  state  of 
is  in  vain,  how- 

)r  with  the  ex- 
IX  chapters  of 
ith  the  grossest 

ir  reveries  the 
storian  has  in- 
customs  and 
he  son  of  Cain, 
le  first  city,  and 
was  the  father 
Jubal  InviMited 
and  a  female 

forming  one 
(Terent  nations 
he  most  mate- 
gress  the  divine 
sicnsuality,  and 
universal  eor- 
d  the  Almighty 
lole human  race 
iianding  him  to 


prepare  an  ark,  or  suitable  vessel,  for  the  preservation  of  the  just  from  the 
nnpending  judgment,  as  well  as  for  the  reception  of  animals  destined  to 
reproduce  their  several  species. 


CH.\PTER  II. 

FROM  THE  DELUGE,  TO  THE  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  JEWS  IN  CANAAN. 

After  the  Flood  had  prevailed  upon  the  earth  a  hundred  and  fifty  days, 
and  had  decreased  for  an  equal  time,  Noah  became  convinced,  by  the  re- 
turn  of  a  dove  with  an  olive  branch,  that  the  land  had  again  emerged.  The 
time  when  this  great  event  took  place  was,  according  to  the  common  com- 
putation, in  the  lG5Glh  year  of  the  world  ;  though  other  dates  have  been 
assigned  by  difTerent  chronologists.  Many  other  nations,  in  the  mytho- 
logical part  of  their  history,  narrate  circumstances  attending  a  vast  inun- 
dation, or  universal  deluge,  which  in  their  essential  particulars,  corres- 
pond witli  the  scriptural  account,  and  are  supposed  to  owe  their  origin  to 
it.  The  Chaldeans  describe  a  universal  deluge,  in  which  all  mankind  was 
destroyed,  except  Xisuthrus  and  his  family.  According  to  the  tradition- 
ary history  of  the  Greeks,  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  all  perished  by  a 
flood  except  Deucalion,  and  his  wife  I'yrrha.  By  the  Hindoos  it  is  be- 
lieved that  a  similar  Ctitastrophe  occurred,  and  that  their  king,  Satyavrata, 
with  seven  patriarchs,  was  preserved  in  a  ship  from  the  universal  destruc- 
tion. Even  the  American  Indians  have  a  tradition  of  a  similar  deluge, 
and  a  renewal  of  the  human  race  from  the  family  of  one  individual.  But 
these  accounts  being  unsupported  by  historic  evidence,  it  would  be  an  un- 
profitable occupation  of  the  reader's  time  to  comment  on  them.  We  shall 
therefore  merely  observe,  that  many  ingenious  theories  h.ive  occupied  the 
attention  of  distinguished  men  in  their  endeavours  to  account  for  this  uni- 
versal catastrophe.  The  Mosaic  accoimt  simply  tells  us,  that  the  windows 
of  heaven  were  opened  and  the  fountains  of  the  deep  were  broken  up,  and 
that  as  the  flood  decreased  the  waters  returned  from  oflf  the  face  of  the 
earth.  That  there  is  nothing  unnatural  in  this,  geological  science  fur- 
nishes ample  evidence  ;  in  short,  distinct  proofs  of  the  deluge  ^.re  to  be 
found  in  the  dislocations  of  the  regular  strata,  and  in  the  phenomena  con- 
nected with  alluvial  depositions — which  can  only  bo  attributed  to  the 
agency  of  vast  torrents  everywhere  flowing  over  and  disorganizing  the 
surface  of  the  earth. 

According  to  the  narration  of  the  inspired  writer,  the  individuals  pre- 
served from  the  deluge  were  Noah  and  his  wife,  and  his  three  sons,  Shem, 
Ham,  and  Japhet,  with  their  wives ;  in  all,  eight  persons.  We  are  in- 
formed that  the  ark  rested  on  mount  Ararat  (in  Armenia);  but  whether 
Noah  and  his  sons  remained  long  in  that  neighbourhood  must  be  left  to 
mere  conjecture.  We  merely  learn  that  tiio  greatest  portion  of  the  hu- 
man rafte  were  some  time  afterwards  assembled  on  the  plains  of  Shinar, 
where  they  engaged  in  building  a  tower,  wilh  the  foolish  and  impious  in- 
tention of  reaching  the  skies,  or,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  "whose  top 
may  reach  unto  heaven."  But  this  attempt,  we  arc  informed,  was  frus- 
trated by  the  Almighty,  who  confounded  their  language,  so  that  they  no 
longer  understood  each  other's  speech.  The  scene  of  this  abortive  under- 
taking is  supposed  to  have  been  iijotu  the  Kuphratcs,  where  Babylon  was 
built,  not  far  from  which  are  extensive  masses  of  ruins ;  and  the  remains 
of  a  large  mound,  called  by  the  Arabs  the  Rursi  Nimrod,  or  Nimrod's  tow- 
er, is  generally  believed  to  be  the  foundation  of  the  tower  of  Babel. 

In  endeavouring  to  account  in  a  natural  way,  and  no;  as  the  eflTect  of  a 
miracle,  for  the  confusion  of  languages  and  the  dispersion  of  mankind  Dr. 
Shuckford  comes  to  the  following  rational  conclusion    "I  imagine  that 


i    ; 


S6 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  H13T0EY. 


the  common  opinion  about  the  dispersion  of  mankind,  is  a  very  wrong  one 
The  confusion  of  tongues  arose  at  first  from  small  beginnings,  increasing 
gradually,  and  m  time  grew  to  such  a  height,  as  to  scatter  mankind  over 
the  face  of  the  earth.  When  these  men  came  first  to  Babel,  they  were 
but  few ;  and  very  probably  lived  togctiicr  in  three  families,  sons  of  Shem, 
sons  of  Ham,  and  sons  of  Japhet ;  and  the  confusion  arising  from  some 
leading  men  in  each  family  inventing  new  words  and  endeavouring  to 
teach  them  to  those  under  their  direction  ;  this  in  a  little  time  divided  the 
ihree  families  from  one  another.  For  the  sons  of  Japhet  affecting  the 
novel  inventions  of  a  son  of  Japhet;  the  sons  of  Ham  affecting  those  of  a 
son  of  Ham  ;  and  the  sons  of  Shem  speaking  the  new  words  of  a  son  of 
Shem ;  a  confusion  would  necessarily  arise,  and  the  three  families  would 
part;  the  instructors  leading  off  all  such  as  were  initiated  in  their  peculi- 
arities of  speech.  This  might  be  the  first  step  taken  in  the  dispersion  of 
mankind :  they  might  at  first  break  into  three  companies  only ;  and  when 
this  was  done,  new  differences  of  speech  still  arising,  each  of  the  families 
continued  to  divide  and  subdivide  among  themselves,  time  after  time, 
as  their  numbers  increased,  and  new  and  different  occasions  arose,  and 
opportunities  offered ;  until  at  length  there  were  planted  in  the  world, 
from  each  family,  several  nations  called  after  the  names  of  the  persons  of 
whom  Moses  has  given  us  a  catalogue.  This  I  think  is  the  only  notion 
we  can  form  of  tlie  confusion  and  division  of  mankind,  which  can  give  a 
probable  account  of  their  being  so  dispersed  into  the  world,  as  to  be  gen- 
erally settled  according  to  their  families  ;  and  the  tenth  chapter  of  Gen- 
esis, if  rightly  considered,  implies  no  more." 

From  the  families  of  the  three  sons  of  Noah,  then,  are  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  descended.  The  children  of  Shem  were  Elam,  Asshur,  Arph- 
axad,  Lud,  and  Aram.  Elam  settled  in  Persia,  where  he  became  the 
father  of  that  mighty  nation ;  the  descendants  of  Asshar  peopled  Assyria ; 
and  Arphaxad  settled  in  Chaldea.  To  the  family  of  Lud  is  generally  as- 
signed Lydia ;  and  Aram  is  believed  to  have  settled  in  Mesopotamia  and 
Syria.  The  children  of  Ham  were  Cush,  Mizraim,  Phut,  and  Canaan. 
The  descendants  of  Cush  are  supposed  to  have  removed  from  the  south- 
east of  Babylonia,  afterwards  called  Khusestan,  to  the  eastern  parts  of 
Arabia-  from  whence  they  by  degrees  migrated  into  Africa.  Mizraim 
peopled  Egypt,  Ethiopia,  Lybia,  and  the  rest  of  the  northern  parts  of  the 
same  continent.  No  particular  country  hr.3  been  assigned  to  Phut,  who 
is  believed  to  have  settled  somewhere  in  Arabia,  near  to  Cush.  But  Ca- 
naan is  generally  allowed  to  have  settled  in  Phcenicia ;  and  to  have 
founded  those  nations  who  inhabited  Judea,  and  were  for  the  most  par' 
subsequently  exterminated  by  the  Jews. 

As  Moses  gives  no  account  of  the  life  and  death  of  Japhet,  Noah's  eldes\ 
son,  he  is  presumed  not  to  have  been  present  at  the  confusion  of  Babel, 
but  that  his  seven  sons  were  afterwards  heads  of  nations  tlierc  is  good 
reason  to  believe.  Their  names  were  Garner,  Magog,  Madai,  Javan,  Ju- 
bal,  Meshech,  and  Tiras.  Gomer,  accoiding  to  Josephus,  was  the  father 
of  the  Gomerites  or  Ccltes,  viz.,  of  all  the  nations  who  inhabited  the 
northern  parts  of  Europe,  under  the  names  of  Gauls,  Cimbrians,  Goths, 
&c.,  and  who  also  migrated  into  Spain,  where  they  were  called  Celtibe- 
rians.  From  Magog,  Meshech,  and  Jubal,  proceeded  the  Scythians,  Sar- 
matians,  and  Tartars  ;  from  Madai,  Javan,  and  Tiras,  the  Medes,  lonians 
Greekb,  and  Thracians. 

It  is  evident  that  the  monarchical  forms  of  government  began  early, 
Nimrod,  one  of  the  sons  of  Cush,  having  been  made  king  of  Babylon, 
while  the  rest  are  supposed  to  have  planted  different  parts  of  Arabia 
The  sacred  historian  says  "  Nimrod  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the 
earth — a  mighty  hunter  before  the  Lord."  Ho  is  said  to  have  built  severa. 
cities,  but  when  he  began  Iris  reign,  how  long  he  reigned,  and  who  were 


an( 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


37 


irrong  one 
increasing 
ikind  over 
they  were 
s  of  Shem, 
from  some 
vouring  to 
divided  the 
Fecting  the 
those  of  a 
)f  a  son  of 
ilies  would 
tieir  peculi- 
spcrsion  of 
;  and  when 
ihe  families 
after  timt;, 
arose,  and 
,  the  world, 
3  persons  of 
only  notion 
1  can  give  a 
s  to  be  gen- 
ie r  of  Gen- 
ie nations  of 
sshur,  Arph- 
became  the 
led  Assyria ; 
enerally  as- 
potamia  and 
ind  Canaan. 
Ti  the  south- 
ern parts  of 
a.    Mizraim 
parts  of  the 
o  Phut,  who 
3h.     But  Ca- 
and  to  have 
ue  most  par' 

»Joah's  eldest 
on  of  Babel , 
licrc  is  good 
li,  Javan,  Ju- 
as  the  father 
nhabited  the 
rians,  Goths, 
ailed  Celtibe- 
ythians,  Sar- 
ides,  lonians 

began  early, 
of  Babylon, 
■ts  of  Arabia 
y  one  in  the 
3  built  severa. 
ind  who  were 


his  successors,  we  are  not  informed.  The  Jews  suppose  him  to  be  the 
same  with  Amrapliel,  the  iiing  of  Siiiiiar,  wlio,  with  his  three  confederates, 
were  defeated  by  Abram.  Some  have  imagined  him  to  be  the  same  with 
Belus, and  the  founder  of  the  Babylonish  empire;  others  with  Ninus,  tno 
founder  of  the  Assyrian.  Nineveh,  afterwards  the  capital  of  the  Assyrian 
empire,  was  built  by  Asshur,  who  also  founded  two  other  cities,  called 
Resen  and  Rehobot*!,  of  the  situation  of  which  we  are  now  ignorant. 
About  the  same  time  various  other  kingdoms  sprung  up  in  different  parts 
of  the  world  Thus  we  read,  in  the  sacred  vowme,  of  the  kings  of  Egypt, 
Oerar,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  &c.,  in  the  time  cf  Abraham;  and  it  is  but 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  nations  over  which  they  reigned  had  for 
some  time  existed  :  for,  as  the  learned  and  pious  Bossuet  remarks,  "  we 
see  laws  establishing,  manners  polishing,  and  empires  forming.  Mankind, 
by  degrees,  gets  out  of  ignorance :  experience  instructs  it :  and  arts  are 
invented  or  improved.  As  men  multiply,  the  earth  is  more  closely  peo- 
pled;  mountains  and  precipices  are  passed;  first  rivers,  then  seas,  are 
crossed  ;  and  new  habitations  established.  The  earth,  which  at  the  begin- 
ning was  one  immense  forest,  takes  another  form :  the  woods  cut  down 
make  room  for  fields,  pastures,  hamlets,  towns  and  cities.  They  had  at 
first  to  encounter  wild  beasts ;  and  in  this  way  the  first  h(;roes  signalized 
themselves.  Thus  originated  the  invention  of  arms,  which  men  turned 
afterwards  against  their  fellow  creatures." 

The  first  considerable  national  revolution  on  record  is  the  migration  of 
the  Israelites  out  of  Kgypt,  and  their  establishment  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 
This  event  was  attended  with  a  terrible  catastrophe  to  the  Egyptians. 
The  settlement  of  the  Jews  in  the  land  of  Canaan  is  supposed  to  have 
happened  about  1401  d.c.  For  nearly  aOO  years  after  this  period  we  find  no 
authentic  account  of  any  other  nations  than  those  mentioned  in  Scripture. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  FABULOUS   AND   HEROIC    AGES,   TO    THE   INSTITUTION    OF    THE 
OLYMPIC  GAMES. 

We  now  perceive,  in  profane  history,  the  dawn  of  what  is  called  the 
heroic  age ;  in  which  historical  facts,  though  still  tinctured  with  the  mar- 
vellous, begin  to  assume  something  like  the  appearance  of  truth.  Egypt 
is  seen  gradually  recovering  from  the  weakness  induced  by  the  visitation 
of  the  destroying  angel,  and  the  memorable  disaster  of  the  Red  Sea,  by 
which  her  nobility  and  the  flower  of  her  army  had  been  engulfed.  Greece 
rapidly  emerges  from  obscurity,  and  makes  other  nations  feel  the  effects 
of  that  enterprising  and  martial  spirit  for  which  her  sons  were  afterwards 
so  renowned.  Various  migrations  lake  place  in  Egypt  and  Asia,  and  make 
settlenienls  in  differe-it  parts  of  Europe,  'i'luis  was  civilization  greatly 
extended ;  for  by  the  ccncurrent  testimony  of  all  writers  it  appears,  that 
while  the  descendants  of  Shem  and  Ham,  who  peopled  the  east  and  south, 
were  establishing  powerful  kingdoms,  and  making  great  advances  in  the 
useful  arts,  tiie  posterity  of  Japhet,  who  settled  in  the  west  and  north,  by 
degrees  had  sunk  into  a  state  of  barbarism.  To  the  j^gyptian  colonists, 
therefore,  were  they  indebted  for  their  laws  and  religious  mysteries;  and 
they  also  excited  among  them  a  taste  for  science  and  the  arts,  while  the 
Phcenicians  taught  tliem  writing,  navigation  and  commerce. 

Tiie  Greeks  were  now  growing  great  and  formidable,  and  their  actions 
nad  an  immense  influence  on  the  deslinies  of  other  nations.  About  1184 
years  a.c.  they  distinguislied  themselves  by  their  expeditions  against  Troy, 

city  of  Phrygia  Minor;  which,  after  a  soige  often  years  they  plundered 
and  burnt.    .(Eneas,  a  Trojan  prince,  escaped  with  a  small  band  of  lus 


68 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  MISTORY. 


:|i»i 


countrymni  into  Italy ;  and  from  t)iom  tlio  origin  of  llie  Romini  empire  may 
be  traced.  At  the  period  wc  arc  now  speaking  of  we  find  the  Lydians, 
Mysiana.and  some  other  nations  of  Asia  Minor,  first  mentir)ned  in  history. 

Though  we  necessarily  omit,  in  this  brief  outline,  ii  multitude  of  imp.  ■ 
tant  transactions  which  are  recorded  in  the  Bible,  the  reader  must  not 
lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  sacred  volume  is  full  of  historical  interest , 
and  we  shall  have  frequent  occasion  to  refer  to  the  actions  of  "God's 
chosen  people"  vs  we  describe  events  mentioned  by  profane  writers.  For 
the  present  it  is  suHicient  to  state,  that  about  1050  years  before  the  birth 
of  Christ,  the  kingdom  of  Judca,  under  king  David,  approached  its  utmost 
extent  of  power;  that  in  the  glorious  reign  of  his  sou,  the  wise  and  peace- 
ful Solomon,  which  followed,  that  stupendous  and  costly  edifice,  "  the 
temple  of  Ood,"  was  completed,  and  its  dedication  solemnized  with  extra- 
ordinary piety  and  magnificence;  that  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes  took 
place  in  the  reign  of  Rchohoam,  the  son  and  successor  of  Solomon,  by 
which  Jeuisalem  was  rendered  a  more  easy  prey  to  tlie  Kgyplii'.n  king, 
called  in  Scripture,  Shishak,  and  supposed  to  be  the  great  Sesostris,  whose 
deeds  make  so  conspicuous  a  figure  in  the  history  of  his  country.  After 
the  lapse  of  another  centuiy,  we  learn  that  Zera,  an  Kthiopian,  invaded 
Judea  with  an  army  composed  of  a  million  of  infantry  and  tliree  hundred 
chari')ls,  but  was  defeated  with  great  slaughter  by  Asa,  whose  troops 
amounted  to  about  half  that  number.  By  this  time  the  Syrians  had  be- 
come a  powerful  people ;  and,  taking  advantage  of  the  rivalry  which  ex- 
isted between  the  kingdoms  of  Israel  and  .ludah,  aimed  at  the  sulijugation 
of  both.  'I'ho  Syrian  empire  was,  however,  eventually  destroyed  by  the 
\ssyrian8,  under  Tiglatii  Pilesar,  in  710  n.c. ;  as  was  also  tlu!  kuigdoni  of 
Sarnaria  by  Shalmaneser  his  successor,  in  7"21  ;  and  sucii  of  the  people  as 
escaped  death,  weri'  carried  capti\  es  into  Media,  Persia,  &c. 

While  the  resources  of  the  mighty  natirnis  of  the  Kast  were  expended 
m  cfTecting  their  iiiutnal  ilrstiuiiion,  ilie  fouiHhilioiis  of  some  powerful 
empires  were  laid  in  the  West,  w  Inch  were  destini'd,  in  process  of  time,  to 
subjugate  and  u^ive  laws  to  the  eastern  world.  About  eight  centuries  be- 
fore the  Christian  era  the  city  of  Carthage,  in  Africa,  was  founded  by  a 
Tyrian  colony,  and  became  the  capital  of  a  powerful  republic,  wliicli  con- 
tinued 7ii4  years;  during  the  greater  part  of  which  time  its  ships  traversed 
the  Mediterranean  and  even  the  Atlantic,  whereby  it  was  enabled  to  mo- 
nopolize, as  it  were,  the  conmierce  of  the;  whole  world.  In  Kurope  a  very 
important  revcjlution  took  [)Iace  about  900  r.c,  namely  the  invasion  and 
conquest  of  the  I'eloixnmesus  by  the  llcraclida^,  or  descendants  of  Her- 
cules. Of  this  event,  and  its  coiiscciuences,  we  shall  have  to  speak  at 
greater  length,  in  its  proper  place,  in  the  body  of  the  work  ;  we  shall, 
therefore,  m(!rely  remark  here,  that  the  Peloponnesus  is  a  large  peninsula 
situated  at  the  southern  extremity  of  (Jrcccc,  to  which  it  is  joined  by  the 
isthmus  of  Corinth.  It  is  of  an  irregular  figure,  about  503  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, and  is  now  called  "The  .Mr)rea."  On  the  isthmus  stood  the 
City  of  Corinth;  while  the  Peloponnesus  contained  the  kingdoms  and  re- 

Sublics  of  Sicyoii,  Argos,  Lacedicinon  or  Sparta,  Mewsenia,  Arcadia  and 
lycenae. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FROM    THK    INSTITUTION    OK   TUK    OLYMPIC    UAMKS,  TO   TlIK 
OKATH    0»-    CYRUS. 

In  776  B.C.,  the  Olympic  games,  instituted  by  Hercules,  and  long  dis- 
continued, were  revived,  and  with  tlieir  revival  we  find  the  history  of  the 
Grecian  states,  and  the  afl^'airsof  the  world  generally,  are  more  to  be  de- 
pended  on  ;  in  short,  the  period  which  Varro  calls  fabulous  ends,  and  the 


OUTLINE  8KKTCI1  OK  QENKRAL  HISTOHY. 


39 


empire  may 
he  Lydiaijs, 
il  in  history, 
(le  of  imp^  • 
ler  must  nol 
(rill  interest , 
18  of  "  God's 
/riters.     For 
ure  the  birth 
id  its  utmost 
e  and  peai-e- 
idifice,   "the 
d  with  extra- 
I  tribes  took 
Solomon,  by 
ryptiaii  king, 
ostris,  whose 
intry.     After 
niaii,  invaded 
iiree  limidred 
ivhose   troops 
riaiis  had  be- 
ry  which  cx- 
c  subjugation 
iroyed  by  the 

0  knigdom  of 
the  people  as 

ere  expended 
lime  powerfid 
ess  of  time,  to 

eenturii's  be- 
fon tided  by  a 
c,  whieh  con- 
hips  traversed 
iiabled  to  mo- 
Kurope  a  very 

invasion  and 

dants  of  Her- 

to  speak  at 

irk  ;  we  shall, 

arge  peninsula 

1  joined  by  the 
3  miles  in  cir- 
nuis  stood  the 
gdoms  and  re- 
a,  Arcadia  and 


O    THE 

and  long  dis- 
history  of  the 
more  to  be  de- 
s  ends,  and  tho 


J, 


historical  times  begin.  This  is  mai.dy  attributable  to  the  continuance  of 
the  Olympic  games,  whieh  greatly  facilitated  not  only  the  writing  of  their 
history,  but  liiat  of  other  nations;  for,  as  each  olymjiiad  consisted  of  four 
^eai's,  the  chronology  of  every  important  event  became  indubitably  fixed 
jy  referring  it  to  its  olymiiiad.  Tliey  also  greatly  ccntributed  to  the  (;ivi- 
lization  of  tlic  (irecian  states,  and  to  the  general  advancement  of  ihi!  polite 
arts.  At  this  period  Home,  which  was  one  day  to  be  the  mistress  of  the 
world,  arose  :  its  foundation  being  laid  liy  Romulus  about  730  years  be- 
fore the  (lommencement  of  the  (liristian  era.  Forty-three  years  after,  the 
Spartan  slate  was  remodelled,  and  received  from  I.ycurgus  those  laws 
which  alike  contributed  to  tlie  renown  of  him  who  made  and  they  who 
observed  them. 

If  we  take  a  glance  a!  the  general  state  of  the  world  in  the  following 
century,  we  shall  find  that  the  northern  parts  of  Kurope  were  lliinly  peo- 
pled, or  inhaiiited  by  unknown  and  barbarous  nations.  The  (iomerians, 
or  Celtic  trilies,  had  possession  of  France  and  Spain.  Italy  svas  divided 
into  a  number  of  petty  slates,  among  w  hicli  the  Romans  had  already  be- 
come forinidabh;,  having  enlarged  their  dominions  by  tlu;  addition  of  sev- 
eral cities  taken  from  their  neighbours.  Foremost  among  tiie  states  of 
Greece  were  those  of  .Mhcns  and  Sparta  :  the  martial  character  of  tlu;  in- 
stitutions of  Ijyci  "3  had  rendered  the  latter  famous  in  war;  while  the 
former  were  enrici.  ;  themselves  by  navigation  and  comnu'rce.  (-orinth, 
Tlujbes,  Argos,  and  .ircadia,  \vcr(.'  tiic  other  states  of  most  consideration. 

The  sceptre  of  liabylon  was  at  this  lime  swayed  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  by 
whom  the  kiimdotn  of  Judea  was  totally  overthrown,  5S7  ii.c,  and  its 
temple  burned  to  the  gnniiul  in  the  following  year.  He  also  took  and  de- 
molished the  city  of  Ty"'.  despoiled  F.gypi,  and  made  such  prodigious 
conquests  both  in  the  east  and  west,  thai  the  fame  of  his  victories  filled 
the  world  wiih  awe;  till  at  length  his  empire  comiirehendcd  PhaMiicia, 
Palestiii'^,  Syria,  Haiiyloiiia,  Media,  I'crsia,  and  part  of  India.  One  great 
cl^ject  of  his  pridi!  and  ambition  was  to  render  his  capital  beyond  all  ex- 
ainple  gorgeous  ;  nor  can  we  consider  the  wonders  of  that  city,  as  related 
by  Herodotus,  at  all  inrrcdilile,  when  we  remember  that  the  strength  and 
resources  of  his  mighty  einjiire  were  made  subservient  to  the  purpose. 

Tin;  next  imporiaiit  event  that  occurn'd  was  the  revolution  occasioned 
by  till!  mi-concluct  of  Kvil-inf!rodach,  Nebuchadnezzar's  son,  who,  without 
provocation,  wantonly  attacked  and  began  to  plunder  and  lay  waste  the 
country  of  the  Medes.  This  produced  an  immediate  revolt,  which  quickly 
extendeil  over  all  Media  and  Persia.  The  Medes,  headed  by  Astyages 
and  his  son  Cyaxeres  drove  back  the  intruder  and  his  followers  wilh  great 
slaughter;  nor  does  it  appear  that  the  Dabylonish  monarch  was  after- 
wards able  to  reduce  them  to  suhjectioii.  We  now  come  to  the  period 
when  the  brilliant  career  of  (!yrus  demands  our  notice.  He  had  signal- 
ized himself  in  various  wars  under  Astyages,  his  grandfather,  when,  hav- 
ing been  appointed  generalissimo  of  the  Median  and  Persian  forces,  he 
attacked  the  Babylonish  emiiire,  at'd  the  city  of  H.ibylon  itself  fell  before 
his  victorious  arms.  Cyrus  now  issued  a  decree  for  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews,  and  'lie  rebuilding  of  their  Temple.  By  a  succession  of  victories 
he  had  become  master  of  all  the  East,  and  for  some  time  the  Asiatic  af- 
fairs continued  in  a  state  of  tranquillity.  It  is  necessary  to  observe  in  this 
place,  that  the  "^ledes,  before  the  time  of  t-'yrus,  though  a  great  and  pow- 
erful people,  were  eclipsed  by  the  superior  prowess  of  the  Biibylonians. 
Bui  Cyrus  liavinjj  conquered  their  kingdom,  by  the  united  force  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians,  it  appears  that  the  great  empire  of  which  he  was  th'j 
founder  must  have  taken  its  name  from  both  nations  ;  so  that  the  empire 
of  the  Medes  and  that  of  the  Persians  were  one  and  the  same,  though  in 
consequence  of  tlu;  glory  of  its  wise  and  victorious  leader  it  subsequently 
retained  only  the  latter  name.     Meanwhile,  it  continued  to  extend  itself 


*t»^ 


I 


40 


OUTLINK  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


on  every  side;  and  iit  Icneth  Oambysrs,  the  son  and  successor  of  Cyrus, 
conquered  Egypt,  and  added  that  country  to  his  already  overgrown  do 
minions. 


;li 


CIIAPTRR  V. 

TBOM    Tin;    KIIKCTION    OF    TUK    I'KKSIAN    KMPIRK,  TO    THE    DIVISION  OK    TUE 
UKKCIAN    KMPIIIE    AKTKH    THE    DEATH    OF    ALEXANDER 

The  Hahylonians,  groaninfr  under  the  oppressive  yoke  of  their  IVrsiai 
masters,  In  ■')17  n.r.  made  a  desperate  effort  to  shalie  it  off;  but  they  were 
signally  defeated  by  Darius  llystaspis,  who  besieged  the  city  of  Habylon, 
demolished  its  fortifications,  and  caused  its  walls  to  be  lowered  from  200 
to  50  eubiis.  Darius  then  turned  his  arms  against  the  iScythians  ;  after 
which  he  directed  his  course  eas'ward,  and  reduced  the  country  as  far  as 
the  Indus.  In  the  meantime  the  lonians,  who  had  submitted  'o  (^yrus, 
revolted,  which  led  to  the  invasion  of  the  Grecian  slates,  and  those  dis- 
asters to  the  Persians  by  land  and  sen,  which  we  have  elsewl't  "i  related. 
In  450  n.r.  the  K^yptians  made  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  retail'-  ti.cir  inde- 
pendence. 'I'hey  also  again  revolted  in  413  b.c,  and,  bcin,'j  assisted  by 
tiie  Sidonians,  drew  upon  the  latter  that  terrible  destruction  forc'old  by  liie 
prophets,  while  they  more  firmly  rivetted  the  chains  which  bouv.d  them- 
selves to  the  Persian  rule. 

The  Persian  history  exhibits  every  characteristic  of  oriental  cruelty, 
treachery,  and  despotism ;  and,  with  a  few  splendid  exceptions,  presents 
us  with  a  series  of  monarchs  whose  lust  of  power  was  equalled  only  by 
their  licentiousness.  IJut  the  greatness  of  the  Persian  em[)ire  was  soon 
about  to  be  humbled.  Ten  thousand  Greek  mercennries  had  served  under 
the  younger  Cyrus  in  his  rebellious  attempt  i-^  seize  tin;  throne  (sf  his 
elder  brother,  Artaxerxes  Mnemon  ;  but  lie  wa  •  licfeated  and  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Cunaxa,  near  Babylon  ;  and  his  Grecian  allicf,  though  in  a  strange 
country,  and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  enemies,  effected  their  safe  retreat 
under  Xenophon,  whose  conduct  on  this  occasion  has  been  extolled  both 
by  ancient  and  modern  writers,  as  exhibiting  a  matchless  union  of  prndenl 
caution  and  military  skill. 

In  this  rapid  sketch  we  shall  not  stop  to  notice  the  var-ous  contests 
which  took  place  between  the  Grecian  states,  though  they  make  a  con- 
siderable figure  in  their  respective  histories;  but  pass  on  to  the  time  of 
Philip  of  Macedon,  who,  taking  advantage  of  the  wars  and  dissensions 
which  were  gradually  weakening  the  neighbouring  states  of  (ircece,  began 
to  meditate  their  conquest;  and  by  sometimes  pretending  to  af'sist  one 
state  and  sometimes  another,  he  finally  effected  his  object.  Having  be- 
come master  of  all  Greece,  he  projected  the  conquest  of  Asia  :  his  death, 
however,  by  assassination,  left  that  great  achievement  to  be  attempted  by 
his  ambitious  and  warlike  son,  Alexander,  surnamed  the  (Jreat. 

No  man  who  ever  lived,  perhaps,  possessed  '.le  necessary  cpialities  loi 
the  execution  of  this  mighty  project  in  a  more  eminent  degree  than  the 
youthful  Alexander.  Brave,  skilful,  and  inpetuous,  lie  marched  from 
victory  to  victory;  till  at  length  the  power  ef  the  Persians  was  totally 
overthrown  at  the  battle  of  Arbela,  331  p,.e..  a.d  an  end  put  to  the  empire 
by  the  murder  of  Darius  by  Bessus  in  the  following  year.  Alexander  hav- 
ing subdued  Persia,  his  victorious  arms  were  now  (iirected  against  the 
countries  which  bounded  Persia ;  and  having  reduced  Hyrcania,  Hactria, 
and  several  other  independent  kingdoms,  he  entered  India  and  subdued 
all  the  nations  to  the  river  Hyphasis,  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Indus. 
At  length  the  patience  of  his  troops  became  exhausted  ;  they  saw  that  the 
ambition  of  their  leader  was  boundless,  and  refused  to  gratify  his  passion 
for  universal  conquest  by  proceeding  farther.     He  died  at  Babylon  in  ilio 


:?} 


i 


OUTLINK  8KETCII  OV  OENKUAL  HISTORY. 


41 


or  of  Cyrus, 
ergrowii  do 


ISION  OK    THE 

their  rersiiii. 
)iit  they  were 
y  of  Hiibylon, 
■red  from  200 
tliiaiis  ;  ufler 
iilry  as  far  as 
ed  'o  ("yriis, 
uul  those  dis- 
v!'(  -I  related. 
\ii'  their  iiide- 
i;r  assisted  by 
;ori'».)ld  hy  the 
I  l)')u;'.d  tiiein- 

iental  cnulty, 
lions,  presents 
iihUc'I  only  hy 
lire  was  soon 
[1  served  nndcr 
throne  of  his 
1(1  killed  at  the 
r\\  in  a  strange 
sir  safe  retreat 
I  extolled  lioth 
lion  of  prndent 

r-oiis  eontests 

inuke  a  eon- 

to  the  time  of 

id  dissensions 

(Jreeee,  hegan 

to  assist  one 

llavinyj  be- 

sia  :  his  death, 

attempted  by 

eat. 

■y  qualities  foi 
(•jrree  than  tiu; 
marched  from 
lis  was  tottiily 
t  to  the  empire 
Mexander  hav- 
ed  against  the 
reania,  Hactria, 
a  and  subdued 
s  of  the  Indus, 
py  saw  that  the 
ify  his  passion 
Babylon  in  tho 


year  333  «  c.,  leaving  tho  alTairs  of  his  vast  empire  in  a  moat  unsettled 
slate,  and  not  even  naming  his  siiecessor. 

In  the  western  world,  at  this  period,  great  kingdoms  were  evolving 
from  obsetiriiy,  and  events  of  tlii!  highest  importance  siicccedhig  caeh 
other  wilii  unexampliMl  rapidity.  Tho  first  object  that  here  claims  our 
ntlention  is  tiie  establishment  and  rapid  growth  of  the  Roman  repnWic. 
In  •'iOO  n.c.  'rarquin,  the  last  king  of  Rome,  was  expelled,  and  the  govern- 
ment entrusted  to  two  nuigistrales,  annually  elected,  called  consuls.  Thus 
tliH  republic  proceeded,  though  amid  perpetual  jealousies  and  contentions, 
till  it  reached  its  highest  pitch  of  power  and  grandeur,  by  tho  successive 
conquest  of  Italy  and  her  isles,  Spain,  Macedonia,  Carthage,  Asia  Minor, 
.Syria,  I'alestine,  (Jaul,  Uritaiii  and  Kgvpt.  It  was,  nevertheless,  exposed 
lo  tlie  greatest  danger  from  the  ambition  of  individuals  :  tho  civil  wars  of 
.Marius  and  Sylla,  and  the  conspiracy  of  Catiline,  shook  its  very  centre  ; 
und  by  the  contention  arising  out  of  the  rivalry  of  Julius  Ciesar  and  Pom- 
pey,  it  was  ultimately  overthrown. 

On  the  deatli  of  Alexander  th(;  Great,  four  new  empires  immediately, 
as  it  were,  sprung  up.  lie  had  left  behind  him  a  large  and  victorious 
army,  commanded  by  generals  who,  bred  in  the  same  school,  we're  not 
ess  ainliitious  of  sovereign  rule  than  their  master.  Cassander,  the  son 
of  Antipater,  seized  Macedonia  and  (Jreecc;  Antigonus,  Asia  Minor;  Se- 
leucus  marked  out  for  his  share  Hahylon  and  the  eastern  provinces ;  and 
Ptolemy,  l''gyi)t  and  the  western  ones.  Furious  wars  soon  succeeded  this 
division  of  Alexander's  wide-spread  empire  ;  and  several  provinces,  taking 
advantage  of  the  general  confusion,  shook  off  tho  Macedonian  yoke  alto- 
gether. Tims  were  formed  the  kingdoms  of  Pontus,  Bithynia,  Pergamus, 
Armenia,  and  Cappadocia.  Antigonus  was  defeated  and  killed  by  Se- 
leiicus  at  the  battle  of  Ipsus,  301  n.c,  and  the  greater  part  of  his  domi- 
nions fell  to  the  lot  of  the  conqu.  ror.  The  two  most  powiM-ful  and  per- 
manent empires  were,  in  fact,  Syria,  founded  by  Selcucns,  and  Kgypt  by 
Ptolemy  Sotcr.  But  there  was  also  another  empire  at  that  time  existing 
which  demands  our  notice.  The  Parthians,  originally  a  tribe  of  Scythians 
wlio  had  wandered  from  their  own  country,  at  length  settled  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Ilyrcania,  and  w(!re  successively  tributary  to  the  Assyrians, 
Babylonians,  Medes  and  Persians.  The  country  in  which  they  settled 
obtained  from  them  the  name  of  Parthia;  and  when  Alexander  invaded 
Asia,  they  submitted,  with  the  other  dependencies  of  the  Persian  empire. 
After  the  death  of  the  Macedonian  conqueror,  Parthia  was  subject,  first  to 
Eumcnes,  then  to  Antigonus,  and  finally  to  the  kings  of  Syria  and  Babylon. 
In  the  reign  of  Antiochus  Tlieos,  the  rapacity  and  crimes  of  Agathocles, 
the  Syrian  governor,  roused  the  spirit  of  the  Parthians;  and,  under  Ar- 
saces,  a  man  of  great  military  tahMits,  they  expelled  their  oppressors,  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  an  eni[)ire  which  ultimately  extended  over  Asia,  n.c 
S.'JO.  The  Syrians  attempted  in  vain  to  recover  this  province.  A  race  of 
able  and  vigilant  princes,  wh(»  assumed  the  surname  of  Arcacid(t,  from  the 
founder  of  their  kingdom,  not  only  baffled  their  efforts,  but  so  increased 
in  power,  that  while  they  h(dd  eigliteen  tributary  kingdoms,  between  the 
Caspian  and  Arabian  seas,  they  even  for  a  time  disputed  with  the  Romans 
the  empire  of  the  world. 


CHAPTKR  VI. 

FROM    niE  WARS    OP    ROME    AND    CVRTHAOK,    TO    TIIE   BIRTH    OP   CHRIST. 

The  Romans,  who  for  more  than  five  hundred  years  had  been  constantly 
victorious,  met  with  an  o,)ponent  in  Hannibal,  commander  of  the  Cartha- 
gmian  forces,  whose  consummate  generalship  for  a  time  turned  the  tido 


)'    'I: 


I  I 


IF 


<2 


OUTLINE  SKKTCII  OF  OKNEllAL  HISTORY. 


of  fort  me,  mill,  iimking  Itiily  tlit;  Imttlc-fu'ld,  he  galliiiitly  opposed  on  tlietr 
native  soil  llie  liaidy  veteraiis  of  Home.  iMUg  and  doubtful  were  these 
sanguinary  contests ;  but  in  tiie  end  the  Carthaginian  arrnic.H  were  recalled 


into  Africa, 


which  the  HoinauH  haii  nivadcd  ,  and  he  who,  at  the  battle  of 


Jannic,  had  struck  the  Roman  legions  witii  terror,  was  lolally  defeated  al 
Zama;  by  which  llie  second  Punic  war  was  concluded,  in  the  year  IHH  b.c. 
In  forty  years  from  ihat  date  the  fate  of  Oarthage  was  ultimately  decided. 
The  Honians  liaving  declared  war  against  it  a  third  time,  used  all  tlieir 
energies  for  accomplishing  its  final  destruction.  The  city  was  long  and 
fiercely  assailed;  tlie  genius  of  the  younger  Scipio  at  length  triumphed 
over  the  desperate  vahnir  of  the  besieged  ;  and  Carthage,  once  mistress  of 


formidable  rival  of  Home,  was  reduced 
for  ever  blotted  from  the  list  of  independetit  nations. 

During  tiie  contentions  between  Home  and  Ca'thagc,  a  confederacy  was 
formed  t»y  the  states  of  Greece,  under  the  mime  of  the  Achu-an  League, 
which  soon  eclipsed,  in  sjilcndid  achievements  and  power,  both  Athens 
and  Sparta.  Weary  of  the  tyranny  of  the  Macedonians,  the  (irecian 
states  had  entered  into  this  compact  for  recovering  their  liberties;  but 
having  iin|)rudently  given  the  ]{omans  an  opportunity  of  intermcdding  in 
Uieir  afiairs,  they  were  eventually  rciluced  to  a  Roman  province,  under 
the  name  of  Acliaia.  'Hiis  cidebraied  league  was  begun  about  the  year 
Q8I  B.C.,  and  continued  formidable  for  more  than  130  years,  under  oflncrs 
called  Pra  .ors,  of  whom  Aratus  and  Philop(rmen  were  the  most  renowned. 

About  this  period  we  read  of  tlie  direful  oppression  of  the  Jews  by  An- 
tioehus  Kpiphanes.  After  their  return  from  ihc  IJabylonish  captivity,  they 
conlinueil  in  subjection  to  the  I'ersians  till  the  time  of  Alexander;  and 
subsequently,  as  the  fortune  of  either  Kgypt  or  Syria  happened  to  prevail, 
they  were  under  its  dominion.  On  the  subjugation  of  Kgypt  by  Anliochus 
•"piphani'S,  the  Jews  being  treated  with  great  severity  by  him,  they  natu- 
ra.iy,  but  imprudently,  expressed  their  joy  on  liearing  a  report  of  his 
death;  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  enraged  monarch  took  the  fiercest 
vengeance  on  lliem.  lie  marched  al  the  head  of  a  powerful  army,  took 
Jerusalem  by  storm  in  170  b.c.,  and  committed  the  most  horrid  cruellies 
on  the  inliabitants.  Their  religion  was  for  a  while  abolished,  tlujir  altars 
defiled,  and  every  indignity  o(I»;red  to  !lie  people  that  tyranny  ami  hate 
could  suggest.  An  image  of  Jupiter  Oiyinpius  was  erected  in  the  holy 
place,  and  unclean  beasts  were  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  burnt  offerings. 
Hut  the  Jews  soon  rallied ;  and  under  Mattalhias  the  true  worsliip  was 
restored  in  most  of  the  cities  of  Judea;  the  temple  was  purified  by  Judas 
Maccabteus,  165  b.c.  ;  and  a  long  series  of  wars  ensued  between  the 
Syrians  and  the  Jews,  in  which  the  latter  gained  many  signal  iidvantages. 

About  l.'iO  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ  tlu;  principal  em()ires  and 
states  of  the  world  may  be  thus  enumerated.  In  Asia  were  the  empires 
of  Syria,  India  and  Parthia — each  of  them  powerful  and  extensive — with 
Arabia,  Pontus,  Armt.nia,  and  some  other  countries  of  less  imj)ortance. 
In  Africa  were  the  kingdoms  of  Kgypt,  Kthiopia,  Numidia,  Mauritania, 
and  Getnlia;  the  last  named  three,  now  that  Carthage  was  destroyed,  ap- 
pearing to  the  eyes  of  the  ambitious  Romans  as  their  easy  prey.  In  Ku- 
rope  there  were  none  able  to  oppose  the  Roman  legions,  save  the  Gauls 
and  some  of  the  nations  inhabiting  Spain  It  was  not  long,  therefore, 
after  the  conquest  of  (Carthage  and  Corinth  that  the  final  siil>)ug  iiion  ol 
Spain  was  resolved  on ;  for  all  the  pos>t>ssiens  wiiich  the  Carthaiiinians 
held  ill  that  (country  had  already  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  victorious 
Romans.  Tlu  y  accordingly  began  by  attacking  the  Lusitaniaiis :  biil 
this  brave  people,  under  the  conduct  of  Viriatns,  a  leader  whose  .«kil!. 
valour,  and  pruucm,:  eminently  (pialified  him  f'lf  his  post,  long  bid  defi- 
ance to  the  Roman  arn.s:  iii  the  field  he  was  not  to  be  subdued  ;  and  he 
at  last  met  ids  death  fron.  the  hands  of  assassins  hired  by  his  trcacheroui 


I 


wh 

tin 

eai 

re  a 

re; 

bat 

eq 


i  I 


.-u^ 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  OKNEIIAL  HlbTOIlY. 


43 


iscil  on  llifT 
1  were  tliese 
wt'tv  ii'callt'd 
I  llic  battUi  ut 
\y  dffeiitL'd  111 
yt-Hi-  1H8  B.f, 
lU'ly  dccidrd. 
used  all  llieit 
was  loiiij  and 
111  triiimplied 
.•e  mistress  of 
,  to  ashes,  and 

iifederacy  was 
ha-an  I.eaKiif, 
,  both  Athens 
,  the  (irecian 
liberties;  but 
ternieildiny:  in 
rovince.  under 
about  llie  yii>r 
,  under  ofiicers 
lost  renowned, 
e  Jews  by  An- 
caplivily.they 
.lexaiider;  and 
■Uf  d  to  prevail, 
It  by  Anlioehua 
lim,  they  natu- 
,  report  of  his 
ok  the  fiereesi 
ful  army,  took 
lorrid  cruelties 
ed,  tlieir  altars 
rainiy  and  hate 
led   in  the  holy 
mriit  ofTeriniis. 

0  worsiiip  was 
irified  by  Judas 
•d  between  the 
nal  advantages, 
lal  empires  and 
i-ro  the  empires 
ixtensive — with 
-ss  importance, 
lia,  Mauritania, 
s  destroyed,  ap- 
y  l)rey.  In  Ku- 
,  save  the  (iauls 
lonp,  therefore, 

1  suhjuK  1 1  ion  ol 
>,  ("arthauinians 
r  tlie  victorious 
usitanians ;  but 
ler  whosi-  skill. 
5t,  long  bid  defi- 
ubdued ;  and  he 
r  his  treacherou'. 


enemy.  The  Romans  now,  in  the  wantomiess  of  their  power,  scrupled 
not  to  use  the  bas("-t  und  most  corrupt  means  for  reducing  the  whole 
country;  and  thoui;'  many  lril)e3  bravely  maintained  their  independence 
for  years,  Spain  ultimately  becanie  a  Uoman  province,  lint  all-powerful 
ns  IJomc  had  now  become,  her  civil  and  political  condition  was  far  from 
enviable.  Her  conquests  in  (Jreecc  and  Asia  brought  luxury,  cruelty,  and 
general  corruptiim  in  their  train ;  and  those  heroic  virtues  for  which  in 
the  early  days  of  the  republic  slu-  was  renowned,  had  totally  disappeared. 
We  must,  however,  reserve  for  its  proper  place  an  account  of  the  civil 
commotions,  proscriptions,  and  assassinations  which  followed;  and  pass 
onward  in  our  brief  recital  of  such  events  as  peculiarly  appertain  to  gen- 
eral history. 

Attains,  king  of  Pergamus,  had  left  all  his  goods  and  treasures,  by  will 
to  the  Uoman  people ;  upon  which  his  kingdom  was  speedily  converted 
into  a  Roman  province,  under  the  name  of  Asia  Proper.  Next  followed 
the  conquest  of  the  Ualearic  Isles  (now  called  Majorca,  Minorca  and  Iviga); 
Numidia  was  soon  afierwards  reduced  ;  but  the  subjugation  of  Mauritania 
and  (Jetulia  was  for  a  time  delayed. 

While  Rome  was  approaching  her  zenith,  the  decline  of  the  Syrian 
empire  was  apparent.  The  civil  dissensions  between  the  two  brothers, 
Antioehiis  (Jryphus  and  Antiochus  Cyzicenus,  gave  an  opiwrtunily  for 
the  cities  of  Tyre,  Sidon,  Ptolemais  and  Gaza,  to  declare  their  indepen- 
dence;  while  the  Jews  not  only  recovered  their  liberty,  but  extended 
their  dominions  as  far  as  in  the  days  of  Solomon.  About  the  year  83  n.c, 
Tigranes,  king  of  Armenia,  became  master  of  Syria,  but  the  Romans  soon 
wrested  it  from  him,  and  added  it  to  the  immensely  extensive  possessions 
of  the  republic. 

Kgypt,  which  hid  hitherto  maintained  its  proper  station,  fell  after  the 
battle  of  \elmm,  and.  like  its  predecessors,  was  reduced  to  a  Roman  pro- 
vince about  the  year  30  n.c.  Rome  must  no  longer  be  regarded  as  a  re- 
public; and  its  change  from  that  form  of  government  to  an  empire  may 
be  looked  upon  as  advantageous  to  those  nations  who  were  still  fret',  for 
the  inordinate  dcisire  of  coiupiest  whicli  had  hitherto  marked  the  Roman 
character,  for  a  time  seemed  to  be  lulled,  and  during  the  reign  of  Augustus 
the  temple  of  Janus  was  thrice  closed — a  ceremony  coeval  with  the  origiii 
of  the  state,  to  denote  that  it  was  at  peace  with  the  whole  world.  This 
pacific  prince  died  in  the  76tli  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  45th  year  of  his 
reign,  ad.  14  ;  his  empire  extending,  in  Kurope,  to  the  ocean,  the  Rhine 
and  the  Danube ;  in  Asia,  to  the  Kuphrates ;  and  in  Africa,  to  Kthiopia 
and  the  sandy  deserts.  It  was  in  this  inemonible  reign,  in  the  year  of 
Rome  752  that  Jesus  Christ  was  born,  and  the  holy  religion  of  which  he 
was  the  founder,  persecuted  and  despised  though  it  was  at  first,  gradualU 
spread  over  the  Roman  world. 


CIIAPTFJR  VII. 

FROM    THE    BECINWINO    OF   TIIK    CliniSTIAN    KIIA, 

OF    MOHAMMED. 


TO    TIIF.    APPEARANCE 


In  the  year  G7  a.  d.  the  memorable  war  with  the  Jews  commenced, 
which,  though  it  lasted  but  three  years,  ended  in  the  total  destruction  of 
their  eily  and  nation,  after  enduring  all  the  horrors  of  war  carried  on  by 
each  parly  with  sanguinary  fury.  About  ten  years  after  this  event  the 
real  coiiijuest  of  Britain  was  effected  by  Agricola.  The  empire  had  now 
readied  its  utmost  limits,  and  under  the  just  and  upright  Trajan,  Rome 
had  reason  to  rejoice,  not  merely  in  her  extent  of  territory,  but  in  tlie 
eq    table  administration  of  her  laws,  and  in  the  virtue  and  wisdom  of  hei 


<4 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


J! 


i: 


senators.  Adrian  succeeded  Trajan,  and  followed  in  his  footsteps.  'Hie 
decline  of  imperial  Rome  was,  however,  fast  approaching,  for  althongh 
Antoninus,  surnanied  the  Pious,  oblained  the  regard  of  his  subjects  and 
the  respect  of  foreigners,  living  in  peace  during  the  whole  of  liis  reign, 
yet  scarcely  had  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus  succeeded  to  the  throne,  be- 
fore the  Germanic  tribes  united,  as  in  the  time  of  Marius,  and  poured  in 
tlieir  warlike  hordes  upon  Italy;  and,  while  they  grew  more  and  more 
forniidable,  famine  and  pestilence  ravaged  many  of  the  Roman  provinces 
A.D.  180. 

From  this  time  repeated  incursions  of  hardy  adventurers  from  the  north 
of  Kurope,  under  various  names,  took  place,  but  though  often  beaten,  they 
renewed  their  attem()ts  with  a  degree  of  courage  and  perseverance  that 
required  all  the  energy  and  superior  discipline  of  the  Roman  legions  to 
overcome.  From  tiie  death  of  Aurelius  to  the  reign  of  Dioclesian,  many 
of  the  Roman  emperors  were  mere  sensualists ;  there  were,  however, 
some  splendid  e.Kcepiions,  and  by  tlie  warlike  genius  of  such  the  incur- 
sions of  the  barbarians  w(.'re  from  time  to  time  arrested.  The  Romans 
had  also  for  a  long  jieriod  met  with  a  most  powerful  adversary  in  the 
Persians,  and  when,  in  -260,  the  euiperor  Valerian  was  defeated  and  taken 
[irisoner  by  them,  the  empire  seemed  to  be  hastening  to  utter  and  irreme- 
diable (h.'struction.  Wiiile  (jrallienus,  the  son  of  Valerian,  and  his  associate 
in  power  was  revelling  in  luxury  at  Rome,  numerous  claimants  of  the  im- 
perial dignity  arose  in  the  different  provinces.  These  were  designated 
the  "thirty  tyrants,"  (though  their  numbers  did  not  exceed  twenty,  and 
there  was  no  good  reason  for  designating  them  tyrants).  Their  dominion 
was,  liowevcr,  not  of  long  duratinn,  and  on  the  death  of  Gallienus  he  was 
succeeded  by  Claudius,  who  had  the  merit  of  delivering  Italy  from  the 
(>oths.  After  him  came  Aurelian,  who  introduced  order  into  the  state, 
restored  internal  tranquillity,  and  defeated  his  enemies  both  in  Europe  and 
Asia.  Under  'I'acitus,  Probus  and  Cams,  the  empire  was  in  a  measure 
restored  to  its  former  lustre  ;  but  the  barbarians  still  pressed  onward  ;  and 
whfMi  the  government  fell  into  the  hands  of  Dioclesian,  he  changed  its 
form,  sharing  tlie  imperial  dignity  with  Maximinian,  to  whom  he  com 
milted  tlie  West,  while  he  ruled  in  the  East.  In  this  manner  was  the  gov- 
ernment administered  till  the  days  of  Constantine,  who  in  a.d.  330  re- 
moved the  imperial  seat  to  Byzantium,  which  ho  named  Constantinople, 
beeauie  a  convert  to  Christianity,  and  put  an  end  to  one  of  the  most  viru 
lent  persecutions  against  its  profcjssors  that  ever  disgraced  the  world. 
The  immediate  successors  of  Constantine  did  little  to  uphold  tlie  Roman 
power,  and  Julian,  who  ascended  the  throne  in  361,  renounced  Christianity 
and  openly  professed  the  ancient  religion,  but  he  was  both  too  politic  and 
too  humane  to  persecute  his  Christian  subjects.  We  find,  howeve^r,  that 
the  decline  of  the  empire  was  everywhere  visible.  After  his  death  its  in- 
ternal corruption  and  weakness  continued  to  increase ;  that  strict  discipline 
which  had  formerly  rendered  the  Roman  legions  invincible,  relaxed,  and 
while  corruption  and  injustice  rendered  the  government  odious  at  home,  its 
frontier  towns  were  attacked  and  its  distant  provinces  overrun  by  fierce 
and  uncivilized  hordes  issuing  from  the  nortii,  east  and  west.  It  is  at  this 
period  that  we  read  of  Alaric,  the  Visigoth,  who  plundered  Home,  a.d. 
409;  of  Genseric,  the  powerful  king  of  the  Vandals;  and  of  Attila,  the 
Hun,  emphatically  termed  "  the  scourge  of  God."  In  fact,  the  Scythians, 
Sarmatians,  Goths,  Huns,  Vandals,  and  other  barbarous  nations,  watched 
all  occasions  to  break  into  it,  and  though  some  of  the  emperors  bravtdy 
withstood  their  attacks,  no  efforts  could  finally  stem  the  ruthless  torrcMit 
which  kept  pouring  in  on  all  sides.  At  length  the  Heruli,  a  people  who 
migrated  from  the  shores  of  the  Ualtic,  and  had  grown  formidable  as  they 
proceeded  southwards,  appearerl  in  Italy.  They  were  headed  by  the 
valiant  Odoace-,  and  being  joined  by  other  tribes,  quickly  became  masters 


m 


m 


lY. 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY 


46 


footsteps.  The 
iig,  for  although 
(lis  subjects  and 
ole  of  his  reign, 
3  the  throne,  be- 
s,  and  poured  in 
more  and  more  • 
Oman  provinces 

:s  from  the  north 
ftcn  beaten,  they 
erseverancc  that 
Oman  legions  to 
)ioclesian,  many 
were,  however, 
such  the  incur- 
I.  Tiie  Romans 
adversary  in  the 
(fealed  and  taken 
itter  and  irreme- 
and  his  associate 
imants  of  the  im- 
wcre  designated 
;eed  twenty,  and 

Their  dominion 
Uallienus  he  was 
ig  Italy  from  the 
cV  into  tlie  state, 
)th  in  Europe  and 
•as  in  a  measure 
sed  onward ;  and 

he  changed  its 

whom  he  com 
incr  was  the  gov- 
10  in  A.D.  330  re- 
1  Constantinople, 
of  the  most  viru 
raced  the  world, 
phold  the  Roman 
need  Christianity 
th  too  politic  and 
nd,  how(!ver,  that 

his  death  its  in- 
it  strict  discipline 
ible,  relaxed,  and 
)diousiith()me,  its 
overrun  by  fierce 
rest.  It  is  at  this 
ered  Uome,  a.  n. 
and  of  Attila,  the 
ict,  the  Scythians, 

nations,  watclied 
emperors  bravely 
le  ruthless  torrent 
uli,  a  people  who 
formidable  as  tliey 
re  headed  by  the 
ly  became  masters 


>f; 


of  Italy,  and  the  city  of  Rome  itself  surrendered  to  their  victorious  arms, 
A.D.  476. 

The  fall  of  the  western  empire  was  thus  consummated,  but  the  Romans 
still  maintained  their  sway  at  Constantinople.  The  eastern  empire,  in 
fact,  at  this  time  comprehended  all  Asia  Minor  and  Syria,  Egypt  and 
Greece  ;  but  neither  its  domestic  management  nor  its  military  prowess 
gave  hopes  of  a  lengthened  doi/iinion.  Ltixury,  effeminacy,  and  supersti- 
tion sapped  its  vitals;  continued  wars  with  the  Persians,  Bulgarians,  and 
other  barbarous  nations,  exhausted  its  strength;  and  a  similar  fate  to  that 
of  the  western  empire  appeared  to  await  it  at  no  very  distant  period. 
Still,  as  we  follow  the  stream  of  history,  we  shall  find  that  it  not  only 
survived  the  wreck  for  several  centuries,  but  at  times  displayed  an  energy 
and  power  worthy  of  the  Roman  name. 

Revolutions  succeeded  one  another  among  the  savage  conquerors  of  the 
West  with  fearful  rapidity.  The  Heruli  under  Odoacer  were  driven  out 
by  the  Goths  under  Theodoric.  The  Goths  were  expelled  by  the  Romans 
under  their  able  general  Belisarius,  but  while  he  was  absent  quelling  an 
insurrection  in  Africa,  they  regained  their  footing,  and  again  took  posses- 
sion of  Rome.  The  Franks  next  invaded  Italy,  and  made  themselves 
masters  of  the  province  of  Venetia,  but  at  last  the  superior  fortune  of  the 
emperor  Justinian  prevailed,  and  the  Goths  were  finally  subdued  by  his 
pro-consul  Narses,  a.  d.  552.  From  that  time  till  the  year  5G8,  Narses 
governed  Italy  with  great  prudence  and  success,  as  a  province  of  the 
eastern  empire,  but  having  incurred  the  emperor's  displeasure,  Longinus 
was  appointed  to  succeed  him,  and  was  invested  with  absolute  power. 
He  assumed  the  title  of  exarch,  and  resided  at  Ravenna,  whence  his  gov- 
ernment was  called  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  and  having  placed  in  each 
city  of  Italy  a  governor,  whom  he  distinguished  with  the  title  of  duke,  he 
abolished  the  name  of  senate  and  consuls  at  Rome.  But  while  he  was 
establishing  this  new  sovereignty,  a  great  portion  of  Italy  was  overrun  by 
the  Lombards.  In  short,  we  find  that  they  steadily  marched  on  from  Pan- 
nonia,  accompanied  by  an  ariny  of  Saxon  allies,  and  wire  not  long  before 
they  became  masters  of  all  Italy,  with  the  exception  of  Rome,  Ravenna, 
and  some  of  the  eastern  seacoast. 

A  warlike  nation  called  Franks,  who  were  divided  into  several  tribes, 
had  been  gradually  rising  into  importance,  and  quitting  the  banks  of  the 
Lower  Rhine,  they  had  made  themselves  masters  of  no  inconsiderable  part 
of  Gaul.  A  warlike  and  ambitious  chief  among  them,  named  Ciovis,  un- 
dertook the  conquest  of  the  whole  country,  and  having  defeated  and  killed 
his  powerful  rival,  Alaric,  king  of  the  Goths,  he  possessed  himself  of  all 
the  countries  lying  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Loire,  and  thus  became  the 
founder  of  the  French  monarchy,  a.d.  487. 

A  few  years  before  the  conquest  of  Rome  by  the  Heruli,  the  Visigoths 
erected  a  kingdom  in  Spain,  and  as  they  advanced  eastward,  about  the 
same  time  that  Ciovis  was  extending  his  conquests  to  the  West,  the  river 
Loire  was  the  natural  boundary  of  the  two  kingdoms ;  but  a  war  soon 
broke  out  between  them,  which  ended  in  favour  of  Ciovis.  Another  king- 
dom had  previously  been  founded  in  the  western  parts  of  Spain  by  the 
Suevi,  who  were  subdued  by  the  Goths  under  Theodoric,  in  409;  ani 
eventually,  a.d.  584,  these  restless  warriors  subjugated  nearly  the  whole 
of  Spain. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


FnOM    THE    RISE 


THK 


OF   MOHAMMED,   TO    THE   COMMENCEMENT   OF 
CRUSADES. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  for  a  moment  to  a  general  view  of  the 
world  as  it  existed  in  the  sixth  century  of  the  Christian  era.    The  Roman 


i. 


M 

:  ! 

-         (I 

( 

m 

46 


OUTLINE  SKKTCH  OF  (lENEEAL  HISTOUY. 


empire  in  tlio  wrst  was  aniiiliilalod,  and  various  natioi'.s  of  norlliori)  ex- 
traution  were  citlior  ficrcrly  ci)ntendin«r  with  racli  otiier,  or  meditating 
new  conquests ;  tiie  eastern  empire  was  eontinnally  at  war,  contending 
with  the  Persians  on  one  side,  or  harrassed  by  the  attaeks  of  the  Huns 
and  otiier  trihcs  on  its  northern  frontiers,  wiiiie  it  was  agitated  and  wealc- 
ciied  by  religious  and  politieal  animosities.  The  Indians  and  other  ori 
eiital  nations,  unaeeustomed  to  war,  were  ready  to  fall  a  prey  to  the  first 
powerful  invader,  while  the  fiery  inhabitants  of  Arabia,  from  their  earliest 
origin  aceuslomed  to  bold  and  predatory  warfare,  were  as  ready  to  under- 
take any  enterprise  whieli  seemed  to  promise  an  adequate  reward. 

This,  then,  was  the  very  niek  of  time  most  favourable  for  such  a  rcvo- 
IntiiHi  in  the  world  as  was  undertaken  by  the  wily  and  daring  Mohammed 
(or  Mahomet),  wh  j,  foreseeing  the  power  and  glory  that  awaited  him  if 
sticecss  should  crown  his  efforts,  assumed  the  title  of  "  prophet,"  and 
professed  to  have  received  a  direct  eommission  from  (>od  to  become  the 
founder  of  a  new  religion.  A-n.  (iOO.  This  forms  a  marked  epoch  in  ehro 
nologv,  and  is  designated  the  Hcgira,  or  Flight  of  Mohammed.  Me  at  first 
eiuleTivoured  by  the  force  of  his  persuasive  eloquence  aloiu;  to  make  pro- 
selytes, but  finding  himself  ere  long  at  the  head  of  many  thousand  war- 
like followers  who  acknowledged  that  "there  was  but  one  (Jod,  and  that 
Mohammed  was  his  prophet,"  he  took  advantage  of  their  enthusiasm,  and 
proceeded  in  the  work  of  coiupiest.  With  a  celerity  truly  surprising,  the 
armies  of  tlie  jiropliet  and  his  successors  overran  Syria,  Palestine,  Persia. 
Hukharia  and  India.  On  the  west  their  empire  soon  extended  over  Kgypt, 
Parliary,  .Spain,  .Sicily,  &e.  Hut  Mohammed  who  dieii  in  the  fi.ld  year 
of  his  age,  (lid  not  secure  the  succession,  or  give  any  directions  concerning 
it,  and  the  eonscnuenec  was  that  tlu;  cali|)liate  was  seized  by  many 
usurpers,  dissensions  broke  out  among  the  "  true  believers,"  and  in  the 
course  of  time  this  gr(>at  empire,  like  the  others  wliudi  we  have  noticed, 
declined  in  importance.  The  religion,  however,  still  exists,  and  the  tern 
poral  power  of  tliose  who  profess  it  is  by  no  means  trilling. 

While  this  extraordinary  revolution  was  going  on  in  the  East,  and  the 
.\rabian  aims  were  conquering  "  in  the  name  of  (Jod  and  the  prophet," 
the  western  nations  as  zealously  upheld  the  doctrines  promulgated  by  the 
[lope.  FriMTi  the  days  of  Constaiiline  the  Homan  pontiffs  had  been  gradu 
ally  extending  their  power,  temporal  as  well  as  spiritinl,  and  at  the  period 
of  which  we  are  now  speaking,  not  only  was  their  sacerdotal  dominion 
firmly  esiablishtil,  but  their  political  influence  was  often  exerted  for  or 
against  those  princes  of  surrounding  states  as  best  suittul  the  interests  of 
the  eliureh.  Wiicn,  in  72<>,  I.uiiprand,  king  of  the  Lombards,  had  taken 
Kavenua,  and  expelled  the  exarch,  the  popi;  undertook  to  rcstori!  him.  and 
his  restoration  was  accordingly  speedily  »'lTected.  The  authority  of  the 
Pyzantine  em[)eiors  in  Rome,  was.  indeed,  litlh;  more  than  nominal,  and 
tlu!  interference  of  the  popes  in  the  temporal  concerns  of  tlu^  different 
European  moiiareliies  was  of  the  most  oluioxioiis  and  intolerable  kind. 

\V(!  have  seen  that  the  nnluetion  of  (iaiil  was  effected  by  (Hovis,  the 
Frank,  who  is  styled  the  founder  of  the  French  monarchy.  That  king- 
dom, it  may  be  observed  was  8ubse(|uently  divided  into  several  petty  sove- 
reignties, and  while  the  princes  weakened  each  other  by  their  contests, 
till'  nobles  increased  in  power,  leaving  their  kings  little  more  than  the 
sliadow  of  royally.  At  length  they  gave;  themselves  up  to  a  life  of  indo- 
lence and  ease,  and  abandoned  the  reins  of  government  to  oflicers  called 
mayors  oi  the  palace,  of  whom  tiie  most  ccleliraled  were  (.'harlcs  Martel, 
and"  his  sou  Pe|]in  the  I,ittle,  who  deposed  Childerii',  and  became  the 
founder  of  the  (.'arlovingian  or  si'coml  royal  race  of  France.  Of  the 
princes  of  this  race  we  shall  here  only  sjieak  of  Carolns  Magnus,  after 
wards  called  Charleinagne,  on  account  of  the-  extent  of  his  coiiquests,  his 
restoration  of  the  western  empire,  and  the  splendour  of  his  reign.     Vci} 


v; 


n 


'H  ' 


s  of  nortlipri)  ex- 
icr,  or  nu'ditatiiig 
t  war,  contending 
aeks  of  the  Huns 
igitated  and  weak- 
ans  and  other  ori 
a  prey  to  the  first 
from  their  earliest 
as  ready  to  under- 
te  reward. 
le  for  snch  a  revo- 
laring  Moliammed 
at  awaited  him  if 
if  "  prophet,"  and 
lod  to  become  the 
anl  ppocli  in  chro 
limed.    He  at  first 
i()n(!  lo  make  pro- 
any  tlioiisand  war- 
one  (Jod,  and  that 
ir  enthnsiasm,  and 
nly  surprisiii<r,  the 
,  Palestine,  Persia, 
tended  over  Kgvpt, 
ci  in  the  fi.ld  year 
ections  concerning 
i   seized  by  many 
levers,"  and  in  the 
li  we  have  noticed, 
xists,  and  the  tern 
injf. 

tlie  East,  and  the 
and  the  prophet," 
)roiiuiljjated  by  the 
(Ts  had  been  gradu 
1,  and  at  the  period 
icerdotal  dominion 
ten  exerted  for  or 
ted  the  interests  of 
mbanls,  liad  taken 
to  restore  him.  and 
e  authority  of  llie 
tlian  nominal,  and 
fns  of  the  difTerrenl 
itolerable  kind, 
ted  by  ('lovis,  the 
irrhy.     That  king- 
several  petty  sove- 
by  their  contests, 
tie  more   than  the 
p  to  a  life  of  indo- 
it  to  oflicers  called 
re  diaries  Marlel, 
,  and  became  the 
f  Fr.iuce.     Of  the 
his  Magnus,  after 
liis  c.iiKjue.sts,  hi;* 
if  his  i-eign.     Vcv} 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OK  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


47 


Doon  after  his  accession  to  the  throne,  the  Saxons,  who  had  long  beea 
tributaries  to  France,  revolted,  and  bravely  and  obstinately  contended  for 
their  freedom,  but  they  were  at  last  oi)liged  to  submit.  In  774,  after  the 
reduction  of  Pavia,  and  the  eaplun!  of  Didier,  the  last  king  of  the  Lom- 
bards, Cliarlemague  repaired  to  Milan  and  was  there  crowned  king  of 
Italy.  From  this  time  he  was  engaged  in  an  almost  unceasing  warfare 
an-ainst  the  Moors  in  Spain,  the  Saxons  and  Huns  in  Germany,  the  party 
of  the  eastern  emperor  in  Italy,  and  the  Normans,  who  infested  his  mari- 
time provinces.  Having  subdued  his  enemies,  he  repaired  to  Rome,  in 
the  year  800,  for  the  fourth  and  last  time,  and  on  Christmas-day,  while 
assisting  at  the  celebration  of  mass,  the  pope,  Leo  HI.,  suddenly  and  un- 
expectedly crowned  him  emperor  of  the  Romans,  from  which  time  he  was 
honoured  with  the  title  of  Charlemagne,  or  Charles  the  Great.  At  the 
time  of  iiis  death,  which  occurred  in  811,  he  had  reduced  all  that  part  of 
Spain  wiiich  lies  between  the  Pyrenees  aii<l  the  Kbro,  seized  Italy  from 
the  Alps  to  the  borders  of  Calabria,  and  also  added  to  his  ilniiinions  all 
Germany  south  of  the  Kyder,  and  Paimonia.  The  world  wis  therefore 
')iice  mo're  shared  among  three;  gr(!at  powers.  The  empire  ot"  the  Arabs 
ir  Saracens  extended  from  the  <Janges  to  Spain,  comprehending  almost 
all  of  Asia  and  Africa  which  has  ever  been  known  to  Europeans,  China 
and  .lapan  excepted.  The  eaMern  Uoman  empire  was  reduced  to  Greece, 
.\sia  Minor,  and  tlie  provinces  adjoining  Italy.  And  the  empire  of  the 
west,  uiidi  r  Cliailemagne,  compreliciuled  "France,  Germany,  and  the 
greater  part  of  Italy.  The  son  and  successor  of  Charlemagne  was  Louis 
(.,  at  whose  deatii  "the  restored  emiiin;  of  the  west  was  divided,  in  8-10, 
.iinoiig  his  four  sons:  Lolharius  was  emperor;  Pepin  king  of  Aijuitain; 
Loiiis^M.  king  of  (Jcrmany  ;  and  Charles  H.  surnamed  the  Bald,  king  of 
France  ;  a  division  that  proved  the  souictMif  perpetual  contentions.  The 
Freucli  retained  the  imperial  title  under  eight  sovereigns,  till  <)1-J,  when 
Louis  111.  the  last  king  of  (lerinany  of  the  race  of  Charlemagne,  dying 
without  mal(!  issue,  his  son  in-law,  Conrad,  count  of  Franeonia,  was 
elccicd  emperor  of  Germany.  Thus  the  empire  passed  to  the  (xcrmans, 
and  became  elective,  tiy  the  snlTrages  of  the  princes,  lords,  and  deputies 
of  cities,  who  aosumed  the  title  of  electors. 

During  the  period  we  have  been  describing,  the  union  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  kingdoms  was  enTceted  by  Kghert,  the  king  of  VVessex,  a.d.  807. 
The  pirates  of  Scandinavia,  too,  al)out  this  time  began  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance in  large  fleets,  and  spread  d(^vastation  on  the  shores  of  France 
and  other  kingdoms  of  continental  Kurope.  In  Kngland,  where  they  were 
called  Danes,  these  Northmen  harrassed  the  coast  in  a  similar  manner, 
and,  though  frequently  repulsed,  in  the  course  of  time  they  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  nionarclis  of  their  own  nation  seated  on  the  throne  of 
F.ngland.  Tiie  Saxon  race  was.  however,  restored  in  1041,  in  the  person 
of  Edward  surnamed  the  Confessor,  who,  dying  without  issue,  nominated 
William,  duke  of  Normandy,  to  be  his  successor.  Here  we  may  just  re- 
mark, that  the  predatory  tribes  of  Northmen,  of  whom  we  have  before 
spoken,  at  difTerent  times  overran  and  ravaged  most  countries  of  Kurope, 
and  a  party  having  entered  France,  under  their  leader  RoUo,  Charles  the 
Simple  ceded  to  them,  in  01',',  the  province  of  Nenstria.  On  this  occasion 
RoUo  embraced  Cliristianily,  changiul  his  name  to  Robert,  and  that  of  his 
duchy  to  Normandy.    From  liiin  was  William  the  Conqueror  descended. 

At  no  period  of  the  history  of  the  worUl  do  we  find  it  in  a  more  confused 
and  distracted  state,  than  at  the  epoch  to  which  we  hr.ve  now  arrived.  It 
appears,  indeed,  like  ow  vast  balilc-field.  Our  attention,  however,  is 
principally  attracted  by  the  preponderating  influence  of  Germany,  in  the 
west;  the  decline  of  ttie  Byzantine  empire,  and  the  inercAse  of  that  of 
th(!  Turks,  ill  the  east;  the  divisions  among  the  Saracens  of  Spain,  and 
their  subjugation  by  those  of  Africa.    Civilization  was  taking  a  retrogade 


i,i^t 


>f    m 


iMi 


ifl 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GKNERAL  IIISTOIIY. 


course;  and  while  the  feudal  system  aud  the  spiritofeliivalry,  assisted  by 
tue  papal  superstitions,  were  rivetting  tiie  chains  of  barbarism  in  one  part 
of  the  world,  the  conquests  and  spoliations  of  the  Turks,  like  those  of  the 
Goths  and  Huns  before  noticed,  were  fast  obliteratinjr  the  faint  traces  of 
human  science  and  learning  tliat  remained  in  tlie  otlier.  At  last  the  Cru 
sades  (though  they  must  ever  bo  deplored  ;is  the  wretched  offspring  of  eii 
thusiasm  and  misguided  zeal),  by  directing  the  attention  of  Europeans  to 
one  particular  object,  made  them  in  some  measure  suspend  the  slaughter 
of  one  another,  and  were  the  means  of  extricating  Christendom  from  j 
stale  of  political  bondage. 


CHAPTER  IX 

FROM  THE  FIRST  CRUSADE,  TO   THE  DEATH   OF   8ALAD1N. 

The  world,  as  we  have  seen,  was  at  this  time  divided  into  two  grand 
religious  parties,  namely,  the  Christians  and  Mohammedans,  cacii  of  whom 
affected  to  regsid  the  small  territory  of  Palestine,  which  th'  y  called  the 
Holy  Land,  as  an  invaluablr  acquisition.  The  origin  of  t'.c  crusades  may 
therefore  be  attributed  to  a  superstitious  \eneration  for  the  places  where 
our  Saviour  had  lived  and  performed  his  miracles,  which  annually  brought 
vast  numbers  of  pilgiims  from  all  parts  of  Christendom  to  visit  the  city 
of  Jerusalem,  and  those  particular  spots  in  its  vicinity  which  had  been 
rendered  especially  memorable  by  his  [ireaching,  sufferings,  and  death. 
Although  the  Sarac.-ens,  under  Omar,  their  second  calipli,  had  taken  Jeru- 
salem, and  conquered  Palestine,  in  the  7th  century,  tiu'y  allowed  the  pil 
grims  to  continue  to  visit  their  favourite  haunts  on  payment  of  a  small  tri 
bute.  In  10C5,  however,  the  Turks  wrested  the  holy  city,  as  it  was  styled 
from  the  Saracens ;  and,  being  much  more  fierce  and  barbarous,  tiie  pil 
grims  could  no  longer  with  safety  perform  their  devotions;  and  Europe 
resounded  wiili  complaints  against  the  infidel  possessors  of  Palestine,  who 
profaned  the  holy  places,  and  so  cruelly  treated  the  devotees.  Europe 
was  at  the  time  full  of  enthusiastic  warriors,  who  wanted  but  little  stimu- 
lus to  lead  them  to  the  field  of  glory ;  and  pope  Gregory  VH.  had  already 
meditated  and  urged  the  union  of  Christendom  against  the  religion  of  Mo- 
hammed. Besides  the  religious  motive  of  freeing  Jerusalem  from  the  do- 
minion of  the  Turks,  some  views  of  ambition  might  have  induced  the  court 
of  Rome  to  engage  in  this  project.  IJut  wiiatever  might  have  been  the 
chief  motives,  an  opportunity  soon  presented  itself,  winch  was  seized  with 
avidity.  A  bold  enthusiast,  named  Peter,  who  from  his  ascetic  life  was 
called  the  Hermit,  having  been  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  represented 
the  oppression  of  the  holy  city,  and  the  cruel  treatment  which  the  Chris- 
tians  suffered,  in  terms  so  appalling  to  Urban  II.  (who  filled  the  papal  see 
at  the  time),  that  the  pontiff  listened  to  his  scheme  for  uniting  all  the 
Christian  states  against  the  Turks,  and  leadingarmiesinto  Asia,  sufficient 
in  number  and  prowess  to  conquer  these  warlike  peoph;  by  whom  the 
Holy  Land  was  held  in  subjection.  In  consequence  of  this  a  council  was 
summoned,  and  a  meeting  of  clergy  and  laity  took  place  in  a  field  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  i'lacentia,  at  which  4000  ecclesiastics  and  30,000  seculars 
were  present.  Both  Peter  the  Hermit  and  the  Pope,  represented  in  the 
most  vivid  colours  the  direful  situation  of  their  brethren  in  the  East,  and 
the  indignity  offered  to  the  religion  of  Christ.  Their  8()eeches  were  suited 
to  the  •jj.issions  of  their  hearers,  and  so  well  seconded  by  the  adventurous 
spirit  of  the  limes,  that  a  violent  and  tuuiultuous  declaration  of  war  burs* 
forth  from  ad  sides ;  and  the  assembled  multuude  devoted  themselves  cheer 
fully  to  a  service  that  they  believed  to  bo  meritorious  in  the  sight  of  Hcp"ci 
The  zealous  Peter  next  visited  the  chief  cities  and  sovereigns  of  Chu't 


a 


ru'^ 


iHY. 

viilry,  assisted  by 
irism  ill  one  part 
like  those  of  llie 
e  faint  traces  of 
At  last  the  Cm 
dofTspring  ofeu 
of  Europeans  to 
L!nd  the  slaughter 
isleudom  from  a 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  QENEllAL  HISTORY. 


49 


•  LADIN. 

1  into  two  grand 
ms,  each  of  whom 
h  th'  y  called  the 
Wc  crusades  may 
the  i)lace3  where 
h  aimually  brought 
to  visit  the  city 
which  had  been 
!rings,  and  death, 
h,  had  taken  Jeru- 
y  allowed  the  pil 
uent  of  a  small  iri 
ty,  as  it  was  styled 
)arbarous,  the  pil 
ions;    and  Europe 
sof  I'ulcstiue,  who 
devotees.     Europe 
ed  but  little  stimu- 
y  VII.  liad  already 
the  religion  of  Mo- 
salem  from  the  do- 
e  induced  the  court 
jht  have  been  the 
eh  was  seized  with 
„  ascetic  life  was 
salem,  represented 
t  wliich  the  Chris- 
filled  the  pupal  see 
"or  uniting  viU  the 
into  Asia,  suflieient 
)pl((  by  whom  the 
f  this  a  council  was 
:c  in  a  field  in  the 
and  30,000  seculars 
represented  in  the 
m  in  the  East,  and 
Hjeehes  were  suited 
by  the  adventurous 
nition  of  war  burs' 
1  themselves  chcev 
ihe  sight  of  HeP'-ei 
)vcreigns  of  Chtvi 


tendom,  calling  upon  them  to  rescue  the  sepulchre  of  their  Saviour  from 
the  tyrannous  grasp  of  the  Turks.  Another  council  was  speedily  held  ai 
Cicnnont,  in  Auvergne,  which  was  attended  by  many  princes,  and  the 
greatest  prchites  and  nobles;  and  when  Urban  and  the  Hermit  renewed 
tiieir  patlietic  declamations,  the  whole  assembly  burst  forth  in  a  general 
exclamation.  "It  is  the  will  of  Go  J!"  words  which  were  immediately  at- 
trihuted  to  divine  inspiration,  and  adopted  as  the  signal  of  rendezvous  and 
battle.  Men  of  all  ranks  now  flew  to  arms  with  the  utmost  ardour ;  and  a 
cross  of  red  cloth  was  affixed  to  their  right  shoulder;  hence  the  names  of 
crusade  (or  croi.iade)  and  crnsadcrs  were  derived  to  express  this  new  expe- 
dition professedly  undertaken  on  religious  grounds.  However  imprudent 
tlie  project,  tlie  prevailing  taste  and  prejudices  of  the  age  occasioned  its 
beinir  adopted  withcnit  examination.  Independent  of  this,  their  passions 
.  were  absorbed  in  their  love  of  war :  they  were  delighted  with  the  thoughts 
of  advt'utiires,  and  the  brave  were  attracted  by  the  hopes  of  gain  as  well 

■  as  with  the  love  of  glory.  What  was  not  to  be  expected  from  the  valour 
of  an  infinite  number  of  warriors  fighting  under  the  banners  of  the  cross  ? 
No  means  were  left  unemployed  to  swell  their  ranks.  Tiie  rich  and  ^joor, 
the  saintly  and  the  criminal,  were  alike  eager  to  show  their  devotion  in 
the  causi!.  Sovereigns  shared  in  and  applauded  it ;  the  nobility  with  their 
vassals  engaged  in  it;  and  the  clergy  not  only  loudly  extolled  it  from  the 
pulpit,  but  taught  the  people  to  consider  it  as  an  atonement  for  their  sins. 
No  wonder  liien  that  the  number  of  adventurers  at  last  became  so  numer- 
ous, that  tlieir  leaders  grew  apprehensive,  lest  the  greatness  of  tlie  arma- 
ment should  disappoint  its  purpose.  Some  were  elated  at  the  prospects 
of  worldiv  advantage  which  opened  to  their  view  as  they  beheld  in  per- 
spective the  rich  conquests  in  Asia ;  others  thought  of  the  expiation  of 
their  ofTcnccs  in  tlie  tumult  of  war,  and  rejoiced  that  they  could  gralif^y 
their  inclinations  while  performing  a  sacred  duty      If  they  succeeded,  their 

■  fortune  sct-med  to  be  secured  in  this  world ;  if  they  died,  a  crown  of  mar- 
tyrdom was  promised  in  the  next.  So  many  causes  uniting  had  almost 
an  insurmountable  power  ;  and  their  concurrence  is  one  of  the  most  curi- 
ous plieiiomena  to  be  met  with  in  history. 

An  undisciplined  multitude,  computed  al  three  hundred  thousand  men, 
led  the  way,  under  the  command  of  Peter  the  Ilerinit,  and  a  soldier  of  for- 
tune, called  Walter  the  Moneyless.  They  passed  through  Hungary  and 
Bulgaria,  towards  (Constantinople  ;  and  trusting  to  snperiiat.irai  aid  for  the 
•up|)ly  of  (heir  wants,  they  made  no  provision  for  subsistence  on  their 
inarch.  They  were,  in  fact,  composed  partly  of  fanatics  and  partly  of 
wretches  bent  on  plunder;  and  the  result  was,  as  might  have  been  expect- 
ed, that  the  enraget'  iidiabitants  of  the  countries  which  they  pillaged  fell 
Spoil  and  nearly  annihilated  them  before  they  could  reach  Constantinople, 
le  place  appointed  for  their  general  rendezvous.  The  more  disciplined 
Irmics  followed  soon  after.  Among  their  leaders  were  the  celebrated 
Godfrey  of  iJouillon,  with  his  brothers,  Daldwin  and  Eustace;  Robert, 
duke  of  Normandy;  Hugh,  brother  of  Philip  I.,  king  of  France;  Robert, 
6Hrl  of  I'landcrs  ;  RaymoinJ,  count  of  Toulouse,  and  other  experienced 
eominanders.  Thus  led,  this  host  of  warriors  traversed  Germany  and 
Hui.gary,  passed  overt'-  straits  of  Gallipoli,  coiniuercd  Nice  in  1097,  An- 
:,,(4#ocli  and  Edessa  in  lOOo,  and  lastly,  Jerusalem,  in  1099;  of  which  city 
'Godfrey  of  Houillon  was  chosen  king ;  but  he  refused  to  bear  that  title  in 
;  the  Holy  Land;  and  died  in  1100.  In  1102,  an  army  of  260,000  men  left 
'Uuropn  on  the  same  destination;  they  perished,  however,  partly  on  the 
march,  and  partly  by  the  sword  of  the  sultan  of  Iconium.  Such  was  the 
Issue  of  the  first  crusade  ;  but  the  spirit  which  had  been  thus  excited  was 
not  to  be  so  readily  extinguished;  a  second,  a  third,  and  several  other  cru- 
sades were  undertaken  during  a  succession  of  almost  two  hundred  years, 
and  ended  in  very  similar  results.  In  1301,  the  town  of  Acre,  or  t'tole- 
I.— 4 


ii  i- ' 


I  P^l: 


50 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  IIISTOHY. 


mais,  in  wliii-h  the  desccMKliinls  of  Godfroy  still  mainliiiiied  llie  regal  title, 
was  pliiiHlcred  by  the  sultan  of  Kgypt,  and  the  Christians  were  driven  out 

of  Syria. 

Thir(!  monastic  and  military  orders,  the  Hospitallers,  tiic  Templars,  and 
Toufonic  knights,  were  instituted  at  Jerusalem,  to  protect  tiie  pilgrims 
from  the  attacks  of  tlic  Turks.  In  this  age  the  sacred  was  so  confounded 
with  liie  profane,  that  it  was  thought  tiie  virtue's  and  austerities  of  the 
monk  might  be  united  with  the  warlike  qualities  and  pj.ssions  of  the  sol- 
dier. Tiie  new  orders,  loaded  with  wealth  and  particular  [irivileges,  in  a 
sliort  time  became  greedy,  licentious,  and  insolent  warriors,  enemies  of 
one  another,  and  by  their  mutual  hatred  weakened  the  cause  of  (Hinstian- 
ily.  What  liap|)ened  before  in  Kurope  was  likewise  seen  in  Asia:  every 
lord  wanted  to  erect  a  sovereign  power;  principalities  were  suitdividcd 
into  feifs  ;  discord  prevailed,  and  the  Turks  would  soon  have  destroyed 
them,  if  ihey  had  not  likewise  been  divided  among  themselses. 

The  Christian  empire  in  the  Kast  extei.  jd  at  this  period  froni  the  bor- 
ders of  I'-gypt  to  Armenia ;  but  it  was  encompassed  by  powerful  enemies, 
and  its  population,  tliough  brave,  was  by  no  means  considerable.  The 
Turks  had  already  taken  lOdessa,  and  there  was  great  reason  to  be  ap[)re- 
hensive  for  the  fate  of  Jerusalem,  when  Kugenius  III.,  fifty  years  after  the 
lieginniiig  of  the  crusades,  was  solicited  by  deputies  from  the  Kast  to  re- 
new tliein.  This  time  th(!  monk  St.  lj(!rnard  took  upon  himself  the  office 
of  its  eliief  advocate.  He  is  represented  as  running  from  town  to  tow -i.  and 
though  ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  country,  yet  making  the  peojilc  fol- 
low hiin,  and  performing  numberless  miracles.  Hi;  accordingly  every- 
where gained  an  influence,  of  which  there  had  been  no  parallel ;  yet  his 
success  could  scarcely  keep  pace  with  his  zealous  wishes.  Under  the 
humble  habit  of  a  monk,  Bernard  enjoyed  a  greater  respect  than  was  paid 
to  the  most  powerful  princes  :  he  was  as  eloquent  as  he  was  t.ithusiasiic, 
and  obtained  an  unbounded  influence  over  tlu;  minds  of  the  people.  The 
emperor  Conrad,  who  first  listimed  to  him  with  a  resolution  to  oppose 
those  dangerous  emigrations,  concluded  with  enrolling  himself.  Neitlier 
could  Louis  VII.,  king  of  France,  resist  the  appeal  of  the  orator.  'I'lie 
people  abandoned  their  habitations  in  crowds;  the  nobles  sold  their  lands 
and  laid  tlie  price  at  his  feet;  and  nearly  .i  million  of  men  solicritcd  to  Ik; 
enrolled  among  the  champions  of  Christianity.  It  is  said  that  each  of  the 
armies  had  70,000  "men  at  arms:"  these  consisted  of  the  nobility,  who 
were  heavy  armed,  and  followed  by  a  much  more;  numerous  body  of  light 
cavalry.  'I"he  number  of  infantry  was  immense.  The;  emperor  ('onrad 
was  the  first  that  set  out :  he  was  the  brother-in-law  of  Mamiel  Comenus, 
at  that  time  reigning  in  Constantinople;  but  the  Cir<'eks,  it  is  said,  appn - 
hensive  that  similar  ex(!esses  would  be  conmiitted  by  the  crusaders  as  in 
the  former  expedition,  furnished  them  with  treacherous  guides,  which  led 
to  their  destruction ;  his  army  was  almost  annihilated;  upon  which  he 
fled  to  Antioch,  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  and  returned  to  Kuropn 
with  a  mere  handful  of  men.  Louis  met  with  similar  disasters,  and  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  Conrad;  so  that  when  they  were  com[)elled  to 
withdraw,  they  left  the  Holy  Land  in  a  much  weaker  condition  than  they 
had  found  it. 

Expeditions  so  ill  planned  and  ill  conducted,  served  only  to  animato 
the  Turks  to  the  destruction  of  the  (Miristiaiis  of  Jerusahuu,  and  to  show 
them  the  little  difllculty  there  would  be  in  expelling  them.  Noriidin, 
whom  they  chose  for  their  leader,  promoted  this  design,  and  Salidm,  his 
succesGor,  completed  the  work.  The  latier,  after  having  usurped  Syri'., 
triumphed  over  the  Persians,  conquered  Kgypt,  and  made  himself  master 
of  dominions  that  extended  to  the  Oxus,  returned  by  sea,  in  order  tu 
strip  the  Kiiropeans  of  the  places  ihey  still  retained.  Damascus,  Aleppo. 
and  \cre,  opened  their  gates  to  the  conqueror,  who,  after  having  artfulh 


I  i' 


li!t  I 


OllY. 

iiied  tlio  regal  title, 
as  were  driven  out 

I,  the  Templars,  and 
rolect  llie  pilgrims 
wassoconfouiided 
austerities  of  Hie 
r.ssions  of  llie  sol- 
ilar  privileges,  in  a 
irriors,  enemies  ol 
cause  of  CMirisliau- 
een  in  Asia:  every 
's  were  suiidiviiled 
ion  have  destroyed 
Dmsel\es. 

[>riod  from  tlie  l)or- 
!  powerful  enemies, 
eonsiderable.      The 
,  reason  to  \w.  appre- 
,  fifty  years  after  tiie 
rom  the  Ivist  to  re- 
jn  liii!iself  theofhce 
mi  town  to  town,  and 
alvingthe  people  foj- 
aeeordin;;ly  every- 
10  parallel ;    yet  iiis 
vishes.      llnder  tlin 
■speel  than  was  paid 
lie  wasL.ilhtisiasiic, 
of  liie  people.     The 
esolution  to   oppose 
g  himself.     Neither 
f  the  orator.      The 
hies  sold  their  lands 
men  solicited  to  he 
said  that  eacli  of  the 
of  the  nohdity,  who 
merous  body  of  light 
'he  emperor  Conrad 
if  Ma:Hiel  C'omeiuis, 
I'ks,  it  is  said,  appro 
f  the  crusacU-rs  as  in 
iiH  guides,  which  led 
I'd ;    upon  which  lie 
returned  to  Kurope 
,r  disasters,  and  fol- 
were  comp(dled  to 
:  condition  than  tiiey 

rved  only  to  animato 
usah'm,"aiKl  to  show 
ing  them.  Noradiii, 
iign,  and  Saladm,  Ins 
aviiig  usurped  Syri/., 
made  himself  master 
1  hy  sea,  in  order  to 
I)amas(;us,  Alepim, 
after  having  artfulb 


OrjTLINE  BKSTCII  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


61 


liawn  the  Cliristiau  army  into  narrow  defiles,  wlu;re  he  commanded  tho 
passes,  obliged  them  to  surrender,  with  Lusignau,  their  king  ;  a.  n.  1187. 
lie  then  marched  towards  .lerusalen-;,  which,  being  in  a  manner  defence, 
less,  was  easily  taken  ;  and  thus  he  destroyed  for  ever  the  little  kingdom 
which  had  not  subsisted  a  century,  and  for  Mie  acquisition  of  which  by 
the  Christians  so  much  interest  had  been  excited,  and  so  much  blood  had 

been  shed.  ..,„,,      j 

Tiie  news  of  the  loss  of  the  Holy  Land  spread  consternation  in  Europe. 
Urban  111.,  who  had  exerted  all  ids  influence,  spiritual  and  temporal,  to 
prevent  that  misfortune,  died  of  grief  soon  after  the  fatal  news  reached 
Iiis  ear.  The  Christian  princes  suspended  their  quarrels,  and  the  desire 
of  recovering  Jerusalem  produced  a  third  crusade  ;  a.  d.  1189.  This  was 
infinitely  better  nianned  than  the  former  ones,  and  gave  the  most  splen- 
did hopes.  Three  princes  of  distinguished  merit,  who  would  have  ex- 
cited the  admiration  of  any  age,  were  the  leaders  of  this  expedition. 
Frederic  I.,  surnamed  I3arbarossa,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  em- 
perors that  ever  governed  Germany,  advanced  by  land,  at  the  head  of 
150,000  men.  Philip-.\ugustus,  king  of  France,  also  conducted  thither  a 
large  and  well-appointed  army;  while  Richard  Cccur-de-Lion,  king  of 
England,  the  hero  of  this  crusade,  set  out  with  his  nobles  and  the  flower 
of  his  troops.  Isaac  Angelus,  the  emperor  of  Constantinople,  looking  ' 
upon  the  crusaders  as  intruders,  had  formed  an  alliance  with  Saladin  and 
the  sultan  of  Iconium;  but  Frederic  triumphed  over  the  obstacles  which 
were  opposed  to  I'  .,  and  though  he  found  hostile  armies  everywhere  on 
his  march,  he  obtamed  many  signal  victories.  In  tliis  manner  he  was 
proceeding  towards  Palestine,  when,  after  crossing  Cilicia,  he  met  hia 
death  from  having  incautiously  bathed  in  the  Cydnus,  the  extreme  cold- 
ness of  which  had  fifteen  hundred  y  :ars  before  nearly  proved  fatal  to 
Alexander. 

Plnlip  of  France,  and  Richard  tho  "lion-hearted"  king  of  England, 
though  ambitious  rivals,  were  apparently  united  in  thrlr  design  of  carry- 
ing on  the  holy  war;  and,  in  order  to  avoid  the  Greeks,  they  prudently 
preferred  going  by  sea.  Philip,  who  arrived  first,  distinguished  himself 
m  several  engagements  with  tl  e  Saracens,  took  mii^iy  places,  and  having 
made  himself  master  of  the  open  country,  laid  siege  to  Acre.  In  the 
meantime,  Richard  was  advancing  to  second  tlie  efforts  of  the  French 
monarcli ;  and  on  his  arrival  they  found  that  their  united  forces  amounted 
to  about  300,000  men.  There  was,  however,  no  real  union  among  the 
leaders.  Philip,  je  Jous  of  the  heroic  character  of  his  rival,  and  tired  of 
the  fruitless  expedition,  embarked  with  the  greatest  part  of  his  army  for 
France,  having  first  sworn  not  to  attack  ihe  possessions  of  Richard  until 
toe  return  of  both  to  their  dominions.  Cceur-de-Lion  now  became  sole 
master  of  tiie  operations,  and  resumed  the  siege  of  Acre,  which  at  length 
capitulated ;  lie  defeated  ti\e  sultan  in  several  desperate  encounters,  and 
by  prodigies  of  valour  and  military  skill,  forced  victory  from  the  standards 
of  the  brave  Saladin,  who  till  tiien  had  l)een  deemed  invincible.  ''Vhile 
Richard  was  j>ursuing  his  successes,  and  on  the  eve  of  reaping  all  the 
fruits  o*"  iiis  toil,  he  learned  tiiat  Pliilip,  on  his  return  to  France,  had  in- 
cited his  (Richard's)  brother  to  take  up  arms  against  him,  and  was  attack- 
Jjg  the  Fuglisii  provinces  in  that  kingdom.  Tims  forced  to  sacrifice  his 
xpeetations  in  the  East  to  the  interest  and  defence  of  his  native  domin- 
ions, he  renounced,  with  rage  and  vexatioi.  the  laurels  lie  had  won,  and 
his  hopes  of  future  conquest.  He  then  ag.eed  to  a  truce  witii  Saladin, 
ky  wiiieh  the  Christians  were  to  bo  securely  protected  in  Palestine  ;  but 
ifiougli  Acre  was  in  their  possession,  and  served  as  a  bulwark  for  them 
until  tiie  entire  termination  of  the  crusades,  the  design  of  this  expedition 
wus  frustrated  by  leaving  the  sultan  master  of  Jerusalem.  Saladiu  died 
in  1193. 


.,.!' 


ill 


5j)  OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  X. 

FKUM  THE  DEATH  Of  8ALADIN  TO  THE  END  OF  THE  CRUBADta. 

DnniNo  the  third  crusade  a  revolution  happened  at  Constantinople, 
wliiiih  divided  the  eastern  empire  for  fifty-eight  years.  Alexius  Angelus, 
Burnamed  the  Tyrant,  having  dethroned  Isaac  II.,  usurped  his  seat  in 
1195;  and  Alexius,  son  of  Isaac,  applied  to  the  French  and  Venetians, 
who  passed  that  way  to  the  holy  wars,  to  assist  him  in  the  recovery  of 
his  fatlier's  empire.  They  accordingly,  in  1203,  renouncing  their  designs 
against  the  Holy  Land,  laid  siege  to  Constantinople,  took  it  by  storm,  and 
replaced  Isaac  on  the  throne;  the  next  year,  Alexius  Ducas,  surnamed 
Murtzulphus  or  Murzufle,  assassinated  *.he  emperor,  whom  the  crusaders 
had  re-established,  and  seized  the  crown.  On  hearinjr  this,  the  French 
returned,  attacked  the  city,  deposed  Murtzulphus,  and  elected  Baldwin, 
count  of  Flanders,  in  his  room ;  he  had  four  successors,  the  last  of  whom, 
Baldwin  II.,  was  deposed  in  1862.  by  Michael  Paleologus. 

This  was  the  period  in  whicli  the  sovereign  pontiffs  carried  -heir  at 
tempts  against  crowned  heads  to  the  greatest  excess ;  and  we  shall  con- 
sequently find  that  a  general  history  of  the  European  states  becomes 
more  and  more  connected  with  the  court  of  Rome.  But  before  we  enter 
into  the  condition  of  Christian  Europe,  it  will  be  better  that  we  resume 
the  thread  of  history  by  which  the  crusades  are  continued,  and  then 
return. 

It  appears  that  notwithstanding  the  blood  which  had  been  fruitlessly 
shed  in  the  "holy"  cause,  the  zeal  of  the  p'^pes  was  not  lessened.  But 
Innocent  HI.,  who  foresaw  much  greater  advantages  to  the  tiara  in  the 
taking  of  Constantinople  than  in  the  deliverance  of  Jerusalem,  readily 
pardoned  the  leaders  of  the  cnisade  for  having  broken  through  their  en- 
gagements, and  was  resolved  to  reap  all  the  advantages  he  could  from  an 
event  so  unexpected.  Up  to  a  recent  period  the  armies  of  the  cross  had 
no  other  view  but  to  attack  the  Infidels.  That  confederacy  was  now 
toout  to  be  directed  against  their  fellow-christians.  In  the  south  of 
France  and  elsewhere,  the  ostentatious  pomp  and  ambition  of  the  clergy 
had  given  great  offence  to  many  of  the  laity,  who  publicly  proclaimed 
that  in  the  members  of  the  sacred  profession  they  could  not  discover  the 
ministers  of  a  religion  founded  on  humility  and  peace,  and  had  formed  a 
resolution  not  to  consider  them  as  their  pastors.  Under  the  name  ol 
Patarins,  Cathares,  and  Vaudois,  they  had  spread  themselves  in  the 
southern  provinces,  and  particularly  in  Languedoc,  contiguous  to  Alby, 
which  they  seemed  to  have  made  their  head-quarters.  Innocent,  who 
was  too  sagacious  not  to  see  the  future  ill  consequences  to  the  papal 
power  if  the  daring  principles  of  these  sectaries  were  j)ermitted  to  ex 
tend,  resolved  on  their  extermination.  By  the  assistance  of  the  clergy, 
who  were  equally  interested  in  their  destruction,  ho  preached  up  a  cru- 
sade, and  formed  a  powerful  army,  the  command  of  which  he  entrusted 
to  Simon  de  Montfort.  At  the  same  time  he  erected  a  bloody  tribunal, 
by  which  unhappy  victims  were  dragged  to  the  stake,  on  the  testimony  ol 
the  vilest  informer.  It  was  in  every  respect  as  iniquitous  as  the  Inqui- 
sition, of  which  it  was  in  fat',  the  origin.  Two  religious  orders,  lately 
established  under  the  auspices  of  Innocent,  and  entirely  devoted  to  his 
interest,  were  commissioned  to  preside  at  these  executions.  Thousands 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Alby  (whom  we  know  by  the  name  of  Albi^enses) 
persecuted  by  the  soldiers  of  the  cross  and  the  members  of  the  Inquisi 
tion,  perished  by  the  swords  of  the  former,  or  expired  in  the  flames  kin 
died  by  the  latter. 

After  this  inhuman  persecution,  carried  on  under  the  banners  of  th« 


»RY 


CRUBADB8. 


OUTLINK  SKETCH  OF  QEXERAL  HISTORY. 


o3 


t  Constantinople, 
Alexius  Angelus, 
lurped  his  seat  in 
eh  an'l  Venetians, 
1  the  recovery  of 
cinff  their  designs 
)k  it  by  storm,  and 
Ducas,  surnamed 
loni  the  crusaders 
:  this,  the  French 
i  elected  llahlwin, 
,  the  last  of  whom, 
us. 

s  carried  .heir  at 
and  we  shall  con- 
lU  states  becomes 
ut  before  we  enter 
pr  that  we  resume 
ntinued,  and  then 

id  been  fruitlessly 
not  lessened.  Hut 
to  the  tiara  in  the 
Jerusalem,  readily 
1  through  their  cn- 
8  he  could  from  an 
>s  of  the  cross  had 
federacy  was  now 

In  the  south  ol 
ition  of  the  clergy 
Miblicly  proclaimed 
dd  not  discover  the 
and  had  formed  a 
Jnder  the  name  ol 
ihemselves  in  the 
ontiguous  to  Alby, 
Innocent,  who 
nces  to  the  papal 
•e  i)ermitted  to  ex 
uice  of  the  clergy, 
^reached  up  a  cru- 
vhich  he  entrusted 
a  bloody  tribunal, 
m  the  testimony  ol 
itous  as  the  Inqui- 
Jims  orders,  lately 
ely  devoted  to  his 
itions.  Thousands 
me  of  Albi^enses) 
)ors  of  the  Inquisi 

in  the  flames  kin 

he  banners  of  the 


II 


Bod  of  mercy,  Innocent  resumed  h: ,  iiroject  of  conquering  the  Holy 
Land  ;  but  he  could  not  persuade  the  emperor  to  join  in  tlie  design,  bo- 
.lause  his  throne  was  too  much  disturbed ;  nor  the  kings  of  France  and 
Kngland,  as  they  were  too  deeply  engaged  in  their  mutual  quarrels.  An- 
drew, king  of  Hungary,  auu  John  de  Brienne,  titular  sovereign  of  Jcru- 
ealem,  commanded  this  crusade,  and  Cardinal  Julien,  legate  of  the  pope, 
accompanied  them.  As  tiie  Christian  leaders  perceived  that  Egypt  was 
the  support  of  the  Turks  of  Palestine,  they  formed  a  new  plan  of  attack 
and  directed  their  first  operations  against  that  kingdom.  In  this  they 
were  successful.  The  enemy,  after  having  sustained  several  severe  do- 
feats,  abandoned  the  flat  country  to  the  Christians,  and  took  refuge  in  the 
mountainu.  The  generals,  sensible  of  the  great  danger  of  marching  in  a 
country  to  which  they  were  strangers,  thought  it  necessary  to  secure  tho 
heiglits,  and  reconnoitre  the  places  through  which  they  were  to  pass,  be- 
fore they  proceeded  any  farther.  The  cardinal,  consulting  only  the  dic- 
tates of  impetuous  ardour,  treated  their  prudence  as  timidity,  and  declared 
for  i-ursuing  the  barbarians  immediately.  Finding  the  two  kings  opposed 
his  opinion,  he  assumed  the  style  of  a  superior,  showed  them  the  pope's 
order,  and,  being  supported  by  the  knights  of  St.  John  and  the  Templars 
obliged  them  to  pay  a  blind  obedience  to  his  will.  The  army,  thus  gov- 
erne''  by  this  ecclesiastic,  daily  committed  new  blunders,  and  at  length 
was  hemmed  in  between  two  branches  of  the  Nile.  The  Saracens  then 
opened  their  sluices,  and  were  preparing  to  drown  the  Christians,  whc 
thought  themselves  happy  to  preserve  their  lives,  by  supplicating  the 
mercy  of  the  enemy,  and  being  allowed  to  return  to  Europe,  though  cov- 
ered with  disgrace. 

The  crusades  seemed  now  to  be  at  an  end ;  for  the  dire  misfortunes 
which  attended  these  distant  expeditions  had  quite  extinguished  the  zeal 
of  Christian  warriors,  and  the  ferment  which  pervaded  ail  Europe  \yould 
not  allow  sovereigns,  however  martial  or  ambitious,  to  leave  their  re- 
spective countries.    But  there  was  yet  another  struggle  to  bo  made  for 
the  possession  of  the  Holy  Land,  the  relation  of  wliich,  although  it  car- 
ries us  too  far  forward  in  our  attempt  at  chronological  order  in  this  outline  of 
general  history,  must  be  given  here.     Louis  IX.,  of  France,  better  known 
by  the  name  of  St.  Louis,  having  recovered  from  .1  dangerous  illness 
made  a  vow  to  take  the  cross,  and,  witl\  all  the  zeal  of  one  who  was  do- 
sirous  to  signalise  himself  in  the  places  that  had  been  sprinkled  with  tho 
blood  of  his  Redeemer,  he  invited  his  people  to  follow  his  example,  and 
effect  the  deliverance  of  Palestine  from  the  power  of  the  infideis.     His  con- 
•ort,  Margaret  of  Provence,  marched  al  his  side,  in  order  to  share  his 
dangers  ;  his  brothers  and  the  principal  nobility  of  the  kingdom  accom- 
panied by  him.     Nor  was  the  French  monarch  left  to  contend  with  tho 
enemy  single-handed.     Prince  Kdward,  the  valiant  son  of  the  king  of 
England,  followed  with  a  large  train  of  Knglish  noblemen.     Having  ar- 
rived on  the  coast  of  Egypt,  the  army  made  good  their  landing,  and 
inarched  for  Damietta,  k.  d.  1240.     Margaret  led  the  troops  in  person,  and 
the  city  was  carried  by  storm.    The  intrepid  comluct  of  tho  leaders,  and 
Jlhe  success  which  had  hitherto  crowned  their  <>rni3,  seemed  to  show  that 
the  decisive  moment  was  now  at  hand  when  tb;;  subjection  of  Egypt  was 
to  secure  the  conquest  of  Judea.    But  a  sudden  and  dreadful  pestilence 
Which  raged  in  the  Christian  camp,  a  dearth  of  provisions,  and  tlie  in: 
prudent  ardour  of  the  count  of  Artois,  who  was  surrounded  by  the  enemy, 
and  perished  with  the  flower  of  the  nobility,  gave  a  most  unhappy  tiirn  to 
its  prosperous  commencement.     Louis  was  attacked  near  Massoura,  and, 
notwithstanding  his  heroic  behaviour,  his  army  sustained  a  signal  dis- 
comfiture, and  he  himself  was  made  prisoner;  a.  n.  1250.     Such  was  tho 
fate  of  the  last  crusade  for  the  recovery  of  Palestine. 


14 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENEEAL  HISTOEY. 


I   '   I 


CHAPTER  XI. 

rROM   THE   TIME   Or  OENaHlS   KHAN,   TO  THAT   OF   TAMERLAND. 

While  the  crusaders  were  fighting  in  the  western  part  of  Asia,  the  na- 
tions of  the  more;  easterly  p.irt  were  threatened  wiih  exleriniiiation  by 
(«eii<i;his  Khan,  the  greatest  as  well  as  the  most  sanguinary  eonqueror  that 
cv(!r  existed.  The  rapidity  of  his  conquests  seemed  to  emiihitn  those  of 
Alexander;  but  the  cruelties  he  committed  were  altogether  unparalleled 
The  Moguls,  or  Mongols,  over  whom  this  tyrant  assumed  the  sovereign 
ty,  were  a  people  of  Kastern  Tartary,  divided,  as  at  the  present  day,  into 
various  petty  governments,  but  acknowledging  a  subjection  to  one  sover- 
eign, whom  they  called  Vang-Khan,  or  the  Great  Khan,  Temujin,  after- 
wanls  Genghis  Khan,  one  of  the  minor  princes,  had  been  unjustly  deprived 
of  his  inheritance  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  and  could  not  recover  it  till  twenty- 
seven  years  after,  a.  d.  laoi,  when  he  totally  reduced  the  rebels,  and  caused 
seventy  of  their  chiefs  to  be  thrown  into  as  many  cauldrons  of  boiling  wa- 
ter. In  1202  he  defeated  and  killed  Vang-Khan  himself  (known  to  Ku- 
r()[)eans  by  the  name  of  Prester  John  of  Asia);  and  possessing  himself  of 
liis  vast  dominions,  became  thenceforward  irresistible.  In  1200  he  was 
declared  king  of  the  Moguls  and  Tartars,  and  took  upon  him  the  title  ol 
(ienghis  Khan,  or  the  great  Khan  of  Khans.  This  was  followd  by  the  re- 
duction of  the  kingdoms  of  Haya  in  Ghina,  Tangut,  Kitay,  Turkestan,  Ka- 
raziin,  or  the  kingdom  of  (Jazna,  (Jreat  Hukharia,  I'ersia,  and  part  of  In- 
dia; ail  of  which  vast  rerrions  he  conquered  in  twenty-six  years.  It  is 
computed  that  upwards  of  fourteen  millions  of  human  beings  were  butcher- 
ed by  him  during  the  last  twenty-two  years  of  his  reign,  and  that  his  con- 
quests (jxtended  eighteen  hundred  leagues  from  east  to  west,  and  a  thous- 
and from  south  to  north.  He  died  in  Vi'iT.  One  of  his  sons  subdued  In- 
dia;  another,  after  crossing  the  VVolga,  devastated  Russia,  Hunnary,  Poland, 
and  Hohemia;  while  a  thiril  advancec'  into  Syria,  and  concjuered  all  the 
marliine  provinces  of  the  Turkish  empire.  The  calipluitc  of  Uagdad,  and 
the  po\vt;r  of  the  Turks  in  that  quarter,  were  finally  destroyed  by  this  sud- 
den revolution.  In  the  meantime  the  Mamelukes,  a  body  of  militiii  form- 
ed by  the  sultan  of  Cairo,  expelled  the  Turkish  conquerors,  and  seized  tin 
throne  of  Kgypt. 

The  vast  empire  of  Genghis  Khan,  however,  had  the  fate  of  all  others, 
being  too  extensive  to  be  governed  by  any  one  of  ordinary  ca|)acity,  it 
split  into  a  multitude  of  small  kingdoms  as  before  ;  but  they  all  owned  al- 
legiance to  the  house  of  (ienghis  Khan  till  the  time  of  Timur  Hek,  or  Ta- 
merlane. The  Turks  at  this  time,  urged  forward  by  the  inundation  of  Tar 
tars  who  poured  in  from  the  Kast,  were  forced  upon  the  remains  of  the 
Greek  empire ;  and  at  the  time  of  Tamerlane  they  had  almost  confined 
this  once  mighty  empire  within  the  walls  of  Constantinople. 

We  must  now  again  cast  our  eyes  upon  the  transactions  of  Kurope.  After 
the  death  of  Frederic  11.  the  empire  of  (Sermauy  fell  a  prey  to  anarchy.  An 
interregnum  took  j)lace  on  the  death  of  the  emperor  Richard,  in  Vill,  wliicli 
continued  two  years,  and  completed  the  desiruction  of  the  imperi  d  do- 
inain.  The  tribuiaiy  nations,  Denmark,  Poland  and  Hungary,  abso,;jtcly 
shook  oflf  the  yoke  ;  each  of  them  taking  possession  of  what  lay  most  con- 
venient for  them ;  freeing  themselves  from  quit-rents  and  every  obligiition 
by  which  they  thought  themselves  under  nsslraint ;  and  leaving  nothing  to 
the  emperors  but  their  paternal  inheritance.  Formerly  taxes  were  paid  to 
the  emperor  by  the  imperial  cities  ;  from  which  they  endeavoured  to  free 
themselves,  by  taking  advantage  of  the  anarchy  that  prevailed  at  this  time, 
and  assumed  the  title  of/rcec«7ie5,  to  distinguish  them  from  a  great  number 
of  imperial  cities  which  they  admitted  into  their  body;  and  thus  the  Han 


OEY. 


TAMGRLANB. 

irt  of  Asia,  the  na- 
I  nxlermiiiafioii  by 
lary  conqueror  that 
)  t'tnulatn  tliosn  of 
rellier  unparalleletl 
mod  the  sovereign 
e  present  day,  into 
ction  to  one  sovor- 
n,     'IVmiijiii,  aftcr- 
n  iiiijusiiy  deprived 
icoverit  till  twenty- 
e  rebels,  and  eaused 
irons  of  boiling  wa- 
aelf  (known  to  Ku- 
)sscssing  himself  of 
e.     In  1'206  ho  was 
on  him  the  litlo  ot 
i  follow'd  by  the  re- 
lay, Turkestan,  Ka- 
sia,  and  part  of  In- 
ty-six  years.     It  is 
li'ings  were  butcher- 
crn,  and  that  his  cou- 
I)  west,  and  a  thous- 
lis  sons  subdued  In- 


OUTLINK  8KKTCH  OF  GKNKIIAL  JilSTOUY. 


M 


a,  Hunnary,  Poland, 
il  eoiiciuered  all  the 
hale  ot  Hat'dad,  and 
estroyed  by  this  sud- 
lody  of  militia  form- 
erors,  and  seized  tin 

he  fate  of  all  others, 
trdinary  capacily,  it 
Il  they  all  owned  al- 
f  Timur  Bek,  or  'I'a- 
lie  inundation  of  Tar 
n  ihe  remains  of  the 
had  almost  confined 
linople. 

ons  of  Europe.    After 
prey  to  anarchy.  An 
chard,  in  ia71,  whici. 
of  the  imperrd  do- 
Hungary,  abso.'itely 
)f  what  lay  most  con- 
and  every  obligation 
d  leaving  nothing  to 
rly  taxes  were  paid  to 
endeavoured  to  free 
prevailed  at  this  time, 
1  from  a  great  number 
y  ;  and  thus  the  Han 


•cdtic  league  was  formed.  At  length  they  grew  tired  of  anarchy ;  and 
Gregory  X.  having  threatened  to  name  an  emperor  if  they  did  not,  they 
clccU'd  liodoipii,  count  of  Hapsburg,  the  descendant  of  an  old  count  of  Al- 
sace •  from  which  cleclion,  humble  as  il  was,  ihe  lustre  of  the  House  of 
Austria  is  derived.  The  new  emperor  was  seated  on  the  throne  witlinoth- 
ui"  but  an  empty  title  to  support  the  dignity ;  he  had  neither  troops  nor 
money  ;  lie  was  in  subjection  to  the  clergy  ;  surrounded  by  vassals  more 
jiowt  rfnl  liian  himself,  and  in  the  midst  ol  an  enthusiastic  people  who  were 
ripe  for  sedition  and  anarchy.  His  first  care  tlr  refore  was  to  conciliate 
tile  alTictions  of  the  people,  and  by  that  means  he  happily  appeased  the 
spirit  of  faction.  He  also  studied  how  to  increase  his  dominions,  so  as  to 
make  ihcin  respectable  ;  with  this  view,  he  artfully  blended  the  idea  of 
glory  and  the  right  of  the  empire  with  his  own  intc-^st  j  and  having  united 
the  forces  of  the  Germanic  body  against  Otloear,  king  of  Uohemia,  that 
prince  was  compelled  to  yield  Austria  to  the  conqueror,  who  also  obtained 
Suabia ;  so  liiat  he  was  enabled  to  leave  his  son  Albert  in  possession  of  u 
rich  and  powerful  stale. 

From  the  time  of  Uodotph  of  Hapsburg  the  amazmg  power  of  the  popes 
began  lo  decline.  The  form  of  government  remained  the  same  in  Ger- 
many ;  but  it  was  materially  altered  in  England  and  France,  where  tiie 
middling  classes  of  society  had  obtained  a  voice  in  the  assemblies  of  each 
nation.  "  Tiiii  manners  of  the  lower  classes  of  society  were  still  rude  and 
barbarous  in  the  extreme  ;  but  those  of  the  nobility  exhibited  a  singular  mix- 
ture of  devotion,  gallantry,  and  valour,  in  which  originated  the  several  or- 
d('rs  of  kni;;htliooii,  such  as  the  order  of  the  garter  in  England,  and  the 
golilon  llecci.  in  Spain,  of  St.  .Micliael  in  France,  of  Christ  in  P(ulugal,  &c. 
To  tiiis  strange  combination  of  religion  Willi  war  and  with  love,  may  be 
traced  the  origin  of  judicial  combats,  jousls  and  tournaments,  and  that 
spirit  of  '-iiivarry  whii-li  pervaded  all  tiio  upper  classes  of  soci(!ty.  Paint- 
inn,  sciil|)ture,  and  architecture,  arose  in  Italy  through  the  exertions  of  the 
fugitive  (irecks.  The  arts  of  printing  and  engraving  were  alsoenlighteiun,^ 
the  world  ;  and  the  s(tience  of  navigati(Mi,  and  consequently  geography, 
were  much  advanced  by  the  discovery  of  the  mariner's  compass. 


CHAPTER Xn. 

FIlOM  THE  Tl.ME  OF   TAMERLANE,  TO  THE    SIXTEENTH   CENTURY. 

We  now  revert  to  the  East.  In  I3f>3  Tamerlane  invaded  IJukhana, 
vvhi(!h  he  rcduceil  in  five  years.  Proceeding  from  conquest  to  (;onquest, 
lie  successively  subdued  Persia,  Armenia,  Georgia,  Karazim,  and  a  great 

•part  of  Tarlary.  Hi;  then  turned  his  course  westward,  and  having  subju- 
gated all  the  countries  to  the  Euphrates,  next  poured  his  hordes  over  the 

•ferlde  [)lains  of  India,  plundering  Delhi,  and  pursuing  the  flying  Indians  to 
the  banks  of  the  Ganges.  The  cities  of  Asia  Minor  then  felt  his  power  ; 
and  among  bis  cruelties  may  be  numliercd  a  general  massacre  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Bagdad.     In  1393  he  invaded  and  reduced  Syria.     In  140-2  he 

'brought  an  army  of  700,000  men  against  the  Turks,  under  the  sultan  lia- 

-Jazet,  svht)  with  a  force  of  120,000  engaged  him  ;  but  it  ended  in  the  total 
rout  of  the  Tui-kish  host,  and  the  captivity  of  its  leader.  At  length,  while 
on  his  way  to  China,  in  1405,  the  conquest  of  which  empire  he  medi- 
tated, hi;j  progress  was  arrested  by  a  sudden  death,  and  most  of  the  nations 
he  had  vanquished  were  able  ere  iong  lo  regain  their  independence,  or  had 
to  submit  to  new  masters.  ' 

The  (.-ivil  con'entions  that  arose  among  the  sons  of  Bajazet  revived  the 
hopes  of  the  Greek  emperor  Manuel  Paleologus;  but  they  were  speedily 
annihilated.    Amurath  II.  after  overcoming  his  competitors,  took  The«i 


50 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HiaTORY 


sitloiuca,  and  tlircateiiud  Coiistantinuplc,  which  owed  its  Halvation  to  the 
IIurit,'ar-.iii-i  under  John  Iluiiiiiadca  Aimiratli  liiiviiitrobtaiiUMl  a  truce,  iin- 
nicdiaicly  retiigiied  the  crown  to  his  son  MohaninitHl  II..  but  nji  uni\\|)cct 
cd  attack  from  Lliadinlaus,  kin^r  of  Hungary,  induced  iiiui  a^ani  to  take  the 
field.  After  tiu)  balth;  of  Varna,  in  which  the  Chrstiaiis  were  coniphtely 
defeated,  lie  finally  abandoned  tlie  throne,  a. u.  Mlt.  In  Muliaunned  II.  were 
combined  the  scholar,  the  warrior,  and  the  politician  ;  and  lie  pruvcd  the 
most  determined  as  well  as  fonnidable  enemy  of  ChrisKMidoni.  IK',  how- 
ever, met  with  Nome  signal  reverses,  particularly  when  cn^ayiul  against 
the  celebrated  Scanderlieg,  prince  of  Albania.  After  making  innncn.st!  pre^ 
parations,  Mohanuiicd,  in  the  full  confidence  of  hucccsh,  undertook  the  siege 
of  Constantinople.  The  defence  was  obstinate;  but  having  olttamed  pos- 
session of  the  harbour,  by  having,  with  the  most  indefatigable  perseverence, 
drawn  his  licet  overlaml  the  distance  of  two  leagues,  the  city  surrendered; 
and  thus  an  end  was  |)ul  to  the  eastern  empire. 

Uussia  had  long  languished  under  the  heavy  yoke  of  the  Tartars,  when 
Demetrius  Iwanowitz  made  a  desperate  effort  to  effect  the  delivt-ranco  of 
his  country;  and  having  defeated  its  oppressors,  he  assumed  the  title  of 
grand  duke  of  Uussia.  But  the  ferocious  Tartars  returned  with  an  immense 
force,  his  troops  were  routed,  and  their  gallant  leader  fell  in  the  conllict. 
His  deatii  was,  however,  shortly  after  revenged  by  his  son,  llasilius  l)e- 
metriwjtz,  who  expelled  the  ferocious  enemy,  and  coni|uercd  Hulgaiia, 
A.  D.  1150.  Much  confusion  arose  after  his  death;  but  Russia  was  saved 
from  anarcly  by  John  Uasilowitz,  whose  sound  policy,  firmness,  and  sin- 
gular boldiii'ss  rendered  him  at  once  the  conqueror  and  the  deliverer  of  Ins 
country.  Freed  from  every  yoke,  and  considered  as  one  of  llie  most  pow- 
erful princes  in  those  regions,  he  disdained  the  title  of  duke,  and  ujsumcd 
that  of  czar,  which  has  since  remained  with  his  successors. 


I    n 


i' 

'1 

t 

!  '1 

V 

1; 

1 

1  r.ki 

L 

tn 

CHAP TKIl  XIII. 

THE  REFORMATION,  AND   PROGRESS  OF  EVENTS  ni'RINO  THE  SIXTEKNTII  CENTDRT. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  lOlh  century  the  popes  enjoyed  the  utmost  tran- 
quillity; the  commotions  excited  by  the  Albigenscs,  Hussites  <fec.,  were  sup 
pressed;  and,  .according  to  .11  appearance,  they  had  no  reason  lo  fear  an 
opposition  to  their  authority.  Yet,  in  a  short  time  after,  a  totally  unfore- 
seen event  produced  a  singular  change  in  the  religious  and  political  state 
of  Europe;  this  was  the  opposition  ofLullierto  the doclrimes  of  liie  church 
of  Home,  or  the  beginnmg  of  what  is  ei  nmonly  called  l/u-  Rrfunnalum, 
The  publicity  ith  whicli  the  sale  of  indigences  was  carried  (mi  under  the 
sanction  of  Leo  X.,  »xMted  the  indignaiion  of  Martin  Luther,  an  Augus- 
tine monk  and  profe-^  ir  of  theology  at  Wittembcrg,  in  Saxony.  Embold- 
ened by  the  atte  wluch  he  gained,  not  only  from  the  people  but  from 
some  of  thtir  n.  In  .mslied  his  inquiries  and  attacks  from  one  doc- 
trine to  anotk^^  tui  he  at  length  shook  the  firmest  foundations  on  which 
the  wealth  ani  ptmtt  of  ,  le  church  were  established.  Leo,  therefore, 
finding  there  was  iiu  hopes  of  reclaiming  so  incorrigible  a  heretic,  issued 
a  sentewe  of  excomwunication,  a.  d.  15-'0  ;  but  he  was  screcnt.'d  from  its 
effects  b  X  the  fnendsi  »  of  the  elector  of  Saxony.  On  the  election  of 
Charles  >'•  to  the  imperun  'irora  of  Germany,  his  first  act  was  the  assem- 
bling a  dit  t  at  \\  •IS.  tot  .;k  the  progress  of  Lutheraiiism.  In  the  }  ro- 
gress  of  his  ardr  .s  v^ork,  i  uther  had  the  assistance  of  several  lear  lud 
men,  among  whan  were  Zi  nglius.Melancthon,  Carlosiadius,  &(^. ;  and 
thew  was  the  greatest  proba  iliiy  that  the  papal  hierarchy  would  havf 
beeiioverturned,  at  least  in  tht  north  of  Kurope,  had  it  not  been  fu.-  the 
3Dp'i|.tlion  of  the    mpc-ror  Chai    s  V.,  who  was  also  king  of  Sjiaui     On 


vt 


OlITMNK  SKEl'CH  OP  OENEIIAL  HISTORY. 


ft7 


Halvatiou  to  the 
iiiod  a  iruci',  im- 
lilt  an  uiKixpect 
ii^aiti  to  take  tliu 
rtfii:  i:(iiii|)U't(;ly 
Ir.imiiiL'd  II.  wen- 
kI  lie  |)rii\cil  the 
liom.  ill',  liow- 
eiitjajjed  atjaiiist 
n^  iiiniicii.se  pre- 
Icitook  the  siege 
iiig  ol)taiiieil  |iuH- 
)le  persevereiiee, 
;ily  surruudered; 

e  Tartars,  when 
le  deliv(;raiii'e  of 
lined  the  title  o( 
with  an  immense 
11  in  tlie  eijiilliet. 
on,  Hasilins  l)e- 
(luered  nulyaiia, 
tiissia  was  .saved 
inimess,  and  siii- 
le  delivirt'rol'  his 
I  of  the  most  pow- 
jke,  mid  ujsuiued 
urs. 


TKKNTII  CENTDRT. 

1  ilie  III  most  tran- 
es  (ki-.,  were  snp 
reason  lo  feir  an 

a  totally  iinfore- 

id  jxilitieal  slate 
4ies  ofihe  church 

the  Rrfunnalitm. 
ried  on  undertlio 
ilher,  an  Aiifjus- 
ixoiiy.     Kmhold- 

people  hut  from 
s  from  one  doc- 
Jalionson  whieli 

lico,  llierefore, 

a  heretic,  issued 

tcrecnt'd  from  its 

1  the   election  of 

t  was  the  as.sem- 
ism.  In  tlie  ;  ro- 
if  several  lear.ied 
ladius,  &e. ;  nnd 

chy  would  hiivf 
not  lieen  f'l'  the 
ig  of  S;)aiii     On 


rhc  death  of  Frederic,  his  brnthrr  John  succoeded  to  the  cleetorato  ol 
Saxony,  l)y  whose  order  Luther  and  Melanethon  drew  up  a  body  of  laws 
relatini^  to  the  form  of  ecclesiastical  jfovernment,  the  mode  of  public  wor- 
sliip,  &c.,  which  was  proclaimed  by  Ik  r.ilds  throughout  the  Saxon  domiii 
ions;  iliis  example  was  inmiediavely  followed  by  all  the  princes  and  states 
of  fiermaiiy  who  had  renounced  the  papal  supremacy.  In  a  diet  held  at 
Spires,  in  I5.2!t,  the  edict  of  Worms  was  confirmed; upon  which  a  solemn 
tniihsl  was  entered  iigainst  this  decree  by  the  elector  of  .Saxony  and  other 
ieforiiiei-8 ;  from  which  cireimis'tance  they  obtained  the  iiiuue  of  Pno- 
TRsrANTs, — an  appelation  snbseipiently  applied  to  all  who  dissenl'id 
from  the  doctriins  of  the  Koinish  church.  In  the  same  year  the  elector 
of  Saxony  ordered  I.nlher  and  other  eminent  divines  to  commit  the  chief 
article  of  tlieir  religion  lo  writing,  which  they  did;  and,  farther  to  eluei- 
dat<!  tliein,  Melanethon  drew  up  the  celebrated  "  Confession  of  Augsburg," 
whi<'h,  being  subscribed  by  the  princes  who  protested,  was  delivered  tot'.o 
emperor  in  the  di<t  assembled  in  that  city,  in  1530.  From  this  lime  to  the 
death  of  Luther,  in  1510,  various  negotiations  were  employed  and  schemes 
proposed,  under  pretence  of  settling  religious  disimtcs. 

Whili!  these  transactions  occupied  the  public  attention  in  Germany,  tlio 
priiici|des  of  the  reformers  wen;  making  a  rapid  progress  in  most  other 
countries  of  Kurope:  in  some  they  were  encouraged  ))y  the  governing 
powers,  while  in  others  they  were  discountenanced,  and  their  advocates 
subjected  to  cruel  persecutions. 

'fhe  Turks  were  now  menacing  Hungary,  and  Charles  V.  thought  it 
prudent  to  forget  his  difTercm-es  with  the  protestaiit  princes  and  their  sub- 
jects, for  the  sake  of  engaging  them  to  assist  him  against  the  general  en- 
emy ;  but  on  the  a|)proaeh  of  the  emperor  at  tiie  head  of  100,000  men,  al- 
thougii  the  army  of  Solyinan  was  at  least  double  that  number,  the  latter 
retired ;  and  Charles  returned  to  Spain,  and  engaged  in  an  expedition  to 
Tunis,  against  the  famou.s  corsair  Uarbarossa,  whom  he  deposed  from  hia 
assumed  sovereignty. 

A  long  and  obstinate  war  I  .ui  U-eu  i;arried  on  between  the  rival  sove- 
reigns of  Germany  and  Fi  .  ,  ,  and  the  former,  at  the  head  of  50,000  men, 
invaded  the  southern  pn>\,uces,  while  two  other  armies  were  ordereu  to 

■le.  Francis  laid  waste  the  country,  and  for- 
1  the  lapse  of  a  few  mon'.'..o,  disease  and  fa- 
i)f  the  emperor,  that  he  was  glad  to  retreat,  and 
a  truce  was  elTei  k<i  at  Nice,  under  the  mediation  of  the  pope,  ad.  1538. 
Charles  had  also  >  quell  a  serious  insurrection  in  Ghent,  and  endeavoured 
in  vain  to  arruiiii'r  the  religious  affairs  of  Germany  at  the  diet  of  Ratisbon. 
The  progress  o.i  the  Turks,  who  had  become  masters  of  nearly  the  whole 
of  Hungary,  and  '  ;s  desire  to  embark  in  an  expedition  against  Algiers,  in- 
duced liiui  lo  in.i,sc  concessions  to  the  protestants,  from  whom  he  expect- 
ed assisnanci  The  conquest  of  Algiers  was  a  favourite  object  of  Charles; 
and  in  ^pilc  uf  the  remonstrances  of  Uoria,  the  famous  Genoese  admiral, 
he  set  -ail  in  the  most  unfavourable  season  of  the  year,  and  landed  in  Af- 
rica ;  tlu  result  of  w  liieh  was,  that  the  greatest  part  of  the  armament  was 
destroyeti  by  tempests:  a.d.  1541. 

The  dt>ire  of  Charles  V.  to  huiuble  the  protcstant  princes,  and  to  ex- 
lend  his  evil  p()%ver,  continued  to  manifest  itself  in  every  act.  At  length, 
being  wholly  free  from  <lomestic  wars,  he  entered  France  ;  but  the  gallant 
defence  of  the  duke  of  Guise  compelled  him  to  raise  the  seige  of  Metz, 
with  the  loss  of  30,000  men.  In  the  following  year  he  had  some  success 
in  the  Low  Countries ;  but  tiic  Austrians  were  unfortunate  in  Hungary. 
In  Germany  the  religious  peace  was  finally  concluded,  by  what  is  called 
the  "  recess  of  Augsburg."  It  was  during  the  progress  of  this  treaty  that 
Charles  V..  to  the  great  astonishment  of  all  Europe,  resigned  the  imperial 
and  Spanish  crowns,  and  retired  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  at  the 


enter  Picardy  and  Cli 
titled  his  towns;  so 
mine  so  reduced  thi 


1  n 
if 


:i        I 


'I'l; 


M 


i 


^  J 


ijitjii 


58 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTOEY. 


monastery  of  St.  Just,  in  Spain,  where  he  died,  three  years  after,  aged 
58.  A.  D.  1566. 

Charles  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Philip,  and  no  monarch  ever  ascended 
a  throne  under  grenter  advantagfes.  The  Spanish  arms  were  everywhere 
Bucpessful,  and  the  rival  nations  appearing  unanimous  in  their  desire  for 
repose  after  a  series  of  devastating  wars,  peace  was  re-established  be- 
tween France  and  Spain,  which  included  in  it,  as  allies  on  the  one  side  or 
the  other,  nearly  all  the  other  states  of  Europe. 

At  this  time  Elizabeth  filled  the  throne  of  England,  and  Protestantism 
had  there  not  merely  gained  the  ascendency,  but  it  was  established  as  the 
religion  of  the  state.  In  France  also  the  reformed  religion  was  making 
considerable  progress ;  but  its  members,  who  in  that  country  were  called 
Huguenots,  met  with  the  fiercest  opposition,  from  tlie  courts  of  France  and 
Spain,  who  joined  in  a  "holy  league,"  and  a  rancorous  civil  war  raged  for 
several  years  in  many  of  the  French  provinces.  The  duke  of  Anjou  com- 
manded the  Catholics  ;  the  Protestants  were  led  by  Coligni  and  the  prince 
of  Conde.  At  length  a  hollow  truce  was  made  the  prelude  to  one  of  the 
most  atrocious  acts  that  stain  the  page  of  history — the  savage  and  indis 
criminate  massacre  of  the  Huguenots  throughout  France,  on  the  eve  oi 
St.  Bartholomew  (Aug.  !24,  157'2).  The  account  of  this  diabolical  deed, 
by  which  G0,000  persons  met  with  a  treacherous  death,  was  received  in 
Rome  and  Spain  with  ecstacy ;  and  public  tlianksgivuigs  were  ofTcred  up 
in  their  churches  for  an  event,  wliicli,  it  was  erroneously  supposed,  would 
go  far  towards  the  extirpation  of  a  most  extensive  and  formidable  liercsy. 

About  this  period  a  serious  insurrection  of  tlie  Moors  in  Spai'i  broke  out 
and  a  most  sanguinary  war  ensued,  which  raged  with  great  violence  in  the 
southern  provinces ;  but  the  insurgents  were  at  length  quelled,  and  public 
tranquillity  restored.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the  revolt  of  the 
Dutch  took  place,  which  ended  in  their  final  emancipation  from  the  Span- 
ish yoke,  in  1572. 

But  of  all  the  preparations  that  were  made  for  war  and  conquest,  none 
equalled  that  of  Philip's  "invincible  armada,"  which  he  fondly  hoped  would 
conquer  England,  and  thus  destroy  the  great  stay  of  Protestantism.  But 
this  immense  armament,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  ships,  aaid 
nearly  30,000  men,  after  being  partly  dispersed,  and  losing  several  vessels 
during  a  violent  storm,  was  most  signally  defeated  by  the  English;  and 
Philip  had  the  mortification  to  hear  that  his  naval  force  was  nearly  amiihi- 
lated.  The  particulars  of  this  event,  so  glorious  to  England  and  so  dis- 
astrous to  Spain,  will  be  found  in  another  part  of  this  work ;  and  we  shall 
here  merely  observe,  that  it  greatly  tended  to  advance  tlie  Protestant  cause 
throughout  Europe,  and  effet.-tually  destroyed  the  decisive  influence  thiit 
Spain  had  acquired  over  her  neighbours  :  indeed,  from  the  fatal  day  which 
saw  the  proud  armada  shipwrecked,  (1588),  the  energiesof  that  once  pow- 
erful  country  have  been  gradually  declining,  and  its  iidiabilants  seem  to 
have  sui.'k  into  a  state  of  lethargic  indolence. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that,  in  all  the  states  of  Europe,  towards  the  lat- 
ter end  of  this  century,  a  decided  tendency  towards  the  concentration  ol 
power  in  the  hands  of  few  individuals  was  fully  perceptible.  The  repub- 
lics became  more  aristocratical,  the  monarchies  more  unlimited,  and  the 
despotic  governments  less  cautious.  The  system  pursued  by  the  domi- 
neering court  of  Philip  served  more  or  less  as  an  example  to  his  contem- 
porary sovereigns ;  while  the  recent  and  rapid  increase  in  the  (uiantily  o{ 
the  precious  metals,  and  the  progress  of  the  industrious  arts,  by  producing 
B  multitude  cf  new  desires,  rendered  the  court  more  avaricious  and  the 
nobles  more  dependent. 


i4># 


m 


iars  after,  aged 

h  ever  ascended 
ere  everywhere 
their  desire  for 
•established  be- 
the  one  side  or 

1  Protestantism 
itablished  as  the 
)n  was  making 
itry  were  called 
Is  of  France  and 
il  war  raged  for 
eof  Anjou  com- 
ii  and  the  prince 
e  to  one  of  the 
I'nge  and  indis 
,  on  the  eve  o» 
diiibolictal  deed, 
ivas  rficeived  in 
were  offered  up 
apposed,  would 
rnidablu  heresy. 
Spai'i  broke  out 
t  violence  in  the 
lied,  and  public 
10  revolt  of  the 
from  the  8pan- 


Wi 


conquest,  none 
ily  hoped  would 
■stanlisni.     But 

lirly  ships,  ajid 

•several  vessels 

■'V'  ' 

!  English;    and 

s  nearly  annihi- 

nd  and  so  dis- 

•  ■)' 

(. ;  and  we  shall 

'rotestant  cause 

influence  thiU 

fatal  day  which 
r  liiat  once  pow- 

ilanls  seem  to 

■     ^^y^-^ 

towards  the  lat- 

jncentration  ol 

-  ..\ 

i.    Tiie  repub- 
niitcd,  and  the 

1  by  the  donii- 

to  his  contem- 

the  (luantity  of 
s,  by  producing 
icious  and  the 

• 

OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  QENERAI,  HISTORY. 

t 


CHAPT^ER  XIV. 

MOM  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH   CENTURY,  TO   THE    PEAt'B    OF 

WESTPHALIA. 

The  seventeenth  century,  at  its  commencement,  found  Spain  drained 
ol  its  treasure,  and  destitute  of  eminent  men.  The  colonization  of  Amer- 
ica, the  war  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  the  incessant  enterprizes  of  Philip 
II.  had  produced  a  pernicious  effect  on  the  population ;  and  his  successor, 
Pliilip  in.,  banished  two  hundred  thousand  Moors,  who  constituted  the 
most  industrious  portion  of  the  remaining  inhabitants. 

Portugal  was  now  under  the  power  of  Spain  ;  and  saw,  as  the  conse- 
quence of  her  subjection,  the  greater  part  of  the  discoveries  and  conquests 
of  her  better  days  fall  into  the  hands  of  strangers.  The  Dutch,  who  were 
forbidden,  as  rebels  against  the  authority  of  Piiilip,  to  purchase  in  Lisbon 
the  commodities  of  the  East  Indies,  went  to  the  latter  country  in  seach  of 
them,  where  ihey  found  an  administration  which  had  been  rendered  feeble 
by  tlie  influence  of  the  climate,  by  luxurious  and  effeminate  habits,  and 
by  spiritual  and  temporal  tyranny,  and  while  Philip  111.,  after  a  seige  of 
three  years,  which  cost  him  from  eighty  to  a  hundred  thousand  men,  got 
possession  of  Ostend,  the  Dutch  took  tlic  isles  of  Molucca  from  his  Por- 
tuguese suojects.  In  fact,  of  all  the  foreign  possessions  of  the  Portu  juese, 
Goa,  in  the  East  Indies,  and  Brazil,  in  An\erica,  alone  remained,  n;.  I  had 
our  countryman,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  been  adequately  supported,  the  Span- 
ish power  in  America  would  probably  have  been  overthrown.  Italy  en- 
dured the  yoke  witii  impatience,  and  even  Rome  wished  to  sec  them  hum- 
bled. Venice  both  feared  and  haled  them ,  and  to  the  dukes  of  Mantau 
and  Savoy,  the  overbearing  power,  jaid  the  lofty  tone  of  the  cabinet  of 
Madrid  were  insupportable. 

The  good  and  great  Henry  IV.,  king  of  France,  whose  excellent  quali- 
ties were  not  thoroughly  appreciated  in  his  own  age,  was  assassinated,  and 
his  kingdom  again  became  tiie  prey  of  laclions:  a.  d.  KilO.  His  widow, 
Marie  de  Medicis,  sacrificed  the  welfare  of  the  state  to  her  personal  incli- 
nations ;  and  her  son,  Louis  XIII.,  who  was  a  child  at  the  time  of  his 
father's  death,  never  became  a  man  of  independent  character.  It  has  been 
well  remarked,  that  •'  the  power  of  a  state  depends  not  so  much  on  the  nu 
merical  amount  of  its  forces,  as  on  the  intelligence  which  animates  their 
movements;"  and  certain  it  is,  that  Franv-»,  which  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  Henry  IV.  seemed  likely  to  produv-e  an  universal  revolution  m 
the  condition  of  Europe,  had  lost  much  oi  its  political  importance. 

Free  nations  are  never  more  powerful  than  when  they  are  obliged  to 
depend  exclusively  upon  their  own  resources  for  defence,  and  when  the 
magnitude  of  the  dangers  which  menace  them  compels  the  developement 
of  their  moral  energy.  This  was  instanced  in  the  case  of  Holland.  In 
the  midst  of  its  contests  tor  freedom,  tne  republic  erected  a  mighty  em- 
pire in  the  East ;  and  its  navy  rode  triumphant  on  the  seas.  Its  recogni- 
tion as  an  independent  state  was  soon  after  the  necessary  consequence. 

The  death  of  Henry  IV.,  of  France,  was  not  merely  a  disastrous  event 
as  regarded  the  prosperity  of  that  kingdom,  but  one  which  had  a  power- 
ful influence  on  the  ho|ies  or  fears  of  the  other  principal  monarchies  of 
Europe,  and  by  none  more  than  by  the  house  of  Austria.  Rodolph  II. 
was  succeeded  in  tiie  empire  by  his  brother,  the  archduke  Mathias,  a  man 
of  great  activity  and  an  insatiable  thirst  for  dominion.  Though  originally 
favourable  to  the  Protestants,  he  now  evinced  a  disposition  to  oppose 
them,  and  being  supported  by  Ferdinand,  duke  of  Styria,  and  the  court  of 
Spain,  the  Protestants  look  the  alarm,  and  had  recourse  to  arms,  which 
may  be  considered  as  the  origin  of  the  celebrated  "  thirty  years'  war  " 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENEUAL  HISTORY. 

On  ihe  death  of  Matliias,  Ferdinand,  who  had  succeeded  him  as  king 
of  Bohemia  and  Hungary,  was  raised  to  the  imperial  throne.  TKo  Bo- 
hemian Protestants,  dreading  his  bigotry,  chose  Frederic  V.,  the  electoi 
palatine,  for  their  sovereign.  He  was  supported  by  all  the  Protestant 
princes  of  the  Germanic  body,  while  Ferdinand  was  aided  by  the  king  ol 
Spain  and  the  Catholic  princes  of  the  empire.  Their  forces  proved  over- 
whelming; Frederic,  defeated  and  helpless,  abandoned  the  contest  in 
despair,  and  forfeited  both  the  crown  and  his  electoriite.  The  emperor 
Ferdinand,  strengthened  by  victory,  and  by  the  acquisition  of  treasure, 
now  turned  the  arms  of  his  experienced  generals,  Wallenstein,  Tilly,  and 
Spinola,  against  the  Protestants,  who  had  formed  a  league  with  Chris- 
tian IV.,  king  of  Denmark,  at  its  head,  for  the  restoration  of  the  palat- 
inate (a.  d.  1625),  but  the  Imperialists  were  victorious,  and  the  Protest- 
ants were  compelled  to  sno  for  peace.  They  subsequently  formed  a 
secret  alliance  with  Gustavus  Adolphus,  king  of  Sweden  ;  a.  d.  1629. 

The  f;ither  of  Gustavus  had  left  him  a  w(dl-coiifirmed  authority,  though 
without  treasure;  the  nobles  who  might  have  endangered  his  power  had 
been  humbled  in  the  preceding  revolutions,  and  there  was  nothing  to  fear 
from  Russia,  Poland,  or  Denmark.  He  was  zealously  anxious  for  the 
success  of  the  Protestant  cause  ;  he  wished  also  to  check  tlie  ambitious 
designs  of  the  emperor ;  and  Germany  appeared,  in  fact,  to  be  the  coun- 
try in  which  he  might  seek  for  power  with  the  greatest  prospect  of  suc- 
cess. His  talents,  both  military  and  civil,  were  of  the  highest  order. 
Together  with  the  lofty  character  of  his  genius,  which  manifested  itself 
in  the  greatness  of  his  plans,  he  combined  the  power  of  attention  to 
minute  details  in  the  organization  of  his  army,  and  a  calm  and  penetrating 
insight  into  circumstances  of  the  greatest  intricacy.  His  habits  were  of 
the  most  simple  kind  ;  and  though  the  boldness  of  his  enterprises  aston- 
ished the  world,  he  was  personally  mild,  beneficent,  susceptible  of  the 
warmest  friendship,  eloquent,  popular,  and  full  of  reliance  on  Providence. 
Richelieu,  the  minister  of  France,  desirous  of  curbing  the  power  of  Iho 
house  of  Austria,  subsidized  Gustavus;  and  Kiigland  furnished  him  with 
0,000  troops,  headed  by  the  marquis  of  Hamilton.  The  magnanimous 
king  of  Sweden,  by  his  sudden  and  unexpected  appearan(re  in  the  empire, 
by  his  irresistible  progress,  and  finally  by  the  victory  of  Leipsic,  wiierc 
he  was  opposed  to  the  Imperialist  army  under  Tilly,  revived  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Protestant  princes  in  their  own  power.  He  quickly  made 
himself  master  of  the  whole  country  from  the  Elbe  to  the  Rhine;  but 
having  been  repulsed  with  considerable  loss,  in  a  furious  attack  on  the 
intrenchments  of  the  Imperialists  at  .Nuremberg,  and  hearing  that  their 
general,  Wallenstein,  had  soon  after  removed  his  camp  to  Lutzen,  he  pro- 
ceeded thither  to  give  him  battle.  The  Imperial  army  greatly  outnum- 
bered the  Swedes  and  their  allies,  and  from  daybreak  till  night  the  con- 
flict was  sustained  with  unabated  vigour;  but  tlioiigh  the  victory  was 
nobly  gair.ed  by  the  Swedes,  ilieir  gallant  kiuu  had  fallen  in  the  middle 
of  the  fight,  covered  with  renown,  and  sincerely  deplored  by  his  brave 
and  faithful  soldiers;  a.  d.  1()12.  Both  the  king  of  Sweden  and  the  court 
of  France  had  been  alarmed  at  the  union  of  the  whole  power  of  Ger- 
many, in  the  hands  of  a  ruler  who  assumed  the  tone  of  a  universal  sov- 
ereign ;  and  the  efficacy  of  a  good  military  system,  directed  by  the  ener- 
getic genius  of  a  single  leader,  was  never  more  eminently  displayed  than 
on  this  occasion. 

The  war  was  still  continued  with  various  success;  but  the  weight  Oi 
it  fell  on  the  Swedes,  the  German  princes  having,  after  the  fatal  battle 
of  Nordlingen,  in  1C34,  deserted  them.  In  the  following  year,  however 
the  troops  of  France  simultaneously  attacked  the  Austrian  monarchy 
at  every  accessible  point,  in  order  to  prevent  the  forces  of  the  latter  f-.-oii 
acting  with  decisive  effect  in  any  quarter.    In  1637  the  emperor  Ferai 


RY. 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HIBTOaY. 


61 


led  him  as  king 
lirone.  TKo  Bo- 
e  v.,  the  electoi 
,11  the  Proteslant 
3d  by  the  king  of 
rces  proved  over- 
d  the  contest  in 
3.  Tlie  emperor 
itioii  of  treasure, 
iistein,  Tilly,  and 
lagiie  with  Cliris- 
lion  of  the  piilat- 
and  the  Prolest- 
[iiently  formed  a 

;  A.  D.  1629. 
authority,  though 
ed  his  power  had 
IS  nothing  to  fear 
r  anxious  for  the 
ck  the  ambitious 
t,  to  be  the  coua- 
l  prospect  of  suc- 
le  highest  order. 

manifested  itself 
ir  of  attention  to 
n  and  penetrating 
lis  habits  were  of 
enterjjrises  aston- 
iusceptible  of  the 
;e  on  Providence, 
the  power  of  tho 
irnishcd  him  wilh 
"he  magnanimous 
i(;e  in  the  empire, 
)f  Lcipsic,  where 
revived  the  confi- 
He  quickly  made 
o  the  Rhine  ;  bvit 

us  attack  on  tho 
hearing  tiiat  their 
o  Lutzen,  he  pro- 
/  (jreatly  oulnum- 
lill  night  the  con- 
the  victory  was 

lien  in  the  middle 
>red  by  his  brave 

len  and  the  court 
le  power  of  Ger- 

f  a  universal  sov- 
?cted  by  the  ener- 

;ly  displayed  than 

)ut  the  weight  o. 

r  the  fatal  battle 
ig  year,  however 
usirian  monarchy 

of  tiie  latter  f';on 
[u  emperor  Ferui 


naiid  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Ferdinand  III.,  who  pursued 
the  policy  of  his  father;  but  though  there  was  considerable  disunion 
among  the  confederates,  the  great  events  of  the  war  were  generally  in 
their  favour.  U  would  be  inconsistent,  however,  with  the  sketchy  out- 
line we  are  penning,  to  enter  into  further  details  of  this  memorable  war, 
and,  perhaps,  limited  as  our  space  is,  we  may  have  been  already  too  dif- 
fuse. We  will,  therefore,  pass  at  once  to  the  celebrated  Peace  of  West- 
phalia,  which  was  signed  at  .Munster  on  the  24th  Oct.,  1648.  It  was  con- 
cluded under  the  mediation  of  the  pope  and  the  Venetians,  between  the 
emperor  Ferdinand  III.,  Philip  III.,  king  of  Spain,  and  the  princes  of  the 
empire  who  belonged  to  their  party,  on  one  side,  and  Louis  XIV.,  Chris- 
tiua,  queen  of  Sweden,  the  slates-general  of  the  United  Provinces,  and 
those  princes  of  the  empire,  mostly  Protestants,  who  were  in  alliance 
with  the  French  and  Swedes,  on  the  other.  By  this  celebrated  treaty  all 
dilFerences  were  arranged  between  the  belligerents,  except  France  and 
Spain,  who  continued  in  hostilities  for  eleven  years  afterwards;  but  it  re- 
stored tranquillity  to  northern  FiUrope  and  Germany,  and  became  a  fun- 
damental law  of  the  empire,  while  Holland  and  Switzerland  acquired  a 
simultaneous  recognition  and  guarantee. 


FR' 


CHAPTER  XV. 

civil.   WAR    IN    ENOIiAND,    TO    THE   PEACE   OF    RTSWICK. 


At  tills  period  England  was  convulsed  by  civil  war.  Durii  g  the  pros- 
perous age  of  Elizabeth,  the  commons  had  greatly  increased  n  opulence, 
and,  without  regard  to  the  resources  of  her  successors,  she  had  alienated 
many  of  the  crown  estates  ;  James  was  prodigal  towards  V.is  favourites, 
aiid  Charles  fell  into  difficulties  in  consequence  of  the  disordered  state  o( 
his  financial  affairs.  He  was  magnanimous,  amiable,  and  learned,  but  de- 
ficient in  steadfast  exertion,  and  in  the  dignity  and  vigour  necessary  to 
the  situation  in  which  he  stood.  His  ideas  of  the  royal  prerogative 
were  extravagant;  but  he  often  showed  a  timidity  and  irresolution  on  the 
appearance  of  opposition  from  his  Parliament,  which  emboldened  them 
to  carry  their  opposition  to  the  most  unwarrantable  lengths.  In  order  to 
raise  supplies  without  the  authority  of  Parliament,  the  king  exacted  the 
customs  and  levied  an  arbitrary  tax  on  ships;  many  feudal  privileges  and 
ancient  abuses  were  exercised  with  increased  severity;  contributions  and 
loans,  called  voluntary,  were  exacted  by  force;  the  forms  of  law  were 
disregarded  by  the  court  of  star-chamber  ;  Englishmen  were  subjected  to 
long  imprisonments  and  exorbitant  fines,  and  their  rights  treated  with  con- 
tempt. From  the  discussions  to  which  these  grievances  gave  rise,  arose 
others  relating  to  the  nature  and  origin  of  political  constitutions.  The 
violence  of  parties  daily  increased ;  but  as  the  king  conceded,  the  Parlia- 
ment grew  more  arrogant  in  their  demands,  and  the  hour  was  rapidly  ap- 
proaching when  it  was  evident  anarchy  would  trample  upon  the  ruins  of 
monarchy.  At  length  a  fierce  civil  war  arose  ;  religion  was  made  a  polit- 
ical stalking-horse,  and  gross  hypocrisy  overspread  the  land.  Enthu- 
siasts, equally  inaccessible  to  reason  or  revelation,  to  a  sense  of  propriety 
or  any  moral  restraint,  exercised  the  most  irresistible  influence  on  the 
course  of  events.  The  high  church  sunk  into  misery  ;  the  ancient  nobil- 
ity were  basely  degraded  ;  the  whole  constitution  fell  into  ruins ;  a  "  sol- 
emn mockery,"  miscalled  tlie  king's  trial,  took  place,  and  Charles  finally 
perished  by  the  axe  of  the  executioner,  a.  d.  1649.  His  death  was  ^won 
followed  by  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell,  an  incorrigible  tyrant,  detested 
at  home  and  feared  abroad,  but  who  had  not  long  left  the  scene  of  hii 


62 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


restless  ambition,  before  the  nation,  .vcary  of  tyranny  and  hypocrisy,  ro. 
stored  the  son  of  their  murdered  sovereig;n  to  the  throne;  a.  d.  1660. 

From  the  peace  of  Westphalia  until  the  death  of  Ferdinand  III.,  in 
1657,  Germany  remained  undisturbed,  when  considerable  ferment  pre- 
Miled  in  the  Diet,  respecting  the  election  of  his  successor.  The  choice 
of  the  electors,  however,  having  fallen  on  his  son  Leopold,  he  immediate- 
ly contracted  an  alliance  with  Poland  and  Denmiirk,  against  Sweden,  and 
a  numerous  army  of  Austrians  entced  Pomerania,  but  failinpr  in  their 
object,  peace  was  quickly  restored.  He  next  turned  his  arms  a^r.^inst  the 
Turks,  who  had  invaded  Transylvania,  and  gave  them  a  signal  overthrow. 
In  this  situation  of  affairs  the  youthful  and  ambitious  Louis  XIV.,  king 
of  France,  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  empire  by  an  attack  upon  the  Neth- 
erlands, which  he  claimed  in  right  of  his  queen,  sister  of  Philip  IV'.,  the 
late  king  of  Spain.  In  a  secret  treaty,  Louis  and  Leopold  had  divided 
the  Spanish  monarchy;  to  the  former  was  given  the  Netherlands,  and  to 
the  latter  Spain,  after  the  demise  of  Ciiarles  II.,  the  reigning  monarch. 
Having  prepareu  ample  means,  the  king  and  Turenne  entered  Flanders, 
and  immediately  reduced  Charleroi,  Tournay,  Douay,  and  Lille.  Such 
rapid  success  alarmed  the  other  F^uropean  powers,  who  feared  that  an- 
other campaign  would  make  him  master  of  the  Low  Countries,  and  a 
triple  alliance  was  fonncd  botwcea  ''  igland,  Holland,  and  Sweden,  with 
a  view  of  setting  boinids  to  his  ambition,  and  of  compelling  Spain  to  ac- 
cede to  certain  prescribed  conditions.  A  treaty  was,  accordingly,  nego- 
tiated at  Ai.x-la-Chapelle,  by  which  Louis  was  allowed  to  retain  the  towns 
he  had  taken ;  and  these  he  secured  by  entrusting  their  fortifications  to 
the  celebrated  Vauban,  and  by  garrisoning  ihem  with  his  best  troops ; 
A.  D.  1668. 

Louis  now  saw  that  his  designs  on  the  Netherlands  could  not  be  carried 
into  effect  without  the  co-operation  of  England;  but  believing  that  the 
profligate  court  of  Charh  s  H.  was  open  to  corruption,  he  easily  succeed- 
ed, through  the  medium  of  Charles's  sister,  Henrietta,  the  duchess  of  Or- 
leans, in  prevailing  on  t!.e  prodigal  king  of  England  to  conclude  a  secret 
treaty  with  him,  in  which  it  was  agreed  that  Charles  should  receive  * 
large  pension  from  Louis,  and  aid  him  in  subduing  the  United  Provinces 
The  cabinet  of  Versailles  liaving  also  succeeded  in  detaching  Sweden 
from  the  triple  alliance,  both  monarchs,  under  the  most  frivolous  pro 
tences,  declared  war  against  the  States,  a.  n.  1672.  Without  the  shadow 
of  a  pretext,  Louis  seized  the  duchy  of  Lorraine,  and  Charles  made  > 
base  and  unsuccessful  attempt  to  capture  the  Dutch  Smyrna  fleet,  ever\ 
while  the  treaty  between  the  two  countries  existed.  The  power  that  wan 
lhu3  confederated  against  Hollaml,  it  was  impossible  to  withstand.  The 
combined  fleets  of  France  and  England  amounted  to  more  than  120  sail, 
and  the  French  amiy  on  the  frinticrs  consisted  of  120,000  men.  The 
latter,  in  the  first  instance,  bore  down  all  opposition,  but  on  the  command 
of  the  Dutch  army  being  given  to  the  young  prince  of  Orange,  William 
HI.,  the  spirits  and  energy  of  the  nation  revived,  and  both  the  govern- 
ment and  the  people  were  united  in  their  determination,  rather  than  sub- 
mit to  disgraceful  terms,  to  abandon  their  country,  and  emigrate  in  a  body 
to  their  colonies  in  the  East  Indies.  Meanwhile  their  fleets  under  Van 
Tromp  and  De  Ruyter  engaged  the  combined  French  and  English  fleets 
under  Prince  Rupert,  in  llireo  hard-fougiit  but  indecisive  actions  ;  the  em- 
peror and  the  elector  of  Urandenburg  joined  the  Dutch  cause  ;  and 
Charles  II.,  distressed  for  want  of  money,  and  alarmed  by  the  discontent 
of  his  own  subjects,  first  concluded  <i  separate  peace  with  Holland,  and 
then  ofl'ered  his  mediation  towards  bringing  about  a  reconciliation  of  the 
other  contending  parties. 

Louis  at  the  head  of  one  of  his  armies  conquered  Franche-Compt6  in 
the  next  campaign ;  while  Turenno  was  successful  on   iho  side  of  Ger- 


f 


ORY. 

md  h3rpocrisy,  ro. 
fi ;  A.  D.  1G60. 
[i'erdinaiid  III.,  in 
•ablo  fermeiit  pre- 
ssor. The  choice 
aid,  he  immediate- 
aiiist  Sweden,  and 
ut  failiagf  in  their 
s  arms  at,'r.inst  the 

signal  overthrow. 

Louis  XIV.,  king 
ck  upon  the  Neth- 
of  Philip  IV.,  the 
opold  had  divided 
[etlierlands,  and  to 
reigning  monaicii. 
entered  Flanders, 
,  and  Lille.  Such 
lio  feared  that  an- 

Countrics,  ai.d  a 
and  Sweden,  with 
lelling  Spain  to  ac- 
accordiiigly,  nego- 
;o  retain  the  towns 
!ir  fortifications  to 
J  his  best  troops ; 

ould  not  be  carried 
believing  that  tiio 
he  easily  succeed- 
the  duchess  of  Or- 

conclude  a  secre'i 
1  should  receive  t 
United  Provinces 
detaching  Swedeit 
lost  frivolous  pro 
ithout  the  shadow 
d  Charles  made  » 
jinyrna  fleet,  evei^ 
lie  power  that  was 
J  withstand.  The 
lore  than  1'20  sail, 
','0,000  men.  The 
It  on  the  command 
f  Orange,  William 

both  the  gvivern- 
1,  rather  than  sub- 
emigrate  in  a  body 

fleets  under  Van 
and  Kngliih  fl(!ets 
e  actions  ;  the  em- 
)utch  cause  ;    and 

l)y  the  discontent 
with  Holland,  and 
•oncilialion  of  the 

Vanche-Compt6  in 
iho  side  of  Gcr- 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY 


61 


nany;  but  disgraced  his  trophies  by  the  devastation  and  ruin  of  the  Pa- 
latinate. In  1G75,  he  was  killed  by  a  cannon-ball;  and  the  French  army 
was  forced  to  recross  the  Rhine.  They  -..ere  successful,  however,  in  the 
ensuing  campaign;  and  their  fleet  defeated  De  Ruyter,  after  a  series  of 
obstinate  engagements  off  Sicily,  in  one  of  which  he  was  slain.  In  1G77, 
another  campaign  was  opened,  which  proved  still  more  favourable  to  the 
French.  Valenciennes,  Cambray,  and  St.  Omer  were  taken;  marshal  De- 
Luxombourg  defeated  the  prince  of  Orange,  and  several  important  ad- 
vantages were  gained  by  the  French.  At  length  the  Dutch  became  anx- 
ious ^r  peace,  and  signed  the  treaty  of  Minegucn,  in  1G78. 

L;)uis  employed  this  interval  of  peace  in  strengthening  his  frontiers, 
and  in  making  preparations  for  fresh  conquests.  He  then  treacherously 
made  himself  master  of  Strasburg,  and  some  other  places  in  Flanders. 
By  these  aggressions  the  flames  of  war  were  nearlv  rekindled  ;  but  the 
treaty  of  Ilatisbon  prevented  the  continuance  of  hostilities,  and  left  the 
Frencli  in  possession  of  Luxembourg,  Strasburg,  and  the  fort  of  Khel. 

At  this  time  (1G83)  the  imperial  arms  were  occupied  in  opposing  the 
Turks,  who,  having  invaded  Hungary,  and  marched  towards  Vienna, 
that  cilv  was  on  the  point  of  being  carried  by  assault,  when  the  cele- 
brated jolni  Sobieski,  king  of  Poland,  came  to  its  relief  at  the  head  of  a 
numerous  army.  This  revivcid  the  confidence  of  the  besieged,  and  their 
assailants  were  repulsed ;  while  tlie  main  body,  which  had  been  led  by 
the  grand  vizier  to  meet  the  Poles,  were  thrown  into  disorder  at  the 
first  charge  of  the  Polish  cavalry,  and  fled  in  the  utmost  confusion; 
leaving  in  possession  of  the  victors  tlieir  artillery,  baggage,  treasures, 
and  even  the  consecrated  banner  of  the  propliet.  During  the  si  ^o  of 
Vienna,  Louis  had  suspended  his  operations,  declaring  that  he  wonll  not 
attack  a  (liirislian  power  while  Kiirope  was  menaced  by  infidels.  Ho 
was  now  at  tlie  height  of  his  power;  and  no  sooner  had  the  valour  of 
Sobieski  overwhelmed  the  Ottoman  force,  then  he  recommenced  his  war 
of  aggrandizement.  He  had  just  before  humbled  the  pirate  states  of 
Africa,  traini)led  on  the  independence  of  Genoa,  concluded  an  advantage- 
ous peace  with  Spain,  and  rendered  himself  obnoxious  to  the  papal  court 
by  instilling  the  dignity  of  the  pope.  Uut  while  his  ambition  was  alarm- 
ing th(!  fears  and  rousing  the  indignation  of  Kurope,  he  committed  an 
error  which,  in  a  political  point  of  view,  the  most  intolerant  bigotry  could 
scarcely  b(!  blind  enough  to  excuse.  Henry  IV.  had  wisely  granted 
religious  freedom  to  the  Frcncii  protestanls,  and  the  edict  of  Nantes 
which  secured  it  to  iliem  was  designed  to  be  perpetual.  But  after  vainly 
endeavouring  to  control  their  consciences  or  reward  their  apostacy,  Louis 
formally  revoked  the  edict  of  Nantes,  and  treated  his  protestant  subjects 
with  all  the  injustice  and  cruelty  that  blind  fanaticism  could  dictate,  or 
brutality  exocute.  By  this  insensate  act  he  deprived  his  country  of  half 
a  million  of  •.diabitaiiis,  who  transferred  to  other  hinds  their  wealth,  their 
industry,  and  tlieir  commercial  intelligeni;e. 

The  Turki.sli  war  having  been  terminated,  .\  leagU'S  was  formed  at 
Augsburg,  between  the  princes  of  Germany,  to  resist  the  further  en- 
croachments of  the  French  king.  To  this  league  Spain,  Holland, 
Sweden,  and  Denmark,  acc{!ded;  and  Louis  having  undertaken  to  restore 
James  II.  who  had  lately  been  dethroned  by  William,  prince  of  Orange, 
England  juined  the  alliance. 

We  must  here  briefly  allude  to  the  revolution  wnich  had  placed  the 
priiK^e  of  Orange  on  the  throne  of  Fiigland.  Jumes  II.  brotlier  of  the 
facetious  but  unprincipled  Charles  II.  was  a  zealous  proselyte  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith,  and  connected  with  the  order  of  the  .lesuits.  One 
part  of  the  nation  was  enthusiastir;>lly  attached  to  freedom,  and  another 
was  chiefly  inspired  by  the  hatred  of  the  papal  ceremonies;  but  all 
agreed  that  the  king  had  no  just  or  constitutional  power  to  dictate  to  tht 


'■■^a 


lit 


84 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


nation  in  matters  of  reliijion  Jamos  had  offended  many  of  the  nobles, 
and  they,  instead  of  succumbing  to  the  man  they  despised,  addressed 
themselves  to  the  stadtholder,  who  was  his  nephew  and  successor,  and 
the  presumptive  heir  to  the  tin-one.  At  this  juncture  the  queen  of 
En{?lf»nd  bore  a  son;  an  event  which  produced  different  effects  on  the 
1: ..  of  tiie  catholics  and  protestants.  The  stadtholder,  immovable  in 
e'  ntingences,  was  confirmed  in  his  resolution  of  rescuing  England 
ff  '^e  tyranny  by  which  it  was  now  oppressed;  but  he  kept  his  own 
secret,  and  preserved  his  usual  character  of  tranquillity,  reserve,  and  im- 
penetrability. Many  of  tiie  English  nobility  repaired  to  the  Hague, 
where  William  lamented  their  situation ;  and,  with  great  secrecy,  fitted 
out  an  armament  that  was  to  effect  tiie  deliverance  of  the  English  nation 
from  piipery  and  despotism.  Thongh  tiie  king  of  France  had  sent  James 
information  of  the  proceedings  of  the  prince  ''  Orange,  the  infatuated 
king  could  not  be  persuaded  of  his  danger  iiniil  the  expedition  was  on 
the  point  of  sailing.  At  length  the  stadtlioldci-  landed  in  Torbay;  and 
the  unfortunate  monarch,  finding  the  situation  of  his  affairs  desperate, 
hastily  quitted  the  English  sliores,  and  sought  an  asylum  in  France.  A 
convention  was  then  summoned,  the  throne  declared  vacant,  and  the 
prince  and  princess  of  Orange,  as  "  King  William  III.  and  Queen  Mary," 
were  proclaimed  king  and  queen  of  England.  This  was  followed  by  the 
passing  of  the  "  Hill  of  Rights"  and  the  "Act  of  Settlement,"  by  which 
the  future  liberties  of  the  people  were  secured. 

At  the  head  of  the  league  of  Augsburg  was  the  Emperor  Leopold  ;  but 
Louis,  not  daunted  by  the  number  of  the  confederates,  assembled  two 
large  armies  in  Flanders;  sent  another  to  oppose  the  Spaniards  in  Catalo- 
nia; while  a  fourth  was  employed  as  a  barrier  on  the  German  frontier, 
and  ravaged  the  palatinate  with  fire  and  sword ;  driving  the  wrctohea 
victims  of  his  barbarous  policy  from  tlieir  burning  houses  by  thousands, 
to  perisli  with  cold  and  hunger  on  the  frozen  ground.  In  the  next  cam- 
paign his  troops  arehieved  several  important  victories,  and  the  French 
fleet  defeated  the  combined  fleets  of  England  and  Holland  off  Beachy- 
head,  a.d.  1690.  Thus  the  war  continued  for  the  three  following  years, 
exhausting  the  resources  of  every  party  engaged  in  it,  without  any  im- 
portant change  taking  place,  or  any  decisive  advantage  being  gained  by 
either  that  was  likely  to  produce  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  With  all  the 
military  glory  that  France  had  ac(iuired,  her  conquests  were  unproductive 
of  any  solid  advantage ;  her  finances  were  in  a  sinking  state  ;  her  agri- 
culture and  commerce  were  languishing  ;  and  the  country  was  threatened 
with  the  li  irrors  of  famine,  arising  from  u  failure  of  the  crops  and  the 
scarcity  oi  hands  to  cultivate  the  soil.  All  p;irties,  indeed,  were  now 
grown  weary  of  a  war  in  vvliich  notliing  pennanenl  was  effected,  and  in 
which  tlie  blood  and  treasure  of  the  eomhat;inls  continued  to  be  profusely 
and  useless  expended.  Accordingly,  in  1007,  ni'gotiations  were  commen- 
ced, under  the  mediation  of  the  youthful  (Miaries  XII.,  king  of  Sweden, 
and  a  treaty  concluded  at  Byswick,  hy  wliich  Louis  made  great  conces- 
sions, restoring  to  Spain  the  principal  places  he  liad  wrested  from  her; 
but  the  renunciation  of  the  Spanish  succession,  which  it  had  becm  the  main 
object  of  the  war  to  enforce,  was  not  even  alluded  to  in  the  treaty. 


I 


CHAPTER  XVL 

COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY,  TO  THE  PEACE  OK  UTBFCHT. 

The  dec/ining  health  of  Charles  II.,  king  of  Spain,  who  had  no  chil 
dren,  engaged  the  attention  of  the  European  powers,  and  kept  on  thf 
alert  those  princes  who  were  claimants  of  llie  crown.    The  candidate! 


)RY. 

ly  of  the  nobles , 
spised,  addressed 
id  successor,  and 
re  the  queen  of 
)nt  effects  on  the 
Icr,  immovable  in 
escuing  England 
'.  he  kept  his  own 

reserve,  and  iin- 
d  to  the  Hague, 
at  secrecy,  fitted 
lu  English  nation 
e  had  sent  Jamea 
e,  the  infatuated 
xpedition  was  on 

in  Torbay;  and 
iflTairs  desperate, 
m  in  France.     A 

vacant,  and  the 
lid  Queen  Mary," 
*  followed  by  the 
ment,"  by  which 

ror  Leopold ;  but 
i,  assembled  two 
miards  in  Catalo- 
German  frontier, 
iig  tile  wrctchea 
ses  by  thousands, 
In  the  next  cain- 
and  tlie  French 
land  off  Beachy- 
followiiig  years, 
without  any  im- 
beiiig  gained  by 
-is.  With  all  the 
/ere  unproductive 
:  state  ;  her  agri- 
y  was  threatened 
lie  crops  and  the 
iideed,  were  now 
i  effected,  and  in 
!d  to  be  profusely 
is  were  commen- 
kiiiji  of  Sweden, 
do  groat  coiices- 
•cslcd  from  her; 
lad  been  the  inaia 
I  the  treaty. 


VCE  OF  UTBirCHT. 

who  had  no  chil 

and  kept  on  ttif 

The  candidatei 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


65 


w 


ircre  Louis  XIV.,  the  Emperor  Leopold,  and  the  elector  of  Cavaria ;  nn 
.It  was  manifestly  to  the  interest  of  those  who  wished  to  preserve  the 
balance  of  power  in  Europe  that  the  choice  should  fall  on  the  latter;  but 
he  was  unable  to  contend  with  his  rivals.  A  secret  treaty  of  partition 
was  therefore  signed  by  France,  England,  and  Holland,  by  which  it  was 
agreed  that  Spain,  America,  and  the  Netiicrlands,  should  be  given  to  the 
electoral  prince  of  Bavaria ;  Naples,  Sicily,  and  the  Itahan  states,  to  the 
dauphin,  and  the  duciiy  of  Milan  to  the  emperor's  second  son,  the  arch- 
duke Charles.  This  treaty  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  king  of 
Spain,  he  was  naturally  indignant  that  his  possessions  should  thus  be  dis- 
posed of  during  his  life ;  and  he  immediately  made  a  will  in  favour  of  the 
electoral  prince.  This  well  suited  the  views  of  England  and  Holland ; 
but  the  intention  was  scarcely  made  known,  when  the  favoured  prince 
died  suddenly,  not  without  suspicion  of  having  been  poisoned.  The 
prince's  death  revived  the  apprehensions  of  England  and  Holland,  and 
they  entered  into  a  new  treaty  of  partition.  But  the  king  of  Spain  be- 
queathed the  whole  of  his  dominions  to  the  duke  of  Anjou,  second  son  of 
the  dauphin,  who  was  universally  acknowledged  by  the  nation  after  the 
death  of  Charles,  who  died  in  1701 ;  and  the  young  king  was  crowned 
under  the  title  of  Philip  V. 

The  emperor  Leopold  being  determined  to  support  the  claims  of  his 
son,  war  immediately  commenced,  and  an  army  was  sent  into  Italy, 
where  he  met  with  great  success.  Prince  Eugene  having  expelled  the 
French  from  the  Milanese,  a  grand  alliance  was  formed  between  Ger- 
many, England,  and  Holland.  The  avowed  objects  of  this  alliance  wore 
"to  procure  satisfaction  to  his  imperial  majesty  in  the  case  of  the 
Spanish  succession ;  obtain  security  to  the  English  and  Dutch  for  their 
dominions  and  commerce;  prevent  the  union  of  the  monarcliies  of 
France  and  Spain  ;  and  hinder  the  French  from  possessing  the  Spanish 
dominions  in  America." 

James  II.,  the  exiled  king  of  England,  died  at  St.  Germain's  in  France, 
on  the  7ili  of  September,  1701 ;  and  was  succeeded  in  his  nominal  titles 
by  his  son,  James  HI.,  better  known  by  the  appellation  of  the  Pretender. 
With  more  magnanimity  than  prudence,  Louis  XIV.  recognised  his  right 
to  the  throne  his  father  had  abdicated,  which  could  not  be  considered 
in  any  other  light  than  that  of  an  insult  to  William  and  the  English 
nation  ;  and  the  parliament  strained  every  nerve  to  avenge  the  indignity 
offered  to  the  monarch  of  their  choice ;  but  before  the  actual  commence- 
ment of  hostilities,  William  met  with  his  death,  occasioned  by  a  fall  from 
his  horse,  a.d.  1702. 

Anne,  second  daughter  of  .Tames  II.,  ?'id  wife  of  George,  prince  of 
Denmark,  immediately  ascended  the  vacant  throne  ;  and,  declaring  her 
fesolution  to  adhere  to  the  grand  alliance,  war  was  declared  by  the  three 
jjowcrs  against  France,  on  the  same  day,  at  London,  the  Hague,  and 
Vienna.  Her  reign  proved  a  series  of  battles  and  of  triumphs.  Being 
njsolved  to  pursue  the  plans  of  her  predecessor,  she  entrusted  the  com- 
aSand  of  the  army  to  the  carl  of  Marlborough,  who  obtained  considerable 
i^lccesses  in  Flanders ;  while  the  combined  English  and  Dutch  fleets 
#lptured  the  galleons,  laden  with  the  treasures  of  Spanish  America, 
which  were  lying  in  Vigo  bay,  under  the  protection  of  a  French  fleet 
Meanwhile,  tho  French  had  the  advantage  in  Italy  and  Alsace;  but  in 
Flanders  the  genius  of  Marlborough  (now  raised  to  a  dukedom)  contin- 
ued  to  be  an  overmatch  for  the  generals  opposed  to  him.  Having  secured 
flis  coiiquests  in  that  country,  he  resolved  to  march  into  Germany,  to  the 
aid  of  the  emperor,  who  had  to  contend  with  the  Hungarian  insurgents 
as  well  as  the  French  r.nd  Bavarians.  He  accordingly  crossed  the  Rhine, 
tnd  meeting  prince  Eugene  at  Mondlesheim,  a  junction  was  agreed  op 
tnd  effected  with  the  Imperialists  under  the  duke  of  Baden ;  and,  thus 
L — 5 


M 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OV  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


ii  •' 
■  ',1 

I'll' 

fl 

I' 
i 


united,  they  advanced  to  the  Danube.  The  rival  armies  each  amounted 
to  about  C0,000  men.  The  French  and  Bavarians  were  posted  on  a  hill 
ucar  tlio  village  of  IJlenheim,  on  the  Danube ;  but  though  their  position 
was  well  chosen,  their  Hue  was  weakened  by  detachments,  which  Marl- 
borough perceiving,  he  charged  through,  and  a  signal  victory  was  the 
resuUr  Tlic  French  commander,  Tallard,  was  made  prisoner,  and  30,000 
of  the  French  and  Uavarian  troops  were  killed,  wounded,  and  taken ; 
while  the  loss  of  the  allies  amounted  to  5,000  killed,  and  7,000  wounded : 
A.D.  1704.  By  this  brilliant  victory  the  emperor  was  liberated  from  all 
danger;  the  Hungarian  insurgents  were  dispersed;  and  the  discomfited 
army  of  France  hastily  sought  shelter  within  their  own  frontiers.  In 
Spain  and  Italy  the  advantage  was  on  the  side  of  the  French ;  but  the 
victory  of  Blenheim  not  only  compensated  for  other  failures,  but  it 
greatly  raised  the  Knglish  character  for  military  prowess,  and  animated 
tlie  courage  of  tlie  allies. 

Among  other  great  exploits  of  tne  war  was  the  capture  of  Gibraltar  by  Ad- 
miral Sir  George  Ilooke  and  the  prince  of  Hesse.  This  fortress,  which  had 
hitherto  l)een  deemed  impregnable,  has  ever  since  continued  in  possession  of 
tlie  Fiiglisli,  who  have  defeated  every  attempt  made  by  the  Spaniards  for 
its  recoveiy. 

In  the  following  year  (1705),  the  emperor  Leopold  died,  and  was  site 
ceeded  by  his  sou  .lospph.  In  Italy  the  French  obtained  some  consider- 
able advantages  ;  while  in  Spain  nearly  all  Valencia  and  the  province  of 
Catalonia  siil)milted  to  Charles  HI.  Thi;  hopes  aiid  fears  of  the  belliger- 
ants  were  thus  kept  alive  by  the  various  successes  and  defeats  they 
experienced.  Louis  appeared  to  act  with  even  niore  than  his  usual  ardour ; 
he  scut  an  army  into  Germany,  who  drove  the  Imperialists  before  them; 
while  Ills  Italian  army  besieged  Turin,  and  Marshal  Villeroy  was  ordered 
to  act  on  the  oflfensive  in  Flanders.  This  general,  with  a  superior  force, 
gave  battle  to  Marlborougii  at  Rainillies,  and  was  defeated,  with  a  lo^s  of 
7000  killed,  GOOO  prisoners,  and  avast  quantity  of  artillery  and  ammunition. 
All  Brabant,  and  nearly  nil  Spanish  Flanders,  submittod  to  the  conquerors. 
The  allies,  under  Prince  Kugene,  were  also  successful  in  Italy ;  while,  in 
Spain,  Philip  was  forced  for  a  time  to  abandon  his  capital  to  the  united 
forces  of  the  English  and  Portuguese.  Louis  was  so  disheartened  by 
these  reverses  tliat  he  proposed  peace  on  very  advantageotis  terms;  but 
the  allies,  instigated  bv  the  duke  of  Marlborough  and  Prince  Eugene,  reject- 
ed  it,  although  tne  objects  of  the  grand  alliance  might  at  that  time  have 
been  gained  without  the  further  effusion  of  blood.  Thus  refused,  Louis 
once  more  exerted  all  his  energies.  His  troops  having  been  compelled  to 
evacuate  Italy,  he  sent  an  additional  force  into  S[)ain,  wliere  the  duke  of  Ber- 
wick (a  natural  son  of  .lames  H.)  gained  a  brilliant  and  decisive  victory  at  Al- 
manza  over  the  confederates,  who  were  commanded  by  the  earl  of  (Jalway 
and  the  marquis  de  las  Miiias  ;  while  the  duke  of  Orleans  reduced  Valencia, 
and  the  cities  of  Leridaand  Saragossa.  The  victory  of  Almanza  restored 
the  Bourbon  cause  in  Spain  ;  and  Marshal  Villars,  at  the  head  of  the  French 
army  in  Germany,  laid  the  duchy  of  Wirtemberg  under  contribution 

Tlie  general  result  of  the  war  hitherto  had  miserably  disappointed  the 
English ;  Marlborough  felt  that  a  more  brilliant  campaign  was  neia'.ssary 
to  render  him  and  his  party  popular.  He  therefore  crossed  the  Scheldt, 
and  came  up  with  the  French  army,  under  Vendome,  at  Oudcnarde.  They 
were  strongly  posted  ;  but  the  British  cavalry  broke  through  th(;  enemy's 
lines  at  tiie  first  charge ;  and  though  the  approach  of  night  favoured  the  re- 
treat of  the  French,  they  were  put  to  a  total  rout,  and  9000  prisoners  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  English.  Shortly  after,  Jiislc  was  forced  to  surren- 
der ;  and  Ghent  and  Bruges,  which  had  been  taken  by  Vendome,  were  re- 
taken. About  the  same  time  the  islandsof  Sardinia  and  Minorca  surren 
dered  to  the  English  fleet,  and  the  pope  was  compelled  to  acknowledge  the 
archduke  Charles  as  the  lawful  king  of  Spain :  a.  d.  1703 


amounted 
)d  on  a  hill 
eir  position 
'hich  Marl- 
ry  was  the 
and  30,000 
and  taken ; 
)  wounded: 
ed  from  all 
discomfited 
jntiers.  In 
cli;  but  the 
ires,  but  it 
id  animated 

altar  by  Ad- 
I,  which  had 
ossession  of 
laniards  for 

id  was  suc- 
iie  (!onsider- 

province  of 
the  bclligcr- 
Icfeats  they 
isual  ardour: 
eforc  them; 
was  ordered 
iperior  force, 
ilh  a  loftS  of 
ammunition. 
:  conquerors. 
y ;  while,  in 
,0  the  united 
icartened   by 
IS  terms ;  but 
Ligene,  reject- 
lat  time  have 
efused,  I.ouis 
compelled  to 
edukeof  Ber- 
victory  at  Al- 
arlof  Oalway 
iced  Valencia, 
anza  restored 
of  the  French 
ntrihution 
appointed  the 
/as  nec-essary 
i  the  Scheldt, 
cnarde.  They 
h  th(!  enemy's 
ifoured  the  ro- 

prisoners  fell 
ced  to  siirreii- 
ome,  were  re- 
iiiorca  surren 
knowledge  the 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


67 


The  treasury  of  Louis  being  greatly  exhausted,  and  his  councils  dis- 
tracted, he  again  expressed  his  willingness  to  make  every  reasonable  con- 
cession for  the  attaiimient  of  peace,  offering  even  to  abandon  the  whole  of 
the  Spanish  monarchy  to  the  archduke ;  but  his  proffers  being  rejected, 
except  on  terms  incompatible  with  national  safety  or  personal  honour,  the 
French  king,  trusting  to  the  affection  and  patriotism  of  his  people,  called 
upon  them  to  rise  in  defence  of  the  monarchy,  and  in  support  of  their  hum- 
ble and  aged  king.     His  appeal  was  patriotically  responded   to.     Every 
nerve  was  strained  to  raise  a  large  army,  and  the  salvation  of  France  was 
confided  to  Marshal  Villars.     The  allied  army  was  formed  on  the  plaina 
of  Lisle ;  the  French  covered  Douay  and  Arras.     Eugene  and  Marlbo- 
rough invested  Mons.     Villars  encamped  within  a  league  of  it,  at  Mal- 
plaquet.     Elated  with  past  success,  the  confederates  attacked  him  in  his 
mtrenchments:  the  contest  was  obstinate  and  bloody:  and  though  the  al- 
lies  remained  masters  of  the  field,  their  loss  amounted  to  about  15,000 
men  ;  while  that  of  the  French,  who  retreated,  was  not  less  than  10,000, 
(Sept.  11.  1700).    Louis  again  sued  for  peace;  and   conferences  were 
opened  at  Gcrtruydenburg  early  in  the  following  spring :  but  the  allies  still 
insisting  upon  the  same  conditions,  the  French  monarch  again  rejected 
them  with  firmness.    The  war  continued,  and  with  it  the  successes  of 
the  allies  in  Flanders  and  in  Spain,   where  the  archduke  again  obtained 
possession  of  Madrid.     But  the  nobility  remaining  faithful  to  Philip,  and 
fresh  succours  arriving  from  France,  the  duke  of  Vendome  compelled  the 
allies  to  retire  towards  Catalonia,  whither  they  marched  in  two  bodies. 
The  English  general.  Stanhope,  who  commanded   the  rear  division,  was 
surrounded  at  Brighnega,  and  forced  to  surrender,  with  5000  men ;  and 
though  the  principal  division,  led  by  Staremberg,  compelled  Vendome  to 
retreat,  and  continued  their  march  in  safety,  they  were  unable  to  check 
the  victorious  progress  of  Philip's  arms. 

The  expenses  of  a  war  so  wholly  unproductive  to  England  had  by  thi» 
time  exhausted  the  patience  of  the  nation  ;  and  a  change  had  taken  plac» 
in  the  British  cabinet  that  was  unfavourable  to  Marlborough  and  his  designs 
Through  the  death  of  the  emperor  Joseph,  which  had  just  occurred,  the 
archduke  Charles  succeeded  to  the  imperial  dignity,  thus  giving  a  new 
turn  to  the  politics  of  the  sovereigns  of  Europe,  who  were  in  alliance  to 
prevent  the  union  of  the  Spanish  and  German  crowns :  a  great  obstacle  to 
the  restoration  of  peace  was  therefore  removed.  Hostilities  however  con- 
tin  jed,  but  with  so  little  energy,  that  no  event  of  importance  occurred  du- 
ring  the  whole  campaign.  At  length  the  English  and  French  plenipoten- 
tiaries concurring  in  the  same  desire  for  peace,  preliminaries  were  signed 
between  England  and  France,  at  London,  Dec.  1712.  The  following  year 
»  congress  was  held  at  Utrecht  for  the  general  pacification  of  Europe  ;  and 
a  definite  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  on  the  31st  of  March,  1713,  by  the 
Irfenipotentiaries  of  all  the  belligerant  powers,  except  those  of  the  empe- 
for  and  the  king  of  Spain.  It  was  stipulated  that  Phihp  should  renounce 
HI  title  to  the  crown  of  France,  and  the.  duke  of  Herri  and  Orleans  to  that 
df  Spain;  that  if  Philip  should  die  without  male  issue,  the  duke  of  Savoy 
Aould  succeed  to  the  throne  of  Spain  ;  that  the  Spanish  Netherlands, 
l^aples,  Milan,  and  the  Spanish  territories  on  the  Tuscan  coast  should  be 
iflcured  to  Austria ;  that  the  Rhine  should  be  the  boundary  between  France 
mA  Germany ;  and  that  England  was  to  retain  Gibraltar  and  Minorca. 
Ih  the  following  year  the  emperor  signed  the  treaty  of  Rastadt,  the  condi- 
tions of  which  were  less  favourable  to  him  than  those  offered  at  Utrecht; 
and  Philip  V.  acceding  to  it  some  time  after,  Europe  once  more  enjoyed 
tranquillity.  Shortly  after  having  thus  extricated  himself  from  all  his  diflS- 
culties,  the  long  and  eventful  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  was  terminated  by  hi* 
death,  and  his  great  grandson,  Louis  XV.  being  a  minor,  the  duke  of  Orlean* 
was  made  regent  of  France. 


68 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  QENSllAL  UISTOnY. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE  AOE  or  CHARLE9   XII.  OF    SWEDEN,    AND  PETER  Tlill  GREAT  OF   RCS.1IA. 

Tiiocon  we  have  confined  our  attention  to  tlie  wars  which  oocupicd  the 
Bouth  and  west  of  Europe  at  the  latter  end  of  tbr  17th  century,  we  must 
not  overlook  the  events  that  took  place  in  the  north  and  cast,  through  the 
rivalry  and  ambition  of  two  of  the  most  extraordinary  characters  that  ever 
wielded  the  weapons  of  war,  or  controlled  the  fate  of  empires :  these  men 
were  Charles  XII.,  of  Sweden,  and  Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia. 

ll  is  here  necessary  to  retrace  our  steps  for  a  few  years.  In  1G61  the 
people  of  Denmark,  disgusted  with  the  tyranny  of  their  nobles,  solemnly 
surrendered  their  liberties  to  the  king;  and  Frederic,  almost  without  any 
effort  of  his  own,  became  an  absolute  monarch.  His  successor.  Christian 
v.,  made  war  on  Charles  XL,  of  Sweden,  who  defended  himself  with  great 
ability,  and,  dying  in  1697,  left  his  crown  to  his  son,  the  valiant  and  enter- 
prising Charles  XII. 

During  the  reign  of  Alexis,  Russia  began  to  emerge  from  the  barbarism 
mto  which  it  had  been  plunged  by  the  Mongolian  invasion  and  the  civil 
wars  occasioned  by  a  long  course  of  tyranny  on  the  part  of  its  rulers.  His 
son  Theodore  pursued  an  enlightened  policy,  reforming  the  laws  encour 
aging  the  arts,  and  introducing  the  manners  and  customs  of  more  civilized 
nations.  At  his  death  he  bequeathed  the  crown  to  his  younger  brother, 
Peter,  in  preference  to  his  imbecile  brother  Ivan,  who  was  several  years 
his  senior.  Through  the  intrigues  of  their  ambitious  sister  Sophia,  a  re- 
bellion broke  out ;  and  owing  to  the  incapacity  of  one  brother  and  the 
youth  of  the  other,  she  continued  to  e.xcrcise  the  whole  sovereign  power. 
Being  accused,  however,  of  plotting  the  destruction  of  her  youngest  bro- 
ther, she  was  immediately  arrested  and  imprisoned;  and  Ivan  having  re- 
tired into  private  life,  Peter  became  sole  and  undisputed  master  of  the 
Russian  empire,  which  was  destined  through  his  efforts,  to  acquire  event 
ually  an  emment  rank  among  the  leading  powers  of  Europe. 

Endowed  with  an  ardent  thirst  for  knowledge,  gifted  with  the  most  per- 
severing courage,  and  animated  by  the  hope  of  civilizing  his  nation,  Peter 
I.,  deservedly  surnamed  the  Great,  exhibited  to  the  world  the  unusual  spec- 
tacle of  a  sovereign  descending  awhile  from  the  throne  for  the  purpose  ol 
rendering  himself  more  worthy  of  the  crown.  Having  regulated  the  internal 
affairs  of  Russia,  Peter  left  Moscow,  and  visited  France,  Holland,  and 
England  incognito;  investigating  their  laws,  studying  their  arts,  sciences,  aud 
manufactures,  and  everywhere  engaging  the  most  skilful  artists  and  me- 
chanics to  follow  him  into  Russia.  But  his  desires  did  not  end  there,  he  wish 
ed  also  to  become  a  conqueror.  He  accordingly,  in  1700,  entered  into  an 
alliance  with  Poland  and  Denmark,  for  the  purpose  of  stripping  the  youth- 
ful Charles  XII.  of  the  whole,  or  of  a  part  of  his  dominions.  Nothing  dis- 
mayed, the  heroic  Swede  entered  into  an  alliance  with  Holland  and  Eng- 
land, laid  siege  to  Copenhagen  and  compelled  the  Danish  government  to 
sue  for  peace.  The  Russians  had  in  the  meantime  besieged  Narva  with 
80,000  men.  But  Charles  having  thus  crushed  one  of  his  enemies,  in  the 
short  space  of  three  weeks,  immediately  marched  to  the  relief  of  Narva, 
where,  with  only  10,000  men  he  forced  the  Russian  entrenchments,  killed 
18,000  and  took  30,000  prisoners,  with  all  their  artillery,  baggage,  and 
ammunition.  Peter  being  prepared  for  reverses,  coolly  observed,  "  I 
knew  that  the  Swedes  would  beat  us,  but  they  will  teach  us  to  become 
conquerors  in  our  turn." 

Having  wintered  at  Narva,  in  the  following  year  Charles  defeated  the 
Poles  and  Saxons  on  the  Duna,  and  overran  Livonia,  Courland,  and  Li- 
thuania.   Elated  with  his  successes,  he  formed  the  project  of  dethroning 


'If 

1.(1 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  QENEIIAL  HISTORY. 


69 


r  or  RUSMA. 

oocupicd  the 
ry,  we  must 
through  tho 
;cr8lliatevcr 
:  these  nieu 
lia. 

Ill  1G61  tho 
cs,  solemnly 
witliout  any 
or,  Christian 
If  with  great 
mt  and  enter- 

he  barbarism 
imd  tho  civil 
rulers.  His 
laws  encour 
lore  civilized 
iger  brother, 
cvcral  years 
Sophia,  a  rc- 
her  and  the 
reign  power, 
'oungest  bro- 
n  having  re- 
naster  of  the 
cquire  event 

the  most  per- 
nation,  Peter 
musual  spec- 
ie purpose  ol 
d  tne  internal 
Holland,  and 
sciences,  and 
tists  and  me- 
•lere,  he  wish 
ntered  into  an 
ng  the  youth- 
Nothing  dis- 
md  and  Eng- 
overnment  to 
d  Narva  with 
lemies,  in  the 
lief  of  Narva, 
imcnts,  killed 
baggage,  and 
observed,  "  I 
IS  to  become 

defeated  tlie 
and,  and  Li- 
)f  dethronin^r 


Augustus,  king  o'"  Poland.  Combining  policy  with  the  terror  of  liis  arms, 
he  entoic'd  Warsaw,  and,  through  the  intrigues  of  the  primate  of  Poland, 
he  obtained  the  de|,  jsition  of  AugHstus,  and  the  election  of  his  Iriend,  the 
young  palatine  Stanislaus  Leczniski,  a.d.  1704.  ThougTi  Peter  haii  been 
unable  to  afford  his  ally  Augustus  much  assistance,  he  had  not  been  inac- 
tive.  Narva,  so  recently  the  scene  of  his  discomfiture,  he  took  by  storm, 
and  sent  an  army  of  00,000  men  into  Poland.  The  Swedish  king,  how- 
ever, drove  them  out  of  tho  country,  and,  at  the  head  of  a  noble  and  vic- 
torious army,  he  marched  onward  with  the  avowed  intention  of  dethroning 
his  most  formidable  enemy,  the  czar  of  Russia.  Peter  endeavoured  to 
avert  the  storm  by  sending  proposals  of  peace,  which  being  haughtily  re- 
jected, he  retreated  beyond  the  Dnieper,  and  sought  to  impede  the  progress 
of  the  Swedes  towards  Moscow,  by  breaking  up  the  roads,  and  hiying 
waste  the  surrounding  country.  Charles,  after  having  endured  great  pri- 
vations, and  being  urged  by  Mazcppa,  hctman  or  chief  of  the  Cossacks, 
who  ofTcrod  to  join  him  with  30,000  men  and  supply  him  with  provisions, 
penetrated  into  the  Ukraine.  He  reached  the  place  of  rendezvous,  but 
the  vigilance  of  Peter  had  rendered  the  designs  of  the  helman  abortive, 
and  ho  now  appeared  rather  as  a  fugitive,  attended  with  a  few  hundred 
followers  than  as  a  potent  ally. 

The  Swedish  army  had  still  greater  disappointments  to  meet  with.  No 
supplies  were  provided,  and  (leneral  Lrwenhaupt,  who  had  been  ordered 
to  join  the  king  with  1.'j,000  men  from  Livonia,  hsid  been  forced  into  three 
engagements  with  the  Russians,  and  his  army  was  reduced  to  4000. 
Braving  these  misfortunes,  Charles  continued  tho  campaign,  though  in  the 
depth  of  winter.  \n  tho  midst  of  a  wild  and  barren  country,  with  an  army 
almost  destitute  of  food  and  clothing,  and  perishing  with  cold,  he  madly 
resolved  to  proceed.  At  lengtii  he  laid  siege  to  Pultowa,  a  fortified  city 
on  tho  frontiers  of  the  Ukraine,  which  was  vigorously  defended.  His 
army  was  now  reduced  to  .30,000  men,  :iii(l  he  was  suffering  from  a  wound 
wliich  ho  had  received  while  viewing  the  works.  The  czar,  at  the  head 
of  70,000  men,  advanced  to  the  relief  of  Pullowa,  and  Charles,  carried  in 
a  lit'  r,  set  out  with  the  main  body  of  his  army  to  give  him  battle.  At 
first  the  impetuosity  of  tho  Swedes  made  the  Russians  give  way,  but 
Charles  had  no  cannon  and  the  czar's  artillery  made  dreadful  havoc  in  the 
Swedish  lines.  Notwithstanding  the  desperate  valour  of  the  troops,  the 
Irretrievable  ruin  of  the  Swedes  was  soon  effected;  8000  were  killed, 
6000  taken  prisoners,  and  12,000  fugitives  were  forced  to  surrender  on  the 
banks  of  the  Dneiper  from  want  of  boats  to  cross  the  river.  Tiie  Swedish 
army  was  thus  wholly  destroyed.  Charles,  and  about  three  hundred 
men,  escajied  with  much  difRculty  to  Bender,  a  Turkish  town  in  Bessa- 
rabia, where  ho  was  hospitably  received,  and  where  he  remained  mactive 
during  several  years,  buoyed  up  with  the  hope  that  thfl  Ottoman  Porte 
would  espouse  his  cause,  and  declare  against  the  czar  of  Russia.  In  one 
ntal  day  Charles  had  lost  the  fruits  of  nine  years'  victories,  and  the  shat- 
tered remnant  of  that  armv  of  veterans,  before  whom  the  bravest  troops 
of  other  countries  (luaileu,  were  transported  by  the  victorious  czar  to 
eolonize  (he  v.  ild  and  inhospitable  deserts  of  Siberia. 
|t  But  tho  inflexible  king  of  Sweden  had  not  even  yet  abandoned  ail  hope 
W  humbling  the  power  of  his  hated  rival.  At  length,  in  1711,  war  was 
declared  against  Russia  by  tho  Porto,  and  the  vizier  Baltagi  Mehemet  ad- 
Tancod  towards  tho  Danube  at  the  head  of  200,000  men.  By  this  immense 
force  the  Russian  army  on  the  banks  of  the  Pruth  was  closely  surrounded 
and  reduced  to  a  slate  of  starvation.  At  this  critical  juncture,  the  czarina 
Catharine,  who  accompanied  her  husband,  sent  a  private  message  to  the 
vizier  and  procured  a  cessatiiii  of  hostilities  preparatory  to  opening  nego- 
tiations, which  were  speeddy  followed  by  a  treaty  of  peace,  (iiarles, 
who  had  calculated  on  the  total  destruction  of  tho  czar,  felt  highly  in- 


m  r\ 


['% 


70 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  QENEllAL  HISTORY. 


.r:'  :;' 


censed  at  this  (lis;i|)[)oiiitinoiit  of  his  most  ardent  hopes,  and  eventually 
procured  tlie  dismissal  of  the  vizier.  His  successor,  however,  alill  less 
favourable  to  tlie  vii^wsof  the  royal  wa;rior,  persuaded  the  sultan,  Achmet 
ill.,  to  si;ifnify  his  wish  that  Charles  should  leave  the  Ottoman  empire.  Uut 
he  resolved  to  remain,  and  the  Porte  iiad  recourse  to  compulsory  mea- 
sures. Mis  house  was  invested  by  Turkish  troops,  and  after  a  fierce  de- 
fence on  the  part  of  himself  and  his  few  attendants,  he  was  taken  and  con- 
veyed as  a  prisoner  to  Adrianople. 

The  enemies  of  Sweden  were,  in  the  mean  time,  prosecuting  their  sue- 
cossful  career.  Stanislaus,  whom  Cliarles  had  placed  on  the  throne  of 
Poland,  had  been  compelled  to  yield  it  to  Aiiuustus,  and  the  Swedish 
frontiers  were  threatened  on  every  side.  Cencriil  Steinbock,  after  having 
gained  a  brilliant  victory  over  tlie  Danes  and  Sa.xons  at  fJadebusch,  and 
burnt  Altona,  wasbesiejjed  iiiToiininjren,  and  forced  to  surrender  with  the 
wl;ole  of  his  army.  IJoused  at  this  intelligence,  tlie  king  of  Sweden 
left  Turkey,  and  after  traversing  Cermany  witiiout  any  attendant,  arrived 
safely  at  Stralsuiid,  the  capital  of  .Swedish  Poinerania. 

At  the  opening  of  the  next  campaign,  [a.d.  171  ">]  Slralsimd  was  besieged 
by  the  Prussians,  Danes  and  Saxons,  !ind  llioiig.'i  obstinately  defended  by 
the  king,  was  forced  to  capitulate,  wliiU;  he  narmwly  escaped  in  a  small 
vessel  to  his  native  shores.  All  Kurojx'  now  considered  that  his  last  effort 
had  been  made,  when  it  was  suddenly  announced  that  he  had  invadoi' 
Norway.  lie  had  found  in  his  new  minister,  Haroii  de  (Joertz,  a  m.iii  wlio 
encouraged  his  most  extravagant  proj('(;ts,  and  who  was  as  bold  in  the 
cabinet  as  his  master  was  undaunted  in  the  field.  Taking  advantage  of  a 
coolness  that  existed  between  !{ussia  and  the  other  enemies  of  Swcdiii, 
Gocrtz  proposed  that  Peter  and  Charles  should  unite  in  strict  amity,  and 
dictati!  the  law  to  Kurope.  A  part  of  this  daring  plan  was  the  restoration 
of  the  Stuarts  to  the  throne  of  Kngland.  Hut  while  tiie  negotiations  were 
in  progress,  (Miarles  invaded  Norway  a  second  time,  and  laid  siege  to 
Fredericksliall,  but  while  there  a  (•annon-ball  terminated  his  eventful  life, 
and  iiis  sister  Ulrica  ascended  the  throne,  A.n.  171S. 

IJy  the  peace  which  Peter  signiMl  with  Sweden,  he  obtained  the  vahu. 
ble  provinces  of  Carelia,  Ingrain,  Ivslhovia,  and  Livonia.  On  tiiis  glorious 
occasion  he  exchanged  the  title  of  czar  for  that  of  emperor  and  aiitocr.it 
of  all  the  Ihissias,  which  was  recognized  by  every  European  power.  One 
year  after  (a. n.  17J'>)  this  truly  extraordinary  man  died,  in  tlie  .53d  year 
of  his  age,  ami  tlie  'I3d  of  a  glorious  and  useful  reign.  Peter  the  Creat 
must  bi!  considered  as  the  real  founder  of  the  power  of  the  Kus.sian  em- 
pire, but  while  iiistory  records  of  hiin  many  noble,  humane,  and  generous 
actions,  he  is  not  exempt  from  the  charge  of  gross  barbarity,  particularly 
in  his  early  years.  He  must  not,  howcvcjr,  be  judged  according  to  tliu 
standard  of  civilized  society,  but  as  an  absolute  inonarirli,  bent  on  tlio 
exaltation  of  a  people  whose  manners  were  rude  and  barbarous. 

Catharine  I.  wdio  had  been  crowned  empress  the  preceding  year,  took 
quiet  possession  of  the  throne,  and  faithfully  pursued  the  plans  of  her  illus- 
trious husband  for  the  improvement  of  Russia  ;  obtaining  the  love  of  her 
subjects  by  the  mildness  of  her  rule  and  the  truly  patriotic  zeal  she  evincci] 
for  their  welfare.  Slie  died  in  the  second  year  of  her  reign,  and  left  the 
crown  to  Peter  II.,  son  of  the  unfortunate  Alexis,  and  the  regency  to 
prince  MenzicofT,  who  was  afterwards  dis'^raeed  and  banished  to  Siberia. 
After  a  short  and  peaceable  reign  Peter  II.  died,  and  with  him  ended  the 
male  line  of  the  family  of  Romanof  a  d.  1730. 


n 


Sfc-. 


Ill]  evciilimlly 
3ver,  Btill  less 
iiltun,  Aclnnet 
n  emi)irc.  Uiit 
iipiilsory  inc!ii- 
cr  a  fu-Ti'u  de- 
akeii  and  con- 

ilinjj  their  Hiic- 
thc  lliriiiu'  of 
1  the  Swi'ilisli 
k,  after  ha\  iuiJ 
ladfbuscli,  and 
euder  with  the 
iiji  of  Swt'dcii 
;i»daut,  arrivi!il 

(1  was  hrsiciTfHl 
ly  ik; fended  hv 
poil  in  a  small 
it  his  last  elVort 
le  had  invadoi' 
rtz,  a  ni.m  who 
us  h(il>l  in  the 
advaiitiiije  of  a 
ies  of  Sweden, 
riel  amity,  and 
the  restoration 
golialions  were 
d  laid  s\v\T>'  to 
lis  eventful  life, 

ined  the  valua- 
On  this  glorious 
or  and  auloer.it 
in  power.  One 
ill  tlie  53d  year 
Peter  the  (Jreat 
ho  Russian  em- 
,e,  and  generous 
ity,  particularly 
ceording  to  the 

h,  hcnt  on  the 
arous. 

.'ding  year,  took 
laiisof  her  iUus- 

tlie  h)ve  of  her 
zeal  she  evinced 
igii,  and  left  the 

the  regency  to 

ahed  to  Siheria. 
h  him  ended  the 


OUTLINK  SKETCH  OF  QENEllAL  IHSTOllY.  71 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  AFPAIM    or  r.UROPK,  VROM  TUK    F.STAI1M9IIMKNT  OF    THE    HANOIERIAN 
SUCCESSION   IN    KMULANl),    TO   THK    YKAR    1740. 

Ariuvkd  at  a  period  of  coinparaiivo  repose,  wo  may  now  take  it  rctro- 
ipectivo  glance  al  the  affairs  of  Great  Ihituin.  In  1707,  Scotland  and 
England  had  been  united  under  this  appellation,  and  the  act  of  union  in- 
troduced equal  rights,  liberties,  commercial  arrangements,  and  a  parlia- 
ment common  to  both  nations.  During  the  life  of  William  HI.  thoprotes- 
Unt  succession  had  been  decided  by  act  of  parliament,  in  favour  of  the 
countess  palatine  Sophia,  duchess  of  Hanover,  wife  of  the  first  electoral 
•ovoreign  of  that  territory  and  mother  of  George  I.  This  priu'  ss  died  a 
short  lime  before  queen  Anne,  and  George  1.,  upon  that  event,  took  the 
oath  of  succession,  by  which  he  engaged  to  observe  and  maintain  the  laws 
and  liberties  of  Uritain,  not  to  engage  that  kingdom  even  in  defensive 
wars  on  account  of  his  electorate,  and  to  emjiloy  no  other  than  British 
nhiisters  and  privy  counsellors  in  the  administration  of  governmeiii. 

As  George  I.  in  a  great  measure  owed  his  succession  to  the  crown  to 
the  Whi^  party,  lie  openly  avowed  himself  their  friend  and  patron,  and 
they  were  no  sooner  in  o/Iice  than  they  used  their  power  to  crush  their 
political  adversaries  the  Tories.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  his  reign  wai 
•the  im|Kachnient  of  the  duke  of  Ormoiid,  and  the  lords  Oxford  and  IJoling' 
broke.  Oxford  was  committed  to  the  Tower,  but  Holingbroke  and  Or 
inond  made  their  escape  to  the  continent.  The  evident  partiality  of  the 
monarch  for  the  Whigs,  and  their  vindictive  proceedmgs,  gave  great  um- 
brage to  many  persons,  and  roused  the  anger  of  all  who  were  favourable 
to  the  Stuart  dynasty.  These  feelings  more  especially  prevailed  in  the 
JHigiilands  of  Scotland,  and  a  plan  was  formed  for  a  general  insurrection 
in  favour  of  the  Pretender,  whom  they  proclaimed  inuler  the  title  of  James 
411.  Hy  the  authority  of  the  prince  the  earl  of  Mar  had  raised  his  standard, 
)iind  the  elans  quickly  crowded  to  it,  so  that  he  was  soon  nt  the  head  of 
;©,000  men,  including  several  noblemen  and  other  persons  of  distinction, 
ffiut  their  plans  were  prematurely  formedl  and  their  want  of  unanimity  in 
conducting  the  necessary  operations  proved  fatal  to  the  cause  in  which 
they  were  embarked.  They  were  attacked  and  completely  routed  by  the 
royal  forces  at  Preston  Pans,  a.d.  171G.  The  Pretender  and  the  earl  of 
Mar  effected  their  escape,  but  most  of  the  insurgent  chiefs  and  officers 
were  doomed  to  suffer  death  as  traitors.  The  rebellion  '^"ing  tlius  sup- 
pressed, an  act  was  passed  for  making  parliaments  sept"'"..,.,'  instead  of 
trienmal. 

We  now  return  to  the  affairs  of  Spain  and  other  continental  states.  We 
have  seen  that  the  death  of  the  emperor  and  the  accession  of  the  arch- 
dtikc  Charles  to  the  imperial  throne,  left  Philip  V.-  iMidisputed  master  of 
Spain  and  of  its  colonies.  His  first  queen  being  dead,  iic  married  Elizabeth 
Farnesc,  heiress  of  Parma,  Tuscany,  and  Placentia,  a  woman  of  mascu- 
line si)irit,  who,  having  a  powerfid  influence  over  the  mind  of  her  husband, 
and  being  herself  directed  by  the  daring  cardinal  Alberoni,  his  prime  min- 
toter,  indulg(!d  in  the  prospect  of  recovering  those  possessions  which  had 
bten  wrested  from  Spain,  and  confirmed  by  the  peace  of  Utrecht.  The 
•Chemes  of  Alberoni,  in  fact,  went  much  farther;  by  the  aid  of  Charle« 
XII.  of  Sweden,  and  Peter  I.  of  Russia,  he  desi"^ncd  to  change  the  poh- 
Ileal  condition  of  Europe;  he  desired  to  restore  tlie  Stuarts  to  the  Ihrona 
of  England,  to  deprive  the  duke  of  Orleans  of  the  regency  of  France,  and 
to  prevent  the  interference  of  the  emperor  by  engaging  the  Turks  to 
assail  his  dominions.  These  ambitious  projects  were  defeated  hy  what 
was  termed  the  "  quadruple  alliance"  (a.d.  1716)  between  Austria,  France, 


72 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


England  and  Holland.  The  court  of  Spain  for  a  time  resisted  this  pow. 
erful  confederacy,  but  its  disasters  both  by  land  and  sea,  compelled  Philip 
to  accede  to  the  terms  which  were  oflered  him,  and  Alberoni  was  dis- 
missed, A.D.  1720.  A  private  treaty  was  afterwards  concluded  between 
the  king  of  Spain  and  the  emperor,  and  another,  foi  the  express  purpose 
of  counteracting  it,  was  concluded  between  England,  France,  Holland, 
Prussia,  Denmark  and  Sweden.  This  led  to  a  short  war  between  Eng- 
land and  Spain :  the  English  sent  a  fleet  to  the  West  Indies  to  block  up 
the  galleons  in  Porto-Bello,  and  the  Spaniards  made  an  unsuccessful  at- 
tack upon  Gibraltar.  Neither  party  having  gained  by  the  rupture,  the 
mediation  of  France  was  accepted,  and  a  treaty  was  concluded  at  Seville, 
by  which  all  the  conditions  of  the  quadruple  alliance  were  ratified  and 
confirmed.  One  of  its  articles  providing  that  Don  Carlos,  son  of  the 
queen  of  Spain,  should  succeed  to  Parma  and  Placentia,  the  Spanish 
troops  now  took  formal  possession  of  those  territories.  It  was  also 
agreed  that  the  "pragmatic  sanction,"  or  law  by  which  the  emperor 
secured  the  succession  of  the  Austrian  dominions  to  his  female  heirs,  in 
failure  of  male  issue,  should  be  guaranteed  by  the  contracting  powers. 

George  I.,  king  of  England,  died  in  1727,  but  his  death  made  no  change 
in  the  politics  of  the  cabinet.  Sir  Robert  Walpole  continuing  at  the  head 
of  affairs  after  the  accession  of  George  II.  Some  few  years  previous  to 
the  death  of  his  father,  the  nation  had  experienced  much  loss  and  con- 
fusion by  the  failure  of  the  "  South-Sea  scheme,"  a  commercial  specula- 
tion on  so  extensive  a  scale  that  it  had  well-nigh  produced  a  national 
bankruptcy.  It  was  a  close  imitation  of  the  celebrated  "  Mississippi 
scheme,"  which  had  a  short  time  before  involved  in  ruin  thousands  of 
our  Gallic  neighbours. 

The  pacific  disposition  of  Cardinal  Fleury,  prime  minister  of  France, 
and  the  no  less  pacific  views  of  Walpole,  for  nearly  twenty  years  secured 
the  happiness  and  peace  of  both  countries.  But  the  pugnacious  spirit  of 
the  people,  and  the  remembrance  of  old  grievances  on  both  sides,  led  to 
new  altercations  with  the  Spaniards,  which  were  greatly  aggravated  by 
their  attacking  the  English  employed  in  cutting  logwood  in  the  bay  of 
Campeachy.  A  war  was  the  consequence,  and  France  became  the  ally 
of  Spain,  a.d.  1739.  A  small  force  being  sent  to  the  West  Indies,  under 
Admiral  Vernon,  the  important  city  of  Porto-Bello  was  captured,  which 
success  induced  the  English  to  send  out  other  armaments  upon  a  larger 
scale.  One  of  these,  under  Commodore  Anson,  sailed  to  the  South  Seas, 
and  after  encountering  severe  storms,  by  which  his  force  was  much  dimi- 
nished, he  ravaged  the  coasts  of  Chili  and  Peru,  and  eventually  captured 
the  rich  galleon  annually  hound  from  Acapulco  to  Manilla.  Tlie  other 
expedi'ion  was  directed  against  Carthagcna,  but  it  proved  most  disastrous, 
owing  to  the  mismanagement  and  disputes  of  the  commanders,  and  to 
the  unhealthiness  of  the  climate,  not  less  than  15,000  troops  having  fallen 
»ictims  to  disease. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

rROH     THE    ACCESSION   OF     THE     EMPRESS     THERESA,    OV   AUSTRIA,   TO    TBK 
PEACE    OF   AIX-LA-CUAPELLE. 

Wb  now  return  to  the  state  of  affairs  in  northern  Europe.  On  the  death 
of  the  emperor,  Charles  VI.,  his  daughter,  Maria  Theresa,  by  virtue  of  the 
pragmatic  sanction,  took  possession  of  his  hereditary  dominions,  but  she 
found  she  was  not  likely  to  retain  peaceable  possession  of  them.  The 
kintjs  of  Poland,  France  and  Spain,  exhibited  their  respective  claims  to 
the  whole  Austrian  succession,  and  Frederic  the  Great,  king  of  Prussia 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  QENERAL  HISTORY. 


78 


TO   TBE 


.r 


who  nad  just  ascended  his  throne,  looking  only  to  the  aggrandizement  of 
his  dominions,  joined  her  enemies  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  share  of  the 
spoil.  At  the  liead  of  a  well-appointed  army  he  entered  Silesia,  took 
Breslau,  its  capital,  and  soon  conquered  the  province,  and  in  order  to  re- 
tain his  acquisition  he  offered  to  support  Maria  Theresa  against  all  hfr 
enemies,  a.d.  1741.  This  proposal  was  steadily  and  indignantly  rejected 
by  the  princess,  though  she  was  well  aware  that  the  French  and  Bava- 
rians were  on  the  point  of  invading  her  territories,  for  tlio  express  purpose 
of  elevating  Charles  Albert,  elector  of  Bavaria,  to  the  imperial  dignity. 
Under  the  command  of  the  prince,  assisted  by  the  marshals  Reilelsle  and 
Broglio,  the  united  armies  entered  Upper  Austria,  took  Lintz  and  menaced 
Vienna.  Maria  Theresa  being  compelled  to  abandon  her  capital,  fled  to 
Hungary,  and  having  convened  the  states,  she  appeared  before  the  assem- 
bly witii  her  infant  son  in  her  arms,  and  made  such  an  eloquent  appeal 
that  the  nobles  with  one  accord  swore  to  defend  her  cause  till  death. 
"  Moriamur  pro  kege  nostro  Maria  Theresa."  Nor  were  these  mere  idle 
words;  her  patriotic  subjects  rushed  to  arms,  and,  to  the  astonisliment  of 
her  enemies  a  large  Hungarian  army,  under  the  command  of  Prince 
Charles  of  Lorraine,  marched  to  the  relief  of  Vienna,  and  the  elector  was 
obliged  to  raise  tiie  siege.  A  subsidy  was  at  the  same  time  voted  to  her 
by  the  British  parliament,  and  the  war  assumed  a  more  favourable  aspect. 
The  Austrians  took  Munich,  after  defeating  the  Biivariaus  at  Meniberg, 
and  the  prince  of  Lorraine  expelled  the  Prussians  and  Saxons  from  Mo- 
ravia. The  elector,  however,  had  the  gratification,  on  retiring  into  Bo- 
hemia, to  take  the  city  of  Prague,  and  having  been  crowned  king  of  Bo- 
hemia, he  proceeded  to  Frankfort  where  he  was  chosen  emperor  under 
the  name  of  Charles  VH.,  a.d.  1742. 

The  king  of  Prussia  having  obtained  a  brilliant  victory  over  the  Aus- 
trians at  Czarslau,  took  immediate  advantage  of  his  position,  and  signed 
a  separate  treaty  with  the  queen  of  Hungary,  who  ceded  to  him  Lower 
Silesia  and  Glatz,  on  condition  of  his  remaining  neutral  during  her  contest 
with  the  other  powers.  Tiie  conduct  of  Frederic  gave  just  cause  of  of- 
fence to  the  court  of  France,  for,  thus  deprived  of  its  most  powerful  ally, 
the  French  army  must  have  been  inevitaoly  ruined  but  for  the  superior 
abilities  of  Marshal  Belleisle,  who  effected  one  of  the  most  masterly  re- 
treats through  an  enemy's  country  that  has  been  recorded  in  the  annals 
of  modern  warfare.  Louis  XV.  now  made  offers  of  peace  on  the  most 
equitable  terms,  but  the  queen,  elated  with  success,  haughtily  rejected 
them.  In  consequence  of  a  victory  gained  by  Prince  Charles  of  Lorraine, 
she  had  also  soon  the  gratification  of  recovering  the  imperial  dominions 
from  her  rival  Charles  VH.,who  took  refuge  in  Frankfort,  and  there  lived 
in  comparative  indigence  and  obscurity. 

England  had  now  become  a  principal  in  the  war,  and  the  united  British, 
Hanoverian  and  Austrian  forces  marched  from  Flanders  towards  Ger- 
many. The  king  of  F,ngland  had  arrived  in  the  allied  camp,  and  the 
French  commander,  Marshal  de  Noailles,  having  cut  off  their  supplies, 
the  destruction  of  the  British  and  Austrian  army  was  anticipated,  either 
by  being  cut  to  pie(;es  if  they  attempted  a  retreat,  or  by  their  surrender. 
They  commenced  their  retreat,  and,  fortunately  for  them,  the  good  gener- 
alship of  Noailles,  who  had  taken  possession  of  Dettingen  in  their  front, 
was  counteracted  by  the  rashness  of  his  nephew,  the  count  de  Grammont, 
who  advanoed  into  a  small  plain  to  give  the  allies  battle;  but  the  impetu- 
osity of  the  French  troops  was  met  by  the  resolute  and  steady  courage 
of  the  allies,  which  obtained  for  them  the  victory  of  Dettingen.  The 
marshal  retreated,  but  the  allies,  owing  to  the  irresolution  of  George  IL, 
obtained  no  farther  advantage. 

The  haughty  and  ambitious  conduct  of  the  empress,  who  avowed  hei 
intention  of  keeping  Bavaria,  gave  great  offence  to  several  of  the  Germac 


74 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  (JENERAL  HI3T0EY. 


!l:i'  ■; 


I 


lU 


princes,  and  France,  Prussia,  and  the  elector  palatine,  united  to  check  the 
growing  power  of  Austria.  Tiie  French  arms  were  victorious  m  Flanders ; 
the  kills  of  Prussia,  who  had  invaded  Bohemia,  was  defeated  with  great 
loss,  and  forced  to  make  a  precipitate  retreat  into  Silesia,  a.d.  1744.  Not 
long  after  this  the  death  of  the  elector  of  Bavaria  removed  all  reasonable 
grounds  for  tlie  continuance  of  hostilities,  his  son  having  renounced  all 
claims  to  the  imperial  tlu'one,  while  Maria  Theresa  agreed  to  put  him  in 
possession  of  his  hereditary  dominions. 

During  the  campaign  of  1745  the  Imperialists  lost  Parma,  Placentia  and 
Milan.  In  Flanders  a  large  French  army,  under  Marshal  Saxo,  invested 
Tournay,  while  the  allies,  under  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  thougli  greatly 
inferior  in  numbers,  inarched  to  its  relief.  The  king  of  France  and  the 
dauphin  were  in  the  French  camp,  and  their  troops  were  strongly  posted 
behind  the  village  of  Fontenoy.  Tlie  British  infantry  displayed  the  most 
undaunted  valour,  carrying  everyliiing  before  tliem ;  but  they  were  ill 
supported  by  their  German  and  Dutch  allies,  whose  indecision  or  want  of 
courage  lost  the  day.  The  capture  of  Tournay,  Ghent,  Ostend,  and  Ou- 
denarde  by  the  French,  was  the  immediate  consequence  of  this  important 
victory. 

In  England  the  fatal  battle  of  Fontenoy  disappointed  the  expectations 
of  the  people,  and  produced  great  irritation  in  the  public  mind,  while  it  at 
the  same  time  revived  the  hopes  of  the  Jacobites,  who  thougiit  it  a  fortu- 
nate  time  to  attempt  the  restoration  of  the  Stuart  family.  Ciiarles  Ed- 
ward, the  young  Pretender,  accordingly  landed  in  Scotland,  where  his 
manly  person  and  engaging  manners  won  the  hearts  of  the  Highlanders, 
who  were  everywhere  ready  to  give  him  a  hearty  welcome  and  join  his 
standard.  Thus  supported  by  the  Highland  chiefs  and  tlieir  clans,  he 
took  possession  of  Dunkeld,  Perth,  Dundee,  and  Edinburgh.  Having  pro- 
claimed his  father,  he  marched  against  Sir  John  Cope,  the  royal  com- 
mander, over  whom  he  obtained  a  victory  at  Preston  Pans.  After  receiv- 
ing some  reinforcements  he  crossed  tlie  English  border,  took  Carlisle  and 
Lancaster,  and  marched  boldly  on  to  Derby.  But  being  disappointed  in 
his  hopes  of  powerful  assistance  from  the  English  Jacobites,  he  took  the 
advice  of  the  majority  of  his  ofFicers  .i;;d  retraced  his  steps.  On  iiis  re- 
turn to  Scotland  his  forces  were  considerably  augmented,  and,  receiving 
a  supply  of  money  from  Spain,  he  prepared  to  renew  the  contest  with 
spirit.  But  lliougli  he  was  at  first  successful,  by  taking  liie  town  of  Stir- 
ling, and  defeating  the  troops  sent  against  him  at  Falkirk,  the  approach  of 
a  larger  army,  commanded  by  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  soon  compelled 
the  prince  to  retreat  to  the  north.  On  reaching  Culloden  Moor,  near  In- 
verness, he  resolved  to  make  a  stand.  As  usual,  the  Highlanders  made  a 
furious  onset,  but  their  desperate  charge  was  received  by  a  close  and  gall- 
ing tire  of  musketry  and  artillery,  which  in  a  very  short  time  proved  de- 
cisive. Giving  up  all  for  lost,  Charles  Edward  desired  his  parlizans  to 
disperse,  am'  became  himself  a  wretched  and  proscribed  fugitive,  in  the 
hourly  dreaii  if  falling  into  tlie  hands  of  iiis  merciless  pursuers,  who,  after 
their  victory,  with  fiendlike  barbarity,  laid  waste  tlie  country  with  fire  and 
sword.  After  wandering  in  tlie  Highlands  for  several  months,  and  receiv- 
ing rumerous  proofs  of  the  fidelity  of  his  unfortunate  adlierents,  whom 
the  reward  of  jC30,000  for  his  capture  did  not  tempt  to  betray  him,  he 
escaped  to  France,  a.d.  1746. 

In  liie  mean  time  tlic  French  troops  under  Marshal  Saxe  were  overnn 
ning  the  Netherlands ;  Brussels,  Antwerp,  and  Namur  were  captured ;  and 
the  sarguinary  battle  of  Roucoux  ended  the  campaign.  In  Italy,  the  arms 
of  Franc(  and  her  allies  were  not  equally  successful ;  and  after  a  series  ol 
battles  in  Germany  and  the  Low  Countries,  in  which  the  fortune  of  war  was 
pretty  equally  balanced,  conferences  wereopenedat  Aix-la-Chapelle,  and 
Ijrehminaries  of  peace  signed :  a.  o.  174rf.     The  basis  of  this  treaty  was  the 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY 


76 


restitution  of  all  places  taken  during^  the  war,  and  a  mutual  release  of  pris- 
oners. Frederic  of  Prussia  was  guranteed  in  the  possession  of  Silesia  and 
Glatz;  the  Hanoverian  succession  to  the  English  throne  was  recognised 
and  the  cause  of  the  Pretender  abandoned. 

We  brougiit  our  notice  of  Russia  down  to  the  death  of  Peter  II.,  in  1730. 
When  that  occurred,  a  council  of  the  nobles  placed  on  the  throne  Anne 
Iwannowa,  daughter  of  Ivan,  Peter's  eldest  brother,  who  soon  broke 
through  the  restrictions  imposed  upon  her  at  her  accession.  She  restored 
to  Persia  the  provinces  that  had  been  conquered  by  Peter  the  Great;  and 
terminated  a  glorious  war  againstTurkey,  in  conjuction  with  Austria,  by  sur- 
rendering every  place  taken  durhigthe  contest .  a.d.  1735.  She  is  accused 
of  being  attached  to  male  favourites,  the  principal  of  whom  was  a  man  of 
obscure  birth,  named  John  Biren,  who  was  elected  duke  of  Courland, 
and  who  governed  the  empire  with  all  the  despotism  of  an  autocrat.  Pre 
viously  to  her  death,  Anne  had  bequeathed  the  throne  to  the  infant  Ivan, 
and  appointed  Biren  regent;  but  the  latter  enjoyed  his  high  dignity  only 
twenty-two  days,  when  he  was  arrested  and  sent  into  exile  in  Siberia. 
Russia  has  ever  been  noted  for  cabals,  intrigues,  and  revolutions.  The  sol- 
diery had  been  induced  to  espouse  the  cause  of  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Peter  the  great.  Anne  was  arrested  and  imprisoned ;  the  infant  emperor 
was  confined  in  the  fortress  of  Schusselburg ;  and  Elizabeth  was  immedi- 
ately proclaimed  empress  of  all  the  Russias.  This  princess  concluded  an 
advantageous  peace  wit'i  Sweden ;  and  lent  her  powerful  assistance  to 
Maria  'l^ieresa,  in  her  war  with  the  king  of  Prussia,  for  whom  Ehzabeth 
felt  a  violent  personal  enmity. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PROGRESS  OF  EVENTS    DURING  THE  SEVEN  YEARS'  WAR    IN    EUROPE,     AMER- 
ICA, AND  THE   EAST  INDIES. 

During  the  period  we  have  been  describing,  in  which  the  west  and  the 
north  of  Europe  resounded  with  the  cries  of  distress  or  the  shouts  of  vic- 
tory, the  throne  of  Hindostan  was  filled  by  Mahmoud  Shah,  a  voluptuous 
prince;  who,  in  order  to  avoid  becoming  the  object  of  personal  hatred, 
confided  all  public  business  to  the  nobles  and  his  ministers  :  these  officers 
offended  or  neglected  the  subahdar  of  iheDeccan,  who  invited  Nadir  Shah 
to  invade  the  East  Indies.  In  1738  the  I  ersian  warrior  marched  into  that 
country  at  the  head  of  an  army  inured  to  war  and  greedy  of  plunder,  and 
defeated  with  ease  the  innumerable  but  disorderly  troops  of  the  mogul. 
The  crown  and  sceptre  of  Mahmoud  lay  at  the  feet  of  his  conqueror. 
Delhi,  his  capital,  was  taken ;  every  individual  whoseappearance  rendered 
it  probable  that  he  was  acquainted  with  concealed  treasures,  was  subjected 
to  the  most  horrid  tortures;  and  it  is  asserted  that  100,000  persons  were 
massacred  in  one  day  !  He  plundered  the  country  of  upwards  of  thirty 
millions  sterling,  and  extended  the  bounds  of  his  empire  to  the  banks 
of  the  Indus.  After  committing  the  most  revolting  acts  of  cruelty,  he 
was  assassinated  by  his  own  officers,  who  placed  his  nephew,  Adil  Shah, 
on  the  vacant  throne  ;  a.  d.  1717.  We  will  now  take  a  view  of  European 
interests  in  that  distant  region. 

Among  other  stipulations  in  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  it  was  agreed 
that  the  English  settlement  of  Madras,  wliich  during  the  war  of  the  suc- 
cession had  been  taken  from  the  English  by  the  French,  should  be  restor- 
ed. Dupleix,  the  French  governor  of  Pondicherry,  had  long  sought  aa 
opportunity  for  adding  to  the  dominions  of  his  countrymen  in  India;  and 
the  continual  disputes  of  the  native  princes  favoured  his  schemes,  inas- 
much as  the  interference  of  the  French  was  generally  solicited  by  one  of 
the  parties,  who  remunerated  their  European  allies  by  fresh  concessions 


76 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


^•1 


n  ,t;i 


I  I  ': 


of  territory  on  every  sucli  occasion.  This  naturally  roused  the  jealousy 
of  tiieir  English  rivals,  who  adopted  a  similar  line  of  policy;  so  that 
whenever  there  was  a  rupture  between  the  native  princes,  they  each  found 
allies  in  the  European  settlers.  A  fierce  contention  arose  for  the  nabob- 
ship  of  the  Carnati^i  The  French  supported  the  claims  ofChunda  Sahib; 
the  English  being  ai/plied  to  by  Mohammed  Ali,  son  of  the  late  nabob  of 
Arcot,  espoused  hi  cii„se  :  a.  d.  1751.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  Clive 
(afterwards  lord  Olivf  appeared  in  the  capacity  of  a  military  leader. 
He  had  been  o-'k  nai  y  in  the  civil  service  of  the  East  India  Company; 
but  he  now  exchanged  the  pen  for  the  sword,  and  soon  proved  himself 
more  than  a  match  for  all  the  talents  which  were  brought  into  play  against 
him.  With  a  small  force  he  took  Arcot ;  and  he  afterwards  successfully 
defended  it  against  Chundah  Sahib,  wlio  besieged  it  with  a  numerous  army. 
Many  brilliant  victories  followed  on  the  side  of  the  English  and  their  allies. 
The  Rajah  of  Tanjore,  and  other  independent  chiefs  joined  them.  The 
French  lost  most  of  their  acquisitions :  Mohammed  All's  claim  was  ac- 
knowledged ;  and  a  treaty  was  entered  into  between  the  French  and  En- 
glish, that  neither  party  should  in  future  interfere  with  the  affairs  of  the 
native  princes.     Time  proved  how  useless  was  such  a  stij)ulati(in. 

The  peace  of  Aix-la-Chapelle  was  not  of  \o\\g  duration.  France  and 
England  were  still  at  war  in  the  East  indies,  and  their  differences  in  re- 
spect to  the  boundaries  of  their  respective  colonies  in  North  America  still 
remained  for  adjustment.  Another  war  in  Europe  was  the  inevitable  con- 
sequence ;  and  from  the  term  of  its  duration  it  obtained  the  name  of  "  the 
^iiven  years'  war."  England  iniited  with  Prussia  ;  and  an  alliance  between 
the  emperor,  France,  Russia,  Sweden,  and  Saxony,  was  immediately  con- 
cluded :  A.  D.  1706.  The  commencement  of  the  campaign  had  a  discoura- 
ging aspect  for  the  king  of  Prussia;  the  Russians  were  advancing  through 
Lithuania,  a  Swedish  army  occupied  his  attention  in  Pomerania,  and  the 
united  forces  of  the  French  and  Imperialists  were  advancing  through  Ger- 
many. With  his  characteristic  bolilncss,  Frederic  anticripaled  the  attack 
of  his  numerous  fors,  and  invaded  both  Saxony  and  Bohemia ;  making 
himself  master  of  Dresilen,  routing  the  Austrians  at  Lowcsitz,  and  com- 
pelling 17,000  Saxons  to  lay  down  their  ams  at  Parma. 

In  the  ensuing  campaign  the  marshal  d'Estrces  crossed  the  Rhine,  with 
80,000  men,  to  invade  Hanovci.  The  Hanoverians  and  Hessians,  under 
the  command  of  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  were  driven  out,  and  the  French 
became  masters  of  the  electorate.  Una  wed  by  the  formidable  prepira 
tionsof  his  enemic?,  Frederic  again  assumed  the  offensive,  and  penetrated 
into  Bohemia;  but  a  victory  obtained  at  Kolin,  by  the  Austrian  general 
Daun,  compelled  him  to  retreat  hastily  into  his  dominions,  which  were  now 
threatened  in  every  direction.  The  French  had  rapidly  advanced  upon 
Magdeburg;  the  victorious  Russians  threatened  the  north  of  Silesia,  while 
the  Austrians  had  attacked  the  south  and  even  penetrated  to  Berlin, 
where  they  levied  heavy  contributions  ;  and  the  prince  of  Brunswick  Be- 
vern  had  delivered  up  Breslau.  In  this  emergency,  Frederic  could  scarce- 
ly expect  to  acquire  any  further  fame;  but,  with  his  accustomed  energy, 
he  hastened  to  Dresden,  assembled  an  army,  and  with  half  the  numberof 
his  French  and  German  opponents,  gave  them  battle  at  the  village  of  Ros- 
bach,  and  obtained  over  them  a  most  brilliant  victory.  His  loss  amount- 
ed to  only  five  hundred  men,  while  that  of  the  enemy  was  nine  thousand, 
in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.  In  four  weeks  after  he  obtained  the 
far  more  important  victory  of  Lissa,  and  recovered  Breslau. 

During  the  campaign  of  1758,  the  Prussian  monarch  recovered  Schweid- 
nitz,and  invested  Olmutz.  In  the  meantime  Prince  Ferdinand  of  Bruns- 
wick crossed  the  Rhine,  defeated  the  French  at  Crevelt,  and  penetrated  to 
the  very  gates  of  Louvain  in  Brabant.  No  commander,  perhaps  ever  en- 
dured the  vicissitudes  of  fortune  in  more  rapid  succession  than  did  Fred 


OUTLINE  BKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HI3T0RY. 


0  jealousy 
Y;  so  that 
enuh  found 
the  nabob- 
iida  Sahib; 
e  nabob  of 
t  Mr.  Clive 
iry  leader. 
Company; 
ed  himself 
ilay  against 
uccessfully 
irous  army, 
their  allies. 
Iiem.  The 
m  was  ac- 
rh  and  En- 
ffairs  of  the 
(in. 

France  and 
ices  in  re- 
nierica  still 
vitable  con- 
ine  of  "  the 
ice  between 
liately  con- 
a  discoura- 
ihg  through 
nia,  and  the 

1  rough  Ger- 
1  the  attack 
ia;  making 
:,  and  com- 

Rhine,  with 
sians,  under 
I  the  French 
)le  prcpira 
1  penetrated 
ian  general 
h  were  now 
uiccd  upon 
ilesia,  while 
to  Berlin, 
uiswick  Be- 
nuld  scarce- 
ned  energy, 
e  number  of 
lageofRos- 
)ss  amount- 
0  thousand, 
}btaincd  the 

?d  Schwcid- 
d  of  Bruns- 
cnctraled  to 
aps  ever  en- 
fi  did  Fred 


77 


eric  in  this  campaign ;  but  though  he  was  several  times  in  the  most  immi- 
nent peril,  lie  at  Icnglii  compelled  his  formidable  rival,  Marshal  Daun,  to 
raise  the  sieges  of  Dresden  and  Leipsic,  and  to  retire  into  Bohemia,  while 
Frederic  himself  entered  the  former  city  in  triumph. 

It  is  in  crises  like  these  that  the  destiny  of  slates  is  seen  to  depend  less 
upon  the  extent  of  their  power,  than  upon  the  qualification  of  ce»'tain  emi- 
nent individuals,  who  possess  the  talent  of  employing  and  increasing 
their  resources,  and  of  animating  national  energies.  Tliis  was  in  an  es- 
pecial degree  the  case  of  Frederic  the  Great.  He  was  engaged  with  the 
powerful  and  well-disciplined  armies  of  Austria;  with  the  French,  whose 
tactics  and  impetuosity  were  undisputed  ;  with  the  imm.ovable  persever- 
ance of  the  Russians  ;  with  the  veterans  of  Sweden,  and  with  the  adniira- 
ily  organized  forces  of  tlic  empire.  In  numerical  strength  they  far  more 
han  trebled  the  Prussians ;  yet  he  not  only  kept  them  constantly  on  the 
alert,  but  frustrated  their  combined  attacks,  and  often  defeated  them  with 
great  loss. 

At  the  opening  of  the  next  campaign  f  1759)the  fortune  of  war  was  on  the 
side  of  the  Prussians.  They  destroyed  the  Russian  magazines  in  Poland, 
levied  contributions  in  Bohemia,  and  kept  the  Imperialists  in  check. 
Prince  Ferdinand,  in  order  to  protect  Hanover,  found  it  necessary  to 
give  the  French  battle  at  Minden,  where  success  crowned  his  efforts, 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  unaccountable  conduct  of  Lord  George  Sack- 
ville,  who  commanded  the  cavalry,  and  disobeyed  or  misunderstood  tho 
order  to  charge  liie  discomfited  French,  a  victory  as  glorious  and  com- 
plete as  that  of  Blenheim  would  in  all  probability,  have  been  the  result. 
A  decided  reverse  soon  succeeded;  the  combined  Austrian  and  Russian 
army  of  80,000  men  attacked  the  Prussians  at  Cunersdorf,  and  after  a 
most  sanguinary  conflict  tho  latter  was  defeated.  Frederic  soon  retrieved 
this  disaster,  and  tiie  war  continued  to  proceed  with  dubious  advantage  ; 
but  the  Knglish  grew  tired  of  this  interminable  kind  of  warfare,  and  turned 
their  attention  from  the  actions  of  tiieir  intrepid  ally  to  matters  affecting 
their  colonial  interests  in  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  in  America. 

The  bold  and  skilful  operations  of  Clive  in  the  East  Indies  attracted 
great  notice.  Having  reinstated  the  nabob  of  Arcot,  his  next  great  ex- 
ploit was  thc-recapture  of  Calcutta,  wliieb  'iP.J  been  taken  by  the  nabob  of 
Bengal.  This  was  followed  by  the  unexampled  victory  oTi'lassy,  ariH"" 
the  final  cstablshment  of  the  British  in  northern  India.  In  America,  Admi- 
lal  Bocaswcn  burned  the  enemy's  ships  in  the  harbour  of  Louisburg,  and 
compelled  the  town  to  surrender;  the  island  of  St.  John  and  Cape  Breton 
was  taken  by  General  Amherst;  and  Brigadier  Forbes  captured  fort  Du 
Quesne,  while  the  French  settlements  on  the  African  coast  were  reduced. 
The  island  of  Gaudaloupc,  in  the  West  Indies,  was  also  taken  by  the 
English,  down  Point  and  Ticonderoga  were  conquered  by  General  Am- 
herst, and  Sir  William  Johnson  gained  possession  of  the  important  for- 
tress of  Niagara.  The  French,  thus  attacked  on  every  side,  were  unable 
to  withstand  the  power  and  enthusiasm  of  their  enemies :  and  General 
Wolfe,  who  was  to  have  been  assisted  in  his  attack  on  Quebec  by  Amherst, 
finding  that  the  latter  general  was  unable  to  form  a  junction  with  him,  rc- 
•olved  to  attempt  the  arduous  and  hazardous  enterprise  alone.  With 
this  view  he  landed  his  troops  at  night  under  the  heights  of  Abraham, 
and  led  them  up  the  steep  and  precipitous  ascent;  so  that  when  the  mor- 
ning dawned,  the  French  commander,  the  Marquis  de  Montcalm,  to  his 
astonishment,  saw  the  English  occupying  a  position  which  had  before  been 
deemed  inaccessible.  To  save  the  city  a  battle  was  now  inevitable ; 
both  generals  prepared  with  ardour  for  the  conflict.  Just  as  the  scale  of 
victory  was  beginning  to  turn  in  favour  of  the  British,  tlic  heroic  Wolfe  fell, 
mortally  wounded.  With  redoubled  energy  his  gallant  troops  fought  on, 
till  at  Icngtii  the  French  fled  in  disorder ;  and,  when  the  intelligence  wa 


78 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


'  II 


I     ii 


,1,1  .; 
111;! 


m 


brought  to  tho  dying  hero,  he  raised  his  head,  and  with  hig  bst  br^atn, 
faintlj  uttered,  "  I  die  happy ;"  nor  was  the  death  of  Mopttairn  less  i.oble 
or  soldierlilie.  He  had  been  mortally  wounded  ;  ami  lie  was  no  soi>ii^:i- 
apprised  of  his  dangf?r  than  he  exclaimed,  "so  much  Die  fcrtier;  I  tl.all 
not  live  to  witness  ths  surrender  of  Quebec."  The  comph-t  Mibjugsl.on 
of  the  Canadas  quickiy  followed.  And,  amidst  the  exj^loit^j  of  his  army 
and  navy,  George  II.  expired  suddenly  at  Kensington,  ta  tin,  lUih  yvi.\,  >( 
liis  reign,  and  was  succeeded  by  liis  gnuidson,  George  lli.,  a.  d.  VHVo. 

On  the  European  continent  the  last  campaigny  were  car'  'ed  on  with  less 
spirit  than  before;  both  sides  werr  exhausted  by  their  pievious  efforts, 
and  tho  party  which  was  ik;iirous  ofpo'i't!  endeavoured  to  avert  suc!i  oc- 
currences as  might  revive  U'O  hopes  <Jt'  die  enemy.  A  f  imilv  compact 
was  now  concluded  between  the  courts  of  Versailles  and  !\I;idiid  ;  and  si-e- 
ing  no  chance  of  gainnig  any  colonial  advaut;ii^-:3  over  liritian  whiit;  ii'j 
navy  rode  triumi)hant  on  the  ocean,  Ihcry  resolved  to  try  their  united 
strength  in  atlciiipting  the  subjugation  of  its  aiifienr,  ally,  Purt.jgni.  That 
couiury  was  defended  more  by  its  natural  advuitagvH  than  i\v  its  n-  'lary 
forrc;  ilio  progress  of  the  Spaniards  being  retaidcd  by  ihc  mi;  crablccon- 
dit  ).i  if  I'.'  roads,  and  liy  thi;  neglect  of  all  provision  ior  liieir  sustenance. 
An  Kii  dish  X.tcc  of  ?i!00  men,  together  with  a  large  supply  of  arms  and 
animui!  •;!)!>,  v;is  sent  to  as.sist  the  Portuguese,  and  though  several  towns 
at  firs't  icU  u\\o  the  iiands  of  the  Spaniards,  the  British  and  native  troops 
(iisplayol  a  leeided  superiority  throughout  the  campaign,  and  compelled 
ilieip  to ;  vacuate  tlic  kingdom  with  eonsider.ible  loss.  In  Germany,  Prince 
Fi'rd;ii;>.iid  and  the  marquis  of  Granby  not  only  protected  Hanover,  but  rc- 
eovtred  tlie  greater  part  of  Hesse.  At  the  same  tim*.  Frederic  experienced 
an  une.\pei!ted  stroke  of  good  fortune,  'j'he  empret^s  .'lizabeth  of  Russia 
died,  and  Peter  III.,  who  had  long  admired  the  heroic  king,  and  who  had 
never  forgotten  that  tlie  influence  of  Frederic  had  especially  contributed 
to  tile  foundation  of  his  hopes  and  greatness,  had  no  sooner  ascended  the 
throne  than  lie  made  peace  with  him,  and  restored  all  the  conquests  of 
the  Kussiaiis.  From  that  time  the  king  was  not  only  enabled  to  concen- 
trate his  whole  force  against  the  Austrians,  but  was  supported  by  Peter, 
who  concluded  an  alliance  will,  him,  and  despatched  to  liis  aid  a  corps  of 
20,000  men.  The  reign  of  Peter  III.,  was,  however,  of  very  brief  dura- 
tion; and  Catharine  II.,  although  she  confirmed  the  peace,  recalled  the 
auxiliary  Russians  from  the  Prussian  army. 

Meanwhile  the  Knglish  were  extending  their  conquests  in  the  West  In- 
dies. They  took  Havannali  and  Manilla  from  the  Spaniards,  with  Marti- 
nique, St.  Lucie,  Grenada,  and  St.  Vincent,  from  tlie  French.  Tired  of  a 
war  which  threatened  the  whole  of  their  colonies  with  ruin,  the  cabinets 
of  France  and  Spain  were  glad  to  find  that  the  British  minister  was  equal- 
ly anxious  to  bring  the  war  to  a  close.  Peace,  which  was  now  the  uni- 
versal object  of  desire  to  all  parties,  was  concluded  at  Versailles,  on  the 
10th  of  February,  17G3,  between  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Spain,  and  five 
days  later,  at  Ilubertsburg  in  Saxony,  between  Austriaand  Prussia.  This 
memorable  contest,  wiiich  had  required  such  an  extraordinary  expendi- 
ture of  blood  and  treasure — a  war  in  which  the  half  of  Kurope  had  been  in 
arms  against  p]ngland  and  Prussia — was  concluded  with  scarcely  any  al- 
teration in  tlie  territorial  arrangements  of  Germany,  and  without  produ- 
cing any  great  or  lasting  benefit  to  either  of  the  bcUigerants,  so  far,  at  least 
as  their  interests  in  Europe  were  concerned.  But  in  the  Fast  and  West 
Indies,  as  well  as  in  America,  it  had  added  greatly  to  the  colonial  posses- 
sions of  Great  Britian. 


\1'  ■  s 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTOaY 


79 


Inst  H-'atn, 
ii  iciss  r.oble 
no  sooutf 
ier:  I  shall 
iiiibjugBton 
r  his  army 

D.  T'Ol;. 
on  with  less 
ous  efforts, 
art  8uc!i  oc- 
ly  compact 
J;  and  si-e- 
11  wliiit;  ils 
,hcir  united 
,inai.  Thai 
its  n-  h-Avy 
;  arable  con- 
siistcnance. 
if  arms  and 
veral  towns 
itive  troops 
J  compelled 
lany,  r  riuce 
over,  but  re- 
cxpcricnccd 
th  of  Russia 
nd  who  had 

contributed 
scended  the 
onquests  of 
I  to  concen- 
•d  by  Peter, 
d  a  corps  of 

brief  dura- 
recalled  the 

;he  West  In- 
with  Marti- 
Tircd  of  a 
the  cabinets 
;r  was  equal- 
ow  the  uni- 
ilies,  on  t!ie 
:)ain,  and  five 
ussia.  Tills 
ary  expendi- 
B  had  been  in 
rcely  any  al- 
thout  produ- 
o  far,  at  least 
it  and  West 
:)nial  posses- 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

fROM  THB  CONCLUSION  OP  THE  SEVEN  YEARs'  WAR  TO  THE   FINAL   PARTITION  OF 

POLAND. 

The  "  seven  years'  war,"  the  principal  features  of  which  we  have  giv- 
•n,  left  most  of  the  contending  powers  in  a  state  of  groat  exhaustion  ;  but 
.ioiie  had  been  more  affected  by  it  than  France.  While  that  country,  how- 
ever, was  declining,  Russia,  uiV't  tlie  Kmpress  Catharine  II.,  was  rapidly 
acquiring  a  preponderating  influence  among  the  nations  of  Europe;  and 
no  opportunity  of  adding  to  her  already  extensive  territories  were  ever 
neglected.  On  the  death  of  Augustus  HI.,  king  of  Poland,  the  diet  assem- 
bled at  Warsaw  to  choose  a  successor.  Catharine  espoused  the  cause  of 
Stanislaus  Poiiiatowsky ;  and  as  the  discussions  were  not  conducted  with 
the  temper  which  ought  to  characterize  deliberative  assemblies,  tiie  pru- 
dent empress,  as  a  friend  and  neighbour,  sent  a  body  of  troops  thither  to 
keep  the  peace.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  Stanislaus  ascended  the 
throne.  But  Poland  had  long  been  agitated  by  disputes,  both  religions 
and  political,  and  the  new  sovereign  was  unable  to  control  the  elements 
of  discord  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  The  animosity  which  existed 
between  the  Catholics  and  the  Dissidents,  as  the  dissenting  sects  were 
called,  had  risen  to  a  height  incompatible  with  the  safety  of  the  kingdom. 
The  Dissidents,  who  had  been  much  oppressed  by  the  Catholics,  claimed 
an  equality  of  rights,  which  being  refused,  they  appealed  to  foreign  pow- 
ers for  protection  ;  tliose  of  the  Greek  church  to  the  empress  of  Russia, 
and  the  Lutherans  to  the  kings  of  Prussia  and  Denmark.  A  civil  war 
now  arose  In  all  Its  horrors,  and  its  miseries  were  greatly  aggravated  by 
the  insolence  and  brutality  of  the  Russian  troops  which  Catharine  had 
gent  to  tlie  aid  of  the  Dissidents.  The  Catholic  nobles  formed  a  confede- 
racy for  the  maintenance  of  their  privileges  and  their  religion  ;  but  it  was 
useless  to  contend  against  the  overwhelming  forces  brought  against  them. 
Cracow,  where  lliey  for  a  long  time  held  out  against  famine  and  pesti- 
lence, was  at  length  taken  by  storm,  and  the  unhappy  fugitives  were  pur- 
«ued  beyond  the  Turkish  frontiers. 

The  protection  wlilch  the  confederates  received  in  Turkey,  and  mutual 
joiTi[)lalnts  concerning  the  incursions  of  the  wandering  hordes  of  Tartars 
and  Cossacks,  had,  some  years  before,  furnished  a  pretence  for  war  be- 
tween the  Porte  and  the  Russians.  It  was  impossible  that  Mustapha  III. 
could  any  longer  contemplate  with  indifTerence  the  transactions  which 
look  place  In  Poland ;  not  only  was  the  security  of  his  northern  provinces 
endangered,  but  he  felt  justly  indignant  at  the  violation  of  his  dominions. 
He  accordingly  remonstrated  with  the  empress;  and  she  speciously  re- 
plied, that  having  been  requested  to  send  a  few  troops  to  the  assistauce 
of  her  unhappy  neighbour,  In  order  to  quell  some  internal  commotions, 
■he  could  not  refuse.  Rut  a  body  of  Russians  having  afterwards  burned 
the  Turkish  town  of  I3alta,  and  put  all  its  inhabitants  to  death,  war  was 
declared,  and  the  European  and  Asiatic  dominions  of  the  Porte  summoned 
to  arms.    While  all  the  officers  who  were  to  compose  the  suite  of  the 

trand  vizier  were  pn'|)aring  at  Constantinople  for  their  departure,  the  mul- 
farlous  hordes  of  militia  assembled  themselves  out  of  Asia,  and  covered 
the  Bosphorus  and  Hellespont  with  numerous  transports.  On  the  other 
hand,  tiie  dllfereut  nations  composing  the  extensive  empire  of  the  autocrat 
of  all  the  Russlas,  most  of  wliom  were  but  a  few  degrees  removed  from 
.barbarism,  put  themselves  in  motion,  and  a  body  of  troops,  selected  fronn 
among  the  corps  dispersed  over  Poland,  was  assembled  on  the  side  of  the 
Ukraine.  The  capitation  tax  of  the  Russian  empire  was  raised,  and  a  war 
contribution  of  20  per  cent,  levied  on  all  salaries.    Large  armies  on  both 


eo 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  QENERAI.  HlSTOllY. 


Bides  advanced  against  the  Danube  ;  and  in  the  spring  of  1769  the  Turkish 
standard  was  displayed  on  the  froutisrs  of  Russia,  where  the  Ottoman 
troops  cominitled  frightful  ravages,  and  drove  the  enemy  across  the  Dueis- 
ter  ;  they,  however,  sud'ered  a  severe  defeat  at  Chocziin,  and  a  more  de- 
cisive blow  was  soon  after  struck  by  the  Russians,  who  twice  defeated  the 
Turkish  fleet,  and  at  length  burnt  fifteen  of  their  ships  of  the  line  in  the 
bay  of  Chesme.  Meantime,  the  Russian  land  forces  were  equally  success- 
ful; the  grand  Ottoman  army  was  totally  overthrown  near  the  Prulh.iiud 
the  capture  of  Bender,  Ismail,  and  other  places,  quickly  followed. 

Greece,  long  accustomed  to  subjection,  was  but  ill-provided  with  troops, 
and  the  inhabitants  pursued  their  own  afTaiis  unmolested  ;  but  when  they 
received  intelligence  of  the  enterprise  of  the  Russians — a  Christian  peo- 

Ele  of  the  Greek  church — to  deliver  the  Greeks  from  the  yoke  of  the  bar 
arians,  the  love  of  liberty  was  rekindled  in  many  of  their  hearts.  All 
Laconia,  tlie  plains  of  Argos,  Arcadia,  and  a  part  of  Achaia,  rose  in  insur- 
rection, and  spared  none  of  their  former  rulers.  The  Turks,  in  the  mean- 
time, crossed  the  isthmus  in  order  to  relieve  Patra,  and  the  pasha  of  Bos- 
nia, with  30,000  men,  ad  anced  with  little  resistance  into  the  ancient  Mes- 
sene;  at  Modon  the  Greeks  were  defeated  with  great  loss,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  their  hope  of  regaining  their  freedom  was  a  delusive  one.  At 
the  end  of  the  campaign  the  plague  broke  out  at  Yassy,  and  spread  to 
Moscow,  where  it  carried  off  90,000  persons,  at  the  rate  of  nearly  1000 
victims  daily. 

The  Crimea  was  seized  by  the  Russians,  and  the  grand  vizier  was  forced 
to  retreat  into  Ha;mus ;  the  Janizaries  rose,  put  their  aga  to  death,  and  set 
fire  to  their  camp.  The  Porte  in  the  meantime  was  delivered  from  Ali  Bey, 
the  Egyptian  pasha,  who  fell  in  battle  against  his  brother-in-law,  Moham- 
med. Kurope  had  taken  a  more  lively  interest  in  his  adventures,  because 
he  appeared  to  be  elevated  above  national  prejudices;  but  his  fault  cou- 
eisted  in  his  manifesting  his  contempt  for  those  errors  too  early,  and  in 
00  decided  a  manner.  The  Russians  at  length  crossed  the  Danube,  and 
the  Janizaries  ^ave  way.  They  were  twice  compelled  to  abandon  the 
siege  of  Silistria,  and  they  lost  a  great  part  of  their  artillery  near  Varna. 
But  a  reverse  of  fortune  was  nigh ;  for  not  long  after,  Hassan  Piisha,  a 
man  of  great  courage  and  intelligence,  oy  birth  a  Persian,  and  who  was 
high  in  the  favour  of  the  sultan,  swore  that  not  a  Russian  should  pass  the 
autumnal  equinox  on  the  Turkish  side  of  the  Danube — and  he  faithfully 
kept  his  word. 

Mustapha  HI.  died  in  1774,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  abd-ul- 
Hamcd.  But  neither  the  sultan  nor  his  people  appeared  inclined  to  pros- 
ecute the  war.  About  the  same  time,  Pugatcheff,  the  Cossack,  at  the 
head  of  many  warlike  hordes,  broke  into  open  rebellion ;  and  this  con- 
vinced Catharine  that  peace  was  not  less  desirable  for  Russia  than  for 
the  Porte.  A  treaty  was  accordingly  entered  into,  by  whi('h  the  latter 
ceded  a  considerable  portion  of  territory  to  the  empress,  together  with 
a  right  to  the  free  navigation  of  the  Black  Sea. 

We  now  return  to  notice  the  melancholy  :e  of  Poland.  An  attempt 
on  the  personal  liberty  of  Stanislaus  having  been  made  by  the  turbulent 
and  bigoted  nobles,  it  served  as  a  pretext  for  the  empress  of  Russia  first 
to  send  an  army  into  the  country,  and  afterwards,  in  conjunction  with 
Prussia  and  Austria,  to  plan  its  dismemberment.  Each  party  to  the  com- 
pact had  some  old  pretended  claims  to  urge  in  behalf  of  the  robbery,  and 
as  the  other  nations  of  Europe  were  not  in  a  condition  to  wage  war  against 
the  powerful  trio,  their  mediatorial  interferenco  would  have  been  ineffec- 
tual. A  Diet  was  called  to  give  a  colour  to  the  transaction,  and  a  major- 
ity of  votes  being  secured,  the  armies  of  the  spoilers  severally  took  pos- 
session of  the  districts  which  had  been  previously  parcelled  out ;  and  lit- 
tle else  remained  of  Poland — independent  Poland — but  its  language  an« 
its  name:  a.  d.  1773 


OUTLINK  8KKTCU  OF  GENERAL  HISTOllV. 


81 


rRo>i 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WAR,  To  THE  RECOGNITION  OF 
THE  INDEPENDENCE  OF  THE  UNITEI'      I'ATES. 


To  describe,  willi  chronological  order,  even  a  limited  portion  of  the 
momentous  events  of  liie  period  to  which  wc  are  now  approachincr,  would 
be  impossible  in  au  outline  sketch  of  general  history.  We  shall  there- 
fore content  ourselvcH  with  merely  alluding  to  some  of  the  leading  fea- 
tures which  present  themselves,  and  then  enter  upon  our  series  of  sepa- 
rate iiistories. 

The  first  great  event,  then,  which  in  this  place  demands  our  attention, 
is  thi!  American  war.  Our  notice  of  it,  as  a  matter  of  course,  will  be 
most  brief  and  cursory.  Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  North  America, 
were  many  wiio  emigrated  from  Great  britain  on  account  of  civil  or  re- 
ligious persecution— men,  who,  being  of  republican  principles,  and  jeal- 
ous of  the  smallest  encroachments  of  their  rights,  naturally  instilled  those 
princi|)Ics  into  tiie  minds  of  their  cliildren,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of 
that  spirit  of  resistance  to  arbitrary  acts  of  power,  which  kindled  the 
flames  of  war  between  the  mother  country  and  the  colonies,  and  ended  in 
the  establishment  of  a  powerful  republic.  The  constiiulion  of  the  Amer- 
ican colonies  bore  the  original  impress  of  liberty.  Under  the  protection 
of  Great  Britain,  North  America  stood  in  fear  of  no  foreign  enemy,  and 
the  consciousness  of  her  native  strength  was  already  too  great  to  permit 
her  to  feel  much  apprehension  even  of  her  mother  country.  Religion 
was  everywhere  free  from  restraint,  agriculture  was  held  in  honour,  and 
peace  and  order  were  protected  against  the  attempts  of  parties,  and  wild 
and  lawless  men.  The  people,  like  the  cwuntry  they  inhabited,  appeared 
lo  be  in  the  full  vigour  of  youth ;  ardent,  independent,  and  capable  of 
astonishing  exertions  when  aroused  by  the  stimulus  of  the  passions. 

In  17G5  a  stamp-duty  on  various  articles  was  imposed  by  the  British 
parliament  on  the  colonists,  but  on  their  remonstrating,  the  act  was  soon 
after  repealed.  Subsequently  a  duty  was  laid  on  tea;  this  was  resisted, 
and  at  Boston  the  tea  was  thrown  into  the  sea.  Coercive  measures  were 
then  tried,  and  in  1775  a  civil  war  began.  In  the  following  year  the 
Americans  issued  their  Declaration  of  Independence.  Many  battles  were 
fought,  but  nothing  very  decisive  took  place  till  the  year  1777,  when  Gen. 
Burgoyne,  the  British  commander,  was  surrounded  at  Saratoga,  and  com- 
pelled to  surrender,  with  about  4000  men. 

With  a  blind  infatuation,  little  dreaming  of  the  danger  of  espousing 
principles  professedly  repul)lican,  and  with  no  other  view,  indeed,  than 
that  of  humbling  a  powerful  neighbour,  France  now  entered  the  lists  as 
the  ally  of  the  Americans,  and  Spain  no  less  blindly  followed  the  exam- 
ple. But  Kngland  had  augmented  the  number  of  her  troops,  and  placed 
them  under  the  connnand  of  lords  Cornwallis  and  Rawdon,  who  harassed 
the  Americans,  under  Washington,  while  Admiral  Rodney  displayed  his 
superiority  in  a  naval  enL'agement  with  the  Spaniards.  But  it  was  not 
merely  the  hostility  of  the  French  and  Spaniards  that  the  Knglish  had  to 
cope  with ;  the  jealousy  of  the  continental  powers  displayed  itself  by 
their  entering  into  an  armed  neutrality,  the  avowed  object  of  which  was 
to  resist  the  rii;lit  of  search  which  England's  long-established  naval  supe- 
riority had  taught  her  to  exercise  as  a  right  over  the  vessels  of  other  na- 
tions. Holland  was  now  added  to  the  list  of  enemies,  the  faithless  con- 
duct of  that  state  having  induced  the  British  government  to  declare  war 
against  it,  and  many  of  the  Dutch  possessions  in  South  America  and  the 
West  Indies  were  taken  from  them.  Meantime  the  war  in  America,  as 
well  as  on  ita  coasts,  was  carried  on  with  iacreaaed  vigour,  the  French 
—6 


i:|l'|lf"' 


«S 


OUTLINK  SKETCH  OF  aENERAL  HISTORY. 


exerting  themselves  not  as  mere  piirtisansf  in  the  cause,  but  as  pnncipaia 
It  was  cvidcMit  lliat,  aUhon;.jli  ttie  war  miglil  bo  long  protracted,  the  reccv 
ery  of  the  Norih  American  coloiiius  was  not  liitcly  to  bo  accomplished, 
and  us  the  Kiigtisli  had  been  several  tiiries  out-geacrallcd,  and  the  last 
loss  on  their  part  vjonsisted  of  (iOOO  men  at  Yorktown,  under  (^oriiwallis, 
who  had  been  conipcUed  to  surrender  to  a  powerful  comt)ined  French  and 
American  army  commanded  by  Wafthington,  Kngland  began  to  think 
•erioii'iiy  of  making  up  iho  quarrel  with  her  rebellious  sons. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  war,  Admiral  Itodney  gave  the  French 
fleet,  commanded  by  Count  de  Grasse,  a  memorable  defeat  in  the  West 
Indies,  while  General  KUict  showed  tho  French  and  Spaniards  how  futile 
were  their  attempts  against  Gibraltar.  In  short,  great  as  were  the  dis- 
advantages with  which  the  English  had  to  contend,  the  energies  and  ro- 
iources  of  the  nation  were  stiU  eq\iat  to  the  task  of  successfully  coping 
with  its  enemies  in  Kurope,  while  in  the  vast  empire  of  British  India 
fresh  laurels  were  continually  gathered,  and  tlic  French  were  there  dis- 
possessed of  all  their  fletilenienls. 

On  ihn  20tli  of  January.,  1783,  the  independence  of  the  United  States 
wap  formally  a(;knowU;dged  by  F.ngland,  and  George  Washington,  the 
man  « lu)  had  led  the  armies  and  directed  the  councils  of  America,  wa» 
chosen  president. 


M 


III 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

rROM  THG  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  r'RENCH   HEVOLUTION,  TO  THE  UEATU  or 

ROItESPItllHG. 

The  most  eventful  period  of  modern  history  now  bursts  upon  our  view 
In  tlie  course  of  the  ages  that  have  passed  successively  before  us,  we 
have  wilne.^sed  sudden  revolutions,  long  and  sanguinary  contests,  and 
the  transfer  of  some  province  or  city  from  one  sovereign  to  another  at 
the  termination  of  a  war.  These  have  been  ordinary  events.  We  have 
alio  marked  the  gradual  rise  and  fall  of  empires,  the  subjugation  of  king- 
doms, and  the  annihilation  of  dynasties  ;  but  they  bear  no  comparison  to 
that  terrific  era  of  anarchy  and  blood,  designated  "the  French  lievolu- 
tion."  The  history  of  that  frightful  period  will  be  elsewhere  related  ;  we 
shall  not  here  attempt  to  describe  its  causes,  or  notice  the  rise  of  that 
stupendous  military  despotism  which  so  long  tlireatened  to  bend  the 
whole  civilized  world  under  its  iron  sceptre.  The  apologists  of  the 
French  revolution  tell  us  that  it  was  owing  to  the  excesses  of  an  expen- 
sive  and  dissipated  court ;  to  the  existence  of  an  immense  standing  army 
in  the  time  of  peace;  to  the  terrors  of  the  Bastilc;  to  lettres  de  cachet  (or 
mandates  issued  for  the  apprehension  of  suspected  individuals),  and  to  a 
general  system  of  espionage,  which  rendered  no  man  safe.  Others  as- 
Bcribe  it  partly  to  the  '•  spirit  of  freedom"  imbibed  by  the  French  soldiers 
during  the  American  war;  but,  still  more,  to  tho  general  diffusion  of  po- 
litical philosophical,  and  infidel  writings,  which,  replete  with  sarcasm  and 
wit,  wore  levelled  equally  at  the  pulpit  and  the  throne,  and  thus,  by  un- 
settling the  minds  of  the  people,  destroyed  the  moral  bonds  and  safe- 
guards of  society. 

Hut,  whatever  might  have  been  the  true  causes,  certain  it  is,  that  vague 
ideas  of  freedom  beneath  ro[  u!)lican  institutions  had  unsettled  the  minds 
of  men,  not  merely  in  Fran*  e,  but  throughout  Europe.  It  was  in  that 
country,  however,  that  public  discontent  was  most  strongly  manifested. 
The  ptjople  were  ripe  for  innovation  and  (diange ;  and  Louis  XVI.,  though 
amiable  as  a  man,  had  not  the  necessary  energy  or  abilities  to  couateraet 
public  feeling  or  direct  the  storm. 


principal* 
Iho  reccv 
luplished , 
id  the  l:iNt 
;oriiwallt9, 
'rencli  and 
ti  to  think 

le  French 
1  the  Wo8t 
how  futile 
re  the  dis- 
ies  and  ro- 
illy  coping 
itish  India 
there  dis- 

ted  States 
ington,  the 
nerica,  was 


OUTLINE  8KETCH  OF  QENEUAL  II18T  JttY. 


83 


uKATii  or 

n  our  view 
il'orc  us,  we 
)iitesls,  and 
another  at 

We  have 
im  of  king- 
inparison  to 
ch  Kevolu- 
rdated ;  we 
rise  of  that 
o  bend  the 
isl9  of  the 
f  an  expen- 
nding  army 
ic  cachet  (or 
is),  and  to  a 

Others  as- 
[ich  soldiers 
iision  of  po- 
ircasin  and 
thus,  by  on- 
Is  and  safe- 

,  tliat  vague 
d  the  minds 
was  in  that 
manifested. 
VI.,  though 
J  couateraei 


In  17B9,  when  the  public  income  of  France  was  inadequate  to  the 
wants  of  the  state,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  convoke  the  States-Gen- 
eral, or  representatives  of  the  three  orders — nobles,  clergy,  and  tiers-itat 
or  commons.  At  first  sonic  salutary  reforms  were  agreed  to ;  but  the 
commons  wished  to  assume  too  great  a  share  of  the  power,  and,  being 

\it'  iho  most  numerous  body  in  this  national  assembly,  they  carried  their  fjfc- 

vourite  measures  in  spite  of  the  court  and  privileged  orders.  To  check 
the  rising  spirit  of  turbulence  and  faction,  the  king  was  advised  to  collect 
a  large  body  of  troops  in  the  environs  of  Paris,  and  he  also  dismissed 
Nrckcr,  his  minister  of  finance.  Both  these  measures  were  highly  un- 
popular, and  the  mob,  excited  by  the  democrats,  committed  great  ex- 
cesses.   Anuing  other  acts  of  outrnge,  they  seized  the  arms  deposited  in 

'}'■  the  hotel  of  the  Invalides,  attacked  the  Daslile,  and  levelled  tluit  ancient 

fortress  with  the  ground.  From  that  hour  may  be  dated  the  .  .11  of  the 
monarchy.  The  terrified  king  tried  every  mod(  of  concession ;  but  the 
infuriated  populace,  led  by  artful  and  interested  demagogues,  and  now 
familiar  wiih  scenes  of  blood  and  tumult,  were  not  to  be  appeased.  The 
capital  was  divided  into  sections,  and  the  National  CJuard  was  formed, 
and  placed  under  the  command  of  the  Marquis  de  la  Lafayette,  who  had 
eariud  his  popularity  in  the  American  war.  Meanwhile  the  Assembly 
abolished  the  privileges  of  the  nobility  and  clergy,  confiscated  the  property 

3  of  the  church,  divided  the  kingdom  into  departments,  and  subverted  all 

the  ancient  forms  and  institutions;  a.  d.  1790. 

A  very  general  emigration  of  the  nobles  and  clergy  took  place,  and 
Louis,  abandoned  even  by  his  own  brothers,  was  virtually  a  prisoner,  or 
a  mere  tool  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  And  now  arose  that  democratic 
society,  afterwards  famous  in  the  blood-stained  annals  of  the  revolution, 
undrr  the  name  of  JacoAtn*.  From  this  focus  of  rebellion  issued  numer- 
ous cinissaries.  who  founded  similar  societies,  or  clubs,  in  every  part  ol 
France;  and  thus  their  contaminating  influence  spread  aruund  till  the 
whole  political  atmosphere  became  one  corrupt  mass.  Surrounded  on 
every  side  by  enemies,  the  king  and  the  royal  family  at  length  resolved 
to  seek  refuge  in  one  of  the  frontier  towns  ;  but  they  were  discovered  at 
Varennes,  and  brought  back  to  Varis  amid  the  insults  of  the  rabble.  The 
most  violent  Jacobins  loudly  demanded  his  death  ;  a.  d.  1791. 

War  had  commenced  on  the  part  of  Austria  and  Prussia,  and  the  French 
at  first  met  wiih  some  severe  checks;  but  on  the  advance  of  the  Prus 
sians,  the  duke  of  Brunswick  published  a  violent  manifesto  against  the 
French  nation,  which  did  much  injury  to  the  cause  it  advocated.  A  de- 
cree was  issued  for  suspending  the  king  from  all  his  functions,  as  well  as 
for  the  immediate  convocation  of  a  national  convention.  He  and  his 
family  were  closely  confined  in  the  tower  of  the  Temple,  and  the  com- 
mune of  Paris,  at  that  time  under  the  control  of  Danton,  Robespierre,  aad 
Marat,  began  its  tyrannical  reign.  Under  a  pretence  that  the  Royali-^U 
who  were  confined  in  the  different  prisons  were  domestic  enemies  of 
Frar.:e,  the  forms  of  justice  were  dispensed  with,  and  they  were  irtiia- 
manly  butchered.  Royalty  was  next  formally  abolished;  and  it  was  re- 
■olve'd  ere  long  to  bring  the  king  to  the  scafTold.  Meantime  two  power- 
ful parties  appeared  in  the  assembly  ;  the  Girondists,  or  Brissotines,  led 
by  Brissot,  who  were  sincere  republicans,  and  the  Jacobin,  or  mountain 

Earty,  so  called  from  the  upper  seats  which  they  occupied,  acting  under 
lobespierre  and  his  friends,  whose  sole  objects  were  anarchy  and  blood- 
shed. 
Diimouriez,  at  the  head  of  the  French  army,  htd  found  it  impossible  to 

Srevcnt  the  entrance  of  the  duke  of  Brunswick  into  Champagne ;  but 
isease  and  famine  arrested  his  progress,  and  ho  was  compelled  to  aban- 
don all  his  conquests.  The  Austrians  were  also  obliged  to  retreat 
Savoy  was  conquered  by  a  republican  force,  and  Germany  invaded.    The 


I|,;...| 


^':  itii 


84 


OUTLINK  SKETCH  OF  GRNRRAL  IIISTOnV. 


I 


Austrians  woro  siynilly  dnffateil  at  Jemappc ;  and  this  was  qii.ckly  fol 
lowed  by  Iho  rediictiim  of  Brusaels,  Lciifp,  Namur,  and  of  the  whole  of 
the  Netherlands,  wliich  were  declared  free  and  independent  states. 

In  December,  1703,  the  royal  captive  was  led  to  the  bar  of  the  Convert, 
tion,  where,  after  nndergoinjf  a  long  and  insulting  examination,  he  was 
unanimously  declared  gnilty  of  conspiring  against  the  national  liberty, 
and  sentenced  to  die  by  the  guillotine.  Ho  conducted  himself  with  dig- 
nity, and  heard  the  decision  of  his  fate  with  firmness  and  resignation. 
Thus  peris'"-  '  in  the  39th  year  of  his  age  and  the  Idth  of  his  reign, 
Louis  Xvl.,  the  amiable  anil  unfortimate  descendant  of  a  long  line  of 
kings.  Soon  after  this  judicial  nuirdcr,  a  decree  of  the  national  Conven- 
tion promised  assistance  to  every  nation  desirous  of  throwing  off  tho 
yoke  of  its  rulers.  This  was  naturally  reganled  as  a  virtual  declaration 
of  war  aji.iinst  all  the  kings  of  Kurope  ;  ami  l-Ingland,  Holland,  and  Spain 
were  now  added  to  the  list  of  its  enemies.  Tht;  war  for  a  time  assumed 
a  new  feature ;  a  Uritish  army,  commanded  by  the  duke  of  York,  reduced 
Valenciennes,  and  attacked  Dmikirk,  ami  the  FnMich  lost  their  conquests 
as  rapidly  as  they  had  acquired  them.  Hut  before  the  close  of  the  year 
1793,  the  fortune  of  war  was  again  in  tlii'ir  favour;  the  duke  of  York 
was  obliged  to  raise  the  siege  of  Dunkirk,  with  great  loss ;  while  the 
Austrians  were  driven  within  their  own  frontiers. 

The  horrors  of  civil  war  now  raged  in  France  with  unmitigated  fury 
The  ferocious  Robespierre  was  at  the  head  of  the  fiercest  Jacobins;  and 
Paris  daily  witnessed  tho  execution  of  the  most  respectable  of  its  citi- 
z  ns.  Nearly  all,  indeed,  who  were  remark.ible  either  for  rank,  property, 
or  talents,  were  the  victims  of  the  reign  of  terror;  and  among  the  num- 
ber who  fell  by  the  axe  of  the  guillotine  was  tho  unfortunate  iineen, 
Marie  Antoinette,  who  had  been  for  some  time  immured  within  the  dun- 
geon of  the  Conciergerie.  The  royalists  in  La  Vendee  dared  to  oppose 
the  revolutionary  decrees;  but  tho  cities  which  resisted  the  regitiidu 
authorities,  particularly  Lyons  and  Nantes,  were  visited  with  tho  most 
horrid  persecutions.  Hundreds  of  victims  were  daily  shot  or  g\iillotineil, 
and  the  whole  country  was  laid  waste  with  demoniac  vengeance.  In  the 
meantime  extraordinary  measures  were  taken  by  the  convention  to  in- 
crease the  armies  by  levies  en  masse ;  an<l  private  property  was  arbitrarily 
seized  to  support  them.  The  Knglish  took  possession  of  Toulon,  hut 
were  soon  forced  to  abandon  it  to  the  troops  of  the  convention.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that  on  this  occasion  the  talents  of  Napoleon  Huona- 
parte  were  first  signally  distinguished;  this  yoiuigofficcr  having  the  com- 
mand of  the  artillery  of  the  besiegers.  The  war  in  the  Netherlands  was 
carried  on  with  vigour,  victory  and  defeat  alternately  changing  the  posi- 
tion of  tlie  allied  armies. 

•The  progress  of  the  French  revolution  was  naturally  watched  with 
feelings  of  intense  interest  by  the  people  of  Kngland,  but  with  sentiments 
very  opposite  in  their  nature;  and  it  required  all  the  talents  and  vigour 
of  those  who  were  at  the  helm  of  state  to  uphold  the  ancient  institutions, 
and  direct  the  national  councils  with  safety. 

During  the  year  1794  the  French  armies  were  pretty  generally  success- 
ful. But  while  they  spread  terror  abroad,  the  French  nation  groaned 
under  the  sanguinary  despotism  of  Robespierre  and  his  ruthless  asso- 
ciates. The  time  had  at  length,  however,  arrived  when  this  monster  was 
to  pay  the  forfeit  of  his  own  wretched  life  for  the  outrages  he  had  coin- 
milted,  and  the  unparalleled  misery  he  had  caused.  Being  publicly  ac- 
cused of  treason  and  tyranny  by  Tallien,  he  was  arrested,  and  executed 
the  following  day,  along  with  twenty-two  of  his  principal  accomplices, 
amidst  the  merited  maledictions  of  the  spectators.  In  a  few  days,  above 
aeventy  members  of  the  cominuno  also  shared  a  similar  fate. 


Ur 

lt;i 
the 
Gr 


I 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


8S 


qii.ckly  fol 
\ii  whulc  of 

lltf'S. 

ho  L'onven. 

ion,    ho  \V!19 

m:il  liberty, 
If  with  (lig- 
n'si>>n;iti<»n. 
f  liis  reign, 
onif  line  ol 
Hill  Uoii veil, 
viiig  o(T  tho 
(leelaration 
li,  ami  Spiiin 
le  iissuined 
)rk,  reduced 
ir  eoiKiuesta 
of  tho  year 
ikc  of  York 
;  while  the 

tiirated  fury 
leobiiis;  and 
e  of  its  citi- 
ik,  property, 
ng  the  miiii- 
inate  qiiccn, 
ihiii  the  dull- 
ed to  oppose 
the  re^;il■idu 
ith  tho  most 
)r  guillotined, 
ance.  In  the 
■entioii  to  iii- 
^as  arbitrarily 

Toulon,  hut 
cution.  It  is 
t)leon  Uuoiia- 
v'inir  the  coin- 
therlands  was 
jing  the  posi- 

ivatclied  with 
ith  sentiments 
ts  and  vigour 
It  instltutiuiis, 

•rally  succoss- 
ation  groaned 
ruthless  asso- 
1  monster  was 
i  he  had  coin- 
T  publicly  ac- 
and  execute] 
accomplices, 
w  days,  above 
e. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

raOH    THR    CSTABM8IIMENT    OF    THE    rilENCII    DIRECTORY. 

Oil'     AMIKNS. 


TO   THE    PIAOa 


A  great  naval  victory  over  tho  French  was  achieved  by  lord  Howe  on 
•Itc  1st  of  June,  and  several  West  India  islands  were  taken  from  them, 
llin  French  troops  were  uniformly  successful  in  Holland;  ihc  stadt- 
lioUler  was  compelled  to  seek  an  asylum  in  Knglaiid ;  and  the  country, 
niuler  the  new  name  of  tho  Uatavian  republic,  was  incorporated  wilh 
France.      Soon  after  this,  France  received  a   new  constitution,   which 

f (laced  the  executive  power  in  the  hands  of  five  directors  and  tho   legis- 
ative  council  of  elders,  and  a  council  of  "five  hundreil." 

In  17!).")  Prussia  and  Spain  made  peace  with  France,  which  pfavo  tho 
republicans  an  opportunity  of  bearing  with  their  whoh;  forco  on  the  fron- 
tiers  of  Uermany.  The  royalists  in  La  Vaii(le6  again  rose,  hut  wcro 
epecdily  reducecl.  Almnt  the  same  time  the  Capo  of  Good  Hope  and 
several  of  the  Dutch  Kast  India  possessions  were  taken  by  the  hnglisli, 
whilet  admirals  Bridport,  Hotham,  and  Cornwallis  defeated  tho  French 
fleets. 

Once  more  let  us  revert  to  Polish  afTairs.  The  late  partition  of  Poland 
had  o[)ened  the  eyes  of  Kuropo  to  tho  irobable  future  encroachments  of 
the  courts  of  Vienna,  Pciersburgh,  and  Herlin ;  and  tlio  Poles,  aware  of 
their  impending  fate,  resolved  to  oppose  the  designs  of  their  enemies  by 
a  vigorous  and  unanimous  effort.  Under  tho  brave  Kosciusko  they  gave 
battle  to  the  Russians,  and  maintained  a  long  and  sanguinary  contest, 
which  ended  in  their  driving  tho  enemy  out  of  Warsaw,  with  immense 
slaughter.  Hut  tho  armies  of  Austria,  Russia,  and  Prussia,  invaded 
Poland  on  every  side;  and  Suwarrof,  at  the  head  of  50,000  men,  anni- 
hilated their  army,  recaptured  Warsaw,  which  they  pillaged,  and,  sparing 
neither  age  nor  sex,  put  to  the  sword  nearly  30,000  individuals.  The 
final  partition  of  the  kingdom  then  took  place. 

The  campaign  of  179G  opened  with  great  vigour  on  the  part  of  the 
allies  as  well  as  on  that  of  tho  French,  and  numerous  Bovere  battles 
were  fought  in  Germany,  tho  advantage  inclining  rather  to  the  side  of 
the  allies.  Moreau,  who  had  pursued  his  victorious  cancer  to  tho 
Danube,  there  received  a  check,  and  was  forced  to  retrace  his  steps  to 
the  Rhine;  but  though  often  nearly  surrounded  by  the  Austrians,  ho  ef- 
fected one  of  the  most  masterly  retreats  of  which  we  have  aiiy  record  in 
modern  times. 

Hut  it  was  in  Italy  that  the  most  brilliant  success  attended  the  French 
arms.  'I'ho  command  had  been  given  to  Buonaparte.  Having  routed 
tho  Austrians  and  Piedmontese  at  Monte  Notte  and  Millesimo.  ho  com- 
pelled the  king  of  Sardinia  to  sue  for  peace.  Then  followed  his  daring 
exploit  at  the  bridge  of  Lodi,  and  his  seizure  of  Bologna,  FVrrara,  and 
Urbiiio;  till,  at  length,  finding  himself  undisputed  master  of  the  north  ol 
Italy,  he  erected  the  Transpadano  and  Cis-padane  republics. — .\mong 
tho  other  events  of  tho  year  may  be  noticed  tho  capture  of  St.  Lucia  and 
Granada,  in  the  West  Indies,  by  Sir  Ralph  Abercroinbie ;  the  failure  of  a 
French  expedition  sent  to  invade  Ireland,  which  was  dispersed  by  ad- 
verse winds;  the  abandonmeut  of  Corsica  by  the  British;  some  fruitless 
negotiations  for  peace  between  England  and  France,  and  the  demise  oi 
the  empress  Catharine  II. 

Tho  papal  states  were  next  overrun  by  the  French,  and  the  pope  was 
under  tlie  necessity  of  purchasing  peace,  not  only  with  money  and  the 
•urrender  of  many  valuable  statues,  paintings,  fee,  but  by  the  cession  ol 
pari  of  his  territories.    Buonaparte  then  resolved  to  invade  tlio  heredilarf 


66 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


.^1 


states  of  the  emperor ;  and  the  French  armies  havinaf  gained  consider- 
able advantages  over  their  adversaries,  the  French  directory  took  advan- 
tage of  their  position  and  offered  terms  of  peace,  and  a  definitive  treaty 
was  eventually  signed  at  Campo  Formio.  By  this  treaty  the  Venetian 
states,  which  had  been  revolutionized  by  Buonaparte  during  the  negotia- 
tions, were  ceded  to  Austria,  while  the  Austrian  possessions  in  the  north 
of  Italy  and  the  Netlierlands  were  given  to  France  in  exchange.  Genoa 
about  the  same  time  was  revolutionized,  and  assumed  the  name  of  the 
Ligurian  republic.  At  the  latter  end  of  this  year  Lord  Duncan  obtained 
an  important  victory  over  the  Dutch  fleet  off  the  coast  of  Holland. 

The  French  having  no  other  power  than  Great  Britain  now  to  contend 
with,  the  year  1798  was  ushered  in  with  rumours  of  a  speedy  invasion; 
and  large  bodies  of  troops,  assembled  on  the  opposite  shores  of  France,, 
were  said  to  be  destined  for  this  grand  attack,  which  was  to  be  under  the 
direction  of  the  victorious  genera!  Buonaparte.  These  preparations  were 
met  in  a  suitable  manner  by  the  Knglish,  whose  effective  male  population 
might  almost  literally  be  said  to  be  embodied  for  the  defence  of  the 
country.  At  the  same  time  a  dangerous  and  extensive  rebellion  broke 
out  in  Ireland;  but  the  vigilance  of  the  government  defeated  the  inten- 
tions of  the  rebels,  and  they  submitted,  though  not  without  the  severest 
measures  being  adopted,  ami  the  constquent  effusion  of  blood. 

A  secret  naval  expedition  upon  a  large  scale,  with  a  well-appointed 
army  or.  board,  under  the  connnand  of  Buonaparte,  had  been  tor  some 
time  prep:iring.  It  at  length  set  sail  from  Toulon,  took  possession  of 
Malta  on  their  way  to  Egypt,  and,  having  eluded  the  vigilance  of  Nelson, 
safely  laiul'd  near  Alexandria,  vvhi(!h  town  they  stormed,  and  massacred 
the  inhaliitaiits.  Tiie  veteran  troops  of  France  everywhere  prevailed 
over  the  ill-disciplined  M.imelnkes,  and  the  whole  of  Egypt  soon  submit- 
ted to  the  (;onqu;'ror.  Meanwhile  Admiral  Nelson  discovered  and  totally 
destroyed  the  French  fleet  in  the  bay  of  Ahoiikir.  While  these  events 
were  passing  in  Egypt,  the  French  governmeii!,  prosecuted  its  revolution- 
ary principles  wherever  its  emissaries  could  gain  admittance.  Rome 
was  taken  by  them,  the  pope  imprisoned,  aiv.i  a  republic  erected.  Swit- 
zerland was  also  invaded,  and,  notwithstanding  the  gallant  efforts  of  the 
Swiss  patriots,  the  country  was  united  to  Francie  under  the  title  of  the 
Helvetian  republic.  The  territory  of  Geneva  was  also  incorporated  with 
France.  These  nnjnstifiable  invasions  showi^d  so  plainly  the  aggrandiz- 
ing pi>li'-y  pursued  by  tlie  French  directory,  that  the  emperors  of  Russia 
and  .Vustria,  the  king  of  Naples,  and  the  Porte  united  with  England  tn 
check  their  ambitious  designs. 

The  year  179!)  presented  a  continued  scene  of  active  warfare.  The 
Neapolitans,  who  had  invaded  the  Roman  territory,  were  not  only  driven 
hack,  but  the  whole  kingdom  of  N.iples  submitted  to  the  French,  and 
the  king  was  compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  Sicily.  The  French  armies 
also  took  possession  of  Tuscany  and  Piedmont;  but  the  operations  of 
the  allies  were  conducted  with  vigour  and  success.  The  archduke 
Charles  routed  the  French  nmler  Jourdan  in  the  hard-fought  battles  of 
Ostrach  and  Stockach;  and  the  Austro-Russian  army  obtained  a  decisive 
victory  at  Cassano,  and  drove  the  enemy  to  Milan  and  Genoa.  The 
arms  of  the  republic  were  equally  unfortunate  in  other  parts.  Turin, 
Alessandria,  and  Mantua  wei(  t:ikei< ;  and  the  French  under  Joubert  and 
Moreau,  were  totally  routed  it  N(.vi.  Switzerland  afterwards  became 
the  principal  scene  of  action  ;  and  there  also  the  army  of  Suwarrof  was 
successful;  but  another  Russian  army,  commanded  by  Koraskoff,  was 
attacked  and  defeated  by  Mas-,ei,a,  and  Zurich  taken  by  storm.  In  Italy, 
however,  success  still  attended  .lie  allies.  The  French  were  expelled 
from  Naples  and  Rome,  and  the  papiu  chair  was  soon  after  occupied  Dy 
Pius  VII. 


OUTLINE  8KETCFI  CF  GENERAL  HISTORY. 


87 


While  these  important  military  operations  were  occupying  the  armies 
in  Europe,  Uuonaparto  bad  reduced  Kgypt,  and  formed  the  resolution  of 
invading  Syria.  El-Arish,  Gaza,  and  .lalfahad  surrendered;  and  with  the 
confidence  of  certain  success,  Acre  was  invested  ;  but  there,  as  in  days  of 
old,  a  Britisli  warrior  was  its  defender.  The  courage  and  activity  of  Sir 
Sidney  Smith  resisted  the  repeated  assaults  of  the  French  during  a  siege 
of  sixty-nine  days;  and  Buonaparte,  though  at  the  head  of  12,000  veterans 
was  completely  foiled  in  all  his  attempts,  and  was  obliged  to  retreat  into 
Kgypt.  He  WHS  afterwards  successful  in  several  encounters  with  the 
Turks,  particularly  at  Aboukir  ;  but,  foreseeing  that  the  expedition  would 
ultimately  prove  disastrous,  he  confided  the  command  to  General  Klcber, 
and  secretly  returned  to  France.  Buonaparte's  invasion  of  Egypt  was  con- 
sidered as  preparatory  to  an  attempt  on  India,  where,  at  tiie  very  time, 
the  British  arms  were  crowned  with  great  success— Seringapatam  having 
been  taken,  and  our  formidable  enemy,  TippooSaib,  being  foundaniong  the 
slain. 

Discord  and  anarchy  reigned  throughout  France,  under  the  weak,  yet 
arbitrary  administration  of  the  directory ;  and  the  sudden  appcaranc;  of 
Buonaparte  was  the  signal  for  a  new  revolution  in  that  government.  At 
the  head  of  tlie  conspiracy  was  his  brother  Lucien,  president  of  liie  coun- 
cil of  five  iumdred,  who  was  supported  by  Cambaceres,  Talleyrand, 
Sieycs,  Fouche,  &c.  The  directory  was  speedily  overturned,  a  senate  and 
three  consuls  were  appointed,  and  Buonaparte  was  chosen  first  consul. 

One  of  his  first  acts  was  that  of  making  pacific  overtures  to  England, 
which  were  rejected.  He  then  put  himself  at  the  bead  of  the  army,  cross- 
ed Mount  St.  Bernard,  and  marched  from  victory  to  victory,  till  the  mem- 
orable bailie  of  Marengo  decided  the  fate  of  Italy.  The  successes  of  the 
Frencli  in  Germany  were  of  a  lessdeirisive  nature;  but  the  dcfi  at  of  the 
allies  at  llohenlinden  induced  Frances  II.  to  si^ni  the  treaty  i)f  Luneville, 
by  which  he  ceded  some  of  his  possessions  in  Germany,  and  transferred 
'1  uscanyto  liieduke  of  Parma. 

At  tlui  b(!<!;inning  of  1801  England  was  without  an  ally,  and  had  to  con- 
tend with  another  formidable  opponent  in  Paul  I.,  of  Russia,  who  had  in- 
duced Sweden  and  Denmark  to  unite  with  him  in  forming  an  arnii'd  neu- 
trality. To  crush  this  northern  confederacy  in  the  bud,  a  large  ficet  was 
gent  to  the  Baltic,  under  the  command  of  Sir  Hyde  Parker  and  Lord  Nel- 
son;  Copenhagen  was  attacked,  and  the  whole  of  the  Danish  ships  were 
either  taken  or  destroyed.  This  victory  gave  a  fatal  blow  to  the  northern 
confederai^y,  \\  hich  was  eventually  annihilated  by  the  death  of  Paul,  and 
the  accession  of  his  son  Alexander,  who  iinmediatelj  released  the  British 
vessels  detained  in  his  ports,  and  otherwise  shewed  his  inclination  to  be 
^;:  on  amicable  terms  with  England. 

■*'  In  Egypt  General  Kleber  had  b(^en  assassinated,  and  the  command  of 

•;  the  FriMich  troops  devolved  on  Menou.     An   English  army,  under  Sir 

Ralpii  Abercrombie  hail  now  arrived  and  a  decisive  victory  was  gained  by 
them  at  AUixandria,  biu  they  had  to  lauKMit  the  loss  of  their  gallant  com- 
mander, who  fell  in  ihc  action.  Grand  Cairo,  Rosetta,  and  Alexandria 
soon  after  suiTcndered,  and  the  French  agreed  to  evacuate  the  country. 
The  other  events  of  the  year  1801  were  of  minor  importance  :  and  in  the 
spring  of  the  following  year  peace  was  signed  at  Amiens.  England  con- 
sented to  surrender  all  its  conquests,  with  the  exception  of  Ceylon  and 
Trinidad ;  the  Ionian  islands  were  to  form  a  republic  ;  and  Malta  was  to  be 
restored  to  its  original  possessors. 

A  new  constitution  was  given  to  France  in  1802,  by  which  Buonaparte 
0M        was  teclared  chief  consul  for  life  ;  the  whole  of  the  exocniive  authority, 
*         and  even  the  appointment  of  his  two  colleagues  being  vested  in  him.  New 
constitutions   were   also  given   to   Switzerland    and   the    Italian  repub- 
lic*    About  this  period  Buonaparte   sent  a  considerable  force  to  reduce 


\i 


88 


OJTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENEHAL  HISTORY. 


the  island  of  St.  Domingo,  wliere  Touissant  L'Ouve.'ture,  a  negro,  had  erect 
ed  a  republic.  After  an  obstitiate  and  sanguinarj'  contest,  the  rebellious 
negroes  submitted,  and  Touissant  was  Ireaclicrously  seized  and  sent  to 
France ;  but  the  French  were  unable  fully  to  recover  the  island. 


m 


mm 


il 


4 


.  ,-1  ■ 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

CHOM  THE  RECOMMENCEMENT  OF    HOSTILITIES,  TO  THE  TREATY  OF  TILSIT, 

The  treaty  of  Amiens  was  little  better  than  a  hollow  truce  ;  and  many 
disputes  arising  respecting  its  fulfilment,  the  war  was  resumed.  In  open 
violation  of  the  law  of  nations,  Buonaparte  immediately  commanded  the  ar- 
rest of  all  the  English  whom  business  or  pleasure  had  drawn  into  France. 
Hanover  was  invaded  and  plundered  ;  and  an  immense  force  was  collect- 
ed on  the  French  coast,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  annihilating  the  Hiiiish 
power:  but  this,  as  before,  proved  an  empty  beast.  Holland,  being  placed 
under  the  control  of  France,  was  dragged  into  the  wtir,  and  soon  lost  hf^r 
colonics.  St.  Domingo  threw  off  its  forced  allegiance  to  France,  ari'l 
Dessalines,  tiie  successor  of  Touissant,  was  made  president  of  the  repub 
licofHayti,  the  ancient  name  of  the  island.  The  Knglish  at  this  timu 
were  very  successful  in  India,  under  the  government  of  the  inar(ii;is  of 
Wellesley. 

The  personal  ambition  of  Buonaparte  was  every  day  more  evident,  and 
he  at  length  resolvtid  to  annihilate  the  republic,  and  crown  himself  with 
an  imperial  diadem.  Having  procured  the  assassination  of  the  duke  d'En- 
ghein,  and  by  the  basest  arts  impressed  on  the  minds  of  tiic  i)eoiile  an 
idea  tliat  treasonable  practices  were  carrying  on  against  him,  the  srrvile 
senate,  desirous,  as  they  said,  of  investing  him  with  the  highest  title 
of  sovereignly,  in  order  the  more  effectually  to  establish  his  authority,  pro- 
claimed him  emperor  of  the  French — a  title  which  was  acknowledged  im 
mediately  by  all  the  sovereigns  of  Europe,  Great  Britain  and  Sweden 
hIoiic  ex(!epted  •,  a.  d.  1804. 

During  the  following  year  Buonaparte  assumed  the  iron  crown  of  Lom 
l)ardy,  under  the  t'tle  of  king  of  Italy,  which  aroused  the  indignation  i»l 
Francis  II.,  who  united  with  England  and  Russia.     But  an   event  whicii 
of  all  others  was  most  calculated  to  raise  the  hopes  of  the  allies,  was  the 
unexampled  victory  gaim-d  by  Nelson  off  Trafalg.ir  (Oct.  'Jl)over  the  com 
bined  fleets  of  France  and  Spain. 

In  Germany  the  Austrian  army  was  doomed  to  .-suffer  gre.it  loss.  At 
the  head  of  140,000  soldiers,  Napoleon  crossed  the  Rhine ;  and  at  Ulm, 
lh(!  Austrian  general  Mack  surri'iidered  his  whole  force,  consistin!,^  of  110,- 
000  men.  Vic;mia  was  soon  after  entered  by  Napoleon,  and  at  leiiglh  the 
Austrians  were  completely  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Au.sterliiz.  Tlii.s  in 
duced  Francis  to  sue  f^r  peace  ;  and  a  treaty  was  ccnicluded  ai  Preshur;.!, 
by  which  he  ceded  to  France  the  .-states  of  Venice,  and  resigned  the  Tyrol, 
&c.,to  the  newdy-created  king  of  Wirtcmburjf. 

Early  in  1806  the  Englisli  n  took  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  from  tiie 
Dutch.  About  the  same  time  Naples  was  inv;*ded  by  the  French,  an! 
Napoh'on  gave  his  brother,  .loseph  Buonaparte,  the  crown  of  that  kiii',^- 
dom,  its  legitimate  sovereign  having  previously  retired  to  Sicily.  HoUaii.l 
was  also  erected  into  a  kingdom,  and  given  to  his  brother  Louis.  Amidst 
these  and  otiier  important  ciianges  for  the  aggrandizrinen;  of  his  family, 
Buonaparte  fornnd  tiie  "  confederation  of  the  Rhine,"  the  name  given  m 
those  states  whoso  ruU^rs  renunneed  the  ani-ient  law.s  of  the  empire  The 
continued  encroaclnnents  of  France  now  roused  the  kmg  of  I'rnssia,  who 
rushed  precipitately  ir.lo  a  war,  and  impnulenlly  staked  his  f-irtune  on  tl)" 
chance  of  one  battle.  Tliis  was  the  celebrated  battle  of  Jena,  vvh(!re  1  lO.ftM 


OUTLINE  SKKTCII  OF  GENERAL  HI3T0EV. 


89 


),  had  erect 
e  rebellious 
ind  sent  to 
1. 


)f'  TlLSn. 

and  many 

In  open 

iided  the  ar- 

ito  France. 

vas  coUect- 

ihe  nrliish 
leinir  place! 
on  lost  hpf 

ranee,  and 
f  the  rcpub 
lit  tills  tiinu 
marquis  of 

vident,  and 
iiisclf  with 
duke  d'En- 
c  people  an 
,  the  servile 
lijfliest  title 
:hi)rit\',  pro- 
wledgcd  iin- 
nd    Sweden 

wn  of  lioni 
li<rnation  ol 
vent  which 
es,  was  the 
tcr  the  com 

it  loss.  At 
md  at  IJim, 
tintjof  MO,, 
t  length  the 
L.  This  in 
at  Presbuii;, 
d  the  Tyrol, 

le  from  the 
Krencli,  and 
that  kiM'^ 
]y.  Holland 
is.  Amidst 
■  ids  family, 
m''  given  to 
iipir*'.  Till' 
'russia,  who 
rtiine  on  the 
lore  UOiMi 


Prussians  and  Saxons  eonlended  with  1.50,000  of  the  French,  and  were 
defeated  and  closely  pursued,  13erlin  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors, 
and  the  Prussian  general,  Ulucher,  after  a  hrave  resistance,  was  forced  to 
capitulate.  Prince  Hohenloe  and  his  army  surrendered  at  Prentzlaii 
Silesia  was  overrun  by  the  French,  who  penetrated  into  Poland,  and  exci- 
ted the  Poles  to  assert  their  independence.  The  Russians,  who  were  now 
advancinjj,  met  and  defeated  the  French  at  Pultusk  ;  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  combined  effort.s  of  Murat,  Lasnes,  and  Ney,  they  were  also  suc- 
cessful at  Golomyn.  In  the  insolence  of  power,  Napoleon,  at  Berlin,  is- 
sued his  famous  decrees,  prohibiting  all  commercial  intercourse  with  the 
lirilish  i.sles,  and  commanding  the  confiscation  of  every  article  of  British 
manufacture,  w  Inch  scheme  of  exclusion  he  dignified  with  the  name  of  the 
"  continental  system." 

The  grand  Russian  army  under  Benningscn,  encountered  a  superior 
French  force  near  Eylau,  where  a  sanguine  but  indecisive  conflict  en- 
sued. Dantzic  surrendered  to  Lefcvrc  ;  and  a  complete  victory  being 
gained  by  the  French  at  Friedland,  it  was  shortly  followed  by  the  treaty 
of  Tilsit.  The  Russians  and  Prussians  submitted  tf"  all  the  imperious 
demands  of  Napoleon  ;  but  Gustavus,  king  of  Sweden,  alone  refused  to 
treat  with  him,  or  to  recognize  his  imperial  dignity. 

The  Danes  having  yielded  to  the  intlueuce  of  France,  an  expedition  was 
sent  thither  by  Knglaml,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  banish  fleet 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  Copenhagen  surrendered  after 
a  few  days'  siege,  and  the  ships  and  naval  stores  were  delivered  to  the  En- 
glish. This  act  of  aggression  was  resented  by  the  emperor  of  Russia, 
who  declared  war  against  England.  Among  otlier  remarkable  events  of 
this  year,  were  the  departure  of  the  [iriiice  regent  of  Portugal  and  his 
court  to  the  Brazils,  the  conquest  of  Portugal  by  the  French,  and  the 
erection  of  Saxony  tiito  a  kingdom. 


« 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  FRENCH  INVASION  OK  SPAIN,  AN»  SUBSCqUKNT  PENINSULA*    WAR. 

What  open  force  couW  not  efl'ect,  whs  carried  hf  Mitrigu:  n  d  tr^-^^h- 
ery.  Napoleon  having  wwited  Charles  IV., king  of  Spain,  to  .  .oiifcr<we 
ai  15ayonnp,seizejihis  petimjn,comp«dled  Inm  toabdir;ne,and  tr-  asferrcd  the 
crown  to  .Joseph  BnonapaHrte,  whose  place  at  Naples  was  scoi:  after  oc- 
cupied by  Murat,  Nrfpoloon'K  brother-in-law.  Spain  was  filled  with  French 
troo,i«,  and  no  o|)()o»iiion  \*^>\s  dreaded  ;  but  as  soon  as  tVie  Spaidards  re- 
cover(;d  froiii  tlicir  loiisteruation,  the  people  rose  lU  parts,  and  pro- 
claimed Ferdinand  V'll.  'I'he  patriots  bei;an  the  war  witti  great  spirit ;  the 
usurper  fled  from  Ma'irid;  whilt  Palafox  and  the  brave  inhabitants  if  Sar- 
agossa  gained  immori.il  honour  by  the  nivincible  courage  lUey  displayed 
in  defending  their  town  ,<<{ainst  the  furious  attacks  of  the  French,  who 
were  eventually  conipelU;';  to  retreat 

'Hie  Portuguese  followed  the  example  of  th<*  Spat  irds  ;  <mm!  a  British 
army, commanded  by  Sir  .VrthrtrWi'lleshiy.  huidcd  anr:  d*'feate<!tfcf  French 
general,  .lunot,  at  Vimiera.  B«*!  *ir  Hugh  f>alrymplf  arriving  ir*  H«»umR 
th*' 'command,  the  (!onventinn  of 'nflra  wa»i  eirtered  >Mo,  by  -rnltmU  Ae 
Freni^i  army,  with  all  its  lia;vj;age,  artillery,  4t^  ,  w^re  u*  be  cowMty^  le 
Franc*'  An  #i«fl'sh  army  of  30,000  Hi<>n,  unfWr  Sir  John  Moor«>,  l<mtMi 
m  Spain,  »»d  A'if^nrpr]  as  far  as  Salarn  »va  ;  buf  the  FreewA  forc<'  in  ttat 
coumry  iwwumu'/,  'l/f  ]rj(), 000.  Madrid  vau  taken,  and  tlw  Engiwh,  iMt 
beiii/  w(!ll  sn{»porte(1  a/  tli^  Spanianlp,  wn-ce  coiHpellcd  t^  fetre-.*f.  M 
Cor'uma  a  severe  bauie  viras  touji?!**,  and  lltv  John  Moore  m-m  mortattr 
Touudftd 


ll  ll'ifti  111 


90 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OP  GSNEliAL  HISTORY. 


li;  .! 


ill* 


I  n 


Austria  having  declared  war  against  France,  Napoleon  entered  the  field, 
repulsed  the  Austrians  at  Eckmuhl,  and  took,  possession  of  Vienna.  The 
archduke  Charles  gave  him  battle  near  Kssling,  whitii  was  desperately 
contested,  and  tsrniinated  in  favour  of  the  Austrians  ;  but  soon  afier,  at 
Wagrani,  the  French  gained  an  important  victory.  The  brave  Tyrolese. 
in  this  campaign  made  the  most  heroic  efforts  against  the  French;  but 
the  patriot  Hotfer  was  taken  and  sho*. 

A  most  unsuccessful  expedition  was  undertaken  by  the  English  against 
Antwerp.  It  was  composed  of  nearly  40,000  men ;  great  numbers  of 
whom  were  swept  of  by  a  pestilential  fever  while  in  possession  of  the 
island  of  VValchercn ;  and  the  remainder  returned  withont  effecting  any 
useful  object.  In  other  parts  the  English  were  more  sucoessl'ul,  having 
taken  Cayenne,  Martinique,  and  three  of  the  Ionian  islands. 

In  Turkey  tlie  sultan  Selim  had  been  assassinated;  MaLmoud  was 
seated  on  the  throne,  and  peace  was  concluded  between  the  Voc'e  and 
Great  Britain.  After  a  protracted  negotiation  with  Napoleon,  the  emperor 
of  Austria  signed  tiie  treaty  of  Vienna,  by  which  he  was  obliged  to  sur 
render  to  P' ranee,  Bavaria,  and  Russia,  a  considerable  portion  of  his  do 
minions. 

Sir  Artluir  Wellesley  had  now  the  chief  command  in  the  Peninsula. 
He  forced  the  passage  of  the  Douro,  recovered  Oporto,  and  drove  Soult 
out  of  Portugal.  He  then  defeated  the  French  with  great  slaughter  at 
Talavera ;  but  the  enemy  being  reinforced,  he  was  obliged  to  retreat 
His  great  services  were,  however,  duly  appreciated,  and  he  was  created 
Baron  Wellington.  At  the  close  of  18;1  tlie  Spanish  patriots  siistainei' 
some  severe  tiefeats,  and  (Jerona  was  taken  by  them.  Marslials  .Uiiioi 
and  Ney  commenced  the  ensuing  campaign  vith  tlie  capture  of  Astorif 
ar.d  Cuidad  Hodrigo;  while  .Massena  entered  Portugal,  and  look  Ameida 
At  1>  isaco  Lord  Wellington  defeated  him,  and  rcaciiiiig  the  impregnablt 
lines  of  Torres  Vcdras,  he  look  ui)a  strong  position,  from  which  tlie  Frencl 
could  no'  dislodge  him,  and  Massena  soon  afterwards  commenced  a  dis 
astrous  retreat. 

Tiie  cami^aign  of  1811  was  distinguished  by  a  series  of  battles,  in  which 
tlie  conteiiiling  armies  displayed  great  bravery,  but  without  any  decided 
advantiige  to  either  in  the  end.  Among  tliose  in  wliicli  the  allies  were 
most  successful,  were  Badajoz,  Albeura,  and  Barrosa.  Tlie  year  1811  was 
also  memorable  as  'he  period  when  the  Sp;inish  American  colonies  began 
to  renounce  their  allegiance  to  Spain,  and  struggle  for  independence. 

In  18r.i  the  events  of  th(;  war  assumed  a  new  complexion.  A  cliaiige 
iiad  taken  place;  in  the  government  of  Spain,  and  more  earnestness  and 
energy  was  displayed  in  its  councils.  Lord  Wellington  commenced  with 
the  capture  of  Cuidad  Uodrigo  and  Badajoz  :  then  advancing  into  Spain,  he 
gained  a  decisive  victory  over  Marmont  near  Salamanca,  which  was  f<>l- 
lowed  by  his  entrance  into  Madrid,  where  he  was  received  with  the  most 
enthusiastic  acclamatifjus.  In  the  meantime  the  patriot  armies  in  the 
north  of  Spain  were  eminently  successful;  and  in  the  south  the  French 
were  compelled  to  raise  the  scigo  of  (^adiz,  and  evacuate  Granada,  Cor- 
dova, Seville,  c\:c. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

FROM  THE  I.NVASION  OF  RCSSIA  BY   TIIK    FKE.'^CII    TO   THE    RESTORATION    0» 

TKE  BOURBONS. 

We  must  now  take  a  rapid  review  of  those  extraordinary  scenes  in  the 
North  which  rivelted  the  attention  of  all  Europe,  and  filled  every  breast 
with  anxious  expectation.  The  emperor  Aie.vander  felt  himself  humilia- 
ted, and  his  country  injured  bv  that  rigid  observance  of  the  "continental 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  QENERAT^  HISTOttY. 


91 


;dthe  field, 
2nna.  The 
desperately 
m  after,  at 
e  Tyrolesp 
rcnch ;    but 

lish  against 
[lumbers  of 
siou  of  the 
>jcling  any 
it'ul,  having 

imoud  was 

I'oi'fi  and 

lie  emperor 

rod  to  sur 

of  his  do 

Peninsula. 
Irove  Soult 
laughter  at 

to  retreat 
r,\s  created 
s  sustainei' 
dials  JuiiDi 

of  Astorif 
uk  Amcida 
inprc'Rnablt 

tlie  Froncl 
need  a  dis 

es,  in  which 
ny  decided 
allii's  were 
iir  Itill  was 
Diiies  began 
idenee. 

A  eliange 
pstness  and 
lenced  with 
ito  S[)ain,  he 
uh  was  f<>l- 
Lh  llu;  most 
nics  in  the 
the  French 
uiada,  Cor- 


ORATION    0» 

:ones  in  the 
very  breast 
L'lf  liumiliH- 
continent.il 


system"  which  Napoleon  had  insisted  on,  and  the  boundless  ambiiion  o. 
the  latter,  added  to  liis  iiatred  of  all  tiiat  was  English,  led  him  to  attempt 
the  subjugation  of  the  Russian  empire.  He  concluded  an  offensive  and 
defensive  alliance  with  Austria,  Prussia,  and  the  confedration  of  the  Rhine, 
whose  forces  were  destined  to  swell  his  ranks.  The  immense  army, 
•mounting  to  aI)ove  475,000  men,  now  inarched  towards  the  Russir.n  fron- 
tiers; and  the  Russians  gradually  retired  at  the  approach  of  the  eacniy, 
who,  though  checked  and  harassed  in  every  way  possible,  pressed  onw  i.rd 
witli  amazing  rapidity.  At  length  a  tremendous  battle  was  fought  under 
the  walls  of  Smolcnsko,  and  the  city  was  quickly  after  evacuated,  the 
Russians  retreating  on  Moscow.  Having  received  daily  accessions  of 
troops,  among  whom  were  numerous  bodies  of  Cossacks,  Kutusoff,  the 
Russian  commander,  determined  on  hazarding  a  grand  battle,  when  a 
most  sanguinary  contest  ensued,  in  which  the  French  lost  about  40,000 
and  the  Russians  30,000  men.  But  Napoleon  being  reinforced,  he  was 
enabled  to  take  possession  of  Moscow ;  he  had  scarcely,  however,  taken 
up  his  head  quarters  in  the  Kremlim,  before  he  discovered  that  the  city 
was  set  on  fire  in  several  phices,  by  order  of  Rostopciiin,  its  patriotic  gov- 
eiior,  and  the  greater  part  of  it  was  soon  reduced  to  a  heap  of  ruins.  Thus 
being  in  a  moment,  as  it  were,  deprived  of  shelter,  and  feeling  tiie  severity 
of  a  Russian  winter  fast  approaching.  Napoleon  endeavoured  to  negotiate, 
but  Alexander,  wlio,  at  the  comnieneement  of  the  French  invasion  had 
declared  that  "now  the  sword  vN'as  drawn  iie  would  not  again  sheatli  it  as 
long  as  an  enemy  remained  in  his  dominions,"  indignantly  rejected  every 
proposition.  Cut  off  from  all  supplies,  and  exposed  to  the  incessant  at- 
tacks of  the  exasperated  Russians,  among  whom  were  hordes  of  Cossacks, 
the  wretched  troops  coiiiriieneed  oik!  of  the  most  disastrous  retreats  ever 
recorded  in  history.  Again  and  again  had  ihey  to  sustain  the  vigorous 
attacks  of  their  pursuers,  till  the  whole  rou;e  was  strewed  with  baggage, 
artillery,  and  ammuiiiiion,  and  with  the  mangled  and  frozen  bodies  of  men 
and  horses.  Of  the  mighty  force  that  invadud  Russia,  oi  ly  30,000  returned 
to  France;  400,000  perished  or  were  made  prisoners;  wiiile  the  author  of 
all  their  unparalleled  sufTerings  basely  deserted  liis  army,  travelled  through 
Poland  and  Gern.any  in  disguise,  and  reached  his  capital  in  safely. 

The  unexaniiiled  reverses  of  Napoleon  were  hailed  by  tlie  nations  on 
the  eoniineiit  as  the  signal  for  their  deliverance  from  his  iron  grasp.  Al- 
exander concluded  an  -.dlianee  with  Sweden  and  Prussia,  and  tli(>y  pre- 
pared for  hostilities.  Some  sanguinary  but  indecisive  battles  were  fought, 
and  a  short  arinistii^e  was  agreed  upon,  during  which  time  /  ustria  joined 
the  league,  and  all  parties  pix-jiared  for  the  renewal  of  the  contest  with 
increased  vigour.  The  gieatesl  unaniniity  prevailed  in  the  councils  of  th.e 
allied  sovereigns.  Their  armies  made  a  formidable  attack  on  Dresden, 
though  they  faiieil  in  their  object  of  taking  tlir  city  by  a  coup-de-main :  but 
the  veteran  Eluchcr  defeated  the  enemy  at  Katzbach,  and  thereby  deliv- 
ered Silesia.  Vandamme  was  beaten  "at  Culm,  and  Ney  at  Jutterbock. 
It  was  now  resolved  that  the  wlude  of  the  allied  armies  should  make  o 
•iniultaneous  effort  to  eriish  the  common  enemy.  The  forces  of  Napole- 
on were  concentrated  at  Lcipsic,  and  there  it  was  that  the  allies  attacked 
lM)d  totally  defeated  him.  The  sanguinary  battle  raged  from  dawn  of  day 
till  night;  both  sides  sutfered  immense  loss,  but  that  of  the  French  was  by 
^r  the  greatest.  Consulting  his  own  personal  safet}',  as  in  his  retreat 
ifrom  Russia,  Buonaparte  hastily  reached  Paris  ;  while  the  French  garri- 
•ons  which  occupied  the  Saxon  and  Prussian  fortresses  were  abandoned 
to  their  fate.  The  victory  of  Liepsic  aroused  every  nation  yet  in  alliance 
with  France  to  throw  off  the  oppressor's  yoke.  Among  the  number  was 
Holland,  whose  inhabitants  expelled  the  French,  and  recalled  the  prince 
of  Orange.  The  Russian  campaign  and  the  war  that  now  raged  in  Ger- 
many, had  proved  beneficial  to  the  Spanish  cause,  by  withd'awing  luaii^ 


lilt 

li 


H 


J2 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENEllAL  HISTORY. 


Hii "  1 


of  Napoleon's  experietiRed  generals  and  veteran  troops.  Lord  Wellington 
crossed  the  Douro,  aiul  inareliing  northwards,  came  up  witii  the  French 
army,  commanded  by  Marshal  Jourdan,  at  Vittoria,  where  he  obtained  a 
decisive  victory,  June  21,  1813.  The  memorable  seige  of  St.  Sebastian, 
and  the  defeat  of  Marshal  Soult,  to  whose  skill  the  task  of  defending  the 
frontiers  of  France  was  confided,  were  the  other  most  prominent  events 
of  the  campaign;  and  France  was  soon  alter  entered  on  the  south-west 
by  the  Fingiisli  and  Spaniards,  and  on  the  north-east  by  the  combined  ar- 
mies of  Russia,  Prussia,  and  Austria. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  French  emperor  obtained  a  levy  of  300,000  men, 
to  oppose  liie  threatened  invasion.  Several  engagements  took  place  ;  but 
the  allies  marched  steadily  on,  by  dilTi.'rent  routes,  and  at  length  approached 
the  city  of  Paris,  which  ca|)itulated.  On  the  following  day  (March  31, 
1811),  the  emperor  of  Russia  and  the  king  of  Prussia,  accompanied  by 
their  generals  and  staflT,  made  their  triunif-hal  entry  into  Paris,  amidst  the 
acclainaijons  of  tlie  inhal)iiants,  wiio,  whether  oiiicere  or  not,  made  the 
air  resound  willi  rciierated  cM'ies  of'  Vive  I'Empereur  Alexandre  ;"  "Vi- 
vent  les  Bourbons  ;"  "A  bas  les  tyran,"  cVc.  In  the  meantime  the  mar- 
quis of  Wellington  had  defeated  Soult  near  Toulouse,  and  Has  advancing 
towards  till!  capital.  Napoleon,  (Indiiigj  that  the  senate  hau  deposed  hiin, 
and  tliat  the  allied  powers  were  determined  not  to  enter  into  any  treaty 
with  him  as  sovereign  of  France,  abdicated  his  usurped  crown  at  Fon- 
tainbleau  ;  and  tins  isle  of  FIba,  with  a  suitable  iacouic,  was  assigned  him 
for  his  future  residence.  Louis  XVIll.  was  jilaced  on  the  throne  of  iiis 
ancestors,  tli(!  other  sovereigns  who  had  been  deprived  of  their  dominions 
were  restored,  and  all  Furopi!  once  more  hailed  a  general  peace. 

We  must  not  omit  to  notice  that  the  Americans,  having  been  dissatis- 
fied witii  the  Uritish  orders  in  council,  resulting  from  the  Berlin  and  Milan 
decrees  of  Na|)oleon,  thought  propca',  in  ISV2,  to  declare  war  against  Fug- 
land,  and  forlhwiih  invaded  Canada;  tliey  were,  however,  driven  back 
[with  considerable  loss.  The  American  commodore.  Perry,  su(!ceeded, on 
the  10th  of  September,  1813,  in  (capturing  the  Uritish  fleet  on  Lake  Eric. 
Fort  Erie  was  also  taken  by  the  Americans  in  July,  lril4,  and  during  the 
same  moiitli  were  fought  sanguinary  battles  at  Chippewa  and  Bridgewater. 
On  the  lull  of  Septembi-r,  Sir  (reorge  Provost,  wit;  11,000  i.ien,  made  aa 
attack  upon  Platisburg,  but,  after  a  severe  contest,  wa.«  coiiipui;  '  to  retire 
with  great  loss.  The  Britisli  licet  under  IJownie  was.  captured  by  Com- 
modore .M'Donough,  on  the  same  day.  The  war  was  terminated  by  the 
treaty  of  Ghent,  Dec.  12,  18M.] 


CHAPTER  XXV IIL 

rnOM    THE    Rt    "P.N    Ciy    BU0.NAP.\RTK  FROM  ELBA,  TO  THE  GENERAL  PEACE 

Is  March,  1815,  while  the  plenip  LJiitiariesand  the  allied  sovereigns  were 
occupied  at  tiie  congress  of  Vienna  in  laying  the  foundation  of  a  perma- 
nent peace,  the  astounding  news  arrived  that  Napoleon  bad  lili  Elba,  and 
landed  in  Francu',  witii  about  lir>0  followers.  Such  was  the  encounigo- 
ment  he  received,  that  when,  on  the  I'Jlh,  he  reached  Foiilainbleati,  he  w!is 
at  the  head  of  l.'j.OOO  veterans,  with  the  certainty  that  niimeroiis  corju 
were  advancing  on  every  side  to  join  his  standard.  Preparations  weic 
made  to  arrest  his  progress;  but  on  his  march  he  was  powerfully  rein- 
forced, and  he  reached  Paris  unmolested.  Louis  had  previously  left 
tlie  capital,  and  now  sought  an  asylum  in  the  Netherlaiuls.  'I'iie  allied 
•overeigns  in  the  meantime  issued  a  manifesto,  in  whicii  il  was  declared, 
that  Napoleon  Buonaparte,  by  violating  the  convc'atioii  in  virtue  of  whicli 


m 


M 


m 


OUTLINE  SKETCH  OF  GENERAL  HISTOllY. 


93 


d  Wellington 
I  the  French 
e  obtainRd  a 
t.  Sebasliiin, 
lefending  tlie 
linent  events 
e  soulli-west 
combined  ar- 

300,000  men, 

ok  pliute ;  but 
ill  approached 
y  (March  31, 
ompanied  by 
is,  amidst  the 
lot,  made  the 
:andre;""Vi. 
ime  the  mar- 
•  as  advancing 
deposed  hiin, 
to  any  treaty 
iiowa  at  Fon- 
assi^^iied  liini 
throne  of  his 
cit  dominions 
leace. 

been  dissatis- 
Tlin  and  Milan 
I  against  Eng- 
•,  driven  back 
succeeded, on 
in  Lake  Erie, 
lul  during  the 
i  Uridgewater. 
r.'icn,  made  an 
^,J.'.  1  to  retire 
ured  by  Com- 
iinated  by  the 


KMCn.VL  PEACE 

overeiijns  were 
n  (i!  a  penua- 
I  kit  Elba,  and 
tlie  encoiirage- 
nbloau,  he  was 
umerous  coriis 
paralions  svcii' 
jwerfully  rcin- 
previuusly  left 
s.  The  alhcd 
,  was  declared, 
virtue  of  vrlnol) 


he  !iad  been  settled  at  Elba,  had  forfeited  every  claim  to  protection,  and 
he  was  solemnly  pronounced  an  outlaw. 

In  answer  to  this  manifesto  Napoleon  published  a  declaration,  assert- 
ing that  he  was  recalled  to  the  throne  by  the  unanimous  wish  of  the  French 
people.  Large  armies  were  assembled  with  all  possible  expedition,  and 
Buonaparte,  with  extraordinary  celerity,  opened  the  short  but  memorable 
campaign,  by  attacking  tho  advanced  posts  of  the  Prussians  on  the  15th 
of  June.  On  that  and  the  following  day  considerable  success  attended 
his  arms,  but  on  liic  field  of  Waterloo  (June  18)  the  genius  of  Wellington 
and  the  steady  valour  of  the  British  troops  gave  a  death-blow  to  liis  hopes 
and  once  more  rescued  Europe  from  its  degrading  thraldom.  Having 
•witnessed  the  irretrievable  ruin  of  his  army,  he  tied  with  the  greatest 
precipitation  from  the  field  of  battle,  wiiilc  the  residue  of  ids  discomfited 
troops  were  pursued  by  the  Prussians  urnler  Blucher.  The  combined 
armies  now  rapidly  advanced  towards  Paris,  and  Buonaparte,  findmg  that 
his  reign  was  at  an  end,  tied  to  liie  sea-coast  in  the  hope  of  making  his 
escape  to  America.  In  this,  however,  ho  was  foiled  by  the  vigilance  of 
the  British  cruisers,  and  he  at  leiigtli  surrendered  to  captain  Maitland,  of 
the  Bellerophon,  who,  at  his  request,  brought  him  to  the  British  shores, 
thougli  he  was  not  permitted  to  land.  After  some  discussion  it  was  re- 
solved he  should  be  imprisonod  for  life  in  the  island  of  St.  Helena,  w  hither, 
accompanied  by  a  small  train  of  attendants,  he  was  forthwith  sent.  Louis 
XVIII,  was  a  second  time  restored  to  his  throne.  An  act  of  amnesty 
was  passed,  from  which  a  few  of  Napoleon's  most  strenuous  sujiporlers 
were  excluded,  whilst  Ney  and  Labi^doyere  were  shot. 

By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  entered  into  between  France  and  the  allied 
powers,  it  was  agreed  that  sixteen  of  the  frontier  fortresses  of  France 
BJiould  be  garrisoned  liy  the  allies  for  five  yeais,  and  that  l.')0,On()  allied 
troops,  5iiid(!r  tlie  duke  of  Weilinglou,  should  be  maintained  in  that  king- 
dom for  the  same  space  of  lime.  The  following  arrangements  were  also 
concluded  at  the  eoiign.'ss  of  V'ienna ;  Prussia  was  enriched  by  the  annex- 
ation of  a  portion  of  8axoiiy,  and  recovered  Lusatia;  Russia  received  a 
large  part  of  Poland;  the  Venetian  territories  were  given  to  Au.stria; 
Genoa  was  assigned  to  tlie  king  of  Sardinia;  the  papal  dominions  wore 
restored;  while  the  L'mted  Proviiues  and  the  Netlicrlands  were  formed 
into  a  kingdom  for  the  priiKie  of  Orange.  England  restored  to  the  Dutch 
Bome  of  the  colonies  she  liad  taken  from  tliem.  and  various  tniiior  changes 
also  took  place.  A  confederation  was  tiien  (i.ieri, '  into  by  the  soMTcign 
states  of  (Jermany  for  miilnal  defence  and  the  prevention  of  iiiieriiid  war, 
and,  to  crown  the  whole,  the  emperors  of  Russia  and  .'\ustria,  with  the 
king  of  I'nissia,  bound  iliemselves  liy  a  solemn  compact,  called  the  Holy 
Alliance,  the  profe.'isi d  object  of  which  was  to  preserve  the  peact,  of  Eu- 
rope, and  to  maintain  the  principles  of  Christianity  in  tlieir  respective 
dominions. 

Having  brought  our  "Outline  Sketch  of  (ienrral  History"  down  to  a 

Seriod  so  momc.'iitous,  we  shall  leave  all  siibsetpient  events  for  narration 
1  the  Histories  of  separate  countries  which  follow.  In  the  brief  and  cur- 
'*ory  Introduution  we  have  given,  ilie  reader  lias  had  a  rapid  view  of  the 
irtse  and  fill  of  ,;nipires,  the  excesses  of  despotic  power,  und  some  of  the 

gunti<  ss  evils  attendant  on  a  state  ni  anarchy.  Still  it  must  be  remem- 
red  ttiat  in  this  slight  sketcii  wo  have  only  pioneered  the  way.  As  we 
4irO'-i  t  d,  it  wdl  be  our  aim  more  fully  to  develope  the  motives',  while  wc 
fiescriiie  the  actions,  of  tho^e  r'sponsihle  individiiais  in  whose  hands  the 
fcstinies  of  nations  arc  entrusted;  .uid  the  judicious  reader,  impressed, 
M  he  cannot  fail  to  be,  with  the  mut:4biliiy  of  human  institutions  and  the 
Instahilitv  of  hmnaii  gr..udeur,  wdl  be  naturally  led  lo  contemplate  and 
•dmsre  Oie  nverralm^  conduct  of  Divine  Providence  in  the  moral  govern- 
meat  of  tin  worid. 


mm^^'l 


I  I 


11  i:^; 


'IJ: 


in 


"'^^ 


PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  WORLD. 


1 


EUROPE, 


Europe  lies  almost  entirely  in  the  northern  temperate  zone ;  a  >man 
part  of  ii  !kt  the  northern  extremity  is  extended  beycid  the  arctic  circle, 
out  it  does  not  approach  nearer  to  the  eqnater  than  351  decrees.  On  the 
east  and  sotitii-east  it  is  bonndod  by  Asia ;  on  tlu  west,  north-west,  and 
south-west,  liy  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ;  on  the  north,  by  the  Frozen  Oceari ; 
and  on  the  soutii,  by  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It  is  about  3,400  mile<i  in 
length,  from  Cape  St.  Vincent  in  Portugal,  to  the  Uralian  Mountains  in 
Russia;  and  a,500  miles  in  breadth,  from  Cape  Matapan  to  the  Nortn 
Cape  in  Lapland. 

In  proportion  to  its  size,  Europe  is  tlie  most  populous  of  all  the  great 
divisions  of  the  globe,  and,  except  in  its  northern  states,  it  enjoys  an 
agreeable  temporalurc  of  climate.  Tlio  soil,  though  not  equul  in  luxuri- 
ance to  that  of  the  tropica,  is  well  adapted  to  tillajje  and  pasturajje,  so 
that  it  affords  a  copious  supply  of  the  nocessaricsof  life,  while  its  ininea 
produce  the  most  useful  metals,  and  its  '^I'as  teem  with  fish. 

In  no  part  of  the  world  are  manufaetiiies  carried  to  greater  perfection 
than  in  several  of  the  European  countrits,  especially  in  Oreai  f^ritain, 
France,  and  Germany,  and  that  commercial  intercourse  which  of  late  years 
has  so  very  irreatly  increased,  is  gradually  obliterating  national  prejudices, 
exciting  emulation,  revvardincf  industry,  cultivating  feelings  of  mutua! 
esteem,  and  increasing  the  comforts,  conveniences,  and  luxuries  of  all. 
To  the  commerce  of  Europe,  in  fact,  there  appears  to  be  no  limits;  its 
traders  are  to  be  seen  in  every  country,  aiul  every  sea  is  filled  with  its 
ships.  Moreover,  as  the  seal  of  art  and  science,  as  the  region  where  civi- 
lization is  in  active  progress,  and  where  Christianity  is  extending  its  be- 
nign influence  far  and  wide,  Europe  indeed  mHintains  a  proud  eminence, 
and,  judging  from  present  appearances,  its  inhabitants  bid  fair  at  no  dis- 
tant day  to  extend  their  dominions,  already  vast,  by  colonizing  and  giving 
laws  to  nations  now  scarcely  emerging  from  barbarism. 


ASIA. 

t  The  general  history  of  this  division  of  the  world  carries  us  back  to  tlif 
ation.  The  cradle  of  our  first  parents,  and  the  portion  of  the  earth 
ere  the  most  stup<»ndous  acts  of  divine  power  and  wisdom  have  beei) 
played,  Asia  presents  a  most  interesting  subject  for  the  contemplative 
»<liind.  It  was  here  that  the  world  before  the  flood,  as  far  as  we  know, 
»*BS  concentered.  It  was  here  that  the  antediluvian  patriarchs  settled, 
•Bd  spread  abroad  the  families  of  the  earth.  After  the  flood,  Asia  va? 
the  heart  of  life,  the  source  of  all  that  population  which  has  since  covered 
the  globe  witii  its  myriads  of  inhabitants.  The  present  race  of  Asiatics  is 
deduced  from  tlie  Hebrews,  the  Indians,  and  the  Tartars.  It  is  foreign  to 
Mr  purpose  to  follow  the  series  of  the  various  tribes  of  population,  which, 


96 


PREfNT  CONDITION  OF  THE  WOULD. 


from  Ihc  great  fount.im,  overspread  the  earth,  and  eHpccially  Europe     lb 
deed,  the  whole  of  Kurope,  however  elevated  in  the  scale  of  !OiiS');i  and 
intelligence  above  their  primitive  sources,  derived  Us  people  and  lansfuage 
from  Asia,  wliilc  from  Asia  Minor  have  flowed  arms,  arts  and  learning. 


AFRICA. 

Africa  is  silualed  to  the  south  of  Kurope,  and  to  the  west  and  sout' 
west  of  Asia.     It  is  separated  from  llie  former  hy  the  Mediterranean  Se.» 
and  the  Straits  of  Gihrallar,  and  fronj  Asia  by  the  Hed  Sea,  at  the  most 
northerly  extremity  of  which  it  is  united  to  Asia  by  the  isthmus  of  Suez. 

The  history  of  this  immense  peninsula,  like  several  of  the  kingdoms  of 
which  it  is  composed,  is  involved  in  much  obscurity.  Intirestmg  as  are 
the  monuments  of  former  Rre  ilness  to  bo  found  in  this  part  of  the  world, 
esoccially  in  Kgypt,  there  are  no  memorials  on  which  tlie  eye  of  science 
rests  with  more  mtensity  of  attention  than  upon  those  tablets  which  have 
enslnincd  the  names  of  the  several  martyrs,  from  the  time  of  I'haraoh 
Necho,  to  the  inhuman  murders  of  many  an  enterprisinnf  European  trav- 
eller. The  sun  of  civilization  which  once  illumined  with  all  its  splendour 
one  portion  of  this  division  of  the  world  has  been  greatly  obscured,  and 
of  the  greater  part  of  it  we  may  say, 

"  Shadows,  clouds,  and  darkness  rest  apon  it." 


AMERICA. 

This  vu-^'  vMu.ti  ent,  or  New  World  of  the  Western  Hemisphere,  lies 
bei.veen  Uic  Atlantic  ami  Pacific  Oceans,  the  former  separating  it  from 
Europe  and  Af" n-.,  and  the  latter  from  Asia  and  Australia.  lis  innnense 
rivers  ar.d  prodigious  mountain  chains  are  quite  micqualled  in  the  world, 
and  the  bays,  lakes,  cataracts,  and  forests,  are  also  of  unrivalled  extent 
and  grandeur.  It  is  divided  into  North  and  South  America,  and  is  in 
length  about  9000  miles,  possessing,  of  course,  every  variety  of  climate, 
from  the  burning  heat  of  the  torrid  zone  to  the  intense  cold  of  the  arctic 
circle.  Since  its  discovery  by  Columbus,  vast  numbers  of  Europeans 
have  made  this  continent  their  liome,  the  generality  being  attracted  hither 
by  the  capabilities  it  seemed  to  afford  them  of  enriching  themselves : 
America  has  also  been  an  asylum  for  the  victims  of  political  and  religious 
persecution.  [Abounding  with  ev{".y  production  necessary  for  the  com- 
fort and  convenience  of  man,  bles:ir-i  with  all  the  privileges  of  civil  and 
religious  freedom,  this  new  cotmtry,  which  but  three  and  a  half  centuries 
ago  was  unknown  to  the  Eastern  Worl  ',  has  risen  to  a  height  of  pros- 
perity almost  unexampled  in  the  history  of  nations,  and  the  colonies  of 
the  United  States,  which,  less  than  a  hundred  years  since,  Great  Britain 
scarcely  considered  worthy  of  her  notice,  has  shaken  off  her  authority 
and  now  proudly  fling  out  their  banners  side  by  side  with  those  of  the 
mother  country,  in  every  clime,  and  already  threaten  to  dispute  with  her 
the  nre-cminence  she  so  justly  claims  upon  the  seas.  Untrammelled  with 
the  wrecks  of  tottering  or  fallen  dynasties,  the  citizens  of  this  new  repub- 
lic a  .J  working  out  upon  an  extensive  scale  the  great  problem  of  self- 
government.] 


A  SERIES  OF  SEPARATE  HISTORIES. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  J- 


J. 


The  prt>iiriely  of  commoncing  our  seiica  oi separate  historir.i  with  England  must,  Mra 
lliink,  be  obvious  to  ovi^y  rcuilor.  lt<  ranli  in  the  scale  of  nations  ;  ita  unrivalled  ooin- 
morccaiiil  cxtcuaivo  foreign  posaossiona  ;  ita  na\,il  and  military  prowess;  and  the  intt!^ 
ligonce,  eutorprize,  and  industry  ot'ita  iiiliabilanta— fully  oulillo  it  to  tlii:  lidiior  of  prece- 
dence. Hut  tliia  ia  not  fll ;  the  lovo  of  our  country  excites  in  ua  a  laudable  curioaity  to 
inquiro  into  tlio  conduct  and  conilition  of  our  anci'i'iorb,  and  to  become  acnuaintod  with  tha 
memorable  events  of  their  history  ;  wiii!o  our  reverence  for  the  glorious  Constitution  by 
which  our  most  valuable  privileges  are  t  cured,  prompts  ua  in  an  capecial  manner  to  tij.ce 
iti  rise  and  prog;re98,  ami  thoioughly  to  naccrtain  upon  what  foundation  our  political  and 
religious  liberties  are  br.sed.  "  If  an  Kn^-^lisbmnn,"  faid  tlio  great  Frederic  of  Prussia, 
"naa  no  UnosvliMltro  of  those  kings  that  (lUed  tlKuhrono  of  Persia,  if  hia  memory  is  not  em- 
barrassed with  that  infinite  number  of  popes  tliat  ruled  the  clmrch,  we  are  ready  to  excuse 
him ;  but  A'c  shall  hardly  have  the  same  indulgence  for  him,  if  he  is  a  stranger  to  the 
origin  of  parliamenla,  to  tlio  customs  of  his  country  and  to  the  different  lines  of  kiaga  who 
have  reigned  in  England." 


CHAPTKR  I. 

THE   nniTlSH    AND    nOMAN    PERIOD — TO  THE   SUBJUBATION    OF   THE    ISI  \ND 

Br    THE    SAXONS, 

The  rule  laid  down  by  the  celebrated  historian,  David  Hmnf ,  for  hia 
trontriicnt  of  curly  British  history,  is  so  n;;isonable,  so  obviously  the  only 
rule  by  which  the  historian  can  avoid  disfigiirnig  his  narrative  of  realities 
by  connecting  it  with  fables  and  (i^rinents,  that  it  would  be  to  the  last  de- 
gree unwise  to  depart  from  it,  even  were  it  laid  down  by  a  writer  of  far 
less  celebrity  and  genius. 

We  cannot  bettor  account  for  the  silence  with  which  we  pass  ever  the 
very  early  ages  of  Britain,  tlian  by  quoting  the  short  paragraph  in  which 
the  eminent  writer  to  whom  \vc  have  referred,  at  once  suggests  and  viniii- 
cates  that  course. 

"The  fables,"  says  he,  '•  which  arc  commonly  employed  to  supply  thv 
place  of  true  history,  ougit  to  be  ::;':?irr>ly  .iisregarded  ;  or  if  any  excep- 
tion be  admitted  to  this  general  r'lle,  it  can  only  be  in  favour  of  the  ancient 
Grecian  fictions,  which  are  .so  celebrated  and  so  agreeablt%  that  they  will 
ever  be  the  objects  of  the  general  attention  of  inanki^id.  Neglecting, 
therefore,  all  traditions,  or  rather  tales,  concerning  tlie  more  early  histo- 
ry of  Britain,  we  shall  only  consider  the  dtate  of  the  inhabitants  as  it  ap- 
E eared  to  the  Romans  on  tlieir  invasion  of  this  country.  We  shall 
riefly  run  over  the  events  which  attended  the  conquest  "made  by  tliaf 
Vol.  L— 7 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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WIBSTIR.N.Y.  MSaO 

(716)  •72-4503 


■:« 


48 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


J- J 


empire  as  belonging  nioic  to  Roman  than  to  British  story.  We  shal. 
hasten  through  the  obscure  and  uninteresting  period  of  Saxon  annals,  and 
shall  reserve  a  more  full  narration  for  those  times  when  the  trutli  is  both 
so  well  ascertained  and  so  complete  as  to  promise  entertahuncnt  and  in 
struction  to  the  reader." 

That  Britain,  liite  Gaul,  was  originaliy  inhabited  by  a  tribe  of  IheCeitae, 
18  as  well  ascertained  as  such  a  remote  fact  can  be  with  respect  to  a  peo- 
ple destitute  of  letters;  language,  manners,  government  (such  as  it  was), 
and  religion,  all  tend  to  show  ther  common  origin.  But  the  Britons,  from 
their  insular  situation,  .ctained  tlieir  full  ruc^eness  and  their  primitive  man- 
ners and  customs  long  after  tlie  Uauls,  from  their  intercourse  witii  llie  in- 
habitants of  other  parts  of  the  continent,  had  considerably  improved  in 
both  respects. 

The  British  people  were  divided  into  many  kmgdoms  or  tribes ;  and 
though  each  tribe  had  a  monarch,  each  monarchy  was  principally  founded 
upon  physical  force,  and  of  course  greatly  tempered  by  it.  For  despotism, 
indeed,  there  was  but  little  opportunity,  wliatcvcr  the  inclination  of  the 
king.  War  was  the  principal  occupation  of  tribe  against  tribe,  and  hunt- 
ing at  once  the  chief  amusement;  and,  next  to  the  feeding  of  flocks  and 
herds,  the  most  important  means  of  subsistence.  Wandering  hither  and 
thither  in  search  of  pasture  for  their  cattle,  these  wild  tribes  were  perpet- 
ually coming  into  collision  with  each  other ;  and  so  frequent  and  fierce 
were  their  wars,  that  but  for  the  interference  of  the  Druids — in  this  respect 
a  body  of  men  as  useful  as  in  many  other  respects  they  were  mischievous — 
their  mutual  rancour  would  have  proceeded  well-nigh  to  nmtuul  anniliila- 
tion. 

Though  we  have  stated  the  Britons  to  have  ber.i  free  from  kiiigly  des- 
potism— though,  in  fact,  tlie  king  was  only  the  first  freeman  of  a  tribe  of 
freemen,  there  yet  was  a  despotism,  and  a  terrible  one,  for  both 
king  and  people — the  despotism  of  the  Druids.  The  Druids  were  the 
priests  of  the  Britons;  and  they  were  also  their  teachers,  their  lawgivers 
and  their  magistrates;  and  tlic  peculiar  tenets  whii-h  were  inculcated  upon 
the  British  from  their  earliest  ciiildhood,  were  such  as  to  render  tiic  Druid 
priests  omnipotent,  as  far  as  the  term  can  be  applied  to  men  and  man's  at« 
tributes.  He  who  dared  to  oflend  the  Druid  priest  in  any  one  of  his  multi- 
farious offices,  lost  all  peace  in  this  world,  even  if  his  life  were  spared; 
he  was  excommunicated,  utterly  and  hopelessly  ;  shunned  by  his  fellow- 
men,  who  dared  neither  to  aid  nor  to  soothe  him,  he  could  but  retire  to 
the  deepes»,  solitudes  of  the  forest,  battle  for  his  precarious  existence  with 
the  forest  brutes,  and  perish  like  them,  obscure  and  unregarded.  Nor  was 
the  pang  with  which  he  closed  his  eyes  forever  upon  this  world  mitigated 
by  any  bright  and  cheering  hope  in  a  future  life.  The  metempsychosis 
had  been  a  part  of  his  belief  from  infancy,  and  he  who  died  under  the  fear- 
ful ban  of  the  Druids  died  in  the  assured  and  terrible  conviction  that  he  would 
live  forev(!r  under  successive  forms,  each  more  obscene  and  contemptible 
or  more  hated,  persecuted,  and  tortured,  than  that  which  hiid  preceded  it. 

With  such  means  of  upholding  their  power  over  a  rude  people,  it  will 
easily  bo  believed  that  the  Druids  had  little  trouble  in  ruling  both  king  and 
subjects.  And,  detestable  as  were  their  cmel  sacrifices  of  human  victims, 
this  exceeding  power  over  the  minds  of  the  people  was  so  far  valuable, 
that  it  supplied  the  want  of  more  legitimate  power  to  prevent  wild  courage 
proceeding  to  frenzied  ferocity,  and  to  prevent  war  from  being  p.osecuted 
to  the  extent  of  extermination. 

Humanity  can  never  fail  to  regret  ti.e  miseries  and  the  crimes  that 
characterize  wars,  or  to  detest  tlie  injustice  and  the  insolence  of  the 
feeling  which  prompts  the  strong  to  trample  upon  the  weak,  and  the 
wealtliy  to  plunder  the  poor.  But,  while  we  necessarily  look  with  these 
feelings  upon  invasion  and  war  in  the  abstract,  we  must  not  close  our  eyes 


I 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


M 


to  the  fuct,  that  the  sufferings,  however  great,  of  a  barbarous  people  inva- 
ded and  overrun  by  a  civilized  people,  are  but  temporary,  andl  are  follow- 
ed and  more  tlian  counterbalanced  by  a  permanent  'leliverance  from  the 
squalid  miseries  and  the  mental  darkness  by  which  savage  life  is  every- 
where characterized.  The  poet  may  tune  his  harmonious  lay  to  the  bli*$ 
of  those  primeval  ages, 

"  When  wild  in  woods  tUo  noble  savage  ran ;" 

But  the  sterner  pen  of  history,  informed  by  the  actual  experience  of  the 
voyager,  must  give  no  such  flattering  picture  of  barbarism.  Whether  in 
the  prairies  of  America,  or  in  the  wild  bush  of  New- Holland,  we  find  the 
s.-vage  invariably  miserable  and  a  mere  animal ;  superior  to  the  other  an- 
imals in  conformation,  but,  alas!  even  more  subject  to  disease  and  famine 
than  they  are.  We  may  sympathize  with  the  terror  which  the  poor  sav 
age  feels  when  civilized  man  invades  his  haunts,  and  we  have  every  right 
to  demand  tiiat  conquests  be  effected  with  the  least  possible  cruelty  ;  but 
we  still  must  admit  that  it  may  become  a  great  and  enduring  mercy  to  the 
conquered. 

Britain,  whose  fleets  are  upon  every  sea,  and  upon  whose  conquests  and 
possessions  the  sun,  literally,  never  sets,  was  the  home  of  numerous 
tribes  of  mere  savages  long  after  the  mighty  name  of  Rome  was  heard 
with  awe  or  admiration,  with  love  or  hale,  in  every  civilized  nation  of  the 
earth. 

Dwelling  in  wattled  huts  of  the  meanest  construction,  most  of  these 
tribes  shifted  their  habitations  from  place  to  place  as  new  pastures  became 
necessary  for  their  cattle  ;  but  some  tribes  were  stationary  and  practised 
agriculture,  which,  though  of  the  rudest  kind,  served  to  improve  their  sub- 
sistence. 

Julius  C.Tsar,  the  renowned  Roman,  having  overrun  Gaul  at  the  head  of 
his  irresistible  legions,  had  his  attention  altractod  to  Britain  b.  c.  55.  He 
determined  to  conquer  it,  and  it  is  to  his  invasion  that  we  primarily  owe 
our  present  splendour  and  importance.  From  his  own  history  of  his  Gal- 
lic wars  it  is  that  wo  chiefly  derive  our  knowledge  of  tiie  state  of  Britain; 
auu  it  is  on  his  authority  that  we  describe  its  rude  and  poor  condition. 
The  conquest  of  such  a  country  could  have  nothing  but  the  love  of  con- 
quest for  its  motive ;  but  to  a  Roman,  and,  above  all,  to  a  Cassar,  that  mo- 
tive was  sufficient  to  incite  to  tiie  utmost  enterprise,  and  to  reconcile  to 
the  utmost  danger  and  the  utmost  suffering. 

Not  far  from  the  present  site  of  ttic  town  of  Deal,  -a  Kent,  Ca;sar  made 
a  descent  upon  Britain.  The  savage  appearance  of  the  natives,  and  the 
fierce  reception  they  at  first  gave  to  their  invaders,  struck  a  temporary  ter- 
ror even  into  the  hearts  of  tiie  veteran  soldiers  of  Rome.  But  the  check 
was  only  momentary.  A  standard-bearer  leaped  upon  the  inhospitable 
shore,  and  tlio  legionaries  followed  tlieir  eagle.  Ciesar  advanced  some 
distance  into  tlie  country ;  but  every  mile  of  proi^rcss  was  made  under  the 
harrassing  attacks  of  tlie  natives,  whose  desultory  mode  of  warfare,  and 
their  intimate  acquaintance  with  tiic  wild  country,  made  them  formidable 
in  spite  of  their  want  of  discipline  and  ilie  rude  nature  of  their  arms.  But 
the  steady  perseverance  and  serried  ranks  of  liic  Romans  enabled  them  still 
to  advance  ;  and  they  gained  so  much  advantage,  tliat  when  Cresar  deemed 
it  necessary  to  return  to  iiis  wintei  quarters  in  Gaul,  he  was  able  to  ex- 
tort promises  of  a  peaceable  reception  when  he  should  think  proper  to  re- 
turn, and  received  hostages  fortlieir  fulelity.  Me  withdrew  accordingly, 
and  the  Britons,  ignorant,  and,  like  all  barbarous  people,  incapable  of  look- 
ing forward  to  distant  consequences,  flagrantly  failed  to  perform  tiieir  en- 
Sagemcnts.  Disobedience  was  what  the  Roman  power  would  not  it  that  time 
ave  brooked  from  a  pa  )ple  far  more  civilized  and  powerful  Ihdr  the  Brit 


100 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 


V  ^ 
h 


ons,  and  Csesar  early  in  tlie  ensuing  summer  again  made  his  appearance 
on  the  coast  of  Kent.    On  tliis  occasion  lie  found  a  more  regular  and  or 
ganized  force  awaiting  him ;  several  powerful  tribes  having  laid  asid< 
their  domestic  and  petty  differences,  and  united  themselves  under  Cassi 
belaunus,  a  brave  man,  and  so  superior  to  the  majority  of  the  British  kingj 
that  he  was  possessed  of  their  general  respect  and  confidence.     But  mere 
valour  could  aviil  little  against  the  soldiery  of  Rome,  inured  to  hardships 
rather  enjoying  than  fearing  danger,  thoroughly  disciplined,  and  led  bv  st 
consummate  a  soldier  as  Julius  Crcsar.     The  Britons,  acordingly,  harrass 
ed  him  in  his  march,  and  disturbed  his  camp  with  frequent  night-alarms, 
but  whenever  they  came  to  actual  battle  they  were  ever  defeated,  and  with 
dreadful  loss.    This  time  Ctcsar  made  his  way  far  into  the  country,  cross- 
ed the  Thames  in  face  of  the  enemy,  and  in  despite  of  the  precaution  they 
had  taken  to  stake  the  bed  of  the  river,  detroyed  the  capital  of  Cassibel- 
aunus,  and  established  as  king  of  the  Trinobantes  a  chieftain,  or  petty  king, 
named  Mandubratius,  who,  chiefly  in  disgust  of  some  ill  treatment,  real  or 
imagined,  which  he  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow-countrymen, 
had  allied  himself  with  .ne  Romans. 

But  though  Ca?sar  was  thus  far  successful,  the  wild  nature  of  the  coun 
try  and  the  nomadic  habits  of  the  people  prevented  him  from  achieving 
anything  more  than  a  nominal  conquest  of  the  island.  He  was  obliged 
to  content  himself,  once  more,  with  the  promises  which  the  islanders  the 
more  readily  made  him,  because  they  never  intended  to  fulfil  them,  and 
he  again  left  the  island,  never  to  return  to  it ;  for  the  dome  stic  troubles 
of  Rome,  greatly  caused  by  his  own  ambition  and  daring  genius,  left  nei- 
ther him  nor  the  Roman  people  any  leisure  to  attend  to  a  poor  and  re- 
mote island.  His  successor,  the  great  Augustus,  was  wisely  of  opinion 
that  it  rather  behoved  Rome  to  preserve  order  in  her  already  vast  empire, 
than  to  extend  its  bounds.  Tiberius  was  of  the  same  opinion;  and  Cal- 
igula, flighty  and  fickle,  if  not  absolutely  mad,  though  ho  made  a  demon 
stration  of  completing  the  work  which  Ca?sar  had  begun,  seized  no  spoik 
more  valuable  than  cockle-shells,  inflicted  only  a  fright  upon  the  Britons, 
and  gave  Rome  nothing  for  the  vast  expense  of  his  eccentric  expedition, 
save  materials  for  many  a  merry  pasquinade  au'i  hearty  laugh. 

For  nearly  a  century  after  the  first  descent  ■  "  Caesar,  the  Britons  en- 
joyed peace  unbroken,  save  by  their  own  pett)  trs.  But  in  the  reign 
of  the  emperor  ('laudius,  a.  d.  43,  the  design  >  iquering  the  island  of 
Britain  was  again  revived,  and  Plautiiis,  i  vt...ran  general,  landed  and 
fairly  established  himself  and  his  legionaries  in  the  countr) .  As  soon  as 
he  received  tidings  of  the  success  and  position  of  his  general,  Claudius 
himself  came  over;  and  the  Cantii,  "tie  Regni,  the  Trinobantes,  and  other 
tribes  of  the  south-eastern  part  of  ihs  island,  made  their  formal  submis- 
sion to  him,  and  this  time,  probably,  with  something  like  sincerity,  a* 
they  had  experienced  the  power  of  the  Roman  arms,  and  the  superiority 
of  the  Roman  discipline. 

The  more  inland  Britons,  however,  were  still  fiercely  determined  to 
maintain  their  liberty  and  i)regerve  their  territory;  and  several  tribes  of 
them,  united  under  the  command  of  Caractacus,  a  man  of  courage  and 
of  conduct  superior  to  what  could  be  anticipated  in  a  mere  barbarian, 
made  a  stout  resistance  to  all  attempts  of  the  Romans  to  extend  their 
progress  and  power;  a.  d.  50.  Indignant  that  mere  barbarians  should 
even  in  a  slight  degree  limit  the  flight  of  the  destroying  eagle,  the  Ra- 
mans now  sent  over  reinforcements  under  the  command  of  Ostorius  Sca- 
pula, whose  vigorous  conduct  soon  changed  the  face  of  affairs.  He  beat 
the  Britons  farther  and  farther  back  at  every  encouriter,  and  penetrated 
into  the  coun'.ry  of  the  Silurcs  (now  forming  part  of  South  VVales),  and 
here  in  a  general  engagement  he  completely  routed  them  and  took  a  vaM 
number  of  pr  soiiers,  amcng  whom  was  the  brave  Caractacus. 


THE  TBEASUHY  OP  HISTOIIY. 


101 


This  brave  though  unfortunate  prince  was  sent  to  Rome.  Arriver]  in 
that  mighty  city,  he  was  scarcely  more  astonished  at  the  vast  wealth  and 
grandeur  which  it  contained,  than  at  tlie  cupidity  of  the  possessors  o( 
such  a  city,  and  their  strange  desire  to  deprive  a  purple  so  poor  as  the 
Britons  of  tiieir  wild  liberty  and  wattled  huts.  It  is  to  the  honour  of  the 
Romans  of  that  day,  that  Caractacus  was  treated  with  a  generosity  which 
was  at  once  equal  to  his  merits,  and  in  strong  contrast  with  the  treat 
ment  which  Rome  usually  reserved  for  defeated  kings  who  had  dared  to 
oppose  h(!r.  And  this  {jenerosity  of  the  Romans  to  Caractacus  individ- 
ually, is  the  more  crediiable  and  the  more  remarkable,  because  his  cap- 
ture by  no  means  prevented  his  compatriots  from  continuing  the  strug- 
gle. Though  always  distressed,  and  ol'ien  decisively  worsted,  the  Dritons 
still  fought  bravely  on  for  every  acre  of  their  fatherland;  and  as  they 
improved  in  their  style  of  figtiting,  even  in  consequence  of  the  defeats 
they  received,  Britain  was  still  considered  a  battle-field  worthy  of  the 
presence  of  the  best  ollicers  and  hardiest  veterans  of  Rome. 

Irritated  at  tlie  comparatively  slow  progress  of  their  arms  against  so 
poor  and  rude  a  people,  the  Romans  now  gave  the  chief  command  of 
their  troops  in  Britain  to  Suetonius  Paulinus,  a  man  of  equal  courage 
and  conduct,  and  noted  even  among  that  warlike  race  for  unwavering 
sternness.  This  gen(!ral  perceived  the  true  cause  of  the  British  ptirti- 
nacity  of  resistance  in  the  face  of  so  many  decisive  deft^ats  and  severe 
chastisements.  That  cause,  the  oidy  one,  probably,  which  could  so  long 
have  kept  such  rude  people  united  and  firm  under  misfortune,  was  the 
religious  induence  of  the  Druids,  whose  terrible  anger  had  more  terror 
for  tiieir  deluded  followers  tlr.m  even  tlie  warlike  prowess  and  str.mge 
arms  of  the  Romans.  Suetonius,  then,  determined  to  strike  at  the  very 
root  of  British  obstinacy  ;  and  as  the  little  isle  of  .\tiglesey,  then  called 
Mona,  was  the  chief  resort  of  the  Druids,  he  proceeded  to  attack  it,  right- 
ly judging  that  b  ■  making  a  terrible  example  of  the  chief  seat  of  their 
religion  and  tluiir  priests,  he  should  strike  more  terror  into  the  refratitory 
Britons  than  by  defi-'atiiig  them  in  a  hundred  desultory  battles.  His  hnd- 
nig  was  iu)t  elTected  without  considerable  didlculty ;  for  here  the  naturally 
brave  Britons  fought  under  the  very  eyes  of  their  powerful  and  dreaded 
priests,  and  wiih  the  double  motive  of  desire  to  win  their  praise,  and 
terror  of  im;urring  an  aiiirer  wliich  they  bfli(!ved  to  be  potent  in  the  fu- 
ture world  as  in  this.  Urged  by  suc^h  eonsideralioiis,  the  Rritoi\s  fought 
with  uiu!xampled  fury  and  .determination,  and  the  priests  and  prit^stcsses 
mmgled  in  the  ranks,  shrii'king  strange  curses  upon  ihe  invaders,  waving 
flaming  torches,  and  presenting  so  uiK^arthly  and  startling  an  appearance 
that  many  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  who  would  have  looked  coolly  upon 
certain  death,  were  struck  with  a  superstitious  ave,  and  half  imat;ii)ed 
that  they  were  actually  engaged  in  personal  warfare  with  the  tutelar  de- 
mons of  their  mortal  foes.  But  Suetonius  was  as  disdainful  of  super- 
stitious terrors  as  of  actual  danger,  and  his  exhortations  and  example  in- 
spired his  men  to  exertions  that  speedily  put  the  illarmed  and  undiscip- 
lined BntoiKs  to  llighl. 

The  worst  crime  of  which  the  Druids  were  guilty,  was  that  of  oflTering 
to  their  gods  human  sacrifices.  Kven  in  time  of  peace,  victims  selei'ted 
by  the  Druids,  i  it  hen*  in  actual  malicre  or  in  mere  wanton  recklessness,  fed 
the  devouring  tlami's.  But  it  was  more  especially  in  war  lime  that  these 
truly  horrible  sacrifices  were  frequent,  iind  the  victims  numerous.  Con- 
fident in  their  hope  of  defeating  tlie  Romans  l)y  force,  and  the  terrors  of 
their  superstition,  the  Druids  of  Mona  on  this  occasion  had  promised  their 
cruel  di'ities  a  i)lenteoiis  sacrifice.  The  fires  were  prepared— but  they 
who  were  to  have  been  (he  ministering  priests  became  the  victims;  for 
Suetonius,  as  cruel  as  those  against  whom  he  fought,  burned  the  captive 
Druids  at  their  own  altars.     Having  wreaked  this  cruel  vengeance,  and 


jF-,fi,^r. 


102 


THE  THEA8URY  OF  HI3T0RV 


mil 


flBmEr  " 

■f.:   : 

Igfj^BBrf  v<  j^/ 

yHi^RH '--•-*    1 

Ow'^BS 

1: 

1 

cut  down  or  burned  the  dense  groves  in  wliieh  the  Druids  had  lor  ages 
performed  the  darit  rites  of  their  mysterious  religion,  he  left  inglrsey 
and  returned  into  Britain,  confident  that  the  blow  lie  had  tiuis  struck  at 
the  most  venerated  seat  of  the  British  faiili  would  so  shake  the  courage 
and  confidence  of  its  votaries,  that  he  would  have  for  the  future  only  a 
series  of  easy  triumphs.  But  his  absence  from  the  main  island  might 
have  been  of  more  disparagement  to  his  cause  than  his  feats  at  Mona  had 
been  to  its  advantage.  Profiting  by  their  brief  freedom  from  his  pres- 
ence, the  scattered  tribes  of  the  Britons  liad  reunited  tiiemselves,  and  un 
der  a  leader,  who,  though  a  woman,  was  formidable  both  by  natural  char- 
acter and  shameful  provocation. 

Boadicea,  widow  of  the  king  of  the  Teem,  having  offended  a  Roman 
tribiuie  by  the  spirit  with  which  she  upheld  her  own  and  her  subject's 
rights,  was  treated  with  a  shameful  brutality,  amply  sufficient  to  have 
maddened  a  far  feebler  spirit.  She  herself  was  scourged  in  tiie  presence 
of  the  Roman  soldiers,  amid  their  insulting  jeers,  and  her  three  daughters, 
scarcely  arrived  at  the  age  of  womanhood,  were  subjected  to  still  more 
brutal  outrage. 

Haughty  and  fierce  of  spirit  even  beyond  the  wont  of  her  race,  Boadicea 
vowed  that  the  outrages  to  which  she  had  been  subjected  should  be  amply 
avenged  in  Roman  blood;  and  the  temporary  absence  of  Suetonius  from 
Britain  was  so  well  employed  by  her,  that  he  found  on  his  arrival  froir 
Mona  that  she  was  at  the  head  of  an  immense  army,  which  had  already 
reduced  to  utter  ruin  several  of  the  Roman  selilcmenls.  The  safety  of 
London,  which  was  already  a  place  of  considerable  importance,  was  his 
first  care;  but  tiiough  he  marched  thither  witli  all  possible  rapidity,  he 
was  not  able  to  save  it  from  the  flames  to  wiiich  Hoailicea  had  doomed  it, 
and  all  tliose  of  its  inhabitants  who  were  not  fortunate  enough  to  make 
a  timely  escape.  Nor  was  the  Roman  discomfiture  confined  to  London 
or  Its  neiijhbourhood.  Successful  in  various  (liicciions,  the  Ihitons  were 
as  unsparing  as  successful  ;  and  it  is  afiirmcd — though  the  number  has 
always  appeared  to  us  to  be  very  greatly  exage;erated — that  of  Romans 
and  the  various  strangers  wlio  had  accompanied  oy  followed  them  to 
Britain,  no  fewer  than  70,000  perished  in  this  determined  aiid  s.ingiiinary 
endeavourof  the  Britons  to  drive  tlie  invaders  from  their  shores.  Kven 
allowing  somewhat  for  the  error  or  exaggeration  of  early  historians,  it  is 
certain  that  the  loss  iiifli(Med  upon  the  Romans  and  their  adherents  by 
Boadicea,  was  immense.  But  the  return  of  Suetonius  ins()ir(Ml  his  coun- 
trymen with  new  spirit,  and  the  tide  of  fortune  soon  left  the  native  island- 
ers. Flushed  with  numerous  successes,  and  worked  up  to  a  frenzy  of 
enthusiasm  even  by  the  cruel  use  which  they  hid  made  of  their  success, 
they  collected  all  their  forces  fi>r  one  final  and  miglity  effort.  Suetonius 
and  Boadicea  in  person  commanded  their  respective  forces.  The  latter 
harangued  her  troops  with  great  spirit ;  the  former  contented  himself 
Avilh  making  his  ;trrangcments  with  CDiisummate  art,  well  knowing  that 
his  legionaries  required  no  exhortation  to  strike  liard  and  home  at  an 
enemy  that  had  put  the  Roman  eagle  to  flight,  and  make  earth  drink  deep 
of  the  proud  Roman  blood.  The  battle  was  obstinate  and  terrible  ;  but 
once  again  the  marvellous  superiority  of  discipline  over  mere  numbers 
and  courage,  however  vast  the  one  orenthusiastic  the  other,  was  striking- 
ly displayed.  The  dense  masses  of  the  Britons  were  pierced  and  brt)ken 
by  the  Roman  phalanx;  tlie  defeat  became  a  rout — ihe  rout  a  massacre. 
Boadicea  escaped  from  the  field  by  llie  swiftness  of  the  horses  of  her 
own  chariot ;  but  despairing  of  ever  again  being  able  to  make  head  against 
the  detested  invaders  of  her  country,  and  preferring  death  to  falling  again 
iuto  the  hands  of  those  who  had  so  mercilessly  maltreated  oolh  hersel, 
and  her  daughters,  she  swallowed  a  potent  poison,  and  when  f  vertakeii  by 
the  pursuing  soldiers,  was  beyond  their  malice,  being  then  in  the  aguniea 
of  death. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORt 


103 


Though  Seutonius  had  nchievtd  great  successes  in  Brilian,  he  liad  done 
•o  only  at  the  expense  of  sucli  extraordinary  losses  and  cruelty  on  both 
sides,  that  Nero  recalled  him  from  his  government,  apparently  under  the 
impression  that  his  excessive  sternness  and  severity  unfitted  him  for  a 
lost  in  which  it  was  not  merely  necessary  to  know  how  to  comhat  the 
resisting,  but  also  how  to  conciliate  the  conquered.  Two  or  three  other 
generals  were  briefly  entrusted  with  this  diflicult  and  delicate  post,  which 
they  filled  with  credit  to  themselves  and  the  Roman  name;  but  it  was  the 
good  fortune  of  Vespasian,  through  the  prowess  and  judgment  of  his  fa 
inous  general,  Julius  Agricola,  completely  to  subdue  Britain  to  the  Roman 
dominion. 

A  consummate  soldier,  Julius  Agricola  was  no  less  consummate  as  a 
civil  governor;  and  while  he  led  his  victorious  legions  against  the  Britons, 
driving  farther  and  farther  backwards  to  the  bleak  rocks  and  forests  of 
Caledonia  those  who  did  not  perish  in  the  field,  or  were  too  proud  to  do 
homage  to  their  conqueror,  he  showed  himself  admirably  fitted  for  the 
peculiar  duties  to  which  he  had  been  appointed,  by  the  skill  with  which 
he  made  kindness  and  liberality  to  the  subnnssive  go  hand  in  hand  with 
stern  severity  to  those  who  still  dared  to  resist  the  Roman  arms.  Having 
followed  the  more  obstinaf!  of  the  Britons  from  post  to  post,  and  defeated 
their  collected  force  under  Galgacus  in  a  pitched  battle,  he  erected  a  chain 
of  forts  between  the  Frith  of  Forth  and  that  of  Clyde,  and  thus  divided  the 
northern  retreat  of  the  hostile  Britons  from  the  southern  parts,  that  now 
formed  a  great  and  settled  Roman  province. 

In  this  province  the  British  inhabitants  were  by  this  time  but  little  in 
clined  to  give  any  fiirther  trouble  to  their  all-powerful  conquerors,  of 
whose  warlike  prowess  they  had  seen  too  many  proofs  to  give  ihi-m  even 
a  faint  hope  of  successful  resistance.  Moreover,  Agricola  skilfully  and 
assiduously  availed  himself  of  their  peaceable  disposition  to  ;nstruct 
them  in  the  Roman  tongue,  as  well  as  in  the  Roman  habits  and  arts.  His 
efforts  in  this  direction  were  as  successful  as  liis  former  exertions  to  put 
down  resistance  had  been  ;  and  both  London  ;nid  the  smaller  places  soon 
:)egan  to  wear  a  busy  and  civilized  as[)ect.  The  skill  with  which  the  Ro- 
mans incorjioratcd  with  themselves  even  the  rudest  and  most  intractable 
people,  when  they  had  onc(^  by  iheir  conquering  prowess  fairly  got  footing 
among  them,  was  to  the  full  as  astonishing  and  adtnirablc  as  that  prowess 
itself.  The  Romans  from  time  to  lime  strengthened  the  northern  fortifi- 
cations of  Britain,  and  thus  prevented  any  inroad  from  the  still  untamed 
hordes  native  to  Scotland  or  sheltered  there ;  and  the  southern  Britons 
were  so  fully  contented  with  their  situation,  and  became  so  perfecllj'  in- 
corporated with  their  conquerors,  and  initiated  into  their  habits  and  feel- 
ings, ilrit  the  only  disturbances  we  read  of  in  Britain  during  a  long  series 
of  years  arose,  not  from  insurgent  attempts  on  the  part  of  the  Britons,  but 
from  the  turbulence  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  or  from  the  ambition  of  some 
Roman  governor,  who,  made  presuming  by  holding  high  state  and  author- 
ity in  so  distant  a  province,  was  induced  to  assume  the  purple  and  claim 
the  empire. 

The  wonderful  improvement  made  in  the  condition  of  Britain  by  the 
residence  of  the  Romans  was  at  length  bro\ight  to  a  period.  The  barbaric 
hosts  of  the  north  were  now  pressing  so  fiercely  and  so  terribly  upon  Rome 
herself,  that  the  old  and  long  sacred  rule  of  the  Roman  senate,  never  to 
contract  the  limits  of  the  empire  by  abandoning  a  colony  once  planted, 
was  obliged  to  be  disregarded.  The  outlying  legions  were  wanted  for  the 
defence  of  the  very  heart  of  the  empire  ;  and  the  insular  situation  of  Brit- 
ain, and  its  very  slight  consequence  with  respect  to  -vealth,  naturally 
pointed  it  out  as  a  ctdony  to  be  earliest  and  witii  the  least  regret  abandoneo. 
Scarcely  had  the  Itoman  legions  departed  when  the  Britons  were  i.ssailed 
bv  the  Picts  and  Scots.    The  chain  of  northern  forts  was  strong  and  ad 


>     ll  '' 


JOl 


THE  TKEASIJIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


niiralily  pl.innetl,  but  Iiardy  and  warlike  (Icfeiidcrs  were  no  less  in cessary 
and  the  Hritoiis  hail  so  long  l/t;en  al•(■|l^tolnell  to  look  for  all  military  ser- 
vice to  the  veterms  who  had  dwell  among  them,  llial  lliey  had  lost 
unieh  of  their  aneienl  valour,  and  were  no  nmteli  for  the  lierce  barliariatis 
whose  hodies  were  as  little  enervated  by  luxmy  ua  their  mmds  were  un- 
tamed iiy  any  approach  to  letters  or  politeness. 

An  appeal  to  Koine,  where  an  interest  in  liritain  was  not  yet  wlioliy 
lost  in  till"  more  pressing  instinets  of  self-i)re.servation,  was  aiisweri<l  by 
the  imme.liale  despatch  of  a  le^'ion,  whiidi  drove  away  tlu!  barbarians 
The  departure  of  the  Jtomans  was  immediately  followed  by  a  new  ,iicur 
sion  ;  aid  was  aj^aiii  sent  frimi  Home,  and  the  enemy  aj^am  was  driven 
back.  Dili  the  situation  of  the  Koman  empire  was  now  so  erilieal,  thai 
cviMi  a  single  legion  coiiUl  no  loiifi;er  be  spared  from  home  defence,  and 
the  Romans,  having  put  the  northern  fortilicatioiis  into  rejiair,  exhorted  the 
Britons  to  defend  themselves  with  jjerseveraiu'e  and  valmir,  and  took 
their  final  leave  of  them  in  the  year  •lb-',  after  having  been  masters  of  the 
island,  and  exerted  their  civilizing  inlhienco  npon  its  inliahitaiits,  for  very 
nearly  four  centuries. 

It  had  been  well  for  the  IJritons  if  iliey  liad  not  been  in  the  habit  of  re 
iying  so  implicitly  upon  the  lunnans  for  defence.  Now  that  Rome  left 
them  thus  suddenly  and  eompleiely  to  their  own  masiery,  Iliey  were  in 
precisely  the  worst  possible  stage  of  liansition  to  fit  them  for  a  striij^^lc 
with  their  more  barbarous  northern  neighlioins ;  they  bad  lost  mncli  of  the 
fierce  and  beaillong  valour  of  barbarians,  without  aicpiiniig  Mie  art  and 
discipline  of  eivili/ed  warriors,  and  they  bad  just  so  uiU'h  of  wi'allli  anil 
luxury  as  siiflu-ed  to  tempt  ci:|)idity.  Many  of  their  luddcst  and  most  vig- 
orous youth  had  either  been  incorporated  in  the  Roman  soldiery,  or  had 
falliMi  ill  snj'port  of  (iratian  and  Coiisiantine  in  their  ill-f.ited  |)reteiisioiis 
to  the  inijiiriil  throne.  The  northern  barbarians,  ever  on  the  wateii,  soon 
became  aware  that  the  Koman  legion,  before  which  their  milramed  lio.sts 
had  been  compelled  to  give  way,  bad  de|iarted  ;  and  they  f(nili\viili  asM'iii 
bled  in  vast  numbers  and  again  assailed  the  northern  forlilirations.  To 
men  so  long  nnaccnsiomed  as  the  liritons  wen  to  self-deleiu'e,  the  very 
consciousness  of  having  to  rt  ly  wholly  upon  their  own  valour  and  pru- 
dence, had  an  appalling  and  bewildering  elVect.  They  made  but  a  feeble 
and  disorderly  resistance,  were  speedily  beaten  from  their  foils,  and  then 
fled  onward  in  panic,  leaving  the  conntry  as  they  passed  tliroiinii  it  to  the 
nuTcy  of  the  savage  invaders.  The  behavior  of  llieso  \\  as  precist  ly  what 
might  hot'e  been  expei'ted  ;  the  sword  and  the  torch  marked  tlieir  foot- 
steps, hamlet  and  town  W(!re  razed  and  mined,  and  the  blackness  of  dcso 
lation  was  seen  in  the  fields  which  liad  lately  been  ciivt-red  with  the  wealth 
of  harvest.  Ue.iten  at  every  point  at  which  they  attem|)teil  to  make  head 
against  their  enemies,  and  seeing  in  the  terrible  ra^e  with  which  they 
were  pursued  and  harassed,  no  prospect  but  that  of  utter  and  irredeemable 
ruin,  the  unfortunate  Britons  sent  an  embassy  to  lloine  to  implore  aid 
once  more.  Their  missive,  which  was  entitled  The  Groans  nf  ihc  Unions, 
graphically  paints  their  situation  and  their  feelings.  "The  barbarians" 
said  this  missive,  "on  the  one  hand,  chase  us  into  the  sea,  the  sea  on  the 
other  hand  throws  us  back  upon  the  barbarians;  and  we  have  only  the 
hard  choice  left  us  of  peristiiiig  by  the  sword  or  by  the  waves." 

But  Attila,  that  terrible  Scom-frc  of  God,  as  lie  profanely  I'oasted  him 
self,  was  now  pushing  Rome  herself  to  mortal  extremity  ;  and  had  llrit.iin 
been  even  rich  ami  imponant,  not  a  legion  could  have  lieen  prudently 
spared  at  this  crisis  for  its  defence.  Ueing  poor  and  insigiiilicant,  it  ol 
course  could  not  for  an  instant  claim  tin;  attention  of  those  who  were 
combating  for  the  safety  of  tiie  empire,  an<l  w!io  had  already  begun  to  des- 
pair of  it.  When  the  Britmis  found  tliat  they  were  indeed  linally  aban- 
doned by  Rome,  they  lost  a!l  heart,  deserted  even  their  strongest  point* 


li'T 


CQ 


I^li 


1 

^IIH 

§1 

:j 

f' 

1 

BIBIi 

1 

j^Rt. 

1i      !   - 

!!    i,!| 


Iti 'I 


1 

m.: 

ijl 

'H|||-||| 

I 

II 

1 

11,3 

ers. 

Wiir 

tlic 

qui  I 

cxpt 

von 

I]ritJ 

the 

'I'o 

the 

isle 

love 

and 

as  tl 


THE  TREA8UUY  OP  HISTOllY. 


IM 


ofdrfrnrr,  niul  fled  lo  the  coiiccalinciit  of  tlioir  bills  and  fnrrsls,  Iraving 
tiicir  lidiiscs  anil  properly  lo  llif  nicri'y  of  llicir  t  iH'inics.  Tliosr,  in  llicir 
pnifiiHion  anil  in  llin  \vaMl()nii('H>i  of  Ihtir  (Icstruclion,  soon  drew  upon 
thrnis('lvc.>s  tlif  pan<,rs  of  actual  want,  ami  then  ahaiidoncd  Iht!  conntry 
wJiii'h  tlity  had  tlms  convened  into  a  desert,  and  carried  all  tlmt  waB 
movealdi'  of  use  or  ornament  lo  llicir  northern  homes. 

AVliin  the  enemy  had  completely  retired  from  the  conntry  the  llritons 
ventured  forth  from  their  retreats ;  and  their  industry,  exerted  luider  the 
influence  of  the  most  instant  and  important  events,  soon  removed  the 
worst  features  of  ruin  and  devastation  from  their  country.  Hut  as  iln-y 
rrn-.ained  as  imvvarlike  as  ever,  and  were  divided  into  numerous  petty 
communitii  s,  whoso  chiefs  were  at  perpetual  discord,  their  retnruinij  pros- 
perlty  was  mendy  an  invitation  to  their  h.irharous  neiy;hl)ours  to  make  a 
new  inroad  u[)oii  [)eoplc  ingenious  enough  to  create  wealth,  but  not  hardy 
enonah  to  defend  it. 

To  Homo  it  was  now  (juito  (dearly  of  no  use  to  apply;  and  Vorti^rrii, 
prince  of  Danmoninin,  one  «)f  the  most  powerful  of  the  petty  kiuj;s  ol 
Britain,  w  ho  was  very  inllaential  on  account  of  his  talents  and  possessions, 
thoiigli  of  an  exceedingly  odtoiis  (diaracter,  pro[)osed  to  send  to  d'crmany 
nnd  in\  ite  over  a  force  of  Saxons  lo  serve  as  the  hired  defenders  of  llritaiii. 

As  a  general  rule,  calling  in  a  foreign  Umw  is  to  he  depreeateil ;  hut,  sit- 
uatcd  as  lh(!  IJritons  were,  we  do  not  see  what  nltcrnaiivc  they  had  be- 
tween doing  so  and  being  either  exlerminated  by  the  barbarians  or  reduced 
to  their  own  wrettdied  and  rndt;  condition.  It  must,  indeed,  have  lieen  ob- 
vious lo  Vortigern,  and  ail  other  mm  of  ability,  that  there  was  some  dan- 
ger that  they  wiio  wert^  sent  for  to  defend,  might  remain  to  oppress.  Ihit 
this  was  a  distant  anil  a  mendy  i)rol)lcmatical  danger;  that  with  which 
they  were  threatened  by  the  barbarians  was  eerlain,  instant,  and  utterly 
ruinous;  and  even  had  both  dangers  been  on  a  par  ;is  lo  eerlainly,  the 
Saxons,  as  less  rude  and  barbarous,  were  preferable  as  tyrants  to  the  I'icts 
and  Scots. 

'I'lie  Saxons  had  long  been  famous  for  their  prowess.  Daring  in  the 
fight  and  skilful  in  seaminiship,  they  had  made  descents  upon  the  sea-board 
of  most  eouinries,  and  had  never  landed  without  giving  thi!  inhaliitants 
amjile  reason  to  tremble  at  their  name  for  the  time  to  conu".  Kven  the 
Romans  had  so  often  ami  so  scver(dy  felt  their  luisidnevons  power,  that 
they  had  a  special  olTicer  e;dled  the  Count  of  the  Saxon  Shore,  whoso  pe- 
culiar duty  it  was  to  oppose  these  marauders  upon  their  own  proper  cle- 
ment, and  prevent  them  from  landing  on  the  lialian  shore. 

V\hrn  the  Hrilons  determined  to  apply  to  the  Saxons  for  aid,  two  broth 
crs,  by  name  llengist  anil  M^^isa,  were  tlio  most  famous  and  respected 
warriors  among  that  warlike  p('o[)le.  They  were  reputed  descendants  of 
the  god  Woden;  and  this  fabidous  iuicostry  joined  lo  their  real  personal 
qualities  and  the  great  success  which  had  ;ittended  them  in  their  [)iratical 
expeditions,  had  given  them  great  influence  over  the  most  daring  and  ad- 
venturous of  the  Saxons.  Perceiving  Ileal  the  Romans  bad  abandoned 
Ilrilain,  they  were  actually  contemplating  a  descent  upon  that  island  when 
the  IJritish  envoys  waited  upon  them  to  crave  their  aid  as  mercemirics. 
To  a  request  whudi  harmomzed  so  w(dl  with  their  own  views  and  wishes 
the  brothers  of  course  gave  a  ready  assent,  and  speedily  arrhed  at  the 
isle  of  Tbanet  with  sixteen  htmdred  followers,  inured  to  hardship  and  in 
love  with  danger  even  for  its  own  sake.  They  marched  against  the  Picts 
and  Scots,  wlio  speedily  fled  before  men  whose  valour  was  as  im(ictuou3 
as  their  own,  and  seconded  by  superior  arms  and  military  conduct. 

When  the  Britons  were  thus  once  more  didivered  from  the  rage  and 
cupidity  of  their  fierce  neighbours,  ihey  became  anxious  lo  part  with  theit 
deliverers  on  such  friendly  terms  as  would  insure  their  fnlure  aid  should 
it  be  required.    But  the  Saxon  leaders  had  seen  loo  nmch  of  the  beauty 


mvk>^ 


106 


THK  TllEAaUKY  OF  IIiaXOllY 


II   .1 


i>'\r 


aiiJ  fertility  of  the  oouiilry,  niid  of  tlio  wcukiicss  and  divisions  of  its  own 
ers,  to  ft'd  any  iiiclin;itioii  to  Uikf.  tlieir  dcpartum;  utul  lloiigisl  and  llorfla, 
■0  fill*  fmin  iiiakin>r  any  prcparutioii  to  iciuni  lioiiic,  siMit  thithor  for  rein- 
forcoiiuriis,  wliicli  arrived  to  tlir  niiml)i'i-  of  five  thousand  nun,  in  seven, 
tcen-war-ships.  Thi-  Uiitons,  w  ho  iiad  been  unable  to  resiMt  the  Picls  and 
Scots,  saw  llu!  hopt'lt'8^)n('ss  of  attcniptinj,'  to  use  force  for  the  expulsion 
of  people  as  brave  and  far  better  organized,  and  therefore,  though  not  with- 
out  serious  fears  that  those  who  had  been  (.ailed  in  as  mercenary  soldiers 
would  prove  a  more  dangerous  enemy  than  the  one  they  liad  so  fiercely 
and  onVelually  combated,  the  llritons  afTeeted  the  most  unsuspecting 
friendship  and  yiehled  to  every  encroachment  and  to  every  insolence  w  ith 
the  best  grace  that  they  could  command.  Hut  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  con- 
ciliate men  who  are  anxiously  watching  for  a  phiusibic  excuse  for  (pi.irrel 
andoutrag(!.  Some  disputes  which  arose  about  the  allowances  of  provi- 
sions for  which  the  Saxon  mercenaries  had  stipulated,  furnished  this  ex- 
cuse, and,  siding  with  the  I'icts  and  Scots,  the  Saxons  ojjcnly  declared  war 
against  the  people  whom  they  had  l)cen  lil)erally  sul)si<lized  to  defend. 

Desperation  and  the  indignation  so  naturally  excited  by  the  treacherous 
conduct  of  their  quondam  allies,  roused  the  liritons  to  something  like  the 
vigour  and  spirit  of  their  warlike  ancestors.  Their  first  step  was  to  de- 
pose  Vortigiiru,  who  was  before  uni)opnlar  on  account  of  his  vicious  life 
and  was  now  universally  hated  on  accoiuil  of  the  bad  consequences  of  the 
measure  he  had  r<'coniinended,  though,  as  we  have  already  observed,  when 
ho  suggested  the  subsidizing  of  the  Saxons,  the  llritons  were  in  such  a 
position  that  it  would  not  have  been  easy  to  suggest  a  better  measure.  His 
son  Vortiiner,  who  had  a  reputation  for  both  courage  and  military  conduct, 
was  raised  to  tiic  supreme  coninruid,  and  the  llritons  fought  several  ImUIcs 
with  gr<'  It  courage  and  perseverani-e,  though  willi  almost  invariable  ill  for 
tune.  'I'iie  Saxons  kept  advancing;  anil  ihough  Ilorsa  was  slain  at  the 
battle  of  .Vylcsford,  llcngist,  who  tli(  n  had  tiicsolt!  command  of  the  Sax- 
ons, showed  hiiiisclf  fully  ccjual  to  all  tiie  exigencies  of  his  post.  Sie.idi- 
ly  advancing  u|)on  the  Uritons,  he  at  the  same  tim(>  sent  over  to  (ierinany 
for  reinlorcemenls.  These  continued  to  arrive  in  iinini'iise  lunnluMs,  and 
the  uiifi»rtuiiat(!  Hritons,  worsted  in  t  very  encounter,  were  siicc(  ssively 
chased  to  and  from  every  part  of  thrir  I'ouiitry.  Wlielher  with  a  desire  to 
make  terror  do  the  work  of  the  sword  among  tiie  survivors,  or  with  a  real 
aud  savagi!  intent  to  exterminate  the  llritons,  llorsa  made  it  an  invariable 
rule  to  give  no  (juarler.  Wherever  he  (^oiuiuercd,  man,  wom.iii,  ;iii;l  child 
were  put  to  death ;  the  towns  and  hamlets  were  again  razed  or  burniMl, 
and  again  the  black(;ncd  and  arid  fitdds  bore  testimony  to  the  presence  and 
the  unsparing  humour  of  a  conqueror. 

Dreadfully  reduced  in  numbers,  and  suffering  every  description  of  priva- 
tion, the  unforluiiate  Uritons  now  lost  all  hope  of  combating  successful- 
ly. Some  submitted  and  accepted  life  on  the  hard  conditi(ui  of  tilling  as 
slaves  the  land  they  had  owned  as  freemen  ;  ollu^rs  took  refuge  in  the  nioini- 
tain  fastnesses  of  Wales,  and  a  still  more  considerable  nuiiiber  sought  refuge 
in  the  province  of  Armoriea  in  Gaul;  and  the  district  which  was  there ns- 
signed  them  is  still  known  by  the  name  of  Hritanny. 

Ilengist  founded  the  kingdom  of  Kent,  which  at  first  comprised  not  only 
the  couiiiy  now  known  by  th  il  iiaiuc,  but  also  those  of  Ksscx  and  .Middlesex, 
and  a  portion  of  Surrey.  Ucing  still  occrasioiially  disturbed  by  revolts  oi 
the  Britons,  he  settled  a  tribe  of  Sa.xonsiii  Northumberland.  Other  north- 
cm  trilies,  learning  the  success  of  Ilengist  an, I  his  followers,  (;ame  over. 
The  earliest  of  these  was  a  tribe  of  S.ixons,  who  came  over  in  tlie  ye;ir  477, 
and,  after  iniich  fighting  with  some  of  the  Britons  who  had  partially  nico- 
vere  I  their  spirit,  founded  the  kingdom  of  Sussex.  This  kingdom,  o 
which  the  Saxon  MUa  was  the  founder  and  king,  included  the  present  coun- 
ty of  Sussex  and  also  Ihut  of  Surrey. 


TUB  TREASURY  OP  HI8T0RV 


107 


Though  from  many  cauirs  there  is  coiisidcrahle  difTlculty  in  as(!nitiiiii- 
injj  thd  (ixacl  dales  ofilu!  ijvciits  of  tho  very  earliest  Saxon  ailvnitiiicrs  ill 
Uiiiaiii,  it  IS  preliy  certain  that  the  victorious  and  successful  ll(iiy;ist  eu- 
loycd  ilio  possession  of  his  illai;(iiiirud  kinjjdoni  until  the  year  IHrt,  when 
he  died  at  Canterbury,  which  city  Ik;  had  selected  as  his  capilil. 

In  the  year  V.)'>  a  lrd)o  of  Saxons  lauded  under  the  coininand  of  Cerdic 
and  his  son  Keiiric.  lie  was  warmly  resisted  hy  tiio  Drilons,  who  still  re- 
mained allaohed  to  their  country  and  in  arms  for  their  freedom,  and  he 
was  olilisjed  to  siiek  the  assistance  of  tin;  Saxons  of  Kent  and  Sussex  to 
enable  hiin  to  maintain  his  <>roun(l  until  reniforceinents  could  arriv(!  from 
Germany.  These  at  lenjrth  came  under  the  command  of  his  sons  Meyla  and 
Bledda,  and  having  consolidated  their  forces  with  his  own  he  brought  the 
Britons  to  a  general  action  in  the  year  608.  The  Uritons,  who  mustered 
in  numbers  far  greater  than  could  have  been  expected  after  so  many  and 
such  great  losses,  were  coinni mded  hy  Nazaii  Leod.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  day  the  courage  and  skill  of  this  lender  gave  him  greatly  the  advan 
tage,  and  had  actually  broken  the  mam  army  of  the  Sa.\oiis,  which  was 
led  by  Cerdic  in  person,  when  llenric,  who  had  been  more  successful 
against  another  division  of  the  Uritons,  hastened  to  his  father's  aid.  The 
fortune  of  war  now  turned  wholly  against  the  Uritons,  who  wen;  com- 
pletely routed,  with  the  loss  of  upwards  of  five  tiiousand  men,  among 
whom  Wiis  the  brave;  Nazan  I.eod  himself.  The  Saxons  uiuler  (lerdic 
now  established  the  West  Sixon  kingdom,  or  Wessex,  which  included  the 
counties  of  Hants,  Wills,  Dorset,  anil  IJerks,  and  tlie  fertile  and  piclur- 
esipie  Isle  of  Wight.  The  discoiiiliied  Urilons  next  a|)|)lied  for  aid  to 
their  fellow-coiiiitrymon  of  Wales,  who  under  tlie  prince  Arthur,  whose 
real  heroism  has  been  so  strangely  exaggerated  by  romance,  hastened  to 
their  aid,  and  inlhcted  a  very  severe  defeat  upon  (Cerdic  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Halli.  Bill  lliis  defeal.  ihoiigh  it  prevented  him  frcnn  extending  the 
kingdom  lit;  had  foiiinU'd,  did  not  disable  linn  Iroin  mainlainiiig  iiimself  in 
it.  lie  did  so  until  his  deaili  in  .')'!>,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Kennek  who  reigned  there  until  his  death  in  5G0. 

In  other  |)arts  of  the  island  other  tribes  of  adventurers  had  been  equally 
successful  with  the  two  of  which  we  liav(?  more  |i,irlieularly  spoken  ;  but 
as  a  mere  repetition  of  fierce  inviihion  on  the  one  hand,  and  resistance, 
often  heroic  but  always  unsuccessful,  would  neither  amuHc  nor  instruct 
the  reader,  we  at  oiiei!  puss  to  the  event,  which  was,  that  llie  whole 
island,  save  Cornwall  ami  Wales,  was  conquered  by  bands  of  ,;  ixons, 
Jutes,  and  Angles,  and  divided  into  seven  petty  kingdoms,  and  called  by 
the  name  of  Angles-land,  siibseijuently  corrupted  into  Kngland.  Of  each 
of  llieso  kingdicns  wc  shall  give  a  very  concise  account  up  to  lliat  period 
when  the  whole  island  was  uniltnl  under  one  sole  soviTcign,  and  at  which 
the  history  bci^omes  at  once  clearer  in  its  details  and  more  interesting. 


CHAPTER  11. 

THE  HCPTARCHY,  OR  THE  SEVEN  KINGDO.MS  OF  THE  SAXONS  IN  BRITAIN. 

It  has  already  been  seen  that  Hengist,  the  earliest  Saxon  invader  of 
Britain,  founded  the  kingdom  of  Kent,  and  died  in  established  and  secure 
possession  of  it.  lie  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Es(!us.  This  prince, 
though  he  possessed  neither  the  military  prowess  nor  the  love  of  adven- 
ture which  had  distinguished  his  father,  maintained  his  place  in  peace,  and 
not  without  dignity,  to  his  death,  which  occurred  in  512,  when  he  was 
iucceeded  by  his  son  Octa. 

Oeia  like  his  father,  was  a  man  of  mediocre  talent,  and  unfortunately 


m^^' 


108 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


for  him  lie  lived  in  a  time  when  his  nei^rhhourhood  was  anything  but  trail 
qui!.  The  kiny^iloin  of  the  East  Saxons,  newly  estahlished,  y;really  exlou- 
(led  its  limits  at  his  ox[)ense,  and  at  his  death,  in  r>3'l,  he  left  his  kingdom 
less  extensive  than  he  iiad  received  it  hy  the  wiiolo  of  Kssex  and  Middle- 
sex. To  Oeia  sneecedcd  his  son  Ymrick,  who  reigned  in  tolerable  tran- 
quillity duriiij;  the  lonjr  period  of  liiirty-two  years.  Towards  tiie  dose  of 
his  reiijn  lie  associated  with  him  in  the  government  his  son  Ethell)ert, 
who  in  JOO  succeeded  him.  While  the  kings  of  the  Heptarchy  were  us 
yet  in  any  d.mgor  of  disturbance  and  reprisals  on  the  part  of  the  outraged 
Britons,  the  nieie  instinct  of  self-preservation  had  prevented  them  from 
having  any  considerable  domestic  feuds  :  but  this  danger  at  an  end,  the 
Saxon  kings  speedily  found  cause  of  quarrel  among  themselves.  Some- 
times, as  \>e  have  seen  in  ttu;  ease  of  Kent,  under  Ocla,  one  state  was  en- 
croaciii'd  u|ioii  by  another;  at  another  lime  the  spirit  of  jealousy,  which  is 
inseparable  from  petty  kings  of  territories  having  no  natural  and  eiricient 
bounJ:uies,  caused  struggles  to  take  place,  not  so  much  for  territory  as 
for  empty  sujiremacy — mere  titular  chiefdoin. 

WIk'H  I'^tlielbert,  himself  of  a  very  adventurous  and  ambitious  turn,  suc- 
ceeded to  his  kingduni  of  Kent,  Ccaulin,  king  of  NVessex,  was  the  most 
potent  jiiince  of  the  Ue|)tarchy,  and  used  his  power  with  no  niggard  or 
modcr.ite  band.  Klhelbort,  in  tiie  endeavour  to  aggraiulize  his  own  do- 
minion-, twice  gave  battle  to  his  formidable  riv:.i,  and  twice  suffered  de- 
cisive ill  iVat.  IJut  the  cupidity  luid  tyrannous  temper  of  (-eanlin,  having 
induced  him  to  annex  the  kingdom  of  Sussex  to  his  own  already  coiisid 
eral)i(!  possessions,  a  confederacy  of  the  other  priiUM's  was  formed  against 
hini,;iii.l  the  command  of  the  allied  forci!  was  nnaniuiously  voted  to  Kllud- 
bert,  vvho  even  in  defeat  had  displayed  etpial  courage  and  ability. 
Etlielb  rt,  tiuis  streiigth(!niMl,  once  more  met  his  rival  in  arms,  and  this 
time  wiib  b;'ttcr  success.  Ceanlin  was  put  to  the  rout  with  great  loss, 
ami,  dyiilg  shortly  after  llu!  battle,  was  s\icceed(!d  both  in  his  ambition  and 
in  his  [lositioii  among  the  kings  of  tlu;  Heptarchy  by  Klhelberi,  who  very 
speedily  gave  his  late  allies  abundant  reason  to  regret  the  conlideiice  and 
the  support  they  hid  given  him.  He  by  turns  reduced  each  of  them  to  a 
com|ilftn  dependence!  u|)on  him  as  chief,  and  having  overnni  the  kingdom 
of  Merci  1,  tlu;  most  extensive  of  all  l\w  kingdoms  of  the  island,  he  for  a 
time  siMted  himsidf  upon  the  throne,  in  nltia"  (contempt  of  the  right  and 
the  reclamilions  of  Webbii,  the  son  of  (h'id.i,  the  ori;»inal  founder  of  that 
kingilom.  Ihit  whether  from  a  sense  of  the  injustice  of  his  conduct,  or 
from  fear  that  a  continued  posses>don  of  so  extensive  a  territory,  in  addi- 
tion to  that  which  of  right  Ixdoiiged  to  him,  should  arm  against  himself  a 
league  as  compact  and  determnied  as  that  by  the  aid  of  which  he 
had  trininplu'd  over  his  formidable  rival  (3i;aulin,  he  8ubse(|uei)tly  resign- 
ed .Mercia  to  Weliiia,  but  not  without  iin|)osing  coiulilions  as  insulting 
as  they  were  wholly  unfoiiiuled   in  any    right  sav(!  tlint  of  tin;  strongest. 

From  the  injustice  which  mai'k(!il  this  portion  of  Kthelbert's  conduct, 
it  is  pleasing  to  have  to  turn  to  an  iiiiport.ini  (!venl  which  shed  a  liistro 
upon  his  reign — the  introduction  of  Christianity  to  the  Saxon  population  of 
England. 

'i'hough  the  Dritons  li;id  long  been  Christians,  the  terms  upon  whicli 
they  lived  with  the  Saxons  were  especially  uiifavouniblc  to  any  redigious 
proselytism  between  the  two  pcoiile;  and,  indeed,  the  early  historians  do 
not  scruple  to  confess  that  the  Britons  considcreid  (heir  coinjuerors  to  bo 
unworthy  to  participate  in  the  blessings  of  Christian  knowledge  and 
faith. 

Ethi'liiert,  forlunat(dy,  was  married  to  a  Christian  lady,  Herlh;t,  daogh- 
ter  of  ("laribijrt,  king  of  Paris,  who,  (;r(!  he  wouM  consent  to  his  dau;.'iiter'8 
marri.igo  with  a  I'agin,  sti|)u'iated  that  the  princess  should  fully  an;'  fri;o- 
ly  enjoy  her  own  re'.igion.     On  leaving  her  native  land  for  Englaii'',  she 


'"'"i 


) 


THE  treasuhy  of  history. 


109 


4  ^pfl 


11  ch 

HIS 

do 

bo 

Hid 


»Vcis  attended  by  a  bishop,  and  both  tlie  princ  ss  and  tho  prelate  exerted 
their  utmost  creiiit  and  ability  to  propagate  the  Ciiristian  faith  in  the 
country  of  their  adoption  ;  and  as  Bcnha  was  much  beloved  at  llie  court 
of  iier  husband,  she  made  so  much  pro;^ress  towards  this  good  end,  that 
the  pope,  Gregory  the  Great,  flattered  himself  with  the  hope  of  convert- 
ing the  Saxons  of  England  altogeihor,  a  project  which  even  before  he  be- 
came pope  lie  had  conceived  from  having  accidentally  seen  some  Saxon 
slaves  at  Rome,  and  been  much  struck  with  their  singular  personal  beauty, 
and  the  intelligence  with  which  they  replied  to  his  questions. 

Encouraged  by  the  success  which  had  attended  the  clforts  of  Bertha, 
Gregory  dispatched  August  in  and  forty  other  monks  to  Britain.  Tiiey 
found  Ellielbert,  by  the  influence  of  his  queen,  well  disposed  to  receive 
them  liospitably  and  listen  to  them  patiently.  Having  provided  them  with 
a  residence  in  the  isle  of  Tlianel,  he  gave  tliem  time  to  recover  from  the 
fatigues  of  travel,  and  then  appointed  a  day  for  a  public  interview ;  but 
friendly  as  the  brave  Pagan  was  towards  the  co-religionists  of  his  wife, 
he  could  not  wholly  divest  himself  of  superstitious  terrors  ;  and,  lest 
the  stranger  preachers  siiould  Iiave  some  evil  spells  of  power,  he  appoint- 
ed the  meeting  to  take  pla(;e  in  the  open  air,  where,  he  thought,  such 
spells  would  be  less  efl"cctivc  than  wiiliin  the  walls  of  a  building. 

Augustin  set  before  the  king  the  inspiring  and  consoling  truths  of 
Christianity.  Doctrines  so  mild,  so  gentle,  so  free  from  earthly  taint, 
and  from  all  leaven  of  ambition  and  violence,  struck  strangely,  but  no 
less  forcibly,  upon  the  spirit  of  the  bold  l^thelhert.  But  though  much 
moved,  he  was  not  wholly  convinced  ;  ho  could  admire,  but  he  could  not 
instantly  embrace  tenets  so  new  i,nd  so  (lifl'erent  from  those  to  which 
from  infancy  he  had  been  aecrustomed.  But  if  he  could  not  on  the  instant 
abandon  the  faith  of  his  ancestors  for  the  now  faith  that  was  now  preach- 
ed to  him,  he  was  entirely  convinced  that  the  latter  faith  was,  at  the 
least,  incapable  of  injuring  his  people.  His  re[)ly,  therefore,  to  the  ad 
dresses  of  Atiijuslin,  was  at  once  marked  by  toli.'rance  and  by  cautiou  ; 
by  an  unwillingness  to  abandon  tlie  faith  of  his  youth,  yet  by  a  perfect 
willingness  to  allow  liis  people  a  fair  opportunity  of  judging  between  that 
faith  and  ("hristianity. 

"  Your  words  and  your  promises,"  said  he,  "sound  fairly;  but  inas- 
much as  they  arc  new  and  unproven,  I  cannot  entirely  yield  my  confi- 
dence to  them,  and  abandon  the  principles  so  long  maintamed  by  my  an- 
cestors. Neverth<>less,  you  may  remain  lit^re  in  peace  and  safety,  and 
as  yon  have  travelled  so  far  in  order  to  benefit  us,  at  least  as  yon  sup- 
pose, I  will  provide  you  with  everything  necessary  for  your  support,  and 
you  shall  have  full  liberty  to  jireach  your  doctrines  to  my  subjects." 

Well  would  it  have  been  for  mankind  if  all  jioleiitates  in  all  times  and 
countries  had  been  as  wisely  tolerant  as  tliis  Pagan  Saxon  of  an  early 
and  benighted  age. 

Tho  decree  of  toleration  that  was  thus  accorded  to  Augustin  was  all 
that  he  required  ;  his  own  faithful  zeal  and  well-cultivated  talents  assured 
him  of  success  ;  and  so  well  and  diligeiUly  did  he  avail  himself  of  the 
opportunities  that  were  afl!()rded  to  him  by  the  king's  toleration  and  the 
queen's  favour,  that  ho  speedily  made  numbers  of  converts.  Every  new 
success  inspired  him  with  new  zeal  and  nerved  him  to  new  exertions. 
His  abstinence,  his  painful  vigils,  and  tlie  severe  penances  to  which  he 
subjected  himself,  struck  these  rude  people  with  awe  and  admiration,  and 
not  merely  fixed  their  attention  more  siron<rly  than  any  other  means 
could  have  done  upon  his  preachings,  but  also  predisposed  them  to  be- 
lieve equally  in  the  sincerity  of  the  preacher  and  in  the  truth  of  his  doc- 
trine. Numbers,  not  only  of  the  poorer  and  more  ignorant,  but  also  of 
the  wealthier  and  better  informed,  became  at  firs!  attentive  auditors,  and 
then  converts.    They  crowded  to  be  baptized,  and  after  a  great  majority 


no 


THE  TRBASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


of  his  subjects  had  thus  been  admitted  into  the  pale  of  Christianity,  the 
king  himself  became  a  convert  and  was  baptized,  to  tiie  great  joy  oi 
Rome. 

Aiigiistin  had  constantly  impressed  upon  the  king  that  conversion  to 
the  Christian  faith  must  be  the  result  not  of  force  or  threatcnings,  but  of 
conviction ;  that  the  religion  of  Christ  was  the  religion  of  love  and  of 
perfect  faith  in  doctrines  set  forth  in  faithful  preaching.  He  had  con- 
stantly exhorted  the  king  to  allow  no  worldly  motives  to  weigh  in  his 
own  conversion,  and  by  no  means  to  exert  his  authority,  or  the  terror  of 
it,  to  produce  an  unwilling  assent  on  the  part  of  any  portion  of  his  peo- 
ple, however  humble,  seeing  that  in  the  sight  of  Heaven,  and  in  things 
spiritual,  tiie  humblest  peasant  was  as  important  and  as  precious  as  the 
proudest  and  most  powerful  monarch. 

But  Gregory  the  Great  was  zealous  in  the  extreme  in  the  cause  o( 
proselyiisni,  and  by  no  means  backward  in  availing  himself  of  temporal 
power  for  the  fulfilment  of  spiritual  ends.  And  as  soon  as  he  learned 
that  Ethclbert  and  a  considerable  portion  of  his  subjects  had  embraced 
Christianity,  he  sent  to  the  former  at  once  to  congratulate  him  upon  his 
wise  and  happy  conversion,  and  to  urge  him,  by  his  duty  as  a  monarch, 
and  by  his  sympatiiies  and  faith  as  a  Christian,  not  any  longer  to  allow 
even  a  part  of  his  subjects  to  wander  on  in  tiie  darkness  and  error  of  Pa- 
ganism. To  have  the  kingly  power,  he  argued,  implied  and  included  the 
duly  of  using  it  in  all  ways  that  could  conduce  to  the  welfare  of  his  sub- 
jects— and  wliat  more  weighty  and  tremendous  matter  could  concern 
them  tha.i  the  possession  of  that  true  faith  which  alone  could  secure 
their  happiness  in  tiiis  world  and  their  safety  in  the  world  to  come.  Kx- 
horting  the  king  to  blandishment  and  persuasion,  he  also  exhorted  iiim, 
in  the  case  of  tliosc  means  f.iiling  with  any,  to  resort  to  terror,  and 
threatening,  and  even  chastisement.  So  different  was  the  policy  of  the 
papal  statesman  and  the  pious  and  sincerely  Christian  feelings  of  his 
zealous  missionary ! 

Gregory  at  tiie  same  time  sent  his  instructions  to  Augustin,  and  very 
particular  answers  to  some  singular  questions  jjiit  by  tiie  missionary  as 
to  points  of  morality  which  lie  ttiou<,'ht  it  necessary  to  enforct-  upon  the 
understandings  and  practice  of  his  new  and  numerous  flock  ;  but  these 
questions  and  answers  would  be  out  of  place  here,  as  they  only  tend  to 
illustrate  either  tiie  exceeding  grossness  of  the  flock,  or  the  exceeding 
simplicity  and  minute  anxiety  of  their  spiritual  pa^stor. 

Well  pleasfd  with  the  zeal  of  Augustin,  and  with  the  success  with 
which  it  had  thus  far  been  crowned,  (Jregory  made  him  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  sent  him  a  i)all  from  Home,  and  gave  him  plenary  auliiority 
over  all  the  British  elnirclies  that  siiould  bo  erected.  But  lliough  Agus- 
tin  was  thus  highly  approvcil  and  honoured,  Gregory,  who  was  shrewdly 
acquainted  with  human  nature,  saw,  or  suspected,  that  the  good  mission- 
ary was  very  proud  of  a  success  wiiich  was,  indeed,  litllo  less  than  mi- 
raculous, whether  its  extent  or  its  rapidity  be  considered.  At  the  same 
time,  therefore,  that  lie  botli  praised  and  exalted  him,  he  empliatically 
warned  him  against  allowing  himself  to  b(!  seduced  into  a  too  great  ela- 
tion on  account  of  iiis  good  work;  and,  as  Augustin  manifested  some 
desire  to  exert  his  authority  over  the  spiritual  concerns  of  Gaul,  the  pope 
cautioned  him  against  any  sucli  interference,  and  expressly  informed  him 
that  he  was  to  consider  the  bishops  of  that  country  wholly  beyond  his 
jurisdiction.  Strange  contradictions  in  human  reasoning  and  conduct! 
We  have  the  humble  missionary  deliorting  a  newly  converted  pagan  from 
persecution  •■  a  pope,  the  visible  head  of  the  whole  Ciiristian  world,  and 
the  presumed  infallible  expounder  of  Christian  doctrines,  strongly  and 
expressly  exhorting  him  to  it ;  and  jiiioii  we  have  the  ambitious  and  des- 
potic patron  of  forcible  proselytism  wisely  and  reasonably  interposing 


THK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Ill 


riis!  antliority  iind  advice  to  prevent  the  rceently  so  Iiiimblfi  missionary 
from  in,ikiiit{  sliipwrt'ck  of  iiis  chanictei- and  nsefnlncss,  by  an  unbecom- 
ing and  unjustifiable  indulgence  in  the  soaring  ambition  so  suddenly  and 
strontjly  awakened  by  the  gift  of  a  liille  brief  authority! 

It  was  not  only  in  the  influence  tliat  Pertha  had  in  the  conversion  of 
the  Saxon  subjects  of  her  husband  to  Christianity  that  shu  Was  service- 
able to  tlieni,  though  compared  to  tliat  service  oil  others  were  of  compar- 
atively small  value.  Uut  even  in  a  worldly  point  of  view  her  marrriage 
to  I'Ulielbert  was  of  real  and  very  important  benefit  to  liis  subjects.  For 
her  intimate  connection  with  France  led  to  an  intercourse  between  that 
nation  and  Kngland,  which  not  merely  tended  to  increase  the  wealth,  in- 
genuity, and  commercial  enterprise  of  the  latter,  but  also  to  soften  and 
polish  their  as  yet  rude  and  semi-barbarous  manners.  The  conversion  of 
the  Saxons  to  Christianity  had  even  a  more  extensive  influence  in  these 
respects,  by  bringing  the  people  acquainted  with  the  arts  and  the  luxuries 
of  Italy. 

Stormy  at  its  commencement,  the  reign  of  Ethelbert  was  subsequently 
peaccabli!  and  prosperous,  and  it  left  traces  and  seed  of  good,  of  which 
the  English  are  even  to  this  day  reaping  the  benefit.  Besides  the  share 
he  had  in  converting  his  sidijects  to  Christianity,  and  in  encouraging 
ihein  to  devote  themselves  to  connuerce  and  the  useful  arts,  he  was  the 
first  Saxon  monarcli  wlio  gave  his  |)eople  written  laws ;  and  these  laws, 
niakinsr  due  allowance  for  the  age  and  for  the  condition  of  the  people  for 
whose  government  they  were  promulged,  show  him  to  have  been,  even 
if  regarded  only  in  his  civil  cajjacity,  an  extremely  wise  man  and  a  lover 
of  peace  and  justice.  After  a  long  and  useful  reign  of  fifty  years,  Ethel- 
bert died  in  the  yt.'ar  (iKi,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  F.adbald. 

History  but  too  frequently  shows  us  the  power  of  worliUy  passions  in 
perverting  reliuions  failli.  During  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  Kadbald  had 
prorcs>(tl  the  Christian  religion;  l)ut  wiien  he  became  king  he  abandoned 
it  ami  returned  to  the  gross  errors  of  paganism,  because  the  latter  al- 
lowed tiie  indulgence  of  an  incestuous  [jassion  which  lu;  had  conceived, 
and  which  Christianity  denomiceil  as  horrible  and  sinful.  It  is  nuich  to 
be  ft  ari;d  that  among  the  very  earliest  converts,  in  the  case  of  the  con- 
vcr-'ion  of  a  numerous  people,  many,  if  not  even  the  majority,  are  guided 
into  tiic  new  way  rather  by  fear,  poiicj',  mere  fashion,  or  mere  indolence, 
tlian  by  sincere  conviction.     In  the  |)resent  instance  this  is  lamentably  ap- 

Fiaicnt;  for  on  Kaiibald  rtHurning  to  tin;  gross  iind  senseless  practices  of 
lis  forefathers,  the  grtat  body  of  his  sul)je(!ts,  outwardly  at  least,  return- 
ed witli  Inin.  So  completely  were  tlu;  Christian  altars  abandoned,  and 
so  ojjenly  and  generally  was  the  Christian  faith  derided,  that  Justus, 
bi^liop  of  Rochester,  and  Mditus,  bishop  of  I<ondon,  abandoned  thrir 
Bces  in  despair,  and  departed  iIk;  kingiloni.  Laurentius,  who  had  Fdc- 
cecdcd  Augustin  in  the  Arcliiepiscopal  dignity  of  Canterbury,  h-.^i  pre- 
pared to  follow  tiieir  exanqile;  but  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  he  deter- 
nnncd  to  make  one  striking  and  final  elfort  to  bring  back  the  king  into 
the  fold  of  the  church. 

When  excessive  zeal  has  to  deal  with  ignorance  and  rudeness — and 
even  yet  the  Saxons  were  both  ignorant  and  rude — we  are  lain'ht  by  all 
history  that  even  the  sia(,'ercst  men,  wrought  u[)on  by  excessive  zeal  for 
what  tiicy  consider  to  1)(!  a  righteous  and  important  work,  will  descend 
to  i)ioiis  frauds  to  accomplish  that  for  which  tlu;  plain  truth  would  not 
under  the  circumstances  suflice.  Laurentius  was  no  exception  to  this 
jomnion  rule.  Seeking  an  interview  with  the  king,  he  threw  off  his 
upper  garments,  and  e.xhibited  his  body  covered  with  wounds  and  bruises 
to  such  an  extent  as  denoted  the  most  savage  ill-treatment.  The  king, 
though  evil  passion  had  led  him  formally  to  alijure  Christianity,  was  not 
prepared  to  sec,  unmoved,  such  proof  of  brutality  and  irreverence  having 


•?i 


112 


THE  TREASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


41' .rt 


'ii  . 


i    I- 


been  shown  to  (he  cliirf  teacher  of  liis  ubandoned  c.  ncd  ;  and  lie  eagerly 
and  incliifUiinlly  demanded  who  liad  dared  lliiis  to  ill-treat  a  personajjc  so 
eminent.  Laurentius,  in  reply,  assured  liini  that  his  wounds  had  been 
inflieted  not  by  livinj;-  hands,  but  by  those  of  St.  Peter  himself,  who  had 
appeared  to  liiin  in  a  vision,  and  had  thus  ehastiscd  liim  for  his  intended 
desertion  of  a  flock  upon  which  ins  departure  would  inevitably  draw 
down  eternal  perdition.  The  result  of  this  bold  and  gross  invention 
showed  how  nuieh  more  powerful  over  gross  and  ignorant  minds  are  the 
coarsest  fables  of  superstition,  than  the  sublimest  truths  or  the  most 
affeetionate  urgings  of  genuine  religion.  To  the  latter,  Eadbaid  had  been 
contemptuously  deaf;  to  the  former,  he  on  the  instant  sacrificed  his  in 
cestuous  passion  and  the  object  of  it.  Divorcing  himself  from  her,  he 
returned  to  the  Christian  pale  ;  and  his  people,  obedient  in  good  as  in  evil, 
returned  wiiii  him.  The  reign  of  Eadbaid,  apart  from  this  a[)osliii-y  and 
re-conversion,  was  not  remarkable.  The  power  which  his  father  iiad  es- 
tablished, ami  the  prestige  of  his  father's  remembered  ability  and  great 
ness.  enabled  him  to  reign  peaceably  without  the  exertion,  probably  with 
out  the  possession,  of  any  very  remarkable  ability  of  his  own.  After  a 
reign  of  twenty-five  years,  he  died  in  GIO,  leaving  two  sons,  Erminfrid 
and  Ercomberl. 

Ercombert,  though  the  younger  brother,  succeeded  his  father.  lie 
reigned  for  twenty-four  years.  This  reign,  too,  was  on  the  whole  peace- 
able, nhotigh  be  showed  great  zeal  in  rooting  out  the  remains  of  idolatry 
from  among  his  people.  He  was  sincerely  and  zealously  attached  to  the 
church,  and  Ik;  it  was  who  first  of  the  Saxon  nionaichs  enforced  upon  liLa 
subjects  the  observance  of  the  fast  of  Lent. 

]']rcomi)ert  died  in  GfJl,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Egliert.  This 
l)rince,  sensible  that  his  father  had  wrongfully  oLlaiiu'd  tlie  throne,  and 
fearing  tiiat  factions  might  be  found  in  favour  of  the  heirs  of  his  father's 
elder  brother,  jjut  those  two  princes  to  death — an  act  of  barbarous  policy 
which  would  probably  have  caused  his  character  to  (h;scend  io  us  in  much 
darker  and  more  hateful  (;olours,  but  that  his  zeal  in  enabling  Dmmiiia 
his  sister,  to  found  a  monastery  in  ttie  Isle  of  Ely  caused  hiivi  to  find  fa 
vour  in  the  eyes  of  the  monkish  historians,  who  were  ever  far  too  ready 
to  allow  apparent  friendliness  to  tiie  tempor;d  prosperity  of  the  church  to 
outweigli  even  the  most  flagrant  and  hateful  sins  against  the  doctrines 
taught  by  the  ciuirch. 

It  is  nevertheless  true  tliat,  apart  from  his  horrible  and  mercibss  treat- 
ment of  his  cousins,  this  prince  displayed  a  character  so  mild  and  thought- 
ful as  makes  his  commissicni  of  that  crime  doubly  remarkable  and  lamen- 
table. Mis  rule  was  moderate,  though  firm,  and  during  his  sliorf  reign  of 
only  nine  years  he  seems  to  have  embraced  every  opportuni'.y  of  en- 
courafiiiig  and  advancing  h^arning.  He  died  in  G7;J,  and  was  sMccecded 
by  his  brother  Lothaire  ;  so  that  his  cruel  murder  of  his  nephewi  did  not 
prove  successful  in  securing  the  throne  to  his  son. 

Lothaire  associated  with  himscdf  in  the  government  his  sou  T{ichard, 
and  every  thing  seemed  to  promise  the  usurfiers  a  long  and  [)ri'sjierou8 
reign.  lint  Ediic,  the  son  of  Egbert,  unappalled  by  the  donlih;  power 
and  ability  which  thus  barred  him  frcnn  the  throne,  took  shelter  at  tho 
court  of  Edihvalcli,  king  of  Sussex.  That  prince  heartily  espoused  his 
cause,  and  furnished  him  with  iro(i|>s;  and  after  a  reign  of  eleven  years, 
Lothaire  was  .slain  in  battle,  a. d.  tidl,  and  his  son  Jiichard  escaped  to 
Italy,  where  he  died  in  comparative  obscurity. 

Edric  did  not  long  enjoy  the  throne.  His  reign,  which  presents  no- 
thing worthy  of  record,  was  barely  two  years.  He  died  in  (J8G,  and  warn 
succeeded  by  his  .son  Widred. 

The  violence  and  usurpation  which  had  recently  taken  place  in  tht 
kingdom  produced  the  usual  cfl'ect,  disunion  among  the  nobility  ;  and  that 


THK  TREASURY  OF  H1£.T0RY. 


iia 


disunion,  as  is  also  usually  the  case,  invited  the  attack  of  external  en- 
emies. Accordingly,  VVidrcd  had  hardly  ascended  the  throne  when  his 
kingdom  was  invaded  by  Ccdwalla,  king  of  Wessex,  and  his  brother 
Mollo.  But  though  the  invaders  did  vast  damage  to  the  kingdom  of 
Kent,  their  appearance  had  the  good  effect  of  putting  an  end  to  domestic 
disunion,  and  Widred  was  able  to  assemble  a  powerful!  force  for  the  de- 
fence of  his  throne.  In  a  severe  battle  which  was  fought  against  the  in- 
vaders, Mollo  was  slain;  and  Widred  so  ably  availed  himself  of  the  op- 
portunity afforded  to  him  by  this  event,  that  his  reign  extended  to  the  long 
term  of  thirty-two  years.  At  his  death,  in  718,  he  left  the  kingdom  to 
his  family;  but  at  the  death  of  his  third  successor,  Alric,  who  died  in  794, 
all  prr-tence,  even,  to  a  legitimate  order  of  succession  to  the  throne  was 
abandoned.  To  wish  was  to  strive,  to  conquer  was  to  have  right ;  and 
whether  it  were  a  powerful  noble  or  an  illegitimate  connection  of  the 
royal  family,  every  pretender  who  could  maintain  his  claim  by  force  ol 
arms  seemed  to  consider  himself  fully  entitled  to  strike  for  the  vacant 
throne.  This  anarchical  condition  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  weakness 
and  disorder  which  were  necessarily  produced  by  such  frequent  civil  war, 
paved  the  way  to  the  utter  annihilation  of  Kent  as  a  separate  kingdom, 
which  annihilation  was  accomplished  by  Egbert,  king  of  Wessex,  about 
the  year  820. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    llKPT.\UCHr    (cOr^TINUKP). 

The  kingdom  of  Northumberland  first  made  a  considerable  figure  and 
exercised  a  great  share  of  influence  in  the  Heptarchy  under  Adelfrid,  a 
bravo  and  able  but  ambitious  and  unprincipled  ruler.  Originally  king  of 
Bcrnicia,  he  married  Acca,  daughter  of  .\lla,  king  of  the  Deiri,  and  at  the 
death  of  that  monarch  dispossessed  and  expelled  his  youthfid  heir,  and 
united  all  the  country  north  of  the  Ilumbor  into  one  kingdom,  the  limits 
of  which  he  still  farther  extended  by  his  victories  over  the  Picts  and 
Scots,  and  the  llritons  in  Wales.  An  anecdote  is  related  of  this  prince 
wliicli  seems  to  indicate  that  he  held  the  clergy  in  no  very  great  respect. 
Having  found  or  made  occasion  to  lay  siege  to  ChesK^r,  he  was  opposed 
by  the  llritons,  who  inarched  in  great  for:  "  to  (u)mpel  him  to  raise  the 
seige,  and  they  were  accompanied  to  the  field  of  battle  by  upwards  of  k 
thousand  monks  from  the  monastery  of  Uangor.  On  being  informed  that 
this  numerous  body  of  religious  men  had  come  to  the  field  of  battle,  not 
actually  to  fight  against  him,  but  only  to  exhort  their  countrymen  to  fight 
stoutly  and  to  pray  for  their  success,  the  stern  warrior,  who  could  not 
understand  the  nice  distinction  between  those  who  fought  against  him 
with  tlicir  arms  and  those  who  prayed  that  those  arms  might  be  victori- 
ous, immediately  detached  some  of  his  troops  with  orders  to  charge  upoa 
the  monks  as  heartily  as  though  they  had  been  armed  and  genuine  sol- 
diets;  and  so  faithfully  was  this  ruthless  order  obeyed,  that  only  fifty  of 
the  monks  are  said  to  have  escaped  from  the  sanguinary  scene  with  their 
lives,  (n  the  battle  which  immediately  followed  this  wanton  butchery 
the  llritons  were  completely  defeated,  and  Adelfrid  having  entered  Ches- 
ter in  triumph,  ami  strongly  garrisoned  it,  pursued  his  inarch  to  the  mon- 
astery of  Hangor,  resolved  that  it  should  not  soon  again  send  out  an 
army  of  monks  to  pray  for  his  defeat. 

Tlie  early  years  of  the  sway  of  Catholicism  in  every  country  were 
marked  both  by  the  numbers  of  the  monasteries  and  the  vast  expense 
that  was  lavished  upon  them.  This  was  especially  the  case  in  both  Eng- 
land and — as  we  shall  hereafter  have  to  remark — Ireland  ;  but  in  ncitliei 
I.-8 


114 


THE  TREASUIIY  OF  UiSTOBY. 


1:1 


!;■■:!  I 


&■  I  i 


of  those  ronntrics  was  tliore  anotlior  inoii:istery  wliioli  could,  fur  extent 
•t  least,  bear  comparison  willi  thiii  of  Uiiifjor.  From  gale  to  pato  it  cov- 
ered ii  mile  of  groiiDd,  and  it  sheltered  the  enormous  immber  of  two 
thousand  monks;  the  whole  of  this  vast  buildinij  was  now  sacrificed  to 
the  resentment  of  Adelfrid,  who  (•(•mpletcly  battered  it  down. 

But  tlie  warlike  prowess  of  Adelfrid  was  fated  to  prove  insufficient  to 
preserve  liini  in  the  power  which  he  had  so  unriylileously  obtained  by  dc- 
priviMR  a  younjij  and  helpless  orphan  of  his  heritage.  Tiiat  orphan,  now 
grown  lo  man's  estate,  iiad  found  shelter  in  the  court  of  Iledwald,  king  of 
the  Kast  Angles.  This  monanili's  protertion  of  the  young  lidwiii,  and 
that  young  prince's  reputed  ability  and  courage,  alarmed  Adelfrid  for  the 
stability  of  his  ill-acquired  greatness  ;  and  he  had  the  inefTable  baseness 
to  mak(.'  offers  of  large  presents  to  induce  Redwald  to  deprive  the  young 
prince  of  life,  or  to  deliver  him,  living,  into  the  power  of^  the  usurper  ol 
nis  throne.  For  some  time  Redwald  returned  positive  and  indignant  re- 
fusals to  all  propositions  of  this  kind ;  but  the  pertinacity  of  Adelfrid, 
who  still  increased  in  the  magnitude  of  his  offers,  began  to  shake  the  con- 
stancy of  Redwald,  when,  fortunately  for  that  monarch's  ciiaraeter,  his 
queen  interposed  to  save  him  from  the  horrid  baseness  to  wliii'h  he  was 
well  nigh  ready  to  consent.  Strongly  sympathising  with  IMwin,  slie  felt 
the  mon*  interest  for  him  on  account  of  the  magnanimous  eonlidence  in 
her  husband's  honour  which  the  young  prince  displayed  by  traiiquilly  con- 
tinuing hi<  residence  in  F.ast  Anglia  even  after  he  was  aware  liow  strong- 
ly his  protector  was  sued  and  tempted  to  baseness  by  the  usurper  Adelfrid. 
Not  contented  with  having  successfully  dissuaded  her  iiusbaiul  from  the 
treachery  of  yielding  up  the  unfortunate  and  dispossessed  prince,  she 
farllu-r  endeavoured  to  induce  him  lo  exert  himself  actively  0.1  his  liehalf, 
and  to  march  against  the  usurper  while  he  was  still  in  hope  of  having  an 
affirmative  answer  to  his  disgraceful  and  insulting  jjroposals.  The  king 
of  the  Kast  Angles  consented  to  do  this,  and  suddeidy  marehed  a  power- 
ful army  into  Northumberland.  In  the  sanguinary  and  (lecij;ive  ballL 
which  ensued,  Adelfrid  was  slain,  but  not  until  after  he  had  killed  Red 
wald's  son,  Regner. 

Edwin,  who  thus  obtained  possession  of  the  kingilom  of  Norlhumbcr 
land,  passing  at  once  from  the  condition  of  an  exiled  and  dejiemlent  fugi 
tive  to  that  of  a  powerful  monarch,  displayed  ,d)ilityequ;il  to  the  latter  lot 
as  he  had  displayed  firm  and  dignified  resignation  in  the  fonncT.  Just, 
but  inflexibly  severe  in  restraining  his  subjects  from  wrongdoing,  he  put 
such  order  into  the  kingdom,  which  at  his  accession  was  noted  for  its 
licentiousness  and  disorder,  that  of  him,  as  of  some  other  well-governing 
princes,  the  old  historians  relate  that  ho  caused  valuable  projn  rty  to  be 
exposed  unguarded  upon  the  high  roads,  and  no  man  dared  lo  appropriate 
it.  A  mere  figurative  and  hyperbolical  anecdote,  no  doubt,  but  one  which 
evidences  tlie  greatness  of  the  trutii  on  which  such  an  exaggeration  must 
be  founded. 

Nor  was  it  merely  within  even  the  wide  limits  of  his  own  kingdom  that 
the  fine  character  of  Fdwin  was  appreciated;  it  procured  him  admiration 
and  proportionate  influence  throughout  tlie  Heptarchy.  His  beiutfactor 
Redwald,  king  of  the  Kast  Anglos,  being  involved  in  serious  disputes  with 
his  subjects,  was  overpowered  by  them  and  put  to  death.  The  conduct 
of  Kdwin,  both  while  a  fugitive  and  ;i  soujoiirncr  am()ng  them,  and  in  his 
subsequent  prosperity  and  greatness,  caused  them  to  offer  him  llieir  throne. 
But  they  were  incapable  of  understanding  the  whole  greatness  of  his  spirit 
He  had  too  deep  and  abiding  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  the  favours  he  owed 
to  Redwnld,  and,  still  more,  to  the  queen  of  that  prince,  to  see  their  off- 
spring disinherited,  and  instead  of  accepting  the  throne,  he  threatened  the 
East  Angles  with  chastisement  in  the  event  of  their  refusing  to  give  pos- 
oession  of  i*  to  the  rightful    wncr  Earpwold,  second  heir  of  the  murdered 


THE  T11EA8U11Y  OP  illSTOUY. 


115 


Its 

'ig 
be 
;\te 
ich 
nust 


^itig.     EarpwolJ  accordingly  ascendcfl  the  throne,  aid  was  protected 
upon  :i  by  the  power  and  reputation  of  Kdwin. 

Edwin  married  Elhelburija,  daughter  of  Eihclbert,  king  of  Kent,  by  Ber- 
tha, to  wiioni,  chiefly,  that  monarch  and  his  people  had  owed  their  con- 
version to  Christianity.  Of  such  a  mother,  Ethclburga  on  the  occasion  Oi 
her  marriage  proved  herself  the  worthy  daughter ;  she,  as  her  mother  had 
done,  stipulated  for  full  and  free  exercise  of  iier  religion,  and  she  also  took 
with  her  to  her  new  realm  a  learned  bishop,  by  name  Paulinus.  Very 
soon  after  her  marriage,  she  began  to  attempt  the  conversion  of  her  hus 
band.  Calm  and  deliberate  in  all  that  he  did,  Edwin  would  not  allow  the 
merely  human  feeling  of  conjugal  affection  to  decide  him  in  a  matter  so 
vitally  important  as  an  entire  change  of  religion.  The  most  that  her  af- 
fectionate importunity  could  obtain,  was  his  promise  to  give  the  fullest 
and  most  serious  attention  to  all  the  arguments  that  might  be  urged  in  fa- 
vour of  the  new  faith  that  was  offered  to  him;  and,  accordingly,  he  not 
only  held  frequent  and  long  conferences  with  Paulinus,  but  also  laid  be- 
fore the  gravest  and  wisest  of  his  councillors  all  the  arguments  that  were 
urged  to  him  by  that  prelate.  Having  undertaken  the  inquiry  in  a  sincere 
and  teachable  spirit,  he  could  not  fail  to  be  convinced,  and  the  truth  having 
fallen  bright  and  full  upon  his  eiiliglitencd  mind,  he  openly  declared  him- 
self a  convert  to  Christianity.  His  conversion  and  baptism  were  followed 
by  those  of  the  greater  part  of  his  people,  who  were  the  more  easily  per- 
suaded to  this  great  and  total  change  of  faith  when  they  saw  their  chief 
priest,  Coifi,  renounce  the  idolatry  of  which  he  had  been  ihr  chief  pillar 
and  propounder,  and  excel  in  his  conodastic  zeal  against  the  idols  to  which 
he  had  so  long  ministered,  even  the  Christian  bishop,  Paulinus  hinisel 

The  reign  of  Edwin  produced  grc;it  benefit  to  his  people,  but  rather  by 
his  activity  and  industry  than  by  its  length,  ho  being  slain  in  the  seven- 
teenth year  of  his  reign,  in  a  battle  which  he  fought  against  Cicdwalla, 
king  of  the  Welch  nnions,  and  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercia. 

At  the  death  of  Edwin  the  kingdom  of  Northumberland  was  dismem- 
bered, and  its  inhabitants  for  the  most  part  fell  back  into  paganism.  So 
general,  indeed,  was  the  defection  from  Christianity,  that  the  widowed 
Elhi'lburga  returned  to  her  natal  kingilom  of  Kent,  and  was  accompanied 
by  Paulinus,  who  had  l)een  made  arclibishop  of  York. 

After  the  dismembered  kingdom  of  Noitlunnberland  had  been  torn  by 
much  petty  but  ruinous  strife,  the  several  portions  were  again  united  by 
Oswald,  brother  of  Eanfrid,  and  son  of  the  usurper  Adclfrid.  Oswald  was 
strongly  opposed  by  the  Brilona  under  the  command  of  the  warlike  Casd- 
walla ,  but  the  Britons  were  so  desperately  beaten,  that  they  never  again 
made  any  general  or  vigorous  attack  upon  the  Saxons.  As  soon  as  he 
had  re-established  the  unity  of  the  Xorthumbrian  kingdom,  Oswald  also 
restored  the  Clu'isti.m  religion,  to  which  he  was  zealoiisly  attached.  11 
is,  probably,  rather  to  this  than  to  any  of  his  other  good  qualities,  that  he 
owes  the  marked  favour  in  which  he  is  held  by  the  monkish  historians, 
who  bestow  the  highest  possible  praises  upon  his  piety  and  charity,  and 
who  moreover  affirm  that  his  mortal  remains  had  the  power  of  working 
miracles. 

Oswald  was  slain  in  battle  against  Penda,  the  king  of  Mercia.  After 
his  death  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  Northumberland  is  a  mere  melange 
of  usurpations,  and  of  all  the  distractions  of  civil  war,  op  to  the  time  when 
Egbert,  king  of  Wesscx,  rculuced  it,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  Hep- 
tarchy,  to  obedience  to  his  rule. 


1 

h\ 

A 

i  t 

H 

1; 

A 

1 

k; 

it! 

,f  H»' 


lie  THE  TIIRASI'RY  OF  HI8T0Il\. 


CHAPTKR  IV. 

THE  HEPTARCHY  (CONTINUED). 

The  kingtiom  of  Knst  Anglia  was  foiiiulfc?  by  UfTa  ;  but  its  history  af- 
fords no  instriiclion  or  aimisonipnt ;  it  is,  in  fact,  in  the  words  of  an  emi- 
nent historian,  only  "a  lonjj  bead-ioll  of  barbarous  names,"  until  we  arrive 
at  the  time  of  its  annexation  to  the  powerful  and  extensive  kingdom  ol 
Mercia,  to  which  we  now  proceed  to  dir^-t  the  reader's  attention. 

Mercia,  the  most  extensive  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  Heptarchy,  could 
not  fail  to  be  very  powciful  whenever  ruled  by  a  brave  or  wise  king.  Sit- 
uated in  the  middle  of  the  island,  it  in  some  one  point  or  more  touched 
each  of  the  other  six  kingdoms. 

Penda,  in  battle  against  whom  wc  have  already  described  Oswald  of 
Northumberland  to  have  lost  both  throne  and  life,  was  the  tirst  really  pow- 
erful and  distinguished  king  of  Mercia;  but  he  was  distinguished  chiefly 
for  personal  courage  and  the  tyrannous  and  violent  temper  in  which  he  so 
exerted  thai  quality  as  to  render  himself  the  terror  or  the  detestation  of 
all  his  contemporary  Knglish  princes.  Three  kings  of  Kast  Anglia,  Sige- 
bert,  Kgrie.  and  Annas,  were  in  succession  slain  in  attempting  oppose 
him,  as  did  Edwin  and  Oswald,  decidedly  the  most  powerful  of  the  kings 
of  Northumberliind ;  and  yet  this  monarch,  who  wrought  such  havoc 
among  his  lellow-prir.ces,  did  not  ascend  his  throne  until  he  was  more 
than  fifty  years  of  age.  Oswy,  brother  of  Oswald,  now  encountered  him, 
and  Penda  was  slain ;  this  occurred  in  the  year  655,  and  the  tyrannical 
and  fierce  warrior,  whom  all  hated  and  many  feared,  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  Penda,  whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Oswy.  This  princess  was 
a  Christian,  and,  like  Bertha  and  Kthelburga,  she  so  successfully  exerted 
her  conjugal  influence,  that  she  converted  her  husband  and  his  subjects  to 
her  faith.  The  exact  length  of  this  monarch's  reign  is  as  uncertain  as  the 
manner  of  his  death.  As  regards  the  latter,  one  historian  boldly  asserts 
that  he  was  treacherously  put  to  death  by  the  order  and  connivance  of  his 
queen;  but  this  seems  but  little  to  tally  with  her  acknowledged  and  aflfec- 
lionnte  zeal  in  converting  him  to  Christianity ;  and  as  nothing  in  the  shape 
of  proof  can  be  produced  to  support  so  improbable  a  charge,  we  may  pretty 
safely  conclude  that  either  ignorance  or  malice  liS3  given  a  mistaken  turn 
to  some  circumstances  attending  his  violent  death.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  Wolfhere,  who  inherited  his  father's  courage  and  conduct,  and  not 
merely  maintained  his  own  extensive  kingdom  in  excellent  order,  but  also 
reduced  Essex  and  East  Anglia  to  dependence  upon  it.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  brother,  Ethelred,  who  showed  that  he  inherited  his  spirit 
as  well  as  his  kingdom.  Though  a  sincere  lover  of  peace,  and  willing  to 
make  all  honourable  sacrifices  to  obtain  and  preserve  it,  he  was  also  both 
willing  and  able  to  show  himself  a  stout  and  true  soldier  when  the  occa- 
sion really  demanded  that  he  should  do  so.  Being  provoked  to  invade 
Kent,  he  made  a  very  successful  incursion  upon  that  Kingdom ;  and  when 
his  own  territory  was  invaded  by  Egfrid,  king  of  Northumberland,  he  fairly 
drove  that  monarch  back  again,  and  slew  Elfwin,  Egfrid's  brother,  in  a 
pitched  battle.  He  reigned  creditably  and  prosperously  for  thirty  years, 
and  then  resigning  the  crown  to  his  nephew,  Kendrid,  he  retired  to  the 
monastery  of  Burdney.  Kendrid,  in  his  turn,  becoming  wearied  of  the 
cares  and  toils  of  royalty,  resigned  the  crown  to  Ceolrcd,  the  son  of  Ethel- 
red  ;  he  then  went  to  Rome,  and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in 
devout  preparation  for  another  and  a  better  world.  Ceolred  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Ethelbald,  and  the  latter  by  Offa,  who  ascended  the  throne  in 
the  ye.ir  755  ;  he  was  an  active  and  warlike  prince.  Very  early  in  his 
reign  he  defeated  Lothaire,  king  of  Kent,  and  Kenwulph,  kingof  Wesscx 


I 


THE  TRBASUttY  OF  IIISTOHY. 


117 


and  annexed  Oxfoidsliiro  and  Oloiicestersliiro  to  liis  already  largo  domin 
ions,  but  thougli  bravo,  he  was  botli  cruel  and  treacherous.  Klhelbert, 
king  of  the  Kast  Angles,  had  [)aid  his  addresses  to  the  daughter  of  Offa, 
and  was  acecpled  as  her  affianced  imsband,  and  at  length  invited  to  Here- 
ford to  celebriite  the  marriage.  But  in  the  very  midst  of  llie  feasting  and 
amusements  incident  to  so  important  and  joyful  an  event,  the  young  prince 
was  seized  upon  by  order  of  (JiTa,  and  barbarously  beheaded.  The  whole 
of  his  retinue  would  have  shared  the  same  fate,  but  that  Klfrida,  the  daugh- 
ter whom  Offa  thus  barbarously  deprived  of  her  adianced  husband,  found 
out  what  cruelty  had  been  exercised  upon  thoir  master,  and  took  an  op- 
portunity  to  warn  them  of  their  danger.  Their  timely  escape,  however, 
did  not  in  the  least  affect  the  treacherous  ambition  of  OfTa,  who  seized 
upon  East  Anglia. 

As  he  grew  old,  OfTa  became  tortured  witli  remorse  for  his  crimes,  and 
with  the  superstition  common  to  his  age,  sought  to  atone  for  them  by  os- 
tentatious and  prodigal  liberality  to  the  church.  He  gave  the  tithe  of  all 
his  property  to  the  church,  lavished  donations  upon  the  cathedral  of  Here- 
ford, and  made  n  pilgrimage  to  l{ome,  wliere  his  wealth  and  consequence 
readily  procured  him  the  absolution  of  llu;  pope,  wiiose  especial  favour  he 
gained  by  undertaking  to  support  an  English  college  at  Rome.  In  order 
to  fulfd  this  i)romiso,  lie,  on  his  return  to  Kngland,  imposed  a  yearly  tax 
of  thirty  pence  upon  each  house  in  his  kingdom  ;  the  like  tax  for  the  same 
purpose  being  subsequently  levied  upon  the  whole  of  Kiiglaiid,  was  even- 
tually claimed  b;>  Uome  as  a  tribute,  under  the  name  of  Peter's  pence,  in 
despite  of  the  notoriety  of  the  fact  that  it  was  originally  a  free  gift,  and 
levied  only  upon  one  kingdom.  Under  tiie  impression  or  the  pretence 
that  he  had  been  favoured  with  an  especial  con  inaiid  revealed  to  him  in 
a  vision,  this  ma  :,  once  so  cruel  and  now  so  superstitious,  .'"ounded  and 
andowed  a  magnificent  abbey  at  St.  Albans,  in  Hertfordshire,  to  the  hon- 
our of  tiio  relics  of  St.  Alban  the  Martyr,  which  he  asserted  he  had  found 
at  that  place. 

Ill  as  OfTa  had  acquired  his  great  weight  in  the  Heptarchy,  his  reputa- 
tion for  courage  and  wisdom  was  so  great  that  he  attracted  the  notice  and 
was  honoured  both  with  the  political  alliance  and  the  personal  friendship  of 
Charleiiuigne.  Af  ler  a  long  reign  of  very  nearly  forty  years,  he  died  in  the 
year  794. 

OfTa  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Egfrith,  who,  however,  survived  only  the 
short  space  of  five  months.  He  was  suc(reeflcd  by  Kenulph,  who  invaded 
the  kingdom  of  Kent,  barbarously  mutilated  the  king,  whom  he  took 
prisoner  and  dethroned,  and  crowned  his  own  brother  Cuthred  in  his  stead. 
Keiuilph,  as  if  by  a  retributive  justice,  was  killed  in  a  revolt  of  the  East 
Aiiglians,  of  whose  kingdom  lu;  held  possession  llirough  the  treachery  and 
tyrannous  cruelty  of  OfTa.  After  the  death  of  Kenulph  the  throne  was 
usually  earned  and  vacated  by  murder;  and  in  this  anarchial  (condition  the 
kingdom  remained  until  the  time  of  Egbert.  And  here  wc  may  remark, 
en  passaiil,  that  neitlicr  in  its  political  nor  civil  organization  did  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  state  of  society  exhibit  higher  examples  of  social  order  than  are 
usually  to  be  found  in  coinmunilies  entering  on  the  early  stages  of  civ- 
ilization. 

Essex  and  Sussex  were  the  smallest  and  the  most  insignificant  of  all 
the  kingdoms  of  the  Heptarcliy,  and  deserve  no  partictdar  mention,  even 
in  the  most  voluminous  and  detailed  history  until  the  union  of  the  whole 
Heptarcliy,  to  which  event  we  shall  now  hasten. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  stout  resistance  which  the  Britons  made 
to  Cerdi(;  and  his  son  Keiiric,  the  founders  of  the  kingdom  of  Wessex.     A 
succession  of  ambitious  and  warlike  kings  greatly  extended  the  territory 
and  iiK'reased  the  importance  of  this  kingdom,  whi(^li  was  extremely  pow 
erful,  though  in  much  internal  disorder,  when  its  throne  was  ascended  bv 


^i 


%l 


'Mj 


•  ;»»r 


h-i   '} 


'■:.'. 


.i8 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


EgbnrI,  in  tlio  year  800.  Tliis  monarch  came  into  possession  of  it  undei 
some  |i('('>iliaraiiv:inlagi'><.  A  ^I'cat  poriioii  of  liis  life  luul  l)('(;n  tipciiiut  liio 
court  of  (^luu'leniiiiriii',  and  Ik;  had  thus  accpiirrd  greater  [johsh  and  know- 
ledge  than  usually  fell  to  the  lot  of  Snxon  kingn.  iMoreiiver,  war  and  the 
merit  attached  lo  unmarried  life  had  so  completely  extinguished  the  origi- 
iial  royal  families,  ihut  Kghert  was  at  thiH  time  the  sole  male  royal  des- 
cendant of  the  origmul  conquerors  of  Uritain,  who  claimed  to  he  the  de- 
Bcendants  of  Woden,  the  (dnef  deity  of  their  idolatrtuis  anc(!Ktors. 

Immediately  on  ascending  the  throne,  Kghert  invaded  the  Hritons  in 
Cornwall,  aim  inflicted  some  severe  defeats  upon  them.  Unt  before  he 
could  completely  subdue  their  country,  lie  was  called  away  from  that  cn» 
lerprjsc  by  the  necessity  of  defending  his  own  country,  which  had  been 
invaded  m  his  absence  by  Uernulf,  kingof  Mereia. 

Mercia  and  Wessex  were  at  this  time  the  only  two  kingdoms  of  the  Hep- 
tareliy  which  had  any  (M)nsi(lerablc  power;  and  a  struggle  betw(ren  Kg. 
bert  and  Ilermdf  was,  as  each  felt  and  confessed  it  to  be,  a  struggle  for 
the  sole  dominion  of  the  whole  island.  Ajiparently,  at  the  outset,  .Mercia 
was  the  most  advantageously  circmiislancud  for  carrying  on  this  struggle, 
for  that  kingdom  liad  placed  its  tributary  princes  in  the  Kingdoms  of  Kent 
and  I'iSsex,  and  had  reduced  Kast  Anglia  to  an  almost  cqiud  state  of  sub* 
jcction. 

Egbert,  on  learning  tlie  attempt  that  nernulf  wa.s  making  upon  his  king- 
don),  hastened  by  forced  marches  to  arrest  his  progress,  and  speedily  came 
to  clo'je  (piarters  with  him  atKlandum  in  Wilts.  A  sanguinary  and  ob- 
stinate battle  ensued.  Doth  armies  fought  with  spirit,  and  Ixjtli  were  very 
nnnu  rous  ;  hut  the  fortmie  of  the  day  was  with  I'gberl,  who  completely 
routed  the  Mercians.  Nor  was  he,  after  the  battle,  remiss  in  foliowina 
up  Ihegri'al  blow  he  had  thus  s'ruck  at  the  only  i^nglish  power  th.it  could 
for  an  instant  jiretend  to  rivalry  with  him.  He  delaehed  a  force  into  Kent 
under  his  son  Ktludwolf,  who  easily  and  speedily  expelled  Hahlred,  the 
tributary  king,  who  was  supjxirted  {here  by  Mercia,  Egbert  himself  at  the 
same  time  entering  Mercia  on   the  Oxfordshire  side.      Essex  was  eon- 

?[iier(Hl  almost  without  an  elTort,  and  t!ie  East  Anglians.  without  waiting 
or  the  approach  of  Egbert,  rose  ag;  inst  the  power  of  Dernulf,  who  lost 
his  life  iu  Uw  attemj)t  to  reduce  them  again  to  the  servitude  which  hia 
tyraimy  had  rendered  iiitolerabh.-.  Ludican,  the  successor  of  Uernulf,  met 
with  the  sainc!  fate  after  two  years  of  <-onstant  struggle  and  freciuent  de- 
feat, and  Egbert  now  found  no  diiriculty  in  penetrating  to  the  very  heart 
of  the  Mercian  territory,  and  subduing  to  his  will  a  people  whose  spirit  was 
thoroughly  broken  by  a  long  and  constant  succession  of  calamities.  In 
order  to  reconeih;  them  to  their  subjection  to  him.  he  skilfuly  flattered 
them  with  an  empty  show  of  independence,  by  allowing  their  native 
king,  Wiyiaf,  to  hold  that  title  of  his  tributary,  though  with  the  firmest 
determination  that  the  title  should  not  carry  with  it  an  iota  of  real  and  in- 
dependent power. 

He  was  now,  by  the  disturbed  and  turbulent  condition  of  Northumbcr 
larid,  invited  to  turn  his  arms  against  that  kingdom.  Hut  the  Northum 
briaus,  deeply  impressed  with  his  high  reputation  for  valour  and  success, 
and  probably  sincerely  desirous  of  being  under  the  strong  stern  govern- 
ment of  one  who  had  both  the  power  and  the  will  to  put  an  end  to  the  an- 
archy and  confusion  to  which  they  were  a  prey,  no  sooner  heard  of  his 
near  approach  than  they  rendered  all  attack  on  his  part  wholly  unneces- 
sary, by  sending  deputies  to  meet  him  with  an  offer  of  their  submission, 
ana  with  power  to  take,  vicariously,  oaths  of  allegiance  lo  him.  Sincerely 
well  pleased  at  being  thus  met  even  more  than  half  way  in  his  wishes, 
Egbert  not  only  gave  their  envoys  a  very  gracious  reception,  but  also  vol- 
untarily allowed  them  the  power  to  elect  a  tributary  king  of  their  own 
choice.     To  East  Anglia  he  also  granted  this  flattering  but  hollow  and 


body, 
nn'dal 
tiling's  I 
ail  tin 
special 
force 

Ihii;, 
to  fi'ai 
mcasur 
knew 
Danes, 
the  oci 
anity 
wild'  an 
f'ni()ei 
into  trn 
true  spi 
of  peae 
it  was 
faith  li: 
style  in 
and  Inn 
not  be 
brutal, 
fire,  am 
gan  Sa 


:.;i  ■:! 


THE  THEA8UUV  OF  IIIdTORY. 


119 


vnlnolnss  privilrgo,  and  ihus  secured  to  liim.si'lf  li.o  goo. I  will  of  ihu  pnopU 
wtiorii  lit!  liad  siilijcctod,  aiitl  tliu  iiittTcstrd  Ciilrlity  of  lilular  kiii^iB,  wlumc 
royally,  ^ucli  as  it  was,  dcpcmlcd  iijion  Ins  lircaiti  for  its  cxiMlciico,  and 
wlio,  beiiiij  on  tilt!  spot,  and  havintr  only  a  coinparativfly  liinilcil  rliargc, 
coulil  di!tf(:i  ami  for  tlifir  own  saki's  would  afiprisc  him  of  the  sliglilost 
eyinptonis  of  nbrllion.  Tlii!  wliolt;  of  the  Heptarchy  was  now  in  reality 
subjected  tt)  Ki,'l)ert,  whom,  dating  from  the  year  827,  wc  consider  ua  the 
first  kin^'  of  Ihigland. 


CIIAPTKR  V. 

TllE  ANOr.O-SAXONS  AFTUR  TIIK  OlSSdl.UTION  OF  THE  lIEPTARCnv. — RKIONI 
or  KOBKRl',  ETHELWULr,  AND  ELTIIELBALD. 

Tub  vigorous  ehaiacterof  Kghert  was  well  calculated  to  make  the  Sax- 
ons prond  of  haviiit;  him  for  a  monarch,  and  the  fact  of  the  royal  families 
of  the  Heptarchy  hciiig,  from  various  causes,  extinct,  still  farther  aided  in 
niakiii"  his  rule  welcome,  and  the  tinion  t)f  the  various  states  into  one 
agreeable.  As  thi!  Saxons  of  the  various  kiiiifdoms  had  originally  como 
not  from  iliffcreiit  countries  so  much  as  from  iliirerent  provinces,  and  as, 
during  their  long  residcuct!  in  so  circumscrilicd  a  territory  as  Kngl, mil,  ne- 
cessary and  frnpicnl  intercourse  had,  in  ticspite  of  their  l)(!ing  iindi!r  dif- 
ferent king'^,  madt!  them  to  a  very  gnat  extent  t)nc  people,  their  habits 
aiidpiu^nits  were  similar,  and  in  their  language,  that  inostimi)ortant  bond 
of  union  to  mankind,  they  scarcely  differed  more  considerably  than  the 
iniini)ilan1s  of  Cornwall  and  those  of  Cumberland  do  at  the  present  day. 

Freed  from  the  nnavoidal)lc  dilTcrenccs  and  strife  which  had  occurred 
while  so  m;iiiy  jarring  royallies  were  crowded  into  such  a  narrow  anil  un- 
divided space,  liiey  now  seemed,  by  the  mere  force  of  their  union  into  one 
body,  to  be  destined  to  be  at  ttnce  prosperous  among  themselves,  and  for- 
midalile  to  any  one  who  should  dare  to  attack  them  from  witlnmt.  All 
tilings  had  concurred  to  givt!  Mgbert  the  siipn me  power  in  England  ;  and 
all  things  seemed  now  to  concur  to  make  that  power  permanent  and  re- 
spectable. Th(!  correctness  of  these  a[ipear.mces,  and  the  real  dt;greo  of 
force  possessed  by  the  united  people,  were  soon  to  be  tested. 

Ihitain,  which  both  by  condition  and  situation  seemed  so  nearly  allied 
to  O.iul,  and  so  fitted  by  n.iture  to  be  subject  to  it,  was  now,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  owe  to  tliat  siiuation  the  attacks  of  an  enemy  that  scarcely 
knew  fear,  and  tlid  not  know  either  moderation  or  mercy.  \Vc  allude  to  the 
Danes.  I'o  these  bold  and  sanguinary  marauders,  who  were  as  .skilful  on 
the  ocean  as  tlu-y  were  unsparing  on  the  land,  the  very  name  of  (Christi- 
anity was  abst)lutely  hateful.  We  have  seen  how  easily  in  England  the 
wild  and  unlettered  Saxons  were  led  into  that  faith;  but,  in  (Termany,  the 
Kinperor  ('harlemagnc,  instead  of  trying  to  l(!ad  the  pagans  out  of  error 
into  truth,  departed  so  fir  from  both  the  ilietates  of  sound  policy  and  the 
true  spirit  t)f  Christianity,  as  to  ciuleavoiir  to  make  converts  to  the  religion 
of  peace  and  good-will  at  the  point  of  the  sword ;  and,  when  resisted,  as 
it  was  quite  natural  that  he  should  be  by  a  people  unaeqnainti^d  wiili  the 
faith  he  wished  to  teach  them,  and  strongly  prejudiced  against  it  by  ilie 
Btyle  in  which  his  teachings  were  conducted,  his  persecution— generous 
and  humane  thoni;h  he  naturally  was — assumed  a  character  which  would 
not  be  accurately  characterized  by  any  epithet  less  severe  than  the  word 
brutal.  Decimated  when  goaded  into  revolt,  deprived  of  their  i)roperty  by 
fire,  and  of  their  dearest  relatives  by  the  sword,  many  thousands  of  the  pa- 
gan Saxons  of  Germany  sought  refuse  in  Jutland  and  Denmark,  and  nat- 
urally, though  ineorreclly,  judging  of  the  Christian  faith  by  the  conduct  oi 
the  Christian  champion   Charlemagne,  they  made  the  former  hateful  by 


,r^^'' 


ISO 


THE  TUKA8UIIY  OF  IHSTOllY. 


^leii  the  feeble  and 


■I" 


vt   '  :i 


by  ilieir  mere  rcliUions  of  lliocrueliics  of  llie  latter.  VVI: 
divided  posterity  of  (MuirlemagiK!  maiie  llio  rreiich  proviiici'H  a  f.ii.  ii<ark 
for  i)()ld  invaders,  the  iniiigied  races  of  Jules,  Danes,  and  Saxons,  k:<(»\vii 
in  France  under  the  general  nan\(!  of  Northmen  or  Normans,  made  de- 
acents  upun  tho  maritime  countries  of  France,  and  tlien  pushed  their 
devastatiiiif  enterprises  far  inland.  I'u;,'land,  as  we  have  said,  from  its 
mere  proximity  to  France,  was  viewed  hy  these  iiortlierii  marauders  as 
being  i*!!  some  sort  the  same  country  ;  and  it.s  inhabitanls,  ivi  being  equal- 
ly Cliristiaii  with  the  French,  were  equally  hated,  and  ecpially  eiMisidercd 
fit  objects  of  spoliation  and  violence.  As  early  as  the  reign  of  llrithrie  in 
the  kiiii,'doni  of  Wessex,  in  787,  a  body  of  these  bold  and  nnncriipulous 
pirates  lauded  in  that  kingdom.  That  their  iiiteniioii  was  hostile  there 
can  be  little  doubt,  for,  when  merely  questioned  about  il,  they  slew  tho 
magistrate  and  hastily  maije  off.  In  the  year  794  tliey  landed  in  Nor- 
thumberland and  completi'ly  sacked  a  monastery,  but  a  storm  lut.vcnfinj; 
them  from  making  tlieir  escape,  they  were  burrounded  by  the  Northum- 
brian jiL'ople,  and  completely  cut  to  pieces. 

During  the  first  five  years  of  Kgberl's  supreme  reign  in  England,  neither 
domestic  disturbances  nor  the  invasion  of  foreign  foes  occurred  lo  oh- 
struct  his  measures  for  promoting  the  prosperity  of  his  people,  iint  about 
the  end  oftiiat  time,  and  while  he  was  still  profoundly  engaged  in  i  roniotiiig 
the  peaceable  pursuits  which  were  so  necessary  to  the  wealth  and  comfon 
of  the  kingdom,  a  horde  of  Danes  made  a  sudden  descent  upon  the  isle  of 
Sheppy,  plundered  the  inhabitants  to  a  gri>at  amount,  and  made  their  de 
barkation  in  safety,  and  almost  without  any  opposition.  Warned  by  tliia 
event  of  his  liability  to  future  visits  of  the  same  unwelcome  nature,  Eg- 
bert h(  Id  himself  and  a  competent  force  in  readiness  to  receive  them  ;  and, 
when  in  the  Adlowing  year  (A.n.  H3'J)  they  landed  from  thirty-live  ships  upon 
the  coast  of  Dorset,  they  Wi  u  .luddenly  encountered  by  Kgbert,  near  Char- 
mouth,  in  that  county.  Am  obstinate  and  severe  contest  ensued,  in  which 
the  Danes  lost  u  great  number  of  their  force,  and  were,  at  length,  totally 
defeated ;  but  as  they  were  .skilfully  posted,  and  had  taken  care  to  pre- 
serve  aline  of  eominunication  with  the  sea,  the  survivors  contrived  to  es- 
cape to  their  ships. 

I'wo  years  elapsed  from  the  battle  of  Charmonth  before  the  pirates 
again  matle  their  appearance  ;  and,  as  in  that  battle  they  had  suffered  very 
severely,  the  English  began  to  hope  that  they  would  not  again  return  to 
molest  lliem.  IJut  the  Danes,  knowing  the  ancient  enmity  that  existed 
between  the  Saxons  and  the  Urilish  remnant  in  Cornwall,  entered  into  an 
alliance  with  the  latter,  and,  lauding  m  their  country,  had  an  easy  open 
road  to  Devonshire  and  the  other  fertile  provinces  of  llie  West.  JInt  here 
again  the  activity  and  unslnmbering  watchfulness  of  Kgbert  enabled  him 
to  limit  their  ravages  ini.'rely  to  their  first  furious  onset.  He  came  up 
with  them  at  Ilengesdown,  and  again  they  were  Lft.  atv .'  with  a  great  di- 
minution of  their  iiumbcr.s. 

This  was  the  last  service  of  brilliant  importan  tl  it  !\''.  perforn;  ■■ 
for  England,  and  just  as  there  was  every  apjjeap  i  lul  im  valour  and 

sagacity  would  be  more  than  ever  necessary  to  the  safety  of  the  country, 
he  died,  ill  the  year  83fi,  ami  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Ethelwolf. 

The  very  first  act  of  KtliehvolPs  reign  was  the  division  of  the  country 
which  the  wisdom  and  ability  of  his  fatlier,  aided  by  singular  good  for- 
Uine,  had  so  happily  united.  Threatened  as  the  kingdom  so  frequently 
was  from  without,  its  best  and  chiefest  hope  obviously  rested  upon  its 
unioi  ,  and  the  consequent  facility  of  concentrating  its  whole  fighting 
foi  •'.  tiijoii  an;.  ;  ireatened  point.  Dut,  unable  to  see  this,  or  loo  indolent 
ti.  bear  the  v.i.ile  government  of  the  country,  Ethelwolf  made  over  the 
•  liole  of  Kent,  Sussex,  and  Essex,  to  his  son  Athelstau  It  was  for 
luniilc  that,  under  such  a  prince,  who  at  the  very  outset  of  iiis  reign  could 


llavii 
moreovi 
Nortlnii 
In  each 
theinsci 
shores  ii 
less  thai 
ding  tlicj 
fcriMit 
of  most  I 
inarkeij,) 
attacks 
people  i| 
been  to  [ 
very  gnj 
the  ni;ii 
Sand  vv  1 1 
Danes  h| 
eipitatc 

COIlfltIc, 

future  I'll 

niii"  111 

mei..  II; 

as  tliey 
Kelves  ill 
ise  off. 

wasfiilll 

|/'.,;y; 

Tt.aiiet, 


TUB  TIlttA.^URY  OB*  lM^T<>ftY. 


1111 


w 


euininit  nii  crrur  so  caini  il.  Kn<r|;)iii|  '<  t<(.  ni  moat  o.    her  priiicipiil  |)Uico», 
imigialr;iti's  or  yoveriiors  ol    i.ivcry  mui    ii  lily. 

'I'lms  WoliliiMc,  ijDVoriioi- oi  llainpsliin',  (hii  lu  (Ic  rout  a  fitroii:;  i»:irty 
of  llic  iiiiiiaii(li'r!4  «lio  liadlainlcil  :it  Soutliiimptoii,  ffoiii  i]()f''vv(Tlli.iu  thrco 
aiitl-thirty  sail ;  and,  iii  thu  same  year,  Alliflliolm,  govunioi  ol'  IKtrsplsliiro, 
eiicouircrod  aiiddcffattil  another  powerful  lio.ly  of  tliein  \vl,o  liad  luild- 
ed  at  Portsmouth;  thoiii^h,  in  this  ease,  uufortuu.i'  'v,  Ihi)  jjallaut  goverti- 
or  died  (if  his  wounds.  Aware  of  the  certain  thsai,  itagcs  to  .\hichth(!y 
would  he  exi)osed  in  fijihlinir  pitched  halllcH  in  an  ii'my's  ci  intry,  the 
UaneB,  in  their  subseiiuent  landing',  took  all  possible  'v.  to  avod  tlio  ne- 
(•""sity  of  doing  so.  Their  plan  was  l(t  swoop  suddei,  down  upon  a  ro- 
tuod  part  of  the  eoast,  plunder  the  eountry  as  far  in.  uid  as  they  could 
prndenily  advance,  and  re-embark  with  their  booty  before  any  cousider- 
aole  force  could  he  got  together  to  o|i|)ose  them.  In  this  manmr  hey 
plundered  Kast  Anglia  and  Kent,  anil  their  dcpredationw  w  m  tin  i,.oro 
distressing,  biM-ause  they  by  no  means  Innileil  themselves  to  >ooty  mi  tiio 
usual  sense  of  that  term,  but  carried  olF  men,  women,  and  e\  en  cluldreii 
into  slavery. 

The  freipieticy  and  the  desultoriness  of  these  attacks,  at  length,  kept  the 

hol(!  coastward  in  a  perpetual  slate  (d'  anxiety  and  alarm  ;  IK  inliab- 
uantsofeaeli  place  fearing  to  ha^len  to  assist  the  inhabitants  -'i  notlicr 
place,  lest  some  other  parly  of  the  pirates,  in  tlie  me.mlime,  sho!  1  rav- 
age and  burn  their  own  homes.  There  was  anotlu'r  peculiarit>  in  this 
kind  of  warfare,  which  to  one  order  of  nu'U,  at  least,  madt;  it  mor>  leiri- 
ble  than  even  civil  war  itself;  m. iking  their  descents  not  m  lely  ,  >  iho 
loV(!  of  giin.but  also  in  a  burning  and  intense  hatred  of  ('hri>>iiaiiit  the 
Danes  made  no  distinction  between  laymen  and  clerks,  unless,  mdee.  hat 
they  often  showed  ihemsulves,  if  possible,  more  inexorably  cruel  li  the 
latter. 

Having  their  cupidity  excite  1  l)y  large  and  frccpient  booty,  and  hi  i  ig, 
moreover,  flushed  with  their  sui  cess  on  tin.'  coast  of  France,  the  I)ane^  ir 
Northmen  at  length  made  their  appearance  almost  annually  in  Knglai  \. 
In  each  succeeding  year  they  appeared  in  greater  numbers,  and  conduct  I 
themselves  with  greater  audacity:  and  tiu'y  now  visited  thi;  I'lngli  i 
shores  ill  such  swarms  that  it  was  apparent  they  contemplated  nolhii^ 
less  than  tht!  actual  compiest  and  settlement  of  the  whole  eountry.  Divi- 
ding tiiemsehes  into  distinct  bodies,  tiiey  directed  their  altac:ks  upon  dif- 
ferent points ;  but  tlm  .Saxons  wen;  naturally  warlike,  the  governors 
of  most  of  the  important  places  seaward  were,  as  we  have  already  re- 
marked, well  lltted  for  their  important  trust,  and  the  very  frequency  of  the 
attacks  of  the  Danes  had  induced  a  vigilanci;  and  organization  among  the 
people  ihcms(dve3  wdiicli  rendered  it  f.ir  h.'ss  easy  than  it  had  formerly 
been  to  sur|)rise  them.  At  Wiganburgh  tlio  Danes  were  defeated  with 
very  grc  vl  loss  by  (>eorle,  governor  of  Devinshire,  while  another  body  of 
the  mar  iders  was  attacked  and  defeated  by  Athelstan,  in  person,  off 
SandwK  II.  In  this  cas(>,  in  addition  to  a  considerable  loss  in  men,  the 
Danes  had  nine  of  their  vessels  sunk,  and  only  saved  the  rest  by  a  pre- 
cipitate flight.  Itut  in  this  year  the  Danes  showed  a  sign  of  audacious 
coiiliileiice  in  tlndrstrtnigth  and  resources  whieli  promised  but  ill  for  tho 
future  repose  of  I'ngland  ;  for  though  they  had  been  severely  chastised  in 
mor*"  thiui  one  quarter,  and  hail  sustained  the  loss  of  some  of  their  inavest 
men,  Iho  iik.«ni  body  of  llieni,  instead  of  retreating  wlioUy  front  the  island, 
as  they  huri  usually  done  towards  tho  close  of  the  autumn,  fortified  tliem- 
selves  in  itin  Inle  of  Sheppy.and  made  it  tiieir  winter  ipiarlers.  The  prom- 
ise of  eiifly  rer-ommencemeiit  of  hostilities  that  was  thus  tacitly  held  out 
was  fully  and  promptly  fulfilled. 

V'''i\y  111  the  spi'm!j{  of  8")'-!,  the  Danes  who  had  wintered  in  the  Isle  of 
■n.auet,  were  rtjiiforced  Ity  the  arrival  of  a  fresh  horde,  in  350  vessels 


1 

» 

:    \i 

■J' 

t  ^ 

I    I 


122 


TI!K  TRKAftURY  OF  UIRTOUY. 


niid  t'lc  \\  liol('  riinrclicd  from  tli'^  \:<]v  of  Tliniicl  inliiiid,  l)iiriiiiig  nnd  <lo 
etroyiii^r  wliiitcvcr  was  not  siiniciciilly  portalilc  for  pluiidiT.  Jtiiclitric 
wiio— so  f;ir  li;ul  I'ltlicllicrl  iillowcd  the  (lisjuuction  of  tlic  kiiii,"lom  tofiro- 
cc!('(l — was  now  governor  iiml  titular  kiii^^  of  Mcrcia,  made  a  vain  iiitciiipt 
to  resist  llieiii,  and  was  utterly  ronted.  ('anterbnry  and  London  were 
Backeil  and  laniied  and  tin;  disorderly  hands  of  the  vielorions  enemy 
spread  into  the  very  heart  of  Surrey.  Iltlndwolf,  though  an  indolent  king, 
was  hy  no  moans  drstitnle  of  a  eiirtain  [)rinc(dy  [jrido  and  dariii!.'.  !"i- 
raged  heycnid  nieasiin;  at  tla^  andaeity  of  the  marauders,  and  dci'ply 
grieved  at  the  sufferings  they  inllicted  n(i(Mi  his  snl)jeets,  h(^  assemlded  the 
West  Saxons,  whom,  ae(!om[ianie(l  hy  his  second  son  I'Ulielhald  as  his  lieu- 
tenant, he  led  against  the  most  eonsi(leral)le  hody  of  the  Dam-s.  lie  eii- 
couM'ered  them  at  Okely,  and,  allhongh  they  fought  with  their  usual  reck- 
less and  pertinaeions  courage,  the  S.ixoiis  discomfit<'d  and  |)nt  tlieni  it) 
flight.  This  victory  gave  lia^  country  at  least  a  lem|)orary  respiie;  for 
the  Daiu's  had  suffered  so  nnndi  hy  it,  that  they  were  glad  to  [)oMpoiu'  fur- 
ther operations,  aiwl  seek  shtdler  and  rest  wilhin  their  inlrenehmenl  in  thfi 
Isle  of 'riianet.  Tiiillier  they  were  followed  hy  Iludaand  I'lalher,  the  gov- 
ernors of  Surrey  and  Kent,  who  hravcdy  attacked  tlieni.  At  the  com- 
inenceinent  of  iIk;  action  the  advantage  was  very  considerahly  on  the  snio 
of  the  Saxons:  hut  the  forliirn^  of  war  suddenly  changed,  the  Danes  re- 
covered their  lost  grounds  and  the  Saxfuis  were  totally  nnili'd,  hotli 
their  giilant  leadi'rs  remaining  dead  upon  the  fndd  of  hatlle  :  ad.  H,')3, 
Destierate  as  the  situali  )n  of  the  conntrv  was,  and  llireatenini>  as  was 


try 


the  aspect  of  the  Danes,  who,  afl(!rdefeaiii:g  lliida  and  Kalher,  removed 
from  the  Isle?  of 'I'hanel  to  that  ofSlie[ipey,  which  they  deemed  more  con- 
venient for  winter  (piarters,  l''thelw(df,  who  was  extremely  supcrslilicms 
and  higoled,  and  who,  in  s[iite  of  the  occasional  (laslies  of  (diivalric  .spirit 
which  he  exhiliiled,  \\as  far  more  fit  for  a  monk  than  foreilhera  mmiarch 
or  a  military  commander,  this   year  resolved   upon    midiing  a  pilgrimage 


to  I{ome.     H(!  went  ami  carri(  d  \\itli  him  his  fourth  son, the  suh 


nciillv 


"(Jreat  "  Alfred,  hut  who  was  then  a  child  of  only  six  years  old.  A; 
Unme  Kthelwolf  reinaini'd  for  one  year,  pissing  his  lime  in  prayer,;  earn- 
ing the  (lalteries  and  favour  of  the  moid<s  hy  lii)cralitics  to  tiie  churcli,  on 
wliich  he  lavished  sums  which  were  loo  rc.iily  .'ind  teriihly  needed  hy  his 
own  im[(overished  and  suffering  country.  Asa  specimen  of  his  profusion 
in  this  j)ious  S(|nanderini!,  he  gave  to  the  [Kip.il  see,  in  perpetuity,  the  year- 
ly sum  of  three  hundred  maucuses — each  mauciis  weighing,  says  Hume, 
about  the  sauK!  as  the  Knglish  half  crown— to  he  ajiplied  in  three  cipial 
portions:  first,  tiie  providing  and  maintaining  lamps  for  St.  Peter's;  sec- 
ond, for  the  same  to  Si.  Paul's,  and  tliiriliy,  for  ihe  use  of  ilie  po[ie  liim- 
self.     At  the  end  of  Ihe  year's  resideiu-e  which   hi'  liad  [ironiised  hims(df 


lie  returned  Iiouh 


.a| 


[lily  for   his  suhjecls,  whom  !ii>!  [irojonged  stay  at 


Rom(!  could  not  liavf'  failed  to  impoverish  ;  his  foolish    facility  in  giving, 
being  not  a  whit  more  remarkahle  than  the  unsenipulous   ;ilacrily  of  the 


pap 


al  cotu'l  in  takiii''.    On  reaching  Ihighuuhhe  was  far  more  astonished 


than  gratified  at  the  slati!  of  aflairs  there.  Alhelstan,  his  eldest  s(m,  to 
whom,  as  we  have  hefon!  miMilioned,  he  had  given  Kent,  Sussex  and  Kh- 
sex,  had  h(!eii  some  tiine  (hud  ;  and  Mtludiiald,  the  si'cond  son,  having,  in 
con 
Bcnec 


sefjuence,  assumed  the  regency  of  the  kingdom  during  his  father's  ah- 
had  allowed  fdial  afTcction  and  the  loyalty  due  to  a  sovereign  lo  he 


conquered  by  ainhition.  l\tanyofth<'  warlike  nohilily  Indd  I'^lhidwedf  in 
cont(mi[)f,  and  did  not  scruple  to  affirm  Ihnt  he  was  far  more  fit  for  cowl 
and  cloi.sler  than  for  the  warrior's  wea] 


ion  ;ni( 


I  the  monarch's  throne.  The 


young  and  amliitious  priiK'C  lent  too  facile  an  ear  to  these  disloyal  deiiders 
and  siifTercd  himself  to  he  persuaded  lo  join  and  head  a  party  lo  deihnmn 
his  father  and  set  himself  u[)  in  his  place.  lint  Kthelwolf,  though  desiiised 
hv  the  ruder  and  fiercer  iioldes,  was  not  without  miinerona  and  sincere 


i 


Till.: 

of  the 
clieslei 
weri!  I 
horde  i 
Kthelhe 
treaty  i 
quarter' 
must  w 


TIIK  TRKASURY  OF  lUSTOaV. 


123 


fiicnds  ;  liiH  parly,  lon;^  !is  hn  had  been  ab.s(,'iil,  was  as  strong  and  as  z(!al- 
ons  as  lliat  of  llic  |)iiuc(!;  liolli  parings  wcro  of  ini()cUioiis  Iciiipcr  and 
well  iiu^liiKwl  to  (Il'ci(I(!  iIk;  i'oiitri)V(:rsy  l)y  hlows ;  and  tin;  coiiiilry  .sc'crned 
to  lio  ujjon  tin;  vi;iy  Inink  of  (;ivil  w.ir,  of  wincli  llic  Danes  would  no 
doubt  have  availed  lli(!ms(dves  to  sulijcet  the  island  altojjetlier.  Hut  this 
cxtrenuty  was  prevented  hy  Kthelwulf  hiins(df,  who  volunlardy  prolTered 
lo  remove  all  oe(r.isioii  of  strife  hy  shariiijj  his  kini^doni  with  ICihidhald. 
The  division  was  aceoriliii<rly  made  ;  the  kin^r  coiitentinf,'  himself  with 
the  eastern  moiety  of  the  kin;;ilom,  whieh,  besides  other  ponils  of  inferior- 
ity, was  far  tin;  most  e.\[)os(;{|. 

It  were  seareely  reasonabh;  to  (ixpeet  that  lie  who  had  not  shrewdness 
and  firmness  ('iiou^^h  to  proteet  his  own  ritflits  and  inti.'rcsls,  would  prove 
a  more  efTieieiit  j^iiarilian  of  those  of  his  [)eople.  Ills  residenee  at  liomc 
lirid  given  the  papal  court  anil  the  elert;y  a  (dear  view  of  the  whole  extcMit 
of  till!  weakness  of  his  natiir(! ;  and  the  f.ieility  with  which  ho  had  parted 
with  his  cash  in  e.\e!ian;,'e  for  hollow  ami  eo/.i'iiin^f  eompliments,  marked 
iiiin  out  as  a  prince  exactly  fitted  to  aid  the  Imi;,'Iis1i  eler;fy  in  their  en- 
deavour to  a!,'i,'raiidi/,e  theinsidvcs.  And  the  event  [)roved  the  correrlncss 
of  their  jud:;iiiciil ;  for  at  the  very  same  time  that  In;  [)reseiilcd  the  cder- 
gy  wiiti  the  lillies  of  all  the  land's  [U'oduee,  « liich  they  had  never  yet  re- 
ceived, ihoii^h  the  eouiitry  had  been  for  nearly  two  eentnrics  divided  into 
parishes,  he  (!X[)rcssly  exempted  them  and  the  cliurcdi  revenuis  in  gen- 
eral from  every  sort  of  lax,  even  tlioiiyh  made  for  national  defenee;  and 
this  at  a  momcMit  when  the  national  exigeiic(!s  were  at  their  griiatost 
heif^ht,  an  1  when  the  national  peril  was  such  that  it  might  have  been  sup- 
poseil  III  It  (!veii  a  wisi?  selfisliiu;>s  would  have  induced  the  (dergy  to  coil 
tribute  towards  its  sii|)port ;  ilie  mure  especially,  as  towards  tlieiii  and 
their  projierty  the  Danes  bad  ever  exbibiied  a  pc'ciiliar  maligiiiiy. 

l'"tliclwolf  dieil  in  fi'>7.  about  two  years  after  he  had  granted  to  the  Kn- 
glisli  (dergy  the  im|)orti',iit  boon  of  the  tithes;  and  he,  by  will,  confirmed 
to  Milielb.ild  till!  Western  moiety  of  the  kingdom,  of  which  li(!  had  alrc'ady 
put  him  ill  possession,  and  left  the  eastern  moiety  to  his  second  eldest  sur- 
viving son    iOlhelbert. 

Tin:  reign  of  lOihelbald  was  short;  nor  was  his  (diaracter  sueli  as  to 
make  it  desirable  for  the  sake  of  his  |)eople  that  it  had  been  longer.  IIo 
was  of  extremely  deb  inched  habits,  and  gave  esjaicial  scandal  and  disgust 
to  his  people  by  marrying  his  mother  in-law,  Judith,  tin;  s(!(!onil  wife  of 
ills  (leceas(!(l  f.ither.  'I  o  the  comments  of  tlii!  peoj)le  upon  this  iiicestuoua 
and  disgraceful  connection  he  paid  no  attenlion;  but  the  eensuri!  of  iho 
church  was  not  to  be  so  lightly  regarded,  ami  the  advice  and  authority  of 
Swilliin,  btsbop  of  \^  iniliester,  induced  him  to  consent  to  be  divorced, 
lie  died  in  the  year  HiiO,  and  was  succe(!ded  by  his  brother  hlthelbert,  and 
tho  kingdom  thus,  once  more,  was  united  under  one  sovereiun 


'Mm 


tSHT 


",<  Ml 


1 


CIIAPTKR  VI. 

TIIK    RKI0N3    OK    KTIIKI.nKHT    AMI)    KTIIKLKF.D. 

Thk  reign  of  r'thedbert  was  greatly  dislurbeil  by  the  frecpient  descents 
of  lli(!  Danes.  On  one  occasion  they  made  a  furious  attack  upon  Win- 
clicster,  and  did  an  immense  deal  of  misiirK!f  in  the  neighbourhood,  but 
wert!  fmally  beaten  off  with  great  loss  ;  and,  on  another  occasion,  the 
liorde  of  them  that  was  s(!ttled  in  tlii!  Isle  of  Tlianet,  having  thrown 
I'jlhelberl  off  his  guard  by  their  a|)parent  det(!rmination  to  keej)  saered  a 
treaty  into  which  they  had  entiired  with  him.  sudd(!iiiy  broki!  from  their 
quarters,  marched  in  great  iiumberH  into  Kent,  and  there  committed  the 
rnosl  wanton  outrages  in  addition  lo'cizing  immeiisc  booty. 


i;|r!1 


m\ 


<m  I 


it  ft*''" 


:l!i 


121 


THE  TUEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Elhclbert  roignod  solely  over  England  but  little  more  than  five  years 
he  died  in  SGC,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Ethclred.  lie,  too,  was 
greatly  harrasscd  by  the  Danes.  Very  early  in  his  reign,  connived  at  and 
aided  by  tiie  East  Angles,  who  even  funishcd  them  with  the  horses 
necessary  for  their  predatory  expedition,  they  made  their  way  into  the 
kingdom  of  Northumberland,  and  seized  upon  the  wealthy  and  important 
city  of  York.  M\h\  and  Osbricht,  two  high-spirited  Northumbrian  princes, 
endeavoured  to  expel  Ihem,  but  were  defeated  and  perished  in  the  assault. 
Fluslied  with  their  sue*  ess,  the  Danes  now  marched,  under  the  command 
of  their  terrible  leaders,  Hubba  and  Hinguar,  into  Mercia,  and  after 
much  carnage  and  rapine  established  themselves  in  Nottingham,  from 
which  central  situation  they  menaced  the  ruin  of  the  whole  kingdom. 
The  Mercians,  finding  that  their  local  authorities  and  local  forces  were  no 
match  for  desperadoes  so  numerous  and  so  determined,  despatched  mes 
scngcrs  to  Ethclred,  imploring  his  personal  interference  on  their  behalf, 
and  the  king,  accompanied  by  his  brother  Alfred,  who  had  already  begun 
to  display  those  talents  which  subsequently  won  him  an  imperishable 
fame,  marched  to  Nottingham  with  a  powerful  army,  a.d.  870. 

Tiie  gallantry  and  activity  of  the  king  and  his  brother  speedily  drove 
the  Danes  from  Mercia,  and  they  retired  into  Northumberland  with  the 
apparent  design  of  remaining  there  quietly.  But  peace  was  foreign  to 
their  very  nature,  and,  forgetful  of  their  recent  obligations  to  the  treachery 
of  the  East  Angles,  they  suddenly  rushed  forth  upon  them,  butchered  Ed- 
mund, their  tributary  prince,  in  cold  blood,  and  committed  the  most  exten- 
sive havoc  and  depredaiions,  especially  upon  the  monasteries. 

The  Danes  having,  in  871,  made  Reading  a  station,  from  which  they 
greatly  harrasscd  the  surnunuling  country,  Ethclred  determined  to  dis 
lodge  them.  On  desiring  the  aid  of  the  Mercians  he  was  disloyally  re 
fused,  they,  unmindful  of  the  benefit  they  had  received  from  him,  being 
desirous  of  getting  rid  of  their  dependence  upon  him,  and  becoming  a 
separate  people  as  in  the  Heptarchy.  Even  this  shamel'ul  conduct  of  the 
Mercians  could  not  move  l''thelred  from  his  purpose.  Aided  by  Alfred, 
from  whom,  during  his  whole  reign,  he  received  the  most  zealous  and 
efficient  assistance,  he  raised  a  large  force  of  his  hereditary  subjects,  the 
West  Saxons,  and  marched  against  lleiding.  Being  defeated  in  an  action 
without  the  town,  the  Danes  retreated  within  the  gates,  and  Ethclred  com- 
menced a  seigc,  but  was  driven  from  before  the  place  by  a  sudden  and 
well-conducted  sally  of  the  garrison.  An  action  shortly  afterwards  took 
place  at  Aston,  not  far  from  Heading,  at  wiiich  an  incident  occurred  which 
Rives  us  a  strange  notion  of  the  maimers  of  the  age.  A  division  of  the 
English  army  under  Alfred  commenced  the  battle,  and  was  so  skilfully 
surrounded  by  the  enemy  while  yet  in  a  disadvantageous  position  and  not 
fairly  formed  in  order  of  battle,  that  it  was  in  the  most  imminent  danger 
of  being  completely  cut  to  pieces.  Alfred  sent  an  urgent  message  to  his 
brother  for  assistance,  but  Ethclred  was  hearing  mass,  and  positively  re- 
fused to  stir  a  step  until  its  conclusion.  Had  the  day  gone  against  the 
Saxons,  Ethelred's  conduct  on  this  occasion  would  probably  have  been 
censured  even  by  the  priests,  but  as  the  Danes  were  put  to  the  rout,  and 
with  signal  slaughter,  the  whole  credit  of  the  victory  was  given  to  the 
piety  of  Ethclred. 

IJeateii  out  of  Berkshire,  the  Danes  now  took  up  a  strong  position  at 
Basing,  in  Hants.  Here  they  received  a  powerful  reinforcement  from 
abroad,  and  sent  out  marauding  p:irtics  in  all  directions  with  great  suc- 
cess. Such,  indeed,  was  their  havoc,  that  Englishmen  of  all  ranks 
began  to  contemplate,  with  unfeigned  terror,  the  near  probability  of  theii 
whole  country  being  overrun  by  these  merciless  and  greedy  invaders 
The  anxiety  of  Ethelred  occasioned  by  these  gloomy  prosnects,  which 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


125 


were  still  fartlier  increased  by  the  impatience  of  the  Mercians  and  others 
under  his  rule,  so  much  augmented  the  irritation  of  a  wound  he  had  received 
in  the  buttle  at  Basing,  that  it  terminated  his  life  in  the  year  871 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE    REIGN    OF   ALFRED    THE   GREAT. 

Alfked  succeeded  his  brother  Ethelred,  and  scarce  were  the  funeral 
rites  performed  before  he  found  it  necessary  to  march  against  the  enemy, 
who  had  now  seized  upon  Milton.  At  tiie  outset,  Alfred  had  considerably 
the  advantage,  but  his  force  was  very  weak  compared  to  that  of  the  er.emy, 
and,  advancing  too  far,  he  not  only  missed  the  opportunity  of  completmg 
their  defeat,  but  even  enabled  them  to  clain>  the  victory.  But  their  vic- 
tory— if  such  it  was— cost  them  so  many  of  tlieir  bravest  men  that  they 
became  alarmed  for  the  consequences  of  continuing  the  war,  and  entered 
into  a  treaty  by  which  they  bound  themselves  altogether  to  depart  from 
the  kingdom.  To  enable  them  to  do  this  they  were  conducted  to  London, 
but  on  arriving  there  the  old  leaven  became  too  strong  for  their  virtuous 
resolutions,  and,  breaking  off  from  their  apjjointed  line  of  march,  they 
began  to  plunder  the  country  round  London  for  many  miles.  Burthred, 
the  tributary  prince  of  Mercia,  of  which  London  formed  a  part,  thinking 
it  improbable,  after  his  shameful  desertion  of  Alfred's  brother  on  a  former 
occasion,  that  Alfred  would  now  feel  inclined  to  assist  him,  made  a  treaty 
with  the  Danes,  by  which,  in  consideration  of  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  they  agreed  to  cease  from  ravaging  his  dominions,  and  remove 
themselves  into  Lincoln.shiro ;  but  they  had  on  former  occasions  laid 
that  county  waste,  and  finding  that  it  had  not  yet  so  far  recovered  as  to 
promise  them  any  booty  worlii  having,  ttiey  suddenly  marched  back  again 
upoi.  Mercia;  then  establishing tiiemselves  at  Replon, in  Derbyshire, tliey 
commenced  their  usual  career  of  slaughter  and  rapine  in  tliat  neighbour- 
hood. This  new  instance  of  Danisli  perfidy  filled  Burtiired  with  despair, 
and  seeing  no  probability  of  his  being  able  either  to  chase  tlie  Danes  away, 
or  to  render  them  peaceably  disposed  either  by  force  or  bribe,  he  aban- 
doned his  territory  altogetiier,  proceeded  to  Rome,  and  there  took  up  his 
abode  in  a  monastery,  where  he  continued  until  his  death.  Unrtiired, 
who  was  brother-in-law  to  Alfred,  was  tiie  last  titiriar  and  tributary  king 
of  Mercia. 

The  utter  abandonment  of  the  English  cause  by  Burthred  left  it  no  other 
leading  defender  but  Alfred  :  A.n.  871.  Uraveand  able  as  that  prince  was, 
his  situation  was  now  truly  terrible.  New  swarms  of  Danes  came  over, 
under  tiic  leadersliij)  of  Guthrum,  Osital,  and  Amund.  One  band  of  tlie 
host  thus  formed  took  up  tlieir  quarters  in  Nortiininberland,  and  another 
Cambridge,  whence  the  latter  marched  for  VVareliain,  in  Dorsetshire,  and 
thus  settled  themselves  in  the  very  midst  of  Alfred's  territory.  This  cir- 
cumstance, from  Alfred's  superior  knowledge  of  the  country  and  his  facil- 
ity of  obtaining  supplies,  gave  him  advantages  of  which  he  so  ably  and 
promptly  avaiitid  himself,  that  the  Danes  were  glad  to  engage  themselves 
to  depart.  They  had  now,  however,  become  so  notorious  for  breaking 
their  treaties,  that  Alfred,  in  concluding  this  one  witli  them,  resorted  to 
an  expedient  very  characteristic  of  that  rude  and  superstitious  age.  He 
made  them  confirm  their  pledges  by  oaths  upon  holy  reliques.  He  thouglit 
it  unlikely  that  oven  Danes  would  venture  to  depart  from  an  agreement 
made  witii  a  ceremony  which  was  then  tliouglit  so  tremendous,  and  even 
should  they  be  impious  enough  to  do  so,  he  felt  quite  certain  that  Iheii 
awful  perjury  would  not  fail  to  draw  down  full  destruction  upon  them. 
But  the  Danes,  who  hated  Christianity,  and  held  its  forms  in  utter  coii 


••1 


m 


iJ 
l^ 


lit' 


'"./ 


126 


THE  TUEASUllY  OF  HISTORV. 


tempt,  no  sooner  found  themselves  freed  from  the  disadvaiitngeoiis  pos' 
tion  in  which  Alficd  had  phiced  them,  than  they  fell  without  warning;  upon 
his  astouiuk'd  army,  put  it  completely  to  flight,  and  then  hastened  lo  take 
possession  of  Kxclcr.  Undismayed  by  even  this  new  proof  of  the  faith- 
less and  indomitable  nature  of  tlie  enemy,  Alfred  exerted  himself  so  dili- 
gently, that  he  got  together  new  forces,  and  fought  no  fewer  than  eight 
considerable  battles  within  twelve  months.  This  vigour  was  more  eflec- 
tual  au;;iiiist  such  a  foe  than  any  treaty,  however  solemn,  and  they  once 
more  found  thejuselvcs  reduced  to  an  extremity  which  compelled  them  to 
sue  for  peace.  As  Alfred's  sole  wish  was  to  free  his  subjects  from  the 
intolerable  evils  incident  to  having  their  country  perpetually  made  the 
theatre  of  war,  ho  cheerfully  agreed  to  grant  tiiCin  peace  and  permission 
to  settle  on  the  coast,  on  the  sole  condition  that  they  slioidd  live  peace- 
ably with  his  subjects,  and  not  allow  any  new  invaders  to  ravage  the 
coimtry.  While  tiiey  were  distressed,  and  in  danger,  the  Danes  w^re 
well  pleased  with  these  terms,  but  just  as  the  treaty  was  concluded  a  re- 
inforcement arrived  to  them  from  abroad.  All  thought  of  peace  and  treaty 
was  at  once  laid  aside  by  them;  tiiey  hastened,  in  all  directions,  to  join 
the  new  comers,  seized  upon  the  important  town  of  Chippenham,  and  re- 
commenced their  old  system  of  plundering,  murdering,  and  destroying,  in 
every  direction,  for  miles  around  their  quarters.  Tiie  Saxons,  not  even 
excepting  the  heroic  Alfred  himself,  now  gave  up  all  hope  of  success  in 
the  struggle  in  which  they  had  so  long  and  so  bravely  been  engaged. 
Many  fled  to  Wales  and  the  continent,  while  the  generality  submitted  to 
the  invaders,  contented  to  save  life  and  land  at  the  expense  of  national 
honour  and  individual  freedom.  It  was  in  vain  that  Alfred  reminded  the 
chief  men  among  the  Saxons  of  the  sanguinary  successes  they  had 
achieved  in  the  time  past,  and  endeavoured  to  persuade  them  that  new 
successes  woidd  attend  new  eflbrts.  Men's  spirits  wen;  no\.'  so  utterly 
subdued  that  the  Danes  were  looked  upon  as  irresistible ;  and  the  heroic 
and  unfortunate  Alfred,  unable  to  raise  suflicient  force  to  warrant  him 
in  again  endeavouring  to  save  his  country  from  tlie  yoke  of  the  foreign 
foeman,  was  fain  to  seek  safety  in  concealment,  and  to  console  himself  in 
his  tcinporary  inactivity  with  the  hope  that  the  oppressions  of  the  Danes 
would  be  so  unmeasured  and  intolerable,  that  even  the  most  peace-loving 
and  indolent  of  the  Sax(jns  would,  at  no  distant  day,  be  goaded  into  revolt. 
Unaltend(;(l  even  by  a  servant,  Alfred,  disguised  in  the  coarse  habit  of  a 
peasant,  wandered  from  one  obscure  hiding-place  to  another.  One  of 
these  w  as  the  lowly  hut  of  a  neatherd,  who  had  in  happier  days  been  in 
his  service.  Tiie  man  faithfully  obeyed  the  charge  given  'o  him  by  the 
king  not  to  reveal  his  rank  even  to  the  good  woman  of  the  house.  She, 
unsuspicious  of  the  quality  of  her  guest,  was  at  no  [lains  to  conceal  her 
opinion  tliat  so  able  a  man,  in  full  health,  and  with  an  extremely  vigorous 
appetite,  iniglil  find  some  better  em[)loynient,  bad  though  the  times  were, 
than  moping  about  and  muttering  to  himself.  On  one  occasion  she  still 
more  strongly  gave  her  opinion  of  llic  idleness  of  her  guest.  He  was 
seated  before  the  ample  wood  fire,  putting  his  bow  and  arrow  in  order  as 
she  put  some  wheaten  cakes  down  to  bake,  and  being  called  away  by 
some  other  domestic  busiiicj^s,  she  desired  Alfred  to  mind  the  cakes,  giving 
him  especial  charge  to  turn  them  freepiently  lest  they  should  be  burned. 
The  king  promised  due  obedience,  but  scarcely  had  his  imperious  hostess 
left  him  when  he  fell  into  a  profound  reverie  on  his  own  forlorn  and  aban- 
doned condition,  and  the  manifold  miseries  of  his  country.  It  is  probable 
that,  durins;  that  h)ng  sad  day-drearn,  more  than  one  thought  suggested 
itself  to  Alfred,  by  which  I'Jngland,  at  a  future  day,  was  to  be  greatly 
benefited.  But,  assuredly,  his  ihonghls  were,  for  that  time  at  least,  of 
little  benefit  to  his  hostess,  who,  on  her  return  lo  the  cottage,  found  the 
king  deep  buried  in  his  gloomy  thoughts,  and  her  cukes  done,  indeed,  but 


Tine  TIIKASURY  01''  HISTORY. 


127 


uoiio — to  ;i  (Minlcr.  Tlic  good  woman's  aiigcr  now  know  no  bounds  ;  oaf, 
I'lbhur,  and  lazy  loon,  were  tlie  niilUcst  names  which  she  bestowed  upon 
him,  as,  wilh  mingled  anger  and  vexation,  slie  eontrasted  his  indolence  in 
the  mailer  of  bakinjj,  witii  his  alacrity  in  eating;  what  he  found  ready 
bahful  for  his  use. 

So  sui;i:essful  had  Alfred  been  in  destroying  all  traces  of  his  wander 
ins?,  tliat  Hiibba  and  other  leading  Danes,  who  had  at  first  made  search 
after  liim  with  all  the  activily  and  eagerness  of  extreme  hate,  not  nn- 
mingiini  with  few,  at  length  lieeame  persuaded  that  ho  had  eiliier  left 
the  emmtry  altogether,  or  perished  miserably  ere  he  could  find  means  and 
opportunity  to  do  so.  Finding  that  his  enemies  had  discontinued  their 
seareli  afler  him,  Alfred  now  began  to  eoneeiv(!  hopes  of  being  able  oneo 
more  to  call  some  friends  to  his  side.  For  tills  purpose  he  betook  him- 
self to  Somer8(Ushire,  to  a  spot  with  which  he  had  accidentally  become 
accinainted,  which  singularly  imllcd  obscuriiy  and  capability  of  being  de- 
fended. A  morass  lormed  by  the  overllowing  of  tiie  rivers  Parret  and 
Thame  had  nearly  in  its  centre  about  a  couple  of  acres  of  firm  land. 
The  morass  itself  was  not  safely  practicable  by  any  one  not  well  acquain- 
ted willi  the  concealed  patlis  that  led  through  it  to  the  little  terra  firina, 
and  it  was  further  securdl  from  hoslUe  vlsilcn-.sby  numerous  other  morasses 
no  less  difTicult  and  dangerous,  while  by  a  dense  growth  of  forest  trees 
it  was  on  every  side  environed  and  sheltered.  Here  lie  built  himself  a 
rude  hut,  and,  having  found  means  to  cominnnlcate  with  some  of  the  most 
faiihful  of  his  personal  friends,  it  was  not  long  before  he  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  a  small  but  valiant  band.  Sallying  from  thi.s  retreat  under  the 
cover  of  the  night,  and  always,  when  practicable,  returning  again  before 
the  minning,  he  harassed  and  spv>i!cd  the  Danes  to  a  very  great  extent; 
and  his  attacks  were  so  suddiMi  and  so  desvdiory,  tliat  his  enemies  were 
unable  eiliier  elTcctually  to  guard  against  them,  or  to  conjecture  from  what 
quarter  llu!y  proceeded. 

Fvcn  by  this  warfare,  petty  and  desultory  as  it  was,  Alfred  was  doing 
good  scrvii'c  ti)  his  country.  For  with  tlu;  spoil  whi(di  he  thus  olitained 
lie  was  enabled  to  subsist  and  from  time  to  time  to  increase  his  followers; 
ami  while  his  attacks,  which  could  not  be  wh,)lly  unknown  to  tlie  Saxon 
pdjiulaiion,  gave  them  vague  liop<'s  that  armed  friends  were  not  wholly 
lost  to  lliein,  they  moderated  the  cruelty  and  imperiousness  of  the  Danes 
by  eonslaiiily  reminding  them  of  the  possibility  of  a  successful  and  general 
revolt  of  the  Saxons. 

Fm'  upwards  of  a  year  .Mfred  remained  in  this  secure  retreat,  in  which 
lime  he  had  gathered  togetiier  a  coiisiderablt!  number  of  followers;  and 
now  at  length  his  perseveraiici;  hail  its  reward  in  an  o[)portunity  of  once 
more  meeling  his  foes  in  tlie  formal  array  of  battle. 

liiibba,  the  most  warlike  of  all  the  Danish  chiefs,  led  a  large  army  of 
his  countrymen  to  besiege!  the  castle  of  Kinwith,  in  Devonsliirc!.  The 
carl  of  that  country,  a  brave  an  1  resolute  man,  diiemin^  deaili  in  the  battle 
field  f.ir  preferable  to  starving  within  his  fortified  walls,  or  life  preserved 
by  submission  to  the  hated  Dines,  collected  the  wlioh;  of  his  garrison, 
and,  having  inspired  thein  with  his  own  brave  determination,  made  a 
sudden  sally  iii)on  tlu!  D.inish  camp  in  the  darkness  of  night,  killeil  Ilubba. 
and  ron/ed  the  Danish  force  with  imnu;iu:e  slaughter.  He  at  the  same 
time  caiilnred  the  eiudianted  Rc'iJ\ii,  the  woven  raven  which  adorned  the 
chief  slandanl  of  the  Danes,  and  the  loss  of  whi(di  their  superstilious 
feelings  made  more  terrible  lo  thcni  than  that  of  their  chief  and  their 
comrades  who  had  perished.  This  Renftn  had  been  woven  into  Hubba's 
standard  by  his  three  sisters,  who  had  aceompanied  their  work  with  certain 
magical  formulie  which  the  Danes  firmly  belii.'V(>d  to  have  given  the  re- 
presented bird  the  power  of  preuiciing  the  good  or  evil  sik  cess  of  any 
eiiterpri;so  by  the  motion  of  its  wings.    And,  considering  the  great  power 


m:M 


■n 


k  (1 


■fi*'« 


I 

111 


128 


THE  TllEASUllY  OP  HISTOllY. 


of  superstition  over  rude  and  untutored  minds,  it  is  vdry  probable  thai 
the  loss  of  this  highly  valued  standard,  coinciding  with  not  only  the 
defeat,  but  also  the  death,  of  its  hitherto  victorious  owner,  struck  such  a 
general  fear  and  doubt  into  the  minds  of  the  Danes  as  very  greatly  tended 
to  disi)ose  them,  shortly  after,  to  make  pnacn  with  Alfred. 

As  soon  as  Alfred  heard  of  the  spirit  and  success  with  which  the  car) 
of  Devonshire  had  defended  himself  and  routed  ihc  most  dreaded  division 
of  the  Danish  army,  he  resolved  to  leave  his  obscure  retreat  and  once  more 
ende-iVour  to  arouse  the  Saxon  population  to  arms.  Hut  as  he  had  only 
too  great  and  painful  experience  of  tiic  extent  to  which  his  unfortunate 
people  had  b(!cn  depressed  in  spirit  by  their  long  continued  ill  fortune,  ho 
deteruiined  to  act  deliberately  and  cautiously,  so  as  to  avoid  an  appeal 
made  too  early  either  to  find  the  Saxons  sufiii  iently  recovered  to  make  a 
new  effort  for  their  liberty,  or  to  allow  of  their  being  prepared  to  make 
that  eflbrt  successfully. 

Still  leaving  his  followers  to  conceal  themselves  in  the  retreat  of  which 
we  have  spo'ien,  he  disguised  himself  as  a  harper,  a  very  popular  charactei 
in  that  day,  and  one  which  his  great  skill  as  a  musician  enabled  him  suc- 
cessfully to  maintain.  In  this  character  he  was  able  to  travel  alike  among 
Danes  and  Saxons  without  suspicious  recognition;  and  his  music  at  once 
obtained  him  admission  to  every  rank  and  the  opportunity  of  conversing 
with  every  description  of  people.  Emboldened  by  finding  himself  unsus- 
pected by  even  his  own  subjects,  lie  now  formed  the  bold  project  of  pen- 
etrating the  very  camp  of  the  enemy  to  note  their  forces  and  disposition. 
To  sokiiers  in  camp  amusement  !•<  ever  wilcome,  and  the  skilfid  music 
of  Alfred  not  merely  gratified  the  conunon  soldiers  and  inferior  otficers 
but  even  procured  him,  from  their  reconnnendations,  admittance  to  the 
tent  of  (nithrum,  their  prince  and  leader.  Here  he  remained  long  enough 
to  discover  every  weak  jioiiit  of  tlie  enemy,  wliether  as  to  the  position  ol 
their  camp,  which  was  situated  at  Kddington,  or  as  to  the  carelessness  ol 
discipline  into  which  their  utter  contempt  of  the  "Saxon  swine"  caused 
them  to  fall.  Having  niadi'  all  necessary  observations  he  took  the  earliest 
opportunity  to  depart,  and  sent  messages  to  all  the  principal  Saxons  upon 
whom  he  could  depend,  recjuiring  them  to  meet  him  on  a  specified  day,  at 
Brixton,  in  the  forest  of  Sclwood.  'I'lie  Saxons,  who  had  long  mourned 
their  king  as  dead,  and  were  groaning  beneath  the  brutal  tyrannies  of  tho 
Danes  joyfully  obeyed  his  summons,  and  at  the  appointed  time  he  found 
himself  surrounded  by  a  force  so  mnnerous  ami  so  (enthusiastic  as  to  give 
him  just  hopes  of  being  able  to  attack  ih'.:  Dane:s  with  success.  Knowing 
the  importance  of  not  allowing  this  entbusiasni  to  cool,  he  wasted  no  time 
in  useless  delay  or  vain  form,  but  led  them  at  once  to  (nithrum's  camp,  of 
which  his  recent  visit  made  him  aciiuainleil  with  the  most  practicable 
points.  Sunk  in  apathetic  indolence,  and  thinking  of  nothing  less  than 
of  seeing  a  numerous  band  of  I'nglish  asst'inl)leil  to  attack  them,  the 
Danes  were  so  panic-struck  and  surprised  tlial  tiny  fought  witli  none  of 
their  accustomed  vigour  or  obstinacy,  and  the  battle  was  speedily  conver- 
ted into  a  mere  rout.  Great  innnbers  of  ihe  Danes  perisheil  in  this  affair; 
and  though  the  rest,  mider  the  orders  of  (iiitlirum,  fortified  themselves  in 
a  camp  and  made  jjreparalions  for  contimiing  the  struggle,  they  were  so 
clo.sely  hemmed  in  by  Alfred,  that  absolute  hunger  proved  too  strong  for 
their  resolution,  and  once  more  they  oflered  to  treat  for  peace  with  the 
man  whose  mercy  they  had  so  often  abused,  and  whose  valour  and  ability 
they  had  long  since  imagined,  and  cxultingly  believed,  to  be  buried  in  an 
obscure  and  premature  grave. 

The  enduring  and  persevering  inclination  to  clemency  which  he  con- 
e.antly  displayed  is  by  no  means  one  of  the  least  remarkable  and  admir- 
able traits  in  the  character  of  Alfred.  Though  lie  now  had  the  very  lives 
of  his  fell  and  malignant  foes  in  his  power,  and  though  they  were  so  con- 


1 


a  hff  TREASUUY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


129 


6CI0US  of  their  helplessness  that  thoy  o(rcred  to  submit  on  any  term»; 
however  humiliating,  ho  g;\\c  thoni  their  lives  witlioul  altenipting  to  ini- 
pose  even  moderately  severe  terms.  I'eaeo  for  his  subjects  was  sliU  th« 
great  load-star  of  all  his  wishes  and  of  all  his  polity ;  and  often  as  he  had 
been  deceived  by  tiic  Danes,  his  real  magnanimity  led  him  to  believe  that 
even  their  faithlessness  could  not  always  be  proof  against  mercy  and  in- 
dulgence ;  he  therefore  not  only  gave  them  tlieir  lives,  but  also  full  per 
mistjion  to  settle  in  his  country,  upon  itic  easy  condition  of  living  in  peace 
Willi  his  other  subjects,  and  holding  themselves  bound  to  aid  in  the  defence 
of  the  country  in  whose  safety  they  would  have  a  stake,  should  any  new 
invasion  render  their  assistance  necessary.  Delighted  to  obtain  terms  so 
MHich  more  favourable  than  they  had  any  /ighf.  to  hope  for,  Guthrum  and 
hiS  followers  readily  agreed  lo  this ;  but  Alfred's  mercy  had  no  taint  of 
weakness.  He,  with  his  usual  sagacity,  perceived  that  one  great  cause  of 
the  persevering  hostility  of  the  Danes  to  his  subjects  was  their  dilTerence 
of  religion.  Hefleeting  that  such  a  cause  would  be  perpetually  liable  to 
cause  the  Danes  to  brciak  their  peaceable  intentions,  he  demanded  that 
Guthrum  and  his  people  should  give  evidence  of  their  sincerity  by  embra- 
cing the  Christian  religion.  This,  also,  was  consented  to  by  the  Danes, 
who  were  all  baptized,  Alfred  himself  becoming  tiie  godfailu'r  of  tJuth- 
rum,towhom  he  gave  the  honoural)le  (jlirislian  name  of  Atliclsian.  The 
success  of  this  measure  fidly  justified  the  sagacity  which  had  suggested 
it  to  Alfred.  The  Danes  settled  in  Stamford,  Lincoln,  Nottingham,  Lei- 
cester, and  Derby,  were  called  the  Five  Ilurghcrs,  and  th(!y  lived  as  peace- 
ably as  any  other  of  Alfred's  subjects  and  gave  him  as  little  trouble.  For 
some  years  after  this  signal  triumph  of  Alfred's  prowess  and  policy,  Kng- 
land  was  uuniolested  by  foreign  invaders,  excepting  on  o'ue  occasion 
when  a  numerous  fleet  of  Danes  sailed  up  the  Thames,  bejond  London. 
They  committed  considerable  havoc  on  tiieir  route, but  on  arriving  at  Ful- 
ham  they  found  the  coimtry  so  well  prepared  by  Alfred  to  resist  them, 
that  they  made  a  panic  retreat  to  their  sliips,  and  ('.cparled  with  such  spoil 
as  in  their  haste  they  were  able  to  secure. 

Freed  from  the  warlike  bustli!  in  which  so  larf  c  a  portion  of  his  life  had 
been  spent,  Alfred  now  d<'voted  himself  to  the  i  isk  of  regulating  the  civil 
adairs  of  the  kingdom,  lie  committed  tiie  form  r  kingdom  of  Mercia  to 
the  government  of  his  brother-in-law,  Flhelbert  with  the  rank  and  title 
of  earl  or  duke;  and  in  order  to  render  the  iiic  )rporation  of  the  Danes 
with  the  Saxons  the  more  coinplc  p,  he  put  tlu  in  upon  the  same  legal 
fooling  in  every  respect.  In  each  division  of  the  kingdom  he  established 
a  militia  force,  and  made  arrangements  for  its  concentration  upon  any 
given  point  in  the  event  of  a  new  invasion.  lie  also  repaired  the  va- 
rious ti)wns  that  had  sutTered  in  the  long  disorders  of  the  kingdom,  and 
erected  fortresses  in  commanding  t^ituaiions,  to  serve  both  as  depots  for 
armed  men,  and  as  rallying  points  for  the  militia  and  levy,  en  mas.sr,  of 
the  coimtry  around,  in  case  of  need.  Ihit  though  the  admirable  military 
dispositions  thus  made  by  Alfred  made  it  certain  that  any  invaders  would 
find  themselves  holly  opposed  in  whatever  (piarter  lliey  might  make  their 
attack,  Alfred  was  more  anxious  to  have  the  iiilenial  pwiee  of  the  country 
wholly  unbroken,  than  to  tic  obliged,  however  triumphantly  and  surely, 
to  chastise  the  disturbers  of  it;  he  therefore  now  turned  his  aitention  to 
the  organization  of  such  a  naval  force  as  should  be  aullieient  to  keep  the 
piratical  enemy  from  landing  upon  his  shores.  Ilv;  greatly  increased  the 
iiumher  and  strengih  of  liis  shipping,  and  practised  a  large  portion  of  his 
people  in  naval  tactics,  to  which,  (H)nsidering  their  insular  situation,  the 
kings  and  people  of  Kngland  had  hitherto  been  strangely  mdiflenml.  Tno 
1,'ood  efTccts  of  thiswise  jirecaution  were  soon  m.mil'cst ;  squadrons  o( 
his  armed  vessels  lay  at  so  many  and  al  such  wcll-ehosen  f(jsitioiis,  lluu 
the  Danes,  though  they  often  came  in  {jreat  luimbe-s,  were  either  wliulh 
I.— 9 


!f  i*J 


ffH** 


.,r.i 


130 


THE  TllEASimY  OF  HISTORY. 


prevented  from  lamliiip,  or  inter. :cpli!(l  wlicii  ri'tiriiig  fron)  before  the  land- 
forces,  and  deprived  oT  tlieir  ill-trntien  l;((()ty,  and  their  shifi.s  either  cap- 
tured or  •'innk.  In  this  maimer  Alfred  at  l('iii;th  gut  toyelher  a  liiindred 
and  twenty  vessels,  a  very  powerful  llcrl  lor  tliat  time,  and  as  his  own 
Bubjeels  were  at  the  ontsel  but  iiKlifTi'icnt  sailors,  he  snjiplied  that  def  "t 
by  sparingly  distributing  amoiifj  them  skilful  foreijjn  seamen,  from  whom 
they  soon  learned  all  that  was  known  of  naval  laeties  in  that  rude  a<,'e. 

For  some  years  Alfred  reaped  the  reward  of  his  admirable  policy  and 
untiring  industry  in  the  unbroken  tranquillity  of  the  country,  whitli  gave 
his  subjeets  the  opportunity  of  advancing  in  all  the  useful  arts,  and  of 
gradually  repairing  those  evils  which  the  long  continued  mternal  wars 
had  done  to  both  their  trade  and  their  agriculture.  Hut  a  new  trial  was 
still  in  store  for  both  Alfred  and  his  subjects. 

A.D.  Hft3.  Hastings,  a  Danish  chii  fiaiii,  who  some  years  before  had  made 
a  short  predatory  incursion  into  Knglaiul,  but  who  recently  had  coiirr..od 
his  ravages  'o  France,  linding  lUui  he  had  reduced  that  country,  so  far  as 
he  could  j;et  access  to  it,  to  a  condition  which  rendered  it  unprodiictive  of 
farther  booty,  suddenly  ap;)eared  this  year  olTtlie  coast  of  Kent,  with  an 
immense  horde  of  his  pirates,  in  upwards  of  ihrec  hundred  vessels.  Dis- 
embarking the  main  body  in  the  Kother,  and  leaving  it  to  guard  the  fort 
of  Apuldore,  which  he  surprised  and  seized,  he,  with  a  detaehnient  i>(  nearly 
a  hurdred  vessels,  sailed  up  the  Thames  as  far  as  Milton,  where  he  estab- 
lished his  head-quarters,  whence  he  sent  out  his  maurading  jiarties  in  every 
direction.  As  soon  as  tidings  of  this  new  iiieursion  reaelied  Alfred,  that 
gallant  monarch  concentrated  an  imniiMist!  furc(!  from  the  armed  nnlitia 
in  various  parts  of  the  couiilry,  and  marched  against  the  enemy.  Kc  iting 
down  before  Milton  and  Apuldore,  Alfred,  by  his  sujx'riority  ot  force,  com- 
pletely hemmed  in  the  mam  bodies  of  the  pirates,  and  their  delaelu'd  jiar- 
ties  were  encountered  as  they  returned  wiili  tlieir  booty,  and  cut  olT  to  a 
man.  Finding  that,  so  far  fnuii  having  any  prospect  of  enriching  iheni- 
selvcs,  th(;y  were,  in  fact,  compelled  to  live  m  Kngland  upon  the  plunder 
that  they  had  seized  in  France,  the  pirate  g.irrison  of  Apuldore  made;  a 
sudden  sally  with  the  design  of  crossing  the  'l'liame:>  into  Fssex.  Hut  llio 
vigilant  eye  of  Alfred  was  tooeonslaniiy  upon  them  to  allow  either  secrecy 
or  suddeimess  to  give  them  success  hi  this  attempt.  lie  arrested  their 
march  at  Farnham,  utterly  routed  tliem,  and  spoiled  them  of  all  their  prop- 
erty, including  numbers  of  valuable  horses.  The  slauuhter  was  very  great, 
and  those  Danes  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to  survive  the  battle,  UMdc*  ilieir 
way  in  panic  haste  to  their  piratical  vessels,  and  sailed  <iver  to  Ksse.x, 
where  they  entrenched  themselves  at  Mersey;  Hastings,  with  tlie  division 
under  his  command,  at  the  same  time  going  also  into  the  cou!ity  of  J'^ssex 
and  entrenching  himself  at  Canvey. 

Gnlhrum,  who  from  the  lime  of  his  baptism  had  been  constantly  faith- 
ful to  the  engagement  into  which  he  had  ciilered  with  Alfred,  was  new 
dead,  as  also  was  Guthred,  another  Dane  of  rank,  who  was  very  faithful 
to  Alfred,  by  whom  he  had  been  made  goveriiT  of  V';;ihumberland.  No 
longer  restrained  by  the  example  and  auihority  of  those  two  eminent 
chiefs,  the  Fast  Anglian  and  Northumbrian  Danes  now  suddenly  exhibited 
their  old  propensity  to  strife  and  rai)iiie,  got  together  a  fleet  of  nearly  two 
hundred  and  fifty  vessels,  and  made  their  appearance  in  hostile  array  be- 
fore Kxeter.  Leaving  a  suflicient  force  under  eoinpelent  connnand  to 
make  head  against  the  Danes  in  Kssex,  Alfred  imn-ediately  haslened  to 
Exeter,  and  fell  so  suddenly  upon  them,  that  with  little  loss  on  his  tide, 
they  were  driven,  in  complete  disorder  and  willi  immense  loss,  to  their 
.leet.  They  made  attempts  to  land  in  other  parts  of  the  enuntry  ;  but  the 
preparations  which  Alfred  hal  everywlwre  made  of  militia  and  armed 
freemen,  whom  the  recent  aiarnis  hud  kept  luore  than  usually  on  the  alert, 


caused  t 

from  the 

'Ihe  11 

tings,  di'. 

Alfred,  ii 

forced  th 

to  the  sw 

capture  v 

terprise. 

command 

women  ai 

should  lea 

turn  to  it  i 

But  tho 

kingdom. 

There  wei 

the  leader? 

handed, 

.Sliobury,  a 

cpslershire 

titled  them 

body  to  de< 

inand,  and  i 

sat  down  w 

held  out  for 

even  this  in 

peration.     ' 

that  ensued 

as  they  pas< 

shire,     lien 

defeated  wii 

of  tiigeforf. 


very  siiperi 
sued  this  fl 
rates,  captu 
now  wearif 
The  e(li( 
cnccd  by  tj 
e.\eciiIions 
but  to  cons 
eiu'tnies  of 
erto  incorr 
against  wli 
liuinhlest  st 
peaceable  Ih 
The  same 
country  fron 
iiig  and  enfo 
bl(!  that  grc  „ 
and  during  s( 
incident  to 
adiiiiion  to  i 
e.licient  .-ftlm 
code  for  the 
t"  tills  day  ii 
for  the  repre 
against  perso 
nianner  in  wl 


V:  I 


THE  TREASL'IIY  OF  HISTORY. 


K 


caused  iho  pirates  to  be  so  warmly  rocoivcd,  that  thoy  at  length  sailed 
from  llie  island  altogether,  in  despair  of  making  any  further  booty. 

The  Danes  in  lisscx,  wiuU^ii  under  liic  commund  of  liie  formidable  Has- 
tings, did  immense  miscinef  in  that  county.  13ul  tiic  force  left  behind  by 
Alfred,  increased  by  a  large  number  of  Londoners,  marched  to  Bramflcte, 
forced  the  pirates'  entrenchments,  put  the  greater  number  of  the  garrison 
to  the  sword,  and  captured  the  wife  and  children  of  the  pirate  chief.  Thie 
capture  was  the  most  importantly  useful  result  of  this  well-conducted  en- 
terprise. Alfred  liad  now  in  his  hands  hostajjes  through  whom  ho  could 
command  any  terms ;  but  so  generous  was  his  nature,  that  he  restored  the 
women  and  children  to  Hastings,  upon  the  sdIo  and  easy  condition  that  he 
should  leave  the  kingdom  immediately,  under  a  solemn  engagement  to  re- 
turn to  it  no  more  :  s  a  foeman. 

Rut  though  the  worst  band  of  the  Danes  was  thus  forced  to  depart  the 
kingdom,  llie  plague  of  the  Danes  was  by  no  means  wholly  at  an  end. 
There  were  very  numerous  scattered  hordes  of  them,  who  neither  owned 
the  leadership  of  Hastings,  nor  were  willing  to  leave  the  country  empty- 
handed.  These  united  into  one  large  foree,  and  fortified  themselves  at 
Sluibiiry,  at  the  month  of  the  Thames,  whenco  t'ley  marched  into  Glou- 
cestershire, and  being  reinforced  by  a  mmierous  body  of  VVelehnien,  for- 
tified tiiemselves  very  strongly  at  Doddinglon.  Having  now  oidy  this 
body  to  deal  !>,  Alfred  gathered  together  the  whole  force  he  could  com- 
mand, and  dra\.  .s  lines  of  eircumvall  ition  around  the  pirates,  deliberately 
sat  down  with  me  determination  of  starving  them  into  submission.  They 
held  out  for  some  time,  slaying  their  horses  to  subsist  upon  ;  but  at  length 
even  this  miserable  resource  failing  them,  they  sallied  out  in  utter  des- 
peration. The  most  considerable  portion  of  them  fell  in  the  fierce  contest 
that  ensued,  but  a  still  formidable  body  escaped,  and,  ravaging  the  country 
as  lliey  passed  along,  were  pursued  by  Alfred  to  VVatford,  in  Hertford- 
siiire.  ilere  another  severe  action  ensued,  and  the  Danes  wore  again 
defeated  with  great  loss.  The  remnant  found  shelter  on  board  the  fleet 
of  Sigefort,  a  Northumbrian  Dane,  who  possessed  sliips  of  a  eonstruclion 
very  superior  to  those  of  the  generality  of  his  countrymen.  The  king  pur- 
sued this  fleet  to  the  coast  of  Hampshire,  slew  a  great  number  of  the  pi- 
rates, captured  twenty  of  their  ships,  and— even  his  enduring  mercy  being 
now  wearied— hanged,  at  Winchester,  the  whole  of  his  prisoners. 

The  enieicnt  and  organized  resistance  which  had  of  late  been  experi 
cnced  by  th(!  pirates,  and  tiio  plain  indications  given  by  the  Winchester 
cxeculioiis  that  the  king  was  determined  to  show  no  more  lenity  to  pirates, 
but  to  consign  thein  to  an  ignominious  death,  as  common  disturbers  and 
enemies  of  tlie  whole  human  race,  fairly  struck  terror  even  into  the  hith- 
erto incorrigible  Danes.  Those  of  Northumberland  and  East  Anglia, 
against  whom  Alfred  now  marched,  deprecated  his  resentment  by  the 
liuiiiblest  submission,  and  the  most  solemn  assurances  of  their  future 
peaceable  behaviour,  and  their  example  was  imitated  by  the  Welch. 

The  same  admirable  arrangements  which  had  enabled  him  to  free  his 
country  from  the  Danes,  were  now  of  infinite  service  to  Alfred  in  restor- 
ing and  enforcing  order  among  his  own  subjects.  It  was  almost  inevita- 
ble that  great  disorders  should  prevail  among  a  people  who  so  frequently, 
and  during  so  many  years,  had  been  subject  to  all  the  horrors  and  tumults 
incident  to  a  country  which  is  so  unhappy  as  to  be  the  theatre  of  war.  In 
addition  to  making  very  extensive  and  wise  provisions  for  the  true  and 
cHicient  mlministration  of  justice  in  tlu;  superior  courts,  and  framing  a 
code  for  their  guidance  so  excellent  that  its  substance  and  spirit  subsist 
1(1  tins  day  in  the  cominon  law  of  Kngland,  he  most  effectually  provided 
for  the  repression  of  petty  ofl"ences,  as  well  as  more  serious  ones,  whether 
against  persons  or  property,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  did  so,  like  the 
manner  in  which  he,  as  it  were,  made  his  whole  kingdom  a  series  of  gar- 


■  iA  I, 


ii'm\>i 


')■! 


f,i. 


'* 


f 


1      M 


13tr 


THE  TUEA8UIIY  OP  HISrOH^. 


rJAons  to  rpstiaiii  tlio  Daiicq,  sliows  that  he,  with  achnirahlo  jfcrins,  p^p 
ccivi'd  the  iiniiuMi.s(!  importance  of  an  attention  to  details,  and  the  c.^^a 
witli  vvhiidi  many  graduated  efforts  and  arrangements  will  produce  a  rcBult 
which  would  be  in  vain  aimed  at  by  any  one  effort  however  vast. 

Of  what  may  bo  called  the  national  police  established  by  Alfred,  wo  take 
the  following  brief  and  condensed,  but  extremely  lucid  and  grajijiic,  ao 
count  from  Hume:  "The  English,"  says  Hume,  "reduced  to  the  most 
extreme  indigence  by  the  continued  depredations  of  the  Danes,  had  shaken 
off  all  bands  of  government,  and  those  who  had  been  plundered  to-day, 
betook  themselves  on  the  morrow  to  t'le  like  disorderly  life,  and,  from 
despair,  joined  the  robbers  in  pillaging  and  ruining  their  f(;llo\v-citizens. 
These  were  the  evils  for  which  it  was  necessary  that  tho  vigilance  and 
activity  of  Alfred  should  provide  a  remedy. 

"That  he  might  render  the  execution  of  justice  strict  and  regular,  hndi 
vided  all  Kngland  into  counties;  these  counties  he  subdivided  into  hun- 
dred.s,  and  the  hundreds  again  into  tithings.  Every  householder  was 
answerable  for  the  behaviour  of  his  family  and  his  slaves,  and  even  of  his 
guests  if  tiiey  lived  above  three  days  in  his  house.  Ten  neighbouring 
householders  were  formed  into  one  corporation,  who,  under  ih;'  r  .ime  of 
a  tithing,  decennary,  or  fribourg,  wero  answerable  for  each  ct!iei's  con- 
duct, ami  over  whom  one  man,  called  a  tilhing-man,  headbour;^,  or  bond- 
holder, was  appointed  to  preside.  Every  man  was  punished  as  rn  outlaw 
who  did  not  register  himself  in  some  tithing,  and  no  man  could  "hi'.nge  his 
habitation  without  a  warrant  or  certificate  from  the  bondholder  of  the  tith- 
ing to  which  he  formerly  belonged. 

"  When  any  person,  in  any  tithing  or  deccnnBry,  was  guilty  of  a  crime, 
the  bondholder  was  summoned  to  answer  for  him,  and  if  he  were  not  wil- 
ling  to  be  surely  for  his  appearance  and  his  clearing  himself,  tho  criminal 
was  eommittccf  to  prison,  and  there  detained  till  his  trial.  If  he  fled, 
cither  Ireforo  or  after  finding  surety,  the  b(md\r>lder  and  decennary  be 
came  liable  to  inquiry,  and  were  exposed  to  rho  penalties  of  the  law. 
Thirty-one  days  were  allowed  them  f'lr  producing  iho  criminal,  and  if 
tho  time  elapsed  without  their  being  able  to  find  him,  the  bondholder,  with 
two  other  members  of  the  decennary,  was  obliged  to  appear,  and,  to- 
gether  with  three  chief  members  of  the  three  neighbouring  deceniiaries, 
making  twelve  in  all,  to  swear  that  his  decennary  was  free  from  all  priv- 
ity, both  of  the  crime  committed,  and  of  the  escape  of  the  criminal.  If 
the  bDndholder  could  not  find  such  a  number  to  answer  for  their  inno- 
cence, the  decennary  was  compelled  by  fine  to  make  satisfaction  to  the 
king,  according  to  the  degree  of  the  offence.  By  this  institution  every 
man  was  obliged  by  his  own  interest  to  keep  a  watchful  eye  over  thr 
conduct  6f  his  nei;rhbour,  and  was  in  a  manner  surety  for  'he  behaviour 
of  those  who  were  placeii  under  the  division  to  which  he  belonged  ;  whence 
these  decennaries  received  the  name  of  frank-pledges. 

"  Such  a  regular  distribution  of  the  people,  with  such  a  strict  confine- 
ment in  their  habitation,  may  not  bo  necessary  in  times  when  men  are 
more  inured  to  obedience  and  justice,  and  it  might  perhaps  be  regarded  as 
destructive  of  liberty  and  commerce  in  a  polished  state  .  but  it  was  well 
calculated  to  reduce  that  fierce  and  licentiors  people  under  the  salutary 
restraint  of  law  and  government.  But  Alfrei  took  care  to  tempf:r  these 
rigours  by  other  institutions  more  favour.tble  i^  the  freedom  of  the  citi- 
zens, and  nothing  could  be  more  popular  or  liberal  than  his  plan  for  the 
administration  of  justice.  The  bondholder  summoned  together  liis  whole 
decennary  to  assist  him  in  deciding  any  lesser  difference  which  occurred 
among  the  members  of  this  small  community.  In  affairs  of  greater  mo 
mcnt,  in  appeals  fri)m  the  decennary,  or  in  controversies  arising  betweer 
members  of  differf.nt  decennaries,  the  cause  was  brought  before  the  hiin 
dred,  which  consisted  of  ten  decennaries,  or  a  hundred  families  of  free 


men,  an 

e.iding  ( 

being  til 

calculiit. 

tice  tliiit 

who,  liin 

of  that  di 

tioii  of  tl 

these  iiKj 

poiiitcil  f( 

inquiry  i 

obiiyiiig  (, 

tered.     '1 

there  in  a 

audits  fi,[ 

the  adiniiii 

"  Tlie  IK 

which  met 

the  frech(j| 

Sioil  of  (Ml 

deniiin,  an 

from  I  III!  Ill 

sies  as  aro 

man  posses 

sible  tliat  til 

iiiili'peiidenl 

ordinate;  mn 

also  eiiipow 

to  levy  the  r 

of  tho  publii 

'Tli,.i-e|,i 


lll:j 


king  iiiinse 
great  lah 
overwIieliiK, 
gable  ill  ih, 
entirely  ei 
coiiveiiieiic 
iiiay:istiMt(!s 
instructed  j 
aiiioiia^  'lip  n 
severtrly  all 
found  uiieqii 
hy  deputy, t 
Witlioiit  ! 
HI  which  he 
fred,  and  tli 
making  a  irpi 
ram,  fierce, 
among  t|,e  g 
we  reflect  tli 
tilar  educatio 
figured  both 
iearii  even  t 
years  of  j.js  , 
illness  alinos 
to  e.vaggerat 
ful  student,  ; 
at  the  coun- 


THK  TREASUIIV  OP  HISTORY. 


133 


niun,  iiiid  u'liicli  was  rcguliiily  asscmblcil  once  in  four  weeks  for  tho  de- 
ciding of  ciiises.  Tlioir  nielliod  of  (Icicision  deserves  to  be  noted,  as 
benig  ilie  onsjin  of  jmies— an  insiilntion  iidniiralile  in  itself,  and  liia  best 
calculated  for  llie  preservation  of  bberly  and  llio  adniinistriition  of  jus- 
tice lliat  ever  was  devised  by  man.  Twelve  freeholders  were  eliosen, 
who,  having  sworn,  loi,r(;ilier  with  the  liundreder,  or  presiding  magistrate 
of  thai  division,  to  administer  impiirliul  justice,  proceeded  to  the  examina- 
tion of  tliat  cause  which  was  submitted  to  their  jurisdiction.  And  beside 
these  inoiuiily  meetings  of  the  hundred,  there  was  an  annual  meetine;  ap- 
pointed for  a  more  geiu.'rul  inspection  of  tlii;  police  of  the  district,  for  the 
mijuiiy  into  crimes,  liic  correction  of  abuses  in  magistrates,  and  tho 
obliging  of  every  per.-,on  to  show  the  deeemiary  in  which  he  was  regis- 
tered. The  iicople,  in  imitation  of  their  (rermaii  ancestors,  asseml)led 
there  in  arms — wIkmico  a  hundred  was  sometimes  called  a  wapentake, 
audits  (Miiits  served  both  for  tho  support  (»f  military  discipline,  and  for 
the  administration  of  civil  justice. 

"The  next  superior  court  to  that  of  the  hundred,  was  tho  county  court, 
whieh  met  twice  a  year,  after  iMichaelmas  and  Kaster,  and  consisted  of 
the  freeholders  of  tlie  county,  who  possessed  an  equal  vole  in  the  deci- 
sion of  causes.  The  bishop  presided  in  this  court,  together  willi  tho  al- 
di'nnaii,  and  the  proper  object  of  tho  court  was  the  receiving  of  appeals 
from  tlie  hundreds  and  decennaries,  and  liio  deciding  of  sutdi  controver- 
sies as  arose  between  ir.en  of  dilferent  hundreds.  b\)rmerly  tho  alder- 
man possessed  both  the  military  and  the  civil  authority;  but  Alfred,  sen- 
sible that  this  conjunction  of  powers  rendered  the  nobility  dangerously 
iiiilcpeiident,  appointed  also  a  shcriflT  to  each  eoiinly,  who  enjoyed  a  co- 
ordiiiaie  authority  with  the  former  in  the  judicial  function.  His  oITice 
also  empowered  him  to  guard  the  rights  of  the  crown  in  tho  county,  and 
to  levy  th(!  fines  iinpo:si'd,  v.  liicli  in  that  ag(!  formed  no  contemptible  part 
of  the  public  revenue. 

"There  lay  an  appeal,  in  default  of  jtislicc,  from  all  these  courts  to  the 
king  liimself  in  council ;  and  as  llie  jieople,  sensible  of  the  equity  and 
great  talents  of  Alfred,  placed  thiir  cliief  confidence  in  him,  he  was  soon 
overw'iielined  with  appeals  from  all  parts  of  iMigland.  He  was  indefati- 
gable in  the  dispatch  of  these  causes,  but  finding  that  his  lime  must  be 
entirely  engrossed  by  this  branch  of  duty,  he  resolved  to  obviate  the  iii- 
coiivenience  by  correcting  the  ignorance  ortlie  corruptior.  of  the  inferior 
magistrates,  from  whicii  it  arose.  He  took  care  to  have  all  his  nobility 
iiistruelcd  in  letters  and  the  law;  he  chose  the  earls  and  sheritfs  from 
ainon*  ihe  men  most  celebrated  for  probity  and  knowledge  ;  he  punished 
severtdy  all  inalversaiion  in  olFice,  and  he  removed  all  the  earls  whom  he 
found  unequal  to  their  trust,  allowing  some  of  the  more  elderly  to  serve 
by  deputy,  till  their  death  should  make  room  for  more  worthy  successors." 

Without  any  qualification  or  allowance  for  tho  age  and  circumstances 
ill  which  he  lived,  the  military,  and,  even  more,  the  civil  talents  of  Al- 
fred, and  their  noble  and  consistent  ievotion  to  the  magnificent  task  of 
making  a  great  and  civilized  nation  out  of  a  people  disunited,  rude,  igno- 
rant, fierce,  and  disorderly,  would  justly  entitle  him  to  the  praise  of  heing 
among  the  greatest  and  best  moiiarchs  tliat  have  ever  existed.  But  when 
we  rellect  that  he  had  to  contend  against  a  late,  an  imperfect,  and  irreg- 
ular education. ;  that  he,  who,  in  a  comparatively  short  life,  so  largely 
figured  both  as  warrior  and  sage,  was  twelve  years  old  ere  he  began  to 
learn  even  the  very  elements  of  literature,  and  that,  during  the  latter 
years  of  l.is  glorious  life,  he  laboured  under  frequent  and  painfiil  fits  of 
illness  almost  amounting  to  bodily  disability,  it  would  not  be  an  easy  task 
to  exaggerate  his  merits.  (Jood  as  well  as  great,  a  p.ilient  and  tiiougiit- 
ful  student,  as  w(dl  ;.s  a  mighty  chieftain  in  the  field  and  a  sage  statesman 
at  the  council-board,  he  probably  approached  as  nearly  to  perreclion 


i'*' 


,$m 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


tioii  at  till!  riu'iiiion  uf  liiiii  wliuin  llicir  sitinly  fatlicrH  liuurtily  iiiid  justly 
huiluil  by  tliu  proud  nuinc  uf  ALrniLn  the  Giikat. 


CH.\PTKR  VIII. 

HISTORY  OF  TUB  ANGLO-SAXONS,   FKO.M  THE    DKATM  OK  At.FRKD  THR  GREAT  TO 
THt'  HCION  OP  KIiWAHD  THK  MAHTVR. 

Ai.KUKD  THK  (niKAT,  wlio  (I'ld  ill  till!  yiiw  !)01,  liiid  tlircc  sons  iind  tlirce 
daiiglilers  by  liis  wife  Kilidlswitlui,  the  diuiiililur  of  uii  c;iil  of  IMen.in. 
His  lidt'st  son,  Kdiiuiiid,  Aw.A  before  liiin,  and  ho  was  siiccct-ded  by  his 
sci.'oiid  son,  Kdward,  wlio,  being  llie  first  Knj^lisli  king  of  tlut  ii.inie,  was 
suniamed  The  Elder, 

Tluiiigli  Kdward  was  .scarcely,  if  at  all,  inferior  to  his  truly  pjreat  father 
in  point  of  military  talents,  his  reign  was,  upon  the  wlioli',  a  turbulent 
one,  and  one  that  by  no  means  favoured  the  growth  in  tlie  kingdom  ol 
that  civilized  prosperity,  of  whii'li  Alfred  had  laid  the  fonndatioiis  both 
deej)  and  broad.  I!ut  the  fault  was  not  witli  Kdward;  he  had  to  contend 
against  many  very  great  dilliciillies,  and  he  contended  against  tiiein  with 
both  courage  and  prudence.  He  had  scarcely  p.iid  the  last  sad  ollices  to 
his  royal  father  when  his  title  to  the  throne  was  disputed  by  his  cousm 
Ktlielwold,  son  of  Klhelberi,  the  elder  brother  of  Alfred.  Had  iIk;  hered- 
itary and  lineal  descent  of  the  crown  been  as  yet  strictly  scllled  with  a 
regard  to  primogeniture,  the  claim  of  Kihclwtdd  would  have,  undoubti'd- 
ly,  been  a  just  oiu?.  Out  such  was  far  from  being  the  case  ;  many  cir- 
euinslances,  the  character,  or  even  the  infancy  of  the  actn  il  heir  in  the 
order  of  pnmogeiiiiure,  very  often  inducing  tin;  magnaies  and  people,  as 
in  the  case  of  Alfred  himself,  to  pass  over  Inm  who  in  this  |)oiiil  of  view 
was  the  rightful  heir,  in  favour  of  one  better  (pialified,  and  giving  higher 
promise  of  safely  and  prosperity  to  the  nation. 

Ktlielwold  had  a  considerable  number  of  partizans,  by  whose  aid  he 
collected  a  large  and  imposing  force,  and  fortilied  himself  at  VVinibornc, 
in  Dorsetshire,  with  the  avowed  detcrimaaiioii  of  referring  his  claim  to 
the  decision  of  war.  Unt  the  military  condition  in  which  Alfred  had  left 
the  kingdom  now  rendered  his  son  good  service.  At  the  first  intimation 
thai  he  received  of  his  cousin's  0|)positioii,  he  on  the  instant  collected  a 
numerous  and  well  ajipointed  army  and  marched  towards  him,  deter- 
mined not  to  have  the  internal  peai:e  of  the  whole  kingdom  disiiirbi^d  by 
a  series  of  petty  struggles,  hut  to  hazard  life  and  crown  upon  the  decision 
of  a  single  great  battle.  As  llie  king  approacheil,  however,  the  informa- 
tion of  his  overwhehniiig  force  that  was  conveyed  to  Ktlielwold  so  much 
alarmed  him,  that  he  suddenly  broke  up  his  army  and  made  a  hasty  re- 
treat to  Normandy.  Here  he  remained  inactive  for  some  time;  but  just 
as  all  observers  of  his  condu(!t  imagined  th.it  he  had  finally  abandoned 
his  (irciensions,  he  passed  over  into  Norlhumiicrland,  where  he  was  well 
received  by  the  Danes  of  that  district,  who  were  glad  of  any  prtHence, 
however  sligoi,  .'...  ;''savowing  their  allegiance  to  the  actual  king  of  Kiig- 
land.  The  five  burgliv-rs,  'vlio  had  so  long  been  in  a  state  of  randy 
broken  tranquillity,  ;ilso  joiiied  Ktlielwold,  and  the  country  had  once  more 
the  prospect  of  endless  and  ruinous  internal  warfare,     iithelwold  led  hii 


frcebooti 
their  esi 
come  up 
and  fear/ 
flicted  iij 
Order  to  i 
They  wei 
busily  en, 
fiiiioiisly 
In  the  en 
of  the  fiel 
original  p 
wen;  now 
and  he,  lia 
subduing 
fleet,  uiide 
would  infa 
the  iK.'cess 
own  (irope 
coiilrarv  (o 
be.     They 
Kiigland;  ; 
and  the  dm 
off  their  CO 
they,  too,  h 
Kdward  \ 
he  attacked 
to  the  swon 
8iit)jcctH.  ail 
.iiost  (lesola 
During  i|| 
one  j)  irly 
sevcrclv  il 
forti/ied  (,' 
as  to  leave 
veriiig  and 
briaiis,  tin 
tiers,  and 
to  submit 
Ktheltleda. 
masculine 
Upon  th 
rioiis,  it  car 
Danes  who 
for  plunderii 
Pven  when 
oils  lo  boih 

Kdward 

state  of  iho 

of  it  occiirr 

years  fur  to, 

Under  any 

of  Kngland 

iiatioij  then 

Athclstan,  n 

elslan  had  tl 

lions.     Ami 

«nd  popular 


THB  TKEASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


IM 


lrccbootc»8  nto  Wiltshire,  niouccstcr^liire,  ami  Oxfordshire,  and  made 
tiiPJr  csciipc  f;">)d,  with  an  innnciisi'  hooiy,  cro  the  royal  forces  could 
coinc  up  »viili  I  leni.  Uiil  the  kinj;  followed  his  foes  into  lOast  Anijiia, 
and  feiufiilly  itialiiilcd  upon  that  district  tlie  injuries  that  had  been  in- 
flicteii  upii.i  Ins  peaeeahle  siihjcots.  When,  laden  with  spoil,  ho  g  ive  tho 
order  to  retire,  a  part  of  his  aruiy,  clnifly  Kentish  men,  dis(^l)(«yt•d  him. 
They  were,  eonscquenily,  left  iHlnud  in  tlio  enemy's  country,  and,  while 
busily  en^;  i;red  in  addin^r  to  their  already  rieh  biioly,  were  suddenly  and 
furiously  set  upon  by  the  Danes.  'I'he  battle  was  obstinate  on  both  sides. 
Ill  the  end  the  Danes  were  vieloriou.s;  but  though  they  remained  masters 
of  the  field  of  b.illle,  they  lost  their  bravest  hiaders,  and  amoni;  them  the 
original  promoter  of  the  war,  Kihelwold  hini.self.  Tiic  Kast  Anjflians 
were  now  jjlad  to  aeeept  the  terms  of  peace;  offered  to  them  by  ihe  king; 
and  he,  liavuiK  nolhinj,'  to  fear  from  them,  turned  his  whole  attention  to 
siibduin;;;  the  Danes  of  Northtunberland.  lie  accordingly  (iilcd  out  a 
fleet,  under  the  impression  that  by  earrymR  tlic  war  to  their  own  coast  he 
wonlil  iiifallil)ly  eoin|)el  them  to  refrain  from  plundering  his  people,  by 
the  nei'essily  ihey  would  experience  of  stayiiitj  at  home  to  defend  their 
own  properly.  Hut  the  (ronscqnence  of  this  manieuvrc  was  directly 
contrary  to  wiiat  the  kinir  had,  and  not  illofrically  (ulher,  su[)posed  it  would 
be.  They  judged  that  the  king's  fleet  carried  the  main  armed  strength  of 
England;  and,  Irustiiiff  the  safely  of  their  own  property  to  ccniceahncnt 
and  the  cliapttT  of  accidents,  they  no  sooner  saw  the  royal  fleet  appear 
ofl"  their  coast  than  they  made  a  land  incursion  ni)on  the  Knglish.  Hut 
they,  too,  had  reasoned  witli  more  secMiiiiig  than  real  correctness. 

Kdward  was  fully  prep.ired  to  meet  tlioni  by  land  as  well  as  by  sea;  and 
he  attacked  them  at  'i'eteiihall,iii  Siairordshire,  put  a  great  number  of  them 
to  llie  sword,  recovered  ihe  whole  of  the  s|)oils  they  had  taken  from  his 
subjects,  and  drove  .all  tlios*-  of  tiiem  who  escaped  death  or  captivity,  in  a 
jiQst  dcsolatt!  and  poverty  stricken  stale,  inio  their  own  country. 

Durnig  the  whole  remainder  of  Ivlward's  reijjn  he  was  entiagnd  with 
one  p  irty  or  another  of  tlie  Knglish  Danes,  lliit  he  chastised  eacdi  party 
severely  in  its  turn;  and,  hy  constant  care  and  unsparing  liberality,  he 
foititied  Oliester,  Warwick,  Colclicstcr,  and  many  oilier  (liiies  so  strongly 
as  to  leave  them  little  to  fear  fropii  any  sudden  iiicursioii  of  their  piirse- 
vering  and  rancorous  enemies.  In  tin;  end  he  vaiuiuished  the  Northuin- 
bri.ins,  till!  Kast  Aiigliaiis,  Ihe  Uritish  tribes  of  Wales  nearest  to  his  fron- 
tiers, and  coinp(dleil  the  .Scots,  who  bad  recently  been  very  tronl)lt;somc, 
to  submit  to  him.  I  Ic  was  much  aided  in  his  various  projects  by  his  sister 
I'ltliellleda,  widow  of  tln«  Mercian  earl  Mlheibert,  wiio  was  a  woman  of 
inascnline  gtuiius  as  wudl  as  masculine  haluts  and  feelings. 

Upon  the  whole,  though  llic  reign  of  I'Mward  tiu;  Klder  was  u  victo 

)us,  it  can  scarcely  be  called  a  fortunate  one;  for  in  it  m.my  of  thosf 
Danes  who  had  long  livvd  in  habits  of  peai'c  reiiirned  lo  their  old  taste 
for  |)luii(lering,  and  so  many  b allies  foiiglii  in  his  own  country  could  not, 
even  when  he  was  ihe  most  signally  vicrtorious,  be  olherwiso  than  injuri- 
ous lo  both  the  prosperity  and  tlii;  morals  of  h,s  i)eo[)le. 

Ivlward  died  in  9'2').  Wc  have  already  remarki'd  uiion  the  unsettled 
stale  of  the  law  of  succession  to  ihe  throne  in  liiat  age.  Anolhcr  instance 
of  it  occurred  now.  Kdward  left  legitimate  children,  but  tticy  were  of 
years  far  loo  tender  to  admit  of  tlunr  assuming  the  reins  of  government 
under  any  cireunistancts,  and  especially  so  in  the  then  imminent  danger 
of  Kiigland  being  again  convulsed  by  the  Danes.  The  chief  pi^ople  of  the 
nation  therefore  passed  those  young  children  by  and  gave  Ihe  throne  to 
Aibelslan,  an  illegitimate  son  of  the  deceased  monarch.  Hut  though  Ath 
elstan  had  the  general  suffrages  of  the  great  men,  there  were  somi;  excep- 
tions. Am(mg  tiiose  were  .Vlfred,  a  Saxon  nobleman  of  great  infliienee 
and  popularity,  who  endeavoured  to  organize  an  armed  opposition  to  the 


nous 


m 


J  36 


THE   I'llEASUaV  OF  HI8T0R7 


'I '    1 


'    'H. 


■'5'^r 


new  king.  But  the  king's  suspicion  fell  upon  lliis  nobleman  before  tiis 
conspiracy  was  ripe  for  execution,  and  lie  was  seized  and  eliartjed  with 
the  ofTciu;!.',  or  rather  the  nitent  of  offending.  He  by  .some  means  ascer. 
lained,  or  he  boldly  presumed,  that  the  king,  however  vcdiemenliy  he 
might  suspect  him,  had  in  reality  no  tangdjie  (ividenee,  and  In;  offered  to 
clear  himself  of  tlie  imputed  crime  by  an  oath  takcni  bel'ore  tlie  pope. — 
Such  was  the  awful  res|)e(;t  in  whiidi  tlie  pojie  was  then  Ik  Id,  and  such 
was  his  sanctity  supposed  to  he,  liiat  it  was  finally  and  universally  be- 
lieved that  the  fate  of  Ananias  and  .Sa[)phira  would  inevitably  bi;fal  any 
one  who  should  dare  to  mak(!  oath  falsely  in  his  pri.'sence.  This  belief, 
absurd  as  it  was,  had  singular  corroboration  given  to  it  by  the  file  of  this 
.ilfred.  He  was  permilied  to  purge  his  guilt  in  the  way  proposed  by  him- 
self, and  he  took  the  rrfpiired  oath  in  the  i)rcsenee  of  Pope  John,  but  had 
scarerly  pronounced  the  words  dictated  to  him  ere  he  fell  into  convul- 
sions, ill  vvhieh  lie  continued  till  his  death,  which  occurred  in  three  days 
This  story  has  been  s|)oken  of  as  iieiiig  a  pure  monkisli  invention.  We 
think  differently.  TIk,"  monks  did  frequently  exaggerate  and  even  invent, 
but  that  is  no  reason  for  assuming  their  guiltiness  of  like  conduct  where 
there  is  no  proof  against  thcMii,  and  where,  vsithout  allachingthe  slightest 
consequence  to  the  alleged  sanctity  of  tiie  pope's  person,  we  (;an  ex|)lain 
the  actual  o(!currenee  of  the  event  by  a  simple  physical  cause.  And  what 
more  easy  than  to  do  so  in  this  eas(!?  Superstition  was  in  those  days  by 
no  means  confined  to  the  poor  and  lowly.  Ignorani'e — in  llu;  scholastic 
S(!nse  of  that  word — was  the  birthright  of  the  [jowerful  i)aron  as  well  as 
of  the  trampled  and  despised  churl,  long  after  Xho  time  of  Alhelstan  ;  and 
many  a  noiile  who  defied  all  human  lau  s,  and  looked  scornfully  upon  all 
merely  physical  danger,  w(mld  blanch  and  cower  at  tales  that  the  simplest 
village  lass  of  a  more  enlightened  day  would  smile  at.  Tiicre  is  nothing 
upon  record  to  lead  us  to  believe  tliat  this  -Mfred  was  more  sceptical  in 
sn(di  matters  than  the  generality  of  nobles.  Urged  by  a  desire  of  safety 
for  life  and  j)ossession';,  and  perhaps  eiiterlaiuing  a  hope  of  escape  from 
the  consequences  alleged  to  await  perjury  such  as  he  proposed  to  commit, 
lie  migiit  b(!  buoyed  up  siifTicieiUly  to  eominit  the  perjury,  and  yet,  at  the 
very  moment  of  conunitting  it,  terror,  compounded  of  the  eonscioiisness 
of  a  triMuendoiis  guilt,  and  of  tin;  treiiuindous  eonse(|uences  which 
from  infancy  he  hail  beard  predicated  of  such  guilt,  would  surely  be  not 
unlikfdy  to  nfTuct  his  brain.  Men  have  maddened  on  the  instant  at  be 
holding  some  horriblt;  sight,  others  have  grown  grey  in  a  single  night  of 
intense  and  harrowing  mi'iital  agony ;  why,  then,  should  wt;  suppose  it 
impossible  lliat  the  awful  feeling;s  incident  to  su(di  a  situation  as  that  ol 
Alfred  should  produce?  sudden  epilepsy  and  subsequent  death? 

The  result  was  as  fortunate  for  Athelstan  as  it  was  disastrous  to  Alfred. 
The  king  was  freed  from  the  opposition  of  a  nobh;  who  might  have  been 
very  troublesome  to  him,  and  the  manner  of  that  noble's  death  was  to  all 
ranks  of  men  a  most  convincing  proof  not  only  that  Alfred  had  been 
doubly  guilty,  first  of  consjiiraey  and  then  of  perjury,  but  also  that  the 
king  was  tlu;  righlfii!  possessor  of  the  crown,  and  tiiat  to  dispute  iiis  right 
was  to  incur  all  Alfied's  dangi;r  and  much  of  Alfred's  gudt.  The  king 
took  eare  to  strengihcn  and  ccmfirin  this  feeding  by  confiscating  the  whole 
of  Alfred's  property,  as  though  his  death,  under  th(!  circumstances,  was 
tantamomit  to  a  judicial  sentencf! ;  and,  as  he  prudently  bestowed  this 
large  property  upon  the  already  wealthy  monastery  of  Malmsbiiry,  ho 
made  the  fall  of  a  single  fiowerful  enemy  the  immediate  means  of  secur- 
ing the  friendship  of  an  infinitely  more  jiowerfid  corporation. 

Having  thus  become  free  from  what  at  first  secnued  a  very  imminent 
peril,  .Athelstan  turned  his  attention  to  (piieting  tin;  Northumbrian  Uaues, 
who  just  at  this  time  were  very  iliscontented  under  tlie  i'lnglisii  rule.  On 
his  arrival  he  saw  leason  to  believe  that  he  could  butter  secure  their  obe 


TllK  TRICASiniY  OV  HISTOllY. 


137 


ilicncc  l)y  yi^'i'io  tli<'i<>  'i  tril)iii;iry  priiicn  of  tlioir  own  raco  than  l)y  the 
ulniusl  seventy,  aiiil  lie  acconlinj^ly  >,r;ivi;  the  title  of  kin;,'  of  Northinn- 
berhmd  lo  Siihiic,  a  [xnvciTiil  Danish  ('hieflun,  to  whom  ho  nho  gave  the 
haii'i  of  lii.'i  own  sisier  l'l(hlha.  lint,  thongh  tliis  was  sairaeiotis,  and 
scenifiil  to  ho  esixicially  safe:  [)oiiey,  it  jjavo  ii.s(;  lo  considorahh!  (hlhciilty. 
Silliri(;,  who  was  a  widtnver  wlicn  honoineil  witlilhe  liand  of  Kfhiha,  (lied 
about  a  ytvir  after  his  scjeond  niarriajje,  and  Anlaf  and  (^odefiid,  his  sons 
by  the  fonnijr  niarriajjo,  assumed  the  sov(;rei;,nily  of  Norlliunih(!rland,  as 
a  matter  of  permanent  and  settled  hereditary  tenure,  anrl  not  of  the  kin^j'i 
favour  and  i'onh;rred  din-ing  his  [)leasun'.  Highly  olfended  at  tliis  pre- 
sumption of  th(!  younn  men,  Atiielstau  spcjedily  ejected  them  from  their 
assmned  sovereignty.  Anlaf  took  shelter  in  Indand  and  (iodefrid  in  Scot- 
land, where  he  was  very  knidly  and  honourably  treated  by  Coiistanline, 
then  kinif  of  that  country. 

Atlndstau,  on  learniiijf  that  tin;  pr'^sumptuous  Dane  who  was  so  likely 
to  prov(;  a  troublesome  enemy  to  him  was  protected  by  ConslantiiK!,  im- 
portuned him  to  put  his  {juesl  into  the  ICnglisli  pow(n-.  Desirous  of  avoid- 
ing, if  possible,  an  open  ipiarnd  with  so  [lowerfid  a  prince  as  Alhclstan, 
the  Scottish  m()March  ixwc.  a  feigned  consent  to  a  pro[iosal  whicli  it  was 
almost  as  infamous  to  make  as  it  would  hav(!  been  to  have  complied  with; 
hut  he  gave  (Jodefrid  private  intimation  which  enabled  him  to  get  lo  sea, 
where,  after  making  himself  dn^adf.'d  as  a  pirate,  he  at  length  finished 
his  life. 

Athtdstan,  who,  {)rohably,  was  wtdl  informed  by  spies  at  the  Scottish 
court  of  till!  |)art  wiiich  CJonstaiiline  had  taken  in  aiding  the  escape  of 
'iodefntl,  marchiHl  a  numerous  army  into  Scotland,  and  so  much  disiresscd 
that  country  lli.ii  (•onstantine  foiiiu!  himsfdf  oiiligfd  to  make  his  submis- 
sion in  oritur  to  savi;  his  (MMiiitry  aiid  himsidf  I'rom  total  ruin.  Whether 
his  submission  went  to  the  extent  of  t'oiist  intine's  actually  acknowledg- 
ing himsi.df  to  hold  his  crown  in  r-^al  vassalages  to  tiie  king,  which  some 
historians  stontlv  alfirin  and  others  just  as  stoutly  deny,  or  whether  it 
went  no  farther  than  a|)ology  and  satisfaction  for  actual  ofTenci!  given, 
certain  it  is,  that  Constaniiue  look  the  e;irlii'st  and  most  open  opportunity 
of  showing  tiiat  he  looked  iiixm  the  king  of  I'higland  in  any  otiier  rather 
than  a  friendly  liglit.  For  Anlaf,  brother  of  (Constantino's  deceased  pro- 
tcgi',  iiaviiig  gdtten  together  a  body  of  Wedsli  malcontmits  and  Danish 
pirates,  riinstanline  joineil  forces  with  him, and  they  led  an  immense  body 
of  marauders  into  I'.ngland.  Undismayed  by  the  numbm-s  of  the  invaders, 
Atlielstan  marched  his  army  against  them,  and,  chieny  owing  to  the  valour 
and  coiulucl  of  'I'lirkidul,  thi!  ilum  chancellor  of  England,  the  invaders 
vmrr  completely  routed.  In  this  battle,  whiidi  was  fought  near  Hrunau 
burg,  in  Northumlierland.a  great  numlier  of  the  Welsh  and  Danish  hiadcrs 
perished,  and  Anlaf  and  the  Scottish  king,  after  losing  a  great  part  of  their 
forces,  were  bandy  able  to  effect  their  own  escape. 

It  is  said  that  mi  the  eve  of  this  great  battle  Anlaf  was  the  hero  of  an 
adveniun!  in  the  Hugiish  camp  like  that  of  Alfred  the  (Jreat  in  the  camp 
of  (luthrnm  tin;  Dane.  Ilaliited  liki;  a  minstrel,  he  approached  the  I'-ng- 
lishcamp,  and  his  music  was  so  nuieli  admired  by  the  soldiers  that  they 
obtained  him  admission  to  the  king's  tent,  where  In;  played  during  the 
royal  repast,  so  much  lo  the  delight  of  llie  king  and  his  nobles,  that  on 
being  dismissed  he  received  a  very  handsome  |)resenl.  Too  [lolitie  to 
belray  his  disguise  by  refusing  the  present,  tin;  noble  Dane  was  also  far 
too  haughty  lo  retain  it;  and  as  soon  as  be  lielioved  himself  mil  of  tlio 
reacli  of  observation,  he  buried  it  in  the  earth.  One  of  Athelslan's  sol- 
diers, who  had  formerly  fought  under  the  banner  of  Anlaf,  had  at  the  very 
first  sight  imagined  that  he  saw  his  old  ciiief  under  the  disguise  of  a  min- 
strel. In  tlie  desire  lo  ascertain  if  his  stispiciim  were  correct,  he  followed 
Anlaf  I'ruiii  the  royal  tent,  and  his  suspicion  was  chanircd  into  conviction 


l:i. 


mm 


138 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


•vM 


when  ho  saw  a  prorcsscdiy  poor  and  wandering  minstrel  buryniff  the 
kinfj-'s  rich  gift.  lie  ac-cordingly  warned  the  Ising  that  his  daring  enemy 
had  l)ei'ii  in  his  tent.  At  first  the  king  was  very  angry  that  the  soldier 
had  mtt  made  tiiis  discovery  wliile  there  was  yet  time  to  liave  seized 
upon  llie  pretended  minstrel ;  hnt  the  soldier  nohiy  replied,  that  having 
served  under  Anlaf,  he  conid  not  think  of  betraying  liim  to  ruin,  any  more 
than  he  now  eould  peril  the  safety  of  Athelstan  himself  by  neglecting  to 
warn  him  of  Anlaf's  espionage.  To  such  a  mode  of  reasoning  there  could 
be  no  reply,  save  that  of  admiring  praise.  Having  dismissed  the  soldier, 
Athelstan  pondered  on  the  probable  consequences  of  this  stealthy  visit 
paid  to  his  tent  by  Anlaf;  and  it  having  struck  him  that  it  was  very  likely 
to  be  followed  by  a  night  attack,  he  immediately  had  his  tent  removed. 
The  bishops  of  that  day  were  to  the  fidl  as  brave  and  as  fond  of  war  as 
the  laitv.  and  on  that  very  night  a  bishop  arrived  wiili  an  armed  train  to 


the  aid  of  bis  sovereign.  The  prelate  look  up  the  station  which  the  king 
had  viicatcd  ;  and  at  night  the  king's  suspicion  was  verified  with  great 
exactitude.  A  sudden  attack  was  made  upon  the  camp,  and  th(>  enemy, 
disdaining  all  meaner  prey,  rnslied  straight  to  the  tent  which  they  sup- 
p(  sed  to  be  occupied  by  the  king,  and  the  belligerent  bishop  and  his  im- 
mediate attendants  were  butchered  before  they  had  time  to  prepare  for 
their  defence. 

The  decisive  battle  of  Urunanburgh  gave  Athelstan  peace  from  the 
Danes,  and  he  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  reign  to  wise  and  active  en- 
deavours to  improve  the  character  and  condition  of  his  subjects.  Several 
of  his  laws  were  well  calcuhiti-d  to  that  end,  and  there  is  on(?  which  particu- 
larly entitles  him,  even  without  any  reference  to  the  barbarism  of  the  age 
in  which  he  made  it,  to  the  ehariuicr  of  a  profound  and  sagacious  tiiink 
er.  Anxious  to  encourage  a  mercaniile  spirit  among  his  subjcM-ts,  he  or- 
dained by  this  law  that  any  mcrciiant  who  on  bis  own  adventure  should 
make  three  sea  voyages  should,  as  a  reward,  be])roniotcd  to  the  rank  of  a 
thane  or  gentle. 

After  an  extremely  active  and  prosperous  reign,  upon  which, however,  his 
endeavour  to  persuade  the  Scottish  king  into  the  eummission  of  an  act  of  the 
fouUest  treachery  has  left  one  dark  and  indelible  stain,  though  the  only 
one,  this  king  died  in  the  year  Oil,  aiid  was  succeeded  by  his  half  brother 
Edmund,  the  legitimate  son  of  Iviward  the  Klder. 

Stiinulat<'d  by  the  accession  of  a  new  king,  and  the  imsetlled  state  of 
things  naturally  i  <iiin(!cted  with  a  new  reign,  the  Danes  of  Northumber- 
land broke  out  into  rebellion  against  ICdmund  as  soon  as  ho  had  ascended 
the  throne.  Ihit  l-Minund  marched  so  pnnnptly  against  them,  and  at  the 
head  of  so  imposing  a  force,  that  they  iihU  him  with  assurances  of  the 
most  hnmbii!  and  [)crmanenl  snbinissiim,  and  even  voluntarily  ofTered  to 
prove  their  sincerity  as  (lulhruui  and  bis  followers  ha<l  formerly  done  to 
Alfred,  by  becoming  (.'hristians.     IMmund  accepted  tlK.'ir  sulimission,  but 


he  wisely  judged  that  the  subinissioii  exKnted  by  an  armed  force  was  not 
likely  to  last  much  longer  than  the  fear  wliich  lliat  for(!e  awakened;  and 
he  tlierefore  removed  tiic  five  I'nrgher  Danes  from  the  Mercian  towns  in 
which  they  had  been  allowed  to  settle.  A  wise  precauiion,  as  they  hud 
invariably  taken  advantage  of  their  situalionto  aid  rebellious  or  invading 
Danes  to  penetrate  into  the  very  heart  of  the  kingdom. 

Cumberland,  in  the  hands  of  the  \V<  Isb  Hritons  bad  been  on  many  oc 
casions  a  sore  annoyance  to  the  northern  portiim  of  the  Knglish  drmiiiiion, 
and  Kdmiind  took  an  opportunily  to  wrest  it  from  the  Krilons  and  to  bestow 
it  as  a  military  fief  on  Scotland,  that  power  accepting  it  on  condition  ol 
protecting  the  northern  part  of  Kn^iland  from  Danish  incursion. 

Edmund's  active  ami  useful  rei^ii  had  only  endured  six  years  when  iie 
was  imirder(;(l  uiuler  circumstances  wliich  give  us  a  strange  nolice  of  the 
domestic  habits  of  royalty  at  that  day.     Ili;  was  seated  at  ii  bainjuet.  a' 


b'louneste 
before  con 
himself  at 
a  favoured 
ordered  tin 
seized  him 
ruffian  had 
king's  stre 
tain;  but  f 
killed  the  I 
Kdmiind 
regularity  ii 
they  were  d 
jealousy  of  t 
porary  rege 
siini  and  reiii 
had  no  sooi 
proted  how 
peace  to  win 
vaiicing  upo 
submissive  a 
king,  liowevf 
that  lie  woiih 
severe  punisi 
SHord,  and  p| 
and  tlien,  his 
giaiice  and  w 
evei-faithlcss 
this   pariieula 
by  the  real  an 
tlieiii.     'I'his 
an  Knirlisli  gi 
chief  (owns  ti 
al.'^o  made  M; 
berland.      Th 
stiMted,  was  1 
stitioiis.     He 
peeial  favoiiril 
SDine  of  the  ij 
to  a  very  ridi(j 
sense.     Of  a  || 
der  to  have  toT 
of.self.aggiani 
order  of  nionkl 
yoiid  that  laid! 
way  of  life  jui 
the  vast  and  stl 
eehh.icy  ufnoiiT 
deliarred  tlieml 
more  willing  al 
To  introdiicif 
land  was  greal 
Stan,  and  his  a) 
atrordedjiill  oJ 
was  very  greal 
meiiced  lifeiiiil 
terminedainbif 
"(df.  Of  noble 


1^ 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


139 


Uloupcstcr,  wncn  an  infamous  robber,  named  Lcolf.  wliom  ho  had  some  lime 
before  comleinued  to  banishment,  eiitored  the  hall  of  banquet,  and  seated 
himself  at  the  royal  table  with  as  eool  an  assurance  us  thoiiivil  he  had  been 
a  favoured  as  well  as  an  innocent  and  loyal  snbjc(!t.  The  king  angrily 
ordered  the  fellow  from  the  room,  and,  on  receiving  some  insolent  refusal, 
seized  him  by  the  throat  and  endeavoured  to  thrust  him  out.  Whether  the 
rufhan  had  from  ttie  first  intended  lo  assassinate  the  king,  or  wbiither  the 
king's  strength  and  passion  alarmed  the  robber  for  his  own  life,  is  uncer- 
tain; but  from  whiehever  cause,  F^eolf  suddenly  drew  his  dagger  and 
killed  the  king  on  ihe  spot:  ad.  916. 

Edmund  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Edred  ;  another  instance  of  ir- 
regidarity  in  the  succession,  as  Edmund  left  children,  but  so  young  that 
they  were  deemed  unfit  for  the  throne,  and  it  would  seem  that  the  mutual 
jealousy  of  the  Saxon  nobles  as  yet  prevented  them  from  thinking  of  a  tem- 
porary regency, as  ameansatonce  of preservingthedireei  irderofsueees- 
Bi()i\and  remei.y  ing  the  nonage  of  the  direct  heir  lo  the  crown.  The  new  king 
had  no  sooner  ascended  his  throne  than  liie  Danes  of  Northumberland 
proved  how  justly  Athclstan  had  judged  of  their  sinrerity,  by  breaking  the 
peace  lo  which  they  had  so  solemnly  pledged  themselves.  But  Edred  ad- 
vancing upon  them  with  a  numerous  army,  ihey  met  him  with  the  same 
submissive  aspect  which  hiid  disarmed  the  wrath  of  his  predecessor.  The 
king,  however,  was  so  niiudi  provoked  at  their  early  disoljediencc  to  him 
that  lie  would  not  allow  their  humility  to  prevent  him  from  inflicting  a 
severe  punisliment  upon  them.  He  accordingly  jiut  many  of  them  to  the 
sword,  and  plnndi'red  and  burned  iheir  (tonniry  to  a  considerable  extent; 
and  tlien,  his  wrath  appeased,  he  consented  to  receive  their  oath  of  alle- 
giance and  withdrew  his  troops.  Scarcely  had  he  done  so  when  these 
ever-faithless  people  again  broke  out  into  rebcdlion,  perhaps  prompted  on 
this  |)ariicnlar  occision  less  by  any  merely  misc!ii(!vous  feeling,  than 
by  the  real  and  territ>le  dislicss  to  which  tin;  king's  severity  had  reduced 
tiicin.  This  new  n^volt  was,  however,  speedily  (luelled,  and  he  appointed 
an  Hnglish  governor  of  Northumberlind,  and  placed  garrisons  in  all  the 
chief  towns  to  enable  him  to  support  his  authoriiy.  Edred  about  this  time 
also  made  Malcolm  of  Scotland  repeat  his  homage  for  his  fief  of  Northuin 
bcrland.  Though  Edred,  as  his  conduct  thus  early  in  his  reign  deinon- 
sUMled,  was  both  a  brave  and  an  active  prince,  he  was  extremely  super- 
stitions. Me  didighted  to  bo  snrroun  led  by  priests;  aad  to  his  e* 
pecial  favourite  Dunstaii,  abbot  of  Canterbury,  he  not  only  committed 
some  of  the  most  influential  and  important  offices  of  tlie  state,  but  also 
to  a  very  ridiculous  extent,  surrendenHi  the  guidance  of  his  own  common 
sense.  Of  a  hiughty  temper,  and  extremely  ambitious,  tliis  monk,  in  or 
der  to  have  tools  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  wide-spreading  purposes 
of  seif-aggiandizemcnt,  introduced  into  England  a  great  number  of  a  new 
order  of  monks,  iIk;  Henedictines,  who,  laying  a  stress  upon  celibacy  be- 
yoiiil  llial  I. lid  by  any  former  onier,  and  professing  generally  a  more  rigid 
way  of  life  and  a  greater  purity  of  heart,  were,  in  truth,  the  mere  tools  ol 
tlie'vast  and  still  increasing  ambition  of  Home,  to  which  the  practice  ol 
celibacy  among  the  priesthood  was  es|)ecialiy  favourable,  as  they  who  thus 
debarred  themselves  from  conjugal  and  paternal  ties  could  not  fail  to  ba 
more  willing  and  passive  servants. 

To  introduce  this  new  and  entirely  subservient  order  of  monks  into  Eng- 
land was  greatly  desired  by  the  pope,  and  the  ambitious  policy  of  Duti- 
sian,  and  his  almost  despotic  power  over  the  superstitious  mind  of  Edred, 
afforded  full  opportunity  for  doing  so.  The  influence  of  Dunstan,  imleed, 
was  very  areat  over  the  people  as  well  as  over  the  king  ;  though  he  com- 
menced life  under  circumstance.!  whicli  would  have  ruined  a  inaiiof  less  de- 
termined ambition,  and  of  less  pliant  and  accomplished  hypocrisy  than  hiin- 
xelf  Of  noble  birth,  and  enjoying  the  great  advantage  of  having  been  cdu- 


=  ffM!| 


f!!|jj. 


Til  I 


.40 


THE  TftEASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


I;«  ■!! 


M^ 


m 


■M\ 


catcd  by  Iiis  undo,  the  accoinpi'ished  Adliclin,  arclibisliop  oi  Canteibury, 
he  eiilcnil  tlie  c^urcli  early  in  life,  but  with  so  little  of  real  vocation  to  the 
sacred  (jnjfession,  tliat  his  way  of  life  procured  him  a  most  unenviablu 
character;  and  King  Edmund,  in  whoso  rejifn  this  famous  saint  of  the 
Roman  calendar  commenced  his  career,  looked  coldly  upon  a  priest  wiioso 
debauchery  was  represented  to  be  such  as  would  disgrace  even  a  layman 
Enrajrcd  at  fiudinfj  his  ambition  tlius  suddenly  checked,  he  was  iiot  the 
less  deterniini'd  that  the  check  should  be  but  temporary.  AfToctingto  be 
suddenly  stricken  with  penitence  and  shame,  he  sechided  himsc.lf,  at  first 
from  th(!  court,  and  then  altogether  from  society.  He  had  a  cell  made  foi 
his  residence,  of  such  scant  dimensions,  that  he  could  neither  stand  fully 
upright  in  il,  nor  stretch  himself  out  at  full  length  when  sleeping;  and  in 
this  miserabh!  dwelling,  if  dwelling  it  can  be  called,  lie  perpetually  turned 
from  praj  er  to  manual  laboiu',  and  from  manual  labour  to  prayer,  during 
all  his  hours,  except  the  very  few  which  he  allowed  himself  for  sleep.  The 
ausicrii y  of  his  life  imposed  upon  the  imaginations  of  the  sup(;rstiiious 
people,  who  considered  austerity  the  surest  of  all  proofs  of  san^  liiy  ;  and 
when,  whether  in  mere  and  inmiingled  hypocrisy,  or  in  puil  hypocrisy 
and  p-.irt  sclf-deliisioti,  he  pretended  to  be  frequently  visited  and  tempted 
by  Satan  in  person,  his  tale  found  greedy  listeners  and  ready  believers. 
From  one  degree  of  absurdity  to  another  is  but  an  easy  step  for  vulgar 
credulity.  It  being  once  admitted  that  Satan,  pm^oked  or  grieved  by  the 
immaculate  life  and  fervent  piety  of  tlu;  recluse,  visited  him  to  tempt  him 
into  sin,  what  diflicuilly  could  there  be  in  supposing  that  the  recluse  re- 
'jisteu  a  long  lime  only  with  prayer,  but  at  length  resorted  to  piiysical 
force,  and  held  the  fiend  by  tlie  iios<!  with  a  red  hot  pair  of  tongs,  until  he 
shrieked  aloud  witii  agony,  and  iiromised  to  abstain  for  the  future  from  his 
unhidy  importunity  1  Such  was  ttie  tale  which  Dunstan,  the  recluse,  had 
the  audacity  to  offer  to  the  pul)lic  belief  and  such  was  the  tale  to  which 
the  pui>lic  listened  with  attentive  ears,andgavo  "faith  and  full  credence." 
^Vhcii  a  long  seclusion,  and  carefidly  circulated  rumours  of  his  pimy  and 
self-mortifii'.nion,  had  done  away  with  the  ill  impressions  which  had  been 
excited  by  wilder,  but  in  reality,  far  less  censurable  conduct  of  his  earlier 
days,  Dunslan  once  more  made  his  appearance  at  court ;  and,  as  Kdred 
was  deeply  tinged  with  superstitions  fciding,  the  i)riest  was  kindly  re- 
ceived at  first,  and  vc^ry  soon  favt  i.red  ;ui  1  promoted  above  all  the  other 
courtiers,  Uaised  to  the  direction  of  tiie  treasury,  and  being,  moreover, 
the  kiny's  private  adviser  in  all  important  conci'rns,  Dunstaii  had  immense 
power  and  influence,  w  liich  he;  used  to  advance  the  great  object  of  Rome 
in  substituting  the  d(ivoted  monks  for  the  comparatively  inde[)en(lenl  se- 
cular clergy,  who,  liaving  family  ties  and  atTeetions,  were  not  suflicienily 
prostrate  or  blindly  obedient  to  suit  the  papal  [)nrpose.  During  nine  years 
— the  length  of  I'Mred's  reign — th,.  monks  made  immense  progress  in  Eiig. 
land.  They  enlisted  the  feelings  of  the  people  on  their  side  by  their  se- 
vere and  passionate  declamation  against  the  worldly  lives,  and  esjiecially 
against  the  marriage  of  the  secular  clergy,  whose  wives  they  persisted  in 
calling  by  the  opprobrious  name  of  concubines.  And  though  tln^  secidai 
clergy,  who  possessed  both  talent  and  wealth,  exerted  themselves  man 
fully,  not  ordy  to  defeml  their  own  lives,  but  also  to  expose  the  liy|)Ocrisy 
pretended  [)urily,  and  actual  and  even  shameful  worldiness  and  sensuality 
of  thei'-  opponents,  the  power  and  credit  of  Dnnstan  weiglied  fearfully 
Bgainscthetn.  Tiu*  death  of  Kdrcd,  which  occurred  in  955,  revived  tlieir 
hopes,  and  hreatened  to  stop  the  progn.'ss  of  the  monks,  and  to  lower 
Ihe  credit  of  llieir  patron  Dunstan. 

The  (•hildren  of  Ivlred  were  still  m  their  infancy  when  he  died,  and  his 
nephew,  Edmund's  son  Edwy,  who  had  himself  been  passed  over  in  favour 
of  Eilred  on  the  same  account,  now  succeeded  to  the  throne.  He  was  at 
the  time  of  his  succession  only  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  blessed 


fith  a  fine 

ural  and  at 

the  enmity 

commence, 

Opposed 

less  hostile 

del,  by  ihe 

lOlgiva,  (0  V 

eiiced  to  pci 

fair  Elgivafi 

monks  ;  and 

he  espoused 

occasion  (o 

count  of  thei 

whom  he  too! 

themselves  o 

If  I  he  king 

a  most  hitler 

by  his  favour; 

favoured  and 

audacious,  an 

to  foresee  tliai 

As  if  (0  she 

iilniosl  extent, 

manifestation 

freign,  at  whic 

sonable   violcn 

mingled   bigot] 

dcrcncy. 

The  .Saxons, 


n 


THE  IREASURY  OF  lUSTOUY. 


141 


ffjth  a  fine  /icrson  and  a  powerful  and  well-trained  mind.  But  all  his  nat- 
ural and  acquired  good  qualities  were  rendered  of  but  little  use  to  lam  by 
the  enmity  of  tlic  monks,  with  whcni  he  had  a  serious  quarrel  at  the  very 
commencement  of  his  career. 

Opposed  to  the  marriage  of  clerks  altogether,  the  monks  were  scarcely 
less  hostile  to  the  marriage  of  laics  within  the  degrees  of  aflinity  forbid- 
rleii  l)y  the  canon  law.  Kdwy.  passionately  m  love  witii  the  Princess 
I'ligiva,  to  whom  he  was  related  within  those  degrees,  was  too  inexperi- 
enced to  perceive  all  the  evils  that  might  result  to  both  himself  and  the 
fair  Klgivafrom  his  provoking  the  fierc(!,  i)igoted,  and  now  very  powerful 
monks  ;  and  in  despite  of  all  the  advice  and  warnings  of  the  ecclesiastics 
he  espoused  her.  The  coarse  and  violent  censure  which  the  monks  took 
occasion  to  pass  npon  the  marriage  aggravated  the  dislike  which,  on  ac- 
count of  their  giooni  and  severity,  Edwy  had  always  felt  to  the  monks, 
whom  he  took  every  occasion  to  disappoint  in  their  endeavours  to  possess 
themselves  of  the  convents  belonging  to  the  secular  clergy. 

If  the  king  had  disliked  the  monks,  the  monks  now  hated  the  ki;ig  with 
a  most  hitter  hatred.  By  his  marriage  he  had  offended  their  rigid  bigotry, 
hy  his  favours  to  the  seculars  he  disappointed  their  grasping  avarice,  and, 
favoured  and  advised  as  they  were  by  a  personage  at  once  so  able,  crafty, 
audacious,  and  powerful  as  Dunstan,  it  needed  not  the  spirit  of  prophecy 
to  foresee  that  Kdwy  would  infalliby  be  ilieir  victim. 

As  if  to  show  that  they  were  determined  to  carry  their  I'.atred  to  the 
utmost  extent,  they  chose  the  very  day  of  the  coronation  for  their  first 
manifestation  of  it;  the  day  upon  which  tiiey  had  sworn  fealty  to  tiie  sov- 
ereign, at  which  to  outrage  him  as  a  man,  and  commit  little  less  than  trea- 
sonable violence  niMin  him  as  their  king !  so  little  does  the  rancour  of 
mini^'led  bigotry  and  avarice  regard  evn  the  forms  of  consistency  and 
decency. 

The  Saxon?,  like  their  ancestors,  the  ancient  (iermans,  drank  deep,  and 
were  wont  to  lie  but  riotous  and  uncouth  companions  in  their  cups.  Both 
from  his  youth  and  his  natural  temper,  Kdwy  was  averse  to  this  riotous 
wassail;  and  as  fiis  noldes,  at  his  co^'onation  feast,  began  to  pass  the. 
liouiids  of  temperance,  he  took  an  opportunity  to  leave  the  bamiueling 
apartment  and  go  to  that  of  his  yotmg  and  lovely  qui'eii.  ile  was  instant- 
ly followed  thither  by  the  haughty  and  insoh'nt  Diins'.an,  and  by  Odo, 
a'rchliishop  of  f>anterbury.  These  presumptuous  churchmen  upbraided 
him  in  the  most  severe  terms  for  alleged  uxoriousncss,  applied  tlie  coars- 
est epithets  to  the  alarmed  ([ueen,  and  finished  by  thrusting  him  back  iino 
the  scene  of  riot  and  drunkenness  from  which  he  had  so  lately  escaped. 

F.dwy  had  not  snfTicient  power  and  innueni-e  in  his  court  to  take  iinme- 
iliatc  and  direct  revenge  for  this  most  flagrant  and  disgraceful  insult;  but 
ho  felt  it  too  deeply  to  pass  it  over  witliout  visiting  it,  at  the  least  with  in- 
direct punishment.  Aware  that  Dunstan  was  by  no  means  the  iinmacu- 
laieaiui  unworldly  i)erson  he  \\as  supjiposed  to  be  by  the  ignorant  inulti- 
iidc,  and  strongly  suspecting  that  he  had  taken  advantage  of  the  weak- 
ness and  superstition  of  Kdred  greatly  to  enrich  himself,  he  desired  him  to 
Hivn  an  account  of  hi^  receipts  and  exiiend'tnre  during  tliat  prince's  reign. 
Dunstan,  withcharac:  ■  -slic  insolence,  refused  to  give  any  account  of  the 
iiKiiiies  which  he  afllrmed  to  have  been  expended  by  order  of  l^dred,  and 
which  he  on  that  account  pretended  that  Mdwy  had  no  right  to  inquire 
aliout. 

I'hiraged  at  the  insolence  of  Dunstan,  ami  yet  not  altogether  displeased 
at  being  furnished  with  so  good  a  pretext  for  ridding  the  court  of  the  pow- 
erful and  haughty  ecclesiastic,  Edwy  urged  this  refusal  against  him  as  a 
certain  proof  of  conscious  malversation,  and  ordered  him  to  leave  the 
kingdom.  Powerful  as  Dunstan  was,  he  was  not  yet  in  a  condition  to  dis- 
pute such  an  order;  he  could  brutally  insult  the  king,  but  he  did  not  a.s 


4;  J  -  ■-« 


142 


THE  TllEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


i|  f 


m 


yet  dare  openly  to  rebel  ajjiinst  the  kingly  authority.  lie  went  abroad, 
therefore,  but  lie  left  behind,  in  the  person  ofOdo,  tlie  arclibishopof  Can 
terbiiry,  one  who  was  both  qualifujd  and  willing  to  supply  his  place  in 
insolence  to  the  king  personally,  and  in  traitorous  intrigue  against  his  royal 
authority.  Odo  and  the  monks  seized  upon  the  banishment  of  Dunstan, 
richly  as  his  conduct  had  merited  a  severer  punishment,  as  a  theme  upon 
which  to  sound  anew  the  praises  of  that  accomplished  hypocrite,  and  to 
blacken  the  character  of  the  king  and  queen  in  the  eyes  vi  the  people. 
In  so  bigoted  and  ignorant  an  age  such  tactics  as  these  were  sure  to  suc- 
ceed; and  having  made  the  king  hateful,  as  well  as  the  queen,  whom 
they  represented  as  the  wicked  and  artful  seducer  of  her  husband  into  ail 
evil  conduct,  both  as  a  man  and  sovereign,  (.)do  and  his  base  tools  at 
length  ventured  from  whispered  calumny  and  falsehood,  to  violence  the 
most  undisguised,  and  to  cruelty  the  most  inhuman  and  detestable. 

Considering  their  aversion  to  Kdwy's  marriage  with  his  couiin  to  be 
the  chief  cause  of  his  opposition  to  their  intv.ests,  Odo  and  the  monkish 
party  bated  tlie  queen  even  more  bitterly  than  they  did  the  king  him- 
self. Proceeding  to  the  palace  with  a  saong  guard,  Odo  seized  upon  the 
lovely  queen,  branded  her  face  with  hot  irons  to  cflface  those  charms 
which  had  wrought  so  much  evil  to  the  ambitious  churchmen,  and  car- 
ried her  into  Ireland,  where  it  was  intended  she  should  be  kept  under 
strict  surveillance  for  the  remainder  of  her  life.  Kdwy  was  naturally 
both  brave  and  passionate,  but  he  was  powerless  in  the  hands  of  the  wily 
monks  as  a  lion  in  the  toils  of  the  himters ;  he  tenderly  loved  his  un- 
happy queen,  but  he  could  neither  save  her  from  this  horrible  outiage,  nor 
even  punish  her  brutal  and  unmanly  persecutors.  Nay  more,  when  Odo, 
after  having  tortured  and  exiled  liie  queen,  demanded  that  she  should  bo 
formally  divorced,  so  mucli  more  powerful  was  the  crozier  than  the  scep- 
tre, th'it  the  unhappy  Kdwy  was  obliged  to  yield. 

Cruelly  as  Klgiva  had  been  treated,  the  brutality  of  her  enemies  fail- 
ed of  its  main  object ;  though  she  sufTercd  much  from  her  wounds,  they, 
singularly  enough,  left  scarcely  a  scar  to  diminish  her  rare  beauty. 
.\ware  of  the  tyranny  which  had  been  practised  to  cause  Kdwy  to  divorce 
her,  anil  considering  herself  still  his  lawful  wife  in  the  sight  of  Heaven, 
she  eluded  the  vigilance  of  those  who  were  appointed  to  watch  her  move- 
ments, and  made  her  escape  back  to  Kngland.  But  before  she  could 
reach  her  husband  her  escape  was  made  known  to  Odo,  and  she  was  in- 
tercepted on  the  road  by  a  party  of  emissaries,  by  whom  she  was  ham- 
stringed ;  and  all  surgical  aid  being  denied  her,  she  in  u  few  days  died, 
in  the  most  fearful  agonies,  in  tlie  city  of  (iloucester.  So  comphtely  monk- 
ridden  were  the  ignorant  people,  that  even  this  detestable  and  unnatural 
cruelty,  which  ought  to  have  caused  one  universal  outcry  against  the  miscre- 
ants wiio  instigalc<l  it,  was  looked  upon  by  the  people  mcely  as  a  punish- 
ment due  to  the  sinful  opposition  of  king  and  queen  to  the  canon  law  and 
the  holy  monks. 

Having  gone  as  far  as  wc  have  related  in  treason,  it  cannot  bo  wonde^ 
ed  at  that  the  monks  now  proceeded  to  arm  for  the  dethronement  of  their 
unhappy  king.  Tiiey  set  up  as  his  competitor  his  younger  brother  Kdgar, 
who  was  at  this  time  a  youth  of  only  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of  age; 
and  they  soon  took  possession,  in  his  name,  of  Kast  Anglia,  Mercia,  and 
Northnmberland.  Kdwy  was  now  confined  to  the  southern  cointies  of 
his  kingdom;  and  to  add  to  his  danger  and  distress,  his  haughty  and  im- 
placable (.'uemy,  Dunstan,  openly  returned  to  Kiigland  to  lend  his  power- 
ful influence  to  Kdgar  in  this  unnatural  civil  strif>i.  He  was  made  bishop, 
first  of  Worcester  and  then  of  London,  and.  Odo  dying,  Dunstan  was  then 
promoted  to  ttie  archbishopric  of  Canterbury  ;  Britheiin,  who  had  been  first 
appointed  to  succeed  Odo,  beinp^  forcibly  cxpeiled  for  that  purpose. 

The  consummate  cunning  of  Dunstan  fearfully  aggravated  the  cviis  Oj 


6* 


t 


Edwy's  ec 

cato  I,  Jisdi 

criisli  a  f:ir 

lion  had  di 

If  wc  111;: 

utter  detlin 

been   llie  S( 

his  murder 

death,  ii.isit 

a  victim. 

Kdg;ir,  fo 

USllrpi'd    il  p; 

the  whole.  'J 
yc.ir  of  his 
b(!si rolls  of 
it  a  iiigh  dog 
ly  perceived 
dispeiisihlo  ti 
iiiDiiks,  of  wl 
nnfo'timate  I 

rcli^rjoug    prj,| 

he  bi;stowed  < 

ly.    To  Oswc 

the  valuable  < 

ami  esj)(;(;iall> 

daily  coiii-crii 

ly  civil  nature 

sficiirt'd  so  sir 

diffiTcd  from  t 

their  bigoted  - 

any  aii<rry  fe,.; 

slarlliiig  (|i/r,.r 

priiiiic,  ;i„d  tiia 

foUlllicd    lll(;jr 

pi''ty,  and  mo 
of  cliiistily,  so 
for  tlicjr  aboini 
It'Wihiess  h;i(I 
towards  a  lovi 
towards  their  s 
oppo.sition  than 
nc.ss  of  K(lg;ir, 
the  most  distin 
III  lily  broke  in 
I'ly  violated  hei 
llie  hypoi'i-ite 
Pven  loan  cntir 
iiTcgiil :>r,  and  w 
'eiiced  Edgar  t( 
years  from  we;i 
,  As  if  to  rnak 
«ive  as  to  the  h 
his  unfortunate 
aiiioiii-s;  he  act: 
SuOirJiMitly  strii, 
actually  deinaiK 
liypo'Tisy  of   t 
Kino  Edwy. 


,i)i 


THE  TllKASUaV  OP  HISTOllY. 


Ii3 


Edwy's  condition,  for  the  wily  cliiircliman  caused  him  to  be  excommuni- 
c'.ite  l,a.s  'nteiiot!  wliicli  in  tlinl  riidi!iiiiJ  igiionmt.  a^o  would  liavesulTiced  to 
crusli  a  far  iiiDro  powrrful  iivjiiarcli  than  he  liad  been,  even  before  rebel- 
lion had  divided  his  kingdom. 

If  w(!  may  jud^je  from  the  unrelenting  purpose  shown  by  Dunstan,  the 
utter  dethronement  of  Kdwy,  and  his  exile,  or  violent  death,  would  have 
been  tlie  sole  termination  of  this  disgraceiul  affair;  but  from  the  sin  oi 
ills  murder  his  enemies  were  spared  by  his  uniiinely  and  rather  suddcii 
death,  iiastened  mo  doubt  by  the  miseries  of  which  he  hud  constantly  been 
a  victim. 

KilifMr,  for  whom  for  their  own  purposes  Dunstan  and  the  monks  had 
usurpeil  a  part  of  the  kingdom,  now  bei^ame  the  undisputed  sovereign  of 
the  whole.  Though  very  young  at  this  tim,!,  being  oidy  in  the  seventeenth 
yc;ir  of  his  age,  this  prince  showed  a  profound,  wily  and  politic  genius. 
Ucsirous  of  consolidating  and  improving  his  kingdom,  and  of  procuring 
it  a  higli  degree  of  credit  among  foreign  nations,  ho  seems  to  liave  clear- 
ly perceived  that  he  could  only  preserve;  the  intern  il  piiaee  wiiieh  was  in- 
di.spensihlc  to  his  purposes,  by  keeping  the  favour  of  Dunstan  and  the 
monks,  of  whose  power  ho  had  seen  so  many  proofs  in  the  case  of  his 
unfo'tunate  brother.  Well  knowing  their  (Mger  desire  to  wrest  all  the 
religious  property  of  the  kingdom  from  the  hands  of  the  s.Tid;ir  clergy, 
lie  bestowed  ehureli  prefi;rment  on  the  pirtizans  of  the  inoiikL^  e.Kclusivo- 
ly.  'I'o  Oswold  and  Kthidwold,  two  of  the  creatures  of  Dnnstan,  lie  gave 
tlie  valual)le  see-  .if  Worcester  and  Wincdiester,  and  ho  consulted  tiiem, 
and  esjiceially  J^nnstan,  not  nif^rely  upon  those  afTair.  which  more  cspc- 
ciiilly  eoni-crned  the  church,  but  even  in  many  cases  upon  those  of  a  pure- 
ly civd  nature.  By  this  general  subserviency  to  the  eeidesiasiicis  Ivlgar 
secured  ^so  strong  an  interest  with<'ii!m,  that  even  when  he  occasionally 
diffi'red  from  them,  and  [ireferred  the  dictates  of  his  own  strong  sense  to 
tlu'ir  l)igoled  or  interesti^d  a  Ivitte,  he  was  allowed  to  procceil  without 
any  angry  feeling,  or  at  least,  without  any  opposition..  Theri!  was  a  most 
startling  diireren(H!  in  the  tr(;atment  bestowed  by  the  monks  upon  tliib 
prince,  and  that  which  they  inllicted  upon  his  unh.ippy  brotluT.  As  they 
founded  their  claim  to  the  /eneration  of  mankind  upon  their  superior 
piety,  and  more  especially  a,ion  their  inviolable  observance  of  their  vow 
of  chastity,  so  they  had  made  the  alledged  lewdness  of  Kdwy  the  excuse 
for  llieir  abominable  treatment  of  that  priiuai  and  Queen  Hlgiva.  Yet  if 
lewdness  had  indeed  been  so  leUeful  to  them  as  to  impel  them  to  barbarity 
towards  a  lovely  and  def(Mic.;less  woman,  and  to  rebidlion  and  treason 
towards  their  sovereign,  Kdg.ar  was  teefold  more  di;serving  their  violent 
opposition  than  even  their  ov/n  stalenit.-. it  showed  Edwy  to  be.  The  lewd- 
ness of  Kdgar,  after  his  pliant  and  politic  subserviency  to  the  monks,  was 
the  most  distinguishing  trait  in  his  character.  On  one  occasion  he  ac- 
tually broke  into  a  convent,  seized  a  nun,  by  name  Editha,  and  forci- 
bly violated  her.  For  this  two-fold  outrage  against  chastity  and  religion 
the  hypocrrite  Dunstan,  who  had  mutilated  Elgiva,  and  perseeuteu  Edgar 
even  to  an  uitimely  grave,  merely  for  a  marriage  which  was  at  the  worst 
irregular,  and  whi(rh  a  bull  from  the  pope  would  have  madi;  regular,  sen- 
tenced Edgar  to  the  absurdly  |nierile  punishment  of  abstaining  for  soven 
years  from  wearing  the  crown! 

As  if  to  make  the  favour  shown  to  him  by  the  monks  quite  conelu 
sive  as  to  the  hypocrisy  of  the  pretences  oon  which  they  had  persecuted 
his  unfortunate  brother,  this  prince  not  merely  indulged  in  disgraceful 
aiiionis  ;  he  actually  ol)tained  his  second  wife  by  murder!  The  story  is 
sulliciently  striking  in  itself  to  deserve  to  be  rel.itcd  at  some  length,  and  it 
actually  demands  to  bo  so  related  aa  a  final  and  conclusive  proof  of  the 
liypo'risy  of  the  monks  in  their  gross  and  barbarous  treatment  of 
King  Edwy. 


m 


irll 


''I 


144 


THE  TKEASUHY  OP  HISTORY. 


% 


Elfrida,  diiugluor  ami  liciross  of  tlu?  Karl  of  Dnvonsliire,  was  so  ex- 
tremely iR'autiful  tliat  it  was  no  wonder  tin;  renown  of  her  charms  reached 
till!  court,  and  the  inflammaldo  K.lgar  resolved  that  if  report  had  not  cx- 
agijeratcd  tlu;  beauty  of  the  lady  ho  would  make  her  his  wife;  the  wealth, 

f)o\v(;r,  and  eharacter  of  her  father  forliiddinjf  even  the  iniscrnpnious  and 
ewd  Kdgar  from  hopinj,'  to  obtain  her  on  any  less  honourable  terms. 
Beinjf  anxious  not  to  commit  himself  by  any  advances  to  the  parents  of 
the  lady  until  qnilo  sure,  that  she  was  really  as  surpassinn^ly  beautiful  as 
she  was  reported  to  bo,  he  sent  his  favourite  and  confidant,  the  Karl  Atliel- 
wold,to  visit  the  earl  of  Devon  as  if  by  mere  accident,  that  ho  mij;ht  judge 
whetiicrthe  charms  of  Klfrida  really  were  su'/h  as  would  adorii  the  throne. 
Earl  Athehvold  fulfille(',  his  mission  very  faitiifully,  as  n'!,'arded  the  visit, 
but,  unhappily  for  himself,  he  found  the  charms  of  Klfrida  so  much  to  his 
own  taste,  that  he  forgot  the  curiosity  of  his  master,  and  sued  the  lady  on 
his  own  account.     Well  knowing  that  with  the  king  for  an  avowed  rival 
his  suit  wou'd  have  little  chance  of  success,  his  first  care  was  to  lull  the 
eager  anxiety  of  Kdgar  by  assnriii'r  him  that  in  thif.  as  in  most  cases, 
rumour  with  her  thousand  tongues  had  been  guilty  .(f  the  grossest  exag- 
geration, anil  that  the  wealth  and  rank  of  Klfrida  had  caused  her  to  be  re- 
nowned for  charms  so  moderate,  that  in  a  woman  of  lower  degree  they 
would  nev(!r  be  noticed.     Hut  though  the  charms  of  E.lfrida,  Karl  Athel- 
wold  added,  by  no  means  fitted  her  for  the  throne,  her  fortune  would  make 
her  a  very  acceptable  countess  for  himself,  should  the  consent  and  ro- 
commcndation  of  his  gracious  master  accompany  his  suit  to  her  parents. 
Fully  believing  that  his  favourite  really  was  actuated  only  by  merce- 
nary views,  Kdgar  cheerfully  gave  hiin  the  pcmission  and  recommenda- 
tion he  solicited,  and  in  the  quality  of  a  favoured  courtier  he  easily  procured 
the  consent  of  the  lady — to  whom  he  had  already  made  himself  far  from 
indiflfenint — and  of  her   parents.     He  had  scarcely  become  possessed  of 
his  beautiful  bride  when  Ik;  began  to  rellect  upon  what  would  be  the  pro- 
bable consiMjucMices  (jf  a  detectu)n  by  tin*  king  of  the  fraud  that  hail  been 
pr"'!tised  to  gain  his  consent  to  the  marriage.     In  order  to  postpone  this 
detection  as  long  as  possible,  he  framed  a  variety  of  pretences  for  keep- 
ing his  lovely  bnde  at  a  distance  from  the  court ;  and  as  his  report  of  the 
homeliness  of  Klfrida  had  conipletidy  cooled  the  fancy  of  the  king,  Karl 
Athehvold  began  to  hope  that  his  deceit  would  never  be  discovered.     I3ut 
the  old  adage  that    "  a  favourite  has  no  frieniis"  was  proved  in  his  case ; 
enemies  desirous  of  ruining  him  made  his  fraud  known  to  the  king,  and 
spoke  more  rapturously  than  ever  of  the  charms  of  Klfrida.     Knragei  at 
the  deccjilion  practised   upon  him,  but   carefully  dissembling  his   real 
motives  and  purpose,  the  king  told  Athehvold  that  he  would  pay  him  a 
visit  and  be  introduced  to  his  wife.     To  such  an  intimation  the  unfortu- 
nate earl  could  make  no  objection  which  would  i;ot  wholly  and  at  once 
betray  his  perilous  seciet ;  but  he  obtained  permission  to  precede  the  king, 
under  pretence  of  making  due  preparation  to  receive  him,  but  in  reality  to 
prevail  upon  Klfrida  to  disguise  her  beauty  and  rusticate  her  behaviour  as 
far  as  possible.    This  she  promised,  and  probably  at  f  .st  mtemled  to  do 
But,  on  reflection,  she  naturally  considered  herself  injured  by  the  decep- 
tion which  had  cost  her  the  throne,  and,  so  far  from  complying  with  her 
unfortunate  husband's  desire,  she  called  to  the  aid  of  her  cliarms  all  the 
assistance  of  the  most  becoming  dress,  aiid  ail  the  seductions  of  the  most 
graceful  and  accomplished  behaviour.   Fascinated  with  her  beauty,  Kdgar 
was  beyond  all  expression  enraged  at  the  deceit  by  which  his  favourite 
had  contrived  lo  cheat  him  of  a  wife  so  lovely  ;  and  having  enticed  the 
unfortunate  earl  into  a  forest  ou  a  hunting  excursion,  he  put  him  to  death 
with  his  own  hand,  and  soon  after  married  Klfrida,  whose  perfidy  to  her 
murdered  husband  made  her,  indeed,  a  very  fit  spouse  for  the  murderer. 
Though  mu  ;h  of  tliis  monarch's  liuie  was  devoted  to  dissolute  pleasures 


he  by  no  i 

which  pro 
Much  as 
property  fi 
dune ;  ami 
a  council,  < 
this  comii.'i 
and  scanda 
ular  clergy 
cubines,  for 
other  sports 
of  a  king  s 
tonsure  !     ; 
8oine  sort  ei 
dissembler  s 
thus  to  speal 
"Jt  was  b 
cinirclies,  an 
giDUs  honsci 
si'lio'iiies ;   yi 
ll.'..gs  obedie 
Was  my  assi, 
meats  and  su 
your  instnieti 
others,  the  mc 
perpetual  fund 
ours  now  to  b 
I  throw  any  b 
and  inveighed, 
remedies;   am 
purirc  efcctiialll 
The  words  \ 
tioa;  the  iniioJ 
notiiing  agains] 
and  ciiceri'd  as] 
tences  of  the 
purists ;  and  tij 
gious  house  in 
Much  as  all  l 
preserved  the 
award  him  the  l 
served  in  his  ol 
Pliinui  laml  forif 
t'l'it  might  be  i 
the  vigilance  ail 
such  attack  bei] 
attempt  to  inval 
by  his  army,  thi 
could  produce  J 
bours  of  ScotliT 
equal  respect  •] 
himself  either 'J 
'nvaluable  benel 
extent  to  whicl 
tributary  princel 
the  abbey  of  sT 
actually  caasedl 
eluding  Keimetf 
I— 10  ' 


''  ^  ■    ■'■i'.X 


TIIJC  THUASUllY  OF  HISTOllY. 


143 


he  by  no  means  ncgloclcd  public  jiiaincss,  more  especially  of  that  kind 
whicli  procured  him  tin;  indulgence  of  the  monks  for  ;ill  his  worst  vices. 

Much  iis  tlie  monks  and  the  kinjf  had  done  towards  wresting  the  church 
property  from  the  liand'*  of  the  secular  clergy,  more  still  remained  to  bo 
done  ;  and  Edgar,  doiihdess  acting  upon  the  adviei;  of  Dinistan,  summoned 
a  council,  consisting  of  the  prelates  and  heads  of  religious  orders.  To 
tliis  council  he  made  a  passiontite  speech  in  reprobation  of  the  dissoluta 
and  scandalous  lives  which  he  alTirmed  to  be  notoriously  led  by  the  sec- 
ular clergy  :  their  neglect  of  clerical  duty ;  their  opeidy  living  with  con- 
cubines, for  so  he  called  their  wives;  their  participation  in  hunting  and 
other  sports  of  the  laity  ;  and — singular  fault  to  call  forth  the  decbmatioc 
of  a  l.mg  and  em|)loy  the  wisdom  of  a  council — the  smallness  of  their 
tonsure  !  AfTecting  to  blame  Uunstan  fi>r  having  by  too  much  lenity  in 
iome  sort  encouraged  the  disorders  of  the  secular  cli^rgy,  the  accomplished 
dissembler  supposed  the  pious  Edred  to  io(jk  down  from  Heaven,  and 
thus  to  speak : 

"It  was  by  your  advice,  Dunstan,  that  I  founded  monasteries,  built 
churciies,  and  expended  my  treasures  in  the  su[iport  of  religion  and  reli- 
gunis  houses.  You  were  my  coimselor  and  my  assistant  in  all  my 
schemes;  you  were  the  dir(!i-tor  of  my  conscience  ;  to  yon  1  was  in  all 
ih.igs  obedient.  When  did  you  call  for  supplies  which  I  refused  you ' 
Was  my  assistance  ever  withiield  from  iIk;  poor !  Did  I  deny  establish 
menls  and  support  to  the  convents  and  the  clergy.  Did  I  not  hearken  to 
your  instructions  when  you  told  me  that  these  charities  were,  beyond  all 
others,  the  most  grateful  to  my  .Maker,  and  did  I  not  in  consequence  fix  a 
perpetual  fund  for  the  support  of  religion  1  And  are  all  our  pious  endeav- 
ours now  to  be  frustrated  by  the  dissolute  lives  of  the  clergy?  Not  that 
1  throw  any  blame  upon  you  ;  you  have  reasoned,  besougiit,  inculcated, 
and  inveighed,  but  it  now  behoves  you  to  use  sharper  and  more  vigorous 
remedies ;  and,  conjoimn'j;  your  spiritual  nulhoritij  witli  the  civil  power,  to 
vur'^e  effcctualli/  the  temple  af  God  from  ihieurs  and  intruders." 

The  words  which  wt;  give  in  Italics  were  d(!cisive  as  to  the  whole  ques- 
tion; the  iimocence  of  liie  secular  clergy,  as  a  body,  could  avail  them 
notliing  against  this  union  of  civil  power  and  spiritual  authority,  backed 
and  cheered  as  that  union  was  hy  the  people,  whcm  the  hyi)ocritivr.il  pre- 
tences of  the  monks  had  made  sincerely  favour.' bio  to  those  alTected 
purists  ;  and  the  monkish  discipline  siiortly  prevaileu  in  nearly  every  reli- 
gious house  in  the  land. 

Much  as  all  honourable  minds  must  blame  the  means  by  which  Edgar 
preserved  tin;  favour  of  tiie  formidable  monks,  all  e;indid  minds  must 
award  him  the  praise  of  having  made  good  use  of  the  power  he  thus  pre- 
served in  his  own  hands.  He  not  only  kept  up  a  strong  and  well-disci- 
plined land  force,  in  const;int  readiness  to  defend  any  part  of  his  kingdom 
that  might  be  attacked,  but  he  also  built  and  kept  up  an  excellent  navy, 
the  vigilance  and  strength  of  which  greatly  diminished  the  chance  of  any 
such  attack  being  made.  Awed  by  his  navy,  the  Danes  abroad  dared  not 
attempt  to  invade  his  country ;  and  constaiUly  watched  and  kept  in  check 
by  his  army,  the  domestic  Danes  perceived  thai  turbulence  on  their  part 
could  produce  no  effect  but  their  own  speedy  and  sure  ruin.  Ilis  neigh- 
bours of  Scotland,  Wales,  Ireland,  and  the  adjacent  isles,  held  him  in 
equal  respect ;  and,  upon  the  whole,  no  king  of  England  ever  showed 
himself  either  more  desirous  or  more  able  to  preserve  to  his  king  lorn  the 
invaluable  benefits  of  peace  at  home  and  respect  abroad.  In  proof  of  tlw 
extent  to  which  he  carried  his  ascendency  over  the  neiglibouring  and 
tributary  princes,  it  is  affirmed,  that  being  at  Chester,  and  desiring  to  visit 
the  abbey  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  city,  ho 
actually  caased  his  barge  to  be  rowed  thitlier  by  eight  of  those  princes,  in- 
cluding Kenaeth  the  Third,  king  of  Scotland. 

I— 10 


m 


S      ":;>1 


146 


THE  TUEASURY  OF  1II3T0RT. 


I 


IIH         I' 


I  t 


m 


The  useful  a/ts  received  a  Rre:it  impulse  during  this  rcigii  from  iho 

i[reiit  oiicouragcmont  given  by  ^^^[ar  to  ingenious  and  industrious 
or(  i^Mcrs  to  settle  ariumg  his  subjeels.  Anotlier  benefit  which  he  con- 
ferrt'd  upon  his  kingdom  was  that  of  ihc  extirpation  of  wolves,  which  at 
the  commencement  of  his  reign  were  very  numerous  and  mischievous. 
By  giving  rewards  to  those  who  put  these  animals  to  dealii,  they  were  at 
length  hiuited  into  the  mountainous  and  woody  country  of  Wales,  and  in 
order  that  even  there  so  mischievous  a  race  miglil  find  no  peace  he  coin* 
muted  the  tribute  money  due  from  Wales  to  Kugland  to  a  tribute  of  three 
hundred  wolves'  heads  to  be  sent  to  him  amuially,  which  policy  speedily 
caused  their  entire  destruction.  After  a  busy  reign  of  sixteen  years  this 
prince,  still  in  the  flower  of  his  age,  being  only  thirty-three,  died,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Edward  in  the  year  975. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

FROM    THE    ACCESSION     or    EDWAHU    THE    MARTVR    TO    THE    DEATH    OF  CANUTE 

Edward  II.,  subsequently  surnamed  the  Martyr,  though  his  death  had 
nothing  to  do  with  religion,  was  the  son  of  Edgar  by  that  prince's  first 
wife,  and  was  only  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  succeeded  to  the  throne. 
Ilis  youtli  encouraged  his  step-mother,  Elfrida,  to  endeavour  to  set  aside 
his  suc<'ession  in  favour  of  her  own  son  and  his  half-brother,  Ethelrod,  who 
at  this  time  was  only  seven  years  old.  This  extremely  bail  woman  pre- 
tended that  the  marriage  of  her  husband  to  his  first  wife  was  on  several 
iccounls  invalid,  and  as  her  beauty  and  art  had  been  very  successfully 
exerted  in  securing  fatour  during  the  life  of  Edgar,  she  would  probably 
have  succeeded  in  her  iniquitous  design  had  the  circumstances  been  less 
favourable  to  Edward.  Hut  though  that  prince  was  very  young,  he  was 
at  least  much  nearer  to  the  age  for  reigning  than  his  half-brother  ;  the  will 
of  his  fatlier  expressly  gave  liini  the  succession ;  many  of  the  princifial 
men  of  the  kingdom  imagined  that  the  regency  of  Elfrida  would  be  an 
extremely  tyrannical  oiu; ;  and  Dnnstan,  who  was  in  the  |)lenitude  of  liia 
power,  and  who  reckoned  upon  the  favour  and  docility  of  young  Edward, 
powerfully  supported  him,  and  crowned  him  at  Kingston,  before  Elfrida 
eould  bring  her  ambitious  plans  to  maturity. 

The  prompt  and  energetic  support  thus  given  by  Dnnstan  to  the  riglitful 
heir  would  entitle  him  to  our  unqualified  applause,  were  there  not  good 
and  obvious  reason  to  believe  that  it  originated  less  in  a  sense  of  justicro 
than  in  anxiety  for  the  interests  of  his  own  order.  In  spite  of  the  hcav  y 
blows  and  great  discour'.gement  of  Edgar,  the  setmlar  clergy  had  still 
many  and  powerf'd  fricids.  Among  these  was  the  duke  of  IMercia,  who 
no  sooner  ascertained.  th(!  death  of  King  Edgar  than  he  expelled  all  the 
monks  from  the  religions  houses  in  Mcrcia.and  though  they  were  received 
and  protected  by  the  dukes  of  the  East  .Saxons  and  the  East  Angliaus,  it 
was  clear  to  both  Dnnstan  and  the  monks  that  there  was  a  sufficient  .Ms- 
like  to  the  new  order  of  ecclesiastics  to  render  it  very  important  that  tli  'y 
should  have  a  king  entirely  favoural)le  to  them.  And  as  Dunstau  h;  d 
watched  and  trained  Edward's  mind  from  his  early  childhood,  they  well 
knew  that  he  would  prove  their  fittest  instrument.  Uut  though  they  had 
thus  secured  tho  throne  to  a  king  as  favourable  and  docile  as  they  could 
desire,  they  left  no  means  untried  to  gain  the  voices  of  the  multitude.  At 
the  oixasional  synods  that  were  held  for  liic  settlement  of  ecclesiastical 
Iisput3s,  they  pretended  that  miracles  were  worked  in  their  favrMjr  ,  an»J 


in  the  igno 

the  most  , 

occasions 

adoriK^d  tin 

iisiinient  of 

the  floor  of 

but  that  por 

on  niiotlier 

against  him 

Stan  rose,  ai 

that  he  had 

favour  of  tli 

populace  ret 

that  tlie  part 

the  views  of 

majority ! 

Edward's  i 
or  evil,  marl 
the  four  yeai 
bable  that  ha( 
numbing  and 
year  of  his  n 
it'll  a  victim  t 
withstanding 
Ilis  fattier,  yo 
respect  ar  1  at 
resided  at    !or 
day  hunting  ji 
wholly  unatlei 
ous  ajipearanc 
p.irt,  a  rullian 
(lid  not  prove  i 
could  diseiitr.ii 
onward  with 
iiiiccdhiin,  re(, 
Uy  tliis  surp 
superstitious 
lid  eriiiie  in 
money  upon  n" 
to  the  tliroiK.'. 
'i'he  Danes, 
who,  inoreove. 
settlements  on 
bers  had  exliau 
their  attention 
ceiviiig  eiicour; 
though  long  set 
rated  with  them 
nnnidl  descent 
file  people  con 
with  which  the^ 
tliey  repeated  ii 
This  success 
the  vigour  of  an 
tlierefore  prepa 
ii.vtensive  views 
:ii:d  defeated  an 
iiravcly  attenipu 


THE  TREASUilY  OF  UISTOIIY. 


147 


in  till!  ifjnoranl  state  of  the  people,  that  party  wlio  could  work  or  invoke 
llie  most  iniraeles  was  sure  to  bo  tiie  most  popular.  On  one  of  tlieso 
occasions  a  voice  that  secineil  to  issue  from  the  great  crucifix  wliieh 
mlorned  the  place  of  niectinnr,  proclaimed  that  he  wiio  opposed  the  estab- 
lisluncnt  of  the  monks  opposed  the  will  of  Heaven;  on  another  occasion 
the  lluor  of  the  hall  fell  in,  killin{>;  and  maiming  a  great  number  of  persons, 
but  that  portion  which  supported  the  chair  of  Duiistan  remained  firm  ;  and 
on  another  occasion,  when  the  votes  of  the  synod  were  so  unexpectedly 
ajjainst  him  that  he  was  unprovided  with  a  nuracle  for  the  occasion,  Uun- 
8tan  rose,  and,  with  an  inimitably  grave  inip..deucc,  assured  the  meeting 
llial  he  had  just  been  favoured  with  a  direct  revelation  from  Heaven  in 
fiivour  of  the  monks.  So  utterly  stultified  was  the  generul  mind,  and  the 
populace  received  this  impudent  falsehood  with  so  mucli  fervent  favour, 
that  liic  parly  hostile  to  the  monks  actually  dartJ  not  support  any  farther 
the  views  of  the  question  upon  which  they  had  a  clear  and  acknowledged 
niujority ! 

Kcivvard's  reign  deserves  little  further  mention.  No  groat  event,  good 
or  evil,  marked  it ;  he  was,  in  fact,  merely  in  a  state  of  pupilage  during 
the  four  years  that  it  lasted.  Having  an  excellent  disposition,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  had  he  lived  to  mature  years  ho  would  have  shaken  o(T  the  be- 
nunibinij  and  deluding  inlluence  of  the  monkish  party.  Ihit  in  the  fourth 
year  of  his  reign,  and  while  he  was  yet  barely  nineteen  years  of  age,  he 
fell  a  victim  to  bis  atrocious  stepmother's  cruelty  and  ambition.  Not- 
witiistaiuling  the  hostdity  she  had  evinced  towards  him  at  the  death  of 
his  fattier,  young  Kdward's  mild  temper  had  caused  him  to  show  her  that 
respect  arl  attention  which  she  was  very  far  indeed  from  deserving.  .She 
resided  at  'orfe  castle,  in  Dorsetshire  ;  and  as  the  young  prince  was  one 
day  hunting  in  that  iifighbourhood,  he  rode  away  from  his  company,  and, 
wiiolly  unattended,  paid  her  a  vi.sii.  Siio  received  liim  with  a  treacher- 
ous ap[)earaiu;e  of  kindness,  but  just  as  he  had  mounted  his  horse  to  de- 
[Kirt,  a  rullian  in  her  employment  stabbed  him  in  the  back.  The  wound 
liid  not  prove  instantly  mortal,  but  as  he  fainted  from  loss  of  blood  ero  he 
could  disengage  his  feet  from  the  stirrups,  his  frightened  liorso  galloped 
onward  with  him,  and  he  was  bruised  to  death.  His  servants  having 
uaccil  him,  recovered  his  body,  which  lliey  privatidy  interred  at  NVareliain. 

Hy  this  surpassing  crime  of  his  vile  mother,  who  vainly,  even  in  that 
superstitious  age,  endeavoured  to  recover  the  public;  favour,  and  expiate 
liii  crime  in  public  opinion,  by  ostentatious  penances  and  by  lavishing 
money  uiion  monasteries,  Kthclred,  son  of  Kdgar  and  Klfrida,  succeeded 
to  the  throne. 

Tlie  Danes,  who  had  been  kept  in  awe  by  the  vigour  of  Kdgar,  and 
who,  moreover,  had  found  ample  employment  in  conquering  and  planting 
settlements  on  the  northern  coast  of  Vrance,  a  resource  wliich  their  num- 
bers had  exhausted,  were  encouraged  by  the  minority  of  Etiielred  to  turn 
their  attention  once  more  towards  Engliind,  where  Ihey  fell  secure  of  re- 
ceiving encouragement  and  aid  from  llie  men  of  their  own  race,  who, 
though  long  settled  among  tlu!  Knglisb,  were;  by  no  means  fully  incorpo- 
rated with  them.  In  the  year  981  the  Danes  accordingly  made  an  experi- 
mental descent  upon  Southampton,  in  seven  vessels  ;  and  as  they  took 
the  people  completely  by  surprise,  they  secured  considerable  plunder, 
with  wliich  they  escaped  uninjured  and  almost  unopposed.  This  conduct 
tliev  repeated  in  987,  with  similar  success,  on  the  western  coast. 

'fills  success  of  these  two  experiments  convinced  the  marauders  that 
tlie  vigour  of  an  Kdgar  was  no  longer  to  be  dreaded  in  Knglaiul,  and  they 
therefore  prepared  to  make  a  (1»  sci-nt  upon  a  larger  scale  and  with  more 
fixlensive  views.  They  landcil  in  great  numbers  on  the  coast  of  Kssex, 
and  defeated  and  slew,  at  Ma  don,  Urithric,  the  duke  of  that  county,  who 
iiravely  ullemptcd  to  lesist  thciii  with  his  local  force;  and  after  their  vic> 


'■■•'^'llt' 


'  < 


S     !«■' 


4 


1 48 


THK  TUEASURY  OP  IIISTOttY. 


'^''■•'1 


J     *' 


11 

II  ^^^^ 

l|^?iJ' 

HnfflQ^  JL '; 

i  1 

tory  tliey  devastated  and  plundered  all  the  neighbouring  country.  So 
soon  and  so  easily  docs  a  people  degenerate  when  neglceted  by  its  rulers 
that  Etiielred  and  his  nobles  could  see  no  better  means  uf  ridding  tlum- 
Bcives  of  these  fierce  pirates  than  that  of  bribing  them  to  depart.  They 
demanded  and  received,  as  the  price  of  their  departure,  an  enormous  sum. 
They  departed  accordingly,  but,  as  might  have  been  anticipated,  so  largo 
a  sum  so  easily  earned  tempicd  them  very  speedily  to  repeat  their  visit. 
By  this  time  a  fleet  had  been  prepared  at  London  fully  (.'apable  of  resisting 
and  beating  oflT  the  invaders,  but  it  was  prevented  from  doing  the  service 
thai  was  expected  from  it  by  the  treachery  of  Alfric  duke  of  Mercia.  \\t 
had  formerly  been  banished  and  deprived  of  his  pofiscssions  and  dignity, 
and  though  he  had  now  for  some  tiine  been  fully  restored,  the  affront 
rankled  in  his  mind,  and  he  conceived  iho  unnatural  design  of  ensuring 
his  own  safety  and  importance  by  aiding  the  foreign  enemy  to  keep  his 
country  in  a  state  of  disorder  and  alarm.  lie  was  entrusted  with  one 
jquadron  of  a  flecl  with  which  it  was  inteiuicd  to  surround  and  destroy 
the  enemy  in  the  harbour  in  which  they  had  ventured  to  anchor,  and  ho 
basely  gave  the  enemy  information  in  time  to  enable  them  to  avoid  the 
danger  by  putting  out  to  sea  again,  and  then  completed  his  infamous 
treachery  by  joining  them  with  his  whole  squadron.  The  behaviour  of 
the  king  on  this  occasion  was  etpially  marked  by  barbarity  and  weakness. 
On  hearing  of  Alfric'a  traitorous  conduct,  he  had  that  nobleman's  son 
Alfgar  seized,  and  caused  his  eyes  to  be  put  out ;  yet,  after  inllicting  this 
horrid  criicUy  upon  the  innocent  son,  he  so  far  succumbtid  to  the  power 
and  influen -e  of  the  guilty  father,  as  actually  to  reinstate  him  in  his  ofllce 
and  possesitions. 

A.D.  9!)3. — The  experience  the  Danes  had  acquired  of  the  weakness  oi 
Kthelred  and  the  defenceless  condition  of  his  kingdom,  encouraged  lliem 
to  make  new  and  still  more  formidable  descents.  Sweyn,  king  of  Den- 
mark, and  Olave,  king  of  Norway,  sailed  up  the  I  lumber  with  an  immense 
fleet,  laying  waste  and  |)lundcriiig  in  every  direction.  Those  of  the  Danes, 
and  they  were  but  few,  who  refused  to  join  the  invaders,  were  |)lundered 
equally  with  the  Knglish.  An  army  advanced  to  give  battle,  and  so  fierce 
was  the  contest  that  the  Danes  were  already  beginning  to  give  way,  when 
the  tide  of  fortune  was  suddenly  turned  against  the  Knglish  by  the 
treachery  of  Frcna,  Frithcgist,  and  (lodwin,  three  leaders,  wiio,  though  of 
Danish  descent,  were  entiusted  with  large  and  important  commands. 
These  men  withdrew  their  troops,  and  the  Knglish  were  in  conseiiuencc 
defeated. 

The  invaders  now  entered  the  Thames  with  a  fleet  of  upwards  of  ninety 
ships  and  laid  siege  to  FA)ndoii.  Alarm'  1  for  their  large  wealth,  the  citi- 
zens defendi  themselves  wilii  a  stoul' ess  strongly  contrasted  with  the 
pusillanimity  wliicli  h;'.d  been  displayed  by  both  the  king  and  the  nobles, 
and  their  resist^iiv  was  so  obstinate  that  the  pirates  at  length  gave  up 
the  attempt  .r.     lUit  though  they  abandoned  the  metropolis  of  the 

lot    hrreforc  give  up  their  dclcrinination  to  plunder. 

'-  I'  r  Kssex,  Sussex,  and  Hants,  they  not  only  jjro- 
.V  ...ere,  Hit  also  a  suflicient  number  of  horses  to  en;djlt) 
them  to  extend  ihar  depredations  far  inland.  It  might  have  been  sup- 
posed ".hat,  aftci-r  the  noble  example  set  by  the  traders  of  London,  the  king 
and  his  nobles  would  e  prevented  by  very  shame  from  ever  again  resort- 
ing  to  th«  paliry  and  im,  liiie  scheme  of  purchasing  the  absence  of  the 
invaderB.  butt  Oiat  exj  iient  they  did  resort.  Messengers  wen  sent 
to  offer  to  sub'  t  the  iiu  iers  if  they  would  preserve  peace  whih  Uiey 
r^  mained  in  the  kingdom,  d  to  pay  tribute  on  condition  of  their  i.ikiiig 
in  early  de|  irture.  The  ')anes,  wily  as  they  were  h;irdy,  i)roh;i  !y 
imiBined  thai  they  had  now  ;-  ■  far  exhausted  the  kingdoii.  that  the  tribute 
n  "■     cd  to  them  would  be  mor    valuable  than  the  further  spoil  thtj  would 


kingdom,  t 
Spreadiiii,'  i 
cured  large 


and  bathed  oiu 


TUB  TllEASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


149 


E 


6e  likely  to  obtain,  ami  they  readily  accepted  the  proposed  terms.  They 
took  up  tlit'ir  abode  at  SoulbiiinptoM,  and  lliere  conducted  tlieniselves  very 
luuccably.  Ulave  curried  his  conipluis.ince  so  far  as  lo  pay  a  viuit  to 
jjlheired,  at  Aiidover,  and  received  the  right  of  confirnialiun.  Many  rich 
gifts  were  i;onae(iuently  bestowed  upon  liini  by  tlic  kinj;  and  tlio  prelates, 
uud  tlie  sum  of  sixteen  tliousand  pounds  haviuir  been  paid  lo  liim  and 
Sweyii,  lliey  took  their  departure.  Oiave,  who  never  returned  to  Hngland, 
was  so  (Treat  a  favourite  with  the  cliurehnien  thai  he  was  lionourcd  wiih  a 
place  ainont;  the  saints  in  tiie  Uonian  calendar. 

\,D.'M7. — The  re()ealed  proofs  Ktlieired  had  given  of  his  willi  njness 
to  |)urchase  the  absence  of  piratt;s  rather  than  battle  against  litem,  pro- 
duced, as  was  natural,  a  new  invasion.  A  large  fleet  of  the  Danes  this 
year  entereil  the  Severn.  Wales  was  spoiled  for  miles,  and  thence  the 
pirates  [)roc(.'(M](;d  to  commit  simitar  atrocities  upon  the  unfortunate  people 
of  Cornwall  and  Devonsiiire.  Thence  the  marauders  went  first  to  I)or- 
ectshire,  then  to  Hants,  then  Kent,  where  the  inhabitants  opposed  them  at 
Kochester,  but  were  routed  with  teiribie  slaughter,  and  the  wliolc  of  their 
country  was  plundered  and  desolated.  Many  attempts  were  made  by  the 
braver  and  wiser  among  the  Knglish  to  concert  such  a  united  defence  as 
would  |)revail  against  the  enemy ;  but  the  weakness  of  the  king  and  the 
iioliK's  |)aralyzed  tiie  best  elToils  of  this  nobU-r  spirits,  and  once  moro  Iho 
old  expedient  was  resorted  to,  and  twcMity-four  thousand  pounds  wore 
now  paid  as  the  price  of  the  absence  of  the  Danes,  whose  demands  very 
iialurally  became  higher  with  their  increased  experience  of  the  certainty 
of  tlieir  being  complied  with.  It  was  probably  with  some  vague  hope  that 
even  an  indirect  coiiiuctioii  with  these  fonnidablo  northmen  would  cause 
tlu'in  to  ri'spect  his  doniiiiioiis,  that  Kthclrcd,  having  lost  his  first  wife, 
this  year  espoused  Kinma,  sister  of  iliclianl,  the  second  duke  of  Normandy. 

Long  as  the  domestic  Danes  had  now  been  established  in  Hngland,  they 
were  still  both  a  distinct  and  a  detested  race.  The  old  English  historians 
accuse  them  of  elTemiiiaey  and  luxuriousness,  but  as  they  insiaiu^e  as  evi- 
liciue  of  the  truth  of  these  '..iigt .-,  that  the  Danes  combed  their  hair  daily 
and  bathed  once  a  week.  «» i-  may  fairly  enough  acquit  the  Danes  of  all 
l^iult  on  this  head,  aiul  i  oncludi;  that,  rude  and  bad  as  the  race  was  in 
iiiaiiy  respects,  they  ..n^i  illy  were  superior  to  the  Knglish  of  that  day 
III  the  very  imporia,,..  ni..  .llt  of  personal  decency,  Liui  a  dislike  to  men  s 
personal  habits,  bi.  it  «*<  il  or  ill  founded,  is  a  very  powerful  motive  in  the 
increasing  and  pwrpeiuatioii  of  hatred  founded  upon  other  feelings,  and 
that  hatred  the  l^ii^iisii  dee|)ly  felt  for  the  Danes  on  account  of  the  origin 
of  their  settle^4l«'llt  among  ihem.  their  great  propensity  to  gallantry,  and 
their  great  skid!  in  in  iking  themselves  agreeable  to  the  Knglish  women; 
above  all,  ott  atx-ount  of  their  constant  and  shamefully  faithless  habit  of 
joining  their  i."iVadiiig  lellow-countrymcn  in  their  violence  and  rapine. 
Etiielrt'd,  like  all  weak  and  cowardly  persons,  was  strongly  inclined  towards 
boili  cruelty  and  treachery,  and  the  general  detestation  in  w  Inch  the  Danes 
were  luld  by  the  Iliiglish  encouraged  him  to  plan  the  universal  massacre 
of  the  f.*rnier.  Orders  were  secretly  dispatched  to  all  the  governors  and 
chief  m«'n  of  the  country  to  make  all  preparations  for  this  detestable 
cruelty.  Tor  winch  the  same  day,  November  the  llitli,  being  .St.  Urithric's 
day,  a  festival  among  the  Danes,  was  appointed  for  the  while  kingdom. 

The  wicked  and  dastardly  orders  of  the  king  were  but  too  agreeable  to 
the  tein[)er  of  tike  (lopulace.  On  the  same  day,  and  at  the  same  hour,  the 
unsuspecting  Danes  were  attacked.  Youth  and  age,  without  distinction 
of  sex,  were  alike  attacked  witli  indiscriminate  fury,  and  they  were  the 
m^st  fortunate  among  the  unhappy  Dam  s  whose  butchers  were  so  eager 
to  destroy  them  that  they  omitted  first  to  subject  them  to  tortures  terrible 
even  to  mud  of.  So  unsparing  was  the  rage  against  them,  and  so  blind 
tu  consequences  were  both  high  and  low  among  the  infuriated  and  teni- 


k' 


i'j 


t'-    'M    if 


>  L 


'H 

m 

)|ln| 

liil' 

mm  :*:  If 

']  :S| 

i  ?|t»#i!' 

li  ^  I, 


l&O 


THE  TREASUttY  OF  HISTOHY. 


porarily  triiimpbant  l']iiglisli,  thiit  the  princess  GiiniUla,  sister  or  the  re- 
doiil)t;il)lo  king  of  Denmark,  was  put  to  dealii,  after  seeing  lier  liusband 
an<l  children  slaughtered,  ihongli  her  personal  character  was  excellent  and 
thouijh  she  had  long  been  a  Christian.  As  she  expired,  this  unforluniite 
lady,  whose  murder  was  chiefly  caused  by  the  advice  of  Edrie,  earl  of 
Wilts  (which  advice  was  shamefully  acted  upon  by  the  king,  who  ordered 
her  death),  foretold  that  her  death  would  speedily  be  avenged  by  the  total 
ruin  of  England.  In  truth,  it  needeil  not  the  spirit  of  prophecy  to  forelol 
that  such  wholesale  slaughter  could  scarcely  fail  to  call  down  defeat  and 
ruin  upon  a  people  who  had  so  often  been  glad  to  purchase  the  absence  ol 
the  Danes  when  no  such  cowardly  atrocity  had  excited  them  to  invasion, 
or  justified  them  in  unsparing  violence.  The  prophecy,  however,  was 
speedily  and  fearfully  realized.  Though  the  persuasions  and  example  of 
Olave,  and  his  positive  determination  to  fulfil  his  part  of  the  agreement 
made  with  Elhelred  had  hitherto  saved  England  from  any  repetition  of 
the  annoyances  of  Sweyn,  king  of  Denmark,  that  fierce  and  warlike 
monarch  had  constantly  IVil  a  strong  ('"sire  to  renew  his  attack  upon  a 
people  who  were  so  much  luore  ready  to  defend  their  country  with  gold 
than  witii  steel.  The  cowardly  cruelty  of  Ethelred  now  furnished  the 
Dane  with  a  most  righteous  pn-iexl  for  invasion,  and  he  hastened  to  avail 
himself  of  it.  He  appeared  off  the  western  coast  with  a  strong  fleet,  and 
Exeter  was  delivertul  up  to  him  without  resistance;  some?  historians  say 
by  the  incapacity  or  neglect  of  Earl  Flugh,  while  others  say  by  his  trc-achery. 
This  last  opinion  has  some  support  in  the  fact  that  Earl  Hugh  was  him- 
self a  Norman,  and,  being  only  coimectcd  with  England  by  tiie  oflice  to 
which  he  had  but  recently  been  appointed  throuuli  tlu;  iniercst  of  the 
queen,  he  might,  without  great  brracli  of  charity,  be  suspected  of  leaning 
rather  to  the  piratical  race  with  which  he  was  coimected  by  birth,  than  In 
tli(!  English.  From  Exeter,  as  tlicir  head  quarters,  the  Danes  traversixl 
the  country  in  all  directions,  commitling  all  the  worst  atrocities  of  a  w;ii 
of  retaliation,  and  loudly  proclaiming  their  determination  to  have  am|iic 
revenge  for  the  slaughter  of  their  fellow-couutryinen.  Aware,  inuncdi- 
ately  after  they  had  perpetrated  their  inhuman  crime  u[)on  the  domestic 
Danes,  how  little  mercy  they  eonld  expect  at  the  hands  of  the  country. 
men  of  their  murdered  victims,  the  English  had  made  more  than  usual 
preparations  for  resistance.  A  large  and  well  furnished  army  was  ri^ady 
to  march  against  the  invaders,  but  the  eoimnand  of  it  was  committed  to 
that  duke  of  Mercia  wiu)se  former  treason  has  been  mentioned,  and  he, 
pretending  illness,  contrived  to  delay  the  march  of  the  troops  until  they 
were  thoroughly  dispirited  and  the  Danes  had  done  enormous  mischief. 
He  died  shortly  after  and  was  succ(!e(ied  by  Edrie,  who,  though  son-in- 
law  to  the  king,  jn'oved  just  as  treacherous  as  his  predecessor.  The  coii- 
sequeiii.'e  was,  that  the  coitutry  was  ravaged  to  such  an  extent  that  llic 
horrors  of  famine  were  soon  added  to  the  horrors  of  war,  and  the  degraded 
English  once  more  sued  for  peace,  and  obtained  it  at  the  price  of  thirty 
thousand  pounds. 

A.D.  1007. — Clearly  perceiving  that  they  might  now  reckon  iipon  Danish 
invasion  as  a  periodical  plague,  the  English  government  and  people  en- 
deavoured to  i)repiire  for  their  future  defence.  Troops  were  raised  and  dis- 
ciplined, and  a  navy  of  nearly  eight  Inmdred  ships  was  prepared.  But  a 
quarrel  which  arose  between  Edrie,  duke  of  Mercia,  and  Wolfiujth,  gov- 
ernor of  Sussex,  caused  the  latter  to  desert  to  the  Danes  with  twenty 
vessels.  He  was  pursued  by  Edric's  brother  Brightric,  with  a  fleet  ol 
eighty  vessels;  but  this  fleet,  being  driven  ashore  by  a  tempest,  was  at 
tacked  and  burned  hy  \V(jlfnolli.  A  hundred  vessels  wert!  thus  lost  to  thu 
English,  dissensions  spread  among  other  leading  men,  and  the  fleet  whit'li, 
if  concentrated  and  ably  directed,  might  have  given  safety  to  the  nation, 
was  dispersed  into  various  ports  and  rendered  virtually  useless 


THE  TREAtUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


151 


Tho  Danes  did  not  fail  to  take  advantage  of  the  dissensions  and  im- 
becility of  the  English,  and  for  some  time  from  this  period  the  history  of 
EnyLind  presents  us  with  nouiing-  but  one  melancholy  monotony  of  un- 
sparing cruelty  on  the  part  of  the  nivaders,  and  unmitigated  and  hopeless 
sulTenng  on  the  part  of  the  invaded.  Uepeated  attempts  were  made  to 
restore  something  like  unanimity  to  the  English  councils,  and  to  form  a 
settled  and  unanimous  plan  of  resistance ;  but  all  was  still  dissension, 
and  when  the  utmost  wretchedness  at  length  made  the  disputants  agree, 
they  agreed  only  in  resorting  to  the  old,  base,  and  most  impolitic  plan  of 
purchasing  the  absence  of  their  peri-ecntors.  How  impolitic  this  plan  wag 
common  sense  ought  to  have  told  the  English,  even  had  they  not  possessed 
the  additional  evidence  of  the  fact,  that  at  each  new  invasion  the  Danes  in- 
creased their  demand.  From  ten  thousand  pounds,  which  had  purchased 
their  first  absence,  they  had  successively  raised  their  demands  to  thirty 
tliousand,  and  now,  when  their  rapine  had  more  than  ever  impoverished 
the  couMtrj',  tliey  demanded,  and,  to  the  shame  of  the  English  people,  or 
rather  of  the  king  and  the  nobles,  were  paid  the  monstrous  sum  of  eight 
and-forty  thousand  pounds ! 

This  immense  sinn  was  even  worse  expended  than  the  former  sums 
had  been;  for  this  tinu-  tho  Danes  took  the  money,  but  did  not  depart. 
On  the  contrary,  they  continued  their  desultory  plundering,  and  at  the 
same  lime  niadt;  fm'mal  demands  upon  certain  districts  for  large  and  speci- 
fied sums.  Tluis,  in  the  county  of  Kent  they  levied  the  s'lm  of  eight 
thousand  pounds;  and  the  arcliliisiiop  of  Canterbury  venturing  to  resist 
this  most  iiii(]uiloiis  demand,  was  coolly  murdered.  The  general  state  of 
the  kingdom  and  the  biilchery  of  a  personage  so  eminent  alarmed  the 
king  for  his  personal  safety ;  th(,'  more  especially,  as  many  of  his  chief 
nobility,  having'  lost  all  confidtMice  in  his  power  to  redeem  his  kingdom 
from  ruin,  were  daily  transferring  tlii'ir  allegiance  to  Sweyn.  Having  first 
sciil  over  his  ipieen  and  her  twociiildren  to  her  brother,  the  Diike  of  Nor- 
iii;ui(ly,  Mtliclred  himself  look  an  o[)porlniiity  to  escajie  thither,  and  thusi 
the  kiiigilom  was  virtually  delivered  over  to  Sweyn  and  his  Daiujs. 

A.n.  Kill. — Sweyn,  niuier  all  the  circnmstances,  would  have  found  little 
dinU'iilty  in  causing  himself  to  be  crowned  king  of  England;  nay,  it  may 
even  be  doubted  if  either  nobles  or  jieople  would  have  been  greatly  dis- 
pleased at  receiving  a  \\arlike  sovereign  instead  of  the  fugitive  Ethelred, 
to  whom  they  had  long  been  accustomed  to  apply  the  scornful  epiihet  of 
the  Unready.  Unt  while  Sweyn  wa;-  preparing  to  take  advantage  of  the 
magnificent  opportunity  that  otVered  its-lf  to  him,  he  was  suddenly  seized 
witii  a  mortal  illness,  and  expired  at  (i  Misborongh,  in  Lincolnshire,  about 
six  weeks  after  the  llight  of  Ethelred  from  the  kingdom. 

This  circumstance  gave  the  weak  Ethelred  yet  one  more  ehaneo  of  re- 
deeming his  kingly  character.  The  great  men  of  his  kiiii^dom,  when 
they  informed  iiim  of  the  event  which,  so  auspiciously  for  him,  had  occur- 
red, invited  him  to  return.  They  at  the  same  time  plainly,  though  in  a 
friendly  and  respectful  tone,  intimated  their  hope  that  he  would  profit  by 
his  cxi)erience,  to  avoid  for  the  future  those  errors  which  had  produced  so 
much  evil  to  both  himself  and  his  people. 

Ethelred  gladly  availed  himself  of  the  invitation  to  resume  his  throne, 
but  the  advice  that  had  accompanied  that  invitation  he  wholly  disregarded. 
Among  the  most  glaring  proofs  which  he  gave  of  his  continued  incapacity 
to  rule  wisely,  he  reinstated  his  treacherous  son-in-law,  Edric,  in  all  his 
former  inlluence.  This  pow(!r  Edric  most  shamefully  abused  :  in  proof  of 
this  we  need  give  but  a  single  instance  of  his  misconduct.  Two  Niercian 
nobles,  by  name  Morcar  and  Sigebert,  had  unfortunately  given  some  of- 
fence to  Edric,  who  forthwith  endeavoured  to  persuade  tlid  king  that  they 
were  hostile  to  his  rule ;  and  the  equally  cruel  and  weak  monarch  not  only 
oniuved  at  their  murder  by  Edric,  but  gave  to  that  crime  .a  guasi  lega! 


imm 


i    'nil.; 


f-.a'* 


i  I.. 


152 


a  HE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


1 1  ^;i'jiM 


#■'! 


sanction  by  confiscating  the  property  of  the  victims  as  though  they  had 
been  convicted  of  treason,  and  he  confined  Sigebcrl's  widow  in  a  convent. 
Here  she  was  accidentally  seen  by  the  king's  son,  f]dniund,  who  not  only 
contrived  her  escape  from  the  convent,  but  immediately  married  her. 

A.D.  1014. — Ethelred  was  not  allowed  to  enjoy  his  recovered  throne  in 
peace.  Canute,  the  son  of  Sweyn,  was  to  the  full  as  warlike  as  his  fa- 
mous  father,  and  set  up  his  claims  to  the  throne  with  as  much  grave  earn- 
estness as  though  his  father  had  filled  it  in  right  of  a  long  ancestral  pos- 
session.  He  committed  dreadful  havoc  in  Kent,  Dorset,  Wilts,  and  Som 
erset ;  and,  not  contented  wiih  slaughter  in  and  plunder  after  the  battle, 
he  shocki;jgly  mutilated  his  prisoners,  and  then  gave  them  their  liberty,  in 
order  that  their  wretched  plight  might  strike  terror  into  their  fellow-coun- 
trymen. So  much  progress  did  Canute  make,  that  Ethelred  would,  in  all 
Erobabiiity,  have  been  a  second  lime  driven  from  his  throne  and  kingdom, 
ut  for  the  courage  and  energy  of  his  son  Edmund.  'I'he  treacherous 
Edric  deserted  to  the  Danes  with  forty  ships,  after  having  dispersed  a 
great  part  of  the  English  army,  and  even  made  an  attempt  at  seizing  upon 
the  person  of  the  brave  prince.  Undismayed  by  so  many  diflicuhies, 
which  were  much  increased  by  the  general  contempt  and  distrust  Iclt  for 
the  king,  Edmund,  by  great  exertions,  got  together  a  large  force,  and  pre- 
pared to  give  battle  to  the  enemy.  But  the  English  had  been  accustomed 
to  see  their  kings  in  the  vanguard  of  the  battle ;  and,  though  Edmund 
was  universally  popular,  the  soldiers  loudly  demanded  that  his  father 
should  head  them  in  person.  F'tlielred,  however,  wlio  suspected  his  own 
subjects  fully  as  much  as  he  feared  the  enemy,  not  merely  refused  to  do 
this,  on  tlie  plea  of  illness,  but  so  completely  left  his  heroic  son  without 
supplies,  that  the  prince  was  obliged  to  allow  the  northern  part  of  the 
kingdom  to  fall  into  subjection  to  the  Danes.  Still  determined  not  to  sub- 
mit, Edmund  marched  his  discouraged  and  weakened  army  to  London,  to 
make  a  final  stand  against  the  invaders  ;  but  on  his  arrival  he  found  the 
metropolis  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  alarm  and  confusion,  on  account  of 
the  death  of  the  king. 

A.D.  1015. — Ethelred  the  Unready  had  reigned  thirty-five  years,  and  his 
Micapacity  had  reduced  the  country  to  a  state  which  would  have  been  suf- 
ficiently pitiable  and  difficult,  even  had  not  the  fierce  and  warlike  Danes 
been  swarming  in  its  northern  provinces.  'J'he  people  were  dispirited  and 
disaflTected,  and  the  nobles  were  far  less  intent  upon  repelling  the  common 
enemy  than  upon  pursuing  th^ir  own  mischievous  and  petty  quarrels;  and 
Ednnnid  had  only  too  nuich  reason  to  fear  that  the  example  of  his  treach- 
erous brother-in-law  would  be  followed  by  other  nobles.  Rightly  judging 
that  occupation  was  the  most  effectual  remedy  for  the  discouragement  ol 
the  people,  and  tlie  best  safeguard  against  tlie  treachery  of  the  nobles, 
Edmuna  h)st  no  time  in  attacking  the  enemy.  At  (liilingham  he  defeated 
a  detachment  of  them,  and  then  marched  against  Canute  in  person.  The 
hostile  armies  met  near  .Scoerton,  in  (Jjoucestcrshire,  and  in  the  early 
part  of  the  battle  the  English  prince  had  so  much  success  that  it  seemed 

f»robable  he  would  have  a  decisive  and  crowning  victory.  But  that  ca- 
amity  of  his  country,  Edric,  having  slain  Osmar,  who  very  much  resem- 
bled the  king  in  countenance,  hail  his  head  fixed  upon  the  point  of  a  spear 
and  displayed  to  the  English.  A  panic  imnuHiiately  spread  through  the 
hitherto  victorious  army.  It  was  in  vain  that  Edmund,  heedless  of  the 
arrows  that  flew  around  him,  rode  bareheaded  among  his  troops  to  assure 
them  of  his  safety.  "Save  hinisidf  who  can,"  was  the  universal  cry; 
and  thougii  FJdmund  at  length  contrived  to  lead  his  troops  from  the  field 
in  comparatively  good  order,  the  golden  moment  for  securing  triumph 
Bad  passed.  Kcl-mund  was  subsequently  defeated  with  great  loss,  at  .\8- 
sington,  in  Essex,  but  with  exemplary  activity  again  raised  an  army  and 
prepared  to  make  one  more  desperate  effort  to  expel  the  enemy.     Hut  the 


I       i.    . 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


153 


leading  men  on  both  sides  were  by  this  time  wearied  with  slrifc  and  car- 
nage, and  a  negotiation  ensued  wiiich  h'd  to  a  division  of  the  kingdom, 
Canute  taking  tiio  northern  portion  and  Edmund  tho  soullicni. 

It  might  have  been  supposed  that  the  m famous  Kdric  would  liavo  been 
satisfied  with  having  thus  mainly  aided  in  despoiling  his  brave  i)ut  unfor- 
tunate brother  in-law  of  a  moiety  of  his  kingdom.  Dnt  as  though  the  very 
existence  of  a  man  so  contrary  and  so  superior  to  himself  in  character 
were  intolerable  to  him,  this  arrangement  had  scarcely  been  made  a  month 
when  he  suborned  two  of  the  king's  chamberlains,  who  murdered  their  un- 
fortunate master  at  Oxford. 

A.D.  1017,  It  does  not  clearly  appear  that  Canute  was  actually  privy 
to  this  crime,  though  his  previous  conduct  and  the  fact  that  he  was  the 
person  to  be  benefited  by  the  death  of  Kdmund  maj  justify  us  in  suspect- 
ing him.  And  this  suspicion  is  still  further  justified  by  his  immediaiely 
seizing  upon  Edmund's  share  of  the  kingdom,  tiiough  that  prince  had  left 
two  sons,  Edwin  and  Edward.  It  is  true  that  tliose  princes  were  very 
young,  but  the  most  that  Canute  ought  to  iiave  assumed  on  that  account 
was  the  guardianship  of  the  children  and  the  protectorate  of  tlieir  heritage. 
Indeed,  some  writers  represent  that  it  was  in  tiie  character  of  guardian 
that  Canute  affected  to  act ;  but  a  sulTicient  answer  to  that  pretence  is  to 
be  fou;i'l  in  the  fact  that  Canute  reigned  as  sole  king,  and  left  the  kingdom 
to  hi"    ••'1- 

S.i:  -and  grasping  as  his  whole  former  course  had  been,  this  able, 

ihouf  .  icipied  prince  was  too  anxious  for  the  prosper.'y  of  th(!  king- 

dom -  0  he  had  |)ossessed  himself,  not  to  take?  all  |)ossil  le  precaution 

to  avert  ojiposition.  He  called  a  council,  at  wtiich  lie  caused  witnesses 
to  affirm  that  it  had  been  agreed,  at  the  treaty  of  (Jloiicestcr,  iiat  he  should 
succeed  Kdir.und  in  the  southern  jiorlion  of  tiie  kingdom ;  or,  as  the  writers 
to  whom  we  have  alluded  aflirm,  that  he  should  have  the  tf.ardianship  and 
protectorate.  This  evidence,  and,  perhaps,  terror  lest  the  well  known 
fierceness  of  Canute  should  again  desolate  the  kingdom,  determined  the 
council  in  his  favour,  and  the  usurper  peaceably  mounted  the  ilirone,  while 
the  despoiled  princes  were  sent  to  Sweden.  Not  content  with  thus  seiz- 
ing their  dominion  and  exiling  them,  Canute  charged  the  king  of  Sweden 
to  put  them  to  death;  but  that  king,  more  goiieious  than  bin  ally,  sent 
them  in  safety  to  the  court  of  Hungary,  when^  tliey  were  educated.  Ed- 
win, the  elder  of  the  princes,  married  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  Hunga- 
ry; and  Edward,  the  younger,  married  Agatha,  sister-in-law  of  the  same 
monarch,  and  had  by  her  Edgar  Atheling,  Margaret,  suliseiiuently  queen 
of  .Scotland,  and  Christina,  who  took  the  veil. 

The  experience  which  (\anute  had  of  the  treachery  of  the  English  no- 
bility of  this  period  made  him,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  show  the  most  un- 
bounded liberality  to  them  at  the  commencement  of  liis  undivided  reign. 
To  Thurkiil  he  gave  the  dukedom  of  East  Anglia,  to  Yric  that  of  Northum- 
berland, and  to  Edric  that  i>f  Mercia,  confining  his  own  direct  and  personal 
rule  to  Wessex.  Hut  this  seeming  favour  was  only  the  crouching  of  the 
'igcr  ere  he  springs.  When  he  found  himself  firmly  fixed  u|)on  his  throne, 
and  from  his  judicious  as  well  as  firm  conduct  becoming  every  day  more 
popul.ir  among  his  suiijecls,  he  found  a  pretext  to  deprive  Thiirkill  and 
Yric  of  their  dukedoms,  and  to  send  them  into  exile.  It  would  seem  that 
even  while  he  had  profited  by  the  treason  of  the!  English  nobility,  he  had 
manliness  enough  to  detest  the  traitors  ;  for,  besides  expelling  the  dukes 
of  East  Anglia  and  Northumberland,  he  put  several  other  noble  traitors  to 
death,  and  among  them  that  worst  of  all  traitors,  Edric,  whose  body  he 
had  cast  into  the  Thames. 

Though  Canute  showed  much  disposition  to  conciliate  the  favour  of  his 
lubjeets,  Ik;  was  at  the  (iommencement  of  his  reign  obliged,  by  the  state 
of  the  kingdom,  to  tax  them  very  heavily.     From  the  nation  at  largo  he 


.tT«^'* 


) 


1 


,-4f!l 


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■\  -''k 


^    i! 


I    I 


164 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


at  one  dcmnnd  obtained  the  vast  sum  of  seventy-two  thousand  pounds,  and 
froir  the  ci(y  of  London  a  separate  furtlicr  sum  of  eleven  thousand.  Hut 
tb  ih  it  was  evident  that  much  of  this  money  was  devoted  to  the  reward 
0  ins  own  countrymen,  aiul  thougli  in  tiie  heavy  sum  levied  upon  London 
there  clearly  appeared  something  of  angry  recollect'  ,n  of  the  courage  the 
Londoners  had  shown  in  opposing  him,  tlie  people  were  by  this  lime  so 
wearied  with  war,  that  they  imputed  his  demands  to  necessity,  anc'  nrob- 
ably  thought  money  better  paid  for  the  support  of  a  Danish  king  th;  n  for 
the  temporary  absence  of  an  ever-returning  Danish  enemy. 

To  say  tlie  truth,  usurper  though  Canute  was,  he  had  no  sooner  made 
his  rule  secure,  than  he  made  great  efforts  to  render  it  not  merely  toler- 
able but  valuable.  He  disbanded  and  sent  home  a  great  number  of  his 
Danish  mercenaries;  he  made  not  the  slightest  difference  between  Danish 
and  English  subjects  in  the  execution  of  ilie  laws  guarding  projjcrty  and 
life,  and,  still  fartlier  to  engage  the  affections  of  the  Knglish,  lie  formally, 
in  an  assembly  of  the  states,  restored  the  Saxon  customs. 

In  order  also  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  Knglish,  as  well  as  to  pro- 
pitiate the  powerful  duke  of  Normandy,  who  had  shown  a  strong  dispo- 
sition  to  (li<iturb  him  in  his  usurped  pow"-,  he  married  that  primtc's  sister, 
Kmma,  widow  of  Klhelred.  Hy  dint  of  this  conciliatory  policy,  he  so  far 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  affections  of  the  l^ngiish,  that  he  at  length  ven- 
tured to  sail  to  Denmark,  which  was  attacked  by  his  late  ally,  tlie  king  of 
Sweden,  against  v  hom  lie  felt  additional  anger  on  account  of  his  contu 
macy  in  refusing  to  put  the  exiled  Knglish  princes  tc  death.  He  was  com- 
pletely victorious  in  this  expedition,  chiefly  owing  to  the  energy  and  valour 
of  the  afterwards  famous,  and  more  th.m  regally  jiowerftd,  Karl  (iodwin, 
to  wlioui,  in  reward  for  his  conduct  on  this  occasion,  he  gave  his  daughter 
in  marriage. 

In  1008  he  mad(!  another  voyage,  and  expelled  Olaiis,  king  of  Norway. 
Powerfi'l  abroad  and  at  peace  at  home,  he  now  devoted  his  attention  to 
religion;  but  he  did  so  after  the  grossly  siiper^^titioiis  fashion  of  the  ag.'. 
He  did  not  reca.l  the  exiled  jirinces,  or  make  restitution  of  any  of  tlio 
property  which  he  had  imjusily  ac(iuired  eilhi'r  in  Norway  or  in  Kngland, 
but  he  luiilt  cluirches  and  showered  jiifis  upon  clmrchmcn;  showed  his 
sorrow  for  the  slaughter  of  which  he  xtill  retained  the  profit,  by  causing 
masses  to  lie  said  for  the  souls  of  ilie  slaughtered,  and  compounded  for 
continuing  his  usurped  ndc  of  Kngland  by  ohtaining  certain  privileges  for 
Englishmen  at  Uome,  to  which  city  he  :nad(!  an  ostentatious  pilgrnnage. 

All  anecdote  is  told  of  Canute  when  at  the  very  height  of  his  glory  and 

Eower.  which  is  highly  eliaracteristic  of  the  baseness  of  the  Knglish  Ho- 
les of  that  day,  and  which  at  tli'  saiue  time  shows  him  to  have  |)oBSessed 
a  certain  dry  litMuour  as  well  as  soimd  good  sense.  It  seems  that  while 
walking  <ni  tlic  sea-shore  with  some  of  these  degenerate  and  unworthy 
nobles,  they  in  the  excess  of  their  flattery  attril)Ut(.'d  omnipotence  to  him. 
Disgusted  by  their  fidsome  eulogy,  he  ordered  a  chair  to  be  placed  upon 
the  beach,  and  seating  himself  he  cotnmanded  the  waves  to  approach  no 
nearer  to  him.  The  astonished  cmirtiers  looked  on  with  a  feeling  of  con- 
tempt for  the  king's  credulity  which  was  sficedily  to  be  Iransl'erred  to 
their  own  baseness.  The  tide  serged  onward  and  onward  to  tlie  shorn 
till  it  began  to  wet  his  feet ;  when  he  calmly  rose  and  rebuked  Irs  lb  tterers 
for  attributing  to  him  the  great  characteristic  of  tlie  Deity,  nmiiiiKiteiice. 

'i'lie  Scots  in  the  reign  of  Kilndred  had  been  taxed  oik!  shilling  a  hide 
on  their  tief  of  Cumberland,  for  Dowi^flt,  or  money  to  lie  applied  to  the 
protection  of  the  kingdom  against  the  Danes.  The  Scots  refnsecl  to  pay 
It,  and  though  Kllndred  attcmptefl  force,  he,  as  usual  with  him,  failed. 
Malcolm,  the  thane  of  St;olland  who  had  thus  faihvl  in  his  vassalage  to 
Ethelrcd,  (Ml  the  ground  that  he  could  defe  id  bims(df  against  the  Danes, 
BOW  refused  to  do  homage  for  Cnmherhind  to  Canute,  on  the  ground  of 


.W 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


155 


that  king  not  having  succet  (led  to  the  thrnno  by  inheritance.  Rnt  Canute 
gpceilily  liroufjhl  him  to  his  sotises;  at  the  first  appearance  of  the  Kn^'lish 
army  M;ili'olni  submitted.  This  was  Canute's  last  expedition;  he  died 
about  four  years  after,  in  the  year  1035. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   REIONS   OP    HAROLD   AND    HARDICANtll. 

Canutk  loft  three  sons,  Sweyn  and  Harold  Ijy  his  first  wife,  Allvvc-i, 
dausbter  of  the  earl  of  Hampshire  ;  and  Hardicanute  by  his  second  wife, 
Emma,  the  widow  of  Elhelred. 

On  ibe  marriajTC  of  Canute  and  Kmma  the  former  had  formally  agreed 
tliat  his  cliiidren  by  her  should  inherit  the  throne.  But  as  herbrotlicr.  tlk! 
diikc  of  Normandy,  died  before  Canute,  the  latter  thouifhl  fit  to  depart  from 
this  af>recment,  and  to  leave  the  l''uii;lish  throne  to  Harold,  his  second  son 
by  the  first  wife,  ratiier  than  entrust  it,  with  its  abounding:  difl^culties,  to 
the  weak  liands  of  so  youn^  a  priiuie  as  Hardicaiuile,  his  son  by  Kmma. 
Uy  his  last  will,  therefore,  Canute  left  Norway  to  Sweyn,  his  eldest  son, 
aiid  I'.iigland  to  Harold,  his  youncrcr  son  by  the  first  marriage  ;  and  to  Har- 
dicMuuti',  his  son  by  Kinma,  he  left  his  native  Denmark. 

Thr  (liffi'rence  l)etween  the  arraiisemeut  made  by  the  king's  will  and 
that  which  was  agreed  upon  by  his  ireaty  of  marriage  with  Kmma,  placed 
the  kingdouj  in  no  small  danger  of  a  lonsr  and  sanguinary  civil  war.  Har- 
olil.  it  is  true,  had  the  express  last  will  of  his  father  in  his  favour,  and  be 
iiii;  upon  the  spot  at  the  nioiuen'  of  his  father's  death,  ho  seized  upon  the 
royal  tn^asures,  and  thus  had  the  n\eans  of  supporting  bis  claim  either  by 
opi'ii  force  or  corru[)tion.  But  Hardicanute,  though  in  Deimiark,  was  the 
giirral  favourite  of  thi' people,  and  of  not  ".  few  of  the  nobility;  being 
loiiki'd  ujiou,  on  account  of  his  nioiher,  in  the  light  of  a  native  Knglish 
pnuci>.  To  bis  father's  last  will,  upon  which  it  would  have  b-en  easy  to 
llirow  suspicion,  as  thouijli  weakness  of  mind  had  been  superinduced  by 
bi)ilily  sufT'crini.'-,  he  co\dd  oppose  the  terms  of  the  grave  treaty  signed  by 
Ills  f.ither  while  in  full  possession  of  his  vigorous  uiiiul,  and  in  full  pos- 
session, too,  of  power  to  resist  any  article  contrary  to  his  wish.  And, 
above  all,  Hardicanute  had  tlw;  favour  and  inlluenco  of  the  potent  Karl 
CiiKKvin.  With  such  (dements  of  strife  in  existence,  it  was  extremely  for- 
tiiiiite  that  th(!  most  powerful  men  on  joth  sides  were  wisely  and  really 
auMoin  to  avert  from  the  naiion  the  sad  conse(|uences  inseparable  from 
civil  strife.  (Conferences  wt^re  held  at  which  the  jarring  claims  of  the  two 
princes  were  discussed  with  unusual  candour  and  calmness,  and  it  was  at 
Itnu'ib  agree.!  that,  as  eacl;  had  a  plea  too  powerful  to  be  wholly  done  away 
with  by  his  <  jinpetitor's  coiinterplca,  the  kingdom  should  once  more  be 
divided.  liOndon  and  the  comitry  north  of  the  Thames  fell  to  the  lot  of 
Harold,  the  country  south  of  the  Thames  to  Hardicanute,  in  whose  name 
Kmina  look  possession,  and  fixed  her  residence  at  Winchester  till  he 
should  reach  Kngland  to  govern  for  hiins(df. 

The  two  young  princes,  Alfred  and  Kdward,  the  sons  of  Emtna  by 
Kihelied,  bad  hitherto  remained  at  Normandy  ;  but  finding  themselves, 
friiin  the  circi.mstances  of  that  court,  less  welcome  than  they  had  been, 
they  resolved  to  visit  their  mother,  whose  high  sta'e  at  Winchester  prom- 
ised tliein  all  possible  |)rotection  and  comfort,  and  they  accordingly  land- 
ei  in  I'lngland  with  a  numerous  and  splendid  suite.  But  the  apiiearances 
by  which  they  had  been  allured  to  take  this  step  were  exceedingly  de- 
peiiful.  (lodwin,  whose  ambition  was  restless  and  insatiable,  liad  been  skil- 
fully tiin[)ered  with  by  the  crafty  ll.iroM,  who  promised  to  marry  lluMMrl's 
fliinghter.  The  idea  of  being  father-in  law  to  the  Hole  ki;;g  of  Kngland 
pill  an  end  to  all  (Jodwin's  moderate  notions,  and  to  all  the  favour  with 


,'h:;  tis^' 


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U      I 


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!■■■ 


Lis    lU 


■!     ;|,.: 


156 


THE  TaEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


wliich  he  luid  previously  looked  upon  the  expedient  of  partitioning^  tnt 
kiiij-ijoin,  iJiJ  he  now  very  readily  and  zealously  promised  his  support  to 
Harol  .  is  design  to  add  his  brother's  possessions  to  his  own,  and  to 
cut  or  two  English  princes,  whose  coming  into  England  seemed  to 
indica-  .  .iCtermination  to  claim  as  heirs  of  Ethelred.  Alfred  was, 
with  \Uiii\y  hypocritical  compliments,  invited  to  court,  and  had  reached 
as  far  as  Guildford,  in  Surrey,  on  his  way  thither,  when  an  assemblage  of 
Godwin's  people  suddeidy  fell  upon  the  retinue  of  the  unsuspecting 
prince,  and  put  upwards  of  six  hundred  of  them  to  the  sword.  Alfred 
was  himself  taken  prisoner — but  far  happier  had  been  his  fate  had  he 
died  in  the  battle.  His  inhuman  enemies  caused  his  eyes  to  be  put  out, 
and  he  was  then  tiirust  into  the  monastery  of  Ely  'here  he  perished  in 
agony  and  misery.  His  brother  and  Queen  Emma  readily  judged,  from 
tiiis  horrible  affair,  that  they  would  be  the  next  viciims,  and  they  imme- 
diately fled  from  the  country,  wiiilo  Harold  forthwith  added  the  southern 
to  the  northern  division  of  the  kingdom. 

Commencing  his  sole  reign  over  England  by  an  act  of  such  hypocrisy 
and  sanguinary  cruelty,  Harold  would  probably  have  left  fearful  traces  of 
iiis  reign  if  it  had  been  a  lengthened  one.  Happily,  however,  it  was  but 
short;  he  died  unregretted,  about  four  years  after  his  accession,  leaving 
no  trace  to  posterity  of  his  iiaving  ever  livcvl,  save  the  one  dark  deed  of 
wiiich  we  have  spoken.  He  was  remarkable  for  only  one  personal  qua!- 
ity,  his  exceeding  agility,  whi(!h,  according  to  the  almost  invariable  prac- 
tice  at  that  lime  adopted  of  designating  persons  by  some  trait  of  char- 
acter or  physical  quality  for  which  they  were  remarkable,  procured  hira 
the  appellation  of  Harold  Harefoot. 

A.  D.  1039. — Although  Hurdicaiuito  had  been  deemed  by  his  father  too 
young  to  sway  the  English  sceptre,  he  himself  held  a  different  opinion, 
and  ho  had  oc!;upied  himself  in  iiis  kingdom  of  Norway  in  preparing  a 
.'■(tree  with  which  to  invade  England  and  expel  his  brother.  Having  com- 
pleted his  preparations,  he  collecti'd  a  fleet  under  the  pretence  of  visiting 
Queen  Emma,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  Flanders,  and  was  upon  the  point 
of  sailing  when  he  received  intelligence  of  Harold's  death,  upon  which 
he  immediately  sailed  for  London,  where  he  was  received  with  the  wann- 
est welcome.  He  commenced  his  reiy^n,  however,  very  inauspicionsly, 
by  the  mean  and  violent  act  of  having  Harold's  body  disinterred  and 
tlirown  into  the  Thames.  Ueing  foinul  by  some  fishermen,  the- royal 
body  was  cirried  to  Lnndon  and  tigain  coiimiitted  to  the  earth;  but  Har 
dicanute  obtaining  inforniatioti  of  what  had  occurred,  ordered  it  to  be 
again  disinterred  and  thrown  into  the  river.  It  was  once  more  found — 
but  this  time  it  was  buried  so  secretly  that  the  king  had  no  opportunity 
to  repeal  his  unnatural  conduct. 

The  part  wliich  Godwin  h.id  taken  in  the  murder  of  the  unfortunate 
Alfred,  led  Prince  Edward,  who  w;is  invited  over  to  the  English  court  by 
Hardicamite,  to  accuse  him  of  that  crime,  and  to  demand  justice  at  the 
hands  of  the  king.  Hut  Godwin,  who  had  already  exerted  all  the  arts  of 
servility  to  conciliate  the  king,  made  him  a  present  of  a  magnificent  gal- 
ley, manned  with  sixteen  handsome  and  gorgeously  appointed  rowers, 
and  the  king  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  present,  that  he  merely  re- 
quired that  Godwin  should  swear  to  his  own  innocence,  which  that  per- 
sonage made  no  scruple  of  doing. 

The  reign  of  Hardicanute  was  short,  yet  his  violent  temper  and  cupid- 
ity causei  it  to  be  marked  by  a  revolt.  He  had  the  injustice  and  impru- 
dence to  renew  the  tax  known  by  the  name  of  Danrgelt,  and  charged  a 
very  heavy  sum  for  the  fleet  wliich  had  conveyed  him  from  Deinnark. 
CompLiiiits  and  resistance  arose  in  many  parts,  and  in  Worcester  the 
people  not  only  refused  to  pay  the  tax,  but  actually  put  two  of  the  col- 
lectors to  death.     Godwin,  with  Siward,  duke  of  Northumberlahd,  and 


Leofric,  duke 

powerful  fore 

set  fire  to  it  a 

the  lives  of  tl 

gave  liiem  a  f, 

Though  pos 

iltra  Northma 

reigned  two  yi 

ittan,  he  indulg 


t( 


4.  D.  1042.— s 

Hardicanute  thi 

Danes  could  set 

a  most  favourab 

own  race.    The 

mund  Ironside; 

Edward,  the  son 

of  instant  action 

prise  was  too  obi 

piinctiliousnuss  u 
feel. 

There  was  but 
able  succession  ol 
and  the  pruverful 
So  powerful  was  ( 
been  far  too  grej 
pOH'er  lay  prineip- 
by  hngUsh,  amoii 
ward's  friends  m, 
Pven  to  consen'   i, 
carl  easily  consei 
siiniinoned  a  coun 
tlio  majority  were 
fairly  silenced,  an 
"Jtlieir  individual 
of  influence  to  uni 
wishes. 

The  joy  of  the 

hands  of  a  native 

«ith  extensive  ill  < 

tably  interposed  or 

property,  for  one  o 

•lie  graui.s  of  his  D 

"pon  their  fellow 

I'""  the  grants  ha. 

■inction  between  c 

pants  mhicin<r  mt, 

h's  mother,  the  q, 

'"enty;  unpardon 

finned  that,  having 

re/l.shehad  alwayi 

Jildren  by  Ethelrel 

^'-'Iv  took  from  her 


li*;l  'H 


rA^N: 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


167 


LeoVic,  duke  of  Mercia,  wore  immediately  sent  to  Worcester  with  a 
powerful  force,  and  with  orders  to  destroy  tlie  city.  They  actually  did 
set  fire  to  it  and  gave  it  up  to  the  pillage  of  the  soldiery,  but  they  saved 
the  lives  of  the  inhabitants  until  the  king's  anger  'vas  cooled,  and  he 
gave  Ihem  a  formal  pardon. 

Though  possessed  of  uncommon  bodily  strength,  Hardicanute  was  an 
iltra  Northman  in  the  habit  of  drinking  to  excess,  and  he  had  scarcely 
reigned  two  years,  when,  being  at  the  wedding-feast  of  a  Danish  uoble- 
ivan,  he  indulged  to  such  an  extent  that  he  died  on  the  spot. 


he 
ol- 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  REIGN  OF  EDWARD  THE  CONFESSOR. 

A.  0.  1042. — SwEYN,  the  remaining  son  of  Canute,  was  in  Norway  wnen 
Hardicanute  thus  suddenly  died,  and  as  there  was  no  one  whom  the 
Danes  could  set  up  in  his  place,  or  Jis  his  representative,  the  Knglish  had 
a  most  favourable  opportunity  to  place  upon  the  throne  a  prince  of  their 
own  race.  The  real  English  heir  was  undoubtedly  the  elder  son  of  Ed- 
mund Ironside;  but  that  prince  and  his  brother  were  in  Hungary,  and 
Edward,  the  son  of  Elhelred,  was  at  the  English  court,  and  the  necessity 
of  instant  action  to  prevent  the  Danes  from  recovering  from  their  sur- 
prise was  too  obvious  to  allow  the  English  to  affect  upon  this  occasion  a 
punctiliousness  upon  direct  succession  which  they  had  not  yet  learned  to 
feel. 

There  was  but  one  apparent  obstacle  of  any  magnitude  to  the  peace- 
able succession  of  Edward,  and  that  was  the  feud  existing  l)etwcen  him 
and  the  powerful  Earl  (iodwin  relative  to  the  deatli  of  Prince  Alfred. 
So  powerful  was  Godwin  at  this  time,  that  his  opposition  would  have 
been  far  too  great  for  Edward's  means  to  surmount.  Hut  Godwin's 
power  lay  principally  in  Wessex,  which  was  almost  exclusively  inhabited 
by  Knglish,  among  whom  Edward's  claiin  was  very  popular;  and  as  Ed- 
ward's friends  induced  him  to  disavow  all  rancour  against  Godwin,  and 
pveu  to  consen'  to  marry  his  daughter  Edittia,  the  powerful  and  crafty 
carl  easily  consented  to  insure  his  daughter  a  throne.  He  forthwith 
summoned  a  council,  at  which  he  so  well  managed  matters,  that  while 
the  majority  were  English,  and  in  favour  of  Edward,  the  few  Danes  were 
fairly  silenced,  and  the  more  easily  because  whatever  warmth  might  be 
ill  their  individual  feelings  towards  the  ab'-oni,  Sweyn,  they  had  no  leader 
of  influence  to  unite  them,  or  of  eloquence  to  impress  and  support  their 
wishes. 

The  joy  of  the  English  on  finding  the  government  once  more  in  the 
hands  of  a  native  prince  was  excessive,  and  would  have  been  attended 
with  extensive  ill  consequences  to  the  Danes,  had  not  the  king  very  equi- 
tably interposed  on  their  behalf.  As  it  was,  they  suffered  not  a  little  in 
property,  for  one  of  the  first  acta  of  tin;  king's  reign  was  to  revoke  all 
the  grants  of  his  Danish  predecessors,  who  had  heaped  large  possessions 
upon  their  fellow-countrymen.  In  very  many  cases  it  may  be  assumed 
that  the  grants  had  been  made  unjustly;  but  the  English  made  no  dis- 
tinction between  cases,  ai\d  heartily  rejoiced  to  see  the  resumption  of  the 
grants  reducing  many  of  the  hated  Danes  to  their  original  poverty.  To 
his  mother,  the  queen  Emma,  Edward  behaved  with  an  unpardonable 
severity ;  unpardonable,  cen  admitting  that  he  was  right  when  he  af- 
firmed that,  having  been  so  miich  better  treated  by  Canute  than  by  Ethel- 
red,  stie  had  always  given  the  preference  to  Hardicanute,  and  held  her 
children  by  Ethelred  in  comparative  contempt  or  indifference.  He  not 
wlv  took  from  her  the  great  riches  which  she  had  heaped  up,  but  also 


^"^^I'i^'  i' it'll 
^''' ■ffi 


if;* 


!i    If 


,r^** 


168 


THE  T11EA8URV  OP  HISTORY. 


:'?*'» 


committed  her  to  close  custody  in  ;i  nunnciy  at  Wincbcster.  Soma 
writers  have  gone  so  fur  us  to  say  that  lie  accused  her  of  the  absurdly 
im|)r()l)al)le  crime  of  haviujf  connived  at  the  murder  of  the  prince  Alfred, 
and  that  Kmm'i  purged  herself  of  this  guilt  by  the  snarvellous  ordeal  of 
walkinff  barefooted  over  nine  red-hot  ploughshares ;  hut  the  monks,  to 
whom  ICmma  was  profusely  liberal,  needed  not  to  have  added  fable  to 
the  unfortunate  truth  of  the  king's  unnatural  treatment  of  his  t^wicc  wid- 
owed mother. 

Apart  from  mere  feelings  of  nationality,  the  desire  of  the  English  to 
see  their  tlirone  filled  by  a  man  of  their  own  race  was,  no  doubt,  greatly 
excited  by  tlieir  unwillingness  to  see  lands  and  lucrative  places  bestowed 
by  stranger  kings  upon  stranger  courtiers.  In  tiiis  respect,  however,  tlio 
accession  of  Edward  was  by  no  means  so  advantageous  to  the  English  as 
they  had  anticipated.  Edward  had  lived  so  much  in  Normandy  that  he 
had  become  almost  a  Frenchman  in  his  tastes  and  habits,  and  it  wag 
almost  exclusively  among  Frcncumen  that  he  had  formed  his  friendships, 
and  now  chose  his  favourites  and  confidants.  In  the  disposal  of  civil  and 
military  employments  the  king  acted  with  great  fairness  towards  the 
English,  but  as  the  Normans  who  thronged  his  courts  were  both  more 
polished  and  more  learned,  it  was  among  them  principally  that  he  dis- 
posed  of  the  ecclesiastical  dignities,  and  from  them  that  he  chiefly  select- 
ed his  advisers  and  intimate  companions.  The  favour  thus  shown  to  tlic 
Normans  gave  great  disgust  to  tlie  English,  and  especially  to  the  powcr- 
fid  Godwin,  who  was  too  greedy  of  power  and  patronage  to  look  with 
complacency  upon  any  rivals  in  the  king's  good  graces. 

He  was  the  more  olfended  lliat  the  exchisive  favour  of  the  king  did  not 
fall  upon  him  and  his  family,  because,  independent  of  the  king  having 
married  the  earl's  daughter  Editha,  lUv  mere  power  of  Oodwin's  own 
family  was  so  princely  as  to  give  him  higli  claims,  whiirh  he  was  by  no 
means  inclined  to  imderrate.  He  himself  was  earl  of  VVessex,  to  which 
extensive  government  the  counties  of  Kent  and  Sussex  were  addcij; 
Swcyn,  his  eldest  son,  had  like  authority  over  the  ccunties  of  Hereford, 
Gloucester,  Oxford,  and  Hcrks  ;  while  Harold,  his  second  son,  was  duke 
of  East  Anglia,  with  Essex  added  to  his  government. 

Possessed  of  such  extensive  power,  still  secretly  hating  Edward  on  ac 
count  of  tlieir  open  feud  about  the  murder  of  Prince  Alfred,  and  consid- 
ering tiiat  to  his  forbearau(;c  alone,  or  principally,  Edward  owed  liig 
thrmie,  (Jodwin,  'vho  was  naturally  haughty,  was  not  inclined  to  bear  the 
neglect  of  the  king  without  showing  his  sense  of  it,  and  his  ill-humour 
was  the  more  deep  and  the  more  bitterly  expressed,  because  his  daughter 
Editha  as  well  as  himself  suffered  from  the  king's  neglect.  The  king 
had  married  her,  indeed,  in  compliance  witli  his  solemn  promise,  but  he 
would  never  live  with  her.  His  determination  on  this  head  was  rightly 
attributed  by  Godwin  to  his  having  transferred  to  the  daughter  a  part  of 
the  hatred  he  entertained  for  the  father,  though  the  monks,  witii  their 
iisu.d  ingenuity  in  finding  piety  where  no  one  else  would  think  of  look- 
ing for  it,  attribute  this  conduct  to  his  religious  feeling;  and  to  this  con- 
duct it  is  that  he  chiefly  owed  the  being  honoured  by  the  irtouks  with  the 
respectable  surname  of  The  Confessor. 

A.n.  1018. — Entertaining  strong  feelings  of  both  disappointment  and  dis- 
contei.t,  it  was  not  likely  that  a  nobleman  of  Godwin's  great  power  and 
great  ill-temper  too,  would  fail  to  find  some  pretext  upon  which  to  break 
out  into  open  quarrel.  Politic  as  he  was  ill  tempered.  (Jodwin  seized  upon 
t!ie  favouritism  of  the  king  towards  the  Normans  as  a  cause  of  quarrel 
upon  which  he  was  sure  to  have  tiio  sympathy  of  the  English,  who  were 
lo  the  full  as  much  prejudiced  as  himself  against  the  foreigners. 

While  Godwin  was  thus  anxious  to  quarrel  with  the  king  whom  he  had 
done  so  much  to  put  upon  the  I'lroue,  and  only  wailing  for  the  occurrence 


THE  TIlISASUllY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


16 


ol  an  occasion  sufllcicnily  plausible  to  liiilo  his  meaner  and  more  entirely 
ncrsniKil  inoiivcs,  it  chanced  that  Kustacc,  count  of  BouU)^nie,  passed 
liiri)iij;li  Dover  on  iiis  way  haci<  to  his  own  country  after  a  visit  paid  to  the 
En;.'h!<h  court.  An  attendant  upon  '.'ic  count  <roi  into  adispnt(!  with  a  man 
It  whose  house  ho  was  (|uartercd  and  wounded  him  ;  tiie  neighbours  in- 
lerfcrod,  and  itic  count's  attend'.nt  was  slain;  a  general  battle  took  place 
between  the  count's  suite  and  the  townspeople,  and  the  former  got  so  much 
the  worst  of  the  alTray,  that  the  (rount  himself  had  some  dirtlculty  in  sav 
iiiir  ins  life  by  (lijflit.  The  king  was  not  merely  angry,  but  felt  scandal- 
ized that  forei-gners  who  had  just  partaken  of  his  hospitality  should  be  thus 
roughly  used  by  his  subjects,  and  Ik!  ordered  (Jodwin — to  whom,  as  we 
have  said,  the  governnnnit  of  Kent  belonged — to  make  inquiry  into  the  af- 
fair, and  to  punish  llie  guilty.  Hut  (iodwin,  who  was  delighted  at  an  oc- 
currence which  furnished  him  with  a  pretext  at  once  plausible  and  popular 
for  (inarrelling  with  his  sovereign  and  sonin-law,  promptly  refused  to 
piniisli  tiie  Dover  men,  whom  ho  alledged  to  have  been  extremely  ill-treated 
by  the  foreigners.  ICdward  had  long  been  aware  of  the  hostile  feelings 
of  Ciodwin,  but  as  he  was  also  aware  of  the  very  great  and  widely-spread 
power  of  that  noble,  he  had  prudently  endeavoured  to  avoid  all  occasion 
of  open  disagreement.  IJut  this  blank  refusal  of  the  earl  to  obey  his  orders 
provoked  the  king  so  nuKdi,  that  he  threatened  Oodwin  with  the  full  weight 
of  his  displeasure  if  he  dared  to  persevere  in  his  disobedience. 

Aware,  and  iirobably  not  sorry,  that  an  open  rupture  was  now  almost 
niiavoiilal)le,  dodwin  assembled  a  force  and  inarched  towards  Glouces- 
ter, wtnre  the  king  was  then  residing  with  no  oilier  guard  than  his  or- 
dinary retiiuK!.  Ivlward,  on  hearing  of  the  approach  and  hostile  bearing 
of  his  too  r.otent  fatiier-in-law,  applied  for  aid  to  Siward  and  I.cofric,  tlio 
powerful  dukes  uf  .Nortiiumbeiland  and  Mercia,  and  to  give  them  lime  to 
ailil  to  the  forces  witii  which  they  on  the  inslant  proceeded  to  aid  him,  ho 
opened  a  ncgoti.iiion  with  (iodwin.  Wily  as  the  earl  was,  he  on  this  oc- 
ciisiiin  forgot  till!  reb(d  nia.Min — that  he  who  draws  the  sword  against  his 
sovereign  shoulil  throw  away  the  scabbard.  lie  allowed  the  king  to 
aiiuise  liim  with  messages  and  proposals,  while  the  king's  friends  were 
raising  a  force  sufliciently  powerful  to  assure  him  success  should  theqnar 
rel  proceed  to  blows.  As  the  descendant  of  a  long  lino  of  Kiiglish  kings, 
and  himself  a  king  rimiarkable  for  huunine  and  just  conduct,  Mdward  had 
a  popularity  whicli  not  even  his  somewhat  overweening  partiality  to  for- 
ei^niers  could  abate  ;  and  when  his  subjects  learned  that  he  was  in  danger 
from  the  anger  and  ambition  of  Godwin,  they  hastened  to  his  defence  in 
such  nuinbers  thai  he  was  able  to  summon  him  to  answer  for  his  treason- 
able conduct.  IJolh  (Jodwiii  and  his  sons,  who  had  joined  in  the  rebellion, 
professed  perfect  willingness  to  proceed  to  London  to  answer  for  their 
conduct,  on  condition  that  tlnjy  should  receive  hostages  for  their  personal 
safety  and  fair  trial.  But  the  king  was  now  far  too  powerful  to  grant 
any  such  terms,  and  (iodwin  and  his  sons  perceiving  that  in  negotiating 
Midi  the  king  while  he  was  but  slenderly  attended  they  had  lost  the  golden 
opportunity  of  wresting  the  sovereignity  from  him,  hastily  disbanded  their 
troops  and  went  abroad  ;  Godwin  and  three  of  his  sons  taking  refuge  with 
lialihviii,  earl  of  Flanders,  and  his  other  two  sons  taking  shelter  in  Ireland. 

Having  thus  for  the  time  got  rid  of  enemies  so  powerful,  the  king  be- 
Btowed  their  estates  and  governments  upon  some  of  his  favourites ;  and 
as  he  no  longer  thought  himself  obliged  to  keep  any  terms  with  his  im- 
perious father- in-law,  ho  thrust  Queen  Kditha,  whom  he  had  never  loved, 
into  a  convent  at  VVherwtdl. 

lUii  the  ruin  of  the  powerful  Godwin  was  more  apparent  than  real;  he 
had  numerous  friends  in  Kngland,  nor  was  he  without  such  foreign  alli- 
ances as  would  still  enable  him  to  give  those  friends  an  opportunity  ol 
serving  him.     His  ally,  the  earl  of  Flanders,  who  was  the  more  interested 


'■'Mi 


Mi 


•'fcli^ii 


-^?i> 


<  n 


III 


160 


THE  TllBASUUY  OF   IIISTOIIY 


i    ,i  •      ■! 


:'l     ' 


\ 


■■'■:*. 


mu 


in  his  l)c!ialf  on  accoiiiu  of  Godwin's  son  Tosli  liuviiig  iiijirricd  ihi  i-at  s 
daughter,  gave  bin)  tli''  use  of  liis  liiiiiuairs  in  wliidi  to  assemble  a  flt^-t, 
and  assisted  him  to  hiir  and  puri^hase  vessels;  and  Oodwin,  liaviiig  com- 
pleted liis  preparations,  made  an  attempt  to  surjjrise  Sandwich.  Ihit  Kd 
ward  had  constantly  been  informed  of  liie  earl's  movements,  and  had  a  far 
sup(!rior  force  ready  to  meet  him.  Godwin,  wlio  depended  fully  as  much 
upon  policy  as  upon  force,  returned  to  Flanders,  trusting  that  lusso(.miiig 
relinquishtnent  of  his  design  would  throw  Kd  ward  off  his  guard.  It  turned 
out  precisely  as  Godwin  had  anticijiated.  Kdward  neglected  his  fleet  and 
allowed  his  seamen  to  disperse,  and  Godwin,  informed  of  this,  suddenly 
sailed  for  the  Isle  of  While,  where  he  was  joined  by  an  Irish  force  under 
Harold.  Seizing  the  vessels  in  the  southern  ports,  and  summoning  all 
his  friends  in  those  parts  to  aid  him  in  obtainmg  justice,  he  was  able  to 
enter  the  Thames  and  appear  before  London  with  an  overwhelming  force. 
Edward  was  undismayed  by  the  power  of  the  rebel  earl,  and  as  lie  was 
determined  to  defend  himself  to  the  utmost,  a  eivil  war  of  the  worst  de- 
scriptioi!  would  most  probably  have  ensued  but  for  the  interference  of  the 
nobles,  Many  nf  these  were  secretly  friends  of  Godwin,  and  all  of  them 
were  very  desirous  to  accommodate  matters,  and  the  results  of  their  time- 
ly mediation  was  a  treaty,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  on  the  one  hand  that 
the  obnoxious  foreigners  should  be  sent  from  the  country,  and  on  the  other, 
that  (iodwin  sliduld  give  hostages  for  his  future  good  behaviour.  This  he 
did,  and  I'Mwanl  sent  the  hostages  over  to  Normandy,  being  conscious 
that  he  could  not  safely  keep  them  at  his  own  court. 

Tiiongh  a  civil  war  was  undoubtedly  for  the  present  averted  by  this 
treaty  between  the  king  and  (iodwin,  yet  the  ill  example  thus  given  of  the 
necessities  of  the  king  compelling  him  to  treat  as  upon  equal  terms  with 
his  vass:'.l,  woidd  proi)ab|y  have  [irochiced  farther  and  more  mischievous 
acts  of  presumption  on  the  part  of  (iodwin,  but  for  his  death,  which  sud- 
denly occurred  as  he  was  dining  with  the  king  shortly  after  this  hollow 
reconciliation  had  bee;i  patched  up  between  then). 

(iodwin  was  succeeded  both  in  his  governments  and  in  the  very  impor- 
tant office  of  steward  of  tiie  king's  lioiis(.'hold  by  his  son  Harold,  who  had 
nil  his  father's  ambition,  together  with  a  self-command  and  seeming  hu- 
mility far  more  dangerous,  because  more  diflicult  to  be  guarded  against, 
than  his  father's  impetuous  violence.  Although  unavoidably  prejudiced 
against  him  on  account  of  his  parentage,  Kdward  was  won  by  his  seeming 
humility  and  anxiety  to  |)lease.  llut  though  Kdward  could  not  refuse  him 
his  personal  esteem,  his  jealousy  was  awakened  by  the  anxiety  and  suc- 
cess with  which  Harold  endeavoured  to  make  partizans ;  and,  in  order  to 
curb  his  ambition,  he  played  off  a  rival  against  him  in  the  person  of  Algar, 
son  of  Lcofric  duke  of  "Mercia,  upon  whom  was  conferred  Harold's  old 
ffovernment  of  Kast  An^lia.  Uiil  this  no. able  expedient  of  the  king  whol- 
ly failed.  Instead  of  the  power  of  Algar  balancing  that  of  Harold,  the 
disputes  between  the  two  rivals  proceeded  to  actual  warfare,  in  whicli,  as 
usual,  the  unoffending  peo[)le  were  the  greatest  sufferers.  The  death  ol 
both  Algar  and  his  father  put  an  end  to  this  rivalry,  or  probably  the  very 
means  which  the  king  had  taken  to  preserve  his  authority  would  have 
wholly  and  fatidly  subv«'rted  it. 

A.D.  10.55. — 'I'hcrc;  was  now  but  one  rival  from  whom  Harold  could  feai 
any  effectual  competition;  Siward,  duke  of  Northumberland;  and  hii 
death  speedily  left  Harold  without  peer  and  without  competitor.  Siward 
had  greatly  distinguished  himself  in  the  only  foreign  expedition  of  this 
reign,  which  wns  undertaken  to  restore  Malcolm,  king  of  Scotland,  who 
had  been  chased  from  that  kingdom  after  the  murder  of  his  father.  King 
Duncan,  by  a  traitorous  noble  named  Macbeth.  In  this  expedition  Siward 
was  fully  successful ;  but  unfortunately,  though  he  defeated  and  slew  the 
B.surper,  Macbeth,  he  in  the  same  action  lost  his  eldest  son,  Osborne,  who 


4M-  4 


THE  TREA9tJUY  OF  IIISTOllY. 


ini 


had  !,Mven  liiyli  promise  of  both  will  and  power  to  iipliold  tlic  glory  of  his 

family. 

Sivviird's  character  had  much  of  the  Spartan  resolution.     Ho  was  con 
sdled  for  the  death  of  his  gallant  son  wIk'H  he  learoi-d  that  his  wounds 
were  all  in  front;  and  when  he  felt  the  hand  of  death  upon  himself  he  had 
his  armour  cleaned  and  a  spear  placed  in  his  hand,  that,  as  he  said,  he 
uii^dit  meet  death  in  a  {ji'is*)  worthy  of  r.  noble  and  a  warrior. 

Owing  to  the  health  of  the  king  being  fast  declining,  and  Im  havinij  no 
cliiklroii,  hi"  grew  anxious  about  the  sucee.ssiou ;  and  as  he  saw  ihat  Har- 
old was  sudleiently  ainl)itious  to  seizi;  upon  the  crown,  he  sent  to  Hunga- 
ry for  his  eld«;r  brolher's  son  Edward.  Tiiat  prince  died  almost  imnuuli- 
Htely  after  his  arrival  in  Kngland  ;  and  ihouiili  the  title  of  his  son  Kdgar 
Atiiciiiig  would  have  hceu  fully  as  gooil  ami  indisputal>le  as  his  own,  Hilgiii* 
did  not,  to  the  ai.xi((us  eyes  of  the  king,  seem  eitlur  by  years  or  eliaraeter 
a  competent  authority  to  curb  the  so.iring  ambition  cf  Harold.  Willing  to 
ece  any  one  rather  than  Harold  secure  in  tiie  succession,  tiie  king  turned 
his  alleiilion  to  William,  duke  of  Normnndy.  'i'iiis  prince  w^is  the  natural 
son  of  William,  duke  of  iNormaiuly,  by  Harlotta,  tlie  daughter  of  a  tamier 
of  the  town  of  Falaisi;;  but  illegiliui  M'y  in  that  ag(?  was  little  regarded. 
He  had  shown  great  vigour  and  capacity  in  putting  down  the  ii|)|)usition 
made  to  his  succession  to  the  duki'dom,  and  thougii  he  was  of  very  tender 
ace  when  his  father  died,  his  eonduct,  both  at  that  dilTicult  crisis  and  in 
las  sul)se(iuetit  government,  fully  justillcd  tht;  high  opinion  of  him  whi(di 
had  iiulnced  his  father  to  becpicalli  to  him  the  dukedom,  to  the  prejudice 
of  other  hraiudies  of  the  ducal  family.  He  had  |)aid  a  visit  to  Kiiul.iiid  and 
(jaiiied  much  upon  the  good  opinion  of  Kdward,  who  had  actually  made 
known  to  him  liis  intention  of  making  him  his  heir  even  beft)re  he  sent  to 
lliiiigaiy  for  Prince  Kdward  and  his  f;iiiiily. 

Harold,  though  by  no  means  ignorant  of  the  king's  desire  to  exclude 
liim  from  all  chance  of  succeeding  to  the  liironc,  steadfastly  ])ursiied  his 
plan  of  conciliating  tlie  powerful,  and  making  himself  noted  as  the  friend 
aiiil  .otector  of  the  weak.  In  this  respect  he  was  eminently  successful, 
bill  there  was  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  filial  triuniph  from  which  he 
anlKiitatcd  very  great  dillii'iilly.  Anioiii,'  the  hostages  i;iven  by  bis  father, 
Hail  <!iidwiii,  wert?  a  son  and  a  grandson  of  that  nobleman;  and  when 
Harold  perceived  that  Duke  William,  to  whose  custody  the  hostages  were 
committed,  had  hopes  of  being  left  heir  to  the  Miiglisli  crown,  he  natural- 
ly became  anxious  about  the  coiisecpienres  of  his  iiitcndi'd  rivalry  to  rela- 
tives so  near.  'I'o  gel  them  t)ut  of  the  duke'.s  jiower  [invious  to  the  death 
of  the  king  was  of  the  utmost  importance;  and  h(Ni[)plied  to  the  king  for 
lliiir  release,  dwelling  much  upon  the  c(Mislant  nbedienee  and  dutifulnesg 
ofliis  condiK't,  upon  wlm  !i  he  argued  it  was  in  some  sort  an  injurious  re- 
llection  longer  to  keep  'Ik;  hostages.  As  his  conduct  really  hail  been 
to  ;ill  apjicaranccs  of  unbroken  faith  and  undevialing  loyalty,  the  king  was 
unable  to  tuake  any  sulid  n  ly  to  his  arguments,  and  at  length  yielded  the 
point  and  empowi'reil  Harold  to  go  to  Normandy  and  release  them.  IIo 
iKistencd  to  fulfil  this  very  agreeable  commission,  but  a  violent  tempest 
iirosc  while  he  was  at  sea  and  drove  him  ashore  iiiion  the  territory  of  (iiiy, 
coiiiU  of  I'onthieu,  who  made  him  prisoner  in  the  hope  of  extorting  a  very 
l:irge  sum  from  him  by  the  way  of  ransom.  Harold  sent  to  the  duke  of 
Niinnandy  for  aid  in  this  dihnnma,  representing  that  the  diike'i  honour  as 
well  as  his  liberty  was  infringed  by  this  imprisonment  of  a  nobleman 
boniid  to  tiie  court  of  Normandy.  Nothing  could  have  happened  more 
ii[;ri'al)le  to  the  wishes  of  William,  who.  if  of  a  more  hasty  temperament 
than  Harold,  was  no  less  politic, ;  and  he  at  once  clearly  perceived  that 
lliis  uncxpccled  incident  would  give  trim  the  means  of  |)ractising  upon  his 
only  formidable  competitor  for  the  English  tlnone.  He  immeiliatily  dis- 
patched a  messenger  tt)  demand  the  liberty  of  Harold;  and  the  count  of 

I.— a 


1:1 


I» 


«  ■:::/ 


:i  j/Kfiit 


m 


1 


l,iS  TUB  TRKA8UIIY  t)b'  HISTOliy. 

Poriiliicii  complied  on  llio  instant,  not  darinf?  to  irritoto  so  waHiko  nnd 
powerful  a  prince;  is  Duke  William.  Harold  llirn  proceeded  to  William's 
court  at  R,(iuen,  where  lie  wjim  received  with  every  demonstraiion  of  tliu 
warmest  good  will.  William  professed  the  {,'reatest  willinjriies.s  to  pivc 
up  th(!  hosia^fes,  and  at  the  same  lime  look  the  opportunity — as  if  ignorant 
ofllarold'H  uwii  secret  intentions — to  beg  Iuh  aid  in  his  prelensiuns  to  the 
crown  of  ICnj^land,  assuring  liim  in  return  of  an  increase  to  the  grandeur 
and  power  already  enjoyed  hy  his  own  family,  and  od'ering  liini  adanglilcr 
of  his  own  in  marriage.  Though  Harold  had  the  least  possihle  desire  to 
aid  in  his  own  defeat,  he  clearly  enough  saw  that  if  he  were  to  refuse  to 

[iromisc  it  lie  would  be  made  a  prisoner  in  Normandy  for  the  remainder  of 
lis  life.  Jle  agreed,  therefore  to  give  William  his  support.  Uut  a  nicro 
promise  would  not  serve;  William's  turn,  In;  r<'(|iiireil  an  oath,  and  as  oaths 
Bworn  upon  rcli(|ues  were  in  that  ago  d(;emcd  of  more;  tlian  usual  saiK.'lity, 
he  had  some  reliqucs  of  the  most  venerated  martyrs  privately  hidden  he- 
neatli  the  altar  on  which  Harold  was  sworn  ;  and,  to  awe  him  from  hr(  ak- 
iiig  his  oath,  showed  tli(;ni  to  him  at  the  conclnsion  of  tlic  cerenioMy, 
Harold  was  both  surprised  anil  annoyed  at  the  slirewd  precaution  of  lae 
duke,  l)ut  was  too  politic  to  allow  his  concern  to  appear. 

Imagining  that  he  had  now  fully  secured  the  support  of  Harold  instead 
of  having  to  fear  his  opposition,  \Villiam  allowed  him  to  depart  with  many 
expressions  of  favour  and  friendship,  lint  Harold  had  no  sooner 
obtained  his  own  liberty  and  that  of  his  relatives,  than  ho  began  to  exort 
crt  liimsidf  to  sugg(;st  reasons  for  breaking  tin;  oath  whi(di  actual  thuu;r]i 
nominal  dunince  had  extorted  from  him,  and  the  accompaniment  of  which 
had  been  brought  about  by  an  overt  fraud.  He  shut  his  ejes  upon  the 
fact  that,  having  consented  to  take  tht;  oath,  it  really  mattcrcii  liiih;  wlic- 
ther  he  was  aware  or  not  of  tin*  presence  of  the  reliques  ;  had  they  not 
been  there  his  oath  would  still  be  in  full  force,  and  he  could  only  art 
in  contravention  of  it  by  gross  perjury.  Determined  to  havi;  the  crown  if 
possibh;,  even  at  this  fearful  price,  he  now  re<louliied  his  efTorts  at  gaining 
public  favour,  hoping  that  Ins  superior  popularity  would  deliir  tlic  kini,' 
from  making  any  further  advances  to  Duke  William,  and  relying,  in  tlio 
last  resort,  upon  the  armed  defence  of  i!ie  naliDii.  In  pursuance  of  this 
plan  he  headed  an  expedition  against  the  Wrdsh,  and  pr(;ssed  tlicin  to  such 
straits  that  they  beheaded  their  prince,  firilfith,  and  consented  to  be  gov 
erned  by  two  noblemen  appointed  by  Kdward. 

The  popidarity  he  gained  in  this  expedition  was  greatly  enlianccd  hy  his 

eolilic  and  ostentatious  display  of  rigid  partiality  in  a  ease  in  which  liis 
rother,  Tosti,  duke  of  Northumberland,  was  a  principal  party.  Tosti  liaj 
conducted  himself  with  such  tyrannical  violence  that  the  Norlhumhriaiis 
expelled  him  ;  and  the  deceased  Duke  Lcofric's  grandsons,  Morcar  ami 
Edward,  having  sided  with  the  peoj)lc,  the  former  was  hy  them  elected  to 
bo  their  duke.  The  king  eomniissoiied  Harold  to  put  down  this  insurn  ■■ 
tion,  which  it  was  naturally  supposed  tliat  he  would  be  all  the  more  /i  i- 
0118  in  doing,  as  the  intcrc  ;ts  of  his  own  brother  were  concerned.  Hut  Mor- 
car, having  demanded  a  (lonfcrence  with  Harold,  gave  him  such  proofs 
of  the  misconduct  of  Tosti,  and  appealed  so  flatteringly  to  his  own  vriy 
opposite  conduct,  that  Harold  not  merely  withdrew  the  army  with  wliicli 
he  was  about  to  chastise  the  Northumbrians,  hut  made  such  a  r(;[)rcs('iita- 
tion  of  the  case  as  induced  the  king  not  only  to  [)ardon  the  Norlhnnibri- 
ans  but  also  to  confirm  Morcar  in  'I'osti's  govcinment.  Tosti  fled  to  \hc, 
court  of  Flanders,  but  suhsecpiently  took  an  o|)portunity  to  show  the  extent 
of  his  dissatisfaction  with  his  brother's  decision. 

Shortly  after  this  affair  Harold  married  the  sister  of  Morcar,  a  slnp 
which  plainly  intimated  how  little  he  held  himself  bound  to  perforin  the 
sworn  engagements  to  William  of  Normandy.  In  fact  he  was  now  80 
very  popular,  that  he  made  no  secret  of  his  pretension  to  the  throne,  but 


rfpenly  urjfed 

.0  wear  iho  K 

ceed  Kdwurd 

succession  (Jj 

weak  ill  both  i 

iuccession  of 

The  king  ha 

approaching  ei 

lie  cmild  not  i 

pfdicy,  or  arms 

ttixty-fifih  yeai 

(iodwin  and  Hi 

liini  by  siipcrio 

'iii't,  mainly  aiti 

h-  «eak  and  suj 

i'l'iids,  it  is  prol 

Nliortcned.     Thi 

iialed  with  this 


AD.  »0()r;.— Th 
probable,  that  Ha 
mcrofact  of  his  h 
over  his  Norman 
erfulhy  their  wea 
Neither  Duke  Wi 
was  taken  for  gra 
leiited  by  that  of  t 
without  even  wait 
lie  was  crowned  d 
cease  of  Kdward 
assuuiptioii  as  it  s. 
iar,  and  the  Norm; 
"11  account  of  tliei 
was  ill  KngiaiuJ,  I, 
"ishroiher  Tosti, 
of  '■'landers  ever  s'l 
"lathis  time  was  il 
fluenco  with  the  r al 
raise  forces,  and  ji  J 
''arntojoinhiminr 
"us  last  step  Tol 
''am  was  far  too  inf 
'"■^''ig.     He  had  all 
'""Kilt  for  the  throl 
I's  possible  with  tj 
"arold  to  perform  tl 
"an  oath.     Ifaroli 
''freason  tothedulf 
h''e"  extorted  from! 
l)0(lily  terror,  and  \i 
mnm  could  not  ln| 
ha'  himsel/,  he  addf 
9f  Ins  people,  and 


^:m 


TUB  TU1CA8URY  OF  HldTOaV. 


IflS 


rfpeiily  urgfed  lliat  as  KilRiir  Atlicliiig  was  by  all  iicknowlodgcd  to  be  iinflt 
,0  wear  ilio  Kiigiish  crown,  liu  was  Itie  lUlest  muii  m  the  nation  to  suc- 
ceed Kdward  ;  and  Ihaiigli  lliu  kinjf  was  loo  niucli  opposed  to  llarold's 
guc'i-ession  directly  and  |)OMitively  to  sanction  his  pretension,  he  was  loo 
weak  in  both  mind  and  body  to  take  any  oncrgulic  steps  for  securing  tho 
succession  of  William. 

The  king  had  lon<>  licen  visibly  sinking,  and  yet  though  conscious  of  his 
tt|»proachiiig  end,  and  really  anxious  to  prevent  the  accession  of  Harold, 
lie  could  not  muster  resolution  to  invito  Duke  William,  but  left  chance, 
policy,  or  arms  to  decide  tho  succession  at  his  death,  which  occnrcd  in  the 
sixiy-fifih  year  of  his  age  and  tho  twonty-fifth  of  his  reign.  Though  both 
Godwin  and  Harold  excited  his  dislike  by  the  inlUiuncc  they  a  quired  over 
him  by  superior  talent  and  energy,  tho  peacoableiiess  of  his  rtign  was,  in 
liict,  mainly  attributable  to  tlieir  power  and  influence.  Kdward  was  natural- 
ly weak  and  superstitious,  and  if  it  had  chanced  that  he  had  fallen  iiitoo'her 
iiniiils,  it  is  probable  that  his  reign  would  have  been  both  tro-bled  and 
Nliortcued.  The  superstitious  custom  of  touching  for  the  king's  >.  /il  origi- 
iiuted  with  this  prince. 


.1,  i¥'-    ( 


CHAPTKIt  XII. 


TIIF.    I'.K.IUN    OP    IIAUOLD    THE    SECONU, 

A.I).  »or)ii. — The  death  of  Kdward  the  Confessor  had  so  long 


been 
probable,  that  Harold  had  ample  time  to  make  his  preparations,  and  in  the 
iiii'rc  fact  of  Ins  being  on  tho  spot  ho  had  a  great  and  manifest  advantage 
over  his  Norman  rival.  Not  only  were  Ins  partizans  numerous  and  pow- 
erful by  their  wealth  and  stations,  they  were  also  compactly  organized. 
Neitlicr  Duke  William  nor  Kdgar  Atheliiig  was  formally  proposed,  but  if. 
was  taken  for  granted  that  tho  unanimous  voice  of  the  people  was  repre- 
lented  by  that  of  tho  lay  and  clerical  nobles  who  surrounded  Harold  ,  and, 
without  oven  waitiii{»  for  the  formal  sanction  of  the  states  of  the  kingdom, 
lie  was  crowned  by  the  archbishop  of  V'ork  on  tho  very  day  after  tho  de- 
cease of  Kdward.  Nor,  in  fact,  was  the  consent  of  the  nation  so  mere  an 
assumption  as  it  sometimes  has  been  ;  for  Harold  was  universally  popu- 
lar, and  the  Normans  were  as  universally  hated  as  foreigners,  and  feared 
on  account  of  their  fierce  and  warlike  character.  iUit  pi^nular  as  Harold 
was  in  Hngland,  he  was  not  lonqj  allowed  to  enjoy  his  elo'  tn-w  in  peace. 
His  brother  Tosli,  who  had  remained  in  voluntary  bunishiir-V'  at  tho  court 
of  Flanders  ever  since  Harold's  memorable  decision  against  liim,  deemed 
tiiatliis  time  was  now  arrived  to  t  tko  revenge.  Ho  exerted  his  utmost  in- 
fluence with  tho  earl  of  Flanders,  ami  sent  messengers  into  Norway  to 
raise  forces,  and  journeyed  personally  to  Normmidy  lo  engage  Uuke  Wil 
liam  to  join  liiin  in  avenging  both  their  grievances. 

This  last  stepTosti  had  not  the  slightest  occ.ision  to  take,  for  Duke  Wil- 
liam was  far  too  much  enraged  at  Harold's  breach  of  faith  to  require  any 
urging.  He  had  already  determined  that  Harold  should  at  the  least  have 
lotiglit  for  the  throne  ;  but  as  it  was  obviously  important  to  stand  as  well 
ns  possible  with  tho  F.nglisli  people,  he  sent  ambassadors  stnTimoiiing 
Harold  to  perform  the  promise  ho  had  made  under  iho  most  solemn  form 
of  an  oath.  Harold  replied  at  some  hMigth  and  with  considerable  show 
if  reason  to  tho  duke's  message.  As  related  to  his  oath,  he  said,  that  had 
i)cen  extorted  from  him  uiuh^r  circumstances  of  durance  and  well-grounded 
bodily  terror,  and  was  coiisecpiently  mill;  and,  moreover,  he  as  a  private 
perfon  could  not  lawfully  swear  to  forward  the  duke's  pretentions.  He 
tiad  himsell,  he  added,  boon  raised  to  tho  throne  by  the  unanimous  voice 
of  his  people,  and  he  would  indeed  be  unworthy  of  their  love  and  trust 


mr:, 


Ib4 


THE  TREASrjllY  OF  HISTORY. 


V  iii 


m  ■-!■ 


.'im 


n  ':t 


were  he  not  prepared  to  defend  the  liberties  they  had  entrusted  in  his 
care.  Finally,  he  said,  should  the  duke  attempt  by  force  of  arms  to  dis- 
turb him  and  his  kingdom,  he  would  soon  Inarn  how  great  is  the  power 
of  a  united  people,  led  by  a  prince  of  its  own  choice,  and  one  who  wag 
firmly  determined  that  he  would  only  cease  to  reign  when  he  should  cease 
to  live. 

William  expected  such  an  answer  as  this,  and  even  while  his  messen- 
gers were  travelling  between  Normandy  and  the  English  court  he  waa 
busily  engaged  in  preparations  for  reinforcing  his  pretensions  by  arms. 
Hrave,  and  possessed  of  a  high  reputation,  he  could  count  not  only  upon 
the  zealous  aid  of  his  own  warlike  Normans,  who  would  look  on  the  in- 
vasion of  such  a  country  as  Kngland  in  the  light  of  an  absolute  godsend, 
but  also  of  the  numerous  martial  nobles  of  the  continent,  who  literally 
made  a  trade  of  war,  and  were  ever  ready  to  range  themselves  and  their 
stalwart  men-at-arms  inider  the  baimer  of  a  bold  and  famous  leader,  with- 
out expressing  any  troublesome  curiosity  as  to  the  rightfulness  of  his 
cause.  Among  these  unscrupulous  swordcrs  the  wealth,  fame  and  a  cer- 
tain blunt  and  hearty  hospitality  of  William  made  him  extremely  popular; 
and  in  the  idea  of  conquering  such  a  kingdom  as  England  there  was  much  to 
tempt  their  cupidity  as  well  as  to  inflame  their  valour.  Fortune,  too,  fa- 
voured William  by  the  sudden  death  of  Conan,  count  of  Brittany.  Be- 
tween this  nobleman  and  William  there  was  an  old  and  very  inveterate 
feud,  and  Conan  no  sooner  learned  Duke  William's  design  \ipon  England, 
than  he  endeavoured  to  embarrass  and  prevent  him  by  reviving  his  own 
claim  to  the  duchy  of  Normandy,  which  his  required  to  be  settled  upon  him 
in  the  event  of  the  duke  succeeding  in  England.  This  demand  would 
have  caused  the  duke  much  inconvenience,  but  Conan  had  scarcely  made 
it  when  he  died,  and  Count  Hoel,  his  successor,  so  far  from  seeking  to 
embarrass  William,  sent  him  five  thousand  men  under  command  of  his 
son  Alain.  The  earl  of  Flanders  and  the  count  of  Anjou  permitted  their 
subjects  to  join  William's  army,  and  thougli  the  regency  of  France  osten- 
sibly commanded  him  to  lay  aside  his  enterprise,  the  earl  of  Flanders, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  the  regency  and  who  was  his  father-in-law,  took 
care  to  let  the  French  nobility  know  that  no  objection  would  lie  ofl'"ered  !■ 
their  enlisting  under  William.  Slili  more  important  aid  and  encourage- 
ment were  alforded  to  William  by  the  emperor  Henry  IV.,  who  not  only 
assisted  him  in  levying  men  in  his  dominion,  but  also  promised  to  protect 
the  duchy  of  Normandy  during  the  duke's  absence ;  but  the  most  important 
protector  and  encourager  of  William  in  his  projected  enterprise  was  Pope 
Alexander  in.,  whom  the  duke,  with  shrewd  judgment,  had  completely 
won  to  his  interests  by  voluntarily  making  him  the  mediator  between 
them.  The  great  anxi;!ty  of  the  papal  courts  to  have  an  influence  as  well 
over  the  temporal  as  over  the  spiritual  afi'airs  of  the  nation  would  have 
rendered  this  one  stroke  of  William's  policy  quite  decisive  of  Alexander's 
conduct,  but  the  pontiff  was  still  farther  interested  in  the  duke's  success 
by  his  belief  that  should  the  Normans  conquer  England,  they  would  sub- 
ject that  nation  more  completely  than  it  had  yet  been  to  the  papal  see. 

From  the  states  of  his  own  duchy  William  at  first  met  with  some  oppo- 
sition, the  supplies  he  required  being  unprecedently  and  onerously  large. 
But  Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux,  William  F^itzosbornc,  count  of  Breteuil  and 
constable  of  Normandy,  with  the  count  of  Longueville  and  other  Nor- 
man magnates,  so  elTeciually  aided  him  that  this  difficulty  was  got  over, 
and  the  states  agreed  to  furnish  him  with  all  the  aid,  only  under  protest 
that  their  compliance  should  not  be  drawn  into  a  precedence  injurious  to 
their  posterity. 

By  great  activity,  perseverance,  and  address,  William  at  length  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  a  magnificently  appointed  force  of  three  thousand 
*e»8els  of  various  rates,  and  upwards  of  00,000  men  ;  and  so  popular  had 


.'»!.>   iurpo.se 

ct.^  J  prol)a 

it    *ecessar^ 

'lis  I'orce  wa' 

leu  by  some 

true  warriors 

William  de  \ 

famed  Charlc 

While  Will 

promising  the 

him,  Tosti,  tli 

stnictions  in  r 

of  Harold  and 

tions.     Ill  con 

powerful  fleet 

car,  duke  of  ; 

such  forces  as 

ilers.but  were] 

men  was  in  its 

compact  force  j 

nt  tjtanford,  in 

were  completel 

0"  the  field.     ] 

""er,  and  the  ^^ 

'^I'l'h  great  gen, 

nun  lo  take  twei 

''''lough  this  v 

great  reason  to  t 

"■"s,  in  fact,  ver 

fiis  best  men  and 

services ;  and  ev 

"I'sire  to  spare  hi 

"•nil  Duke  Willji 

';i»-'"i  actually  (i 

7"-tli,  apprt'henc 

We  discontent,  eij 

son  in  the  field  ;| 

risk  all  upon  one  I 

"epHid  upon  tlie  il 

could  weary  out  tl 

a"J  he  added,  thai 

ffhques  lo  suppoif 

i'"' to  refrain  frol 

""'  Harold  would! 

"""ed  literally  to  f 

'0  cease  to  reign  cl 

After  some  difiij 

" '' iJuke  lost  son.f 

»'^"ssex,andthe| 

"  his  hurry  to  le,l 

feat  presence  of  J 

ueiit  into  an  evil  of 

session  of  the  eou 

,.  Harold,  who  had 

''•""  to  offer  to  set! 

"""•     William,  wf 

•vould,  if  Harold  ,.|1 

"'e  effusion  of  bio  J 

I'd  of  battles  wouliT 


Tlire  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


les 


;i>,  lurpose  now  become  among  the  warriors  of  tl.e  continent,  that  he 
ct,^  1  probably  have  nearly  doubled  the  number  of  men  had  he  thought 
it  necessary  to  do  so.  Nor  was  it  merely  by  dint  of  numbers  that 
his  iorce  was  imposing.  His  veteran  and  diseiplined  men-at  arms  wero 
led  by  some  of  the  most  famous  champions  of  even  that  age  of  knights  and 
true  warriors  ;  among  whom  lie  could  reckon  Eustact,  count  of  Boulogne, 
William  de  VVarcnne,  Roger  de  Beaumont,  Hugh  d'  Estaplcs,  and  the  far- 
famed  Charles  Martel. 
While  William  excited  tl\e  ardour  of  these  and  other  gallant  leaders  by 

Eroinising  them  rich  spoils  from  the  land  they  were  about  to  conquer  for 
im,  Tosli,  tiie  infuriated  brother  of  Harold,  was  busied  by  William's  in- 
structions in  ravaging  the  coasts  of  England,  and  distracting  the  attention 
of  Harold  and  his  subjects  from  their  more  redoubtable  enemy's  prepara- 
tions. In  conjunction  with  Harold  Halfager,  king  of  Norway,  Tosti  led  a 
powerful  tleet  into  the  H umber,  and  began  to  despoil  the  country.  Mor- 
car,  duke  of  Northumberland,  and  Edwin,  duke  of  Mercia,  got  together 
sucli  forces  as  lime  would  allow,  and  eiuieavoured  to  beat  back  the  marau- 
ders, but  were  put  to  the  rout  by  them.  But  though  the  effort  of  these  noble- 
men was  in  itself  disastrously  unsuccessful,  it  gave  Harold  time  to  raise  a 
compact  force  and  hasten  to  meet  the  invaders  in  person.  He  met  them 
at  Stanford,  in  Lincoi\shire,  and  in  the  action  that  «iiisued  the  invaders 
wcri!  com[)letely  defeated,  and  both  Tosti  and  the  kin^  of  Norway  perished 
on  the  field.  I'rince  Olave,  son  of  the  king  of  Norway,  was  taken  pris- 
oner, and  the  wliole  of  the  Norwegian  fleet  was  captured;  but  Harold, 
witii  great  generosity,  gave  the  young  prince  his  freedom,  and  allowed 
liini  to  take  twenty  sliips  and  depart  to  his  own  country. 

Though  this  victory  and  Harold's  moderation  after  it  gave  the  English 
great  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  choice  they  had  made  of  a  king,  it 
was,  in  fact,  very  disastrous  to  Harold,  as  it  cost  him  a  great  number  o. 
his  best  men  and  oflic.ers  at  the  jjrecise  time  when  he  most  needed  their 
services ;  and  even  his  returning  the  spoils,  though  he  was  actuated  by  a 
desire  to  spare  his  people  as  nuicli  as  possible  in  the  approaching  contest 
with  Duke  William,  gave  so  much  di.sgust  to  his  soldiery,  that  many  ot 
llieai  actually  desertoil,  and  the  rest  were  discontented.  His  brother 
Giirth,  apprehending  some  fatal  consequences  from  this  really  unreasona- 
ble disc(mtent,  endeavoured  to  dissuade  Harold  from  risking  his  own  per- 
son in  the  field  ag.iinst  William.  He  urged  that  it  would  bo  unwise  to 
risk  all  upon  one  battle,  when  by  retiring  before  the  enemy  he  who  could 
depend  upon  the  loyalty  and  aflection  of  his  sul)jects  for  abundant  supplies 
could  weary  out  the  invaders,  and  starve  them  into  submission  or  retreat; 
and  he  added,  that  as  Harold  had,  however  unwittingly,  sworn  upon  the 
reliques  to  support  instead  of  opposing  the  duke,  it  would  be  far  better  for 
him  10  refrain  from  taking  any  personal  part  in  the  approaching  contest. 
But  Harold  would  heed  no  reasoning  and  no  remonstrance  ;  he  was  deter- 
mined literally  to  fulfil  tiie  terms  of  liis  reply  to  William's  suiniTions,  and 
to  cease  to  reign  only  in  ceasing  to  live. 

After  some  difllcullies  from  bad  weather  and  contrary  winds,  in  which 
the  Duke  lost  some  small  vessels,  the  Norman  fleet  appeared  off  the  coast 
of  Sussex,  and  the  army  landed  at  Pevensy  without  opposition.    The  duke 

n  his  hurry  to  leai)  ashore  stumbled  and  fell  to  the  ground ;  but  he  with 
great  presence  of  mind  prevented  his  soldiers  from  interpreting  this  acci- 
dent into  an  evil  omen,  by  loudly  exclaiming  that  he  had  now  taken  pos- 
session of  the  country. 

Harold,  who  had  approached  with  his  army,  sent  a  monk  to  DukeWjl- 
liiun  to  offer  to  settle  their  dispute  by  the  payment  of  a  sum  of  money  to 
nini.  William,  who  was  equally  confident  of  success,  replied  that  he 
would,  if  Harold  chose,  put  the  issue  upon  a  single  combat,  and  thus  spare 
the  effusion  of  blood;  but  Harold  declined  this  proposal,  and  said  that  the 

od  of  battles  would  soon  decide  between  them. 


|i*'lij 


■KM'-*' 


■'  Ml 


s;i  < 


fh     J      '  I 


1    1 


I6C 


THE  TIIEASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


The  eve  of  the  momentous  day  of  strife  was  passed  hy  the  Normans  in 
prayer,  and  in  confessing  their  sins  to  the  host  of  monks  hy  whom  they 
were  accompanied ;  but  the  English,  more  confident  or  more  recltiess,  gave 
themselves  up  to  wassail  and  merriment. 

Early  in  the  morning  tiie  Duke  addressed  the  principal  leaders.  He  rep- 
resented to  them  that  they  had  come  lo  conquer  a  fine  country  from  the 
hands  of  a  usurper  vvliose  perjury  could  not  fail  to  call  down  destruction 
upon  his  head;  that  if  they  fought  valiantly  their  success  was  certain,  but 
that  if  any,  from  fowardice  or  treachery,  should  retreat,  they  would  infal- 
libly perish  between  a  furious  enemy  and  the  sea  towards  which  he  would 
drive  ihcm.  His  address  finished,  the  duke  formed  his  immense  force  into 
three  divisions.  His  choice  and  heavy-armed  infantry  was  commanded 
by  Charles  Marte':  the  archers  and  light-armed  infantry  by  Roger  de 
Montgomery,  and  the  cavalry,  winch  flanked  both  those  divisions,  was 
under  Ins  own  immediate  leading. 

Harold  had  chosen  his  situation  with  great  judgment.  His  force  was  dis 
posed  upon  the  slope  of  a  rising  ground  and  the  flanks  were  secured  against 
cavalry,  in  which  he  was  but  weak,  by  deep  trenches.  In  this  position  he 
resolved  to  await  the  attack  of  the  enemy,  and  he  placed  himself  on  foot, 
accompanied  by  his  brothers  Gurth  and  Leofvvin,  at  the  head  of  his  inf^n 
try.  The  first  attack  of  the  Normans  was  fierce,  but  the  steadiness  with 
which  they  were  met  and  the  great  dilhculty  of  the  ground  compelled 
them  to  retire,  and  the  Knglish  pursued  and  threw  them  into  a  disorder 
which  threatened  to  degenerate  into  actual  rout.  Duke  William,  who 
saw  that  all  his  hopes  were  at  this  moment  in  jeopardy,  led  on  the  flower 
of  his  cavalry,  and  speedily  compelled  the  English  to  relinquish  iheirliard- 
earned  advantage,  and  retire  to  their  original  position.  William  now  or- 
dered up  additional  troo(is  to  the  attack,  but  finding  the  English  stand  firm 
he  made  a  feint  of  reircat.  With  far  more  bravery  llian  judgiiieiil,  the 
English  abandoned  their  advantageous  jxist  tn  pursue  the  flying  mid  seem- 
ingly terrified  enemy,  when  the  Norman  infantry  suddenly  halted  and  faced 
the  English,  whose  flanks  ^vere  -at  the  same  instant  furiously  cliiirged 
by  the  Norman  cavalry.  William  was  admirably  obeyed  by  Ins  troops, 
and  the  ICnglish  fell  in  vast  numbers;  bui  the  survivors  by  great  exertion 
regained  the  hiil,  where  the  aid  and  example  of  Harold  enabled  them  to 
defend  themselves  with  greater  advantage.  Extraordinary  as  it  may  seem, 
the  ardour  of  the  English  enabled  William  to  put  the  same  feint  into  exe- 
cution a  second  time,  and  with  equal  advantage  to  himself,  though  the 
main  body  of  Harold's  army  still  remained  firmly  entrenched  u[)on  the 
hill.  But  galled  by  the  incessant  play  of  William's  archers,  who  discharg- 
ed their  deadly  missiles  over  the  heads  of  llie  advancing  heavy-inl'aiitry, 
the  English  were  at  length  broken  by  the  furious  yet  steady  charges  oi 
these  .  Iter,  and,  Harold  and  both  his  brothers  bring  slain,  ihty  fled 
and  were  pursued  with  terrible  slaughter  by  tiie  victorious  Normans.— 
William  did  not  gain  this  important  victory  without  vast  lo>8,  the  battle 
having  been  contiiuKJil  with  almost  unabated  fury  on  both  sides  from 
morning  uniii  evening.  The  dead  body  of  the  ill-fated  Harold  was  found, 
and,  by  the  orders  of  ihc  duke,  restorer!  to  his  mother;  and  the  Norinaiu 
having  solemnly  returned  thanks  for  their  signal  triumph,  marched  on- 
ward to  pursue  their  advantage. 

Had  tho  Englisli  still  possessed  a  royal  family  of  the  high  courage  and 
popularity  of  Harold,  Duke  Williiim,  in  spite  of  his  first  brilliant  success, 
might  for  years  have  been  harassed  by  the  necessity  of  coniinually  fight 
ing  small  and  indecisive  battles  in  every  province  of  the  kingdom.  Wut 
Edgar  Atheling,  the  only  Saxon  heir  lo  tlie  crown,  had  neither  the  eapaci 
ty  nor  the  reputation  which  would  enable  him  to  organize;  and  direct  a  re 
sistance  of  this  stern  and  stubborn  description.  ISut  his  mere  lineage 
went  for  much  in  the  circumstances  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  dukes  Morcii 


and  Edwin, 
glish,  proclai 
sovereign   ag 
were  zealous 
wpalih  and  ii 
William  in 
ver,  thus  seen 
of  any  advers 
Dover,  the  dul 
pope's  bull  in  i 
knew  would  h; 
tude,  and  thus 
ers,  he  marchc 
ed  to  arrest  his 
about  five  huiK 
together  with  t 
completely  dis 
spiijred  of  succi 
submitted  ;  Son 
and  the  Normal 
of  Canterbury, 
tendered  W'lllia' 
degree  of  hypoi 
greit  toils  he  h;i 
ridiculoiiij,  the  d 
without  some  ni 
friends,  ashamed 
s(-niples  might  g 
plainly   with  him 
were  gi\-(.|i  for  til 
*»iil(aii(l,  arclibi 
pi'r  person  to  h;: 
shown  ill  (lofeii,. 
dislike,  who  refii 
lice II  irregularly 
archbishop  of  Yo 


TIIK    IlKIGN  or   W, 

Tiu;  principal 

minister  abbey  (| 

'I'lve  Willi;,,,,  n, 

tK'Ms,  he  adnioni 

justice  with  iner 

-'ipplaiise  of  tlic  ! 

surrounded  the  a 

"le  duke  was  att 

'iiceaiid  fired  tin 

"is  personal  pi-cs 

'age  and  disturba 

Though  he  had 

phsh,  William  eve 

a'decondiict  of  hi 

sliowed  the  jealo 

overawe  tho  Enoi 


THE  TIIEASUIIY  OF  HISTOUY- 


167 


and  Edwin,  now  the  most  powerful  and  popular  men  ieft  to  tlie  En- 
glish, proL'liiiincd  Edgar,  and  called  upon  the  people  to  support  their  Saxon 
BOVcrcMgn  against  the  Norman  invader.  In  this  measure  the  dukes 
were  zealously  assisted  by  Sligand,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  whose 
wpa1i.li  and  inrtunnce  made  him  of  great  service  to  them. 

William  m  the  meantime,  took  possession  of  Ilomney  and  then  of  Do 
ver,  thus  securing^  himself  a  communicalion  with  his  duchy  in  the  event 
of  any  adverse  turn  of  fortune.  Having  given  his  troops  a  week's  rest  at 
Dover,  the  duke  availed  himself  of  the  time  to  publish  to  the  people  the 
pope's  bull  in  favour  of  his  enterprise,  it  being  a  document  which  lie  well 
knew  would  have  a  great  effect  upon  the  superstitious  minds  of  the  multi- 
tude, and  thus  disincline  tliem  to  aid  the  resistance  planned  by  their  lead- 
ers, he  marched  towards  London.  A  large  body  of  Londoners  attempt- 
ed to  arrest  his  course,  but  tluy  were  routed  with  terrible  slaughter  by 
about  five  hundred  horse  of  the  Norman  advance  ;  and  this  new  disaster, 
togetiier  with  tiie  little  confidence  and  enthusiasm  excited  by  Kdgar,  so 
completely  dispirited  the  people,  that  even  Morcar  and  Kdwin  now  de- 
gp;uie(l  of  success,  and  retircnl  to  their  respective  governments.  Ail  Kent 
sulnnitled  ;  Southwark  attempted  some  resistance,  and  was  set  on  fire  ; 
and  the  Normans  seemed  so  wholly  irresistible  that  Stigand,  archbishop 
of  ("antorbury,  I'Mgar  Atheling,  and  oilier  leading  men  of  the  kingdom, 
tciidered  William  the  cikwii  and  made  their  submission  to  him.  With  a 
degree  of  hypocrisy,  which  tlie  vast  preparations  he  had  made  and  the 
grcil  toils  he  had  undergone  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  crown  made 
ridiculous,  the  duke  prelinuU'd  to  have  scruples  about  accepting  the  crowp 
without  some  more  formal  consent  of  the  Mnglisli  people.  IJut  his  own 
friends,  ashamed  of  his  gratuitous  siiniilation,  or  afraid  that  his  affected 
scruples  might  give  rise  to  souk;  adverse  turn  of  events,  remonstrated  so 
plainly  Willi  liiin  that  his  feigned  ri'linManee  was  laid  aside,  and  orders 
were  given  for  the  necessary  preparations  for  liis  immediate  coronation. 
Sligiiiid,  andibishop  of  (."aiiKfrbury,  was,  according  to  etiquette,  the  pro- 
per person  to  have  crowned  William.  Hut  the  alacrity  that  prelate  had 
Blinwn  ill  defending  his  country  made  liiin  an  object  of  the  Conqucrer'a 
dislike,  who  refused  to  be  crowned  by  him,  on  the  plea  that  his  pall  had 
liccn  irregularly  obtained  ;  and  the  melancholy  olTice  fell  upon  Aldred. 
archbishop  of  York. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    REIGN  OF  WILLIAM    I.,  USUALLY  STVLKD    "WILLIAM  THE  CONqUEROR. 

TiiK  jirincipal  Knglish  and  Norman  nobility  being  assembled  in  West- 
minister abbey  (Dec.  2't,  lO(iG),  Aldred  asked  them  if  they  were  willing  to 
have  William  for  their  king,  and  being  answered  by  alHrmativc  aedama- 
tiiiiis,  he  admonished  him  in  npludd  the  clinreh,  love  justice,  and  execute 
justice  with  mercy ;  and  then  put  the  crown  on  his  head  amid  the  loud 
applause  of  the  sjiectators  of  both  nations.  A  strong  guard  of  Normans 
surrounded  the  al)bey,  and  hearing  the  shouts  within,  tliey  imagined  that 
the  duke  was  attacked;  upon  which  they  immediately  fell  upon  the  popu- 
lace and  fired  the  houses  around,  and  it  was  only  by  great  exertion  and 
Ills  personal  presence  that  William  was  enabled  to  put  an  end  to  the  out- 
rage and  disturbance. 

Though  ho  had  experienced  so  mu(di  good  will  from  the  principal  En- 
plish,  William  even  yet  felt  doubtful  how  far  he  might  rely  upon  the  peace- 
able conduct  of  his  new  subjects,  ropecially  the  sturdy  Londoners,  and  hd 
showed  the  jealousy  he  felt  by  caiiaing  strong  fortresses  to  be  erected  ,0 
overawe  the  English  and  serve  as  places  of  refuge  for  his  own  people. 


:f:|*ll 


'  ^il 


f'-t 


kM 


'I      * 


'        '  J 


'.tli'' 


ItiS 


THE  TIIEA3IJUY  OF  HISTORY. 


A,  D.  10G7. — Mis  jealousy  of  his  new  subjects  was  still  furtlier  shown  oy 
his  retiring  from  I  Midou  to  IJarkiui",  in  Kssex,  wiicre  he  liehl  a  court  fur 
the  purpose  of  rectivine;  the  homage  of  those  Knglish  nobles  who  had  nu| 
been  presented  t  '.\.':  coronation.  Edrie,  yurnauied  the  l-'orester,  the 
brave  Karl  Cox?^',  Kd'v  n  and  Mor'-ar,  who  had  so  zealously  tliouy;li  iucf 
fectually  endev'Un  j  to  prevent  him  from  enslaving  their  country,  and  a 
crowd  of  nobles  of  smaller  note  waited  upon  him  tiicre,  made  their  sub- 
mission in  form,  and  were  confirmed  by  iiim  in  tiieir  autlu)rity  and  pus 
sessions,  and  though  the  new  reign  had  commenced  in  war  and  usurpation 
there  was  thus  far  every  appearance  of  its  being  both  a  just  and  a  tran- 
quil one. 

Having  received  the  submission  of  all  his  principal  English  subjects, 
William  now  busied  himself  in  distributing  rewards  among  the  Norman 
soldiery  to  whom  lie  ow(>d  his  new  crown.  He  was  enabled  to  bciiavu 
the  more  liberally  towards  them,  because,  in  addition  to  tlu^  large;  treasure 
of  the  unfortuiialo  Harold  which  had  fallen  into  his  hands,  be  was  enriched 
by  great  presents  made  to  him  by  numerous  wealthy  English  who  were 
desirous  of  being  among  the  earliest  to  worship  the  rising  sun,  that  tliey 
might  enlarge,  or  at  the  least  preserve  their  estates.  As  the  clergy  had 
greatly  assisted  him  he  made  rich  presents  to  them  also;  and  he  onlercil 
an  abbey  to  be  erected  near  the  site  of  the  late  battle,  and  to  tx:  caljcij 
after  it. 

An  anecdote  is  related,  in  connection  with  this  abbey,  that  William  was 
informed,  after  the  foundations  were  laid,  that  tlu;  workmen  could  not 
find  any  spring  of  water  ft)r  the  supply  of  the  intended  edifice.  "Let 
them  work  on,"  replied  William,  "  let  tiiem  work  on,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  wine  sl-.all  be  more  jjlentiful  in  tiiat  abbey  than  water  in  any  oilier 
\n  Eiig.and." 

W  iliam  doubtless  built  tnis  magnificent  abbey  partly  for  tlie  sake  oi 
I  'acir.g  there  his  most  zealous  friends  among  the  Norman  monks,  and 
:.\rtiy  as  a  sjilendid  and  durable  monument  of  his  great  triumph;  but  he 
rtfTecKHl  to  dedicate  it  chiefly  to  the  saying  of  masses  for  the  repose  of 
that  unfortunate  prince  whom  he  had  dt.'prived  of  both  kingdom  and  lifi'. 

Though  William  had  obtained  bis  ihronc  strictly  by  coiupiest  and  usur- 
pation, he  (•ommence<l  his  reign  in  a  manner  the  best  calculated  to  recon- 
cile his  subjects  to  their  change  of  sovereigns.  The  pride  of  conij'.icst  did 
not  blind  him  to  the  necessity  of  conciliation,  and  while  he  was  in  realily 
the  most  busy  in  placing  all  power  and  influence  in  Norman  hands,  he  lost 
no  opportunity  of  showing  apparent  favour  to  and  confidence  in  the  lead- 
ing Saxons.  Though  he  confiscated  not  only  tlie  estates  of  Marolil,  hut 
also  tliose  of  many  of  the  hvading  men  who  had  sided  with  that  Miifortu- 
nate  prince,  he  in  numerous  cases  availed  himself  of  slender  excuses  for 
restoring  the  jiroperties  to  their  rightful  owners.  Satisfied  that  the  imbe- 
cility of  Edgar  Atheling  secured  tlie  pcacealile  behaviour  of  that  prince, 
he  confirmed  him  in  tlu;  earldom  ol  Oxford  with  which  he  had  been  in- 
vested by  the  deceased  king ;  and,  by  the  sludi(Ml  kindness  of  his  de- 
meanour towards  the  Saxon  nobles  who  ap()roaclied  him,  he  strove  to  add 
to  their  gratitude  for  the  solid  favours  he  conferred  upon  ilieni,  a  feeling 
of  personal  kindness  anil  afl!'ection.  Nor  did  he  omit  to  secure  tlie  good- 
will of  the  people  at  large  by  midntainiiig  among  liis  troops  that  strict  dis- 
cipline for  whi(;h  he  had  been  remarkable  in  Normandy.  Victors  though 
Ihey  were,  and  both  orden^d  and  encouraged  to  keep  the  Saxon  po|nila- 
tion  ill  strict  obedience  to  the  ii(;w  government,  they  were  not  allowed  to 
add  insolence  to  authority,  and  the  slightest  disorder  or  invasion  of  pro- 
perty was  promptly  and  strictly  punished.  His  conciliating  policy  ex- 
tended to  the"  metropolis.  That  city  had  lieen  warmly  oiijiosed  to  him, 
but  his  anger  for  the  past  opposition  was  ke|)t  down  by  a  prudent  eon- 
lidcration  of  the  important  part  so  powerful  a  city  might  at  some  fiituia 


THE  TIlKASUllY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


169 


timo  lake  for  or  ajjiiinst  liiiii ;  aiul  lie  tlicrcforc  confirmed  its  charter  and 
privik'tjiis  iu-i  curly  ami  witli  as  iiiueli  apparent  good-will  as  he  did  those  of 
the  other  cities  of  tin!  kingdom. 

Tiiese  instances  of  jnsiiee  and  moderation  produced  the  greater  cfTect 
on  account  of  the  warlike  fame  and  gencn'ally  stern  characler  of  tiie  king, 
anil  while  his  imposing  presence  and  hrilliant  reputation  caused  him  to  be 
looked  upon  with  awe  whereve;  he  appeartul,  as  he  took  care  to  do  in 
those  parts  of  which  he  most  Gns[)eeted  the  loyalty,  his  studied  courtesy 
to  the  higli  and  benignity  to  tin;  lowly  obtained  iiim  very  giincral  liking. 

But  at  tiic  same  lime  lliat  he  was  thus  conciliating  his  new  subjects  by 
justice  and  moderation,  which  latter,  under  all  the  eireumstanees,  might 
in  some  cases  be  called  by  the  stronger  name  of  mercy,  he  took  abimdant 
care  to  keep  the  one  thing  needful,  /imvcr,  in  his  own  hands.  While  he 
confirmed  the  privilcHcs  of  the  prosperous  iind  populous  citie?,  he  built 
fortresses  in  many  of  them  and  carefully  disarmed  them  all.  lie  thus 
C(iiiniiaiuled  all  the  best  military  posts  in  the;  kingdom,  and  had  them  con- 
stantly occui)ied  by  his  veteran  siddiers,  whih;  by  bestowing  upon  tlio 
leaders,  to  whost!  valour  and  condui-t  he  owed  so  much,  the  eonlisci'ted 
possessions  of  the  Sax(jn  nobility  and  gentry,  he  created  numerous  minor 
(lcs[iolisins  dependant  upon  Ins  sway, and  vitally  interested  in  its  prosperity, 

(lis  politic  mixture  of  rigour  ami  mildness  had  all  the  success  he  could 
have  aniicipaled  or  even  wished,  and  the  kingdom  settUnl  down  so  calndy 
under  Ins  authority,  and  so  iiii|)licitly  olx^yed  his  orders,  that  he  even  con- 
sidered it  safe  to  pay  a  visit  to  Fr.ince,  On  this  occasion,  however,  he 
exhibited  his  usual  policy  ;  while  he  enirustcd  the  governiiKnit  of  ICngland 
lo  William  ['"itzosborne  and  his  own  half-brother,  Odo,  bishop  of  Hayeux, 
ivhoin  he  knew  that  he  tumid  safely  trn>t  both  as  to  ability  and  fidelity,  he 
mnlr, I  ihv  principal  Saxons  to  accompaii)'  him  on  his  journey,  thus  making 
(lit'in  hostages  while  seeming  to  make  tlieiu  attendants  upon  his  stale  and 
coiii|)ani()ns  in  his  pleasure.  Among  thi.'  jiersonages  whom  he  thus  de- 
prived of  the  power,  even  supposing  them  to  have  the  will,  of  exciting  any 
ilisiii;baiic(.'s  during  his  absmiei',  wen;  the  earls  ICdwin  and  Morear,  and 
Sligaiid,  arehbjshopof  Canterbury,  of  whose  faith  he  was  somewhat  doubt- 
ful (111  account  of  tiieir  ojjpositimi  to  him  when  Ik;  first  invaded  thi'ir  coun- 
Iry.  lie  also  took  with  liim  lalgar  .Vtlnding,  whost!  very  name  lu;  thought 
likely  to  prove  a  spidl  to  tempt  the  English  lo  rebellion,  and  numerous 
[iirsdiiagcs,  who,  though  of  less  note,  had  great  influence  from  wealth  or 
civil  or  ectdesiastieal  station. 

TliouLdi  William  on  arriving  in  his  old  dominion  played  the  hospitable 
host  to  his  I'^nglish  attendants,  ami  though  they,  anxious  to  furnish  him 
with  (>very  inducement  to  continue  in  his  gracious  and  Just  course,  wore 
joyful  and  contented  countenances,  and  endeavoiwed  lo  do  honour  to  their 
new  master  by  displaying  before  his  ancient  sulijeits  thi'ir  utmost  wealth 
anil  magnilicenee,  they  wen;  in  secret  much  galled  and  irritated  by  the 
iiisiilcnt  superiority  which  the  Norman  barons  and  courtiers  did  not  fail 
lo  assume. 

The  complete  submission  and  order  to  which  William  had  reduced  the 
kinijilom  of  Miigland,  a  submission  and  order  so  [lerfect  as  to  encourage  a 
nioiiarch  naturally  so  suspicious  and  [)olitie  to  i)ay  a  transmarine  visit 
within  a  (iiiartcr  of  a  year  from  the  date  of  his  hostile  landing  in  that  king- 
dom, set  ins  almost  incredible,  and  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  pro- 
digious power  and  vindicliveness  attributed  lo  him  personally.  Hut  Nor- 
mandy is  the  near  neighbour  of  I-higlaiul ;  and,  on  the  slightest  intimation 
from  bdo  and  Fitzosborne,  William  could  speedily  riilurn  in  person  to 
exert  his  dreaded  power  in  repressing  rebellion,  and  lo  manifest  his  ter- 
ri'ale  viiiilictiveness  in  punishing  the  rcvollcil  ;  how  then  art;  we  to  account 
for  the  personal  absence  of  ilie  king  almost  immediattdy  producing  revolt 
in  England  !     Are  wc  lo  suspect  that  William  absented  himself  purposely 


W    '?'* 


!  'Tl 


1 1 '    ''1^ 


If 

l^^^^^^H 

;   ';  '' 

170 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


to  (incouragn  rcvoit,  not  doubting  tlmt  the  English,  deprivid  of  their  best 
and  i!)Ost  zimIous  friends  and  leaders,  wlio  were  in  cVm-c  nUcnciunivt  npoti 
liini,  would  easily  Ik;  put  down  by  his  victi>rious  ariiiy  ami  ih;it  he  vKiild 
thus,  without  any  'isk  to  ills  now  conquest,  acquir'-'  a  pK'i'ablc  ri^ht  to 
make  a  viist  and  sweeping  transfer  of  the  property  of  the  ki  igdonrfrom 
Saxon  to  N'M-man  h;inds  1  Or  shall  we  rath(  r  suppose  that.  Ih>.-  S  ixo:>  u]). 
Illation  willnigly  rci\iained  quiet  whilr  the  ijersonal  im  ;>cii'-:  'a  tlv;  tietn 
and  suiet  conqueror  prevented  iiis  officers  and  soldii  ,s  from  traniplinu 
and  oppressing  the  conquered,  and  ihat  the  latli  -were  s  <  ill-treated  during 
his  absence  as  to  be  unv>;'n  into  an  jjiler  reckl'Si-ncss  of  consequcnci.sl 
The  first  supposifion,  thou5?h  anythii:,;  but  honourable  to  Williani,  tallies 
indiff"eren!ly  well  with  Iiii-.  dark  and  dfcp  policy  ;  the  latter  is  in  the  verv 
nature  of  things  liiyhly  probable.  Perhaps  howcvT,  the  truth  ih<  ii '. 
tween.  William's  wishes  and  views  '.vouli,  no  ''oubf,  i^overn  Ihi'  claol 
men  among  iIh-  Normans  b  It  in  Kngland,  as  to  tho  grcaior  vr  1p?s  djgrce 
of  severity  tln^y  should  exercise  during  his  abs -lice  in  keeping  ...  Nor- 
siiiUi  soldiery  mi  order;  and  the  latter  woidd  tie  :ii<i!ndantiy  ready  :.»  avail 
t'iicuiselvcs  of  any  rclaxaiiDH  in  the  stru^inest;  of  di'H'iplint,  to  which  tliey 
t.nd  tie;  ii  ac'iistomt  !i,  without  greatly  troubling  tiicmselves  to  dive  into 
tfie  jUiliiii;  motiv'js  in  which  tiiat  relaxation  had  its  origin.  And  this  view 
of  lb:'  case  in  Uic  inoic  reasonable,  because,  while  policy  obligcnl  W  iUiarn 
to  ctiiK  iiiat:'  llie  S  ixons  at  the  conmencemenl  -if  his  reign,  the  vastncss 
and  the  number  ')f  tiie  Norman  (daims  u()on  him  must  hav(!  made  iiim 
nincb  in  want  of  more  extended  means  to  satii-l'v  them  than  his  early 
cstentaiion  of  lenity  had  leftliim;  and  cerlainly  ;li'-  Norman  kiiighls  and 
leaders,  wlu)  were  so  sure  to  jirolit  by  new  confi^-atioiis  of  Haxon  prop- 
erty, would  not  be  slow  to  provoke  the  Saxon  [lopu!  ition,  by  every  insult 
and  iMJiiry  in  their  power,  to  such  coiidiict  as  would  lead  to  coiifiscalioa. 
This  view  of  the  cas(\  finally,  is  much  streugtlieiied  by  the  iniiiroluiliiiily 
that  so  suspicious  and  politic  a  person  as  V\  illiiiin  would  so  early  l!a\  ■  ex- 
posed his  new  coiKiuesl  to  danger,  however  guarded  ,).;aiiist  by  the  trusti- 
ness of  those  left  to  rule  for  him,  in  nierc!  childish  impatience  to  dazzle 
the  eyes  of  his  ancient  suliJevMs  with  bis  new  sijlendoiir,  and  wiliiout  some 
deep  and  important  ulterior  view. 

From  whatever  cause,  however,  it  is  ipiitc  certain  th;it  very  soon  aftiM 
the  coiKpieror's  departure  from  Norinaiuly  ibi!  Knglish  began  to  cxiiibii 
symptoins  of  impatience  under  their  yoke.  Kent,  which  had  b(>en  the  first 
to  sul)mit  to  him  after  the  great  batile  of  Hastings,  was  now  also  the  first 
to  take  advantage  of  his  absence  and  rebel  against  his  authority.  Headed 
by  Kustace,  count  of  Houlogne,  they  not  only  did  much  damage  in  the  open 
country,  but  even  had  the  boldness  to  attein[)t  the  capture  of  Dover  casile, 
and  almost  at  the  same  time  Kdric,  the  Forester,  whos(!  posscs3ions  lay 
towards  ihe  Wehdi  border,  leagued  himsidf  with  some  discontented  Welch 
chieftains,  being  induced  to  do  so  by  the  wanton  insolence  with  which 
some  of  the  Norman  leaders  in  the  neighbourhood  had  spoiled  his  [)ro|)er- 
ty.  'I'hese  attempts  at  openly  ojiposing  the  Normans  were  too  hastily  and 
loosely  made  to  be  successful,  lint  they  served  to  f.m  into  a  (lame  the 
smouldering  fires  of  discontent  wdiich  secretly,  but  no  less  steadily,  burned 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Not  merely  to  n^volt  against  the  Norman  rule, 
but  to  rise  on  the  same  day  in  every  village  and  town  in  the  nation  ano 
massacre  the  Normans  to  a  man,  was  now  made  the  object  of  a  general 
conspira(!y  among  the  Saxon  po[)ulalion ;  and  so  gen(;ral  and  so  determined 
was  tlie  frenzied  desire  to  carry  this  oiiject  into  effect,  that  Karl  (loxo 
having  refused  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  his  numerous  serfs,  was  ac 
tually  |)iit  to  death  as  an  enemy  to  his  country  and  an  ally  of  the  Norniar. 
oppressors. 

information  of  the  rebellious  state  of  his  new  kingdom  was  fpeediW 
I'onvcyed  to  William,  who  hastened  over  and  applied  himself  to  the  tasi 


TIIK   TUKASURY  Oir  HISTORY. 


171 


01  piiiiishin?  tlaiHf  w  lio  Imd  openly  revolted,  and  of  intimidating  those 
will),  ll  oiiijli  siil!  ill  ontu'iird  apprjaraiico  'oyal,  nii;,'lit  be  contemplating; 
giinilaf  eoursc.  TIk^  estates  of  tlio  revolted  were,  as  a  matter  of  course 
coiiliscated  ;  and  William  tluis  obtained  a  large  increase  of  sure  means  to 
graiify  llie  rapaeiiy  of  his  myrmidons  and  to  insure  their  zeal  and  fidelity. 
But  while  he  thus  availed  himself  to  tiie  utmost  of  a  plausible  reason  for 
confiscation  or  plunder,  and  at  the  very  moment  when  he  at  once  insulted 
ami  oppressed  the  Saxon  people  by  reimposing  the  tax  of  dauegeli,  so  es 
pecially  onerous  and  odious  lo  them,  he  with  consummate  art  preserved  an 
appiMranee  of  moderation  and  of  strict  adherence  to  justice,  by  ordering 
tiiL-  restoration  to  their  possessions  of  Saxons  who  had  been  violently  and 
unjustly  dispossessed  during  his  absence  in  Normandy,  by  this  plausible 
mi'iisure  he  at  once  taught  his  subordinates  that  he  would  allow  no  wrong 
lo  be  done  but  witii  his  own  sanction,  procured  a  certain  popularity  among 
the  Saxons,  and  obtained  a  sort  of  anti(Mpativc  counter  plea  against  the 
coMipliiihts  that  might  be  made  of  his  subsequent  injustice,  oven  though  it 
slioiihi  be  displayed  towards  the  very  jjfoprietors  whom  he  now  restored. 
A.I).  10G8.— 'I'he  activity,  watchfulness,  and  severity  of  William  ren- 
dered the  general  rising  of  the  Saxons  wholly  impracticable;  but  the  do- 
sire  fur  it  hail  spread  loo  widely  to  pass  away  without  some  appeals  to 
arms,  however  ill-concerted  and  partial.  The  inhabitants  of  Kxeter,  a  city 
which  had  always  been  among  the  greatest  sufTerers  from  invaders,  and 
in  which  great  inlluence  was  possessed  by  (^itha,  mother  of  the  deceased 
}hirol(l,  ventured  openly  to  brave;  tlie  resentment  of  William  by  refusing 
to  aihnit  a  .Norman  garrison  within  its  walls;  and  when  the  menaf  Kxeter 
ar'iicd  111  support  of  this  determination,  they  were  instantly  joined  by  a 
v:>st  number  of  I)(;vonshir(!  and  Cornwall  men.  But  the  more  prudent 
among  tiieir  leaders,  greatly  influenced,  no  doubt,  by  selfish  considerations, 
111)  sooner  heard  tliat  William  was  ap|)roaeliiiig  tlu-m  with  a  vast  body  of 
Lis  disciplined  and  unsparing  troops,  than  tiiey  counstdled  submission,  and 
iiuliieed  ilieir  followers  to  send  the  king  hostages  for  their  good  behaviour, 
bill  as  it  is  ever  far  easier  to  excite  the  multitude  to  revolt  than  to  lay  the 
spini  of  violence  when  once  raised,  the  people;  broke  out  anew  even  after 
the  (leliveiy  of  the  hostages.  'I'liey  soon  found  they  had  to  do  with  one 
who  had  liith;  inclination  to  halt  at  half  measures.  He  immediately  drew 
up  Ins  force  uii-ler  the  walls  of  the  place,  and  by  way  of  showing  the  re- 
velled people  how  little  mercy  they  had  to  expect  from  him,  ho  barbarous- 
ly ciiused  the  eyes  of  one  of  the  hostages  to  be  put  out.  Tliis  stern  and 
savage  severity  had  all  the  rfTcct  he  expected  from  it;  the  people  instant- 
ly suiiniitted  tliemselv(;s  to  his  mercy,  and  he  contented  himself  with  plac- 
ing; a  strong  guard  in  the  city.  (>iilia,  whoso  wealth  would  have  furnished 
a  rich  booty  for  William  and  his  follovvcrK,  was  fortunate  enough  to  escape 
to  Inlanders  with  the  wh(de  of  her  treasures.  The  submissive  example 
of  Kxeter  was  speedily  followed  by  Cornwall,  and  William,  having  strong 
ly  garrisoned  it,  returned  witli  his  army  to  Winchester,  where  he  then 
held  his  court,  and  being  nov,'  joined  by  Queen  Matilda,  who  had  not  pre- 
viously ihoughl  it  safe  to  visit  her  new  kingdom,  he  caused  her  coronation 
to  he  solenmized  with  much  pomp.  Soon  after  this  ceremony  the  queen 
presented  her  husband  with  their  fourth  son,  Henry ;  the  three  elder 
broliiers  of  this  prince,  Uobcjrt,  Richard,  and  William,  were  born  and  still 
rcniiiined  iii  Normandy.  The  signal  success  and  esse  with  which  the  king 
iiad  (jiielled  the  revolt  in  the  west  did  not  prevent  disturbances  arising  in 
other  parts  of  the  country.  In  fact,  such  disturbances  were  almost  mevi- 
talile,  for  the  Norman  chiefs  who  were  posted  in  various  parts  of  the  king- 
dom wen?  far  too  much  interested  in  causing  confiscations,  to  imitate 
even  the  pretences  made  to  moderation  by  their  prince,  and  their  exactions 
and  insolence  were  siudi  as  to  be  well  calcnl.ited  to  excite  the  discontent 
and  resistance  of  a  far  more  patient  and  orderly  people  than  the  Sa.xons. 


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'  1^ 


172 


TUB  TREA3UIIY  OF  nidTORY. 


In  the  north  wlicro,  lunn^y  remote  from  ilic  kinij's  immediate  authority, iht 
Nonniiii  iiiiliit's  had  proli.ibiy  carriiMl  their  license  to  an  iiitolerahlc  cxtciil 
the  jicuijie  wvro  enraged  to  so  i)oid  a  temper,  tiiat  Hdwm  and  More  t 
tliouijlil  It  not  impoiilie  to  |)hie(^  themselves  at  their  iiead ;  anti(Mpatiiif;,  it 
would  seem,  an  etVeetiial  opposition  to  tiie  iiated  rule  of  the  invader.  Tlicir 
cause  seemed  the  more  liki'ly  to  be  sueeessful,  heeause,  in  addition  totlio 
niMnl)er  and  resolution  of  the  Saxons  in  rc^volt,  they  liad  tlie  promisi-  o( 
supi)ort  from  Mai(;olm,  kinjf  of  Seothmd,  Hh.'thyn,  prince  of  Wales,  wiio 
was  related  to  them,  and  Sweyn,  kin|f  of  Denmark,  who  had  a  personal 
and  peculiar  inlercsi  in  the  success  of  tlu;  Saxon  cause. 

The  conduct  of  Kihvin  and  Morear  on  William's  first  invasion,  wlipn 
they  only  wiilidri!W  their  opposition  on  perceiving  that  they  could  no  Ion- 
tfor  rely  ujxm  the  zealous  cooi)eration  of  the  jieople,  sudiciently  attests 
their  sincere  love  of  country.  Uul  we  must  not  omit  to  state  that  oiitjiis 
occasion  of  rising  in  llii;  imrth  the  nolilemeii  in  (juestion  were  to  a  eon- 
siderahie  extent  ntll'ienccd  hy  |)rivate  aniiimsity.  How  .>.eldom,  alas! 
is  even  the  purest  j^atriotisiii  Uvd  from  all  taint  of  selfish  and  personal 
feeling ! 

'I'o  high-spirited  nohks  like  Kdwin  and  Morear,  the  mere  indications  of 
distrust  wIikIi  William  could  not,  with  all  his  policy,  wholly  avoid  givinor 
would  have  been  higiilv  oiTensivu  in  themselves.  Hut  as  rcijarded  IMwiii, 
the  distrust  iiianifesled  hy  the  king  assumed  a  dee|)ertiiit  of  offence,  inas- 
Hmch  as  he  maiiirested  it  by  an  arbitrary  and  ca[iricioiis  refusal  top(  rfnrin 
the  pnunisc  lie  had  made  on  aseeudiiig  tiie  throne,  to  give  to  that  iinlilc- 
mail  the  hand  of  his  daugiiler  in  marriage.  'I'hi.s  affront,  implying  so  iniicli 
distrust,  and  certainly  giving  the  rejeeied  suitor  and  his  brother  j^oud  re:is,oii 
to  iiil'er  the  foreg(me  deiermiiiatioii  of  still  fiirlhcr  and  more  direct  proiifs 
of  the  king's  ill- will,  undoubtedly  had  its  iiilhieiite  in  v-:iusiiig  the  Iji-ntlurs 
openly  to  iiut  ihemsidves  at  the  head  of  the  present  revolt. 

Ilouever  little  reason  William  iiad  to  exjiect  a  nevv  outbreak  so  soon 
after  tin?  exaiii[de  he  had  made  in  the  west,  he  was  not,  in  the  military 
sense  of  the  word  at  least,  surprised,  llis  troops  wer(!  c-onstantly  kept  ir 
marcdimg  order,  and  though  from  t!  eir  vast  niiinber  they  were  distrihiitpc' 
over  a  largi;  space  of  country,  tiieir  lines  of  ctniununication  were  so  ar 
ranged  that  a  vast  nuinher  ciniKl  on  the  shortest  iiotiin;  be  assembled  in 
one  coin[)act  body.  'I'lie  iiist:  nl,  thi'iefore,  that  Ik;  wmm  iiit'orined  of  this 
new  rev(dt,  he  set  out  for  the  north  by  forc(>d  marches,  c.uiseJ  W.irwick 
and  Nottingham  castles  to  be  strongly  garrisoned  under  the  respective  cmn- 
mand  of  Henry  ile  Heaumoiit  ami  William  I'everil.and  reached  York  witli 
such  unexpested  celerity,  that  he  ajjpeaied  in  front  of  the  astonislu  d  in- 
surgents before  ihey  had  received  any  of  tin;  foreign  aid  u[)on  which  they 
had  so  greatly  n^-koned  wlien  forming  their  plans.  Ivlwin  ;ind  Morear, 
together  with  another  very  powerful  noble  who  had  taken  [lart  with  tlieni, 
wisely  gave  up  all  thought  of  making  any  resistance  with  their  very  in- 
ferior force,  and  wore  received  into  llie  k'lig's  [leace  and  pardon.  He  nut 
only  s[)ared  them  in  person,  but  in  their  ,  issessions  also;  still  confisca- 
tions were  ton  essential  a  part  of  his  means  of  consolidating  and  perjirtii- 
atiug  his  power,  to  be  generally  dispenscid  with.  V\hile  the  leading  men 
were  thus  allowed  to  escape  inipoverishmeiit  as  well  as  the  inon;  severe 
punishment  of  rcdjellion,  their  humbler  ami,  com|iarativelyi  imoffendiiig 
followers  were  mulcted  with  the  nujst  merciless  sev(!rity.  The  whole 
secret  of  his  clemency  to  iJie  three  |)0werfiil  leaders  whom  we  have  iiainci! 
Beems  to  have  been  his  doubt  whether  lie  could  just  then  crush  tlieiii  with- 
out  a  risk  more  than  proportioned  to  the  gain. 

'I'he  failure  of  this  rebidliun  at  the  north,  ami  the  peace  made  between 
William  and  .Malcolm  of  Scotland,  which  seemed  to  cut  off  all  hope  of  fu- 
ture aid  frmn  that  moiiandi,  impressed  tlu;  whole  nation  with  a  hopeless 
«ense  of  complete  and  uiii"rie:idcd  subjection.    'I'he  imillilude  muttered  the 


ss 
IP 


,!|V    '■■-:.  i|| 


■^^'     .! 


orepciirseatow 
on  ill  tlioir  onli 
Drico  or  the  pol 
iicas  of  l)r,i\  rr  ; 
al)l(;  to  fico  thoi 

pIlilOHOplly  01101 

wliciicc  they  c( 
Amoiijr  those  w 
wild,  with  liis  si 
Malcolm  not  oi 
married  Murir.in 
with  the  most  ill 
with  the  pDJitie  \ 
to  (ill  Saxons,  of 
If  iniiiy  of  the 
to  froi!  their  coini 
liviii!,'-  in  a  laud  s- 
felt  that  they  wei 
spssioiis  would  ill 
of  them  even  for 
Tirans  excliisivolj 
iiiiis,  and  amoiit^ 
qiicHled  ilieir  di.s'^ii 
scarcely  nfnse  ru 
in  the  case  of  all  \ 
must  :ro  toirether. 
tiicsc  oiifrieililly  ff 
:ility  and  ample  m- 
vcMliinTs,  not  mer 
A.  D.   IO(;r».— 'f'li 
I'v  no  means  the  i 
the  chanres  of  di: 
and  their  rancour 
fur  Kn^rhin,!  aiirl  d 
for  a  rallyiny^  p„inl 
w^S  liis  three  son) 
'^'ii'l.     They  weref 
country,  and  soouL 
cause  of  iheir  e.\i|| 
practical  lovers  off 
began  to  eonieinplJ 
tlif^y  eoiild  ndy  up/ 
flnfeloviu!,' kerns 
ivrlainty  depend  il 
«'<)iild  be  induced  ^ 
Kiicoura^red  hy  the! 
si^lerablebiit  disorJ 
nffiiiiliiijT  the  Knffll 
cominnr  a,„i  ,,^„^° ^ 

scarcely  set  foot  in 

assailed  by  the  tral 

"nan,  son  of  the  el 

M'tles,  and  at  leuTl 

lo  their  vessels.     " 

l^nsuceessfiil  ns 

'''''1  ;i9  a  sii^nal  for 

tifi  King('om.     ThJ 

»'cw  upwards  of  s| 


■-Us 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


173 


opeppiirses  to  wliicli  llioy  diiriMl  not  give  louder  iittoniucc,  ;iii(l  pri'ptircfl  to  toil 
on  in  tlipir  oniinnry  roiiiinc,  iind  bear  more  or  less  oppression  as  tlio  ca- 
nrice  or  ttie  policy  of  their  tyrants  might  determine.  Hul  the  hopeless- 
ness of  br.iv '  I'  and  more  passionate  spirits  was  of  a  less  passive  kind.  Uii- 
al)le  to  free  their  land  from  the  rule  of  i\w  oppressor,  they  at  least  had 
philosophy  enou!,'li  to  abandon  it  and  seek  freer  homes  in  stran;>r'r  climes, 
whence  they  could  return  should  a  brighter  day  beam  upon  England. 
Among  those  who  thus  voluntarily  ^vent  into  exile  was  Edgar  Alluding, 
who.  with  his  sisters  Margaret  and  Christina,  sought  peace  in  Scotland. 
Malcidni  not  only  showed  every  kindncjss  to  the  unfortunate  exiles,  but 
married  Margaret ;  and  partly  on  account  of  the  eounection  he  thus  formed 
witii  tiie  most  illustrious  of  the  Saxon  families,  though  mainly,  "rhaps, 
with  the  politic  view  of  strengthening  his  kingdom,  lie  gave  reao^  siielter 
tit  all  Saxons,  of  whatever  rank,  who  sought  it  in  lus  dominions. 

If  many  of  the  English  were  driven  into  exile  by  despair  of  being  ablo 
to  free  their  country,  not  a  few  of  the  Normans  began  to  grow  weary  of 
living  ill  a  land  so  frequently  disturbed,  and  among  a  peo[)le  to  whom  thoy 
fnlt  that  they  were  so  thoroughly  hateful  that  their  lives  as  well  as  pos 
spssions  would  infallibly  be  forfeited  should  that  people  get  the  ujiper  hand 
of  them  even  for  a  single  day.  This  wearuiess,  .Moreover,  was  by  no 
-neaiis  exclusively  eonfined  to  the  meaner  sort.  Many  of  the  higher  cdiief- 
iiiiiin,  and  among  them  Humphrey  <!e  Teliol  and  Hugh  de  (Sraiesniil,  re- 
qnrsted  ilieir  dismissal  and  piTinission  to  return  home.  The  king  could 
scarcely  r'fiise  compliance  with  such  a  reipnrst,  but  he  revoked  his  grants 
ill  the  case  of  all  who  made  it,  telling  them  that  iIk;  land  and  its  di'fenders 
nuist  go  together.  And  though  some  of  his  bravest  leailers  left  him  upon 
ttiPi^e  unfriendly  terms,  he  had  little  occasion  to  regn^t  them,  for  his  liber- 
ality and  ami)le  means  of  displaying  it  insured  him  abundance  of  new  ad- 
vpiituiers.  not  mt^rely  willing  but  eager  to  enlist  undiT  his  banner. 

A.  n.  lOCIt. — 'I'he  departure  of  so  many  malcontents  from  England  had 
by  no  means  the  etTect,  as  it  might  seem  certain  to  have,  of  diminishing 
the  chances  r)f  distnrltances.  'i'he  voluntary  exiles  carried  their  griefs 
and  tlieir  rancour  with  them,  and  lost  no  op[)ortuniiy  of  making  friends 
for  Kngland  aiirl  foes  for  England's  Norman  tyrants.  Nor  did  they  want 
for  a  rallying  point.  When  Harold  fell,  bravrly  battling  against  tht;  inva- 
di'r?,  his  ihrce  sons,  Godwin,  Edmond,  and  M;ignus,  sought  slndter  in  Iro- 
hiiid.  They  were  well  received  by  the  princes  and  (diiefs  of  that  wild 
country,  and  soon  became  very  popular  among  them.  Enraged  at  the 
cause  of  their  exile  from  England,  and  constantly  snrromidcd  by  such 
prai'tical  lovers  of  strife  as  the  Irish  princes  of  that  time,  they  naturally 
began  to  contemplate  a  descent  upon  England,  and  to  eahMilati;  what  ■■\x^ 
tliry  could  ndy  upon  beyond  that  which  Inland's  own  wild  chieftains  autl 
Eirife  loving  kerns  could  alTord  th(!m.  Denmark  they  could  with  tolerable 
ivrlainty  depend  upon;  and  they  hoped  that  both  Scotland  and  ^V■^leH 
would  be  induced  to  aid  them  when  the  strife  should  once  fairly  he  ^u'oot, 
Ri'iconraged  by  these  confnhnit  expectations  of  aid,  they  landed  witharon- 
■(I'.lprahle  but  disorderly  force  upon  the  coast  of  Devonshire.  Hut  instead 
nffiiuliiig  the  English  peasantry  flocking  around  them,  gr.iteful  for  their 
cnmiiig  and  eager  to  join  in  their  enter[)rise,  they  on  the  contrary,  had 
scarcely  set  foot  upon  the  shore  when  they  l^oimd  themselves  vigorously 
assailed  by  the  trained  hirelings  of  the  Norman,  under  tho  command  of 
Brian,  son  of  the  comit  of  IJritiany,  who  worsted  them  in  sevcr.il  petty 
battles,  and  at  length  drove  them  back,  with  much  loss  and  some  disgrace 
to  their  vessels. 

Unsuccessful  as  this  attempt  of  the  sons  of  Harold  was  in  itself,  it  scr- 
vnd  as  a  signal  for  the  numerous  risings,  especially  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  king('om.  The  Northumbrians  rose,  took  Durham  by  surprise,  and 
ilew  upwards  of  seven  hundred  men,  among  whom  was  the  governor 


f^*'" 


;(      !■ 


174 


THIC  TRICA8UHY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


Robert  do  Comyn,  to  wlioso  negli{foiico  llio  Siixoiis  wcro  said  to  liare 
been  niiiiiily  iiulohtcil  for  tlicir  8iiec(.'i<s.  I'Votn  Diirliiiiii  th(>  indination  to 
revolt  .spri'ad  to  York.  Tlicro  llio  ("ovrriior,  Ilobcrt  Kitz-Ricliiird,  tuid 
miiiiy  of  his  peoplo  wcro  slain  ;  iiiiil  liio  secoiid  in  coiiiiiiiiiid,  VVilliutn 
Mullet,  secured  tlin  easile,  to  wliieli  the  rebcl.s  promptly  laid  Bciyc. 
They  were  aided  in  this  hold  lUtenipt  by  the  Danes  who  now  landed  from 
three  hwimred  ships,  and  by  the  appearanc-e  among  Iheni  of  I'Mjjar  Allie- 
ling,  M'ho  was  aeeorn|)anied  by  several  Saxon  exiles  of  rank  and  sonie  in* 
flueiitiai  Seots,  who  promised  the  aid  of  larg(!  numbers  of  their  country- 
men. Tho  castle  of  York  was  so  stroiijf  and  so  will  garrisoned,  that  it 
is  probable  it  mittht  easily  have  held  out  ajjainst  all  the  rude  and  unscien- 
tific attacks  that  the  revolted  Northumbrians  and  their  allies  could  have 
made  upon  it,  but  for  an  accident.  VV:lliain  Mallet,  the  nallaiil  defcndL-r 
of  tho  castle,  perceiving  that  some  houses  were  situated  so  near  as  lo 
command  a  portion  of  the  walls,  ordered  lliein  to  be  fired  lest  they  sliDuld 
serve  as  works  for  the  besiegers,  liut  lire  is  a  servant  as  uncertani  and 
uneontroUable  as  it  is  swift.  A  brisk  wind  carried  the  flames  beyond  the 
nouses  which  wen;  specially  devoted  to  their  destroyinif  ministry  ;  every- 
where the  flames  found  abundant  fuel,  nearly  all  the  buildings  beiiij^  of 
wood,  and  tho  conflagration,  defying  the  inadecpiate  means  by  which  the 
peophi  tried  to  slop  it,  desUoyed  nearly  the  whole  of  the  city,  which  even 
at  that  time  was  very  [xipidons.  Thi!  al.irm  and  confusion  which  were 
caused  by  this  event  enabled  tin;  rebels  to  carry  the  castle  by  storm;  and 
scarcely  a  man  of  llu!  garrison,  iiumliering  iu;arly  three  thousand,  was 
spared  alive;.  Ilen^ward,  an  Kast  Anijlian  nobleman,  at  the  same  time 
wrought  much  confusion  and  difllcnlty  to  the  Normans  ;  cutting  ofl'tlicir 
marching  parties  and  retiring  wiili  tlieir  spoils  lo  ihe  Isle  of  Kly.  fSonier- 
set  and  Dorset  were  in  arms  to  a  man,  and  Devon  and  (/'ornwall  also  rose, 
with  llu!  «!Xception  of  Kxeter,  which  honourably  teslifuid  its  sense  of  the 
clemency  twice;  shown  to  all  its  [)0[)ulation,  save  one  unfortunate  hostile 
and  held  its  gates  closed  for  the  king  even  against  its  nearest  neighbours 
Edric  the  Forester,  who  had  many  causes  of  quarrel  with  the  Normans 
allied  himself  with  a  numerous  t)ody  of  Welsh,  and  not  only  maiiitainec 
himsidf  against  the  Norman  force;  under  Fitzosborne  and  Earl  JJriant,  bu 
also  laid  seigc  to  the  castle  of  Shrewsbury. 

When  to  these  instances  of  opeMi  and  powerful  rebellion  we  add  innu- 
merable petty  revolts  in  other  parts  and  the  universal  hostility  ami  rest- 
lessness of  the  Saxons,  it  will  he.  admitted  that  there  was  enough  in  the 
state;  eif  the  e-ountry  te)  have  made  the;  bolelest  e)f  me)narchs  anxieius.  And 
William  was  anxie)us,  but  undismayed.  To  his  eagle  eye  a  single  glane:e 
reveak:d  where  force  was  al)solule'ly  requisite,  and  where  bribery  we)uld 
still  more  readily  succeeel.  Te)  the  Danes,  wlie)  W(!rc  headed  by  Osi)e)nie, 
brother  of  the  king  of  Denmark,  and  l)y  Harold  and  Canute,  sons  of  that 
monarch,  ho  well  know  that  the  freedom  of  the  ce)untry  was  a  mere  pre 
text,  and  that  their  real  ine'entive  to  strife  was  desire  of  gain.  These  he 
at  once  resolved  to  buy  ofl";  and  he  quickly  succeeded  in  getting  them  to 
retire  to  Denmark,  by  paying  them  a  sum  of  money  and  giving  them 
leave  to  plnneler  tho  coast  on  their  way.  Deserteel  by  so  eronsiderahlean 
ally  tho  native  leaders  became  alarmed,  and  William  found  no  dillicnlty 
in  persuaeling  Waliheof,  who  had  been  maeie  governe)r  of  York  by  the 
Saxons  oa  their  taking  the  castle  by  storm,  to  submit  on  promise  of  fa- 
vour;  a  promise  which  tho  king  strictly  kept.  Cospatric  followed  tin- 
example  and  was  made  carl  of  Northumberland  ;  and  Edrie  the  Forestei 
also  submitted  and  was  taken  into  favour.  Edgar  Atholing  had  no  course 
open  to  him  but  lo  hasten  bai:k  to  Si-e)lland,  for,  while  the  le)ss  of  all  his 
allies  rendered  any  struggle  on  his  part  so  hopeless  that  it  would  have 
been  rieliculous,  lie;  feared,  and  with  grenit  apparent  reason,  that  his  Saxon 
blood  royal  weiiild  incite  William  to  put  him  to  death.     The  king  of  Scoi- 


■•■■.■♦  ' 


TIIIC  TRKA8U11Y  OV  IIISTORY. 


17ft 


.;inil,  In  wlioso  lanly  cdmiii^r  llic  corifodomti's  in  .soiiir  (Irgrno  ownd  their 
ill  siift'fHs,  Hcciiij,'  tli.it  till'  iioiilicrii  ('DiifiMlt'iMcy  \viis  broken  up,  niiircli- 
c(l  ins  troiips  tmck  ajfaiii.  The  f.uliin'  in  ilio  norlli  slrm-k  trrnir  into  tho 
ri'lii'ls  tln'oii<r|i()iit  t)i(!  kin^;lon),  and  William  Haw  all  his  lato  opponeius 
<iil>ji't:t  ''>  liii'i>  ''■'vo  H(M(!ward,  who  Nlill  maintained  iiis  [jartizan  war 
fiire— nut  (piii(!  exelnsively  preying  njjon  the  NormanH  it  is  to  be  fearud- 
■iwiiKj  lii«  pi'Dloction  to  the  di/IieiiUy  i)f  access  to  his  swampy  retreat 


CIIAI'TKU  XIV. 

THE  RICUIN  or  WU.I.IAM  I.    (CONTINUED.) 

A.  n.  1070 — IIavino  hy  force  and  policy  dissipated  tlifi  confederacy 
wliirli  had  threatened  him,  William  now  det(!rmined  to  show  that  what- 
rvir  kmdni  ss  and  favonr  hi-  iniffht  exiend  to  individnal  Saxons,  whether 
fidin  ;;i'nniiie  {jood  fcelmg  or  from  deep  policy,  the  {jrcat  body  of  the  peo- 
ple li.iil  no  mercy  to  hope  from  him.  And  as  the  norlli  had  been  e.spo- 
ii:illy  tionblesomc  to  him,  so  he  Hclectcd  that  [)art  to  l)e  tiie  first  to  feci 
Ikhv  terrible  his  wrath  could  b(;.  Hctween  the  rivers  llun.licr  and  Tees, 
a  vast  expanse  of  .sixty  miles  of  country  as  fertile  as  it  was  beautiful 
was  by  his  stern  order  utterly  laid  waste.  TIk;  cattle  and  .-inch  other 
priiperiy  as  could  he  conveyed  away  became  the  booty  of  the  Norman 
siildiiry  ;  the  houses  were  buini-d  to  the  sr'*""'"  it'"'  ''"-"  wretelied  inliabi- 
ti'.iils  lel't  to  perish  ii|)oii  their  desrdateil  lands,  without  shelter,  without 
fo')il  and  witlioul  hiiix;  or  pity.  Vast  nnml)ers  of  them  inaih;  their  way 
into  the  lowlands  of  .Scotland,  but  many  tlier(!  wen;  ^vho  could  not  do  so, 
or  were!  so  attached  to  the  sit<(  of  their  oiic(!  ha[)py  homes,  that  they  ro- 
iiiaiaed  in  the  woods,  and  perished  slowly  by  hunger  or  the  terrible  dis- 
eases produced  by  ex|)osur(!  to  the  (dements.  It  is  calculated  that  by  this 
one  act  of  men'iless  ;<everity  not  fewer  than  a  hundred  thouisaiid  Saxons 
miserably  perished ! 

'I'lioiigii  tii(!  north  was  thus  es[)ecially  marked  out  for  the  criterininat 
\un  ri'^'our  of  the  (-'oiKjueror,  tin;  rest  of  the  eouiitry  was  by  no  means  al- 
lowcil  to  escape.  'I'lio  unsuccessful  revolts  had  i)laced  nearly  all  the 
great  landholders  of  the  nation  at  his  mcicy  ;  for  they  beinj^  especially 
iMtcrestctl  in  ihrowintf  onTliis  yoke,  had  nearly  to  a  man  been  implicated 
cillier  by  personal  appearance;  in  the  field  or  by  furnishing;  supplies. 
Ilitiurto  the  kiiiif,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  had  alTected  somethinj,';  like  mod- 
pralien  and  mercy  in  pultin^r  the  laws  of  attainder  and  fcrfeituro  into  ef- 
fuit.  15ut  now  he  no  lou^'er  needed  to  pursui;  that  wily  policy  ;  the  un- 
successful attempts  to  snake  off  iiis  authority  had  terminated  in  making 
it  al)Nolut(!  and  even  unassailable.  The  whole  nation  lay  bound  liand 
and  foot  at  his  pleasure,  and  In;  (trocceded  so  to  dispose  of  the  lands  that 
he  ill  fact  became  the  one  {,'reat  landlord  of  the  nation.  No  one  knew 
better  than  he  did  that  the  property  of  a  nation  is  its  power;  and  that 
power  of  the  Saxons  he  now  transferred  to  the  Normans  in  addition  to 
their  terrible  power  of  tho  sword.  No  antiquity  of  family,  no  excellence 
of  character,  even,  could  save  tho  Saxon  proprietor  from  being  despoiled 
of  his  possessions.  The  more  powerful  and  jjopu'ar  the  family,  the  more 
necessary  was  its  abasement  and  impoverishment  to  the  completion  of 
VViliiiinrs  purpose  ;  he  who  had  taken  any  share  in  tho  revolts  was  mulct- 
sd  of  Ids  properly,  and  assured  that  he  owed  it  to  the  kinsf's  f^real  lenity 
.hat  his  lilc  was  spared ;  and  he  who  had  taken  no  such  part,  but  was  coii- 
/icted  of  the  crime  of  being  weallliy,  was  equally  despoiled,  lest  his 
wealth  should  at  some  future  time  lead  him  into  rcb(dlious  practices. 

Having  thus  effected  the  utter  spoiiatiou  of  the  noble  and  wealthy  Sax- 


fl' 


Va 


f.\  w 


176 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


It     l>  K 


''■'•!''      i,i 


't  •■■■:'\i 


«  •« 


j:j. 


IBl^l     :■ 


.: ,.(( , 


IS,  'r.; 


oiis,  Willi;iin's  lu  xt  ciirc  was  to  dispose  of  tlic  lands  of  England  in  such 
wise  as  to  give  liiniscif  the  most  absolute  power  over  them  ;  and  here  he 
had  no  need  of  any  inventive  genius;  lie  had  merely  to  apply  to  I-^ngland 
the  old  feudal  law  of  France  and  his  native  Normandy.  Having  largely 
added  to  the  already  large  demesnes  of  the  crown,  ho  divided  all  the 
forfeited  lands— which  might  almost  without  hyperbole  be  said  to  be 
all  the  lands  of  England — into  baronies,  which  baronies  he  conferred 
npon  his  bravest  and  most  trusty  leaders,  not  in  fee  simple,  but  as 
fiefs  held  upon  certain  payments  or  services,  for  the  most  i)art  mihlary. 
The  individual  grants  thus  made  w(>re  infinitely  too  vast  to  be  actually 
held  in  use  by  tlie  iiuiividual  grantees,  who,  therefore,  parcelled  them 
out  to  knighls  and  vassals,  who  held  of  thinu  by  the  same  suit  and 
Bcrviec  by  which  tlicy  held  from  tlieir  lord  paramount,  the  king.  Arid 
that  tlie  feudal  law  might  universally  oi)taiM  in  England,  and  that  there 
might  be  no  excei)tion  or  qualification  to  the  paramount  lordship  of  tho 
king  over  the  whole  land,  even  the  few  Saxon  proprietors  who  were 
not  directly  and  by  attainder  deprived  of  tiieir  lands  were  compelled  to 
liold  tliem  l)y  suit  and  service  from  som(!  Norman  baron,  who  in  his  turn 
did  suit  and  service  for  then;  t.)  the  king. 

Considering  the  superstiiion  of  tlu;  age,  it  might  have  been  supposed 
that  tlie  church  would  have  been  exem|)ted  from  William's  tyrannous  ar- 
rangement. Hut  though,  as  W(!  sliall  presently  have  an  (Xicasiou  to  show, 
he  was  anxious  to  exalt  tlie  power  of  Rome,  he  was  not  the  less  de- 
'erminrd  tiial  even  Rome  should  be  second  to  him  in  powfr  in  his  own  do- 
minions.  He  called  uimn  llie  bishojis  ami  abbots  for  quit-rents  in  peace, 
and  for  their  cpiota  of  knights  and  nicii-at  arms  when  he  should  be  at  war, 
in  proportion  to  their  possessions  attached  to  sees  or  abbeys,  as  the  case 
might  l)e.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  cdergy  bewailed  tlu;  lyranny  of  the 
king,  which,  now  that  it  aflecled  thenisrlves,  they  discovered  to  be  (jiiite 
intoli'rahle  ;  and  it  was  (Hpi.dly  in  vain  that  ihe  pope,  who  bad  so  zeal- 
ously aided  and  encouraged  \Villiain  in  his  invasion,  remonstrated  upon 
his  tinis  confoimdiug  the  cicigy  with  tht^  laiiy.  William  had  the  power 
of  the  sword,  and  wailings  ;ind  remoiislrances  were  alike  inefTectual  to 
work  anv  change  njion  his  iron  will.  As  by  eom|)(dling  the  undeprived 
lay  SaxiTns  to  hold  mider  Norman  lords  he  so  completely  subjectcfi  thcni 
as  to  render  revolt  impracticalile,  so  he  took  care  that  hence'forth  all 
ecclesiastical  dignities  shoidd  be  exidusivelv  conferred  upon  N'orniaiis, 
who,  indeed  were  by  tlieir  great  superiority  in  learning  far  more  fitted 
for  them,  as  was  shown  by  the  great  number  of  Norman  compared  to 
Saxon  bishops  even  before  tin;  invasion. 

But  there  was  one  Saxon,  Siigand,  tlu;  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
whose  authority  was  too  great  not  to  be  obnoxious  to  the  suspicions  and 
fears  of  William,  the  more  especially  as  Sligaiid  had  both  wealth  and 
powerful  connections  in  addition  to  his  official  dignity,  and  was  a  man  of 
both  talcMit  and  courage.  These  considerations,  while  they  made  Wil- 
liam desirous  of  ruining  the  primate,  at  the  same  time;  ina(k!  him  dissemblo 
his  intentions  until  he  could  securely  as  wi  II  as  surely  carry  them  into 
efTect.  lie  conseciuenily  sceme  1,  by  every  civility,  to  endeavour  to  ef- 
face from  the  primate's  recollection  the  alTront  ofVered  to  him  at  the  coro- 
nation;  and  a  su|)erficial  observer,  or  oik;  unacquainted  with  the  king's 
wily  as  well  as  resolute  nature,  world  for  a  long  time  have  imagined  Sii- 
gand to  liav(^  been  one  of  iiis  prime  lavourites — for  a  Saxon.  Unt  when 
William  had  subdued  the  rest  of  the  nation  so  completely  that  ho 
had  no  fear  of  his  attempt  ujion  Stigaiid  ( liciting  any  powerful  or  perilous 
opposition,  the  ruin  of  tho  primate  was  at  once  determined  upon  anJ 
wrought.  -\nd  circumstances  furnished  him  with  an  instrument  by 
whose  means  he  was  abU;  to  accomplish  his  unjust  work  with  at  leaal 
Bome  appearance  of  judicial  regularity. 


THE  TRKASURY  OFHISTORY. 


177 


Pope  Alexander  II.,  whose  countenance  and  encouragement  had  lender- 
n\  William  ffood  service  in  iiis  invasion,  anxious  to  leave  no  means  un- 
ified of  increasing  the  papal  influence  in  England,  had  onlj'  awaited  Wil- 
liam's  seeming  perfect  establishment  upon  the  throne,  and  he  now  sent  over 
Kiincnfroy,  a  favourite  bishop,  on  his  legate.  This  prelate,  who  was  the 
fust  h'ljate  ever  sent  to  England,  and  the  king  served  each  others'  ends  to 
iulmiration.  William,  by  receiving  the  legato  at  once,  confirmed  the 
friendly  feeling  of  the  papal  court,  and  secured  the  services  of  an  authori- 
ty coinpctent  to  deal  with  the  primate  and  other  prelates  in  ecclesiasiical 
form,  and  nominally  upon  ecclesiastical  grounds,  while  in  reality  merely 
wreaking  the  vengeance  of  the  temporal  monarcli;  and  the  legate,  while 
serving  as  an  instrument  of  the  king's  individual  purposes,  exalted  both 
his  own  power  and  that  of  the  pope  in  the  eyes  of  the  people.  Having 
formed  ac-oiirt  of  bishop  and  abbots,  with  the  assistance  of  the  cardinals 
John  and  Peter,  he  cited  Stigand  to  answer  to  three  charges ;  viz:  i)f  hold- 
iiijfthc  i)isliopric  of  VVincliester  together  with  the  primacy  of  Canterbury ; 
of  having  ofTiciated  in  the  pail  of  his  [)redecessor;  and  of  having  received 
his  own  j)all  from  llenedict  IX.,  who  was  alledged  to  having  intruded  him- 
srlfiiiio  tiie  papacy.  The  substance  of  this  last  cliarge  the  reader  will 
doiililU's.s  recognize  as  the  priUcxt  upon  which  William  r(;fused  to  be 
crowni'd  by  Stigand  ;  and  all  the  cliarges  are  so  trivial  that  the  mere  men 
tioii  of  tliem  must  sufliciently  show  the  animus  in  which  they  were  made. 
Kvi'ii  tlie  most  serious  charge,  that  of  being  a  pluralist,  was  then  compar- 
atively trivial;  the  practice  being  freipient,  rarely  noticed  at  all,  and  never 
visited  by  any  more  severe  condemnation  tlian  of  being  compelled  to  re- 
sign one  of  the  sees. 

Wiien  so  powerful  and  wilful  a  monarch  as  William  had  determined 
upon  the  ruin  of  a  subject,  however,  it  matters  but  little  how  trivial  may 
be  the  eiiarge  or  how  ineoiudusive  the  evidence  ;  Stigand  was  degraded 
fnini  his  dignity  by  the  obseiiuious  legate,  and  thus  thrown  liel|)less  into 
the  liiiiids  (if  tli';  king,  wiio  not  merely  confiscated  all  his  possessions, 
but  also  committed  him  to  [irison,  wht're  he  lingered  in  most  undeserved 
siilferlogand  neglect  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

Having  thus  easily  erusbed  the  chief  and  by  far  the  most  important 
Saxon  personage  ot  the  hier;  icliy,  William  proceeded  to  bestow  the 
saineiiard  trcMtmeiil  upon  bisliops  Agelric  and  Agchvare,  who,  being  for- 
liially  (leposi'd  by  the  obse([uions  legate,  were  imprisoned  by  the  king 
ll^ehvin,  bishop  of  Durham,  was  marked  out  for  the  same  fate,  but  he 
\\:i\  timely  warning  and  escaped  from  the  kingdom.  A  hired,  archbisliop 
iif  York,  was  so  grieved  that  in  having  performed  the  ceremony  of  Wil- 
liam's coronation  he  had  even  ineidentally  aided  in  raising  up  so  nns|)ar- 
in:;  an  enemy  of  his  brethren  of  tin;  hierarcdiy,  that  his  mental  sulTerings 
|irii(liieed  a  miM'tal  disorder,  and  it  is  said  that  with  his  dying  breath  he 
called  down  Heaven's  vengeanee  upon  William  for  ins  geiu^ral  tyranny, 
ami  lor  his  esjieeial  misconduct  towards  the  church  in  direct  violation  ol 
ufhis  coronation  oath. 

.\pparently  regardless  of  the  curses  of  the  archbishp  or  of  the  deep 
haired  of  the  Saxons  in  general,  William  steaihly  pursued  his  course, 
lie  took  care  to  fill  all  eeelesiaslieal  vacancies  with  foreigners,  who,  while 
doing  their  utmost  to  i>romote  the  papal  authority  and  interests  in  Eng- 
laiul,  were  at  the  same  time  zealous  sup[)orlers  of  the  authority  of  thf 
king,  whom  they  esj)ecially  aided  in  that  surest  of  all  means  of  destroy™ 
iii^r  a  conquered  people's  nationality,  the  introduction  of  the  language  of 
ihi  conquerors  in  general,  but  more  especially  into  leg.il  use. 

ill  the  io(;ent  general  iiiul  signally  unsii(!cessful  revolts,  the  earls  Mor- 
car  and  l^dwin  had  taken  no  part.  But  now  that  the  Conqueror  had  no 
longer  any  tem|)lation  to  hypocritical  and  politic  mildness,  the  situation  of 
Ihcse  noblemen  was  a  truly  perilous  anddillicult  one.     Their  very  lineage 

I.-li 


ni 


IIP 


Fi  ■' '"I'M  »   •>' 


m 

^-**.-;  \'4«'  ijiaai 

Mi 


at  i 


178 


THE  TllEASUIlY  OF  HI3T0R1r. 


^fl 


m 


h  ■m>r. 


and  the  popularity  tliey  oiijoyed  among  the  men  of  their  own  race  mad* 
them  liateful  to  tlie  king,  wlio  felt  that  they  were  constantly  looked  up  to 
as  leaders  likely  at  some  period  to  aid  the  tSaxons  in  throwing  offhisyoki;. 
Their  wealth,  on  tlu;  other  hand,  exposed  them  to  the  envy  of  the  needy 
and  grasping  among  the  Norman  nobles,  who  eagerly  longed  to  see  ilicin 
engaged  in  some  enterprise  which  woidd  lead  lo  their  attainder  and  for- 
feiture, being  convinced  that  their  ruin  was  only  deferred  and  would  he  I'om 
pleted  upon  tlu;  first  plausible  occasion  tliat   might  present  itself,  they  de- 
termined openly  to  hrave  the  worst,  and  to  fall,  if  fall  they  must,  in  the 
attempt  to  deliver  both  themselves  and  their  country.     Edwin,  therefore, 
went  to  his  possessions  in  the  north  to  prepare  his  followers  for  one  more 
struggle  against  the  Norman  power;  and  Morcar,  with  such  followers  us 
he  could  immediately  command,  joini.'d  the  brave  llereward  who  still  main, 
lained  his  j)osition  among  the  almost  inaccessil)le  swamps  of  the  Ish'  of 
Ely.     Hilt  WilUani  was  now  at  leisure  to  bring  his  gigantic  power  lo  hear 
upon  this  chief  shelter  of  the  comparatively  few  Saxons  who  still  daicil  to 
strive  against  his  tyranny.     He  caused  a  large  number  of  llat-bottninei! 
punts  to  be  constructed,  by  wliicii  l)e  could  land  ujion  tiie  island,  and  hy 
dint  of  vast  labour  1\  made  a  pra(!tical)le  cans(>way  tliroiigh  the  nioiasscs, 
and  surrounded  the  n.'volted  with  such  an  overwludining  force,  that  a  .sur- 
render at  discretion  was  the  only  course  that  could  be  taken.     Ili'rcward 
however,  miide  his  way  through  the  enemy,  and   having  gained  the  sen, 
continued  upon  that  element  to  be  so  daring  and  elTective  an  enemy  lothn 
Normans,  tiiat  William,  who  had  iMiough  generosity  remaining  to  vahic 
even  in   an  enemy  a  s[iirit  so  congenial  to  his  own,   voluntarily  for^'avi 
him  all  his  acts  of  op[)ositii)ii,  and  restored  him   to  his   estate  and  to  h  s 
standing   in  the  country.     Earl  Morcar,  and  l^gehvni.  the  bishop  of  Dur- 
ham,  were  taken  among  iIh;  revolted,  and  thrown  into  |)n>oii,  wlierr  the 
latter  speedily  perislicd,eitlierof  grief  or  of  the  seventies  inflicted  npoii  Imn. 
Edwin,  on  the  new  success  of  the  king  in  ea[)tuiing  llie   t,'arris(iii  oi  tin 
Isle  of  Ely,  set  out  for  Scotland,  where   he  was  (■crtain  of  a  warm  wel- 
come.    Hut  some  mis(;reaiit  who  was  in  the  secret  of  his  route,  diviiluei) 
it  to  a  party  of  Normans,  who  ov(;rtook  him  hel'ori'   he  could   rracli  tlii 
border,  and  in  the  contlict   that  ensued  he  was  slain.     His  gallantry  had 
made  him  admired  even  by  his  enemies,  and  UjiIi  Normans  and   Saxons 
joined  in    lamentnig  his  untimely   end.     Tiie  king  of  .*>cotland,   who  haii 
lent  his  aid  to   the  revolted,  was  compelled  to  submit  to  the  vicloriuiKs 
William  ;  and  Edgar  Atlieling,  i;o  hmger  able  to  depend  upon  safely  even 
in  S(;otland,  threw  himself  upon  William's  mercy.     'The  ("oni|ueror,  wlm 
seems  to  have  held  Ihs!  (diaracterof  that  prince   in  the  most  entire  cmi- 
lem[)t,  not  only  gave  him  life  and  lilierty,  but  allowed  him  a  (jension  lo  en 
able  linn  to  live  m  comfort  as  a  siilijcct  in  that  land  of  which  lit;  mijjlit  to 
have  lieeii  the  sovereign. 

Upon  this  occasion,  as  upon  all  otht'rs,  William's  policy  made  rlciiieiicv 
and  severity  go  hand  in  hand.  While  lo  the  leading  men  of  the  revohnl 
he  showed  either  eomparalive  or  posi',iv(!  lenity,  he  visited  the  eoiiminii 
herd  with  the  most  frightful  rigour,  putting  out  the  eyes  and  ciillint;  nl' 
the  hands  of  many  of  them,  and  sending  them  forth  in  this  horrible  lun 
ditionas  a  warning  to  their  fellow-(!ountryineii. 

A.).  1073. — From  England  William  was  oidiged  to  turn  his  attcntio.iU. 
France.  The  province  of  .Maine  m  that  country  had  beiMi  willed  to  iiini 
before  he  became  king  of  England,  by  Count  Herbert.  Kecently  ihc  (n  o 
pie,  encouraged  by  William's  residence  in  England,  and  rendered  iliscou- 
tented  by  the  vexatious  opppression  of  the  Normans,  to  whom  ho  had  eiv 
trusted  the  government,  rose  and  cx()elled  them ,  to  which  derus  *■ 
course  they  were  encouraged  by  Fulke,  count  of  Anjou,  who,  !>»«  for  Couni 
Herbert's  will,  would  have  snceeedeil  to  ilie  proviiKc  Thi«  c<im|ihit' 
•ubjection  of  England  furnished  the  king  with  leisure  lu  chastise  dir  piM- 


pie  of  Maine,  ; 
composed  of  E 
troops,  who  e.vt 
of  a  monarch  \\ 
and  with  a  sui 
against  any  tre 
compelled 'the  s 
earl  of  Anjou  of 
A.v.  lo/l.—W 
disturbed,  not  bi 
favourite  Norm; 
roiis  were  aecus 
dent;  and  these 
er,  even  to  iho  j 
brook  without  re. 
tomcil  to  issue  ai 
cral,  though  hilln 
Kngiand.  Tlie  U 
arbitrary  interfer 
his  favourite  Fitz 
uisliedto  give  hi.s 
and,  rnllier  as  a  r( 
W'liiid  iiilerpo.se  ai 
arbitrarily  and  wj 
more  iiidifjnanl  at 
iiiarriayc  '•Jioidd  ji 
llic  fiieiKl.s  of  thci 
the  cenmoiiv  they 
llie  king,  .imj  f.^,' 
-(■I'ined  o  much  d 
'aiilry  heowfij  th.'l 
liiiiiioiis.  The 
mid  lo  men  wa 
•■'■ilamly  iirnnv  o 
'be  most  powerfo 
'I'liied  all  the  an 
'lire  even  flio  nio*-^ 
"wed  all  II), |(  |„,  (  _ 
fij-'bifiil  Sa.voii  o\\ 
'iivei;i|i(.,i  a.'j'aiiist 
'"''•■•iii-^'- '.ValtheoC, 
''}  biiili  and  well 

/■■lllllllltc    (if   (|„.     I 

^t-Miii.  the  li.gitim; 
"'  ii'lling  against  I. 
fl"!  'be  .slightest  In 
*;i.''  <'oiisider,.,i  „„ 
*»ni  liiinselfniade 
">':**iy,  as  duke  of ; 
[t^  inalcomfiit 
«all|,^,^oi(t  ,ytj„ 
1f""g  UfX/f,  |,j,«  .^^ 
'ii'iHte  f.^llow-coiif 
'm-y  that  v,a»  e 
<""ba-  mome.iiH  . 
''"I'Ts,  to  him  he  I 
""•/■''  was  dan^.>r 
»'"!so[x,.wjr..ii  ^ 


CO 

riii 

ft 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


179 


pie  of  Miiiiip,  and  he  accordingly  went  over  with  a  large  force,  chiefly 
composed  of  Knglish  from  the  districts  most  prone  to  revolt.  With  these 
troop.s,  who  e.vcrtod  themselves  greatlj'  iti  the  hope  '^'"  winning  the  favour 
of  a  monarch  whose  power  they  had  no  longer  any  means  of  shaking  off, 
and  with  a  sufllcient  numher  of  natives  of  Normandy  to  insure  him 
ainiiiist  any  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  Knglish,  he  entered  Maine,  ani 
conipclled  the  snhnii^sion  of  that  province,  and  the  relinquishment  by  the 
earl  of  Anjou  of  all  pretensions  to  it. 

A.D.  10/'4. — While  William  was  thus  successful  in  France,  England  was 
disturbed,  not  by  the  English,  but  by  the  most  powerful  of  the  king's  own 
favourite  Normans.  Obedient  to  their  leader  in  tlu;  field,  the  Norman  ba- 
rons were  accustomed  in  civil  life  to  deem  themselves  perfectly  indepen- 
dent, ;ui<!  tlicse  feudal  chiefs  having  in  tiieir  own  territory  absolute  pow- 
er, even  to  the  infliction  of  death  upon  offenders,  were  too  sovereign  to 
brook  without  reluctance  the  arbitrary  way  in  which  William  was  accus- 
toiiird  to  issue  and  enforce  hi'^  orders.  Tlie  conse(iuenc<!  was  a  very  gen- 
eral, thoujih  hitherto  a  secret,  discontent  among  the  Norman  barons  of 
Kiit,'land.  '["he  long  snu)ulileriMg  discontent  was  broiisrht  to  light  by  the 
iirbitrary  iiiterfcreiicc  of  the  king  in  the  domestic  affaiis  of  Roger,  son  of 
his  favouriK!  Filzos!)orne.  Koger,  wliohad  Ixcn  created  earl  of  Hereford, 
wislicd  to  give  his  sister  in  marriage  to  Ralph  dt!  (iuader,  earl  of  Norfolk, 
and,  ratlier  as  a  respectful  formality  than  in  the  expectation  that  the  king 
wmild  interpose;  any  obstacle,  had  recjuested  his  san(;tion,  which  William 
arbitrarily  and  without  assigning  a  reason  refused.  Surprised,  and  slill 
nuire  indignant  at  the  king's  refusal,  botii  the  earls  determined  that  the 
niarrianc  -liould  [jroceed  notwithstanding.  Tliey  accordingly  assembled 
ttif  fruiidf*  of  their  respective  liouses,  and  at  the  liaiKiuet  which  folloMcd 
the  cea  iiKniy  tiiey  «ipeMly  and  warmly  'iiveighed  against  the  eaprice  of 
llic  kinii-  and  esi»«-iially  a;,  llll^t  the  risionr  of  the  anthoritii  which  he 
..^icnu'd  II  much  determined  to  exereise  over  those  nobles  tn  whose  gal- 
lintry  he  owfd  til."  ncfi.est  of  his  len'MiM-ies  and  the  prouilest  of  his  dis- 
liiiciiuiis.  The  coiii[)iiny,  al'ler  the  Nornvum  fisbiou,  Innl  drunk  deeply  ; 
;i!i,l  to  men  wariiUMl  with  wme  any  armuneiils  will  seem  c'lgeiif.  And 
ri'itaiiily  many  of  the  arguments  which  were  now  ii«pd  to  in'  "e  sonr»*of 
the  im>si  ijowerfiii  of  th«'  Norman  nobilnv  to  re'iPl  against  i  ,.  king  #^ 
i|iiiicd  all  the  aid  of  win<-  Mid  wassail  to  enable  lhet\i  to  pass  muster  be- 
lurc  even  the  ino*f  supertifial  judges.  Tliough  every  Normal)  present 
owed  all  th.tt  he  lia^  of  Knglish  wealth  or  Kiiglish  rank  to  the  ruin  of  the 
ri^'hifiil  Saxon  owner-;,  ibc  .ruelty  of  liie  king  towards  the  Saxons  was 
invii;;liei!  against  with  liie  nu>st  hypocriticil  and  loatl'  .•me  cant,  merely 
!i('iMii.'<e  Waltlieof,  earl  of  N'ortlmmberland.  who  was  pi;'  h  n.',  was  a  Saxon 
(iv  hirili  and  well  known  t<>  be  sill  Saxon  in  heart,  though  he  was  a  prime 
f^vuimte  of  the  king,  wfio  iiad  ^iveii  him  his  niece  Juditii  in  inarriajfe 
\lmiii,  the  legitimacy  of  Williiim's  Inrlh  was  dwel'  upon  as  a  reason  for 
;noltiiig  against  his  ;iuth(»f»ly,  ihougli  it  bad  from  In.-'  very  cbiWhood  been 
not  the  . ■slightest  bar  to  his  wwcession  to  his  father'.-  ukedoit^  thon^'b  it 
was  considered  no  dishonour  in  am  eountry  m  Kiirojj'  and  thtH.gh  Wil- 
Hani  hiinsi'lf  made  so  little  secret  •m'  us  irrejjular  birth,  >iat  he  <*Ty  coiii- 
mii*»lv,  as  duke  of  Normandy,  sigi**-*}  IninseK'  Ouh'lmuf  Mtistardm*- 

'!*:-»  malcontent  Normans,  as  it  lurned  otH  ha^f  far  iviler  hwv*  \0tt 
VValtti«"<<oiil  (/  their  calculation.  TfK'  enthusi*#fn  of  a  f««tivp  nwexmf^ 
(iciiiig  \\\xtlt  his  .■/#,«iig  though  deeply  co.y'cided  symputhy  with  Ins  unfer- 
tUMate  fellovr-eoiKK/jwien,  caused  liim  to  "fiter  very  rt-adily  wto  tfK>  ram- 
.spira' 7  that  wa*  now  J'/rmed  .igaiimt  tiie  iiii(44.»rity  <»'  Wuli-a*,  Bw  with 
(•Older  momenlH  eame  -Mier  feclinifj*.  ryfi.;i'  thougli  WiIUiki*  wa.s  to 
others,  to  him  he  h»<f  x  in  a  most  (^rn/  loiis  M/'^uirch  >'v)  'ib^mii  friend ; 
tiieie  was  danx^r,  U*--  th'*'  any  f<M>»j;traey  jifr-'wwt  :>.  kmg  w>  w^aM^M 
md  so  pv>»ir.Ji  ^    rid  be  f«inons  ouly  to  the  (^MH'X^rtOD)  Iti 


180 


THE  THEASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


I  t' 


I.    '  -'ill 


and  finally,  sullin<r  aside  both  personal  gratitude  and  piMsonal  fears,  was 
it  not  probable  that  in  aiding  to  overthrow  William,  he  would,  in  fact,  be 
aiding  to  overthrosv  a  single  and  not  invariably  cruel  tyrant,  only  to  set 
up  a  multitude  of  despots  to  spoil  and  trample  tiie  unhappy  people?  VVhicli. 
ever  way  his  reflections  turned  he  was  perplexed  and  alarmed  ;  ami  hav- 
ing confidence  equally  in  the  affection  and  in  tlie  judgment  of  his  wifr;, 
he  entrusted  her  with  the  secret  of  the  conspirai'y,  and  consulted  her  as 
10  the  course  that  it  would  best  befit  bin-  to  take.  Hut  .ludilii,  whose 
marriage  had  been  brought  about  with  less  reference  i  )  her  incliiiatiun 
than  to  the  king's  will,  had  suffered  lier  affections  to  be  uiduced  from  her 
husband,  and  in  the  abominable  hope  of  ridding  herself  of  i.'m  by  exposini^' 
him  to  the  fatal  anger  of  the  king,  sIk!  sent  William  all  tiie  oarticulars 
which  she  had  thus  confidently  acquired  of  the  conspiracy.  Wal  licof,  ju 
the  meantime,  growing  daily  more  and  more  perplexed  and  alaur.ed,  luii- 
fided  his  secret  and  his  consequent  perplexities  to  Lanfraiic,  whom,  I'rum 
being  an  Italian  monk,  the  Conqueror  had  raised  to  the  arciibishopric  of 
Canterbury,  on  the  degradation  and  imprisonment  of  the  unfortunate  Sti- 
gand.  Laufrauc  advised  him  faithfully  and  well,  pointing  out  to  him  liow 
paramount  his  duty  to  the  king  anil  ins  own  family  was  to  any  considera- 
tion he  could  have  for  the  conspirators,  and  how  likely  it  was  tliat  even 
by  :ime  one  of  them  tin;  conspiracy  would  be  revealed  to  the  king,  if  he 
did  no;  by  speedy  information  at  ou-'c  seiture  himself  from  puiiisluneiit, 
and  obtain  whatever  merit  William  might  attach  to  the  earliest  iiifoniia- 
tiou  upon  so  important  a  subject.  These  irgnmc.its  coincided  si;  exactly 
with  Wallheofs  own  feelings,  that  he  no  longer  hesitated  how  to  act,  Imi 
at  once  went  over  to  Normandy  and  confessed  everything  to  the  kin^r. 
With  his  usual  politic  tact,  William  gave  the  repentant  conspirator  a  ;:ra. 
cious  reception,  and  professed  to  feci  greatly  obliged  by  his  care  in  giviii'^ 
iiim  the  information  ;  but  knowing  it  all  already  by  means  of  Walllirors 
treacherous  wife,  William  inwardly  determined  that  Waltiicof,  espi'ciidly 
as  he  was  an  Knglisliman,  should  eventually  profit  but  little  by  his  tanly 
repentance. 

Meanwhile,  WaltheoPs  sudden  journey  to  the  king  in  Normandy  rdariiicil 
the  conspiratois  ;  not  doubting  that  tiiciy  were  betrayed,  yet  uiiwillimi:  to 
fall  unresisting  victims  to  the  king's  rage,  they  broke  into  ojjen  revolt  far 
more  prematurely  tiiaii  otherwise  they  would.  From  the  first  dawiiiiiy 
of  the  conspiracy  it  had  been  a  leading  point  of  their  agreement  that  tiic 
should  make  no  open  demonstration  of  hostdity  to  the  king  until  llie  a' 
rival  of  a  large  llect  of  the  Danes,  with  wiiom  they  had  secretly  alliei! 
themselves,  and  whose  aid  was  (piile  indispensible  to  their  comb^uiiig, 
with  any  reasonable  chance  of  success,  the  great  majority  of  the  nobility, 
who,  from  real  attachment  to  the  king  or  from  more  selfish  motives,  wouid 
be  sure  to  defend  their  absent  sovereign.  Hut  now  that  tliLy  were,  as 
they  rightly  conjectured,  betrayed  by  Waltheof,  they  could  no  longer  rci;- 
ulate  their  conduct  by  the  strict  maxims  of  prudence.  The  earl  of  Here- 
ford, as  he  was  the  first  of  the  conspirators,  so  also  was  the  first  openly 
to  raise  his  standard  against  the  king.  lie,  however,  was  liemmed  in,  ami 
prevented  from  passing  the  Severn  to  carry  rebellion  into  tlu;  heart  of  the 
kingdom,  by  the  bishop  of  Worcester  and  the  mitred  abbot  of  Kveshain  in 
that  county,  aided  by  Walter  de  Lacy,  a  [lowerful  Norman  baron.  The 
earl  of  Norfolk  was  defeated  at  Tragadus  in  (Cambridgeshire,  by  Odo,  tliu 
king's  half-brother,  who  was  Ic  ft  as  regent  of  the  kingdom,  and  Itichanl 
de  Bienfaitc  and  William  de  Warenne,  the  lords  justiciaries.  The  erirl  of 
Norfolk  svas  fortunate  enough  to  escape  to  Norfolk,  but  tliose  of  his  roiiteil 
followers  who  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  made  prisoners  and  not  slain 
immediately  after  ihe  action,  were  barbarously  condemned  to  I()se  their 
right  feet.  When  news  of  tlii.^  rigour  reached  the  earl  in  his  Danish  re 
treat,  he  gave  up  all  hope  of  being  able,  as  it  would  seem  lie  had  still  in- 


ended,  to  raise 

X'cded  to  his  lai 

A.D.   ]07o. — \V 

.ictiially  broken  i 

however,  so  spet 

eii'i  to,  he  only  a 

pnnisliments  wliii 

;if  llicsc  unliajipy 

piived  of  their  rig 

warning  against  a 

lord,  who  was  tak 

revolt  and  the  coi 

ipatcd  ihat  tlie  kit 

raped  far  belter  tli 

ill!"  rum.     /lewa; 

'lin-iM,^;-  the  king's  [ 

Jioii  Id  release  iliu 

have  restored  to  hi 

ill-timed  hauteur  o 

ureli,  and  (lie  seiite 

Tims  far  Walthe 

no  overt  act  of  trcii 

Siiraey  almost  as  s 

the  kmir,  who  had  ; 

iiess.     Jhit  \Valtlie( 

.':e  forgot  lo  take  im 

iii.'iii.     .Moreover,  lie 

.Jiidilli.    The  induei 

.'i.ivc  .'■■iifficed  to  savi 

<;ireinn.staiices;  hut 

!!"'  minicrous  conrn 

Tlyof  Walthcf,  I,, 

'Mhappy  Walthcuf 

nas  eondemned  ;  hai 

•■:(Hl)e  mentioned;  |j 

■f^'i'jie  tried  and  notl 

Waitlicof,  licniir  nil 

'''■'"'■■^ecxcrliiin.s  his" 
;i''ieli()ratioii  of  ih,. 
'\:li'iit  was  the  popiii 
■''"•  ■^iip<'''.'^litioii  of  if 
«il.'i  tlie  pi)ucr  of  wf 
■'i^'icstiinonv  to  hi.sL 
i"'r"oii  to  the  n-gretl 
"fins  widow.     To  tf 

"l'"l<-  king's  f;iv„|,,  I 

"L'lirsaiul  inipitied  nf 

Having  eompleteli 

''J;v  hastened  over  t1 

"■''I'll  de  Gander,  ea| 

joriedhy  the  earl  of 

'"'■•""^lin  himself  ill 

'""'''  "•■r;iy  against  1 

('''''"'■iiient  or  scrioiil 

'""'  "I'lt  nioiiairh  ail 

i"'""S  »alph  de  (;; 

'"■"•'•■  "itli  all  tlireel 

A.I..  ior(;._r,;,nfrT 


THE  T11EA3U11Y  OF  UU<TOUY. 


18^ 


ended,  to  raise  any  nirtlifr  ilisstuibance  in  England;   he  therefore  ruJ- 
;ccded  to  liis  large  possessions  iu  Brittany. 

A.D.  1075. — When  tiie  news  reached  VViUiam  of  the  conspiracy  liaviii;^ 
ictiially  broken  out  into  open  revolt  he  hastened  over  to  lOngland,  uhej-c, 
however,  so  speedily  was  the  premature  and  ill-rnanaged  oiiibreak  put  an 
ci\'\  to,  he  only  arrived  in  time  to  signalize  !iis  severity  once  more  by  the 
piiiiisiiments  which  he  inflicted  upon  the  common  herd  of  the  rebels.  Many 
tif  llu'sc  unhappy  wretches  had  their  eyes  put  out,  and  still  more  were  de- 
prived of  their  right  hands  or  feet,  and  thus  ma'le  a  perpeiual  and  terrific 
wanhiig  against  arousing  the  terrible  anger  of  the  king.  'Vhc  earl  of  Mere- 
foul,  wlio  was  taken  prisoner,  and  upon  whom,  as  tin;  primary  cause  of  the 
revolt  and  tlie  conseipient  misery  and  sulTering,  it  might  have;  been  antic- 
ipatrd  that  the  king's  wrath  would  have  fallen  with  deadly  s(!verily,  es- 
fiipi'il  fir  belter  than  the  wretched  peasants  whom  his  imprudence  had  led 
into  rum.  lie  was  deprived  of  his  estiite  and  condenmed  to  im[)risonment 
ihiriiig  the  king's  pleasure.  Ihit  tlu?  king  gave  evident  signs  of  an  inten- 
lioii  to  release  thu  jjrisoner,  wliom  lu:,  in  th;it  case,  wculd  most  probably 
hiivc  restored  to  his  estate  and  to  favour,  but  the  impolitic  and  peculiarly 
illtiaicd  hauteur  of  tlie  earl  gave  fresli  olliiiee  to  tlu^  fiery-tiMupered  inon- 
urtli,  and  the  sentences  of  imprisonnient  was  iiiade  per|)etual. 

Thus  far  Wallheof  had  felt  no  fear  for  himself.  lie  liad  been  guilty  of 
110  overt  act  of  treason,  and  lie  had  not  only  ri'pented  of  the  crime  of  con- 
spiracy aUn(;st  as  soon  as  lie  had  commilted  it,  but  hail  hastened  to  warn 
ilie  kiiitr,  who  had  received  his  information  with  great  apparent  thankful- 
iiiss.  Hut  Waltheof  left  out  of  iiis  calculation  oiu;  very  imj)ortant  point; 
.v  forgot  to  take  into  consideration  tiie  fatal  fact  of  his  b(;iiig  an  Kiiglish- 
iiiaii.  Moreover,  he  had  th(>  pleadings  agaiiut  iuin  of  his  infimous  wife 
.iiiditii.  'I'iie  influence  she  had  over  her  u  ii  le  would  .-.-areely,  perhaps, 
!iave  sufficed  to  save  her  husband,  unless  powerftdly  bacKcd  by  some  other 
irciiiiislances ;  but  it  was  iiiiitc  iiowerfiil  eiiougli,  when  added  to  that  ol 
iju'  iiiiiiii'nius  courtiers  \wio  looked  wilii  greedy  eyes  upon  the  great  prop- 
rtv  lit  Walthiof,  lo  close  the  king's  ears  to  thi;  voice  of  mcicy,  ami  the 
iiiihap|iy  Waltiieof  was  tried  and  executed.  We  have  not  said  tiiat  he 
'vas  coiideiniicd  ;  having  said  that  he  was  trieil,  his  condenmatioii  need 
.(U  he  nientioiu'(l ;  for  who,  when  the  king  wished  his  ruin,  eoulil  in  that 
j^'c  be  tried  and  not  condemned  ! 

WaltJK'of,  being  universally  considereil  the  last  Knglishmau  .if  rank  from 
'viiosc  cxiTlions  his  uiihai)|iy  fellow-countrymen  could  have  hoped  for  any 
c'U'lioralion  of  their  sutferiiigs,  was  greatly  lanientiHl ;  nay,  to  such  an 
I  \tciit  was  tlu!  po|)iilar  grief  carried,  and  so  niiicli  was  it  mixed  up  with 
:!»•  superstition  of  the  age,  that  his  remains  were  supposed  to  be  euduefl 
■Ail!i  the  power  of  working  miracles,  .and  of  thus  indirectly,  at  least,  bear- 
:ij,  tcstimoiiv  lo  his  sanctity  and  to  the  injustice  of  his  execution.  In  jiro- 
:Hirtioii  to  the  regret  felt  for  the  (!eeease(i  earl  was  the  public  detestation 

fins  widow.     To  that  deleslatioii  retributive  fortune  soon  added  liie  loss 
of  the  king's  favour,  ami  the  whole  remaiiu'er  of  her  life  was  spent  iu  ob 
M'tiri' and  uupitied  misery. 

Having  completely  put  an  end  to  all  disturbance  in  Kngland,  William 
now  hastened  over  to  Xormaiuly  to  prepare  to  invade  the  [lossessions  of 
lialpli  (le  Gander,  earl  of  Xorl'olk.  Hut  that  nobleman  was  so  well  sup- 
iiirted  hy  the  earl  of  Urittany  ami  the  king  of  France,  that  he  was  able  to 
maintain  himself  in  tlu;  fortress  of  Dol  against  -all  the  force  that  William 
■iHild  array  against  him.  It  was  no  part  of  Williaurs  policy  to  have  any 
pirinaneiit  or  serious  <piarrel  with  the  king  of  France  ;  and  finding  that 
iotlithat  mouareh  and  the  earl  of  Brittany  were  resolutely  bent  upon  aup- 
jirting  '{alpli  de  (iauder,  at  whatever  eonsequentx's,  he  wisely  made  a 
peace  with  all  three. 

A.n.  lOTt;.— Lanfranc,  rai.sed  bv  William  to  tlie  archbishopric  of  Canter 


mAUm 


Wm 


182 


TIIK  TllKASURY  OF  IHSTOHY. 


«     )| 


bury,  was  at  uncc  an  ambitious  iniiii  and  a  faitliful  and  zealous  servant  of 
the  paj)ac'y.  Tlioiifrh  he  had  been  raised  to  liis  liijfh  station  by  tlic  favour 
of  the  king,  to  whom  lie  was  really  and  gratefully  attached,  he  would  not 
allow  the  rights  of  the  church  to  he  in  any  wise  infrinsj«!d  upon.  On  the 
death  of  Aldred,  by  whom  it  will  be  remembered  that  William  had  chosen 
to  be  crowned,  Thomas,  a  Norman  monk,  was  appointed  to  succeed  him 
in  the  archbishopric  of  York.  The  new  archbishop,  probably  presumiiiir 
upon  the  king's  favour,  pretended  that  the  archiepiscopal  see  of  York  lial] 
precedence  and  superiority  to  that  of  (Canterbury.  The  fact  of  AldriHJ, 
ills  predecessor,  having  been  called  upon  to  crown  the  king,  most  prob. 
ably  weighed  with  the  jm-late  of  York;  in  which  case  he  must  have  fur- 
gotten  or  wilfully  neglected  the  circumstancres  of  that  case.  Lanfranc,  did 
neither  one  nor  tlie  other;  and,  heedless  of  wli.it  tlie  knig  might  think  or 
wish  upon  the  subject,  he  boldly  commenced  a  procession  to  the  papal 
court,  which,  after  the  delay  for  which  Rome  was  idre;idy  proverbial,  \vii.> 
terminated  most  triumi)hantly  for  Lanfranc.  It  will  readily  be  su[)pt)st'd 
that  under  such  a  prelati;  the  people;  of  Mngland  wen;  iioi  allowed  to  lose 
any  portion  of  tlieir  exorbitant  respect  for  the  papacy.  William,  indeed, 
was  not  a  monarch  to  allow  even  the  church,  ])otent  .ts  it  v,;is,  io  niasier 
him.  \'cry  early  in  his  reign  he  expressly  I'orbadi;  Irs  iuibji'cls  from  ac- 
knowledging any  one  as  pojjc  mitil  authorized  lo  do  so  by  the  kiiii;;  lie 
required  all  canons  of  the  synods  to  be  siibmilttMl  for  his  approval;  and 
though  even  he  did  not  deem  it  ^afe  to  dispute  the  right  of  tlie  chiircli  lo 
excommunicate  evil-doers,  he  vi^ry  eH'cclually  curbed  that  right,  ;is  a()|)liid 
to  his  own  subjects,  by  ruling  that  no  papal  bull  or  letter  sliould  1,'c  held 
to  be  an  authoritative  or  evtiii  an  autheniic  dociinient,  until  it  should  have 
received  his  .sanction,  it  was  rather,  therefore,  n  imbuing  the  miiKLs  ol 
the  people  with  a  sohMiin  awe  and  reverence  of  tli(!  pope  and  the  cinircli. 
that  Lanfranc  was  engaged  during  this  reign;  and  in  this  In;  was  so  suc- 
cessful, that  suhseqii(;iu  moiiarchs  of  less  ability  and  firmness  than  Wil- 
liam were  grievously  incommoded. 

Gregory  V'lL  probably  pushi.'d  the  jiowerof  llu;  papacy  over  the  teiniio- 
ral  concerns  of  the  kingdoms  of  Kuropt;  further  than  any  previous  |>o]ic. 
He  excommunii-ated  Nicephoriis,  the  emix'ror  of  the  east,  and  lioburi 
(•uiscard,  the  Norman  comiueror  of  Nai)les ;  he  look  away  from  Poland 
her  very  rank  as  a  kingdom ;  and  he  pretendt;d  lo  tin;  right  of  parcelling  odi 
the  territory  of  Spain  among  these  adventurers  who  should  coiuiuer  il 
from  the  Moors.  Though  he  was  boldly  and  ably  ojijiosed  by  the  eiiij)!- 
ror  Henry  IV.,  he  was  not  a  whit  deterred  in  his  amliilious  course;  ;ind 
even  tlu;  "■ailikc,  able,  and  somewhat  (ierce  character  of  Wiliiam  did  ,ii)i 
Bhield  h.^  froip  '  i^'iiig  assailed  by  the  extravagant  demands  of  Houk 
(Iregory  Nviote  lo  him  to  demaiul  the  payment  of  I'eler's  ptMice,  which 
Rome  had  c(inverl(;d  into  ;i  n^'itful  tribute,  though  ;t  Saxon  prince  liad 
originally  given  the  contribut-i!ii,  so  called,  merely  as  a  voluiitaiy  dun.i- 
lion  ;  and  he  had  at  the  same  time  averred  that  WjUiuoi  had  promised  I'l 
do  homage  to  Home,  for  his  kingdom  of  England.  V\  illiam  .sent  tiii' 
money,  but  li<;  plainly  and  somewhat  tartly  lold  the  pope  at  the  saim 
time,  that  he  had  neither  promised  nor  ever  intended  to  do  iioiiia!,'!' 
to  Home.  The  pofii;  wi>iely  forbore  to  press  the  subject;  but  tliougli 
in  addition  U)  this  [)lain  refusal  lo  comply  with  an  uiireasonablo  dc 
maud,  William  still  further  showed  his  iiidcpi-iidence  by  forbidding  lln^ 
English  to  attend  a  (;ouncil  which  (iregory  had  summoi.t  d,  he  had  in 
means,  even  had  he  liiinst  If  iuien  more  free  from  su|ter8tinou  than  he  ni 
pears  to  have  been,  of  preventing  the  progress  of  the  clergy  in  subject 
mg  the  minds  of  the  peojile.  The  gre;itest  efforts  were  made  lo  reiidci 
the  celibacy  of  the  clergy  general,  and  to  give  the  appearaiieo  of  addiumi;;' 
Banctimoniousness  to  their  outwanl  life,  in  order  the  more  deeply  ti 
impress  the  people  with  the  notion  of  the  genuine  sanctity  of  their  ch;irattci 


Prosperous  i 

trniihle.     He  w 

as  a  residence 

snriiained  Coiir 

tiiihcr  fear  for 

siilnnitted  to  \\ 

should  have  Hi 

•■Inglrnd,  ho,  ill 

«M.s  just  then   I; 

as  his  siiccesso 

doing  this  was  li 

Kn^-Jand,  but  he 

Indeed,  when   In 

.session  of  Norn 

in;',  ill  the  vulg;] 

to  bed.     Thedis: 

-■•onie  (jnarrels  w 

ilie  superior  favo 

llier.  and  lie  facli 

nid  interest  in  \ 

liy  liis  intrigues,  ( 

lieir  support  of  || 

So  'lioroiigjily  t 

that  he   seized 'ii[ 

jiiaind   between  i 

of  nurlially  siding 

nred  to  surprise  ai 

1112  ni  tins  treason 

de  (very.     StiU  hj., 

castle    of   H|,Mr|,     (),, 

tioii,  hilt  assisted  ;i| 
rc.i;n  .-iiid  father. 
I  very   great  favoJ 
.-nnoni,'-  llie  yoiiiiir,. 
;iii  I  as  Holiert  was 
'':''!  110  dilliculiy  j, 
rvddiniijioiis  nilo 
No  troiihlesoinc 
Wilh.iin,  growiii^r  ..^ 
iificatioii  and  (Iis7r|j 
ills  ou'ii  sciji.  sen? 
'.'I".'*i;' Veter.i,  ,.|n,i 
Idi  J{(d)ert  was  dril 
'•i''  ri'fiiijf;  in  th., 
H'ho  liad  secretly  t\ 
liiiii-     He  was  foil 
l)''iin.' strong  jin,!  ^^ 
tioii.     Frequent  s;l 
"as  personallv  opj 
''"^^■".  'o-  did  not  ri 
cn.lia'iiigtli,.  ndvf 
Ji'tii'T.     The  kiierf 
Hobert  ree..;rniz„";/ 
■I'lr'-i.w  es.-ape  he, 
niiftsejfuponhi*  U 
tim  kinjr  was  Uh) 
I'm?  ami  pt-^tem 
cam;..     TW  we-r, 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


183 


Prosperous  as  William  was  in  l)is  public  affairs,  he  had  much  domoalic 
trouble.     He  was  ()bli(red  to  remain  for  some  years  in  Normandy,  though 
as  a  residciii'o  he  fireatly  preferred  Kngiand      Hut  his  eldest  son  Robert, 
siiriianied  (Jourlhose,  on  acenunt  of  the  shortness  of  his  legs,  made  his 
iiiiher  fear  for  the  safety  of  Normandy.     It  appears  that  whan  Maine 
.siil)miUed  to  William,  he  promised  the  people  of  that  province  tiiat  they 
should  have  Ilobert  for  their  prince  ;  and  when  he  set  out  to  conquer 
kiigii'Mil,  he,  in  compliance  with  the  wish  of  the  French  king,  whom  i: 
was  just  tlien  liis  especial   interest  and  desire  to  satisfy,  named  Itobert 
as  liis  successor  in  the  duchy  of  Normandy.      He  was  well  aware  that 
doing  this  was  his  solo  means  of  reconcilins?  l-'rance  to  his   coiupiest  o 
Kimdaiul,  but  he  had  not  the  sliglitcst  intentuju  of  performing  his  promise 
liulccd,  when   he  was  subsequently  asked  by  his  son  to  put  him  in  pos 
session  of  Normandy,  he  ridiculed  the  yoimg  man's  liredulity  by  rei)ly 
iiijf.  in  the  vulgar  proverb,  that  he  did  not  intend  to  undress  till  he  went 
toVd.     'rhedi3ai)pointment  enraged  the  naturally  bad  tem|)er  of  Uobert; 
sonic  qnarrtds  with  his  brothers  William  and  Henry,  wlioui  lu!  hated  for 
llu'  superior  favour  thcv  enjoyed  with  Ihc'r  father,  inllamod  hini  still  far 
tlipr.  and  lie  faclio\isly  <lid  all  tiiat  he  could  to  thwart  his  ftiher's  wishes 
uiil  uUcrcst  HI  Normandy ;  nav,  he  was  more  than  susp( cicd  of  having, 
bv  Ins  intrigues,  confiruied  tie;  king  of  France  and  tlu>  earl  of  liriltaiiy  in 
I'lcir  support  of  his  reijcliious  vassid,  the  earl  of  Norfolk. 

Si»  (horoughly  bent  was  Itnlicrt  uj)on  undiUiful  opposition  to  his  f  ithcr. 
tliMt  he  sci/.cd  upon  tlu;  opporluuiiy  atVorded  by  an  exlrenuly  childish 
]ii;iiri'l  between  luniscdf  and  his  brothers,  in  which  he  accused  his  lather 
(if  [);irliallv  siding  against  him,  ami  hasleiied  to  Uou(.'ii,  where  he  (Midtiav- 
nrrd  to  surprisr;  and  seize  the  citadel.  He  was  prevented  from  succei^d- 
iiin  ill  this  treason  by  the  suspicion  aivl  activity  of  the  govc^rnor.  Roper 
lie  Ivery.  Still  beni  upon  this  unnatural  opposition,  |{ol)ert  retirci!  to  vhe 
caslle  of  Hugh  de  Ni'uchatel,  who  not  only  gave  biin  a  liosjiitaMi'  rceep- 
tioii,  hut  assisted  and  encouraged  liiin  to  make  opiu)  war  upon  his  sove- 
n  :u'n  and  fither.  'The  (iery  Init  gi'UcrouK  character  of  lioberl  made  him 
n  viiv  great  fav(Mirit"  amoiiLf  Ihc  (diivalroiis  Normans,  and  (>speeially 
:iriii)!ig  llu!  yoiiiiL'cr  nobles  of  Normandy  and  the  neighbouring  provinces  ; 
;iii'l  as  Robert  was  supposed  to  be  privately  favtuired  by  his  motiu'r,  he 
hiii'i  110  dillicuhy  in  raising  forces  sullicieiu  :  '•  "ow  his  father's  hercditii- 
rv  (lii:riiiiions  into  tri>uble  and  conftisiiii  lor  several  .ears. 

Si)  troublesome  did  Robert  and  his  adherenis  at  leimth  become,  that 
William,  growing  seriou>':y  alarmed  lest  \w  should  actually  have  the  inor- 
uiifuiioii  and  disgraci'  of  seeing  Normandy  foreibly  wrested  from  him  by 
ills  own  son,  sent  over  to  I'nyland  for  forces.  Tliey  arrived  under  some 
(if  ih(!  veter  ill  (duels  who  had  helped  to  coiupier  Fngland ;  and  the  nndiui- 
fiii  Ixiiliert  was  driven  from  the  po'^is  be  had  conijucred,  and  compelled  to 
■ 'kc  refim<!  in  the  castle  of  Cerberoy,  which  refuge  the  king  of  France, 
who  had  secretly  <'ouns(  ilei!  and  aliettcd  his  misconduct,  had  provided  for 
him-  Me  was  followed  thither  by  his  father  m  person,  but  the  garrison 
brill:.' strong  and  widl  inovided,  the  resistance  was  obstinate  in  propor- 
tion. Kreqiietit  salhcs  were  made,  and  on  one  of  these  occasions  Robert 
was  personally  opposed  to  his  fi'her.  whom,  from  the  king's  visor  being 
clown,  he  did  iiot  recognize  The  tight  was  fierce  on  lulh sides;  and  llob- 
prt.ha>ing  the  advantage  of  superior  igiliiy,  womided  and  unhorsed  his 
father.  The  kmg  shouted  to  onr  of  Lis  ofilcers  for  aid  to  remount ;  and 
Robert  rerttgnizmg  liis  parent''*  voice,  was  so  struck  with  horror  at  the 
■inrn.w  eseape  he  had  U\:i\  of  *!.iyiiig  the  author  of  bis  being,  that  he  threw 
niinseir  t;pon  hi*  knees  iiiil  j-ntrraied  forgiveness  for  his  misconduct.  Hut 
the  kins  was  Uw  .^p«»ply  i-lTcnded  to  Ik»  reconciled  on  the  instant  to  his  er- 
rinsraitd  pprajtent  sou,  and,  miwnting  Robert's  iiorse,  he  rode  to  his  owij 
cam:).    'Urn  ms^  ««■  »lM«%  ttOerwar'U  raised  ;  and  Queen  Matilda  hav 


A..r'i 


184 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


** 


k 


iiiff  siifcffiloil  ill  briiigii!^  ;il)i)iu  ;i  recoiiciliiilioii,  tlii!  kinyr  not  only  al- 
Iowi.hI  I{ol)LTt  to  accoinpiiiiy  him  to  Ki)<rl;iiid,  but  also  entrusted  liiiii  with 
an  nriiiy  to  chiistise  the  Scotch  for  souk;  iiu^iirsioiis  they  had  iiiudi;  upon 
the  iiorthcrii  parts  of  Kiitjlaiid.  The  Welsh  who,  as  well  as  the  iScotch 
had  taken  advantage  of  the  king's  absence  to  make  inciiraions,  wore  now 
also  chastised  and  l)rou<;lit  into  subinissnjn. 

A. II.  lOSl. — Having  hoih  iiis  Norman  and  Knglish  dominions  now  in  a 
state  of  profoniid  ([uiet,  William  turned  his  attention  to  the  important  ob- 
jecl  of  a  .survey  and  valuation  of  Uk;  lands  of  lOni^land.  Takmg  f>jr  h;,<i 
model  th(!  survey  whicli  had  been  made  by  order  of  Alfred,  an.l  which 
was  depo.sii(;d  at  Winchester,  li(!  had  the  extent,  tenin'e,  value,  and  kind 
of  the  land  in  eacii  district  carefully  noted  down,  together  witfi  the  n;unns 
of  the  proprietors,  and,  in  some  casi  s,  the  names  of  tin;  teii;ints,  wMlitlip 
number,  age,  and  sex  of  the  cott.igcrs  and  slaves.  Ity  good  arrangcnicnt 
this  important  work,  in  despite  of  its  great  extent,  was  completed  willuii 
six  years,  and,  under  the  name  of  the  Domesday  Hook,  it  to  this  day  re- 
mains to  give-  us  the  most  accurate  account  of  Kngland  a  that  time,  with 
the  exception  of  the  northern  provinces,  which  thcMavages  of  war . mil 
William's  own  tyranny  had  rediiceil  to  such  a  wretched  condition,  that  an 
account  of  them  was  not  considered  worth  taking. 

The  king's  acts  were  not  always  of  so  praiseworthy  a  eliaracter.  At 
Inched,  like  all  Normans,  to  the  jiUMsures  >>(  tlie  chase,  Ik;  allowed  t)i;it 
pleasure  to  seduce  him  into  cruelties  more  ehar.acteristie  of  a  demon  lliuii 
a  man.  The  game  in  the  royal  fiu'ests  was  protected  by  laws  far  more 
severe  than  thosi;  that  [U'otected  the  lives  of  liunian  Ixdngs.  lie  who  kil- 
led a  man  could  atone  t(j  the  law  by  the  payment  of  a  pecuniary  fine ;  iiiit 
he  who  was  so  unhappy  as  to  be  detected  in  killing  a  deer,  a  boar,  or 
even  an  insignificant  hare,  in  the  royal  forest,  had  his  <'\es  put  out  I 

A.n.  1087. — The  royal  forests  which  William  found  on  coming  I"  I'.iii;- 
land  were  very  exteiisiv(! ;  but  not  sutricieiiily  so  for  his  more  than  rcg.il 
passion  for  the  chase.  Mis  usual  resideiiit  was  at  Winehcstei  .  and  ilc 
siring  to  have  a  sp.icious  forest  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  he  merciicssly 
caused  no  less  an  extent  of  country  than  thirty  miles  to  be  laid  waste  to 
form  one.  Houses,  wiiole  villages,  churches,  nay,  even  I'onvents,  were 
destroyed  for  this  jiurjiose;  and  a  multitude  of  wretched  people  were 
thus  without  any  compensation  deprived  of  their  homes  and  property 
and  c.ist  iipi)n  the  world,  in  many  cases,  to  perish  of  want. 

15,'sidert  the  trouble  whi(di  William  had  lieen  caused  by  the  petnlaiiri! 
of  his  son  Uoljcrt,  he  towards  the  end  of  iiis  reign  had  two  very  gre;it 
trials;  the  uni;rateful  conduct  of  his  half  brother  Oilo,  l)ishop  of  liayeiix,  am' 
lite  death  of  tiueeii  Matilda,  to  whom  throughout  he  was  most  fcrvr'iitly  at- 
laehed.  Th"  presumption  of  Odo  had  led  tiim  not  only  to  aim  at  the  pa- 
pal throne,  but  also  to  attempt  to  seduci;  some  of  William's  nobles  fi'iin 
their  allegiance  and  aeeoniiiaiiy  him  to  Italy.  William  ordered  the  proui! 
prelate  to  be  arrested;  and  finding  that  his  olTicers,  deterred  by  tlii'ir  fcai 
of  the  church,  were  afraid  to  s«;Jze  tin;  bishop,  ho  went  in  person  to  arrest 
him  ;  and  wlic^n  Odo,  mistakingly  imagining  that  the  king  shared  tiie  pop- 
ular  prejudic( ,  pleaded  bis  sacred  (diaraeter,  William  drily  replicil,  "1  do 
not  arrest  the  IJishoj)  of  Rayeiix,  but  the  earl  of  Kent" — which  title 
William  had  bestowed  n|)on  him.  lie  then  sent  him  to  Normandy,  and 
there  kept  him  in  confinement.  William's  end,  however  now  approached. 
Some  inenrsions  made  upon  Normandy  by  I'n.'neh  knights,  and  a  coarse 
jok(!  passed  upon  his  corpulence  by  llu;  I''reiich  king,  so  much  provokcil 
him,  that  he  proceeded  to  lay  waste  the  town  of  Mantes,  with  the  avowed 
mtention  of  carrying  his  rage  still  further.  IJnt  while  he  watched  the 
burning  of  the  town  his  horse  starlcnl,  and  the  king  was  so  severely 
Sruised  that  he  died  a  few  days  afterwards  at  the  monastery  of  St.  Get- 
va.s.      During  his  mortal  illness  he  made  great  grants  to  chure'ies  and 


meiiasteries,  by 
had  been  guilty 
roiild  hardly  be 
iteiict!  by  the  fi 
Iciigtii,  however, 
od  to  release  at 
die  release  of  .^ 
sca.'cely  given  !li 
ill  till'  tweiity-/ir: 

X'MVlllMt  W5  li, 

if.  may  be  as  well 

a  .short  digression 

iiKiiiarciis  of  Kng 

qticst,  as  We  imvi 

giiagv,  tiianiiers,  a 

slilc  liijiiie  among 

this  important  cvi 

citlier  by  the  male 

These  iiionarehs  i 

persDiis  who  esp( 

•■iaircs  gave  to  the 

'.at  hiaiielies  into  ' 

.M*\s  began  with 

■■iul  ended  with  iff 

ally  iiichided   in  t 

Iti.ois  from  the  ma 

■•^lephcn,  earl  of  Hj 

witli  Henry  II.,  fr„ 

[,  Willi  (Jeod'rey  I» 

'("•hard  II.,  incl'isi 

"f    I-.A.NCASTKIl    and  I 

•'"hnof  <;i,iint,  (liikl 
mill  Henry   VI. 
iiil^c  of  V,,ik,  whf. 
Lailgley,  /ifti,  so,,  ,J 
wvl.  third  son  of  . 
of  the  'I'cMdRs  beij 
?rcat  graiid-dimghrf 
'"""'1 ;  and  ended 
«iih  James  I.,  son 
.Scot.s,  whose  granJ 
'''.'<1<'<1  »ith  Queen  I 
«l  OiiA.NGE,  wh.jse 
h.dise  ,,f  H„i..Nswie| 
'iiofiier  was  the  prl 


A.D.  10H7.— Rich, 
'I'er.  To  Robert  In) 
■fift  only  his  mother 
■"»  that  he  woukJ 
';ilher  of  his  brothel 
father's  possessionf 
'•'tcr  written  on  hi 
''ury.  to  place  upoj 


THK  TIlEASfJRY  01'^  HISTOllY. 


18.5 


monasteries,  by  way  of  aloncmcnt  for  the  hideous  crucltiuH  of  wliic.i  he 
had  l)i'('ii  guilty;  but,  with  the  iisiiiil  iiicoiisistt'iicy  of  suiieistitioii,  he 
could  hiirdly  be;  porsuatled  to  accompany  tiiis  ostciitiitious  branch  of  pcii- 
iteiit'i'  by  the  foriiiviMiosa  and  rcleaso  of  his  half-brother  Oilo.  Hu  at 
leiisjtii,  however,  lhoiic:h  with  a  relii:;lai!c(^  ■  n.it  did  him  no  eredit,  comsent- 
od 'to  release  and  fori^ive  Odo,  and  he  at  the  same  time  gave  orders  for 
din  release  of  Morcar  and  other  eminent  l']nt,'lish  prisoners,  lie  had 
scarecly  Kiveu  these  order-:  when  ho  died,  on  the  !)ih  of  Sjpieml)cr,  1087, 
iu  tlie  twenty-first  year  of  his  usurped  reijrn  over  Ensjland. 

Now  that  wo  have  arrived  at  the  elose  of  William  the  Cjiiqueror's  p  .mi, 
it  may  be  as  well  before  we  proeeed  further  with  our  narrative,  to  h  ike 
ti  siiort  dit»ressioii  relative  to  the  g;eiieaiouie;  1  rii^hl  by  whieh  the  future 
moiiarehs  of  F.n^huid  sneeessively  rlaimed  ti.e  tliroi'.e.  The  Norman  eon- 
qiit'st,  as  we  have  seen,  introdured  an  ent  re  ehanj^e  in  the  laws,  lan- 
ffiiaij'.', manners,  and  customs.  Kiitfland  bcijan  to  make  a  mure  eonsider- 
nhlt'^fiiiure  amonjjr  the  nations  of  Kuro[)(!  tliMi  it  had  nssunied  previous  to 
this  important  event ;  and  it  re^eeived  a  new  race  of  sovereigns,  whieh 
eitiier  i)y  the  male  or  female  ).ine  has  eontimied  down  to  the  present  day. 
These  inonarehs  were  of  several  "houses"  or  families,  aceordin^f  to  the 
persons  who  espoused  the  princesses  of  England,  and  from  such  mar- 
■•iasics  !,Mve  to  the  nation  it.s  kin^^s  or  iineens,  or  aeeordiufr  to  the  diifec- 
i.Mt  hiancl'.es  into  whieh  the  royal  family  was  divided.  Thus  the  Nou- 
M\Ns  iieiran  with  William  the  Conqueror,  the  head  of  tiie  whole  race, 
■.••.111  ended  with.  Henry  I.,  in  whom  the  male  line  failed.  Stijpheii  (jjener- 
allv  included  in  the  Norman  line)  w;i  tiie  only  one  of  the  house  of 
Ih-ois,  from  the  marriage  of  Adela,  the  t'onijueror's  fourtli  dauj^hter,  with 
.•>U'[ilicn,  earl  of  Ulois.  The  I'LANTA«K."iKrs,  or  Mouse  of  Anjoc,  bejijan 
Willi  Henry  II.,  from  the  marriage  of  Matilda  or  iMau<l,  daughter  uf  Henry 
I ,  wiili  (ieoflVey  IMantagenet,  earl  of  Anjou;  and  continued  undivided  to 
Richard  11.,  incl'isive.  These  were  afterwards  divided  into  the  liouses 
iif  I,ANc.\sTKii  and  York;  the  former  beginninif  with  Henry  IV'.,  son  of 
Jiihii  of  (iaiiiit,  duke  of  Lancaster,  fourth  son  of  I'Mward  HI.,  and  ending 
with  Henry  VI.  The  latter  bei^an  with  Mdward  IV.,  son  of  Richard, 
iiikc  of  York,  who  on  the  father's  siih;  was  iirrandson  to  Kdinund  do 
b;iii;j;l<7,  fifth  son  of  Edward  HI.,  and  by  his  mother  descended  from  Li- 
mipl,  tliird  son  of  the  said  king;  and  ended  in  Richard  HI.  The  famiiy 
of  the  'I'unoRs  began  with  Henry  VH.,  from  the  marri.iirt;  ol  .M ars^arct, 
jrc;U  granddaughter  of  John  of  (launt,  with  Kdinund  Tudor,  earl  of  llieh- 
inond ;  and  ended  with  Queen  Klizabeth.  The  iiouse  of  St-jakt  began 
Willi  James  1.,  son  of  Henry  Stuart,  Lord  Dariiley,  and  Mary,  Queen  of 
Scots,  whose  grandmother  was  .Margaret,  daughter  to  Henry  Vll.,  and 
ciulcu  with  Queen  Anne.  William  III.  was  the  only  one  of  the  house 
ofOiiANGE,  wdiose  inotlier  was  Mary,  daughter  of  Charles  I.  And  the 
house  of  Brunswick,  now  r<'igning,  began  with  (toorge  I.,  whose  grand- 
inother  was  the  princess  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  I. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  REIGN  OF  WILLIAM  H. 

AD.  10H7. — Richard,  one  of  the  Conqueror's  sons,  died  before  liis  fa 
llier.  To  Robert  bis  eldest  son  lie  left  Normandy  and  Maine  ;  to  Henry  he 
.eft  only  his  mother's  possessions,  but  consohtil  bim  for  this  by  prophesy- 
ing that  he  would  in  the  end  be  both  rielier  and  mure  |)u\vcrlul  than 
cither  of  his  brothers;  and  to  William  was  left  the  most  splcmlid  of  ail  his 
father's  possessions,  the  crown  of  England,  which  the  CoiKjueror,  in  n 
letter  written  on  his  death-bed,  enjoined  Lanfrane,  archbishop  of  Canter 
bury,  to  place  upon  his  head.    The  young  Prince  William,  who,  from  tht 


%hm\:  }     «■ 


1  4' '. 


5    y-m        >       .     ; 


!  :  :V 


T'l  .  !  : 


166 


THE  TUKA3UUY  OF  IKSTORY 


t'oloiir  of  Ills  liair,  was  suniiimpd  Rufus,  wjis  so  aiisi'us^  to  avnil  himcpli 
of  this  leltiT,  thiit  lio  did  not  »^V(mi  wait  nt  tlio  mc/cn-  dvy  of  St.  (Ji  ivns 
loiin  (Mioimli  to  n'ccivc  his  fathf-r'H  last  l)r«'iith,  but  hnsteiicil  to  Kiijrl.iiul 
before  tlic  (iaii^'iM- of  the  (,'onqiieror  was  tfi-iieraily  known,  and  ot);iiiiii'it 
osscssion  of  the  royal  treasure  at  VVincdicstor,  amonntinir  to  X'liii.ono 
-a  lartic  sinu  at  tliat  lime,  lie  also  possessed  liiniself  of  the  inipoii;,)!! 
fortresses  of  I'cvensey,  Ilastin^rs,  and  Dover,  wbieh  from  their  sitnaiion 
could  not  fail  to  he  of  great  service  to  him  in  the  event  of  li-'  riglii  to  ti,,, 
erown  beiny  (li^puled.  Sueh  dispnte  lie,  in  fai^t,  had  all  !■>  bh;  reason 
to  expect.  The  niainuT  in  whieh  Robert's  ri<rht  of  prime,  ,  'iture  wuh 
comi)ielely  set  aside  by  an  informal  letter  written  upon  a  de  ebed.  wlirii 
even  the  stnni"4est  minds  may  reasonably  be  s(ip|)()sed  to  no  nnsettleii, 
Wiis  in  itself  siiflieient  to  lead  to  some  discontent,  even  liail  that  prince 
been  of  a  h'ss  fiery  and  fierce  temper  than  his  dispnte-^  with  his  father  and 
brotlu^rs  iiad  already  |)roved  him  to  lie.  lianfrane,  who  \vm\  educated  llio 
new  kiii).^  and  was  much  attached  to  liim,  took  iIk;  best  means  to  reiidi^r 
opposition  (if  no  ( fTecl.  He  called  togetlier  some  td'  the  chief  nobles  ;ind 
prelates,  and  performed  tlie  ceremony  of  the  (-oronation  in  the  most  im- 
plicit obedience  to  the  deceased  ('on(pieror"s  letter.  'I'liis  pioinplitti  !c  inui 
the  desired  etrcct.  The  i)arti/,aiis  of  Ridiert,  if  absence  from  nnyluiui 
liad  left  hiin  any,  madi?  not  Ib.e  sliiflilest  attem|)t  to  nrjje  his  herediliiry 
rijfht ;  and  he  seemed  to  ijive  his  own  sanction  to  the  will  of  his  faijirr, 
by  peaceably,  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  assuming  the  {.'overninoiit  ot 
Maine  and  Normandy  which  it  conferred  upon  him. 

IJnt  thouj^li  no  o()p(isition  was  made  to  the  accession  of  Wdliani  IJiifo's 
at  the  time  when,  if  ever,  smdi  o(>position  could  reasonably  have  been 
made,  namely,  previous  to  bis  coronatit)n,  he  was  not  lont;  sealed  iijion 
hi.'  i'm'ouc  before  lie  experienced  the  opposition  of  some  of  th<'  most  pow- 
criiil  N'lirman  nobles.  Hatred  of  I.anfranc,  and  envy  of  his  great  power, 
jictcalel  some  of  them  ;  and  many  of  them  possessinsj  property  l)o!l:  in 
^'(i.;};!>'./i  1  and  Normandy,  were  anxious  that  both  countries  slioiild  be  uni- 
ted ijiiJer  ]l(d)erl,  I'l.rc'seeiiiff  danf,'er  to  their  property  in  one  or  the  oilier 
CHiH'iiy  whensoever  the  se|iarate  sovereigns  shmild  disagree.  They  lieM 
tliiit  i:obert  as  eldest  son,  was  entitled  to  both  Kngland  and  Normamiy; 
and  they  were  tlie  more  anxious  for  his  success,  becaiisr!  his  carelees 
and  excessively  f;i-nerous  temper  promised  them  that  freedmn  frou)  iiner- 
ference  upon  w  Inch  they  set  so  biph  a  value,  and  whi(di  the  hamihty  ami 
bard  (diaractcr  of  William  Kiifus  threatened  to  deprive  them  of.  Odo. 
bishojiof  Hayeiix,  and  Robert,  earl  of  Mortai^nie,  aiiotlier  half-brother  ol 
the  ('oniiucror,  urui  d  these  ar{i;umeul.s  upon  some  of  the  most  eminent  pi 
the  Norman  nobility.  Mustace,  count  of  KonlogiK;,  Rotjer  Higod.  IIiiL'h 
de  (ireatsmil,  William,  bishop  of  Durham.  Robert  de  Moubray,  and  oilier 
magnates,  joined  in  the  conspiracy  to  dethrone  William  ;  and  they  sev- 
erally put  their  caslli  s  ,cto  a  state'  of  defimce.  William  fidt  the  fulfvalue 
of  promiititude.  l'>'cn  lUo  domestic  cons[)irators  were  powerful  eiioiifili  to 
warrant  considerable  alarm  ;'nd  anxiety,  but  the  king's  danger  would  be 
increased  tenfold  by  the  arn^  il  of  reinforcements  to  lliem  from  Nor- 
mandy. 'I'he  king  tlierefore  rajiidly  got  together  as  strong  a  force  as  he 
could  and  niarcheil  into  Kent,  where  liochcster  and  Pevcnse,  weresei/eii 
and  garrisoned  by  his  uii(des  Odo  and  Robert.  He  starved  tlie  cons[)ira- 
tors  at  both  places  into  submission,  and  he  was  strongly  inclined  to  piil 
the  leaders  to  death;  but  the  more  humane  <;ounsel  of  VVilliam  de  War- 
cnne  and  Ivobert  Fitzliammond,  who  had  joined  him,  prevailed  upon  him 
to  content  himself  with  confiscating  th(' property  of  the  oflenders  and  ban- 
ishing them  from  the  kingdom.  His  succciss  over  the  foremost  men  ol 
the  rebel  party  decided  the  struggle  in  his  favour.  His  powerful  lleethad 
by  this  time  stationed  itself  upon  the  coast,  so  that  Robert  no  longer  lind 
any  opportunity  to  huid  the  reinforcements  his  indolence  had,  so  fatally 


i, 


THH  TUEASrjIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


187 


/or  Iiis  cause,  dolriyed.  The  earl  of  Slirrwsbiiry,  upon  vvlioiii  llic  oonspl 
I  I'ors  \m\  greatly  (IfpciKhni,  wiia  skilfully  won  over  by  the  king  ;  au(i  irio 
r,.st  of  llic  lenders  hocanu;  hopeless  of  Huece.ss,  and  either  lied  fronj  tho 
country  or  made  their  submission.  Somo  were  pardoned,  and  others 
wiiro  very  lifflitly  punished;  the  niiijority  were  attainted,  and  their  estates 
were  bestowed  upon  those  baro;is  who  liad  sided  with  the  king  while  hif» 
cniwii  was  yet  in  danjfer. 
As  soon  as  Ik;  had  eompletely  broken  u|)  the  confeder  ley  which  had  so 


iniself  in  his  true 

'•ausr  was  at  al' 

'      'ion  ;  and  he 

h  sul)ject8 

s  pri'dec(?s- 

^,it(^  the  ty- 

VVliilc  Lan- 

je  Riipi'rstitioii 

iiut   lianfranc 


early  liireateuiid   his  throne,  Hufus  began  to  exbi 

iinliue  towards  his  Knj^'lish  sul.jects.     As  Ions 

(ioalitful,  he  had  jnomised  the  utmost  kin<lii'  ^  ' 

ispcL'ially  won  tlie  sup|)ort  ami  the   yood  w  . 

|)y  promising  a  threat  relaxation  of  the  oilious  i' 

sor.     N"\^'  ihiit  he  was  secure,  he  not  merely  I 

raiiiiy  under  whieli  the  people  groaned,  but  he  iii        ,      .  , 

fraiH'' lived,  liie  zeal  and  ability  of  that   prelate,  au  led  to 

ufllie  aj,'e,  rendt'red  the  projierty  oftheehureh  sacred. 

iliod  soon  alter  \hv  accession  of  William  llufus,  who  made  his  own  will 

tj].  sdle  law  for  all  orders  of  his  subjects,  whethr-r  lay  or  clerical.     On 

iIm-  death  of  a  bislioii  or  abbot  \h'.  either  set  the  see  or  abbey  u|>  for  open 

sale,  as  iie   would  any  oHht  kin<l  of  property,  or  he  delayed  the  appoiiit- 

airiit  of  a  n(;w  bishop  or  abbot,  and  so  kepl"the  temporalities  in  liaii !  for 

li;s  own  ii^ic.      Sucii  ccnduct  produced  mueli  (liscontent  .uul  miiriu'.irini^  ; 

(niCtlii'  power  of  the  kin;j  was  loo  I'leat,  and  his  (!rutd  and  violent  teinj)er 

w;is  loo  well  known,  to  allow  t!ie  iji   leral  discontent  to  assume  a  more  taii- 

(iiiiie  and  diiUKcroiis  form.     So  C(nUideiit,  indeed,  did  the  kiiiji  feel  of  his 

|i(iwer  111  iMii-land,  that  he  even  thoutrlit  it  not  unsafe  to  disturb  the  peace 

iifiiis  liroilier  liobert  in  Norinandj-,  when;  the  licentious  barons  were  al- 

ri':i<ly  in  a  most  disorderly  state,  owiii},'  to  tlie  imprudent  indul[fence  and 

Iniity  of  tiieir  1,'enerous  and  fi'.eilu  duke.     Availinir  himself  of  this  state, 

(irthiiii>;s,  William  bril)ed  ilit;  governors  of  Albemarle  and  St.  \alori,  and 

i!i!f<  obtained  possession  of  those  important  fortresses. 

lie  was  also  near  obtainaiif  possession  of  Uoueii,  but  was  defeated  in 
t!i:i'.  o'.ijeel  by  the  smi^ular  fidelity  of  his  brotlier  Henry  to  Robert,  under 
Liriiiinslanres  of  no  small  provocation  to  very  (iilTereiu  conducl. 

Henry,  ilinuu'ii  he  liad  inherited  only  some  nione>' out  of  all  the  vast 
piissessions  of  his  father,  had  lent  Duke  Robert  three  thousand  marks  to 
aid  limi  11  his  attempt  to  wrest  the  crown  of  lliiirlaud  from  William. 
l)y  way  ol  security  for  this  money.  Henry  was  put  m  possession  of  eou 
siilenibli!  lerrilory  in  Normandy  :  yet  upon  some  real  or  proteinied  sus- 
picion Robert  not  only  deprived  him  of  this,  but  also  threw  himinto  prison, 
riioiiudi  he  was  well  aware  that  Robert  only  at  last  liberated  him  in 
{•oiisciiuence  of  reiiuiriiur  his  aid  on  the  threatened  invasion  of  Kiis^land, 
Henry  behaved  most  loyally.  Having  learnt  that  Conan,  a  very  power- 
ful and  influential  citizen  i>f  Rouen,  had  traitorously  bargained  to  ;;,ivo 
lip  the  city  to  King  William,  the  prince  took  him  to  the  top  of  a  lofty 
tower,  and  with  his  own  hand  threw  him  over  the  battlemonts. 

Till!  king  at  length  landed  ii  numerous  army  in  Normandy,  and  the 
state  of  things  became  seriou'j  and  threatening  indeed  as  regarded  tho 
duke.  But  the  intimate  conn  -ction  and  nuitunl  interests  of  the  leading 
men  on  both  sides  favoured  'lim,  i'.id  a  treaty  was  made,  by  wliich  tho 
Kiiiilish  king  on  one  hand  obtainc''.  the  territory  of  Kii,  and  some  other 
li'rritorial  advantages,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  engaged  to  restore 
those  barons  who  were  banished  iVoin  lOngland  for  espousin>j  the  cause 
of  Robert  in  the  late  revolt,  and  to  assist  hi;;  brother  against  the  people 
of  Maine  who  had  revolted.  It  was  further  agreed,  under  the  witness  and 
Suarantee  of  twelve  of  the  chief  barons  on  either  side,  that  whoever  o( 
llie  two  brothers  shou'd  survive  should  inherit  the  possessions  of  the  other 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


^      tii       IIIIIM 


u 
•-  I. 

Wuu 


1.8 


U    III  1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


^^  ^' 


'^^ 


£  "t 


i* 


'fl 


t88 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


In  all  this  treaty  not  a  word  was  inserted  in  favour  of  Prince  Henry 
who  naturally  felt  indignant  at  being  so  much  neglected  by  his  brottiei 
Robert,  from  whom  he  certainly  had  merited  belter  treatment.  Wiih 
drawing  from  Rouen,  he  fortified  himself  at  St.  Michael's  Mount,  on  iha 
Norman  coast,  and  sent  out  plundering  parties,  who  greatly  annoyed  tiia 
whole  neighbourhood.  Robert  and  William  besieged  him  here,  and 
during  the  siege  an  incident  occurred  which  goes  to  show  that  Robert's 
neglect  to  his  brother  was  owing  rather  to  carelessness  than  to  any  real 
want  of  generous  feeling.  Henry  and  his  garrison  were  so  much  distres- 
sed for  water  that  they  must  have  speedily  submitted.  When  this  was 
told  to  Robert,  he  not  only  allowed  his  brother  to  supply  himself  with 
water  but  also  sent  him  a  considerable  quuntity  of  wine.  William,  who 
could  not  sympathize  with  this  chivalrous  feeling,  reproached  Robert  with 
being  imprudent.  "What!"  replied  the  generous  duke,  "should  I  suflei 
our  brother  to  die  of  thirst  1  Where  shall  we  find  another  when  he  ia 
gone  1"  But  this  temporary  kindness  of  Robert  did  not  prevent  the  un- 
fortunate Henry  from  being  pressed  so  severely  that  he  was  obliged  to 
capitulate,  and  was  driven  forth,  with  his  handful  of  attendants,  almost 
destitute  of  money  and  resources. 

A.D.  1091. — Robert,  who  was  now  in  strict  alliance  with  the  king  and 
brother  who  had  so  lately  invaded  his  duchy  with  the  most  hostile  inten- 
tions, was  entrusted  with  the  chief  command  of  an  English  army,  which 
was  sent  over  the  border  to  compel  Malcolm  to  do  homage  to  the  crown 
of  England.     In  this  enterprise  Robert  was  completely  successful. 

A.D.  1093. — But  both  peace  and  war  were  easily  and  quickly  terminated 
in  this  age.  Scarcely  two  years  had  elapsed  from  Malcolm's  submission 
and  withdrawal  of  the  English  troops,  wlien  he  invaded  England.  Having 
plundered  and  wasted  a  great  portion  of  Northumberland,  ht  laid  siege  to 
Alnwick  castle,  where  he  was  surprised  by  a  party  of  English  under  the 
earl  de  Moubray,  and  in  the  action  which  followed  Malcolm  perished. 

A.D.  1094. — William  constantly  kept  his  attention  fixed  upon  Normandy 
The  careless  and  generous  temper  of  his  brother  Robert,  and  the  licentious 
nature  of  the  Norman  barons,  kept  that  duchy  in  constant  uneasiness 
and  William  took  up  his  temporary  abode  there,  to  encourage  his  own 
partizans  and  be  ready  to  avail  himself  of  anything  that  might  seem  to  fa- 
vour his  designs  upon  his  brother's  inheritance.  While  in  Normandy  the 
king  raised  the  large  sum  of  ten  thousand  pounds  by  a  roguish  turn  of  in- 
genuity. Being,  from  the  nature  of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was 
placed,  far  more  in  want  of  money  than  in  the  want  of  men,  he  sent  or- 
ders  to  his  minister,  Ralph  Flambard,  to  raise  an  armyof  twenty  thousand 
men,  and  march  it  to  the  coast,  as  if  for  instant  embarkation.  It  is  to  be 
supposed  that  not  a  few  of  these  men  thus  suddenly  levied  for  foreign 
service  were  far  more  desirous  of  staying  at  home  ;  and  when  the  army 
reached  the  coast,  these  were  gratified  by  the  information  that  on  the  pay- 
ment of  ten  shilhngs  to  the  king,  each  man  was  at  liberty  to  return  to  his 
home.  With  the  money  thus  obtained,  William  bribed  the  king  oi 
France  and  some  of  those  who  had  hitherto  sided  with  Robert,  but  before 
he  could  gain  any  decisive  advantage  from  his  Machiavelian  policy,  lie 
was  obliged  to  hasten  over  to  England  to  repel  the  Welsh,  who  had  made 
an  incursion  during  his  absence. 

A.D.  1095. — While  William  had  been  so  discreditably  busy  in  promoting 
discord  in  the  duchy  of  his  brother,  his  own  kingdom  had  not  been  fret 
from  intrigues.  Robert  de  Moubray,  earl  of  Northumberland,  the  Count 
D'Eu,  Roger  de  Lacey,  and  many  other  powerful  barons,  who  had  been 
deeply  offended  by  the  king's  haughty  and  despotic  temper,  were  this 
year  detected  in  a  conspiracy  which  had  for  its  object  the  dethronement  of 
the  king  in  favour  of  Stephen,  count  of  Aumale,  and  nephew  of  Willian 
llie  Conqueror.    With  his  usual  promptitude,  William,  n-i  iiaininginlelii 


THE  TKEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


180 


geiice  of  the  conspiracy,  took  measures  to  defeat  it.  De  Moubray  was 
surprised  before  he  iiad  completed  his  preparations,  and  though  he  resist- 
ed gallantly  he  was  overpowered  and  thrown  into  prison.  Attainder  and 
forfeiture  followed  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  for  the  long  period  of  thirty 
years  the  unfortunate  noble  lingered  in  prison,  where  he  died.  The  Count 
b'Eu,  who  also  was  surprised,  firmly  denied  his  participation  in  the 
conspiracy,  and  challenged  Geoffrey  Baynard,  by  whom  he  had  been  ac- 
cused, to  mortal  combat.  The  count  was  defeated,  and  the  brutal  sen- 
tence upon  him  was  castration  and  deprivation  of  sight.  The  historians 
speak  of  William  de  Alderi,  another  of  the  conspirators,  who  was  hanged, 
as  having  been  more  severely  dealt  with  ;  but  we  think  most  people  would 
consider  that  death  was  among  the  most  merciful  of  the  sentences  of  this 
cruel  and  semi-barbarous  age. 

A  war,  or  rather  a  series  of  wars,  now  commenced,  to  which  all  the 
skirmishes  of  Scotland,  and  Wales,  and  Normandy,  were  to  prove  as 
mere  child's  play  in  comparison.  We  allude  to  the  first  crusade,  or  holy 
war,  the  most  prominent  events  of  which  we  have  given  in  our  brief 
"Outline  of  General  History."  Priest  and  layman,  soldier  and  trader, 
noble  and  peasant,  all  were  suddenly  seized  with  an  enthusiasm  little 
short  of  madness.  Men  of  all  ranks  and  almost  of  all  ages  took  to  arms. 
A  holy  war,  a  crusade  of  the  Christians  against  the  infidels  ;  a  warfare  at 
once  figliteous  and  perilous,  where  valour  fought  under  the  sacred  sym- 
bol of  the  cross,  so  dear  to  the  Christian  and  so  hateful  to  the  infidel! 
Nothing  could  have  more  precisely  and  completely  suited  the  spirit  of  an 
aje  in  which  it  was  difficult  to  say  whether  courage  or  superstition  were 
the  master-passion  of  all  orders  of  men. 

The  temper  of  Robert,  duke  of  Normandy,  was  not  such  as  to  allow  him 
to  remain  unmoved  by  the  fierce  enthusiasm  of  all  around  him.  Brave 
even  to  rashness,  and  easily  led  by  his  energetic  but  ill-disciplined  feelings 
to  fail  into  the  general  delusion,  which  combined  all  the  attractions  of  chiv- 
alry with  all  the  nrgings  of  a  mistaken  and  almost  savage  piety,  he  very 
early  added  his  name  to  that  of  the  Christian  leaders  who  were  to  go  forth 
to  tiio  rescue  of  the  holy  sepulchre  and  the  chastisement  of  heathenism. 
But  when,  in  the  language  of  that  book  which  laymsn  of  his  period  but 
httle  read,  he  "sat  down  to  count  the  cost,"  he  speedily  discovered  that 
his  life-long  carelessness  and  profusion  had  left  him  destitute  of  journey- 
ins;  '0  the  east  in  the  style  or  with  the  force  which  would  become  his  rank. 
It  was  now  that  the  cooler  and  more  sordid  temper  of  William  of  Eng- 
land gave  that  monarch  the  fullest  .advantage  over  his  improvident  and 
headstrong  brother,  who  recklessly  mortgaged  his  duchy  to  William  for 
the  comparatively  insignificant  sum  of  ten  thousand  marks.  William 
raised  the  money  by  means  of  the  most  unblushing  and  tyrannous  imposts 
upon  his  subjects,  and  was  forthwith  put  in  possession  of  Normandy  and 
and  Maine ;  while  Robert,  expending  his  money  in  a  noble  outfit,  proceed- 
ed to  the  east,  full  of  dreams  of  temporal  glory  to  be  obtained  by  the  self- 
same slaughter  of  pagans  which  would  insure  his  eternal  salvation. 
Though  William  was  thus  ready,  with  a  view  to  his  own  advantage,  to 
expedite  the  departure  of  his  brother  to  the  Holy  Land,  he  was  himself 
not  only  too  free  from  the  general  enthusiasm  to  go  thither  himself,  but 
he  also,' and  very  wisely,  discouraged  his  subjects  from  doing  so.  He 
seems,  indeed,  though  sufficiently  superstitious  to  be  easily  worked  upon 
by  the  clergy  when  he  deemed  his  life  in  danger,  to  have  been  care- 
less about  religion  even  to  the  verge  of  impiety.  More  than  one  unbe- 
coming jest  upon  religion  is  on  record  against  him ;  but  we  may,  per- 
haps, safely  believe  that  the  clergy,  the  sole  historians  of  the  times, 
with  whom  his  arbitrary  and  ungovernable  nature  made  him  no  favourite, 
have  painted  him  in  this  respect  somewhat  worse  than  ho  was. 

It  was  in  one  of  his  fits  of  superstition  that,  believing  himself  on  the 


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THE  TREASnaY  OF  HISTORY. 


point  of  death,  he  was  at  length  induced  to  fill  up  the  archbishopric  oi 
Canterbury,  which  he  had  kept  unfilled  from  the  death  of  Lanftane. 
In  terror  of  his  supposed  approaching  death  he  conferred  this  dignity 
upon  Anselm,  a  pious  and  learned  Norman  abbot.  Anselm  at  first  re- 
fused the  promotion,  even  in  tears;  but  when  he  at  length  accepted  it, 
he  abundantly  proved  that  he  was  not  inclined  to  allow  the  interests  of 
the  church  to  lack  any  defence  or  watchfulness.  His  severity  of  demean- 
our  and  life,  and  his  unsparing  sternness  towards  every  thing  that  eitiier 
reason  or  superstition  pointed  out  as  profane  and  of  evil  report  were  re- 
markable.  He  spared  not  in  censure  even  the  king  himself,  and  as  William, 
on  rccoverins;  from  the  illness  which  caused  him  to  promote  Anselm, 
very  plainly  showed  that  he  was  not  a  jot  more  pious  or  just  than  before, 
disputes  very  soon  grew  high  between  the  king  and  the  archbishop  whom 
he  had  taken  so  much  trouble  to  persuade  into  acceptance  of  dignity  and 
power.  Tiie  church  was  at  this  time  much  agitated  by  a  dispute  be- 
tween Urban  and  Clement.  Each  maintained  himself  to  be  the  true,  and 
his  opponent  the  anii-pope.  While  yet  only  an  abbot  in  Normandy,  An- 
selm had  acknowledged  the  authority  of  Urban ;  and  he  now  in  his  higher 
dignity  and  wider  influence,  still  espoused  his  cause,  and  resolved  to 
establish  his  authority  in  England.  As  the  law  of  the  Conqueror  was 
still  in  force  that  no  pope  should  be  acknowledged  in  England  until  his 
auiliority  should  have  received  the  sanction  of  the  king,  William  deter, 
rained  to  make  this  disobedience  the  pretext  upon  which  to  endeavour  to 
il-'/rive  the  archbishop  of  his  high  ecclesiastical  dignity.  The  liin;r  ac- 
cordingly summoned  a  synod  at  Rockingham,  and  called  upon  it  to  depose 
Anselm.  But  tlie  assembled  suffragans  declined  to  pass  tlie  required  sen- 
tence, declaring  that  tlu-y  knew  of  no  authority  by  which  they  could  d(tso 
without  the  command  of  the  pope,  who  alone  could  release  them  from  the 
respect  and  obedience  wliicii  they  owed  to  their  primate.  While  the 
case  was  in  this  state  of  incertitude  and  pause,  some  circumstances  anise 
which  rendered  it  expedient  for  William  to  acknowledge  the  legitiiniicy 
of  Urbiin's  election  to  the  papal  throne,  but  the  apparent  recoiicilialioii 
which  this  produced  between  the  king  and  Anselm  was  but  of  short  dura- 
lion.  The  main  cause  of  grievance,  though  itself  removed  by  the  recon- 
ciliation of  William  and  the  pope,  left  behind  an  angry  feeluig  which  re- 
quired  oidy  a  pnUext  to  burst  forth,  and  that  pretext  the  hanglily  slate 
despotism  of  William  and  the  no  less  haughty  churcli  ■  of  Anselin 
speedily  furnished. 

We  mentioned  among  the  numerous  despotic  arranges  .  of  the  Con- 
queror, his  having  required  from  bishoprics  and  abbeys  the  same  feudal 
service  in  the  field  as  from  ky  baronies  of  like  valui;.  William  Rnfiis 
in  this,  as  in  all  despotism,  followed  closely  ;ip,)n  the  track  left  by  his 
father;  and  having  resolved  upon  an  cxpcditiMi  into  Wales,  he  called  upon 
Anselm  tor  his  regulated  quota  of  men.  Anse!tii,  in  common  with  all  tlie 
churchmen,  deemed  this  species  of  servitude  very  grievous  and  unhecoin- 
ing  to  churchmen;  but  the  despotic  nature  of  William,  and  that  feeling  oi 
feudal  submission  which,  next  to  subnur.sion  to  the  church,  seems  to  have 
been  the  most  powerful  and  irresistible  feeding  in  those  days,  prevented 
him  from  giving  an  absolute  refusal.  Me  therefore  took  a  middle  course; 
he  sent  hU  quota  of  men,  indeed,  but  so  insufliciently  accoutred  and  pro- 
vided that  they  were  utterly  useless  and  a  disgrace  to  the  well-appoinied 
force  of  which  they  were  intended  to  form  a  part.  The  king  threatened 
Anselm  with  a  prosecution  for  this  obviously  intentional  and  insulting 
evasion  of  the  spirit  of  his  duty  while  complying  witii  its  mere  letter,  and 
the  prelate  retorted  by  a  demand  for  the  restoration  of  the  revenue  ol 
which  his  sec  had  been  arbitrarily  and  unfairly  deprived  by  the  king,  ap- 
pealing to  the  pope  at  the  same  lime  for  protection  and  a  just  decision 
The  king's  violent  temper  was  sii  much  inflamed  by  the  prelate's  opposi 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 


(ion,  that  the  friends  of  Anselm  became  alarmed  for  his  personal  safety, 
and  application  was  made  to  the  king  for  permission  for  the  prelate  io 
leave  tiie  country,  a  permission  which  he  readily  gave,  as  the  best  way 
at  once  to  rid  himself  of  an  opponent  whose  virtuous  and  religious  char- 
acter made  him  both  troublesome  and  dangerous,  and  to  obtain  possession 
temporarily,  at  the  very  least,  of  the  whole  of  the  rich  temporalities  of  the 
8(!e  of  Canterbury.  Upon  these  he  seized  accordingly,  but  Anselm,  wliom 
the  papal  court  looked  upon  as  a  martyr  in  the  cause  of  the  church,  met 
with  such  a  splendid  reception  at  Rome  as  left  him  little  to  regret  in  a 
worldly  point  of  view. 

A,  n.  1097. — Though  freed  from  the  vexatious  opposition  of  the  indom- 
itable and  upright  churchman,  William  was  not  even  now  to  enjoy  re- 
pose ;  if,  indeed,  repose  would  have  been  a  source  of  enjoyment  to  a  tem- 
per so  fierce  and  turbulent.  Though  his  cooler  judgment  had  enabled 
liiin  to  obtain  Normandy  and  Maine  from  his  thougiitless  and  prodigal 
brotlier,  it  did  not  enable  him  to  keep  in  subjection  the  turbulent  and  al- 
most independent  barons  of  those  provinces.  They  were  perpetually  in 
a  stale  of  disorder,  either  from  personal  quarrels  or  as  the  result  of  the 
artful  instigations  of  the  king  of  France,  who  lost  no  opportunity  of  in- 
citing them  to  revolt  against  the  king  of  England.  Among  the  most 
troublesome  of  these  barons  was  Helie,  lord  of  La  Fleche,  a  comparative- 
ly small  town  and  territory  in  the  province  of  Anjou.  He  was  very  pop- 
ul.ir  among  the  people  of  Maine;  and  though  William  several  times  v  ent 
I'ldin  England  for  the  express  purpose  of  putting  him  down,  Ho'.ie  as 
I'oiistantly  returned  to  his  old  ("ourscs  the  moment  the  monarch  had  re- 
tiinu'd  iiome.  VVilliiim  at  length  look  Ilelio  prisoner,  but  at  the  interces- 
sion of  the  king  of  France  mid  the  earl  of  Anjou  he  gave  Iiim  liis  liherly. 
Untamed  citiier  by  the  narrow  escape  he  had  had  from  dealii  in  licing  re- 
Inised  from  the  hands  of  so  passionate  and  resolute  a  prince  as  William, 
Hrlie  again  commenced  his  plundering  and  destroying  course,  took  posses- 
sion, with  the  connivance  of  the  citizens,  of  the  town  of  Mans,  and  laid 
sirijo  to  the  garrison  whidi  remained  laithful  to  the  king  of  England. 
William  was  engaged  in  his  favourite  pursuit  of  hunting  in  the  New  For- 
est when  ho  recciv(!d  this  intelligence,  and  he  was  so  transporlcd  with 
fiiiy  that  he  galloped  immediately  to  l)artmoutli  and  hurried  on  board  a 
vessel.  The  weather  was  so  stormy  and  threatening  that  the  sailors  were 
iiiiwilliug  10  venture  from  port;  but  the  king,  with  a  good-humoured  reck- 
lessness and  scorn,  assured  them  that  kings  were  never  drowned,  and 
compelled  them  to  set  sail.  This  promptitude  enabled  him  to  arrive  in 
time  to  raise  the  siege  of  Mans,  and  he  piu'sued  Ilelie  to  Majol ;  but  ho 
had  scarcely  commenced  the  siege  of  that  place  when  he  received  so 
severe  a  wound  that  it  rendered  it  nec:essary  for  him  to  return  to  Eng- 
land. 

A.  I).  1100. — The  crusading  mania  was  still  as  strong  as  ever.  Wil- 
liam, duke  of  I'oicliers  and  earl  of  Guiennc,  emulous  of  the  fame  of  the 
earlier  crusaders  and  wholly  untaught  by  their  misfortunes,  raised  an  im- 
mense force — some  historians  say  as  many  as  sixty  thousand  cavalry 
and  a  much  larger  nnir.ber  of  infantry.  To  convey  such  a  force  lo  the 
Holy  Land  required  no  small  sum  of  money,  and  Count  William  offered 
to  mortgage  his  dominions  to  William  of  England,  to  whom  alone  of  all 
tiie  lay  sovereigns  of  Europe,  the  crusades  promised  to  be  truly  profita- 
hle.  The  king  gladly  agreed  lo  advam  c  the  money,  in  the  confident  be 
lief  that  it  would  never  tie  in  the  power  of  the  mortgager  to  redeem  his 
provinces,  and  was  in  the  very  act  of  preparing  the  necessary  force  lo  es- 
cort the  money,  and  to  take  possession  of  the  provinces,  when  an  acci- 
dent, famous  in  history,  caused  his  death. 

The  New  Forest,  planted  by  the  most  iniquitous  cruelty,  was  very  fatal 
to  the  Conqueror's  family;  so  much  so,  as  to  leave  us  little  reason  t« 


■"^1 


1 

1 

'It  '  W 

H 

I  aii  '  ^ 

m 

B 

m;1 

192 


THE  TREASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


;U*i' 


wonder  that,  in  so  superstitious  an  age,  it  was  deemed  that  there  was  a 
Bpccial  and  retributive  fate  in  the  royal  deaths  wliicli  occurred  there. 
Richard,  elder  brother  of  King  William  Rufus,  was  killed  there,  as  was 
Richard,  a  natural  son  of  Dnke  Robert  of  Normandy.  William  Rufus  was 
now  a  third  royal  victim.  He  was  hunting  there  when  an  arrow  shot  by 
Walter  Tyrrel,  a  Norman  favourite  of  the  monarch,  struck  a  tree  and,  glan- 
cing  off,  pierced  the  breast  of  the  king,  who  died  on  the  spot.  The  unin- 
tentional homicide  dreading  the  violent  justice  which  the  slayer  of  a  king 
was  likely  to  experience,  no  sooner  saw  the  result  of  his  luckless  shot, 
than  he  galloped  off  to  the  sea  shore  and  crossed  over  to  France,  whence 
he  with  all  speed  departed  for  the  Holy  land.  His  alarm  and  flight, 
though  perfectly  natural,  were,  in  fact,  quite  needless.  William  was  little 
beloved  even  by  his  immediate  attendants  and  courtiers ;  and  his  body 
when  found  was  hastily  and  carelessly  interred  in  Winchester,  witiiout 
any  of  the  gorgeous  and  expensive  ceremony  which  usually  marks  the 
obsequies  of  a  powerful  monarch. 

London  Bridge— taken  down  only  a  very  few  years  since,  and  Westmin- 
ster Hall,  were  built  by  this  monarch.  For  the  last-named  structure, 
which  has  the  largest  roof  in  the  world  unsupported  by  pillars,  lie  obtain- 
ed tiie  timber  from  Ireland,  which  at  that  time  was  very  celebrated  for 
its  timber  of  all  kinds,  but  especially  for  the  very  durable  and  beautiful 
sort  known  by  the  name  of  bog  oak. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  BEION  OF  HENBV  I. 


m 


William  Rjr"s,  who  died  on  the  second  of  August,  1100,  in  tiie  forti- 
eth year  of  his  age  and  the  thirtieth  of  his  reign,  left  no  legitimate  issue, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Henry,  who  was  of  the  liunting  party  at 
which  the  king  lost  his  life. 

Robert,  duke  of  Normand}',  who  as  the  elder  brother  of  the  deceased 
king  had  a  preferable  claim  to  that  of  Henry,  was,  as  has  already  been 
related,  one  of  the  cliirf  and  most  zealous  leaders  of  the  crusaders.  Af- 
ter slaughter  terrible  merely  to  think  of,  and  sufferings  from  famine  and 
disease  such  as  the  pen  of  even  a  Thucydides  would  but  imperfectly  de- 
scribe, the  crusaders  had  obtained  possession  of  Jerusalem.  Solyniau, 
the  Turkish  emperor,  wua  tlioroughly  defeated  in  two  tremendous  bat- 
tles, and  Nice,  the  seat  of  his  government,  was  captured  after  an  obsti 
nate  siege.  The  soldnn  of  Fgypt,  however,  succeeded  the  Turkish  em- 
peror in  the  possession  of  Jerusalem,  and  he  offered  to  allow  free  ingress 
and  egress  to  all  Christian  pilgrims  who  chose  to  visit  the  holy  sepulchre 
unarmed.  But  the  religious  zeal  of  the  champions  of  tiie  cross  was  fai 
too  highly  inflamed  by  their  recent  triumphs  over  the  crescent  to  allow 
of  their  accepting  this  compromise;  they  haughtily  demanded  the  cession 
of  the  city  altogether,  and,  on  his  refusal,  siege  was  laid  to  it.  For  five 
weeks  the  soldan  defended  himseK  with  the  utmost  coolness  and  valoui 
against  the  assaults  of  highly-disciplined  and  veteran  troops,  whose  mill 
tary  ardour  was  now  excited  to  the  utmost  by  fanaticism.  But  at  the  en*' 
of  that  time  the  zeal  and  fury  of  the  Christians  prevailed  ;  Jerusalem  was 
carried  by  assault,  and  a  scene  of  carnage  and  suffering  ensued  which 
might  almost  bear  comparison  with  that  earlier  and  dread  scene  in  the 
•ame  city,  of  which  we  owe  the  undying  narrative  to  Josephus.  Nor  was 
the  carnage  confined  even  to  the  furious  and  maddened  first  hours  of  suc- 
cess. Long  after  the  streets  of  the  holy  city  were  strewed  with  carcasses 
and  upon  every  hearth  lay  the  dead  forms  of  those  who  had  vainly  en- 
f^eavoured  to  defend  them — long  after  the  pulses  of  the  warrior  had  ceaaeH 


THE  trbasuhy  op  history. 


193 


to  be  quickened  by  the  perilous  assault,  and  hi3  bettor  nature  to  be  stifled 
by  the  irritation  of  resistance— an  unarmed  rabble  of  tea  tliousand  people, 
of  botii  sexes  and  all  ages,  to  whom  quarter  had  been  promised  as  the 
reward  of  submission,  were  treacherously  and  brutally  murdered  in  cold 
Hood  by  ruffians  wlio  soon  after  knelt  in  tearful  rapture  at  the  sepulchre 
of  him  wiio  died,  lamb-like,  for  the  salvation  of  all!  Awful  indeed,  the 
contrast  between  the  professed  motive  of  this  holy  war  and  the  conduct 
of  the  wiirricrs ! 

The  city  of  Jerusalem  was  taken  just  about  twelve  months  previous  to 
the  death  of  William  llufus,  and  the  crusaders,  having  elected  Godfrey  of 
Boulogne  king  of  Jerusalem,  and  settled  other  nobles  and  knights  in  the 
Holy  Laudy  returned  to  Europe.  Had  Robert,  duke  of  Normandy,  has- 
teiied  home  direct,  he  probably  would  have  been  able  to  prevent  the  usur- 
pation of  Kiigland  by  his  younger  brother.  His  knowledge  of  the  charac- 
ter of  William  Riifus  might  naturally  have  been  expected  to  hurry  him 
iiome  by  anxiety  about  Normandy;  but  Robert  was  to  the  full  as  careless 
as  he  was  brave.  Passing  through  Italy  he  fell  in  love  with  and  married 
a  noble  lady,  Sibylla,  daughter  of  the  Count  of  Conversana,  and  remained 
a  whole  year  in  her  native  clime,  abandoning  himself  to  tlie  delights  of 
love  and  that  most  delicious  country,  while  his  friends  in  England — and 
his  natural  character,  as  well  as  the  fame  of  his  achievments  in  tlie  cast, 
made  thcin  very  numerous — were  in  vain  hoping  that  he  would  arrive  to 
defeat  the  unjust  ambition  of  Henry.  The  latter  prince  was  as  alert  as 
liis  brother  was  indolent.  The  instant  that  he  ascertained  the  death  of 
ills  brother,  he  galloped  into  Winchester  and  seized  upon  the  royal  trea- 
sure. De  Breteuil,  the  keeper,  endeavoured  to  secure  it,  and  remonstra- 
ted with  the  prince  on  the  absolute  treason  of  seizing  the  treasure  and 
crown,  which  belonged  of  right  to  his  elder  brother,  who  was  no  less  his 
sovereign  for  being  absent.  Hut  Henry,  whose  friends  hastened  to  sup- 
port him,  tlireatened  to  put  De  Ureteuil  to  death  if  he  attempted  any  resist- 
ance to  his  will,  and,  hastening  to  London  with  the  money,  he  made  so 
judiciously  prodigal  a  use  of  it,  alike  among  friends  in  fact  and  foes  by 
inclination,  that  he  easily  obtained  himself  to  be  elected  king  by  acclama- 
tion, and  he  was  crowned  by  Maurice,  bishop  of  London,  within  three 
days  of  his  brother's  sudden  and  violent  death.  Title  to  the  ttirone  it  is 
quite  plain  that  Henry  had  none.  Unt  he  now  had  possession ;  and  as  his 
judicious  bribery  had  procured  him,  at  the  least,  the  ostensible  support  of 
all  the  most  eminent  and  powerful  barons,  even  the  most  sincere  and  zeal- 
ous friends  of  the  absent  Robert  were  obliged  to  confess,  however  sor- 
rowfully, that  his  own  indolence  had  deprived  him  of  all  possibility  of 
obtaining  tlie  throne  from  his  more  active  and  enterprising  brother,  unless 
at  ihe  fearful  expense  of  a  civil  war. 

Politic  as  he  was  resolute,  Henry  felt  that,  obtained  as  his  crown  had 
been  by  the  most  flagrant  and  unqualified  usurpation,  he  would,  at  the 
outset  of  his  reign  at  least,  be  best  secured  against  any  attempts  which 
in  mere  desperation  his  brother  might  make  to  dethrone  him,  by  the  affec 
tion  of  the  great  body  of  the  people  as  well  as  of  the  nobles.  To  obtain 
this,  the  tyrannies  of  his  immediate  predecessors  afforded  an  ample  and 
easy  scope. 

"Desides,"  says  Hume,  "taking  the  usual  coronation  oath  to  maintain 
the  laws  and  execute  justice,  he  passed  a  CHAnrKit  which  was  calculated 
to  remedy  many  of  the  grievous  oppressions  which  had  been  complained 
of  during  the  reigns  of  his  father  and  brother.  He  there  promised  that  at 
the  death  of  any  bishop  or  abbot  he  never  would  seize  the  revenues  of  the 
sec  or  abbf  }  during  the  vacancy,  but  would  leave  the  whole  to  be  reaped 
by  the  successor,  and  that  he  would  never  let  to  farm  any  ecclesiastical 
benefice,  nor  dispose  of  it  for  money.  After  this  concesssion  to  the  church 
whoso  favour  was  of  so  great  importance  to  him,  he  proceeded  to  eiiumer 
1—13 


lit, 


,"    H 


«( 


i-     i 


r^: 


194 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


ate  tie  tivil  grievances  which  lie  purposed  to  redress.  He  promised  that 
upon  the  death  of  any  earl,  biiron,  or  military  tenant,  his  heir  should  ba 
admitted  to  the  possession  of  his  cstsilc  on  paying  a  just  and  lawful  relief 
without  being  exposed  to  such  violent  exactions  as  had  been  usual  during 
the  lato  reigns — he  remitted  the  wardship  of  minors,  and  allowed  guar, 
dians  to  be  appointed  who  should  be  answcrablu  for  the  trust — he  pronu 
iscd  not  to  dispose  of  any  heiress  in  marriage  but  by  the  advice  of  all  the 
barons,  and  if  any  baron  intended  to  give  his  daugliter,  sister,  niece,  oi 
other  kinsv/oman  in  marriage,  it  should  only  be  necessary  for  him  to  con- 
sult the  king,  who  promised  to  t-ikc  no  money  for  his  consent,  nor  even 
to  refuse  permission,  unless  the  person  to  whom  it  was  purposed  to  marry 
her  should  be  his  enemy.  He  granted  his  barons  and  military  tenants  the 
power  of  bequeathing  by  will  their  money  or  personal  estates,  and  if  they 
neglected  to  make  a  will,  he  promised  that  their  heirs  should  succeed  to 
them.  Fie  renounced  the  right  of  imposing  moneyage  and  of  levying  taxes 
at  pleasure  on  the  farms  which  the  barons  retained  in  their  own  hundg, 
and  he  made  some  general  professions  of  moderating  fines,  offered  a  par- 
don for  all  offences,  and  remitted  all  the  debts  due  to  the  crown.  He  re- 
quired that  the  vassals  of  the  barons  should  enjoy  the  same  privileges 
which  he  granted  to  his  own  barons  ;  and  he  promised  a  general  confirma. 
tion  and  observance  of  the  laws  of  King  Kdward.  This  is  the  substance 
of  the  chief  articles  contained  in  that  famous  charter." 

Though,  to  impress  the  people  with  the  notion  of  his  great  anxiety  foi 
the  full  publicity  and  exact  performance  of  these  gracious  promises,  Henry 
caused  a  copy  of  this  charter  to  be  placed  in  an  abbey  in  every  coiiniy, 
his  subsequent  conduct  shows  that  ho  never  intended  it  for  anything  but  a 
lure,  by  which  to  win  the  support  of  the  barons  and  people,  while  that  sup- 
port as  yet  appeared  desirable  to  his  cause.  The  grievances  which  he  so 
ostentatiously  promised  to  redress  were  continued  during  his  whole  reign; 
and  as  regards  the  charter  itself,  so  completely  neglected  was  it,  that  when 
in  their  disputes  with  the  tyrant  John,  the  Knglish  barons  were  desirous 
to  make  it  the  standard  by  which  to  express  their  demands,  scarcely  a 
copy  of  it  could  be  found. 

The  popularity  of  the  king  at  the  commencement  of  his  reign  owed  not 
a  little  of  its  warmth  to  his  just  and  politic  dismissal  and  imprisonment  of 
Ralph  Flamhard,  bishop  of  Durham,  who,  as  principal  minister  and  favour- 
ite of  William  Kufus,  had  been  guilty  of  great  oppression  and  cruelty,  es- 
pecially in  raising  money.  The  Dudley  and  Kmpson  of  a  later  reign  were 
scarcely  more  detested  than  this  man  was,  and  nothing  could  b(.  more 
agreeable  to  the  people  than  his  degradaiion  and  punishment.  But  the 
king,  apart  from  his  politic  desire  to  gratify  the  public  resentment  against 
his  brother's  chief  and  most  unscrupulous  instrument  of  oppression,  seems 
to  have  had  his  own  pecuniary  advantage  chiefly  in  view.  Instead  of  im- 
mediately appointing  a  successor  to  the  bishopric,  he  kept  it  vacant  for 
five  years,  and  during  all  that  time  he,  in  open  contempt  of  the  positive 
promise  of  his  charier,  applied  the  revenues  of  the  see  to  his  own  use. 

This  shameful  invasion  of  the  rights  of  the  church,  however,  did  not 
prevent  him  from  otherwise  seeking  its  favour.  Well  aware  of  tiie  high 
rank  which  Anselm  held  in  the  affections  of  both  the  clergy  and  the  peo- 
ple, he  strongly  invited  him  to  leave  Lyons — where  he  now  lived  in  great 
state— and  resume  his  dignity  in  England.  Hut  the  king  accompanied  this 
invitation  with  a  demand  that  Anselm  should  renew  to  him  the  homage 
he  had  formerly  paid  to  his  brother.  Anselm,  however,  by  his  residence 
at  Rome,  had  learned  to  look  with  a  very  different  eye  now  upon  that  ho- 
mage which  formerly  he  had  considered  as  so  mere  and  innocuous  a  form, 
and  he  returned  for  answer,  that  he  not  only  would  not  pay  homage  him- 
self, but  he  would  not  even  communicate  with  any  of  the  clergy  who  should 
do  BO,  or  who  would  accept  of  lay  investiture.    However  much  mortified 


THE  TUEA8UIIY  OP  HISTORY. 


i«5 


Henry  was  at  finding  ttkc  exiled  prelate  thus  resolute,  ho  was  too  anxious 
for  the  support  and  countenance  of  Anselni — whicij  if  thrown  into  the 
icale  for  Robert  might  at  some  future  time  prove  so  formidable — to  insist 
upon  his  own  proposal.  He  therefore  agreed  that  all  controversy  on  the 
lulijccts  should  be  referred  to  Rome ;  and  Anselm  was  restored  to  his  dig* 
niiy,  and,  undoubtedly,  all  the  more  powerful  both  from  the  circumstances 
ivliich  led  to  his  exile  and  those  which  accompanied  his  return.  His  au- 
Itionly  wiis  scarcely  re-established  when  it  was  appealed  to  upon  a  sub- 
ject of  the  highest  interest  to  the  king  himself.  Matilda,  daughter  of  Mal- 
colm Hi-,  king  of  Scotland  and  niece  of  Edgar  Atheling,  had  been  educa- 
ted in  the  nuimery  of  Ramsay.  Well  knowing  how  dear  the  royal  Saxon 
linc>:igc  of  this  lady  made  her  to  the  English  nation,  Henry  proposed  to 
espouse  her.  It  is  a  striking  instance  of  the  extent  to  which  the  public 
miiul  was  enslaved  by  Rome,  that  the  mere  residence  and  education  of  this 
princess  in  a  convent,  the  mere  wearing  of  the  veil  without  ever  having 
taken  or  intended  to  take  the  vows,  seemed  to  make  it  doubtful  whether 
she  could  lawfully  contract  matrimony !  So  it,  however,  was ;  and  a  sol- 
emn council  of  prelates  and  nobles  was  held  at  Lambeth  to  determine  the 
point.  This  council  was  held  so  soon  after  the  restoration  of  Anselm  to 
his  dignity,  that  we  may,  without  great  breach  of  charity,  suspect  that  a 
desire  to  secure  the  support  of  Anselm  upon  this  very  subject  was  at  least 
one  of  the  motives,  if  not  the  chief  one,  by  which  the  king  was  actuated 
in  recalling  him.  Before  this  council  Matilda  stated  that  she  had  never 
contcmplatod  taking  the  vows,  and  that  she  had  only  worn  the  veil,  as  it 
was  quite  commonly  worn  by  the  English  ladies,  as  a  safeguard  from  the 
violence  of  the  Norman  soldiery.  As  it  was  well  known  that  against  such 
violence  even  an  English  princess  really  had  no  other  secure  guard,  the 
council  determined  that  the  wearing  of  the  veil  by  Matilda  had  in  no  wise 
pledged  her  to  or  connected  her  with  any  religious  sisterhood,  and  that 
*lifi  was  as  free  to  marry  as  though  she  had  never  worn  it.  Henry  and 
Matilda  were  married.  Tlu^  ceremony  was  performed  by  Anselm,  anS  was 
accompanied  with  great  and  gorgeous  rejoicing.  This  marriage  more 
than  any  other  of  his  politic  arrangements  attached  the  English  people  to 
him.  Slarried  to  a  Saxon  princess,  hn  seemed  to  them  to  nave  acquired 
u  greater  right  to  the  throne  than  any  Norman  prince,  without  that  recom- 
mendation, could  draw  from  any  other  circumstances. 

AD.  1101. — It  soon  appeared,  that,  great  as  Henry's  care  had  been  to 
fortify  himself  in  the  general  heart  of  the  people,  it  had  been  neither  un- 
necessary nor  excessive.  Robert,  who  had  wasted  so  much  time  in  Italy, 
relumed  to  Normandy  about  a  month  after  the  death  of  his  brother  Rufus. 
Henry  had  given  no  orders  and  made  no  preparations  to  oppose  Robert's 
resumption  of  the  duchy  of  Normandy.  Po.ssessed  of  that  point  d'appui, 
and  being  much  endeared  to  the  warlike  Norman  barons  by  his  achieve- 
ments in  the  IIolv  Land,  Robert  immediately  commenced  preparations  for 
invading  England,  and  wresting  his  birthright  from  the  usurping  hands  of 
his  brother.  Nor  were  the  wishes  for  his  success  confined  to  those  bar- 
ons who  chiefly  or  wholly  lived  in  Normandy.  On  the  contrary,  many  of 
liie  great  barons  of  England  decidedly  preferred  Robert  to  Henry;  and 
feeling  the  same  dislike  to  holding  their  English  and  Norman  possessions 
under  two  sovereigns  which  had  been  so  strongly  expressed  at  the  acces- 
sion of  William,  they  secretly  encouraged  Robert,  and  sent  him  assuran- 
ces that  they  would  join  him  with  their  levies  as  soon  as  he  should  land 
in  P'ngland.  Among  these  nobles  wem  Robert  de  Belesme,  earl  ol 
Shrewsbury,  William  do  Warenne,  carl  of  Surrey,  Hugh  de  Greatmcsuil, 
Robert  de  Mallet,  and  others  of  the  very  highest  and  most  powerful  men 
in  England.  The  enthusiasm  in  his  favour  extended  to  the  navy ;  and 
when  Henry  had,  with  great  expense  and  exertion,  made  a  fleet  ready  to 
oppose  his  brother's  landing,  the  seamen  deserted  with  the  greater  number 


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THE  TUEA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


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of  tlic  ships,  and  put  themselves  and  their  vessels  at  the  disposal  of  Robert. 
This  incident  gave  the  king  great  alarm,  lest  the  army,  too,  should  desert 
him,  in  which  case  not  only  his  crown  but  his  life  would  bo  in  the  must 
imminent  danger.  Henry,  notwithstanding  this  peril,  preserved  his  (.ool- 
ness,  and  did  not  allow,  as  men  too  frequently  do,  the  grcalness  of  the 
danger  to  turn  away  his  attention  from  tlio  best  means  of  meeting  and 
overcoming  it.  Well  knowing  the  superstition  of  the  people,  he  consid- 
ered  nothing  lost  while  he  could  command  the  immense  influence  which 
Anselm  had  over  the  public  mind.  Accordingly  he  redoubled  his  court  to 
that  prelate,  and  succeeded  in  making  him  believe  in  the  sincerity  of  his 
professed  design  and  desire  to  rule  justly  and  mildly.  What  ho  himself 
firmly  believed,  Anselm  dilig:cntly  and  eloquently  inculcated  upon  the 
minds  of  others  ;  and  as  his  influence  and  exertions  were  seconded  by 
those  of  Roger  Uigod,  Robert  Fitzhammond,  the  earl  of  Warwick,  and  other 
powerful  nobles  who  remained  faithful  to  Henry,  the  army  was  kept  in 
good  humour,  and  marched  in  good  order,  and  with  apparent  zeal  as  well 
it  cheerfulness,  to  Portsmouth,  where  Robert  had  landed. 

Though  the  two  armies  were  in  face  of  each  other  for  several  days,  not 
a  blow  was  struck  ;  both  sides  seeming  to  feel  reluctant  to  commennc  a 
civil  war.  Anselm  and  other  influential  men  on  either  side  took  advantage 
of  this  pause  to  bring  about  a  treaty  between  the  brothers  ;  and,  after  much 
argument  and  some  delay,  it  was  agreed  that  Henry  should  retain  the 
crown  of  England,  and  pay  an  annual  pension  of  three  thousand  marks  to 
Robert ;  that  the  survivor  should  succeed  to  the  deceased  brother's  pos. 
sessions;  that  they  should  mutually  abstain  from  encouraging  or  harbour- 
ing each  others  enemies ;  and  that  the  adherents  of  both  in  the  present 
quarrel  should  be  undisturbed  in  their  possessions  and  borne  harmless  for 
all  that  had  passed. 

A.  D.  1102.— Though  Henry  agreed  with  seeming  cheerfulness  to  this 
treaty,  which  in  most  points  of  view  was  so  advantageous  to  him,  he  signed 
it  with  a  full  determination  to  break  through  at  least  one  of  its  provisions. 
The  power  of  his  nobles  had  been  too  fully  manifested  to  him  in  their  en- 
couragement of  Robert  to  admit  of  his  being  otherwise  than  anxious  to 
break  it.  The  carl  of  Shrewsbury,  as  one  of  tlie  most  powerful  and  also 
the  most  active  of  those  who  had  given  their  adhesion  to  Robert,  was  first 
fixed  upon  by  Henry  to  bo  made  an  example  of  the  danger  of  ofl'ending 
kings.  Spies  were  set  upon  his  every  word  and  action,  and  his  bold  and 
haughty  enaracter  left  them  but  little  difllculty  in  finding  matter  of  offence. 
No  fewer  than  five-and-forty  articles  were  exhibited  against  him.  He  was 
too  well  aware  both  of  the  truth  of  some  of  the  charges,  and  of  the  rigid 
severity  with  which  he  would  be  judged,  to  deem  it  safe  to  risk  a  trial. 
He  summoned  all  the  friends  and  adherents  he  could  command,  and  threw 
himself  upon  the  chances  of  war.  But  these  were  unfavourable  to  him. 
In  the  influence  which  Anselm  possessed,  and  which  he  zealously  exerted 
on  behalf  of  the  king,  Henry  had  a  most  potent  means  of  defence,  and  he 
with  little  difficulty  reduced  the  earl  to  such  straits,  that  he  was  glaJ  to 
leave  the  kingdom  with  his  life.  All  his  great  possessions  were  of  courso 
confiscated,  and  they  afforded  the  king  welcome  means  of  purchasing 
new  friends,  and  securing  the  fidelity  of  those  who  were  his  friends  al- 
ready. 

A.  D.  1103. — The  ruin  of  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury  produced  that  of  his 
brothers,  Roger,  earl  of  Lancaster,  and  Arnulf  de  Montgomery.  But  the 
vengeance  or  the  policy  of  the  king  required  yet  more  victims.  Robert 
de  Pontefract,  Robert  de  Mallet,  and  William  de  Warcnne  were  prose- 
cuted, and  the  king's  power  secured  their  condemnation ;  and  William, 
earl  of  Cornwall,  though  son  of  the  king's  uncle,  was  deprived  of  all  his 
large  property  in  England.  The  charges  ajrainst  these  noblemen  were 
artfully  made,  not  upon  their  conduct  towards  the  king  in  his  dispute  with 


THS  TUEASURY  OF  HISTOaY. 


197 


nis  brother,  but  upon  their  misconduct  towards  tlicii  vassuls.  1:1  tliis  re> 
gpcct,  indeed,  they  wern  guilty  enough,  as  all  tlie  Norman  barons  were; 
but  it  was  nut  this  guilt,  which  was  equally  churgcublc  upon  tlio  kin){'s 
firmest  and  most  powerful  defenders,  for  which  they  were  prosecuted 
and  ruined.  Robert  of  Normandy,  with  his  cliaractoristiu  (generosity  and 
imprudence,  was  so  indignant  at  the  persecution  of  liis  friends,  whose 
chief  crime  in  the  king's  eyes  he  well  knew  to  bu  the  friendship  they  had 
shown  to  himself,  that  he  crossed  over  to  England  and  sharply  rebuked 
his  brother  with  the  shameful  and  ill-veiled  breach  of  a  principal  part  of 
their  treaty.  Confident  in  his  kingly  power,  Henry  was  but  little  afTeetod 
by  the  Just  and  ehtqucnt  reproaches  of  his  brother.  On  the  contrary,  he 
go  clearly  gave  liim  to  understand  how  far  his  imprudent  rashness  in 
venturing  to  England  had  conipromised  his  own  safety,  that  Robert  wai 
glad  to  get  liberty  to  return  to  Normandy  at  the  expense  of  making  a 
furmal  resignation  of  his  pension. 

Tiie  time  soon  came  for  Henry  to  complete  the  ruin  of  the  brother 
whom  he  had  already  despoiled  of  the  fairest  and  most  precious  portion 
of  his  inheritance.  The  imprudent  thoughtlessness  and  levity  of  Robert 
not  merely  aflVctcd  his  conduct  as  far  as  he  himself  was  concerned ;  it 
made  him  wholly  unfit  to  rule,  and  opened  the  widest  possible  doors  to 
the  needy  and  the  profligate,  the  avaricious  and  the  tyrannical  among  his 
turbulent  and  unprincipled  barons  to  plunder  him,  as  well  as  to  rob  and 
then  ill-treat  his  unfortunate  subjects.  A  monarch  who  was  so  utterly 
careless  that  his  domestic  servants  plundered  him,  not  merely  of  the  little 
money  which  his  prodigal  habits  left  to  him,  but  even  of  his  clothes  and 
furniture,  was  but  ill  fitted  to  preserve  his  subjects  from  the  ill-treatment 
of  the  must  licentious  nobility  in  all  Kurope.  And  it  was  very  natural, 
tiiat  when  tiie  more  thoughtful  and  observant  among  the  Normans  con- 
trasted the  loose  government  of  Robert — if  indeed  it  deserved  the  name 
of  ii  government  at  all — with  the  steady,  firm,  and  orderly  rule  of  Henry 
over  a  much  larger  and  more  important  state,  they  should  begin  to  think, 
and  to  wiiisper,  too,  that  even  a  usurper,  such  as  Henry,  was  far  better 
for  the  welfare  of  his  subjixts,  than  such  a  legitimate,  but  utterly  inca- 
pablc,  ruler  as  the  good-natured  and  generous,  but  extravagant  and  de 
buuched  Robert.  Disorders  at  length  rose  to  such  a  height  in  Normandy, 
as  tu  give  Henry  a  pretext  for  going  over,  nominally  to  mediate  between 
the  opposing  parties,  but,  in  reality,  personally  to  observe  how  far  affairs 
were  in  train  to  admit  of  his  depriving  his  brother  of  the  duchy  alto- 
gether. Skilled  in  every  art  of  intrigue,  and  having  both  the  means  and 
the  will  to  bribe  most  profusely,  Henry  soon  funned  a  strung  party  ;  and 
having  returned  to  England  and  raised  the  n'i'-e^^ary  force  by  the  most 
iiiameless  and  unsparing  extortion,  he,  in  IIU.^,  landed  again  in  Nor- 
mandy, no  longer  under  the  hypocritical  pretence  of  mediating,  but  with 
the  avowed  purpose  of  conquering,  if  possible.  He  laid  siege  to  Bayeux, 
and,  although  obstinately  and  bravely  resisted,  at  length  took  that  place 
by  Sturm.  Caen  he  prepared  to  besiege,  but  it  was  surrendered  to  him 
by  the  inhabitants.  He  then  laid  siege  to  Falaise,  but  here  he  was  suc- 
cessfully opposed  until  the  setting  in  of  the  winter  compelled  him  to  raise 
the  siege. 

K.  D.  HOG. — With  the  return  of  favourable  weather  Henry  returned  to 
Normandy  and  recommenced  his  operations,  opening  the  campaign  with 
the  siege  of  Tinchehray  with  a  force  so  miglity  that  it  was  quite  evident 
he  contemplated  nothing  short  of  the  entire  subjugation  of  Normandy, 
h  required  all  the  success  that  Henry  had  as  yet  achieved,  and  all  the 
persuasions  of  his  own  friends,  to  arouse  Robert  from  his  lethargy  of 
natural  indolence  and  sensual  pleasure.  But  once  roused,  he  showed  that 
the  warrior  had  slumbered,  indeed,  in  his  heart,  but  was  nut  dead.  Aided 
by  Robert  de  Belcsme,  aud  by  the  earl  of  Mortaigne,  the  king's  uncle 


J!''    U' 


.5.    . ' ;» 1  II 
1  -'•Ji:    1   <.,    , 

■nit 


198 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 


who  was  invetcralrly  opposed  to  Henry  on  account  of  his  treatment  of 
MortiiiKiie's  son,  William,  earl  of  Cornwall,  Robert  Bpeodily  niiMcd  g 
powerliil  force  and  marched  against  his  brother,  in  the  hope  of  pntliiig  an 
end  to  their  conirovursics  in  a  single  battle.  Animatcid  at  bein^  led  by 
the  valiant  prince  whoso  feats  on  the  plains  of  Palestine  had  si  ruck  terror 
into  Pagan  hearts,  and  won  the  applause  of  Christian  Kuropc,  Kobrri'ii 
troops  charged  so  boldly  and  so  well,  that  the  Knglish  were  lliiown  into 
confusion.  Mud  the  Norman  success  been  well  followed  up  by  the  whole 
of  their  force,  nothing  could  have  saved  the  Kn^Mish  army  from  defeat 
and  destruction.  But  the  troops  of  Roger  de  Uelesuio  were  suddenly  and 
most  unaccountably  seized  with  a  panic,  which  communicated  itself  to 
the  rest  of  the  Normans.  Henry  and  his  friends  skilfully  and  promptly 
availed  themselves  of  this  sudden  turn  in  the  slate  of  affairs,  charged  the 
onemy  again  and  again,  and  entirely  routed  them,  killing  vast  numbers  and 
making  ten  thousand  prisoners,  among  whom  was  Robert  himself. 

Tins  great  victory  gained  by  Henry  was  soon  after  crowned  by  tlio 
surrender  of  Rouen  and  Kaluise  ;  and  Henry  now  became  completely 
master  of  Normandy,  having  also  got  into  his  power  Robert's  son,  the 
young  prince  William,  who  was  unfortunately  in  Falaise  when  that  im- 
portant post  surrendered.  As  though  there  had  been  nothing  of  violcnco 
or  unfairness  in  his  conduct,  Henry  now  convoked  the  states  of  Normandy 
and  received  their  homanc  as  though  he  had  been  rightfully  their  d'ikc; 
after  which,  having  dismantled  such  fortresses  as  he  deemed  danijcroui 
to  his  interests,  and  revoked  the  grants  which  Robert's  foolish  facility  had 
induced  him  to  make,  he  returned  to  England,  taking  his  unforlunnte 
brother  with  him  as  a  prisoner,  and  committing  young  William  tn  the 
custody  of  Helic  dc  8t.  Laen,  who  had  married  liobert's  natural  da'igh- 
ter,  and  who  treated  the  captive  /r,ri.;c  with  a  tenderness  and  resoect 
which  do  him  the  highest  honour  Robert  himself  was  committed  to  the 
custody  of  the  governor  of  Cardiff  castle  in  Wales,  where  for  Iwenly. 
eight  years,  the  whole  remainder  of  his  life,  he  remained  a  nicliiichxly 
spectacle  of  fallen  greatness,  and  a  striking  example  of  the  uselessiu^ss 
of  courage  without  conduct,  and  of  the  danger  of  generosity  if  uiire;fu- 
lated  by  prudence. 

At  the  battle  of  Tinchebray,  so  fatal  to  Duke  Robert,  his  friend  Kdgir 
Atheling  was  taken  prisoner.  Though  on  more  than  one  occasion  llii] 
prince  g,\ve  signal  proofs  of  bravery,  both  his  friends  and  his  enemies 
seem  to  have  held  his  intellect  in  considerable  contempt.  The  two  Wil- 
liama  and  Henry  I.,  princes  of  such  diferent  qualities,  yet  so  perfectly 
agreeing  in  despotic  and  jealous  tempers,  equally  held  his  powers  of  ex- 
citing the  English  to  revolt  in  the  utmost  scorn.  Though  his  Saxon  de- 
scent could  not  but  endear  liim  to  the  Kiiuliah  people,  and  though  both  at 
home  and  in  the  Holy  Land  he  had  proved  himself  to  possess  very  high 
courage,  there  was  so  general  and  apparently  go  well  fomided  an  opinion 
of  his  deficiency  in  the  higher  inielleclnal  qiudities,  that  neither  did  the 
Saxons  look  up  to  him,  as  otherwise  they  gladly  would  have  done,  as  a 
a  rallying  point,  nor  did  the  Normans  honour  him  with  their  suspicious 
fear.  Even  now  when  Henr)',  whose  treatment  of  his  own  brother  suf- 
ficiently proves  how  inexorable  he  could  be  where  he  saw  cause  to  fear 
injury  to  his  interests,  had  so  fair  an  excuse  for  committing  Edgar  to  safe 
custody,  he  showed  his  entire  disbelief  of  that  prince's  capacity,  by  al- 
lowing him  to  enjoy  his  full  liberty  in  England,  and  even  granting  him  a 
pension. 

A.  D.  1107. — Henry's  politic  character  and  his  judgment  were  both  em- 
inently displayed  in  managing  his  very  delicate  dispute  with  the  nope  on 
the  subject  of  ecclesiastical  investitures.  While  showing  the  most  pro- 
found external  respect,  and  even  aflfection.  to  both  the  pope  and  Arch- 
bishop Auselm,  Henry  proceeded  to  fill  the  vacant  sees  concerning  which 


TIIC  TKEA8U11Y  OF  IIISTUUY 


199 


there  wns  dispute.  Dut  Ansclm,  tlioiipih  ho  had  been  on  many  important 
occiisioiis  a  staunch  and  usi^ful  fiiiMKl  to  iho  kin(>;,  was  far  too  good  a 
chuichrunii  to  brook  disobudienco  to  ilio  papal  authority,  even  when  that 
(ijsobedinncc  was  veiled  by  smiles,  and  eouched  in  (,'entlo  and  holiday 
terms,  lie  refused  to  communicate  with,  far  less  to  consecrate,  the  bishops 
invested  by  the  king;  and  those  prelates  saw  themselves  exposed  to  so 
much  obloquy  by  their  opposition  to  so  revered  a  personage  as  Ansulm, 
(hat  they  resigned  their  (iiguities  into  the  king's  hands.  The  complete 
defeat  of  a  scheme  which  he  had  prosecuted  with  such  dexterous  and 

tiainful  art,  deprived  the  king  of  his  usual  command  of  temper,  and  he  let 
all  such  signilicant  threats  towards  all  opponents  of  his  authority,  that 
Aiisehn  became  alarmed  for  his  personal  safety,  and  demanded  permis- 
lion  to  travel  to  Rome  to  consult  the  pope.  Well  knowing  the  popularity 
of  Ansclm,  Henry  was  very  well  pleased  to  be  thus  peaceably  rid  of  his 

Crcsence.  Ansclm  departed,  and  was  attended  to  the  ship  by  hosts  of 
olh  clergy  and  laity,  who,  by  the  cordial  respect  with  which  they  took 
(heir  leave  of  him,  tacitly,  but  no  less  plainly,  testified  their  sense  of  tlio 
juslicn  of  his  quarrel  with  their  sovereign. 

As  soon  as  Ansclm  had  left  England  the  king  seized  upon  all  the  tern 
poraiities  of  his  sec;  and,  fearful  lest  the  presence  of  Ansclm  at  Rome 
should  prejui'ice  him  and  his  kingdom,  he  sent  William  dc  Warclwast  as 
ambassador  r.'X)raordinary  to  Pascal,  the  pope.  In  the  course  of  the  ar- 
gument betv/een  the  pope  and  the  king  of  Knglaturs  envoy,  the  latter 
warmly  exclaimed  that  his  sovereign  would  rather  part  with  his  crown 
than  widi  the  right  of  investiture  ;  to  which  Pascal  as  warmly  replied, 
that  he  would  rather  part  with  his  head  than  allow  the  king  to  retain  that 
right.  Ansclm  retired  to  Lyons,  and  thence  to  his  old  monastery  of 
Ber.  The  king  restored  him  the  revenues  of  his  sees,  and  great  anxiety 
was  expressed  by  all  ranks  of  men  for  his  return  to  Kngland,  where  his 
absence  was  atfirmed  to  be  the  cause  of  all  imaginable  impiety,  and  of 
the  most  gross  and  disgusting  iininoiality.  The  disputes,  meantime,  be- 
tween Henry  and  the  po;,e  grew  warmer  and  warmer.  The  emperor, 
Henry  V.,  and  the  pope  were  at  feud  on  the  same  subject,  and  the  pope 
being  made  an  actual  prisoner,  was  compelled  by  a  formal  treaty  to  j^ranl 
the  emperor  the  right  of  investiture.  The  king  of  Kngland  was  less  ad- 
vantageously situated  than  the  emperor.  He  could  not,  by  getting  the 
pope  into  his  power,  cut  the  (Jordian  knot  of  the  controversy  between 
iheiu.  The  earl  of  Mellent  and  other  ministers  of  Henry  were  already 
suffering  under  the  pains  of  excommunication :  Henry  himself  was  in 
daily  expectation  of  hearing  the  like  dreadful  sentence  pronounced  on 
himself,  and  he  well  knew  that  he  had  numerous  ami  powerful  enemies 
among  his  nobles  who  would  both  gladly  and  promptly  avail  themselves 
of  it  to  (hrosv  off  their  uneasy  allegiance.  Ho  and  the  pope  were  mu- 
tually afraid,  and  a  comproniisc  was  at  length  entered  into,  by  which  the 
pope  had  the  right  of  ecclesiastical  investiture,  while  Henry  had  the  right 
of  demanding  homage  from  the  prelates  for  their  temporaliiies.  The 
main  difference  being  thus  settled,  minor  points  presented  no  difficulties, 
and  Henry  now  had  leisure  to  turn  his  attention  to  Normandy. 

In  committing  the  natural  son  of  his  brother  Robert  to  the  careof  Helie, 
Henry  was  probably  desirous  to  show  the  world,  by  the  uubleniished  char- 
acter of  the  man  to  whom  he  entrusted  the  infant  prince,  thon  only  six 
years  old,  that  he  meant  fairly  by  him.  But  as  the  young  prince  grew  up, 
and  became  remarkable  for  talent  and  gracefulness  of  person,  he  acquired 
a  popularity  which  gave  so  much  uneasiness  to  Henry,  that  he  ordered 
nij  guardian  to  give  up  his  young  ward.  Helie.  probably  doubtful  of  the 
king's  intentions,  yet  feeling  himself  unable  to  shelter  him  should  the  king 
resort  to  force,  immediately  placed  young  William  under  the  protection 
.»f  Fulke.  count  of  Anjou.    The  protection  of  this  gallant  and  eminent  no- 


v^-ui 


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THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


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We  andliis  own  singular  graces,  onablnd  William  to  croalo  great  intoresl 
on  his  behalf,  and  at  every  court  which  he  visited  he  was  able  to  excite 
the  greatest  indignation  against  llie  injustice  with  which  his  uncle  luid  ireaU 
ed  him.  Louis  le  Gros,  king  of  France,  joined  with  Fulke,  count  of  An- 
jou,  and  the  count  of  Flanders,  in  disturbing  Henry  in  liis  unjust  posses- 
sion of  Normandy,  and  many  skirmishes  took  place  upon  tlie  fronijcig. 
But  before  the  war  could  produce  any  decisive  results,  Henry,  with  his 
customary  artful  policy,  detached  Fulke  from  the  league  by  marrying  his 
son  William  to  that  prince's  daughter.  The  peace  consequent  upon  lliig 
withdrawal  of  Fulke  did  not  last  long.  Henry's  nephew  was  again  taken 
in  hand  by  the  gallant  Baldwin  of  Flanders,  who  induced  the  king  ol 
France  to  join  in  renewing  the  attack  upon  Normandy.  In  the  action 
near  Fu  iJaldwin  was  slain  ;  and  the  king  of  France,  despairing,  after  the 
loss  of  sj  capital  an  ally,  of  liberating  Normandy  from  the  power  of 
Henry  by  force  of  arms,  resolved  to  try  another  method,  of  which,  proba- 
bly, he  did  not  piurcive  all  the  remote  and  possible  consequences. 

The  papal  court  had  always  manifested  a  more  than  sulTicient  indina. 
lion  to  interfere  in  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  nations  of  Christendom; 
and  Louis  now  most  unwisely  gave  sanction  and  lorce  to  that  anib.tioiis 
and  insidious  assumption,  by  appealing  to  Home  on  behalf  of  young  Wil- 
liam. A  gcnernl  council  having  been  assembled  by  tiic  pope  at  Itlieiins, 
Louis  took  his  protege  there,  represented  the  tyranny  of  Henry's  conduct 
towards  both  the  young  prince  and  his  father,  and  strongly  and  eloquent- 
ly dwelt  upon  the  impropriety  of  the  church  and  the  Cliristian  powers  al- 
lowing so  trusty  and  gallant  a  champion  of  the  cross  to  linger  on  in  his 
melancholy  imprisonment.  Whatever  might  be  the  personal  feelings  oi 
Cali.xtus  II.,  tlie  then  pope,  he  showed  himself  strongly  inclined  to  inter- 
fere on  behalf  of  both  William  and  his  father.  But  Henry  was  now,  as 
ever,  alert  and  skilful  in  tlu;  defence  of  his  own  interest.  The  Fiiglish 
bishops  were  allowed  by  him  to  attend  this  council ;  but  he  gave  itiein 
fair  notice  at  their  departure,  that  whatever  might  be  the  demands  or  de- 
cisions of  the  council,  he  was  fully  determined  to  maintain  the  laws  and 
customs  of  England  and  his  own  prerogative.  "Go,"  said  lie,  as  they 
took  leave  of  him,  "  salute  the  pope  in  my  name,  and  listen  to  his  apostol- 
ical pre('e|)ts ;  but  be  mindful  that  ye  bring  back  none  of  his  new  invea- 
lions  into  my  kingdom."  But  while  he  thus  outwardly  manifested  his 
determination  to  support  himself  even  against  the  hostility  of  tlie  chinch, 
he  took  the  most  elfcctnal  means  to  prevent  that  hostility  from  beingex- 
hibited.  The  most  liberal  presents  and  promises  were  distributed ;  and 
so  eflectually  did  he  conciliate  tlie  pope,  that  having  shortly  afterwards 
had  an  interview  with  Henry,  he  pronounced  him  to  be  beyond  coinpari- 
•  son  the  most  (doquent  and  persuasive  man  he  had  ever  spoken  with. 
Upon  this  high  eulogy  of  the  sovereign  pontiiT,  'Imv:,  with  dry  causticity, 
remarks,  that  Henry  at  this  interview  "hail  probably  renewed  his  presents." 
Louis,  finding  that  he  was  out-manccuvred  by  Henry  in  the  way  of  in- 
trigue, renewed  his  attempts  upon  Normandy  in  the  way  of  arms.  He 
made  an  attempt  to  surprise  Noyen,  but  Henry's  profuse  liberality  caused 
him  to  be  well  served  by  his  spies,  and  he  suddenly  fell  upon  the  French 
troops.  A  severe  action  ensued,  and  Prince  William,  who  was  prcseiil, 
behaved  with  great  distin(;tion.  Henry  also  was  present,  and,  penetrating 
with  his  customary  gallantry  into  the  very  thickest  of  the  fight  was  se- 
Terely  wounded  by  Crispin,  a  Norman  ollicer  in  the  French  army.  Hen- 
ry, who  possessed  great  personal  strength,  struck  Crispin  to  the  eaitli, 
and  led  his  troops  onward  in  a  cdiarge  so  fierce  and  heavy,  that  the  French 
were  utterly  routed,  and  Louis  himself  only  escaped  with  great  diniciilty 
from  being  made  prisoner.  The  result  of  this  action  so  discouraged  Loui.v 
that  he  shortly  ai'terwards  entered  into  a  treaty  with  Henry,  in  which  tlii» 


Slfff^" 


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W 


■^m>' 


THR  Tr»EAtiUkY  OF  HISTORY 


201 


ntcrcsts  of  William  and  the  liberty  of  Robert  were  wl'olly  left  out  of 
the  question. 

TliU5  far  the  career  of  kini?  Henry  had  been  one  unbrokon  series  of 
prosperity ;  lie  was  now,  under  tMnunnstances  the  least  to  have  been 
feared,  doomed  to  suffer  a  very  terrible  niisforlnne.  Judging  from  the  fa- 
cility with  which  he  had  usurped  the  crown  of  England  and  the  duchy  of 
Normaiiiiy,  that  similar  wrong — as  he  chose  to  call  it,  though  wrong  it 
would  surely  not  have  been — might  easily  he  done  to  his  own  son,  unless 
proper  precautions  were  taken,  ho  accompanied  his  son  William  to  Nor- 
miuidy,  and  caused  him  to  be  recognized  as  his  successor  by  the  states, 
and  to  receive  in  that  character  the  homage  of  the  barons.  This  impor- 
limtstep  being  taken,  the  king  and  the  prince  embarked  at  Barfleur  on 
llieir  return  to  England.  The  weather  was  fair,  and  tlie  vessel  which 
conveyed  the  king  and  his  immediate  attendants  left  the  coast  in  safety, 
lomething  caused  the  prince  to  remain  on  shore  after  his  father  had  de- 
paried;  and  the  captain  and  sailors  of  the  ship,  being  greatly  intoxicated, 
jailed,  in  their  anxiety  to  overtake  the  king,  with  so  much  more  haste 
Ihaa  skill,  that  they  ran  the  ship  upon  a  rock,  and  she  immediately  be- 
jaii  to  sink.  William  was  safely  got  in  the  long  boat,  and  had  even  been 
lowed  some  distance  from  the  ship  when  the  screams  of  his  natural  sis- 
ter, ilie  countess  of  Perche,  who  in  liie  hurry  had  been  left  behind,  com- 
pelled his  boat's  crew  to  return  and  endeavour  to  save  her.  The  instant 
that  the  boat  approached  the  ship's  side,  so  many  persons  leaped  in,  that 
the  boat  also  foundered,  and  William  and  all  his  attendants  perished;  a 
fearful  loss,  there  being  on  board  tlie  ill-fated  ship  no  fewer  than  a  hundred 
and  forty  English  and  Norman  gentlemen  of  the  bvst  families.  Filzste- 
pjieii,  the  captain,  to  whose  intemperance  this  sad  calamity  was  mainly 
attributable,  and  a  butcher  of  Rouen  clung  to  the  mast ;  but  the  former 
voluniarily  loosed  his  hold  and  sank  on  hearing  that  the  prince  had  perished. 
Tlie  butcher,  free  from  cause  of  remorse,  resolutely  kept  his  grasp, 
and  was  fortunate  enough  to  be  picked  up  by  some  fishermen  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning. 

When  news  reached  Henry  of  the  loss  of  the  vessel,  he  for  a  few  days 
bunyi'd  himself  up  with  the  hope  that  his  son  had  been  saved  ;  but  when 
the  lull  extent  of  the  calamity  had  been  ascertained  he  fainted  ;  and  so 
violent  was  his  grief,  that  he  was  never  afterwards  known  to  smile.  So 
deeply  could  he  suffer  under  his  own  calamity,  though  so  stern  and  un- 
blenehingin  the  infliction  of  calamity  upon  others. 

The  death  of  Prince  William,  the  only  legitimate  male  issue  of  Henry, 
was,  as  will  be  perceived  in  the  history  of  the  next  reign,  not  nriercly  an  indi- 
diviclu-jl  calamity,  but  also  a  most  serious  national  one,  in  so  far  as  it  gave 
rise  to  much  civil  strife.  But  it  was  probable  that  VVilliam  wo;i)d  have 
been  a  very  severe  king,  for  lie  was  known  to  threaten  that  whei.jver  he 
came  to  the  throne  he  would  work  the  English  like  mere  beasts  of  burden. 
The caily  Norman  rulers,  in  fact,  however  policy  might  occasionally  in 
dure  them  to  disguise  it,  detested  and  scorned  their  English  subjects. 

Prince  William,  son  of  the  wronged  and  imprisoned  duke  of  Norniandy, 
ilill  enjoyed  the  friendship  and  protection  of  the  French  king,  though 
circunistances  had  induced  that  monarch  apparently  to  abandon  the 
prince's  interest,  in  making  a  treaty  with  Henry.  The  death  of  Henry's 
son,  too,  broke  off  the  connection  between  Henry  and  the  count  of  An- 
ion, who  now  again  took  up  the  cause  of  Prince  William,  and  gave  him 
Ills  daughter  in  marriage.  V.vcn  this  connection,  however,  between 
Fulke  and  William  did  not  prevent  the  artful  policy  of  Henry  from  again 
seeuring  the  friendship  of  the  former.  Matilda,  Henry's  daughter,  who 
was  married  to  the  emperor  Henry  V.,  was  left  a  widow  ;  and  the  king 
uow  gave  her  in  marriage  to  (Jeoffrey  Plantagcnet,  earl  of  Anjou,  and  ho 
at  the  same  time  caused  her  to  receive,  as  his  successor,  the  homage  of 
the  nobles  and  clergy  of  both  Normandy  and  England. 


jflifr-rr. 


209 


THE  TEEASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


li    ,  hU, 


in  J:, 


4  I  V 


Jii  the  meantime  Prince  William  of  Normandy  was  greatly  strengthened. 
Charles,  earl  of  Flanders,  was  assassinated,  and  his  dignity  and  posses- 
sions  were  immediately  bestowed  by  the  king  of  France  upon  Hiinco 
William.  But  this  piece  of  seeming  good  fortune,  though  it  undoubtedly 
gave  greater  strength  to  William's  party  and  rendered  his  recovery  of 
Normandy  more  probable,  led  in  the  result,  to  his  destruction ;  so  blind 
aie  we  in  all  that  relates  to  our  future !  The  landgrave  of  Alsace,  deeming 
his  own  claim  upon  Flanders  superior  to  that  of  William,  who  claimed 
only  from  the  wife  of  the  Conqueror,  and  who  moreover  was  illegiiininte, 
attempted  to  possess  himself  of  it  by  force  of  arms,  and  almost  in  the  first 
Bkirmish  that  took  place  William  was  killed. 

Many  disputes  during  all  this  time  had  taken  place  between  Henry 
and  the  pope  ;  chiefly  upon  the  riglit  to  which  the  latter  pretended  of 
having  a  legate  resident  in  England.  As  legates  possessed  in  their  re- 
spective provinces  the  full  powers  of  the  pope,  and,  in  their  anxiety  to 
please  that  great  giver  and  source  of  their  power,  were  ever  disposed  to 
push  the  papal  aulhorily  to  the  utmost,  the  king  constantly  showed  a  great 
and  wise  anxiety  to  iM'Cvent  this  manifestly  dangerous  encroachment  of 
Rome.  After  much  manoeuvring  on  both  sides,  an  arrangement  was  niiide 
by  which  the  legate  power  was  conferred  upon  the  archbishop  of  Cunlcr- 
bury  ;  and  thus  while  Rome  kept,  nominally  at  least,  a  control  over  that 

f)ower,  Henry  prevented  it  being  committed  to  any  use  disagrpciilili- to 
lim,  and  had,  moreover,  a  security  for  the  legate's  moderation  in  the  kingly 
power  over  tlie  archbishop's  temporalities. 

A  perfect  peace  reijifniiig  in  all  parts  of  England,  Henry  spent  pan  of 
1131  and  1132  in  Normandy  with  his  daughter  Matilda,  of  whom  he  was 
passi<)i\ately  fund.  While  he  was  there  Matilda  was  d(;livered  of  a  son, 
who  was  christened  by  the  name  of  Henry.  In  the  midst  of  the  rejoicing 
this  event  caused  to  the  kiiig,  he  was  summoned  to  Kngland  by  an  incur- 
sion made  by  the  Welsh  ;  and  he  was  just  about  to  return  when  he  was 
seized,  at  St.  Dennis  le  Formenl,  by  a  fatal  illness,  attributed  to  his 
having  eaten  lampreys  to  excess,  and  he  expired  Dec.  1,  1135,  in  the 
thirty-fifth  year  of  his  reign  and  sixty-seventh  of  his  age. 

Though  a  usurper,  and  though  somewhat  prone  to  a  tyrannous  exeriion 
of  his  usurped  authority,  Henry  at  l(>ast  deserves  the  praise  of  having 
been  an  able  monarch.  He  preserved  the  peace  of  his  dominions  iindci 
circumstances  of  great  difficulty,  and  protected  its  interest  against  at- 
tempts  under  which  a  loss  firm  and  politic  prince  would  have  been  crnslicd. 
He  had  no  fewer  than  thirteen  illegitimate  children.  Other  vices  he  was 
tolerably  free  from  in  his  private  capacity;  but  in  protecting  his  resources 
for  the  chase,  of  which,  like  all  the  Norman  princes,  he  was  passionately 
enaiTioured,  he  was  guilty  of  every  unjustifiable  cruelty.  In  the  gciirial 
administration  of  justice  he  was  very  severe.  Coining  was  punished  by 
him  with  death  or  the  most  terrible  mutilation,  and  on  one  occasion  fifty 
persons  charged  with  that  offence  were  subjected  to  this  horrible  mode  of 
torture.  It  was  in  this  reign  that  wardmotes,  common-halls,  a  court  of 
hustings,  the  liberty  of  hunting  in  Middlesex  and  Surrey — a  great  and 
honourable  privilege  at  that  time — the  right  to  elect  its  own  sheriff  and 
justiciary,  and  to  hold  pleas  of  the  crown,  trials  by  combat,  and  lodging 
of  the  king's  retinue,  were  granted  to  the  city  of  London. 


CHAPTER  XVH. 

THE  REIGN  OP  STEPHEN. 

A.  n.  1135. — The  will  of  Henry  I.  left  the  kingdom  of  Kngland  nnd  the 
duchy  of  Normandy  to  his  daughter  Matilda.    By  the  precautions  which 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


203 


ne  had  taken  it  was  very  evident  that  he  feared  lest  any  one  should  iini 
tale  the  irregularity  by  which  he  himself  had  mounted  to  power.  Strangely 
enough,  however,  the  attempt  he  anticipated,  and  so  carefully  provided 
agaiirst,  was  made  by  one  who  to  Henry's  own  patronage  anci  liberality 
owed  his  chief  power  to  oppose  Henry's  daughter.  A  new  proof,  if  such 
were  wanting,  of  the  blindness  on  particular  points  of  even  the  most  poli- 
tic and  prudent  men. 

Aiiela,  daughter  of  William  the  Conqueror,  was  married  to  Stephen, 
count  of  Blois.  Two  of  her  sons,  Henry  and  Stephen,  were  invited  to 
Enjjiand  by  Henry  I.,  who  behaved  to  them  with  tho  profuse  liberality 
which  he  was  ever  prone  lo  show  to  those  whom  he  took  into  his  favour. 
Henry  was  made  abbot  of  Glastonbury  and  bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
Stephen  was  even  more  highly  favoured  liy  the  king,  who  married  him  to 
Matiuia,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Kustace,  count  of  Boulogne,  by  which 
marriage  he  acquired  both  the  feudal  sovereignty  of  Boulogne  as  well  as 
enormous  landed  property  in  Kngland.  Subsequently  the  king  still  far- 
ther enriched  Stephen  by  conferring  upon  him  the  forfeited  possessions 
of  tiie  earl  of  Mortaigne,  in  Normandy,  and  of  Robert  de  Mallet  in  Eng- 
taiid.  The  king  fondly  imagined  that  by  thus  honouring  and  aggrandiz- 
injj  Stephen  he  was  raising  up  a  fast  and  powerful  friend  for  his  daughter 
whenever  she  should  come  to  the  throne,  and  the  conduct  of  Stephen  was 
so  wily  and  skilful,  that  to  the  very  hour  of  Henry's  death  he  contrived 
tocimfirm  him  in  this  delusion.  Bravo,  active,  generous  and  affal)ie,  he 
was  a  very  general  favourite ;  but  while  he  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost 
to  retain  and  increase  his  popularity,  especially  among  the  Londoners, 
of  wiinm  he  anticipated  making  great  use  in  the  ultimate  scheme  he  had  in 
view,  he  took  good  care  to  keep  those  eflforts  from  the  king's  knowledge. 
He  professed  himself  the  fast  friend  and  ready  champion  of  the  princess 
Matilda,  and  wlien  tiie  barons  were  required  by  the  king  to  do  homage  to 
her,  as  tho  successor  to  ihe  crown,  Stephen  actually  had  a  violent  dis- 
pute with  Robert,  earl  of  (Jloucester,  who  was  a  natural  son  of  tho  king, 
fts  to  wliich  of  them  should  first  take  tiie  oath! 

But  with  all  this  lip-loyally  to  the  king  and  seeming  devotion  to  the 
princess,  Stephen  seems  all  along  to  have  harboured  the  most  ungrateful 
anil  frtitlilcss  intenlioiis.  The  moment  the  king  had  ceased  to  live  he 
hurried  over  to  Hngland  to  seize  upon  the  crown.  His  designs  having 
been  made  known  at  Dover  and  (Canterbury,  the  citizens  of  both  those 
places  honourably  refused  lo  admit  him.  Notiiing  daunted  by  this  honest 
rebuke  of  Ins  ungrateful  design,  ho  hurried  on  to  London,  where  he  had 
emissaries  i;i  his  pay,  who  caused  him  to  be  hailed  as  king  by  a  multi- 
tude of  the  common  sort. 

The  first  step  being  thus  made,  he  next  busied  himself  in  obtaining  the 
sanction  and  suffrage  of  the  clergy.  So  much  weight  was  in  that  age 
attached  to  Ihe  ceremony  of  unction  in  the  coronation,  that  he  considered 
it  but  little  likely  that  Matilda  would  ever  be  able  to  dethrone  him  if  he 
could  so  far  secure  the  clergy  as  to  have  his  coronation  performed  in  due 
order  and  with  llie  usual  formalities.  In  this  important  part  of  his  daring 
scheme  good  service  was  done  to  him  by  his  brother  Henry,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  who  caused  the  bishop  of  Salisbury  to  join  him  in  persuad- 
ing William,  an  hbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  give  Stephen  the  royal  unction. 
The  primate  having,  in  common  with  all  the  nobility,  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  Matilda,  was  unwilling  to  comply  with  so  startling  a  step; 
but  his  reluctance,  whether  real  or  assumed,  gave  way  when  Roger 
Bigod,  who  held  the  important  ofl[ice  of  steward  of  the  household,  mada 
9ath  that  Henry  on  his  death-bed  had  evinced  his  displeasure  with  Matilda, 
and  expressed  his  deliberate  preference  of  Stephen  as  his  successor, 
[t  is  nut  easy  to  believe  that  so  shrewd  a  person  as  the  archbishop  really 
lave  any  credence  to  this  shallow  tale,  but  he  affected  to  do  so,  and  upon 


r  -Hfi^!:;; 


'!'  I 


fi  I 


llfei! 


f-^ri 


■      J; 


ll         I 


304 


THE  TREASUay  of  HI8T011Y. 


its  autliorily  crowned  Stephen.  The  coronation  was  but  niengrnly  alter, 
dec!  by  llie  nobles ;  yet,  as  none  of  them  made  any  open  opposition,  Ste- 
phen proceeded  to  exercise  the  royal  authority  as  coolly  as  though  In 
had  aseended  the  throne  by  the  double  right  of  consent  of  the  people  am 
heirship. 

Having:  seizod  upon  the  royal  treasure,  which  amounted  to  upwards  oi 
a  hundred  thoiisiuid  jwunds,  Stephen  was  able  to  surround  his  usurped 
throne  with  an  iinnunse  number  of  foreign  mercenaries.  While  he  thus 
provided  against  open  force,  he  also  took  the  precaution  to  endeavour,  by 
the  apparent  justice  of  his  intentions,  to  obliterate  from  the  general  mem- 
ory,  and  especially  from  the  minds  of  the  clergy,  all  thought  of  tho 
sliameful  irregularity  and  ingratitude  by  which  he  had  obtained  the  throne. 
He  published  a  charter  calculated  to  interest  all  ranks  of  men,  promising 
to  abolish  Dancjrrlt,  geiiendly  to  restore  the  laws  of  King  Kdward,to  cor- 
rect all  abuses  of  the  forest  laws',  and — with  an  especial  view  to  concili- 
ating the  clergy— to  fill  all  benelic'cs  as  they  should  become  vacant,  and 
to  levy  no  rents  upon  them  while  vacant.  lie  at  the  same  time  applied 
for  the  sanction  of  the  pope,  who,  well  knowing  what  advantage  posses- 
sion must  give  Stephen  over  the  absent  Matilda,  and  being,  besides,  well 
pleased  to  be  called  upon  to  interfere  in  the  temporal  affairs  of  England, 
very  readily  gave  it  in  a  bull,  which  Stephen  took  great  care  to  make 
public  throughout  Kngland. 

In  Normandy  the  same  success  attended  .Steplien,  who  had  his  eldest 
son,  Kustace,  put  in  possession  of  the  ducliy  on  doing  liomage  to  the  king 
of  France;  and  GeoflTrey,  Matilda's  husband,  found  himself  reduced  to 
such  straits  tliat  he  was  fain  to  enter  into  a  truce  with  Stephen,  the  latter 
coM-senting  to  pay,  during  the  two  years  for  which  it  was  made,  a  pen- 
sion  of  five  thousand  marks.  Tliough  Stephen  was  thus  far  so  success- 
ful, there  were  several  circumstances  which  were  calculated  to  can'C 
iiim  consideraldc  apprehension  and  perplexity.  Robert,  a  natural  son  o( 
the  late  king,  by  whom  he  had  been  created  earl  of  Gloucester,  possessed 
considerable  ability  and  influence,  and  was  very  much  attached  to  Ma- 
tilda, in  whose  wrongs  he  could  not  fail  to  take  a  great  interest.  This 
nobleman,  who  was  in  Normandy  when  Stephen  usurped  the  throne  ol 
England,  was  looked  upon  both  by  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  Stephen 
as  ttie  luost  likely  person  to  head  any  open  opposition  to  the  usurper. 
In  truth,  the  earl  was  placed  in  a  very  delicate  and  trying  situation.  On 
the  one  hand,  he  was  exceedingly  zealous  in  the  cause  of  Matilda;  on  the 
other  hand  to  refuse  when  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Ste- 
phen, was  inevitably  to  brinu:  ruin  upoi:  his  forlimes,  as  far  as  England 
was  concerned.  In  this  perplexing  dilemma  he  resolved  to  take  a  middle 
course,  and,  by  avoiding  an  open  rupture  with  Stephen,  secure  to  himself 
the  liberty  and  means  of  acting  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience, 
should  circumstances  become  morn  favourable  to  Matilda.  He  therefore 
consented  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Stephen,  on  condition  that  the 
king  should  duly  perform  all  that  he  had  promised,  and  that  he  should  in 
no  wise  curtail  or  infringe  the  rights  or  dignities  of  the  earl.  This  siiigti- 
lar  and  very  unusual  reservation  clearly  eiu)ugh  proved  to  Stephen  that 
he  was  to  look  upon  the  earl  as  his  good  and  loyal  subject  just  so  long  as 
there  seemed  to  be  no  chance  of  a  successful  revolt,  and  no  longer;  but 
the  earl  was  so  powerful  and  popular  that  he  did  not  think  it  safe  to  re- 
fuse his  oath  of  fealty,  evei>  on  these  unusual  terms. 

Though  we  correi'tly  call  these  terms  unusual,  we  do  so  only  with  ref- 
erence to  former  reigns ;  Stephen  was  obliged  to  consent  to  them  in  still 
more  important  cases  than  thai  of  the  earl  of  Gloucester.  The  clergy, 
finding  llie  king  willing  to  sacrifice  to  expediency,  and  well  knowing  how 
inexpedient  he  would  fiiid  it  to  quarrel  with  their  powerful  body,  would 
only  give  him  their  oath  of  allegiance  with  the  reservation  that  theu 


THE  TREASURY  OV  HISTORY. 


20S 


allegiance  shoui  1  endure  so  long  as  the  king  should  support  the  discipline 
of  the  church  and  defend  the  ecclcsiiisticiil  liberties.  To  how  much  dis- 
pute, quibble,  and  assumption  were  not  those  undefined  terms  capable  of 
Icadiuij  under  the  management  of  the  possessors  of  nearly  all  tlie  learning 
of  Uic  age;  men,  too,  especially  addicted  to  and  skilled  in  that  subtle 
warfare  wliich  renders  the  crafty  and  well-schooled  logomachist  abso- 
lutely invulnerable  by  any  other  weapon  than  a  precise  definition  of  termsl 

To  the  reservations  of  the  earl  of  Gloucester  and  the  clergy  succeeded 
the  still  more  ominous  demands  of  the  barons.  In  the  anxiety  of  Stephen 
to  procure  their  submission  and  sanction  to  his  usurpation  the  barons  saw 
an  admirable  opportunity  for  aggrandizing  their  already  great  power 
at  the  expense  of  the  security  of  both  the  people  and  the  crown.  They 
demanded  that  each  baron  should  have  the  right  to  fortify  his  castle  and 
put  himself  in  ->  state  of  defence ;  in  other  words,  that  each  baron  should 
turn  his  posse  ions  into  an  impcrium  in  imperio,  dangerous  to  the  author- 
ity of  the  crown  on  occasions  of  especial  dispute,  and  injurious  to  the 
peace  and  welfare  upon  all  occasions,  as  making  the  chances  of  wrong 
and  oppressions  more  numerous,  and  making  redress,  already  difticnlt.for 
the  future  wholly  hopeless.  A  legitimate  king,  confident  in  his  right  and 
conscientiously  mindful  of  his  high  trust,  would  have  periled  both  crown 
and  life  ere  he  would  have  consented  to  such  terms ;  but  in  tiie  case  of 
Stephen,  the  high  heart  of  the  valiant  soldier  was  quelled  and  spell-bound 
by  llic  conscience  of  the  usurper,  and  to  u|)hold  his  tottering  throne  in 
present  circumstances  of  difficulty,  he  was  fain  to  consent  to  terms  which 
would  both  inevitably  and  speedily  increase  tliose  difilcullies  tenfold. 

The  barons  were  not  slow  to  avail  themselves  of  tlie  consent  tlius  ex- 
torted from  the  king.  In  every  direction  castles  sprung  up,  or  were 
newly  and  more  strongly  fortified.  Kvcn  those  barons  wlio  liad  at  the 
outset  no  care  for  any  such  privilege,  were  soon  in  their  self-defence 
obliged  to  follow  the  example  of  tlicir  noiglibours.  Jealous  of  each 
other,  the  barons  now  carried  their  feuds  to  tiie  extent  of  absolute  petty 
wars;  and  tl'.e  inferior  gentry  and  peasantry  could  only  hope  to  escape 
from  being  plundered  and  ill  used  by  one  party,  at  the  expense  of  siding 
with  the  other,  in  quarrels  for  neither  side  of  which  they  had  the  slight- 
est real  care. 

The  barons  having  thus  far  proceeded  in  establishing  their  quasi  sove- 
reignty and  independence  of  the  crown,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
they  soon  proceeded  still  fartlier,  and  arrogated  to  themselves  within  their 
mimic  royalties  all  the  privileges  of  actual  sovereignty,  even  including 
that  of  coining  money. 

Though  Stephen,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  had  granted  the  privilege  of 
fortification,  out  of  which  he  must,  as  a  shrewd  and  sensible  min,  have 
anticipated  that  these  abuses  would  issue,  he  was  by  no  means  inclined 
to  submit  to  the  abuses  tlicmselvcs  without  a  trial  how  far  it  was  prac- 
ticable to  take  back  by  his  present  force  what  had  been  extorted  from  his 
former  weakness.  And  thus,  as  the  nobles  abused  the  privileges  he  had 
granted,  he  now  by  his  mercenary  force  set  himself  not  merely  to  anni- 
hilate those  extorted  privileges,  but  also  to  make  very  serious  encroach- 
ments upon  tlio  more  ancient  and  legitimate  rights  of  the  subject.  The 
perpetual  contests  that  thus  existed  between  the  king  and  the  barons,  and 
among  the  barons  themselves,  and  the  perpetual  insult  and  despoiling  to 
wliich  the  great  body  of  the  people  were  in  consequence  subjected,  caused 
BO  general  a  discontent,  that  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  deeming  that  the 
favourable  and  long-wished-for  time  had  at  length  arrived  for  the  open 
advocacy  of  the  claims  of  Matilda,  suddenly  departed  from  England.  As 
soon  as  he  arrived  safely  abroad,  he  forwarded  to  Stephen  a  solemn  do 
fiance  and  renunciation  of  fealty,  and  reproached  him  in  detail,  and  in  the 


-■'[MBll 

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BtBUJl; 

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S06 


THE  TUEA8U11Y  OP  HISTORY. 


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Btrongest  language,  with  his  breaches  of  the  promises  and  conditioni 
upon  winch  that  fealty  had  been  sworn. 

A.  D.  1138. — Just  as  Stcplien  was  tiius  doubly  perplexed,  a  new  enemy 
arose  to  llireatcn  him,  in  tiie  person  of  Duvicl,  king  of  Scotland,  who 
being  uncle  to  Matilda,  now  crossed  the  borders  with  a  large  army  to 
assert  and  defend  her  title.  So  little  was  Stephen  beloved  by  the  tur- 
bulont  barons,  with  not  a  few  of  whom  he  was  even  then  at  personal 
feud,  that  had  David  now  added  a  wise  policy  to  his  sincere  zeal  iu  the 
cause  of  his  niece,  there  seems  little  reason  to  doiriit  that  Matilda  would 
have  ousted  Stephen  almost  without  difliculty  or  bloodshed  ;  for  lie  had 
by  this  time  so  nearly  expended  hi.5  oneo  large  treasure,  that  the  foreign 
mercenaries,  on  whom  he  chiefly  depended  for  defence,  actually,  for  the 
most  part,  subsisted  by  plunder.  But  David,  unable  or  unwilling  to  enler 
into  points  of  policy  and  expediency,  marked  his  path  from  the  bonier  to 
the  fertile  plains  of  Yorkshire  by  such  cruel  bloodshed  and  destruction, 
that  all  sympathy  with  his  intention  was  forgotten  in  disgust  and  imligna- 
tion  at  his  conduct.  Tlte  northern  nobles,  whom  he  might  easily  have 
won  to  his  support,  were  thus  aroused  and  united  ag;iinst  him.  William 
Albemarle,  Robert  de  Ferres,  William  Percy,  Robert  de  Bruce,  Kogci 
de  Mowbray,  llbert  Lacy,  Walter  I'Kpec,  and  numerous  other  nobles 
in  the  north  of  England,  joined  their  largo  forces  into  one  great  army 
and  encountered  the  Scots  at  Northallerton.  A  battle,  calhul  the  buttle 
of  the  Standard,  from  an  imm-nse  crucifix  which  was  carried  on  a 
car  in  front  of  the  Knglish  army,  was  fought  on  the  22d  of  Atirrust, 
1138,  and  ended  in  so  total  a  defeat  of  the  Scottish  army  that  David  him- 
self, together  with  his  sun  Henry,  very  nearly  fell  into  the  hands  of  tiie 
English.  The  defeat  of  the  king  of  Scotland  greatly  tended  to  daunt 
the  enemies  of  Stephen,  and  to  give  a  hope  of  stability  to  his  riilo;  but 
he  had  scarcely  escaped  the  ruin  that  this  one  enemy  intended  for  him, 
when  he  was  engaged  in  a  bitter  controversy  with  an  enemy  still  more 
zealous  and  more  powerful — the  clergy. 

A.  n.  1139. — The  bishops,  as  they  had  been  rated  for  military  service  in 
common  with  the  barons,  si>  they  added  all  the  state  and  privileges  o( 
lay  barons  to  those  proper  to  their  own  character  and  rank.  And  wlieii 
the  custom  of  erecting  fortresses  and  keeping  strong  garrisons  in  pay 
became  general  among  the  lay  barons,  several  of  the  bishops  followed 
their  example.  The  bishops  of  Salisbury  and  Lincoln  had  done  so;  the 
former  had  completed  one  at  Sherborne  and  another  at  Devizes,  ami  had 
even  conunenced  a  third  at  Malnicsbury;  and  the  latter,  who  was  his 
nephew,  had  erected  an  exceedingly  strong  and  stately  one  at  Newark. 
Unwisely  deeming  it  safer  to  begin  by  attacking  the  fortresses  of  the 
clergy  than  those  of  the  l.iy  barons,  Stephen,  availing  himself  of  some 
disturbances  at  court  between  the  armed  followers  of  the  bishop  of  Sal- 
isbury and  those  of  the  earl  of  Brittany,  threw  both  the  bishop  of  Salis- 
bury and  his  nephew  of  Lincoln  into  prison,  and  compelled  them,  by 
threats  of  still  worse  treatment,  to  surrender  their  fortresses  into  iiis 
hands.  This  act  of  power  called  up  a  i  opponent  to  Stephen,  in  a  person 
from  whom,  of  the  whole  of  the  clergy,  he  had  the  least  reason  to  fear 
any  opposition. 

The  king's  brother,  Henry,  bishop  of  Winchester,  to  whom  he  owed 
so  much  in  acconiplisliing  his  usurpation  of  the  crown,  was  at  this  time 
armed  with  the  leganline  commission  in  England  ;  and  deeming  his  duty 
to  the  church  paramount  to  the  ties  of  blood,  he  assembled  a  synod  at 
Westminster,  which  he  opened  with  a  formal  complaint  of  what  he  termed 
the  impiety  of  the  king.  Tlie  synod  was  well  inclined  to  acquiesce  in 
Henry  s  view  of  the  case,  and  a  formal  summons  was  sent  to  the  king  to 
a(;count  to  the  synod  for  the  conduct  of  which  it  complained.  With  a 
strange  neglect  of  what  would  have  been  his  true  policy — a  peremptory 


':m 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOHY. 


907 


dciiiiil  of  tlie  light  of  the  synod  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  sovereign  on 
aqiK'slioii  which  really  ndalnd,  and  rehiled  only,  to  the  police  of  his 
liliijrdiiin— Stephen  virluiilly  put  the  jud]tfment  of  his  ease  into  the  hands 
of  r court,  that,  by  the  very  charge  made  against  bini  by  iis  head,  avowed 
itscir  inimical,  partial,  and  piejudiced,  by  sending  Aubrey  de  Verc  to 
njciul  his  cause.  I)e  Vere  sei  out  by  eliarging  the  two  bishops  with  se- 
jjlioiis  conduct  and  treasonable  designs  ;  hut  the  synod  refused  to  enter- 
tain tint  charge  until  the  fortresses,  of  whicli,  be  it  observed,  the  bishops 
liaii  lu-'cn  deprived  upon  that  charge,  should  be  restored  by  the  king. 

Ttie  I'lergy  did  not  fail  to  make  this  (piarrel  the  occasion  of  exasper- 
alini;  llic  minds  of  the  always  credulous  nuiltitude  against  the  king.  So 
general  was  the  discontent,  iliat  the  earl  of  (Jloucester,  constantly  oa  the 
wati'li  for  an  opportunity  of  advocatnig  the  cause  of  Matilda,  brought 
that  princess  to  Kngland,  wiili  a  retiiuie  of  a  himdred  and  forty  knights 
ami  llicir  followers.  She  fi.Kcd  her  residence  first  at  Urislol,  but  thence 
rciiiDVcd  to  (Jloucester,  where  slie  was  joined  by  several  of  the  most 
powerful  b  irons,  who  openly  declared  in  her  favour,  and  exerted  every 
mvviV  to  increase  her  already  considerable  force.  A  civil  war  speedily 
raj!'!!  in  every  part  of  the  kingdom  ;  both  parties  were  guilty  of  the 
most  alro  ions  excesses,  and,  as  is  usual,  or  rather  universal,  in  such 
cases,  whichever  party  was  temporarily  triumpliant,  the  unhappy  peas- 
antry ucre  massacred  and  plundered,  to  the  sound  of  watchwords  which 
llu'y  scarcely  comprehonded. 

A.  I).  1!  10. — While  the  kingdom  was  tlms  torn,  and  the  people  thus  tor- 
miMiicil,  the  varying  success  of  the  equally  selfish  opposing  parties  led 
to  fr('i|iiciit  discussions,  which  led  to  no  agreement,  and  frecjuent  treaties 
made  only  to  be  broken. 

An  action  at  length  took  place  which  promised  to  be  decisive  and  to 
regime  th(!  kingdom  to  [)eace.  'I'lie  castle  of  liincohi  was  captured  and 
iraiiisoiicd  by  the  partizans  of  Matilda,  under  ilalph,  earl  of  Ciicsler,  and 
William  de  Ilouinard.  The  citizens  of  Lincoln,  iiowever,  remained  faith- 
ful to  llic  cause  of  Stephen,  who  immediately  proceeded  to  lay  siege  to 
ilie  castle.  The  earl  of  Gloucester  liastened  to  the  support  of  the  be- 
k'a;,nii'red  garrison,  :md  on  the  2d  of  February,  1141,  an  action  took 
place,  in  which  Stephen  was  defeated,  and  takei'i  prisoner  while  fighting 
di'spcraiely  at  the  head  of  his  troops.  lie  was  taken  in  triumph  to 
(Jloucester,  and  though  he  was  at  first  treated  with  great  external  respect, 
sonic  real  or  pretended  suspicions  of  his  friends  having  formed  a  plan  for 
his  rescue  caused  him  to  be  loaded  witii  irons  and  thrown  into  prison. 

The  capture  of  Steptien  caused  a  great  accession  of  men  of  all  ranks 
to  the  party  of  Matilda;  and  she,  under  the  politic  guidance  of  the  earl 
of  (iloiicester,  now  exerted  herself  to  gain  the  good-will  of  the  clergy, 
without  which,  in  the  then  state  of  the  public  mind,  there  could  be  but 
little  prospect  of  permanent  prosperity  to  her  cause,  just  as  it  doubtless 
was. 

She  invited  Henry,  bishop  of  Winchester  and  papal  legate,  to  a  con- 
ference, at  which  she  promised  everything  that  cither  his  individual  am- 
bition or  his  zeal  for  t!ie  church  could  lead  him  to  desire ;  and  as  all  the 
principal  men  of  her  party  had  otTercd  to  become  responsible  for  her  due 
fulfilment  of  her  promises,  whicdi  she  made  with  the  accompanying  sol- 
emnity of  an  oath,  Henry  conducted  her  with  great  pomp  and  form  to 
Wiiiclicstcr  cathedral,  ami  there  at  the  high  altar  solemnly  denounced 
curses  upon  all  who  should  curse  heri  and  invoked  blessings  upon  all  who 
should  bless  her.  To  give  still  greater  triumph  and  security  to  her  cause, 
Theobald,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  also  ssvorc  allegiance  to  her. 

Subseipiently  the  crown  was  formally  adjudged  to  Matilda,  in  a  speech 
made  by  Henry  to  the  assembled  clergy  and  a  few  of  the  chief  men  of 
Loadun ;  and  Henry,  with  an  assurance  perfectly  marvellous  after  having 


WMM 


.fi.:'*       I. 


ifif'i  ,♦ 


^4 


:'lf:l&-|l!  ^H; 


31)8 


TUB  TRKASUUY  OF  HISTOllY. 


bccii  so  powerful  an  instmmcnl  of  his  brollitr's  usiirp.ition,  now  spake  ol 
him  as  iiaving  merely  filled  the  throne  in  the  uliseneu  of  the  rijjhtful 
owner,  and  dwelt  with  yreat  force  and  bilteuie^s  upon  the  breach  by  Sle- 
phen  of  the  promises  he  had  made  of  rexpeel  and  proleelion  to  the  eliuich. 

Matilda  to  a  masculine  dariuff  added  a  very  har^ih  and  imperious  Npint 
and  she  had  scarcely  placed  her  cause  in  apparently  permanent  prosfpfr! 
ity  when  she  most  unwisely  flis^usted  some  of  those  whose  favour  wai 
the  most  important  to  her. 

The  Londoners,  thony;h  circumstances  had  compelled  them  to  submit  to 
Matilda,  were  still  very  partial  to  Stephen.  They  joined  his  wife  in  po. 
titioniug  that  he  might  be  released  on  condition  of  relirin<(  to  a  convent 
A  stern  and  laconic  refusal  was  Matilda's  answer  both  to  this  petition  and 
a  subsequent  one  presented  by  them  for  the  establishmeut  of  Kuv^  Kd' 
ward's  laws  instead  of  those  of  Ilctny.  An  equally  harsh,  and  sldl  mora 
impolitic  refusal  was  given  to  the  legate  who  requ(!sted  thai  his  nephew 
Knstace,  should  inherit  noulo<rne  and  tlie  otiier  patrimonial  possessiiinii 
of  Stephen ;  u  refusal  which  jjives  one  as  low  an  opinion  of  Matilda's 
sense  of  justiitc  as  of  her  teniper  and  policy. 

Her  mistaken  conduct  was  not  louff  in  producing  its  npitropriatu  ill 
eflTects  to  her  cause.  The  lejrate,  whose  very  contradictory  conduct  at 
different  times  can  only  be  satisfactorily  explained  upon  the  suppo&uion 
that  to  his  thoroughly  selfish  amliition  that  cause  ever  seemed  the  best 
which  promised  the  greatest  immediate  advantages  to  himself  or  to  the 
church,  marked  the  mischief  which  Matilda's  harshness  did  to  her  cause, 
and  promptly  availed  himself  of  it  to  excite  the  Londoners  to  revolt 
against  her  govermnent.  An  attem[)t  was  made  to  seize  upon  her  person, 
and  so  violent  was  the  ri'ge  iliat  was  manifested  by  her  enemies,  that  even 
her  mascidine  and  siornful  .si)irit  took  alarm,  and  she  fled  to  Oxford. 
Not  conceiving  herse'f  safe  even  there,  and  bein;^  unaware  of  the  undcr- 
haiul  conduct  of  the  crafty  legate,  slu;  next  flew  for  safety  to  him  at  Win- 
chester. Hut  he,  deeming  lier  cause  now  so  far  lost  as  to  warrant  luni  in 
openly  declaring  li's  real  feelings  towards  her,  joined  his  forces  to  tiie 
Londoners  and  o'ner  friends  of  Stephen,  and  besieged  her  in  the  castle  of 
that  city.  I lerv,  though  stoutly  supp(»ited  by  her  friends  and  followers, 
she  was  unab'e  long  to  remain,  from  lack  of  provisions.  Accompanied 
by  the  earl  of  Gloucester  and  a  liandfid  of  friends,  she  made  her  escape, 
but  her  party  was  pursued,  and  the  earl  of  (Jloucester,  in  the  skirmish, 
was  taken  prisoner.  This  capture  led  to  the  release  of  Stephen,  for 
whom  Matilda  was  glad  to  exchange  the  earl,  whose  courage  and  judg- 
ment were  the  chief  support  of  her  hopes  and  the  main  bond  of  her  party; 
and  with  the  release  of  Stephen  came  a  renewal  of  the  civil  war,  in  all 
its  violence  and  mischief,  (a.  d.  1M;j).  Sieges,  battles,  skirmislies,  and 
their  ghastly  and  revolting  accompaniments,  followed  with  varying  suc- 
cess; but  the  balance  of  fort ime  at  length  iiudined  so  decidedly  to  the 
side  of  Stephen,  that  Matilda,  broken  in  health  by  such  long-continued 
exertion,  both  bodily  and  mental,  at  length  departed  from  the  kingdom 
and  took  refuge  in  Normandy. 

A.n.  1147. — Tiie  rctiiemeiit  of  Matilda  and  the  death  of  the  earlof  Glou 
cester,  which  occurred  about  the  same  time,  seemed  to  give  to  Stephen 
all  the  opportunity  he  could  desire  firmly  to  establish  himself  in  the  pes- 
sessicm  of  the  kingdom.  But  he  kindled  animosities  among  bis  nobles  by 
demanding  the  surrender  of  their  fortresses,  which  he  justly  deemed  dan- 
gerons  to  both  himself  and  his  subjects  ;  and  he  ofTendcd  the  pope  by  re- 
fusing to  allow  the  attendance  of  five  bishop-;,  who  had  been  selected  bj 
the  pontiflT  to  attend  a  council  at  Uheinis,  the  usual  practice  being  for  the 
Knglish  church  to  elect  its  own  deputies.  In  revenge  for  this  anVoiit,  as 
he  deemed  it,  the  pope  laid  all  Steplien's  party  under  his  interdict ;  a  meas- 
ure which  he  well  knew  could  not  fail  tu  tell  with  fearful  eflfcct  againit 


rHG  REIGN  or  HI 


THE  TUEA8UHY  OP  llIdTOKY. 


209 


tlic  interest?  of  ii  prince  who  was  seated  not  only  upon  a  usurped,  but  alto 
a  disputed  throne. 

A.i).  UiJ.'i.— I'rinec  Henry,  Ron  of  Matilda,  who  had  already  pivcn  signal 
proufs  of  t'll'^"'  "'1*1  hriivory,  was  now  encouraged  hy  the  divided  hlulf  of 
the  piiblK'  mind  to  invade  Kngiand.  He  dofealcd  Stephen  at  Mahnesbury 
ami  liny  atcain  met  before  Waliii'.Kford,  when  a  nej(otiation  was  entered 
into,  by  whicli  Henry  ceded  his  chiim  durin{{  tlie  life  of  Stephen  on  eon- 
diiion  of  being  seenred  of  the  succession,  Boulogne  and  the  other  patrimo- 
nial pssesHions  of  Stephen  being  equally  secured  to  his  son  William — his 
(Idist  Hiiu  Kustace  being  dead.  This  treaiy  having  been  executed  in  due 
fonn,  I'rinee  Henry  returned  to  Normandy  ;  whence  ho  was  recalled  by 
the  death  of  Stephen  on  the  25th  of  October,  1154. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

rut  REION  or  HINRV  II.— PRECEDED  DV  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  RIGHT  ur  IHK 
ENOI.ISII  TO  TERRITORY  IN  rRANCE. 

Methodical  reading,  always  desirable,  is  especially  so  in  reading  History, 
ami  before  we  commence  the  narrative  of  the  eventful  and,  in  many  re- 
spects, important  reign  of  Henry  H.,  we  deem  that  we  slialt  be  doinjj  the 
reader  good  service  in  directing  his  attention  to  the  origin  of  the  earlier 
wurii  between  England  and  France;  a  point  upon  which  all  our  historians 
have  rather  too  c(mfidenlly  assumed  the  intuitive  knowledge  of  their  read- 
ers, wlioni  they  have  thus  left  to  read  of  results  without  aeouaintance  with 
processes,  and  to  indulge  their  imaginations  in  the  details  of  warlike  enter- 
prises without  any  data  upon  which  to  judge  of  the  justice  or  injustice 
with  which  those  enterprises  were  midertaken. 

Uvea  with  the  invasion  of  VVdliam  the  ('oiKiucror,  Kngland,  by  its  new 
sovereign,  became  interested  in  no  small  or  insignificant  portion  of  France. 
Up  to  that  period  England's  co:me.\i(ui  with  foreigners  arose  only  from 
the  invasions  of  the  Northmen,  but  with  William's  invasion  quite  a  new 
relation  sprang  up  between  England  and  the  (Continent.  Vwm  this  moment 
the  coMiiections  of  Normandy,  and  its  feuds,  whether  with  the  French  king 
or  Willi  any  of  his  powerful  vassals,  entered  laruely  into  the  concerns  of 
England.  With  Ilenry  H.,  this  connection  of  England  with  the  afTairs  of 
the  coutiiicnt  was  vastly  increased.  In  right  of  his  father  that  monarch 
possessed  Touraine  and  Anjou;  in  right  of  liis  mother  he  possessed  Maine 
and  Nonuandy  ;  and  in  right  of  his  wife,  Guiemie,  Poicton,  Xainlogno, 
Auvergiic,  Perigord,  Angournois,  and  the  Limousin;  and  he  subsequently 
bicanu!  really,  as  he  was  already  nominally,  possessed  of  the  sovereignty 
of  Uritlany.  If  the  reader  now  cast  his  eyes  over  the  map  of  that  vast 
and  populous  territory  which  is  called  France,  he  will  perceive  that  Henry 
ilius  possessed  a  third  of  it,  and  the  third  of  greatest  fertility  and  value. 
Left  iiiioxplaincd  as  this  usually  is  by  our  historians,  the  impression  upon 
the  miiuls  of  even  readers  not  wholly  deserving  of  the  censure  implied  in 
the  term  superficial,  must  almost  necessarily  be,  that  the  wars  of  which 
by-aiidby  wo  shall  have  to  speak  between  France  and  England,  originat- 
ed in  ihc  mere  greediness  and  ambition  of  kings  of  the  latter  country,  who, 
dissatisfied  with  their  insular  possessions,  desired  to  usurp  territory  in 
France;  whereas  the  direct  (toiitrary  is  the  case,  and  they  in  these  wars 
made  use  of  theii  English  conquests  to  retain  possession  of,  or  lo  exlenu 
by  way  of  reprisal  their  earlier-conquered  or  fairly-inherited  Freiu'h  ter- 
ritory. The  kings  of  France,  in  point  of  fac",  at  this  early  period  of  French 
history,  were  nol  kings  of  France  in  the  present  acceptation  of  that  liile. 
They  had  a  nominal  rather  than  a  real  feudal  superiority  over  the  whole 
country ;  there  were  six  great  eclesiastical  peerages,  besides  the  six  la) 
J— U 


9 

1 

i'l 
H 

m 


m 


I.      i  i-i-  11  ,  i 


.t>: 


glO  THE  TRICASUIIY  OK  IlIdTORY. 

pfierngra  of  Iliirgiiiiily,  NoriiiiiiKly,  Ciiiit'ime,  FlixtidcrH,  Toiiliuisp,  and 
rliiimiiiiRMC.  Much  of  llicso  iiccriijjcs,  llimiyli  iiomiiiiilly  siilijccl  lo  dig 
Freiicli  crown,  wiis.iii  rfiililVi  iiii  iiidcpciKU'iii  Hovcri'igiily.  If  it  cliinuej 
thiit  the  vvarliko  (I(!!<ij;ii8  of  llio  kiii(r  coiiicidcd  vvitli  the-  v]v\vh  iiinl  intcnit 
of  Ilia  grciit  ViiSHiils,  li"  roiili)  lead  an  ininicMHt!  and  splendid  foriM;  into  tlio 
field ;  l)iii  if,  as  fur  moro  frc(|ucnlly  hiippi'iird,  any  or  all  of  his  jirciit  vas. 
•als  clianci'd  to  lio  oppoHcd  to  liini,  it  at  once  lict-amc  evident  that  lu!  was 
only  nominally  llicir  master.  That  in  becoming  maslctrs  of  our  niHiilar 
land,  tln!  Norman  raeo  slioidd  scanier  or  later  see  their  Freneh  territory 
mer<(in|;  itself  into  that  of  the  French  king  and  addini;  to  liis  power  Wiu 
in«^vital)le,  as  we  can  now  perceive;  but  in  the  time  of  our  second  llcnrv, 
the  kin;^  of  France  feared— and  the  nspecl  of  things  then  warranted  l.u 
fear — the  precisely  opposite  process,  lly  hearing  this  brief  eAplmjitJon 
carcfidly  in  mind,  the  reader  will  fmd  himself  greatly  assisted  in  laalur 
•tandinjr  the  feelmcs  and  views  of  the  sover(;igns  of  Knijlaiid  and  FraMcc. 
in  those  wars  which  cost  each  country  rivers  of  its  best  blood. 

Previous  to  the  death  of  Stephen  Henry  married  Kleanor,  the  divorred 
wife  of  l.ouis  VI!.  of  France.  She  had  accfnnpaiiied  that  monarch  t((ilie 
Holy  Land,  and  ber  coiidnet  ther(;  partook  so  nuich  of  the  levity  and  im- 
morality wliicli  marked  thai  of  loo  many  of  her  sex  in  the  same  stenn, 
(hat  Louis  felt  bound  in  honour  to  divorce  her,  and  he  at  the  same  timo 
restored  lo  licr  those  rich  provinces  to  which  w(!  have  already  alhiilcil  ,  i 
her  (lower.  Undeterred  by  her  reported  innnorality,  Menry,  afur  six 
weeks'  courtship,  made  her  bis  wife,  in  defiance  of  the  disparity  in  their 
years;  havinij  an  eye,  probably,  lo  tlie  advantage  which  her  wealili  coiiji! 
not  fail  to  give  liim,  should  he  have  to  make  a  stiugglo  to  obtain  the  l';u. 
glish  crown. 

A.D.  IISV — So  secure,  however,  was  Henry  in  the  succession  to  Kn^. 
land  at  Stephen's, death  that  not  theslif,'litesl  attempt  m  as  madctoset  iinany 
counlfT-claims  on  the  partof  Steplici,'  surviving  son,  William  ;  and  llcnry 
himself,  being  perfectly  acquaintt d  uilh  the  state  of  the  public  niiml,  did 
not  even  Icisten  to  Knglancl  i;niiii  liiati  ly  (mi  nct-iving  news  of  Sicplicirj 
death,  but  deferred  doing  so  iiiiiil  he  liad  completed  the  siiljectinn  of  a 
castle  that  he  was  besiegin'^  on  the  rroiitier  of  Normandy.  Tliisdinie,  ho 
proceeded  lo  Kngland,  and  he  was  recei\cd  with  the  greatest  cordiality  by 
all  ranks  and  conditions  of  men.  The  popularity  that  he  already  eiijnyi'd 
was  greatly  increased  by  the  first  act  of  bis  reign,  which  was  llu;  eijually 
wise  and  just  dismissal  of  the  hordes  of  f(neigii  mercenaries  whom  Sic- 
pheii  liatl  introduced  into  Kngland,  and  who,  however  serviceable  to  the 
usurper  in  question,  had  been  both  in  |)eace  and  in  war  a  burden  and  a 
curse  to  the  Knglisli  peo[ile.  ScJiisible  that  his  popidarity  was  stidi  us  ti) 
enable  him  lo  dispense  with  these  fierce  pr.Ttorians,  who,  while  miscliicv. 
ous  and  ofTiMisive  to  the  subject  under  all  circumstances,  might  by  pecu- 
liar circumstances  be  rendered  mischievous  and  even  fatal  to  tlii!  smcr 
cign,  he  seiii  them  all  out  of  the  country,  and  with  them  '.  •  eiif  Willi , in 
of  Yores,  their  commander,  who  w.s  extremely  impopular  fiinn  i.iiing 
been  the  friend  and  adviser  of  .Slepiien,  many  of  whoso  ^^or^t  c  ' 
perhaps  uiilruly,  for  Stephen  was  not  of  a  temper  reciuii:  ''>  :  u  p.  .  ujit- 
ed  to  arbitrary  courses,  were  attributed  to  his  councils. 

In  the  necessities  caused  by  civil  yvar,  both  Sirphen  and  Matilda  liiid 
mide  many  large  grants  which — however  politic  (u- even  inevitable  ,il  ilio 
lime— weie  extremely  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  crown  ;  and  Ilciiry's 
g'tat  oojocl  was  lo  resume  these  grants,  not  even  excepting  those  of  M;i- 
jl(: »  V.rseir. 

Hill  !;>  Ki  IF'  asitrc  wr.s  as  dangerous  as  it  was  necessary.  The  country 
wnit  lii  a  I  )!u -lly  dre.i'TuI  slate  of  demomlizalion  ;  the  highways  and 
l/y-v.'::ys  ;'liice  were  ii:*"'  .sled  by  troops  of  daring  and  violent  robbers,  and 
'I'.rsH  fbl  lined  eiicour;  ^^omcut  and  oppoitunity  from  the  wars  carricJ  on 


THE  TUEASIJilY  OF  llISlORY 


t)y  ilic  iiolilcs  against  cacli  oilier.  Tlio  troop  of  soldiern  following  tli 
ijiioii's  poiiiioii,  or  kof|iiiiK  wulcrli  and  ward  iipo  \  the  balilen  ,  iHs  of  liia 
i[W\<i  liisllf,  became,  wlienover  liis  need  for  llii  u  ^rrviees  ceiised,  th« 
biiiiliili  of  llie  roads  and  forests.  In  sui-li  a  stale  of  things  it  would  have 
bicii  liiipi  less  to  have  attempted  to  retluec  the  country  svanler,  without 
first  (lismaiitliiijj  those  fortresses  to  which  the  disorder  was  mainly  owing. 
A  wrak  or  unpopular  sovereijjn  would  most  probably  have  been  ruined  li^d 
he  iimdc  any  altcmpl  upon  tins  valued  and  most  mi^chievou8  privilege  o' 
the  nobles  ;  and  even  Henry,  young,  firm,  and  popular,  did  it  at  no  ineon- 
liilcnible  risk.  Thoi  nlof  Albemirleundoneortwo  other  proud  and  pow- 
erful nobles  prtpand  ()  resist  tin?  king;  but  his  force  was  so  compact, 
ami  liis  ul'iui  t  V  i.  «!»  j'  .Hilar  with  the  great  body  of  the  people,  that  the 
faction    ii"bles  .ubi.i.l  cu  at  the  approach  of  their  sovereign. 

A.I).  II  fl. — Having  \  y  an  admirable  mixture  of  prudence  and  firmneii 

'iH'i'd  J  '  1    .of  Kiiuland  to  coniplele  peace  and  security,  Henry  went 

. !'  nice  to  oppose  ni  |)erson  the  altempts  his  brcdher  (Jeolfrey  was  mak- 
.  on  the  valuable  provinces  of  Maine  and  Anjoii,  of  some  portions  of 
uimli  lliiit  priiici  had  already  possessed  himself.  The  mere  appearance 
of  llciiry  b  id  the  elTeci  of  causing  the  instant  submission  of  the  disafTeeted 
iiiui  (jt"  ITiey  lonsented  to  resign  his  claim  in  consideration  of  u  yearly 
ui'ii^ioii  of  u  thousand  pounds. 

A.  II.  1157.-  -Just  as  Henry  had  comnlclcd  his  prudent  regulations  for 
prcvi'iiling  fiilurc  dislurbiinces  in  his  rreiich  poss(!ssions,  he  was  called 
OUT  Id  Iliijibind  by  the  lurbnlcnt  conduct  of  the  Welsh,  w  ho  had  ventured 
In  iiiiikc  incursions  upon  bis  territory.  They  were  beaten  back  before 
Ins  mriviil ;  but  he  was  resolved  to  chastise  them  still  farther,  and  for  that 
purpose  he  followed  iliem  into  their  mountain  fastnesses.  The  difHcult 
nature  of  the  country  was  so  unfavour.ible  to  his  operations,  that  ho  was 
iimre  thin  once  in  great  danger.  On  one  occaHJou  his  vanguard  wiis  so 
bisut  ill  a  rocky  pass,  that  its  discipline  and  valour  could  not  prevent  it 
friiin  lii'ing  pnt  to  compli'to  rout ;  Henry  do  Kssex,  who  held  the  high 
Dllice.of  hereditary  staiKlard  bearer,  actually  threw  d(jwn  his  standard  and 
|iiiiiid  tlie  Hying  soldiery,  whose  panic  he  iiicreiised  by  loudly  exclaiming 
that  the  king  was  killed.  The  king,  who  foi-tunalely  was  on  the  spot,  gal- 
iopiHl  from  post  to  post,  re-assur»Ml  his  main  body,  and  led  it  on  so  gal- 
laiiily,  lli;il  lie  saved  it  from  the  ruin  with  which  it  was  for  a  time  threat- 
fiii'il  liy  this  foolish  and  disgraceful  panic. 

Ili'iny  (le  Kssex,  whose  behaviour  had  been  so  remarkably  unknightly 
on  lliis  occasion,  was  on  its  account  charged  with  Hdony  by  Robert  de 
Moiiiford,  and  lists  were  aiiooiiitcd  for  the  trial  by  battle.  De  Hssex  was 
viiiiqiiislu'd,  and  coiidemiicil  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  a  convent 
ami  to  An  fcit  all  his  property. 

A.  II.  ll.'j'^. — The  war  willi  tin  Welsh  ended  in  the  submission  of  that 
people,  mid  Henry's  attention  u  .is  ag.iin  called  to  the  conlineiil.  When 
ills  b  oilier  (rcoflh'ey  gave  up  his  prctfiisioiis  In  .\njou  and  M.unc  that 
p'lice  tool;  possession  of  thr    ouniy  of  .Nantes,  wilh  the  consent  of  iti 

...litaiils,  who  had  ihaseil  away  their  liyiiimate  prince.  (JcolTrey  di.,.! 
soon  after  he  had  as-.u:iied  his  new  dignity;  and  Henry  now  claimed  »o 
euccocd  as  heir  to  the?  coiiuiiaiid  and  possessions  wliii  i>  CicotTrcy  had  him- 
self owed  only  to  the  voluntary  submission  of  the  people.  His  claim  was 
(lispiiti'd  by  Conan,  earl  of  Itrittany,  who  asserted  that  Nantes  |)roperly 
belonged  lo  his  domiiiio;i  '\l\i  iic-  it  batl,  as  he  alledgcd,  only  been  sepa- 
rilled  by  rebellion,  and  I.  ace  liniily  look  possession  of  it.  Henry 
secured  himself  against  any  intcrlVreiio'  on  the  part  of  Louis  of  France 
'jy  betrothing  his  son  and  heir,  Henry,  ilicii  only  five  years  olil,  to  Louis's 
dai;»hler  Margaret,  who  was  marly  four  years  younger.  Having  by  this 
■wlllic  stroke  rendered  It  limpeless  for  Cona  <  to  seek  any  aid  from  Louis, 
Ik'iiry  now  marched  into  IfiMltany,  and  rui.-oi,  seeing  ihu  .mpossibility  ot 


212 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


itifi'i 


*'«i? 


m.': 


':i     ;: 


auccessfiil  resistance,  at  once  agreed  to  give  up  Nantes.  Soon  after,  Co 
nan,  anxious  to  secure  the  powerful  support  of  Honrj,  gave  his  only 
daughter  and  heiress  to  that  prince's  son  GeoflTrey.  Conaii  died  in  a  few 
yeari  after  this  betrothal,  and  Henry  immediately  took  possession  of  Bril. 
tany  m  right  of  his  son  and  daughter-in-law. 

A.  D.  1159. — Henry,  through  his  wife,  had  a  claim  upon  the  country  ol 
Toulouse,  and  he  now  urged  that  claim  against  Raymond,  the  reignlno 
count,  who  solicited  the  protection  of  the  king  of  France ;  and  the  latter 
both  as  Raymond's  feudal  superior,  and  as  the  prince  more  than  all  otiiei 
princes  interested  in  putting  a  check  on  the  vast  aggrandizement  of  Hniry 
immediately  granted  Raymond  his  protection,  in  spile  of  the  startling  faci 
that  Louis  himself  had  formerly,  while  Kleanor  was  his  wife,  cluimed 
Toulouse  in  her  right,  as  Henry  now  did.  So  little,  alas  !  are  the  phiinest 
principles  of  honesty  and  consistency  regarded  in  the  strife  of  politics. 

Henry  advanced  upon  Toulouse  with  a  very  considerable  army,  chiefly 
of  mercenaries.  Assisted  by  Trincaral,  count  of  Nismes,  and  Uerenger, 
».ount  of  Barcelona,  he  was  at  the  putset  very  successful,  taking  Vei'tiim 
tnd  several  other  places  of  lesser  note.  He  then  laid  siege  to  the  capiuil 
of  the  county,  and  Louis  threw  himself  into  it  with  a  reiiiforccnienl. 
Henry  was  now  strongly  urged  by  his  friends  to  take  the  place  by  assitnjt, 
as  he  probably  might  have  done,  and  by  thus  making  the  French  king 
prisoner,  obtain  whatever  terms  he  pleased  from  that  prince.  But  Henry's 
prudence  never  forsook  him,  even  amid  the  excitement  of  war  and  ihb 
flush  of  success.  Louis  was  his  feudal  lord  ;  to  make  him  prisoner  would 
be  to  holdout  encouragement  to  his  own  great  and  turbulent  vassiils  to 
break  through  their  feudal  bonds,  and  instead  of  prosecuting  the  siege 
more  vigorously,  in  order  to  make  Louis  prisoner,  Henry  immediately 
raised  it,  saying  that  he  coultl  not  think  of  fighting  against  a  place  that 
was  defended  by  his  superior  lord  in  person,  and  departed  to  defend  Nor- 
mandy against  the  count  de  Dreux,  brother  of  Louis. 

The  chivalrous  delicacy  which  had  led  Henry  to  depart  from  before 
Toulouse  did  not  immediately  terminate  the  war  between  him  Louis;  but 
the  operations  were  fceldy  conducted  on  both  sides,  and  ended  first  in  a 
cessation  of  arms,  and  then  in  a  formal  peace. 

A  new  cause  of  bitter  feeling  now  sprung  up  between  them.  W'lier. 
Prince  Henry,  the  king's  eldest  son,  was  affianced  to  Margaret  of  France, 
it  was  stipulated  tint  part  of  the  princess's  dowry  should  be  the  important 
fortress  of  Gisors,  which  was  to  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  king  on 
the  celebration  of  the  marriage,  and  in  the  meantime  to  remain  in  the  cus- 
tody of  the  knights  templars.  Henry,  as  was  suspected,  bribed  the  gnind 
master  of  the  templars  to  deliver  the  fortress  to  liim.  furnishing  him  with 
a  pretext  for  so  doing  by  ordering  the  immediate  celebration  of  the  iimr- 
riage,  though  the  afTianced  prince  and  princess  were  mere  <;hildrcn.  Louis 
was  naturally  much  offended  at  this  sharp  practice  on  the  part  of  Henry, 
and  was  on  ihe  point  of  recommencing  war  again,  when  Pope  Alexander 
HL,  whom  the  triumph  of  the  anti-pope,  Victor  IV.,  compelled  to  reside 
in  France,  successfully  interposed  his  mediation. 

A.  D.  1162. — Friendship  being,  at  least  nominally  and  externally,  estab- 
lished between  Louis  and  Henry,  the  latter  monarch  returned  to  Kiiglnnd, 
and  devoted  his  attention  to  the  delicate  and  dilficult  task  of  restraining 
the  authority  of  the  clergy  within  reasonable  limits.  That  he  might  llic 
more  safely  and  readily  do  this,  he  took  the  opportunity  now  afforded  him 
by  the  death  of  Theobald,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  place  that  di[jnily 
in  the  hands  of  a  man  whom  he  deemed  entirely  ilevoted  to  himself,  bui 
who,  in  the  result,  proved  the  greatest  enemy  to  the  authority  of  the 
crown,  and  the  stoutest  and  haughtiest  champion  of  the  church,  and  taugh 
Henry  the  danger  of  trusting  to  appearances,  by  imbittering  and  perplex 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


;iig  whole  years  of  liis  life.  This  man,  in  whose  character  and  temper  the 
l^iiie  iniiih'  so  grievous  a  mistake,  was  the  celebrated  Tiiomas  :\  Becket. 

Born  of  respectahle  parentajce  in  London,  and  having  a  good  education, 
he  was  fortunate  enough  to  attract  tiie  attention  and  obtain  the  favour  of 
aiclitiishop  'riieobald,  wlio  bestowed  some  olRces  upon  him,  tliecmolu- 
ninits  of  wliich  enabled  him  to  go  to  Italy,  where  he  studied  the  civil  and 
raiioii  law  with  so  much  success  that  on  his  return  archbishop  Tiieobald 
Mve  liiin  the  lucrative  and  important  appointment  of  archdeacon  of  Can- 
Icrbiiry,  a'ld  subsequently  entrusted  him  witii  a  mission  to  Rome,  in 
ivliicli  lie  acquitted  himself  with  his  usual  ability.  On  the  accession  of 
Henry,  the  archbishop  strongly  recommended  Becket  to  his  notice  ;  and 
llciiry,  finding  him  remarkably  rich  in  the  lighter  accomplishments  of  the 
ciiurtier,  as  well  as  in  the  graver  qualities  of  the  statesman,  gnvc  him  the 
liiirti  office  of  chancellor,  which  in  that  age  included,  besides  its  peculiar 
(liKies,  nearly  all  those  of  a  modern  prime  minister.  Kings  often  take  a 
deliglit  in  overwhelming  with  wealth  and  honours  those  whom  they  have 
ojicc  raised  above  the  struggling  herd.  It  was  so  even  with  the  prudent 
Henry,  who  proceeded  to  confer  upon  his  favourite  chancellor  the  pro- 
loslsliip  of  Beverley,  the  deanery  of  Hastings,  and  the  constablcship  of 
Ihe Tower;  made  him  tutor  to  Prince  Henry,  and  gave  him  the  honours 
of  Kye  and  Berkham,  valuable  new  baronies  which  had  escheated  to  the 
crown.  Beckel's  style  of  living  was  proportioned  to  the  vast  wealth  thus 
hc3|)cd  upon  him  ;  his  sumptnousncss  of  style  and  the  immerous  attend- 
aiiie  paid  to  his  levees  exceeded  all  that  had  ever  been  seen  in  the  case 
of  a  mere  subject ;  the  proudest  nobles  were  his  guests,  and  gladly  placed 
ihcir  sons  in  his  house  as  that  in  which  they  woulii  best  become  accom- 
plislied  ginillemcn;  he  had  a  great  number  of  knights  actually  retained  in 
his  service,  and  he  attended  the  king  in  the  war  of  Toulouse  with  seven 
liiiiiJreil  kniglits  at  his  own  charge  ;  on  another  occasion  he  maintained 
Iwclvc  liiiiulred  knights  i'Mii  twelve  hundred  of  their  followers  during  the 
forty  days  of  their  stipulated  service ;  and  when  sent  to  France  on  an 
embassy,  he  completely  astonished  that  court  by  his  magnificent  attend- 
a:ire.  With  all  this  splondour  Becket  was  a  gay  companion.  Having 
liiken  only  deacon's  oners,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  join  in  the  sports  of  lay- 
niiii,  or  even  to  take  his  share  of  warlike  adventure.  He  was  conse- 
qiinilly  llio  favourite  companion  of  the  king  in  his  leisure  hours.  It  is 
s,iid  that  Henry,  riding  one  day  with  Becket,  and  meeting  a  poor  wretch 
whose  rags  shook  in  the  wind,  seized  the  chancellor's  scarlet  and  ermine- 
hiieil  co.il  and  gave  it  to  the  poor  man,  who,  it  may  well  be  supposed, 
was  much  surprised  at  such  a  gift. 

Living  thus  in  both  the  ofHcial  and  private  intimacy  of  the  king,  Becket 
was  well  acquainted  with  all  his  views  and  designs  towards  the  church; 
aiul  as  he  had  always  professed  to  agree  with  Ihem,  and  was  manifestly 
possessed  of  all  the  talents  and  resolution  which  would  make  him  valuable 
ill  the  stri:!?glo,  the  king  made  him  archbishop  at  the  death  of  his  old 
patron  Tlic.ibald. 

Having  thus  obtained  the  second  place  in  the  kingdom, Thomas  a  Becket 
it  once  cast  off  all  the  pay  habits  and  light  humour  which  he  had  made 
the  instruments  of  obtaining  and  fi.\ing  the  personal  favour  of  the  king. 
His  first  step  on  being  consecrated  archbishop  of  Canterbury  was  to  re- 
.'igii  (lis  cliaiicellorship  into  the  hands  of  the  king,  on  the  significant  pica 
ihut  his  spiritual  function  would  henceforih  demand  all  his  energies  and 
ilienlion,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  all  secular  affairs.  In  his  household 
iiid  eqnipages  he  retained  all  his  old  magnificence,  but  in  his  own  person 
he  now  assumed  a  rigid  austerity  befitting  an  anchorite.  He  wore  a  hair 
cluili  next  his  skin,  which  was  torn  and  raw  with  the  merciless  discipline 
thai  he  inflicted  upon  liimself ;  bread  was  almost  his  only  diet,  and  his 
only  beverage  was  water,  which  he  rendered  unpalatable  by  an  infusion  o 


WTT., 


■** 


214 


TlIK  TREASURY  OF  III.STORY. 


disagrocablc  lierbs.  Tie  daily  had  thirteen  beggars  into  his  paliicc  and 
wasliud  their  feet;  after  which  ceremony  ihey  were  snpplied  wiih  rcfirsh. 
menlH,  and  dismissed  willi  a  pecuniary  present.  While  ilnis  excitiiiT  ifig 
wonder  and  admiration  of  the  hiii}',  lie  was  no  less  assiduons  in  aiminir 
at  the  favour  of  the  elcrgy,  to  whom  lie  was  studiously  aecessilili!  imj 
affable,  and  whom  lie  still  further  gratified  by  his  liberal  gilts  to  lii)!<))iia]3 
and  convents;  and  all  who  were  admitted  to  his  pres(Miee  were  at  omg 
edified  and  surprised  by  tlic  grave  and  devotional  aspect  and  rigid  life  of 
one  who  had  but  reecnily  been  foremost  annuig  the  gayest  and  giildicstof 
the  courtiers.  Far  less  |)i'iielration  than  was  jioscessed  by  Ilciiry  niii.jit 
have  enabled  him  to  sec  in  all  this  sudden  and  sanctimonious  aiistoiity  a 
sure  indication  that  he  would  find  a  powerful  foe  in  Uecket  whenever  he 
should  attempt  to  infringe  upon  the  real  or  assumed  rights  of  ihc  iliunti, 
But,  in  Iriilli,  Ueeket  was  loo  eager  to  show  Ins  ccelesiasli<;al  zc;il,  even 
to  wait  until  the  measures  of  the  king  should  afTord  him  opporiuiiily,  and 
himself  commenced  the  strife  between  the  mitre  and  (he  crown  liy  <:alliiin 
upon  the  earl  of  Clare  lo  surrender  the  barony  of  Timbridge  to  ilu;  Etc 
of  Canterbury,  to  which  it  had  formerly  belonged,  and  from  which  liickct 
affirmed  that  the  canons  prevented  his  predecessors  from  hgally  scparat 
ing  it.  The  earl  of  Clare  was  a  noble  of  great  wealtli  and  power,  and 
allied  to  some  of  the  first  families,  and  his  sister  was  supposed  lo  Imve 
gained  the  affections  of  the  king;  and  as  the  barony  of  'I'unhriil^c  h,ui 
been  in  his  family  from  the  conquesi,  it  seems  probable  that  Hcckcl  was 
induced  to  select  him  for  this  demand  of  restitution  of  (•hureh  [jropcrty,  in 
order  the  more  emphatically  to  show  his  determination  to  prefer  tJKMiiter. 
esls  of  the  church  lo  all  personal  ctmsideratitnis,  wheilicrof  fearer  favemr, 
William  U'l'lynsfend,  one  of  the  mililary  tenants  of  the  erowii.  was  llie 
patron  of  a  living  in  a  manor  held  of  tin;  arehbiolior''  of  Caiitcrlairy.  To 
this  living  Deeket  preseiiieil  an  iiieumbent  named  l.Murcnce,  thcnijy  in- 
fringing  the  right  of  D'Kynsford,  wiio  instantly  ejected  I/aiireiicc  ii  e/ 
arinis.  Uecket  forthwith  cited  U'I'ynsford,  and,  acting  at  oiiee  acciisor 
and  judge,  passed  sentence  of  exc(jiiiinunication  ujion  bin.  l)'i;yii>f()rd 
applied  for  the  interferr nee  of  the  king,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  illc|r;ii 
that  such  a  sentence  should  be  passed  on  oiu!  who  held  in  capilc  iVoni  ilie 
crown,  without  the  royal  as-sent  first  obtained.  Henry  aerurdiiigly,  act- 
ing upon  the  practice  established  from  the  eonqin  si,  wrote  lo  llidd,  with 
wlunn  he  no  longer  had  any  personal  intercourse,  and  desired  liiiii  to  alisolve 
D'Kynsford.  It  was  only  reluctaiiily,  and  after  some  delay,  that  Ilcckoi 
complied  at  all ;  and  even  when  lie  did  so  he  coupled  his  eompliaiire  wiih 
a  message,  to  the  effect  liial  it  was  not  for  the  king  to  insiriiet  him  as  to 
whom  he  should  e.vcommunicate  and  whom  ahs<ilve !  'riioujjh  this  cmi- 
duel  abundantly  showed  Henry  the  sort  of  Ojiposilion  he  had  to  e,\|ieit 
from  the  man  whom  his  kindness  had  furnished  with  the  means oT  hciiii,' 
ungrateful,  there  were  many  considerations,  apart  from  the  boldness  and 
decision  of  the  king's  temper,  which  made  Henry  resolute  in  not  lusmg 
any  time  in  endeavouring  lo  put  something  like  a  curb  upon  the  liceniinus 
insolence  to  which  long  im|)uiiitv  and  'toss  su|)erstiiion  of  the  grent  body 
of  the  people  had  encouraged  t^  clerg_, .  The  papacy  was  just  now  nni 
siderably  weakened  by  its  own  schismatical  division,  whilt;  Henry,  wi'aliliy 
in  territory,  was  fortunate  in  having  the  kingdom  of  I'higland  thoroiiyhly  m 
Bubinissiim,  with  the  sole  exception  of  the;  clerical  disorders  and  assump- 
tions lo  which  he  had  now  d(!lerinined  to  put  a  slop.  On  the  oilier  lianil 
those  disorders  were  so  scandalous,  and  those  rissninptioiis  in  many 
cases  were  so  startlingly  unjust,  that  Henry  could  could  scarcely  f.iil  to 
have  the  best  wi-shes  of  his  subjects  in  general  for  the  success  of  his 
project.  The  practice  of  ordaining  the  sinis  of  villains  had  iiol  inercly 
caused  an  inordinate  increase  in  the  numlxsr  of  the  clergy,  but  had  also 
caused  un  even  more  lliaa  currespoiulmg  deterioration  of  the  clerical  char 


THE  TttEASUaV  DP  HISTORY. 


816 


teriii  Riiglniul.  Tlic  incontiiioncc,  gluttony,  ami  roystcrinj  habits,  at- 
tribiitcJ  to  lliu  lower  onkT  of  tin;  clertry  by  the  wriicr  of  a  much  later 
day,  wcro  liglit  iin  I  coiupiralivcly  venial  odeiiccs  coinpircd  lollutso  which 
gei'in  l)iil  tiio  truly  to  be  altribulcil  lo  that  order  in  the  reign  of  Henry  II. 
Rolibrry,  adulterous  sedueliou,  and  even  rape  and  murder,  were  a'ttrib- 
uieil  to  Ihi'in;  and  the  returns  made  to  an  inquiry  wlii(di  Henry  ordered, 
showed  th;it,  only  counliu!,'  from  iIk;  commencement  of  his  reign, »'.  e.,  a 
periol  of  somewhat  less  than  two  years,  a  hundred  murders  had  been 
comiui'ted  by  men  in  lioly  orders  who  had  never  been  called  to  account. 
Ilunry  resolved  lo  take  steps  for  putting  a  stop  to  this  impunity  of  crim- 
inals whose  sacred  professions  only  made  their  criminality  the  greater 
ami  Miiire  detestable.  A  n  opportunity  of  bringing  the  point  «»f  the  clerical 
iiiipiiiiity  to  issua  was  aflTorded  i)y  a  horrible  crime  that  was  just  now 
cuinmittud  in  Worcesiershirc,  where  a  priest,  on  being  discovered  in  car- 
rying on  an  illicit  intercourse  with  a  gentleman's  daughter,  put  her  father 
lo  death.  The  king  demanded  that  the  ofTendcr  should  be  delivered  over 
totlie  civil  ()ower,  but  Br;cket  confined  the  clerkly  culprit  in  the  bishop's 
prison  lo  prevent  his  being  apprehended  by  the  kin;;'s  olTicers,  and  main- 
tiiiiied  that  the  highest  punishmciit  that  couUl  lie  inllii-trd  ui)on  the  priest 
was  de;,'rcdation.  The  king  acutely  caugit  at  this,  and  demanded  that, 
after  (ie^n-edation,  when  he  would  have  become  a  layman  again,  the  cul- 
prii  sliiiuld  he  delivered  to  the  civil  power  to  he  further  dealt  with  as  it 
initrht  deem  fit;  but  IJeeket  demurred  even  to  this,  on  the  plea  that  it 
wiiuld  be  unjust  to  try  an   accused  man  a   second  time  upon  the  same 

Cll!l|-g0. 

.\iigerc(l  by  the  arrognnce  of  Becket,  and  yet  not  wholly  sorry  to  have 
siicli  a  really  sound  pretext  for  putting  sonu!  order  into  the  pretensions  of 
Ihi;  church,  Henry  summoned  an  assembly  of  tlu;  prelates  of  Kngland,  for 
llieiivoweil  pur[)ose  of  putting  a  ter!i\iuatiou  to  the  frequent  and  increasing 
controversies  between  the  eeclosiasiical  and  the  civil  jurisdiction. 

Henry  himself  commenced  the  business  of  the  asseml)ly  by  asking  the 
bishnps,  plainly  and  categ  >rically,  whelhtJr  lliey  were  willing  or  unwilling 
to  siilmnl  lo  the  ancient  laws  and  customs  of  the  kingdom.  To  this  plain 
qiii'slion,  the  bishops,  in  a  more  Jesuitical  spirit,  replied  that  tliey  were 
willing  so  to  submit,  "saving  their  own  onhn" ;"  a  menial  reservation  by 
which  they  clearly  m(!ant  that  they  would  so  si,  unit — until  resistance 
should  be  safe  and  easy  !  So  shallow  and  palpable  an  artifice  could  not 
impose  upon  so  slirewd  a  prince  as  Henry,  whom  it  greatly  piovoked.  He 
departed  from  the  assembly  in  an  evident  rage,  and  immediately  sent  to 
reqiiiri!  from  Heirket  the  surrender  of  the  castles  and  honours  of  I'^ye  and 
Dcrkliam.  This  dcMiiaud,  and  ihi;  anger  wiiich  it  indicated,  greatly  alarin- 
ed  ilii!  bishops  ;  but  Kceket  was  undismayed;  aiul  it  was  not  without  much 
dilficiiliy,  that  Philip,  ttie  pope's  Icjgate  and  almoiuir,  prevailed  upon  him 
to  ('(mseuL  lo  llie  retraiUion  of  tlu;  oirimsive  saving  clause,  and  give  an  ab- 
solute and  unqualified  promise  of  submission  to  the  ancient  laws.  But 
llciiiy  was  now  delcrmined  lo  have  a  more  precise  understanding  ;  a  for- 
m;il  iiid  definite  decision  of  'th('  limits  of  the  eeel(;siaslical  and  the  civil  au- 
ihoriiy ;  and  thus  in  some  measure  to  destrtiy  the  umlue  ascendancy  which, 
as  effectually  as  insidiously,  the  former  had  for  a  longtime  past  been  ob- 
laiiiiiig.  He  thertifore  Cidl.ited  and  reduced  to  writing  those  ancitnit  cua- 
toiiis  of  the  r('alin  which  had  been  tlie  most  egregiously  contravened  by 
by  liie  clergy,  and  having  called  a  great  councif  of  the  barons  and  prelates 
at  Cl.ireiidon.  in  Herkshire,  he  submitted  this  digest  to  them  in  a  form  of 
a  series  of  articles,  which  are  known  in  history  under  the  titli!  of  the 
■'Conslituiions  of  Clareiidoii ;"  which  are  thus  briefiy  summed  up  :  "It 
was  en;u'ted  by  these  conslituliims  that  all  suits  concerning  the  advowson 
anil  presentation  of  (diurches  should  be  determined  in  the  civil  courts* 
that  in  future  the  churches  belonging  to  the  king's  see  should  not  be  graiitet^ 


1 :  ■■■f  * 


if  •:{ 


l^  %  i 


'I     >T 


i    1     ^tv 


214 


THE  TttEASUllY  OP  HISTORY 


in  ptrprtiiity  without  his  consent ;  that  clorks  accused  of  any  crimo  should 
be  tried  ill  ihc  civil  courts  ;  that  no  one,  particuliirly  no  clcr^'ymau  of  jny 
rank  shouUI  dcpurt  the  kingdom  without  the  king's  license;  that  cxcijm. 
nuniicatod  persons  should  not  be  bound  to  give  security  for  tiu.-ir  eontiiiu. 
ing  in  their  present  place  of  abode  ;  that  laics  should  not  be  accused  in 
spiritual  courts,  except  by  legal  and  reputable!  promoters  and  witnesses- 
that  no  chief-tenant  of  the  crown  should  be  excommunicated,  nor  hi< 
lands  be  put  under  an  interdict,  except  with  the  king's  consent;  that  all 
appeals  in  spiritual  causes  shoidd  be  carried  from  tlie  archdeacon  tn  the 
bishop,  from  the  bishop  to  the  primate,  and  from  the  primate  to  the  kin?, 
and  siiould  proceed  no  farther  but  with  the  king's  consent  ;  that  should 
any  law-suit  arise  between  a  layman  and  a  clergyman  concerniMga  tcnani 
and  it  bo  disputcul  whether  the  land  be  a  lay  or  an  ecclesiaslii-al  fnc,  jt 
should  be  first  determined  by  the  verdict  of  twelve;  lawful  men  to  wliiit 
class  it  belonged,  ami  if  the  land  be  foinid  to  be  a  lay  fee,  iIkmi  the  caiiso 
should  finally  be  determined  in  the  civil  courts ;  that  no  inhabitmit  ina 
lay  demi'siu!  should  be  excommunicated  for  non-appearance  in  a  spiriimil 
court  until  the  chief  ofTicer  of  the  place  where  he  resides  be  consulted, 
that  he  may  compel  him  by  the  civil  authority  to  give;  satisfaction  to  the 
church;  that  the  archbishops,  bishops  and  other  spiritual  dignitaries  sliould 
be  regarded  as  barons  of  the  realm,  should  possess  the  privilcgivs  mul  be 
subjected  to  the  burdens  belonging  that  rank,  and  should  la;  bound  to  at 
tend  the  king  in  his  great  councils,  and  assist  in  all  trials,  till  the  scnicnce 
either  of  death  or  ofloss  of  members  be  given  against  ilu!  criminal;  that 
the  revenue  of  vacant  sees  shouhl  belong  to  the  king,  the  chapter,  or  siii:h 
of  them  as  he  chooses  to  summon  should  sit  in  the  king's  chapel  till  tlnj 
made  the  new  eliiclion  with  his  rronsent,  and  that  the  bishop  ele(\  slioulil 
do  homage  to  the  crown  ;  that  if  any  baron  or  tenant  in  cayxlc  shonhl  x^^. 
fuse  to  submit  to  the  spiritual  courts,  tin;  king  should  em|)loy  his  aiuliniity 
in  obliging  him  to  make  such  submissions;  that  if  any  one  threw  oir  his 
allegiance  to  the  king,  the  prelates  sIkmiIiI  assist  the  king  with  their  ('('ii 
sures  in  reducing  him;  that  goods  forfeiti.'fl  to  the  king  should  not  tie  pro- 
tected in  churches  or  churchyards  ;  that  the  clergy  should  no  longer  pre- 
tend to  tlu!  right  of  enforcing  payment  (jf  debts  contia^;ted  by  (inth  oi 
promise,  but  should  leave  these  law-suits,  equally  with  others,  to  the  ili;- 
Icrinination  of  the  civil  courts ;  and  that  t)ie  sons  of  villians  sIiouIjI  not  \w 
ordained  clerks  without  the  consent  of  their  lord." 

TIk!  barons  present  at  this  great  council  were  all  on  the  king's  sid  ,  eitliit 
from  actual  participation  of  his  sentiments  towards  the  clergy  or  from  awu 
of  his  [lower  and  temper  ;  and  the  prelates,  perceiving  that  they  had 
both  the  king  and  the  lay  peierage  against  them,  were  fain  to  euiisent 
to  these  articles,  which  accordingly  we're  voted  without  opposition,  lint 
Heiirj,  misdoubting  that  the  bishops,  though  they  found  it  useless  to 
oppose  the  united  will  of  the  crown  and  jicerage,  would  whenever 
circumstances  should  be  favourable  to  them  deny  the  i»,ilhority  of  '.lie 
constitutions,  as  being  enacted  by  an  authority  in  itself  iiuoin[)!ete, 
would  n(H  be  contented  with  the  in<;re  verbial  assent  of  the  [ireiales, 
but  demanded  that  each  of  them  should  set  his  hand  and  seal  to  tlic 
constitutions,  and  to  their  solemn  pnjmise  to  (jbservc  them.  To  this 
demand,  though  the  rest  of  the  prelates  complied  with  it,  Heck(;t  gave 
a  bold  and  flat  refusal.  The  earls  of  (Cornwall  and  Leicester,  the  must 
powerful  men  in  the  lay  peerage,  strongly  urged  him,  as  a  matter  of 
policy  as  well  as  oh  lieii';e,  to  comply  with  the  king's  demand,  lie 
was  so  well  aware  of  Henry's  drift,  and  so  far  from  being  desirous  of 
securing  the  permanent  obs(;rvaiice  of  the  constitutions  of  ClanMuloii, 
that  no  entreaties  could  induce  him  to  yield  assent,  until  Richard  de 
Hastings,  Knglish  grand  prior  of  tin;  knigfils  tem[)lars,  knedt  to  him,  and 
in  tears  implored  him,  if  not  for  his  own  sake,  at  least  for  the  sake  ^\ 


THE  TRRASURY  OK  IlISTOllV'. 


217 


thn  thin-cI),  not  to  continue  ;in  opposition  wliicli  musit  bo  unsiiccRssful 
and  would  only  excite  the  ruinous  opposition  of  a  tnonareti  equally  reso- 
lute an  I  powcrl'iil.  Stern  and  resolv(;d  as  lieekcl  had  shown  himself 
as  rei(ard(;d  the  nnportunity  of  laymen,  tins  evidt-nt  proof  that  up(ni  this 
point,  at  hvast,  he  no  lonjjer  had  the  syni|)atliy  of  even  einircinnen, 
causdil  Heckel  to  give  way  ;  and  he  therefore,  thon;rh  with  evident  re- 
luctance, took  an  oath  "  legally,  'hough  with  good  faith,  and  without 
fraud  or  reserve,  'o  observe  tlie  eouslituiions  of  Clarendon." 

Hut  the  king,  thf-ngh  he  had  thus  fir  triumphed  even  over  the  firm  and 
hanglily  temper  of  tlie  prim;ite,  was  liy  no  means  so  ne^ir  to  complete  suc- 
cess as  he  deemed  himself.  I'ope  Alexander,  who  stdl  remained  in 
France,  and  to  whom  in  his  eontc^sls  witli  the  anti-pope  Henry  had  done 
no  iniimportant  service,  no  soont^r  had  the  eonstitutimis  [)resenteil  to  him 
for  ratilication,  than  he  perceived  how  (•om[)let(  ly  they  were  calculated 
to  make  the  kinij  of  Kngland  independent  of  his  ehngy,  and  the  kingdom 
Itself  of  ll'e  papacy;  and  he  was  so  far  from  ratifying,  that  he  eondiMnncd 
and  annulled  them.  When  Heeket  found  his  own  former  opposition  thus 
BanctiDiied  by  the  present  feelings  and  condncl  of  llu;  pope,  he  regretted 
that  lie  had  allowe(l  any  consideraiions  to  induce  him  to  give  his  signature 
and  assent.  Ho  immediately  increased  his  already  great  and  painful  aus- 
terities of  life  and  severity  of  discipline,  and  would  ikH  oven  exercise  any 
of  (lie  functions  of  his  dignity  until  he  recinved  tlu!  ahsolution  of  the  pope 
for  what  he  deemed  his  olTence  against  tin;  ecidesiastical  privileges.  Nor 
(lid  iKjeonfine  himself  to  men;  verbal  repentance  or  his  own  personal  dis- 
cipline, hut  used  all  his  (dotpienee  to  induce  the  Kiiglish  pridales  to  engage 
With  liiui  in  a  fix(!d  and  (inn  coiifeilciiicy  to  regain  and  uiaiiilain  their 
L'oinniiin  rights.  Henry,  hoping  to  heat  Hi'ckcl  at  his  own  we.ipcjiis,  now 
applied  to  Alexander  to  grant  llu!  legatine  commission  to  the  archbishop 
of  Verk,  whom  he  obviously  only  wished  to  arm  with  that  inordin.ite  and 
(!aii{;"riiiis  authority,  in  order  that  he  might  make  him  the  instrument  of 
Deckel's  ruin.  IJut  the  design  was  too  obvious  to  escape  so  keen  an  ob- 
server i.s  Alexander,  who  granted  the  commission  of  legate,  as  desired, 
but  eanifully  added  a  clause  inhibitiiig  the  legate  from  (executing  any  act 
lo  the  [)r(!Judi('(!  of  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  On  finding  himself  thus 
biflled  upon  th(!  very  point  on  which  alone  ht^  was  solicitous,  Himry  so 
coiiiplelidy  lost  his  temper,  that  lit;  sent  back  the  document  by  the  very 
miHseiiger  who  brought  it  over,  thus  giving  to  Alex.mder  the  (toinplimeiit 
of  discernment,  and  the  satisfaction  of  having  com|)letely  badled  Ins  plan. 

'i'lie  anger  which  the  king  now  exhibited  threatening  extreme  measures, 
Bei let  'vvice  endeavoured  lo  le.iv(!  the  kingdom,  but  was  detained  on  both 
uciasioiis  by  (contrary  winds;  and  Henry  was  thus  enablijd  to  cause  him 
jjreat  expense  and  annoyaiK^e,  by  inciting  John,  iiiareschal  of  the  ex- 
clicfiuer,  to  sue  ihe  archbishop  in  his  own  court  for  some  lands  bedonging 
toilie  manor  of  Pag(diain,aiid  thence  to  appeal  to  the  king's  court.  When 
the  day  arrived  for  trying  tlui  cause  on  the  appeal,  the  archbishop  did  not 
ptTSonally  ajipear,  but  sent  four  knights  lo  apologize  for  his  absence  on 
the  score  of  illness,  and  to  make  certain  technical  objections  to  the  form 
jf.Iidurs  appeal.  The  king  treated  the  abseiiC(!  of  I'cekel  as  a  wilful  and 
offensive  eimtcmpl,  and  the  knights  who  bore  his  apology  narrowly 
escap'il  being  eomiidlted  to  jirison  for  its  allculged  falsehood.  Heing  re- 
solved that  neither  abseiK  e  nor  technical  ly  should  save  Uecket  from  suf- 
fering, the  king  now  snminonerl  a  areal  council  of  barons  and  prelates  at 
Noiiiiamplon.  Hefore  this  court  Hei  ket,  with  an  air  of  great  moderation, 
urged  that  the  niares(dial's  cause  was  proceeding  in  the  archiepiscopal 
court  uiih  all  possible  regulari'.y,  though  the  testimony  of  the  sheriff 
wonlil  show  Unit  cause  lobe  inicpiiloiis  and  unjust;  that  he,  Uecket,  far 
from  showing  any  (;onteinpl  of  the  kill's  court,  had  most  explicitly  ac- 
liiuwledged  and  submitted  to  liis  author/ '-v  bv  ix-ndiiig  four  of  his  kuighta 


tjiifrT" 


:t!  'm 


.1  ■  J 


218 


TUB  TIIEASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


to  appear  for  Iiim;  tliat  even  if  llieir  appnaraiice  slioiild  not  be  aceopted 
us  belli;''  laiilainouiil  to  his  own,  and  lie  sliourJ  l)c  tccliiiieally  inaJe  •riijltv 
of  an  (iltiMice  of  wiiiirli  lie  was  virtually  iiiiioi-cnt,  yet  the  |)eiuiliy  iiilaLJiej 
to  that  ci'iiiu;  was  but  a  sinallone,  aiul  as1ie  was  an  inliabitiini  of  Kcm 
lie  was  eiiliili'd  by  iiiw  to  an  abaleinciil  even  of  lliat ;  and  Una  ho  was 
now,  in  loyal  obiidiciice  to  the  king's  suniinons,  present  in  ilio  grout 
council,  and  ready  before  it  to  justify  himself  atfainsl  the  cliary;es  of  ilio 
marcsclial.  Wliatcvcr  may  bo  llioiiylit  of  the  yeneral  arrogance  of  iho 
primate  and  of  his  ambition,  both  as  man  and  churchman,  it  is  iinpo.ssible 
not  to  perceive  that  his  reasonings  were  here  very  just, and  that  liie  kino'g 
whole  conduct  was  far  more  indicative  of  the  monarch  who  was  intent  m 
crusliinif  a  too  powerful  subject,  than  of  one  who  was  sincerely  and  njijit. 
coi.isly  desirous  of  •'didiig  justice  and  loving  mercy;"  and  it  is  equally  im. 
possible  not  to  feel  some  sympathy  wiijj  the  haughty  and  courageous  pri- 
mate, wlid,  when  pressed  down  by  a  foe  so  powerful  and  so  vindictive, 
was  a'andoned  by  llie  disjnitarics  of  that  very  church  for  wiiosi;  s.ikc, 
principally  at  least,  he  had  so  courageously  eombatted.  In  the  present 
case,  as  in  the  case  of  the  coiiStitutioiis  of  Clarendon,  the  bishops  wck 
induced  to  coincide  with  the  lay  barons,  who  had  from  the  first  dctcrniiiiud 
lo  side  with  tlie  king,  and  notwiihstandiiig  the  convincing  logic  of  his  do. 
fence,  he  was  pronounced  guilty  of  conleiiipt  of  the  king's  coiiit  and  of 
neglect  of  tin:  fealty  which  he  had  sworn  to  his  sovi'reign ;  and  licniy, 
bishop  of  Winchester,  the  once  poiverful  brother  of  the  late  king  Stcplien, 
was,  in  s[)ite  of  all  his  remonstrances,  compelled  to  sentence  the  piimute 
to  (;onliscatioii  of  all  his  goods  and  chattels. 

Kven  this  severe  t-enleiice,  upon  what  we  cannot  but  consider  a  most 
iniquitous  judgment,  did  not  suflicii'iilly  satisfy  the  vcngiMiice  of  the  king, 
who  on  the  very  iie,\t  day  dcmaiided  from  IJccket  the  sum  of  three  Imn. 
dred  pounds,  which  had  been  received  hy  hmi  from  the  manors  of  Kyc  ;iiid 
Uerkhain.  To  this  demand  lieckcl  replied,  that  as  this  suit  was  not  lucii. 
tioned  in  his  summons  to  the  eoiincil,  he  ought  not  be  called  iipiiii  to 
answer  it;  that,  in  point  of  fact,  he  had  expended  more  than  that  .siim 
upon  Kye  and  nerkiiam  castles  ami  the  royal  p.dace  in  Ijondon ;  but  lluit 
rather  than  a  dispute  about  money  should  make  any  ditTereiice  betwciMi 
his  sovereign  and  himself,  he  would  at  once  consent  to  pay  the  sum,  for 
whiidi  li(!  iinii'ediatrly  gave  the  necessary  sureties.  Even  this  submission 
could  not  soften  the  king's  determination;  he  demanded  five  hundred 
marks  whicn  he  had  lent  Ueckel  in  the  war  of  Toulouse — during  wliicli 
war  lie  had  done  the  king  much  zc-lous  and  good  service  ! — and  a  siiiiiLir 
sum  for  which  the  king  alleged  that  he  havl  become  Deckel's  surely  to  a 
Jew  ;  and  llicn,  as  if  to  leave  him  without  the  slightest  hope  of  escii|)c,  lie 
called  upon  him  to  furnish  an  accoui'l  of  his  administration  as  chuiicillor, 
and  to  pay  in  the  balance  due  fnmi  him  on  account  of  all  the  baronies, 
prelacies,  and  abbeys  whiidi  had  been  under  his  management  duiin"  his 
chancidlorship.  To  this  demand  IJeckel  rc^plied,  that  it  was  so  sudilciily 
and  unexpectedly  made  that  he  must  rccpiire  some  delay  ere  he  cnuld 
answer  to  it.  The  king  then  demanded  sureties,  and  iiecket  desired  hiuo 
to  consult  his  sulTragans  upon  that  point.  They  agreed  with  him  lli;itil 
would  be  utterly  impossible  for  him  lo  procure  satisfactory  security  fur 
the  enormous  amount  of  44,000  marks,  at  which  the  king  eliose  to  esti- 
mate a  demand  which  must  in  its  very  nature  be  uncertain;  and  Henry, 
bishop  of  VViiich(!ster,  advised  him  at  once  to  make  the  kinir  aiiollVnif 
two  tiuiusand  marks,  l)y  way  of  payment  in  full  of  all  demands,  certiiinoi 
uncertain.  This  he  accordinjily  ofl'ered,  but  the  king  refused  it,  as  lie 
might  hi've  been  expected  to  do;  for  in  the  first  place  he  desired  niiincy 
far  less  than  the  torment  and  ruin  of  Hecket,  and  in  the  next  place,  thf 
Bum  of  two  thousand  marks,  thouijh  large  in  itself,  was  small  indeinl  in 
comparison  to  the  sum  dcinanded  by  the  king,  and  could  hardly  be  ex- 


THE  TRKA8tJRY  OF  IIISTOllY 


219 


^<f<\  tocKtisrv  him  if  money  really  were  his  object. 
ju)r"iA;',.ii!Si  K'^'V  pliinly  purueiviiig  ihal  his  ruin  was 


Some  0.'  BeolcRl's 
was  Ihu  kinjr's  object, 
advistiii  luhi  loresjon  fiis  see  by  way  of  li-rniiniiting  all  the  king's  cliarijcs 
811(1  (i(!ii.a.i.l!.i  >v!i;i«^  others  advised  that  he  should  plainly  submit  to  iho 
kjivr's  iFif.rijy.  kJut  i^ecket  seemed  to  gather  coura^^o  trom  the  very  (iir- 
cuinstancc'S  wlilch  woi.KI  have  plunged  men  of  a  more  timid  spirit  into 
despair,  and  resolved  lo  bravo  the  utmost  that  the  king  could  inflict. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    KLItill    OP    IIE.NILY    II.    (cOKTIMJKD). 

Havino  spent  a  few  davs  in  rfiliremeit  and  meditation  upon  the  trymg 
and  (iifiicull  fireumstances  <i\  which  he  was  placed,  Ueckct  at  length  went 
to  (.'liurcli  and  performed  misa;  having  the  communion  service  com- 
mcineil  with  the  words  "  Princes  sat  and  spake  against  me."  by  the 
sc'k'ciion  of  which  passa.,ro  In;  appeared  to  desire  to  liken  himself  to  the 
ppist'ciitcii  i'nd  niarlyrcd  Hi.  Stephen.  From  churi;h  Bucket  proceeded  to 
llii"  royal  palace.  On  arriving  at  the  gate  he  Ktok  the  cross  from  the  hands 
of  the  bearer,  and,  holding  it  before  him,  marched  to  the  royal  apartments 
as  though  in  some  danger  which  made  the  presence  of  the  sacred  symbol 
necessary  for  his  protection.  The  king,  who  from  an  inner  apartment 
pprccived  the  extraordinary  demfl.mour  of  Bfcket,  seiit  some  of  t'le 
bisho;)s  to  reason  with  him  upon  its  impropriety.  They  reminded  him 
llml  he,  by  subscribing  to  the  coiistiinlions  of  Clarendon,  bad  agreed  with 
them  tliat  it  was  necessary  to  do  so;  and  they  complained  that  he  np- 
ppiireil  to  wisli  to  induce  ibem  now,  by  his  example,  to  revolt  against  the 
civil  power,  when  it  was  too  late  for  eitlwjr  of  tlitjm  to  do  so  without  the 
^iiiltof  off(!iiding  against  laws  to  which  they  had  consented  and  s'vorii  to 
s;i|)j)ori.  To  ibis  Ucckel  replied,  that  if  he  and  they  had  done  -vrong  in 
swe.iring  to  support  laws  destructive  of  the  ecclesiastical  privii(!ges,  the 
best  atonement  they  now  could  make  would  be  to  submit  themselves  to 
the  iiiiihority  of  the  pope,  who  had  solemnly  nullified  the  constitutions  of 
J|:ireiidon,  and  bad  absolved  them  from  the  oath  taken  to  sect  re  those 
cniisliiiiiions ;  that,  for  his  own  part,  the  heavy  pciialiy  to  wbii.h  he  iiad 
bncii  condemned  for  an  ofTence  which  would  be  tut  slight  even  had  he 
been  guilty  of  it,  which  he  v/as  not,  and  the  preposterous  demands  snb- 
fcqiieiuly  made  upon  him  by  the  king,  very  clearly  showed  that  it  was 
iiiieiuled  utterly  to  ruin  him,  and  thus  prepare  a  way  for  the  destrnclion 
of  all  spiritual  immunities  ;  that  to  the  pope  he  should  appeal  against  what- 
ever iiii(pnloiH  sentence  should  be  passed  upon  him  ;  and  that,  terrible  as 
the  vengeance  of  so  powerful  a  king  as  Henry  most  undoubtedly  was,  it 
hail  power  only  to  slay  the  body,  while  the  sword  of  the  church  could 
elay  the  soul. 

Ill  thus  speaking  of  appealing  to  the  pope*,  Beckct  net  only  opposed  the 
sxpress  provision  of  tlie  constitntioiis  of  Clarenlon,  by  which  appeals 
Ivere  done  away  with  even  in  ecclesiastical  cases, but  opposed  even  com- 
mon (Mistoin,  such  appeals  never  having  lain  in  civil  eases.  Whatever 
excuse  Henry's  violeiKte  might  furnish  for  appealing  to  Rome,  in  tlie  eye 
of  reason,  to  do  so  was  an  otfence  both  by  the  letter  ;iiid  the  spiri.  of  the 
law;  H(!ckel,  Innvever,  waited  not  for  any  further  proof  of  the  king's  vin- 
di'-'tiviMiesa.  but  depiried  s;icretly  for  Northampton,  and  after  wandering 
nbmit  for  some  time  in  disguise,  and  undergoing  much  difliculty,  at  length 
prncnred  a  s!ii|)  an  I  arrived  safely  at  Gravidines.  , 

In  France  the  persecuted  churchman  was  sure  to  find  warm  friends,  if 
not  aciually  from  their  conviction  of  his  having  the  right  in  the  miarrel 
between  himself  and  the  king,  at  least  because  it  was  their  interest  to  up- 


r«"f!ST!n 


920 


THE  TUSASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Iiold  all  who  were  likely  in  any  degree  to  clieck  the  proud  prosperity  ol 
Henry.  In  this  both  the  king  of  France  and  his  powerful  vassal  the  carl  oi 
Flanders  had  an  interest ;  and  in  tiiat  particular  interest  they  forgot  their 
infinitely  greater  crtneern  in  the  obedience  of  subjecis  to  their  sovereitrn 
and  gave  the  sclf-L-xiled  prelate  a  warm  reception,  the  king  of  Fruuce 
even  going  so  far  as  to  pay  him  a  personal  visit  at  Soissons,  where  he 
liad  fixed  the  prelate's  residence.  Henry  sent  a  magnificent  embassy  to 
Lyons  to  justify  his  conc'nct  to  the  pope  ;  but  he,  who  was  so  deeply  jn- 
terested  in  the  success  of  Beckel,  gave  the  envoys  of  Henry  a  verj  cool 
recepiion,  while  upon  Beckct,  who  also  attended  to  justify  his  conduct, 
he  lavislied  his  kindness  and  distinction.  The  king,  doubly  annoyed  iha't 
13ecket's  person  was  beyond  his  power  and  that  he  had  obtained  so  marked 
a  welcome  abroad,  not  only  put  all  the  revenues  of  Canterbury  innicr 
soquesirUion,  but  even  proceeded  to  the  meanly  malignant  length  ofbnn- 
ishing  the  whole  of  ll^e  archbishop's  family  and  dependants,  to  the  number 
of  four  hundred.  In  order  that  there  might  be  no  doubt  that  his  intent 
in  this  measure  was  to  embarrass  Becket,  by  throwing  upon  him  the  sup. 
port  of  this  host  of  helpless  people,  a  burden  the  more  ruinous  from  the 
simultaneous  sequestration  of  his  revenue,  he  compelled  them  before  their 
departure  to  swear  that  they  would  immediately  join  the  archbishop.  In 
this  part  of  his  vindictive  design,  however,  Henry  was  defeated  by  the 
pope;  for  as  soon  as  these  exiles  arrived  in  France,  Alexander  absolved 
them  from  their  involuntary  oath,  and  distributed  them  among  the  con- 
vents of  Flanders  and  France  ;  and  to  Beckel  himself  the  convent  of  Pon- 
tigny  was  given  for  a  residence,  his  income  being  furnished  by  the  revn- 
nues  of  that  convent  and  a  very  liberal  pension  allowed  to  him  by  the  king 
of  France  ;  and  iiere  Bcckei.  remained  in  great  esteem  and  magnificence 
for  some  years. 

A.D.  11G5. — Though  f;ir  removed  from  Henry's  presence,  Thomas  h 
Becket  had  lost  neither  the  will  nor  the  power  to  annoy  him.  Both 
with  that  end  and  for  the  purpose  of  confirming  the  favourable  o|)ini()n  of 
the  pope  towards  himself,  he  now  resigned  into  Alexander's  hands  iiis 
see  of  Canterbury,  (Ml  the  alledged  ground  that  he  had  been  uncanonically 
p-esented  to  it  by  the  king;  appparently  quite  unaware  or  careless  of  the 
tiut,  that  that  plea  made  the  whole  of  his  conduct  illegal  and  gratuitous  by 
his  own  showing.  Alexander  well  pleased  at  the  deference  thus  shown 
to  him,  accepted  his  resignation,  but  immediately  reinvested  him  and 
granted  him  a  bull  by  which  he  pretended  to  free  Beckct  from  the  sentence 
passed  on  him  at  Northampton  by  the  great  council.  Another  glaring  in. 
consistency ;  this  sentence  being  fully  authorized  as  to  jurisdiction,  ty- 
rannical  as  it  was,  in  fact,  by  the  constitutions  of  Clarendon,  which 
Becket  himself  had  signed  and  sanctioned.  But,  in  truth,  this  whole 
quarrel  was  a  series  of  inconsistencies,  absurdity,  and  wilfidne.-is,  both 
on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other.  Being  unable  to  obtain  an  interview 
with  Alexander,  the  fivourable  state  of  whose  a.Tairs  enabled  him  to  re- 
turn to  Rome,  Henry  now  made  earnest  and  wise  preparations  for  pre- 
serving his  kingdom  and  himself  from  the  worst  consequences  of  the  open 
quarrel  with  the  pope  which  now  seemed  to  be  inevitable.  He  issued  the 
strictest  orders  to  his  justicaries  neither  to  forward  nor  to  allow  of  any 
appeals  from  their  courts  either  to  Becket  or  the  {)ope,  or  in  anywise  to 
appeal  to  or  obey  their  authority.  He  at  the  same  time  made  it  a  trea- 
sonable offence  to  bring  any  interdict  into  the  kingdom  from  eitht^r  of 
these  dignitaries,  and  deimuncing  upon  all  such  offences  the  punishment, 
in  case  of  clerks,  of  castration  and  deprivation  of  sight,  and  in  the  case 
of  laics,  of  death  ;  while  sequestration  and  banishment  were  to  be  the 
punishment  not  only  of  all  persons  who  should  obey  such  interdict,  hut 
also  of  all  their  relations;  and  to  give  the  more  solemn  effect  to  tiiese 
stem  orders,  he  obliged  all  his  subjects  to  swear  obedience  to  them 


favour  to  which  1 
iy  mortified  both 
A.  D.  lit;?.— T 
having  offended 
the  count  appeal, 
between  the  two 
side,  and  peace 
Henry  to  show  tl 
superiority  whicl 
Uoth  the  pope 
length  perceived 
the  future  than  p 
ties  to  a  reconcil 
ousics  and  suspi. 
ins  were  frustrat 
at  length  the  nun 
to  bring  about  ai 
ing  with  Henry  i 
cullies  seemed  h 
in  the  terms  proj 
But  Beckct,  who 
have  learned  to  I 
and  the  excomm 
ed.    No  fewer  tl 
ness  of  temper  or 


), 


:'■■£)! 


'liiNl 


&imf 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


891 


Some  notion  maybe  formed  of  the  trcmenJous  power  Henry  posjcssed, 
when  it  is  consiuered  tliai  orders  so  sweeping  as  tliese,  which  in  some 
sort  severed  the  kingdom  from  its  dcpendunce  on  the  papal  court,  were 
made  not  by  the  great  couneii  of  the  nation,  but  by  tlie  iiing's  will  alone. 
As  Deckel  stiil  possesed  vast  influence  over  the  clergy,  who  in  that  age 
had  an  almost  absolute  power  over  the  minds  of  the  great  mass  of  llie  peo- 
ple, Henry  did  not  deem  hin\self  suflieiently  armed  by  these  orders,  but 
filtered  into  a  close  engagement  with  the  celebrated  emperor,  Fnideric 
Biirbarossa,  who  was  at  open  war  with  the  pope  AU-xander ;  and  still  far- 
ther to  alarm  the  pope,  Henry  showed  some  inclination  to  acknowledge 
the  anti-pope,  Paseal,  !ll. 

A,  D.  1 IGG. — Nothing  daunted  by  tie  prudent  arrangement  of  Henry,  oi 
by  the  eflfect  they  undoubtedly  had  i.pon  the  mind  of  Alexander,  Becket 
now  issued  a  censure  which  excommunicated  the  king's  chief  advisers  by 
name  and  generally  all  persons  who  should  favour  or  even  obey  the  con- 
stitutions of  Clarendon.  Thus  placed  in  the  dilemma  of  being  unable  to 
release  his  friends  from  the  terrible  efTects  of  excommunication,  without 
undoing  all  that  he  had  done,  and  making  a  formal  and  complete  aLknowl- 
cdgcnient  of  the  pope's  power  to  absolve  and  therefore  to  excommunicate, 
Henry  listened  to  the  advice  of  John  of  Oxford,  his  agent  with  the  pope, 
and  consented  to  admit  the  me  ion  of  the  legates  Otho  and  William  of 
Pavia.  When  these  personages  -roceeded  to  examine  iitio  the  afl"air,  the 
king  required  that  all  the  constitutions  of  Clarendom  should  be  fully  ratified; 
Beekct,  on  the  other  hand,  insisted  ihat  before  any  such  agreement  were 
made,  both  himself  and  his  adherents  should  be  restored  to  their  posses- 
sions and  position.  The  legate  William,  who  was  greatly  interested  for 
Henry,  look  care  to  protract  ihe  negotiation  as  far  as  possible,  and  to  rep- 
resent Henry's  disposition  in  the  most  favourable  ligiit  to  the  pope.  Hut 
tlic  pretensions  and  dinnands  of  the  opponent  parties  were  far  too  much 
opposed  at  the  very  ouiset  to  admit  of  any  good  result  and  the  negotiation 
soon  fell  to  the  ground ;  Henry,  however,  profited  by  its  duration  and  the 
partial  restoration  of  the  pope's  good  opinion,  te  jirocuro  a  dispensation 
for  the  marriage  of  iiis  third  son,  tieolTrey,  to  the  heiress  of  Brittany,  a 
favour  to  which  he  attached  all  the  more  importance  because  it  very  deep- 
ly mortified  both  Becket  and  the  king  of  France. 

A.  n.  11C7. — The  count  of  Auvergne,  a  vassal  of  the  Duchy  of  Guienne, 
having  offended  Henry,  that  monarch  entered  his  vassal's  domain;  and 
the  count  appealing  to  the  king  of  France  as  superior  lord,  a  war  ensued 
between  the  two  kings  ;  but  it  was  conducted  with  no  vigour  on  eithei 
side,  and  peace  was  soon  made  on  terms  suflieiently  unfavourable  to 
Henry  to  show  that  his  quarrel  with  Rome  had  lost  him  not  a  little  of  that 
superiority  which  he  had  previously  enjoyed  over  the  king  of  France. 

Both  the  pope  and  Henry  began  to  tire  of  their  disputes  which  Ihey  at 
length  perceived  to  be  mutually  hurtful,  and  still  more  dangerous  as  to 
the  future  than  presently  injurious.  This  consideration  incliiicl  both  par- 
ties to  a  reconciliation,  but  was  not  sufllcient  to  put  an  end  to  their  jeal- 
ousies and  suspicions.  Several  attempts  at  coming  to  a  good  understand- 
ing were  frustrated  by  petty  doubts  or  petty  punctilio  on  cither  side  ;  but 
at  length  the  nuncios  Gratiaii  and  Vivian  were  commissioned  by  the  pope 
to  bring  about  an  accommodation,  and  for  that  purpose  they  had  a  meet- 
ing with  Henry  in  Normandy.  After  inuch  tedious  discussions  all  difli- 
culties  seemed  happily  brought  to  an  end.  Henry  ofTered  to  sign  a  treaty 
in  the  terms  proposed  by  the  pope,  only  with  a  salvo  to  his  royal  dignity 
But  Becket,  who,  however  much  wronged  at  one  time  seems  at  length  to 
have  learned  to  love  strife  for  its  own  sake,  took  fire  at  this  limitation, 
and  the  excommunication  of  the  king's  ministers  was  immediately  renew- 
ed. No  fewer  than  four  more  treaties  were  broken  off  by  a  similar  petti- 
Bess  of  temper  on  either  side :  and  it  is  quite  clear  from  all  accounts,  that 


,uifrtT 


I     ::''iSft 


t^V.    :  I'i'^f  )''■  r^-t'i 


11 


8M 


TIIR  TUEA8UUY  OF  llISTOttY. 


the  (,\i\t  lay  chiefly  with  Deckel,  wlio,  cerlaiiily,  whiitevcr  oilier  qualitici 
of  a  Cliriiiliun  prclute  lie  was  endowed  willi  wus  sudiy  deficienl  in  incck' 

A.  D.  11C9. — Henry,  «lio  perceived  lliis  fiiult  of  Deckel,  did  not  fjijl  to 

Foiiit  it  out  to  the  iitteniion  of  King  Louis.  "  Tlierc  have  been,"  said 
lenry,  with  great  force  iind  shrewdness,  "many  kings  of  Kngiand,  some 
of  greater,  some  of  less  antiiority  than  myself;  there  liave  also  been  many 
arciibishops  of  Canierbnry,  holy  and  good  men,  and  entitled  to  every  kind 
of  respect;  let  JJecket  but  act  towards  me  vith  the  same  snbniisHion 
which  tlie  greatest  of  his  predecessors  have  jiaid  to  tlie  least  of  niinc, 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  controversy  between  ns."  Tiiis  view  of  the 
case  was  so  reasonable  that  it  indnced  Louis  for  a  time  to  withdraw  Ms 
friendship  and  support;  but  bigotry  and  interest  proved  an  overmatch  for 
reason,  and  the  |)i(late    soon  regained  the  French  king's  favour. 

A.  D.  1170. — At  length,  to  the  great  joy  of  all  sensible  men  and  weiU 
wishers  to  Kngland,  all  diniculties  were  done  away  with,  and  Deckel  re- 
turned  to  England.  Dy  Ihis  treaty  he  was  not  required  to  yield  any 
of  the  original  points  in  dispute;  he  and  his  adherents  wcic  reslori'ii 
to  their  possessions,  and  in  cases  where  vacancies  in  tlie  see  of  (^uilrr- 
bury  had  been  filled  up  by  the  king,  the  incumbents  he  had  appointed  ware 
now  expelled,  and  their  places  filled  by  men  of  Becket's  own  choice.  On 
the  king's  side  the  only  advantages  derived  from  this  reconciliation  wc-e 
the  removal  of  the  terrible  sentence  of  excommunication  from  his  fiieiids 
and  ministers,  and  the  terminaiion  of  the  dread  in  which  he  iiad  so  long 
lived  of  seeing  an  interdict  laid  upon  his  whole  dominions.  Diit  that  was 
an  advantage  the  preciou.sncss  of  which  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  our 
generation,  so  hapjiily  free  from  terrors  which  Rome  could  then  strike  into 
the  hearts  of  the  mightiest  naiions,  adequately  loapjireciate.  'i'hat  Henry 
set  no  ordinary  value  upon  the  peace  thus  procured  nr.y  ije  judged  from 
tlio  fad,  that  ihis  proud  and  powerful  king,  amor.g  the  >ii.iiiy  servile  (lat- 
teries with  which  he  wooed  tlie  good-humour  of  the  man  whoLC  greatness 
was  his  own  creation,  actually  on  one  occasion  stooped  so  low  as  to  IkjIJ 
the  stirrup  of  Deckel  while  tlie  haughiy  ehurchmaii  mounted  !  In  a  king 
this  excessive  and  unseemly  condescension  passes  for  policy  and  aslnie- 
ness ;  in  a  meaner  man  it  would  scarcely  escape  being  called  by  the  plainer 
and  less  complimentary  names  of  hypocrisy  and  servility. 

Dut  the  peace  secured  by  so  much  sacrifice  of  dignity  did  not  last 
long.  Henry  during  Deckel's  absence  had  associattjd  his  heir,  I'lince 
Henry,  with  liim  in  llic  sovereignty,  and  had  caused  tl:e  unction  to  be  be- 
stowed upon  him  by  Doger,  archbishop  of  York.  This  iiad  iu;l  bi.eii  done 
60  sccrcily  l)ut  that  the  exiled  prelate  had  been  informed  of  il,  and  hoili 
he  and  the  king  of  France  demanded  that  the  arclibisliop  of  Canlcrbniy, 
who  alone  could  regularly  bestow  the  unction,  should  renew  ilie  cere- 
nioiiy  both  upon  Prince  Henry  and  his  youthful  bride,  Margaret  of  Fiance 
To  this  reasonable  demand,  «  liieh  indeed  was  of  the  utmost  impoitaiicu  lo 
the  prince  and  prince  ss,  the  king  readily  and  frankly  acceded;  but  not 
contented  with  this  tacit  coiifes.sion  liiut  in  a  case  of  urgency  ilic  king 
trenched  upon  his  privilege  and  he  was  now  ready  te  make  the  l.i  st  repa- 
ration in  his  power.  Deckel  had  scarcely  landed  in  Fngland  ere  be  .sus- 
pended the  arehbi^llOl)  of  York  and  excommunicated  l''e  bishops  of  Lou- 
d(Mi  and  Salisbury,  by  authority  w  illi  which  the  pope  had  armed  hiiii.  Ue 
Wareiine  and  Gcrvase,  Iwo  of  the  king's  ministers,  astoiiislied  and  dis- 
gusted at  this  HaiiUMi  and  gratuitous  breach  of  the  peace  so  lately  iiiaile 
up,  indignanily  demanded  whether  the  archbishop  really  desired  to  return 
to  liis  native  land  only  lo  bring  fire  and  sword  with  him. 

Kntirely  unmindful  of  the  eonsirnctioii  which  sensible  and  just  men 
might  put  upon  his  litigious  and  vainglorious  airs  and  conduct,  lie  pi-o- 
c<!eded  lo  make  a  triumphal  entry  into  his  sco;  and  he  was  received  bv 


the  muUiliide  w 


scfiiritv  of  Olio  w 


THE  TIIKASUIIY  OP  HI8TOIIY. 


223 


tlio  muUitiiilo  with  a  rnpturntis  joy  aril  applause  well  fitird  to  confirm  liim 
ill  liis  luiiiiiiijiroinisiiij,'  liiiiiunir.  Siliiuil;it(Ml  liy  IiIh  (ividciit  popiilarily, 
|ii.  iiinv  pii!ilisli(!il  siMiloiico  of  cxcominimicalioi  ii;,r;iiiist  Nijjcl  dc?  S;ii:k- 
villc,  i'lilxTt  (l(!  ^l■l)l^  and  olliors,  on  IIk;  {jmund  of  itioir  havinij  cillicr 
jssisiiMi  at  iIk!  coronation  of  Prince  Henry,  or  joined  in  the  kinij's  perse- 
ciilDii  of  I  lie  exiled  clergy. 

Wlu'M  tlie  arelibislioj)  of  York  and  tlie  bishops  of  London  and  Salisbury 
griivcil  at  Uaycux,  where  Henry  then  was,  and  informed  him  of  Deckel'a 
ninv  vioI'.Mice,  the  kinfj's  indiy;nation  that  all  his  careful  policy,  and  the 
roailcseension  wliiidi  could  not  hut  liav(!  been  most  painful  to  so  proud  a 
prince,  were  thus  completely  thrown  away»  was  treiiiendous.  He  broke 
(iiil  into  the  most  violent  inveclives  upon  the  arroffance  and  ingratitude  of 
Di'ckct,  and  unfortunately  allowed  hnnsclf,  in  reply  to  the  archbishop  of 
Yiiik,  who  remarked  that  peace  was  hofieless  wliile  UeekfH  lived,  to  say 
tli;it  it  was  the  want  of  zeal  on  the  part  of  his  friends  and  servants  thai 
Ii:iil  caused  him  so  long  lo  Ik;  exposed  to  so  much  insolenco  and  annoy- 
ance. Such  words  could  not  in  that  ni;(!  fall  innocnously  from  the  lips  of 
II  iiiiiiiarch  far  less  powerful  and  far  less  beloved  by  his  coiirUers  than 
Henry  was.  Ile),Miiald  I'  it/urse,  William  do  Traeey,  Ilnirh  de  .Monivillc, 
ami  Rirlianl  Hrilo,  four  u'eiilleinen  of  the  king's  householil,  taking  a  mero 
fxpri'ssion  of  very  naiuial  [lecivislmess  for  an  actual  wish  for  ilie  death  of 
Dickct.  immediately  agreed  to  cross  over  lo  ICnglaiid  and  put  their  mas- 
ter's enemy  to  death.  'I'liey  were  missed  by  Henry,  who,  fearing  their 
(lrs|H'rale  purpose,  dispaiched  a  message  chargiiia;  them  on  their  allcgi- 
aiiee  to  do  no  personal  injury  to  llecket.  Uuha[)[)ily  they  were  not  ovcr- 
likcii  ill  time  to  arrest  them  in  their  rutliless  design.  IJccket,  proud  of 
the  |)i)\ver  he  had  displayed,  was  residing  at  ('aiiterbury  in  all  the  haughty 
sci'iiiiiy  of  one  who  felt  tin'  peace  and  safely  of  the  whole  nation  lo  be  in 
Sdiiii:  i-'ort  hostages  for  his  safety  ;  of  one,  in  fact,  whoso  person  iho  most 
liiring  of  his  enemies  must  loidt  upon  as  something  sacred  and  inviolable. 
Tins  lii^h  opinion  of  his  vahn;  in  the  eyes  of  mankind  was  fatal  to  him. 
When  llic  fnir  resolved  assassins  reached  Canterhur)'  the  arclihi>hop  was 
bill  sU";derly  guarded,  and  they  saw  him  go  without  fear  or  suspicion  lo 
hi:ir  vespers  in  the  (diiinrh  o;"  .St.  Benedict,  whither  they  followed  and 
biiicliered  him  ;  unopposed  equally  in  the  commission  of  their  foul  and 
cdwanlly  crime;  and  in  their  sul)se(pieiit  (h-parture. 

Til  Uniry  ilic  news  of  this  detestable  and  no  less  impolitic,  crime  cnmo 
like  a  tlinnderbolt.  Confident  that  even  the  [lope  wtuild  see  the  impro- 
priety (if  Hecket's  conduct,  he  bad  already  contemplated  the  arrest  and 
rcjiil.ir  punishment  of  the  proud  predate,  not  doubling  that  by  (h.-xterous 
iniiingeiiH'iit  111!  could  induce  ibi;  popi;  not  mer(dy  to  approve,  but  even  to 
aiil  Ins  nieasiires.  Ihit  now  his  position  was  completely  altered  ;  instead  of 
piMcocding  lis  an  injured  and  insiilled  king,  he  would  have  to  defend  him- 
felf  agiinst  llie  oilious  charge  of  assassinalioii.  Ho  could  not  but  sco 
lliil,cven  in  the  judgment  of  the  most  disinterested  and  un[)rejndiced  men 
tliere  would  be  but  too  many  ciri'iinisiaucei  of  slinnvd  siispieion  at  liMst; 
while  the  pope,  whose  policy  it  was  to  seize  upon  every  circumstance 
l!i,a  could  lend  to  increase  the  subjection  of  so  powerful  a  king  to  Rome, 
wiiiilil  not  fail  publicly  to  allribnte  this  criiii'^  to  him,  whaUA'cr  niigtit  be 
hi-,  private  judgment;  and  for  liiTself  and  his  devoted  kingdom  he  could 
now  aiiliiapate  nolbing  but  e.vcommuniralion  and  interdict ! 

S(i  completely  was  tin;  king  nninanned  by  his  fears,  that  he  slmt  him- 
folf  tip  in  his  own  aijarlments  for  ihrce  days,  allowing  no  light  to  enter 
Iheiii,  wholly  abstaining  f'om  food,  and  not  permitling  even  the  most 
favoured  of  his  subjects  to  a[)proach  him.  Alarmed  lest  this  conduct 
fhmild  ai'tually  be  carried  to  the  exlent  of  self-destruction,  bis  friends  at 
lcii(>th  forced  their  way  lo  him,  and  prevailed  upon  him  lo  emerge  from 


"jfrr-r 


tt4 


THE  TIIU.A8UIIV  OP  III3TOUY. 


his  solitude  and  resume  llio  fjircs  of  government  wliich  now  more  inwj 
ever  demanded  llie  fullest  possible  exertion  of  his  fine  talents. 

A.  D.  1171. — It  must  bo  evident  that  tliu  ni;iiii  (litlicnlly  of  Henry's  situ, 
ation  originiilcd  in  the  unwillingnetu  wliicli  tlnr  |i()()e  would  feel  lo  admit 
even  the  most  cogent  reasonings  against  the  king's  parlieipalion  of  ttie 
guilt  of  Meckel's  murderers.  Men  do  not  easily  yield  credence  to  argu- 
ments— and  Henry  eould  only  offer  arguments,  not  proofs — that  niiliiaie 
against  their  own  dear  and  cherished  interests.  Hut  this  calamity  hoih 
to  the  king  and  kingdom  was  too  terrible  and  too  instant  to  allow  of  any- 
thing being  left  unattempted  wlii(  li  promised  even  the  probability  of  g||(.. 
cess,  and  Henry  immediately  sent  the  archbishop  of  Rouen,  togetliervviih 
the  bishops  of  Worcester  and  Kvreu.\',  and  five  other  men  of  talent  and 
station,  to  make,  in  the  king's  name,  the  most  humble  submission  to  the 
pope.  There  was  some  dilFieully  in  g.iining  admission  to  his  holiness, 
who  was  at  the  very  time  that  his  forbearance  was  thus  abjectly  sought  b) 
the  potent  and  proud  Henry,  almost  a  prisoner  in  his  own  palace;  sosur 
rounded  and  pressed  was  he  by  his  enemies.  It  was  now  nearly  llastcr, 
and  it  was  expected  that  the  name  of  Henry  would  be  included  in  the  list 
of  those  who  at  that  season  received  the  solenui  and  terrible  curses  of  the 
chm-eh.  Happily,  however,  Richard  IJarre,  one  of  Henry's  envoys,  auj 
others,  contrived  so  far  to  mollify  the  anger  of  the  pope,  that  his  fearful 
anathema  was  bestowed  only  in  general  terms  upon  Uecket's  murderers 
and  their  instigators  or  abettors.  Two  legates  were  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  affair;  and  thus,  after  all  liis  fears,  Henry  escaped  the  worst  con- 
sequences of  a  crime  of  which  he  seems  really  to  have  been  innocent,  hut 
of  which  circumstances  would  as  cerlainly  have  enabled  the  pope  toj«m 
to  think  him  gudty— if,  indeed,  it  had  not  been,  just  then,  raliier  nmre  to 
the  |)apal  interest  to  obtain  a  strong  hold  upon  Knglaud,  by  accepting  ihc 
king's  submission  and  allowing  his  assertions  to  pass  for  proot,  than 
harshly  to  Irive  both  king  n\ui  nation  to  despair.  Thus  happily  delivered 
from  a'perd  so  iniminent,  Henry  diri'itdl  his  attention  to  Ireland. 

A.  I).  1173. — All  men's  eyes  had  of  laie  been  an.xiously  turned  upon  tho 
king's  heir,  the  young  prince  Henry.  He  had  given  many  proofs  that  he 
possessed  in  no  ordinary  degree  the  princely  qualities  of  courage,  lihcral- 
ily,  and  a  kindly  disiiosiiion ;  but  those  who  looked  beneath  tlie  surface 
perceived  that  his  very  kindiiess,  unless  ruled  by  a  severe  and  imcomnion 
discretion,  was  likely  to  givi;  him  a  fatal  facility  in  listening  to  the  advice 
of  any  friends  who  should  unduly  minister  to  his  other  chief  characteris- 
tic—  an  excessive  ambition.  At  the  tunc!  when,  during  Uecket's  absence, 
he  irregularly  received  the  royal  unction,  he  made  a  remark  wiiich  was 
much  commented  upon,  and  which  many  did  not  fail  to  interpret  into 
proof  of  a  haughty  and  aspiring  turn.  His  father  waited  upon  him  at  table, 
and  good-humouredly  observed  that  never  was  king  more  royally  attended; 
upon  which  the  prince  remarked  to  one  of  his  favourites,  that  it  surely  was 
nothing  so  very  remarkable  that  the  son  of  a  count  should  wait  upon  the 
son  of  a  king. 

Agreeable  to  the  promise  made  by  the  king  at  the  period  of  the  returti 
of  Bucket,  young  Henry  and  the  princess  Margaret  were  now  crowned 
and  anointed  by  the  archbishop  of  Rouen,  and  in  the  subsequent  visit  winch 
the  prince  paid  to  his  father-in-law  it  is  ihought  that  the  latter  persuaded 
him  that  the  fact  of  his  being  crowned  (lining  the  life-time  of  his  '"Htiier, 
instead  of  being  a  mere  ceremony  to  secure  his  future  succession,  gave 
him  an  instant  claim  upon  a  part,  if  not  upon  the  whole,  of  his  fatlier's 
dominions,  and  the  prince  was  unfortunately  but  too  well  inclined  to  give 
credit  to  the  arguments  by  which  liiis  view  of  the  case  was  supported. 
Eager  to  enjoy  the  pu  .vcr,  "<■  which  he  probably  but  little  understood  the 
pains,  he  formally  demanded  th.'t  hi?  father  should  resign  either  England 
or  Normandy  to  him.    The  king  "'cry  properly  refused  to  comply  with  so 


•xtr.'iordinary  a  req 
h{!  hastened  to  I'ai 
Kranee. 

\(ir  was  this  the 

his  pniilic  anr.iirs  k 

Kraace  had  been  re 

iin  less  remarkable 

iii'W  acci'ss  of  that  f 

iiiiju.^iliable  length 

the  hint  alTorded  li 

luiiu'cs  (leoffrey  ai 

used  hy  their  father 

llirnipiissession  of  I 

inji  iheni  aid  in  the  i 

luunliy  disguised  In 

fiM'  the  FreiKdi  coiir 

;ihki'  as  wif(s  motile 

jiir  dc>i;,'MS,  ami  [)ia 

an  end  to  ilic  miscoii( 

who  were  sufJicientl 

h'lid  their  aid  and  cci 

ihiir  father,  anil  of  s 

pxpcricnce  of  tin;  ter 

liiictnsiire  and  inter 

(!iij  not  hesitate  to  a[ 

|];ipal  interdict  with  ; 

li.uT  some  strong  ini 

The  |iope  issued  lii 

,is  the  interests  of  tin 

lint  ti)  exert  llieiiis(d' 

futmen.     Disappointr 

fiirliiiii  which  was  st 


llic  swuril ;  and,  as 
I'l  lake  into  his  pay 

Ih. 


a  I 


IV 


t 
th 


tlie  cdiiliiiriit  swar 
:iiid  hravcly  too  in 
[ihniilcr.     His  sons, 
iiicliiiation  to  imitat 
b:iniiis  of  .Normaiii 
young  princes,  who 
rt'hiliil  sovereigns, 
lli'd  ii|)i)n  them  in 
I'liiv.ilrv,  did  the  dis; 
several  [lowerful  Ki 
and  Leiccsicr.  opeiil 
liiive  hceii  led  into  tj 
life  of  his  cause  is  in 
these  at  the  least  la 
uf  hascly  deserting 
ileenicd  to  be  also  tl 
jiilj-niiciit,  it  doubtle 
Imrons  brought  the 
posahle  force  was  ai 
imrcenaries  of  wlion 
Miiiilisli  whom  he  w 
nation  was  potent  a 
wealthy  and  warlike 
adhesion  to  the  youn 
1—15 


f 


THE  TREASURY  OF  IIISTOllY. 


233 


•xiMonlinary  a  rrquost,  and  after  u|ibr;ii(ling  his  father  in  iindiilifnl  terms, 
h(!  Iiastcnt'd  to  Paris  and  put  hinisclf  uiulur  the  proliM^tioii  of  iho  kinjr  of 
France. 

Nor  was  tliis  the  only  domestji  vexation  that  assailed  tho  kinjf  just  as 
his  jialilie  aflr.iirs  looked  so  hopefid.  Queen  Uleauor,  who  as  queen  of 
Kriiaco  had  heen  rcuiarkahlo  for  her  levity,  was  in  her  second  marriage 
iin  lii^s  rciiiarkablo  for  her  jealously.  Hi-ing  just  now  labouring  nudei  a 
iicw  lU'ci'ssof  that  feeling,  her  ari^jer  with  her  hu-.l)and  led  her  to  the  most 
iiiijiblilialile  Ient(lli  of  excitiii;r  their  children  against  him.  Acting  upon 
the  iiiiit  alTorded  by  the  demand  of  I'rinee  Henry,  she  persuadeil  the 
,,iiiu'is  (ieolTrey  and  Uiehard  that  ihey  loo  were  unkindly  and  unjustly 
Kscil  iiy  their  father  who,  she  aflirmed,  ouyht  no  lonjjer  to  withold  from 
iluin possession  of  the  portions  he  had  formally  assigned  to  them.  OITit- 
iii(Titii'in  aid  in  the  imdutifid  course  whi(  h  she  rei'ommended  to  them,  she 
itraiilly  ihsguised  herscdf  in  male  attire,  and  was  on  the  [lonit  of  departing 
f.ir  liic  Kren(di  court,  there  to  carry  on  intri;,nieH  contrary  to  her  duty 
;ilikc  lis  wif(!,  mother,  and  subject,  when  the  kiny;  oblained  information  of 
jiir  ii('>i;,Mis,  anil  placed  her  in  eimfmement.  This,  however,  did  not  put 
aiiniiltoilie  misconduct  she  had  niaiidy  (irininated.aud  there  were  princes 
will)  were  sufliciently  envious  of  the  power  and  prosfieriiy  c''  Henry  to 
jiiiil  tlieir  aid  and  countenance  to  this  unnatural  coalition  of  sons  against 
thiu'  father,  and  of  subjects  nfjainst  their  sovereij^n.  Judging  by  his  own 
oxpcrictice  of  the  terror  in  which  even  the  proudest  and  boldest  men  held 
IJiictiisiire  and  interdict  of  iionte,  Henry  in  this  most  distressing  situation 
(lid  111)1  hesitate  to  apply  to  the  pope.  IJut  he  had  to  learn  that  to  arm  the 
pupul  interdict  with  all  its  terrors  it  was  necessary  that  the  clergy  should 
li.ivr  sonic  strong  interest  in  the  question. 

'I'tie  pope  issiKMi  his  bulls,  excommunicating  the  enemies  of  Henry  ;  but 
,is  till'  interests  of  tin;  church  were  in  no  wise  coneerned  tlie  clergy  cared 
not  to  exert  themselves  and  the  bulls  fell  to  the  ground  a  mere  bnitem 
fulmcn.  Disappointed  and  disgusted  at  finiling  that  weapon  so  powerless 
forliim  which  was  so  formidable  .against  him,  llenry  now  had  recoursi?  to 
llic  swnnl ;  and,  as  he  had  prudently  amassed  great  treasures,  he  was  able 
Id  lake  iiUo  his  pay  large  bodies  of  the  baiulilti-lik(>  soldiery  with  whom 
the  ('(iiitinent  swarmed,  and  who  were  always  ready  to  fight  zeaiou.sly 
:iml  bravely  loo  in  any  cause  that  alTonleii  regular  pay  and  promised  large 
[ihinder.  His  sons,  on  the  other  hand,  were  not  without  the  means  or  tho 
iiK'liiiation  to  iinitati;  this  part  of  their  f.ilher's  eoinlui't,  and  most  of  the 
b:iniiis  of  Normandy,  (laseony,  and  Itritt.uiy  willingly  took  part  with  tho 
voiing  princes,  who  they  knew  iiiitst  in  the  course  of  n.iture  become  tlieir 
riKliiUil  sovereigns,  their  se\erai  territories  I'l'lng  already  irrevocably  set- 
llnl  upon  them  in  the  usual  forms.  Nor,  to  the  disgrace  of  the  Knglish 
liiiv.ilry,  did  the  disiitfectioii  to  the  injured  king  and  parent  stop  even  here  ; 
S(V('r;d  powerful  Knglish  barons,  and  among  them  the  earls  of  Chester 
ami  Leicester,  openly  declared  against  the  king.  'I'hat  no  sane  man  could 
have  been  led  into  this  opposition  to  the  king  by  any  doubt  as  to  tlie  jus- 
tice of  his  cause  is  morally  certain,  and  to  all  the  other  foulness  of  treason, 
ihi'se  at  the  least  laid  thems(dves  open  to  tlu-  low  and  disgraceful  charge 
of  basely  deserting  from  what  they  knew  to  bo  the  more  just  side,  but 
tlopiiieil  to  be  also  the  weaker  one.  And  the  weaker  one,  to  all  human 
jiiJijiiUMit,  it  doubtless  appeared  to  be.  Hut  few  comparatively  of  his 
barons  brought  their  retainers  to  the  aid  of  the  king,  whose  chief  dis- 
posable force  was  an  army  of  about  twenty  thous.and  of  those  foreign 
iiicrceiiaries  of  whom  we  just  made  mention,  and  some  well-diseii)lined 
i;ii','lish  wiiom  he  withdrew  from  Ireland.  On  tiie  other  hand  the  combi 
nation  was  potent  and  threatening  indeed.  In  addition  to  the  numerous 
wcaltby  and  warlike  barons  already  alluded  to  as  having  given  in  theii 
adhesion  to  the  young  princes,  the  four  counts  of  Ku,  Dlois,  Flanders  ai.d 
1—15 


226 


THE  TRKASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


B5;:  ft    i:-   .       ■  ^,         •        ., 


r      .1!         '; 


II 


l«!ll. 


Boulonriie,  followed  thoir  example,  antl   William,  kin<r  of  Scolland,  thj 
natural  ciioiny  of  Eiighiiid,  gladly  joined  iliis  most  unholy  alliance. 

Louis  of  rrancc  summoned  the  chief  vassals  of  the  crown  to  Paris,  anrl 
Bolemnly  bound  lliem  hy  oath  to  adluire  with  him  to  the  cause,  and  Prince 
Henry  on  his  part  swore  to  be  faithful  to  his  allies  among  whom  ho  dis- 
tributed lar<re  giHs  of  territory — to  be  coiujiiered  from  his  king  and  pa- 
rent — under  the  seal  of  state  whieii  he  treasonably  caused  to  be  made  for 
that  purpose. 

The  counts  of  Roulogiie  and  Flanders  beuan  the  unnatural  war  hy  lay. 
mg  siege  to  Aumale  on  the  frontier  of  Normandy.  The  Count  (rAuina'le 
who  seems  to  have  been  only  withheld  by  some  prudential  and  hk  rely 
selfish  motive  from  openly  and  in  form  allying  himself  with  his  muster's 
enemies,  made  a  mere  sliow  of  defence  and  then  surrendered  the  |)liicc. 
Being  thus  apparently  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  those  whose  (tonfedorate 
he  seems  really  to  have  been,  he  had  a  specious  ground  for  coinmittin" 
still  further  treason,  without  exposing  himself  to  any  very  deadly  peril  ia 
the  event  of  the  king  being  ultimately  triumiduuit  over  the  formidable  and 
unscrupulous  confederacy  against  him. 

The  king  of  France,  in  the  meantime,  was  not  idle;  with  seven  thou- 
sand knights  and  their  followers  and  a  proportionate  force  of  infantry,  lio^ 
accotnpain(!d  by  the  young  Prince  Henry,  laid  seigc  to  Verncuil.  TJie 
place  was  bravely  defended  by  Hugh  de  Peauchamp,  but  the  garrison  at 
the  end  of  a  month  became  so  short  of  provisions,  that  de  neauchanip  was 
obliged  to  consent  to  a  surrender  should  he  not  be  relieved  in  the  conrse 
of  three  days.  Ere  the  expiration  of  this  time  King  Henry  and  h\>  army 
appeared  on  the  neiglibouring  iieiglUs,  iind  the  French  monarch  then  de- 
manded a  conference,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  alleged,  of  putting  an  end  to 
the  dilTerenccs  between  Henry  and  his  sons — ditfercnces,  ir  should  never 
be  forgotten,  whicli  Louis  had  himself  done  his  utmost  to  fan  into  aflame, 
Henry,  not  for  a  moment  suspecting  Louis  of  any  treacherous  intonticni, 
agreed  to  this  proposal ;  and  Louis  liaving  thus  beguiled  him  into  al)siain- 
ing  from  forcible  interference  on  behalf  of  the  brave  garrison  luitil  the 
term  agreed  upon  for  the  trine  had  completely  expired,  called  upon  lieau- 
(•ham|)  to  make  good  his  promise  of  aiirreiuier,  on  pain  of  being  held  man 
sworn;  and  then,  having  set  fir('  to  Vcrneuil,  set  his  army  on  the  retreat 
from  before  it,  and  Henry  fell  upon  the  rear,  which  lost  many  both  ir 
killed  and  prisoners. 

The  barons  of  Urittany,  headed  by  Kalph  de  Fougeres  and  the  carl  ol 
Chester,  were  encoimtered  by  ihe  king's  troops  near  Dol,  and  defeated 
with  tli(!  loss  of  fifteen  hundred  in  killed,  besides  an  immense  number  of 
wounch'd  and  prisoners.  The  leaders  with  their  diminished  forces  look 
shelter  in  Dol,  but  Henry  besieged  the  place  so  vigorously,  that  tlicy  were 
♦speedily  compelled  to  surrender. 

Instead  of  being  seduced  by  his  successes  into  any  inveteracy  of  pur- 
pose against  his  enemies,  Henry  once;  more  agreed  to  treat  with  the  cliici 
of  them,  Louis  of  Franco.  A  meeting  accordingly  took  place  between 
the  two  monarchs,  the  three  young  princes,  to  their  infinite  discredit,  prom- 
inently appearing  in  the  retinue  of  their  fath(,'r's  enemy.  As  their  oiilra- 
geous  demands  were  in  fact  the  main  cause  of  disjMite  between  the  two 
monarchs,  Henry  addressed  himself  to  those  tlemands,  and  made  his  sons 
off'TS  far  more  liberal  than  became  him  to  offeror  them  to  accept ;  hnt  the 
peaceable  purpose  of  this  mc^morable  iDceting  was  wholly  frustrated  liy 
the  earl  of  Liecester,  who,  probably  at  the  sct^ret  instigation  of  Louis,  be- 
haved with  such  open  insolence  to  Henry,  that  the  meeting  was  broken 
up  without  any  conidusion  being  arrived  at. 

Though  Henry  had  been  so  successful  on  the  (jontinent  in  repressing  his 
enemies  and  in  upholding  his  authority,  it  was  in  no  small  danger  iu  Kng 
'and;    for,  Prince  Henry  having  agreed  to  resign  Dover  and  the  ollie 


strongholds  of 
little  of  pure  j 
fcderacy  was  f 
niilJcr  name  tl 
Henry  and  his 
thus  hostile  or 
this  period,  to  \ 
mined. 

Hicdiard  de  L 
lantoflicc  of  gu 
jH'riod,  botii  by  I 
.submission  of  t) 
N'orlhuniberlant 
led  ins  victoriou 
ings  who  had  lai 
very  heart  of  the 
('onsisiing  for  th 
were  routed  aim 
mid  nearly  ten  tl 
ler  himself  being 
Tliis  defeat  of 
iiinger,  indeed,  h 
heartless  sons  ai 
iVicnds  of  the  cai 
dieir  king;  the  e 
heing  pre()ared  ti 
ly  allowed  the  te 
peaee,  ere  he  inv 
ei;i|ity  thousand 
."poliaiion.     Ill  th 
nunies  into  a  sta 
ny  (lie  tffcri  upo 
Uell  knowing 
'•ipal  part  of  his 
he  hastened  to  tlu 
liintted  his  horse 
Thomas  a  Pecket 
i!iiiig(a\     Having 
monks  of  the  phi 
iiiilted  his  bare  si 
"iKilgive  us  of  t 
li^ips,  the  most  po 
ol'jeel  he  then  hac 
Milks  of  his  subj( 
sii(ierstition  then 
pit'led  all  the  degr 
M'lilial  to  the  finid 
alisoliilion  was  so 
.Ne«s  shortly  aftc 
Mined  over  the  Sc 
<"c.  principle,  did  , 
Hiiieh  Henry  had 
ized  his  forgivene! 
William  of  Scot 
liimself  unwilling 
wasting  the  nortlu, 
'iislurbed  in  its  ra\ 
'■iiiip  at  Alnwick, 


nei 


t  i!'i 


w 


THE  TIlEASUllY  OF  IIISTOUY. 


SS7 


stronglio'.Js  of  Kent  i.ito  llie  liands  of  tlic  carl  of  Flanders,  there  was  so 
little  of  pure  publie  spirit  amon^  the  English,  that  a  mosi  extensive  con- 
federacy was  formed  to  aid  in  this  sclieme,  which  would  have  deserved  no 
milutr  name  than  that  of  a  national  suicide.  But  fortunately  for  both 
Henry  and  his  kingdom,  while  the  lay  nobles  and  their  dependants  were 
lluis  liostile  or  indifferent,  ho  was  in  good  odour  with  the  clergy  just  at 
tills  period,  to  which,  probably,  he  mainly  owed  it  that  he  was  not  utterly 
ruined. 

Hieliard  dc  Lacy,  whom  Henry  had  entrusted  with  the  high  and  impor- 
luiiloflicc  of  guardian  of  the  realm,  greatly  distinguished  himself  at  this 
iKTiod,  both  by  his  loyalty  and  his  conduct.  He  repelled  and  obtained  the 
siiliiiiission  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  who  had  led  his  ravaging  troops  into 
Noiihiimbcrland  ;  and  immediately  after  having  done  this  good  service, 
led  liis  victorious  troops  southward  to  oppose  a  far  superior  force  of  Flem- 
iiiiis  who  had  landed  on  the  coast  of  Suffolk,  and  thence  marched  into  the 
vc^y  liciirt  of  the  kingdom.  In  the  action  which  ensued  the  Flemish  force, 
conbisliiig  for  the  most  part  of  hastily-raised  and  ill-disciplined  arlizans, 
wire  routed  almost  at  the  first  charge  of  I)e  Lacy's  disciplined  followers, 
and  nrarly  ten  thousand  were  slain  or  made  prisoners,  the  earl  of  Leices- 
li  r  liiinsclf  being  among  the  latter. 

This  defeat  of  the  Flemings  delivered  the  kingdom  from  that  particular 
hmger,  indeed,  but  in  no  wise  abated  the  evil  determination  of  the  king's 
liPiirilcss  sons  and  their  allies.  The  earl  of  Ferrers  and  several  powerful 
I'neiids  of  the  earls  of  Leicester  anl  Chester  were  openly  in  arms  against 
ihcirking;  the  earls  of  Clare  and  Gloucester  were  strongly  suspected  of 
hcinir  prepared  to  take  the  same  course  ;  and  the  king  of  Scotland  scarce- 
ly iillowcd  the  term  to  expire  during  which  he  had  engaged  to  keep  the 
jiiaee,  rrc  he  invaded  the  northern  counties  of  Fngland  with  a  force  of 
I'liiiity  tiiousand  men,  who  committed  the  most  wanton  and  extensive 
spoliaiion.  In  this  state  of  things,  Henry,  having  put  his  continental  ter- 
liiDiies  into  a  state  of  comparative  security,  hastened  over  to  England  to 
;iy  ilie  t  ff'ect  upon  his  enemies  of  his  personal  presence. 

Well  knowing  the  effect  of  all  superstitious  observances  upon  the  prin- 
,i[ial  part  of  his  subjects,  he  had  no  sooner  landed  at  Southampton  than 
iic  hastened  to  the  city  of  Canterbury,  distant  as  it  was,  and,  arriving  there, 
ijiiitted  his  horse  and  walked  barefooted  to  the  shrine  of  that  now-sainted 
Thomas  a  Becket,  who  in  life  had  caused  him  so  much  annoyance  and 
(liinger.  Having  prostrated  himself  before  the  shrine,  he  next  caused  the 
monks  of  tiio  place  to  be  assembled,  and,  stripping  off'  his  garments,  sub- 
Miiited  liis  bare  shoulders  to  the  scourge.  How  humiliating  an  idea  does 
ii  not  give  us  of  that  ase  to  reffect  that  this  degrading  conduct  was,  per- 
h:ii)s,  the  most  politic  that  Henry  coulil  have  chosen  to  forward  the  great 
object  he  then  had  in  view — the  conciliation  of  the  zealous  good-will  of  all 
Milks  of  his  subjects — for  among  all  ranks,  not  exccptin):^  the  very  highest, 
superstition  tlien  had  a  mysterious  and  a  mighty  power.  Having  com- 
pleted alt  the  degrading  ceremonials  that  the  monks  chose  to  consider  es- 
sential to  tlie  final  and  complete  reconciliation  of  the  king  to  the  saint, 
absolution  was  solemnly  given  to  Henry,  and  he  departed  for  London. 
News  .shortly  after  aritved  of  a  great  victory  that  Henry's  troo[)s  had  ol). 
mined  over  the  Scots ;  and  the  monks,  ever  inclined  to  the  post  hoc,  proper 
hoc,  principle,  did  not  fail  to  attribute  that  victory  to  the  pious  nuMins  by 
which  Henry  had  appeased  Saint  Thomas  ;\  Becket,  who  had  thus  sigiiaU 
lied  his  forgiveness. 

William  of  Scotland,  though  repulsed  by  Henry's  generals,  still  showed 
himself  unwilling  to  deprive  his  troops  of  the  agreeable  employment  ol 
wasting  the  northern  provinces  of  England ;  and  like  a  half-gorged  vulture 
disturbed  in  its  ravening  feast,  he  still  lingered  near.  Having  formed  a 
'^na[)  at  Alnwick,  in  Norlhunibcrland,  he  sent  out  numerous  detachments 


15?  \  •  I 


"Ii 


',1 


Mi'i 


,,,'  ■ 


■  i  m- 


iSjHff 


■;  II. 


■li 


■IH 


/  s  1". 


228 


THE  THKAdURY  OF  HISTOUY. 


in  quest  of  spoil.  However  favoiinible  this  course  miglit  be  to  Ms  ciipjd 
ity,  it  greatly  weakened  iiini  in  a  military  point  of  view;  and  Glanville 
the  celebrated  lawyer,  who  at  this  time  was  a  very  principal  leader  and 
support  of  the  English  army,  having  obtained  exact  information  of  Wil- 
liam's situation,  resolved  to  make  a  bold  attempt  to  surprise  him.  After 
a  fatiguing  march  to  Newcastle,  he  barely  allowed  his  troops  time  for  hasty 
refreshment,  of  which  both  man  and  horse  stood  in  dire  need,  and  then 
set  out  on  a  forced  night-march  to  Alnwick,  a  distance  of  upwards  of  tliirtj 
miles,  where  he  arrived  very  early  in  the  morning  of  the  ]5ih  of  July, 
and,  fortunately,  under  cover  of  a  genuine  Scotch  mist,  so  dense  as  to 
prevent  his  approach  from  being  observed.  Though,  after  making  all  al 
lowance  for  the  detachments  which  William  had  sent  out,  Glanvdle  felt 
that  he  was  far  inferior  in  force  to  the  Scots,  he  gallantly  gave  his  troops 
the  order  to  charge.  So  completely  secure  had  William  felt  from  any  such 
attack,  that  it  was  not  until  English  banners  flew  and  English  blades  flashed 
in  his  very  camp,  (hat  he  dreamed  of  any  hostile  force  being  within  many 
miles  of  him.  In  the  furious  scence  that  ensued  he  behaved  with  great 
personal  gallantry,  boldly  charging  upon  the  serried  ranks  of  the  English 
with  only  a  hundred  of  his  immediate  followers.  But  his  negligence  as  a 
commander  had  produced  a  state  of  disadvantage  which  was  not  to  be 
remedied  by  any  valour,  however  great.  This  little  band  was  spccijiiv 
dispersed,  and  he,  being  fairly  ridden  down,  was  made  prisoner.  Tiie  news 
of  his  capture  speedily  spread  among  his  troops,  whose  confusion  was 
thus  rendered  too  complete  to  allow  of  their  leaders  rallying  thcni;  anl 
they  hastily  retreated  over  the  borders,  fighting  among  themselves  so  fu 
riously  during  their  retreat,  that  they  arc  said  to  have  actually  lost  more 
in  killed  and  wounded  by  Scottish  than  by  English  swords. 

This  defeat  of  the  Scotch,  and  the  capture  of  WiUiam,  upon  whom 
the  English  rebels  had  so  mainly  depended  for  diversion  of  their  kiny's 
strength,  as  well  as  for  more  direct  assistance,  left  these  latter  no  sufe 
course  but  submission ;  and  that  course,  accordingly,  was  speedily  foliuwcd 
by  all  ranks  among  them.  The  clergy  with  their  usual  self-complacency 
attributed  all  this  success  to  the  submission  which  they  had  induced  Ihi 
king  to  make  to  Docket ;  and  Henry,  well  knowing  how  much  more  power 
superstition  had  over  the  minds  of  his  subjects  than  any  political  or  evci, 
moral  considerations,  however  clear  or  important,  astutely  alTected  to  be 
lieve  all  that  they  afilrmed,  and  by  every  means  endeavoured  to  projjagatL 
the  like  belief  among  his  subjects. 

Meantime  the  serpent  of  revolt  was  on  the  continent,  "scotched  not  kil- 
led ;"  the  young  prince  Henry,  with  a  perseverance  worthy  of  a  belter 
cause,  having  in  spite  of  all  his  father's  triumphs  persisted  in  carrying  on 
his  rebellious  designs  He  and  the  earl  of  Flanders  had  assembled  a  large 
army,  with  which  they  were  preparing  to  embark  at  Gravelincs ;  but  when 
they  lieard  of  the  signal  defeat  which  King  Henry's  troops  had  inflicteii 
upon  the  P'lcmings  tlieylaid  aside  their  intention  of  invading  England,  and 
proceeded  to  join  their  force  to  that  of  the  king  of  France,  who  was  be- 
sieging Rouen,  in  Normandy. 

The  people  of  E.ouen,  who  were  much  attached  to  King  Henry,  and 
proportionally  fearful  of  falling  under  the  rule  of  Louis,  defended  tiie  place 
with  so  much  courage  and  success,  that  Louis  deemed  it  necessary  to 
have  recourse  to  a  stratagem  that  did  far  more  credit  to  his  ingenuity  tiian 
to  his  honour.  The  festival  of  St.  Laurence  occurring  just  at  that  time, 
he  proclaimed,  under  pretence  of  a  pious  desire  to  keep  it  with  due  solemn- 
ity, a  cessation  of  arms.  This  was  agreed  to  on  the  part  of  the  unsus- 
pecting citizens  ;  and  Louis,  hoping  to  surprise  them,  immediately  made 
preparations  for  the  attack.  It  (rhanced  that  while  all  in  the  French  camp 
were  in  motion,  some  priests  of  Rouen  had  mounted  to  a  steeple  to  over- 
look It,  merely  from  curiosity.   Struck  with  a  degree  of  bustle  that  seemed 


80  inappropriate 

the  alarm  bell  oi 

diatcly  hastened 

repulse  the  cncn 

walls.    The  Fre 

Jay,  before  tlicy 

view  of  the  e\]en 

lo  the  renewal  o 

safe  at  the  very 

had  no  thought  h 

gcrof  a  decisive 

along  manifested 

(Mice.    Meiiryrea 

which  he  thus  gai 

llavinj-  (hus  sei 

nearly  as  anxious 

a  meeting,  which 

and  peace  was  co 

those  he  had  offen 

miiiated  by  the  ins 


TI 

A.D.  1175.— Fini 
common  merit  of 
lions  taken  nearly  a 
nilhdut  ransom,  tl 
contrary  conduct  v 
or  his  generosity. 
Ihit  monarch  Ai"||y 
')!  his  release  Will 
lonVs  to  Henry,  fo 
slionld  also  do  hoin 
of  Kngland  even  ag 
pcrformince  of  tin 
nainely,  Edinburgh 
('!■  placed  in  tlio^h 
agreement  had  bee 
no  inclination  to  rt 
lii'iiso  much  annoy; 
rfqiiired  that  Herwi. 
aiiilihal  he  should  f 
"k' cageMess  with 
"f'lry,  ended  in  th 
kiiiSdoni  which  was 
AD.  1176.— Henr 
procured  him  in  rcii 
l"sn»'n  subjects.     ] 
'i'l'l  IIk;  most  flagran 
'"'0'.  and  inurdcT. 
'"•'ii's  for  those  ofTei 
"'(■'lined  to  censure 
"i''i  '111  nge  little  b 
»-imst  his  will  to  If 
mureiinlincd  to  ma 


f^  ,J'I 


m 


I'HE  TllEASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


229 


SO  innppropriate  to  tlio  solemn  truce  that  had  been  proclaimed,  they  caused 
thealaiin  bell  of  the  city  to  be  rung,  and  the  soldiers  ami  ciliziMis  imme- 
diately hast(!Mcd  to  their  appointed  stations,  and  were  but  just  in  lime  to 
rcpiilsc  the  enemy,  many  of  whom  had  already  succeeded  in  mounting  the 
walls-  The  French  lost  many  mfui  in  this  assault,  and  on  the  following 
liaVi  hfif'^'G  l''cy  could  renew  it,  King  Henry  marched  into  the  place  in  full 
view  of  the  enemy,  and,  ordering  the  gates  to  be  thrown  open,  dared  them 
lo  tiie  renewal  of  their  attack.  Louis,  who  now  saw  Rouen  completely 
safe  at  the  very  moment  when  he  fancied  it  almost  within  his  grasp 
had  no  thought  left  but  how  he  should  best  release  himself  from  the  dan- 
ger of  a  decisive  defeat.  Trusting  to  the  desire  which  Henry  had  all 
jloiijr  manifested  to  come  to  peaceable  terms,  Louis  proposed  a  confer- 
tiicc"  lUnry  readily  fell  into  the  snare,  and  Louis  profited  by  the  interval 
which  he  thus  gained,  and  niarched  his  army  into  France. 

Hiving  ihus  secured  his  army,  however,  Louis,  who  by  this  time  was 
nearly  as  anxious  as  Henry  for  ",  termination  of  their  disputes,  agreed  to 
a  meeting,  which  accordingly  tooit  place  near  the  ancient  city  of  Tours, 
and  peace  whs  concluded  on  terms  far  more  favourable  to  Henry  than 
those  ho  had  offered  at  the  memorable  conference  which  was  abruptly  ter- 
minated by  the  insolent  misconduct  of  the  earl  of  Leicester. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    HEION    OF    HENRV    II.    (CONCLUDED). 

A.  D.  1175, — Firm  in  adversity,  Henry  had  the  still  further  and  more  un- 
common merit  of  being  moderate  in  prosperity.  He  had  in  various  ac- 
tions taken  nearly  a  thousand  knights  prisoners,  and  these  he  now  liberated 
nilliiiut  ransom,  though  the  customs  of  the  age  would  have  warranted 
contrary  conduct  without  the  slightest  impeachment  of  either  his  honour 
or  his  generosity.  To  William  of  Scotland,  as  the  repeated  enmity  of 
ihil  monarch  fully  warranted,  !;e  behaved  with  more  rigour.  As  the  price 
of  his  release  William  was  obliged  to  agree  to  do  homage  for  his  terri- 
tories to  Henry,  to  engage  that  the  prelates  and  barons  of  his  kingdom 
shoiihi  also  do  homage,  and  that  they  should  s«'ear  to  side  with  the  king 
of  Kiijfland  even  against  their  native  prince  ;  and  that  as  security  for  the 
prrforinmce  of  this  agreement,  the  five  principal  Scottish  fortresses, 
namely,  Kdinburgh,  Stirling,  IJerwick,  Roxburgh,  and  Jedburgh,  should 
k  plaeed  in  the  hands  ot"  King  Henry.  Evvn  when  the  terms  of  the 
;i»reemeiit  had  been  duly  (;omplied  with  by  the  Scotch,  Henry  showed 
no  inclination  to  relax  from  his  severity  upon  a  people  who  had  caused 
hiai  so  much  annoyance  by  their  inveterate  enmity.  Cimtrariwise,  he  now 
required  that  Berwick  and  Roxburgh  should  be  given  up  to  him  altog(!ther, 
and  that  he  should  for  a  given  lime  retain  the  castle  of  Edinburgh.  Thus 
lhi>  eager;icss  with  which  William  lent  his  aid  in  the  endeavour  to  crush 
Henry,  ended  in  the  latter  prince  obtaining  the  first  triumph  over  that 
kiniiiloin  wiii(!h  was  ever  obtained  by  an  English  monarch. 

AD.  1176. — Henry  wisely  employed  the  peace  which  his  victories  had 
procured  him  in  remedying  those  disorders  which  had  sprung  up  among 
ins  own  subjects.  Ue  made  or  restored  laws  against  those  crimes  which 
had  ilie  most  flagrantly  increased,  such  as  counterfeiting  coin,  arson,  rob- 
licry,  and  murder.  K,  when  we  read  of  his  enacting  such  severe  punish- 
mill's  for  those  offences  as  amputation  of  the  right  hand  and  foot,  we  feel 
inclined  to  censure  the  king,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  he  had  to  deal 
with  an  age  little  better  than  semi-barbarous,  ai<d  was  probably  obliged 
i.'aiiisl  his  will  to  legislate  down  to  the  public  intelligence.  We  are  the 
more  inilined  to  make  this  allowance  for  him  in  some  cases,  because  in 


in 


El 


.1 


''4 


M    ,    (,      ♦    I,  '    )  '  . 


fmi 


r  1' ' 


If '•,4 


230 


TIIE  TIIEASUIIY  OP  HISTORY. 


ollieis  hn  gave  very  plain  proofs  that  he  possessed  both  understanding  and 
good  feeling  far  in  advam-e  of  his  ;ige.  In  the  ease,  for  instance,  of  i|,e 
absurd  trial  by  bailie.  \vhi(!h  disgraced  the  siaiute-boul\  even  so  l:iieiy  b3 
the  reign  of  George  III.,  Flenry,  lliough  tlie  lime  was  not  ripe  for  its  com- 
piete  abolition,  enacted  that  either  of  the  parties  might  clialleiigi;  ia  jig 
stead  a  trial  by  a  jury  of  twelve  freeliolders. 

To  make  the  achninislration  of  justice  more  certain,  with  a  view  hotli  to 
repressing  crime  aiid  to  prot(H;t  the  community  against  the  oppressions  ol 
the  nobles,  Henry  divided  Kngland  into  four  great  ciriMiils,  to  be  traversed 
by  itinerant  justices  selected  from  among  those  prelates  and  lay  nohlej 
most  remarkable  for  learning  and  their  love  of  justice.  He  also  mule 
some  very  useful  regidations  with  a  view  to  a  defence  of  the  kingdom 
eacii  man  being  obliged  to  arm  Iiimself  according  to  his  rank. 

\Vliil(!  the  king  was  thus  wisely  employing  his  leisure,  his  sons  wore 
meditating  further  annoyance  to  him.  Prince  Hein-y  renewed  his  ilemmid 
for  tin;  complete  resignation  of  Normandy,  and  on  receiving  a  refusal  pro- 
ceeded 10  the  court  of  France  with  his  queen  with  the  evident  design  of 
renewing  his  hostilities  against  his  too  indidgenl  father.  Hut  Philip,°wlio 
had  just  succeeded  U>  Louis  on  the  throne  of  France,  was  not  jus'.  i,.jw 
prepared  for  war  against  so  pow'-rful  a  king  as  Henry,  and  t';-,  young 
prince  was  therefore  once  more  obliged  to  make  his  submission  to  Ins 
mni'h-enduring  sovereign  and  parent.  Prince  Hen.'y  and  (Seoffnynow 
became  engaged  ill  a  feudid  slrilc  with  their  broiher,  Princi;  Uidmri]. 
The  king,  with  his  usual  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  these  most  tnihulcnt 
and  undutiful  princes,  inti'rfered  to  restore  peai-o  among  tliem,  but  had 
scarcely  succeeded  in  doing  so  when  lie  once  more  found  Prince  Ilonry 
arrayed  aitainst  him. 

A.  0.  11H3.— To  what  end  the  shameful  conspiracies  of  this  incorrigible 
and  nngrateful  jirincc  would  at  length  hav(!  arrived  it  is  didicrult  to  jmliin, 
thoi  gh  we  may  but  too  reason.ibly  presume  that  his  real  aim  wiis  ihe 
actual  deposition  of  liis  father.  Hut  the  career  of  the  prince  now  dri'w  to 
an  end.  He  had  retired  to  the  castle  (>{  Mnrtel,  near  Turenne,  to  inaiiiro 
his  schemes,  and  was  there  seized  with  a  fever.  Finding  Iiimself  m 
danger,  he  sent  to  entreat  that  his  lather  would  visit  him  and  person, illy 
assure  him  of  forgiveness.  Hut  the  king,  tlnnigh  not  less  affectioiMlc 
than  of  yore,  had  received  so  many  proofs  of  his  son's  perfnly,  tlnit  he 
feared  to  trust  himself  in  his  hands.  The  prince  died  on  the  llili  of  June; 
and  the  king,  who  fainted  on  hearing  the  news,  bitterly,  but  surely  mosi 
unjustly,  reproached  himself  with  liard-iieartedness  in  having  refused  to 
visit  him. 

Prince  Henry,  who  died  in  the  Iwenty-ciglith  year  of  his  age,  tlKni>;h 
married,  left  no  children.  The  Prince  Richard,  therefore,  now  filled  the 
important  situation  of  heir  to  the  Knglish  throne;  and  the  king  proposed 
that,  ill  this  altered  state  of  things,  Prince  John,  who  was  his  fa- 
vourite son,  should  inherit  Ouienne.  Hut  Richard,  unmindful  of  ilie  gnef 
which  his  father  was  already  enduring,  r>ot  meiely  refused  to  consent  to 
this  arrang-nieiit,  but  proceeded  to  put  that  duchy  into  a  coiuliiioii  to 
make  war  against  his  brother  CieofTrey,  who  was  in  possession  of  l)rill;iiiy, 
and  to  resist,  if  needful,  the  king  himself.  Well  knowing  how  imicli  more 
influence  Kleanor  had  over  their  sons  than  he  had,  the  king  sent  for  her, 
and  as  she  was  the  actual  heiress  of  Giiienne,  Richard,  so  iiiuUiliful  to- 
wards his  father,  at  once  delivered  the  duchy  up  to  her. 

A.  D.  1185. — Si-arcely  had  Richard  become  reconciled  to  his  father, 
when  GeofTrey.  being  refustjd  Anjou,  of  which  he  had  demanded  the  mi- 
nexation  to  Ins  duchy  of  Hritlany,  levied  troops  and  declared  war  agniiist 
his  father;  but  belore  this  unnatural  prince  coul  ■  do  any  considcralile 
portion  of  the  mischief  which  he  obviously  intended,  he  was  slain  acei. 
deiitiilly  by  one  of  his  opponents  at  a  tournament.     His  posthumous  son 


k':.o  was  clii 

Kmg  Henry, 

The  atteiil 

called  from  i 

now  aii.vious 

gallant  and  g 

the  cross,  liai 

Ihi)  task  of  e.) 

greatly  favoi 

uniting  to  opi 

stives.     To  I 

who  had  the  ( 

allowed  Sala( 

soldaii  was  co 

lein  heiiig  coir 

kingdom  of  Ai 

possessed   in 

petty  timns  uf 

lost  which  it  h 

treasure  and  ti 

A.  n.  1188. — 

general  and  pn 

aiid  (lied  from 

beiitowed  iiearl 

sary  preparatic 

holv  city. 

ncnry  of  Fn 
nuMiari'lis  in  Fi 
archliisliop  of  T 
eription  of  the 
.■'!ip'>;il  to  the  l( 
must  powerful 
"nniglit  upon 
iiicnccd  the  neC' 
A.  D.  1180.— A 
did  not  show  till 
money  or  elocpn 
kings  in  obtainii 
rels  sprang  up 
rinrity,  found  th 
prone  to  disloyal 
I'len;  and  li(!h;. 
PMrd  :,i  the  welf 
"MS  one  (Iny  to 
liot  hcailed  'dupe 
sirous  of  a  canst 
disgrace  which  c 
"'rimfr  (irovocnti, 
I'l'iicath  the  yoke 
diriiish  him  witl. 
As  I'liilip  had  for( 
support  as  superi( 
first  heard  of  Rj 
l^iislaiid  of  iiisso 
of  the  crown  of 
I')  undertake  the 
not  prudent  eiion 
reply  te  the  liypuc 


THE  TIIKASUHY  Ob"  IlISTOItV. 


231 


llu)u<;li 

fllllMi  \\w. 

foposcd 
Ins  fa- 
ille grit.'f 
iscut  to 
idilioii  10 
BnU;iiiy, 
icli  more 
for  licr, 
LiUful  to- 

falher, 
(1  ilie  iuv 

r  il!r;iiil9t 

siilcr.iMe 
liiiii  ai'd- 
nous  son 


n'!o  was  clirislppfd  Arlluir,  was  invested  with  the  (Uichy  of  Riiliiuiy  by 
King  Henry,  who  also  eonstitnted  liiniself  guunlian  of  iIk!  yonllifiii  prinec. 

tIk;  attention  of  both  Menrv  and  his  rival,  IMiilip  of  I'nmce,  was  soon 
c.i.lifiii  f''"»  ibeir  personal  dilTeienees  to  a  new  ernsade,  whicdi  Rome  wiu 
now  anxious  that  the  Kuropean  sovi  reijfiis  should  enjjajre  in.  Saladin,  a 
gallaet  and  generous-spirited  prince,  but  no  less  a  determined  opponent  of 
the  cross,  having  seated  himself  on  the  throne  of  Kgypi,  boldly  undertook 
Ihti  task  of  expeding  the  Christians  from  the  Holy  Land.  His"  object  was 
greatly  favoured  by  the  folly  of  the  Chrisiiaa  leaders,  who,  instead  of 
uiiiiiiig  to  oppose  the  Infidids,  were  |)('rpelually  at  enmity  among  ihom- 
stlves?  To  this  general  folly  treason  was  added,  and  the  count  of  Tripoli, 
wlio  had  the  command  of  the  CMiristian  forces  on  th^-  frontier,  perfidiously 
allowed  Saladin  to  advance,  and  deserted  to  him  at  Tiberiad,  where  the 
soldan  was  completely  victorious,  the  long  tottering  kingdom  of  Jerusa- 
lem bciiig  completely  overturned,  and  the  holy  city  itself  captured.  The 
kingdom  of  Antioch  was  also  subdued  ;  and  of  all  that  the  Christians  had 
possessed  in  the  Holy  Land  nothing  now  ren:ained  to  them  but  a  few 
pdiy  towns  upon  the  coast.  .So  soon  and  so  easily  was  that  territory 
lost  which  it  hail  cost  the  warrior-hosts  of  Christendom  so  much  blood, 
treasure  and  tim(!  to  conquer  from  the  infideis  of  an  earlier  generation. 

A.  p.  IHS. — '{'he  intcdiigence  of  this  lriu;npl  of  ttie  crescent  produced  a 
gpiicral  and  profo'Mid  grief  in  Kunipe.  Popi;  Urban  HI.  actually  sickened 
iiial  died  from  sorrow  at  the  calami'.y,  anri  his  successor,  Gregory  VHI. 
bestowed  nearly  all  his  attention  during  his  short  reign  upon  the  neces 
sary  preparations  for  attempting,  at  the  least,  the  re-conquest  of  Hit 
holy  city. 

Hi'iiry  of  Knglaml  and  I'liilip  of  France,  as  by  far  the  most  powerful 
moiiandis  in  Knrope,  were  naturally  appealed  to  by  Rome,  and  William 
arelitiisliop  of  Tyre,  caused  them  to  h;iv(;  a  meeting  at 'ii.sors.  His  des 
criptioii  of  the  sulTcrings  of  thr;  Chrisiians  in  the  Kast,  and  his  eloquent 
,;ppp;il  10  the  love  of  military  glory,  which,  after  superstition,  was  the 
must  jidwerfnl  passion  of  botii  monarclis  ami  private  men  in  that  age,  so 
wniught  upon  both  princes,  that  they  at  once  assumed  the  cross  and  eoin- 
iiienecd  the  necessary  preparations. 

AD.  1180. — As  the  clergy,  notwithstanding  the  zeal  of  the  p.apal  court, 
ilid  not  show  their  usual  alacrity  in  aiding  the  new  cntcrprize  either  witb 
iTidncy  or  eloquence,  sonu!  delay  and  didleulty  were  expericMiced  by  both 
kinjs  in  obtaining  tlit  necessary  supplies,  and  in  the  meantiim>  new  quar- 
rels sprang  up  between  them.  Philip,  always  jealous  of  Henry's  supe- 
riority, found  that  king's  son.  Prince  Richard,  fully  as  credulous  and  as 
prone  to  disloyal  and  unduliful  conduct  as  his  deceased  brother  Mtmry  had 
L(eii;  and  he  bad  no  (lifHculty  in  persuading  him  that  he  was  more  inter- 
ested iii  the  welfare  of  France  than  in  that  of  the  kingdom  over  which  he 
was  (uic  day  to  rule.  In  a  few  words,  Richard  was  the  credulous  and 
liot  headed  dniie,  and  Philip  the  resolved  ami  wily  deceiver.  Philip,  de- 
sirous of  a  cause  for  (piarrcl  with  Henry,  and  yet  unwilling  to  incur  the 
disgrace  wliiidi  could  not  but  att  ich  to  tme  crusader  who  should  without 
strong  [irovocation  iriake  war  upon  another  while  Palestine  yet  groaned 
hriieath  the  yoke  of  the  proud  and  i  'looted  pagan,  persuaded  Richard  to 
furnish  him  with  a  pretext  for  war  l._,  nriking  an  inroad  upon  Toulouse. 
As  Philip  bad  foreseen,  Rayuiond,  count  of  Toulouse,  appealed  to  him  foi 
Buppoit  as  superior  lord  ;  and  w ith  as  much  gravity  as  though  he  had  then 
first  heard  of  Richard's  achievement,  Philip  eompliined  to  the  king  of 
llnojaud  of  bis  son's  infringement  upon  the  rights  anil  profXTty  of  a  vassal 
of  the  crown  of  Frania*.  Hut  Richard,  if  wicked  or  thoiij,htless  enough 
to  uudertike  the  evil  measures  against  his  own  sovereign  and  father,  wa8 
not  prudent  enough  to  keep  his  own  counscd:  and  ihmry  was  able  to 
reply  le  the  hypocritical  complaint  of  Philip,  that  Prince  Itichard  had  con- 


«.' 


232 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTOEY. 


^\.i 


■  ! 


esseJ  to  the  ardibisliop  of  Dublin  that  it  was  at  the  express  desire  and 
personal  sugjjestion  of  Pliilip  hinisolf  that  he  had  made  his  unprovoked 
attack  upon  ihe  county  of  Toulouse.  Far  from  being  either  asluuned  or 
dismaycfl  by  tliis  discovery  of  his  treacherous  designs,  Philij),  on  rccciv- 
ing  Henry's  reply,  inimedialely  invaded  Uerri  and  Auvergne,  and  did  so 
under  the  pretence  of  retaliating  the  injury  to  the  count  of  Toulouse,  wiijcli 
it  was  so  well  known  that  he  had  himself  caused  to  be  done  ihiny 
now  thoroughly  provoked  as  Philip  himself  could  have  desired  him  to  hv, 
crossed  the  French  froniier,  and,  besides  doing  nnich  oilier  daiiiai'e 
burned  the  town  and  fortress  of  Dreux.  After  much  mutual  injury  and  a 
futile  attempt  at  treaty,  the  two  kings  were  at  length  induced  once  more, 
but  in  vain,  to  attempt  to  come  to  terms ;  chieily,  however,  as  fur  ks 
Philip  was  concerned,  by  the  refusal  of  some  of  his  most  powerful  vassals 
to  serve  any  longer  against  Henry,  whom,  as  well  as  their  own  sovcri'iirii, 
they  desired  to  see  combating  for  the  redemption  of  Palestine.  OiJ 
Henry's  side  the  ft^eling  was  as  mucli  more  sincere  as  it  was  less  com- 
pulsory;  but  the  terms  proposed  by  Philip  were  so  insidiously  calculated 
lo  work  future  evil  to  England,  that  Henry  had  no  choice  hut  to  refuse 
ihem.  For,  well  aware  as  he  was  of  the  mischief  which  had  accrued  to 
Henry  in  consequence  of  his  having  consented  to  tlii!  coronation  of  hjs 
former  heir,  he  demanded  that  the  same  honour  should  now  be  bcsiowed 
upon  Itichard,  and  with  this  aggravation,  that  whereas  Richard  in  the  very 
act  wiiich  had  produced  this  war  had  shown  how  ready  he  was  to  do 
?Mghl  that  would  injure  and  annoy  his  father,  Philip  demanded  hi.s  hc.ng 
pu.  Mito  immediate  possession  of  all  the  French  possessions  of  his  father, 
and  that  his  nuptials  should  forthwith  b(!  celebrated  with  Alice,  I'liilij/s 
sister.  In  full  expectation,  as  it  should  seem,  that  Henry's  good  sense 
would  dictate  this  refusal,  Philip  had  caused  Uichard  to  agree  that  w.  i  ■- 
ceiviiig  such  a  ivefusal  lie  would  immediately  disclaim  fiirllier  allcyiaiicf, 
and  do  homage  ;o  Pliilij)  for  all  the  Anglo-French  possessions,  as  ihougli 
'ic  had  already  and  lawfully  been  invested  with  them. 

Tlif  war  accordingly  recommenced  as  furiously  as  ever  between  tlie 
two  kiiiysjand  Cardinal  Albano,  the  Pope's  legate,  despairing  of  ever 
seeing  the  two  powerful  monarchs  arrayed  side  by  side  against  the  In- 
fidels while  these  (juarrtds  existed  between  them,  and  locking  upon  ilic 
unnatural  conducl  of  Uichard  as  a  chief  cause  of  them,  prciioiniced  siii- 
tence  of  excomnuinication  against  him.  The  sentence  fell  iinioeuonsly 
on  his  head,  owing  to  liie  lukewarmness  of  ihe  clergy,  and  liicliard  hav. 
nig  f(jrmally  received  from  Philip  the  investiture  of  (.Juienne,  Norniaiidy, 
and  .\iijou,  the  nobles  of  those  provinces  sided  with  him  in  s[)ilc  of  the 
declared  will  of  Home,  and  overran  the  territories  of  all  who  still  main- 
laiiied  the  cause  of  the  king  of  England. 

\l  Henry's  request,  (Cardinal  Adagni,  who  had  succeeded  Alhano  as 
legate,  threatened  Philip  with  an  interdict  upon  his  dominions;  but  Philip 
scornfully  replied,  that  it  was  no  part  of  the  pajial  duly  to  interfere  in 
the  temporal  quarrels  of  princes;  and  Richard,  who  was  present  at  the 
interview,  went  so  far  as  lo  draw  his  sword  uiion  the  cardinal,  and  wai 
not  without  difficulty  withheld  from  proceeding  lo  still  more  outrageous 
and  criminal  lengths. 

Mans,  Ainboise,  Chateau  de  Loire,  and  several  other  places  wen;  sue 
cessively  taken  by  Philip  and  Richard,  or  treacherously  delivered  lo  them 
Oy  their  governors.  In  this  slate  of  the  war,  when  everything  seemiil 
lo  th;-eateii  Il.^nry  with  ruin,  the  archbishop  of  Rlieims,  the  duke  ol 
Hurgundy,  and  the  carl  of  Fl;iiid(;rs  stepped  forward  as  mediators.  Iii- 
lelligeiice  at  the  same  time  reached  Henry  that  Tour.':,  long  nitiiaeeil, 
was  at  length  tiiken;  and,  hard  as  were  the  terms  pro|ios(d,  he 
saw  nothing  left  for-  him  but  to  agree  to  them.  And  hard  those  urms 
indeed  were  to  a  prince  who  hitherto  had  been  so  much  accustomed  to 


Penry's  due  pci 


>iri     '    ^r-r; 


THE  TREASUm    OF  HISTORY. 


233 


didiilo  terms  to  others.  lie  consented  to  tlio  immediate  marriajje  of 
Hicliiir.l  liiiil  Aliee— though  some  liistor-ans  relate  tha',  he  was  hiiuself 
enainoiiicd  of  thai  princess— and  should  receive  liomafro  and  fealty,  not 
only  for  the  Anglo-French  dominions,  hut  also  for  Kngland  itstdf;  that 
the  kin;;  of  Fraiiee  should  receive  twenty  tiiousand  miirks  to  defray  his 
expL'iisi's  in  this  war;  that  t!ie  barons  ol  Knsland  should  be  secm-ity  for 
I'cnry's  due  performance  of  his  part  in  this  treaty,  and  should  undertake 
to  join  their  forces  with  those  of  Richard  and  the  king  of  France  in  the 
event  of  his  breaking  his  engagement,  and  that  all  and  sundry  his  vassals 
who  had  sided  with  his  son  should  be  held  harmless. 

If  the  last-mentioned  clause  was  in  itself  calculated  to  wound  the  feel- 
iii^rs  of  so  proud  a  prince  as  Henry,  it  led  to  his  being  wounded  in  a  feel- 
jnrr  fiu' deeper  than  pride;  for,  on  his  demanding  a  list  of  those  whom  he 
was  thus  engaged  to  pardon,  the  very  first  name  that  met  his  eye  was 
llmt  of  his  favourite  son.  Prince  John,  on  whom  he  had  conferred  kind- 
ness even  to  the  extent  of  arousing  the  anger  and  jealousy  of  tiie  passion- 
ate Rii'liard. 

TluMigli  proud  and  bold,  Henry  was  a  singularly  alT'ectionate  parent;  he 
liiid  already  suflTered  mu(;h  sorrow  from  tlie  uiuiatnral  conduct  of  his  sons, 
anl  this  new  proof  of  the  utter  callousness  of  heart  of  the  best  beloved 
ami  most  trusted  of  them  was  a  blow  too  severe  for  his  declining  strength. 
He  sickened  on  the  instant,  and  bestowed  upon  his  ingr.Ue  and  heartless 
diildrcii  a  solemn  curse,  which  no  entreaties  of  the  friends  who  were 
about  iiini  could  induce  him  ^  recal.  As  lie  reflected  upon  the  barbarity 
of  liis  children,  his  chagrin  increased  instead  of  diminishing,  and  i  low 
mrvoiis  (evvr  soon  after  deprived  him  of  life,  which  happened  on  the  6th 
of  July,  in  liie  (ifly-eighth  year  of  his  age  and  thirty-fifth  of  his  reign. 
His  corpse  was  conveyed  to  Fontevraud  by  h.j  natiM'al  son  GeoflVey, 
who  had  ever  behaved  to  him  witii  llie  tenderness  and  duty  so  fearfully 
ttuiiliiiif  in  the  conduct  of  his  legitimate  (diiidren.  While  the  royal 
corpse  lay  in  stale  at  Fontevraud,  Prince  Riciiard  visited  the  sad  scene, 
aiiii  cxhiliilcd  a  sorrow  sincere  and  passionate  as  it  was  tardy  and  useless. 

Taken  altogether,  the  reign  of  Henry  H.  was  both  a  prosperous  and  a 
hrilliaiil  one  ;  and  it  seems  |)robable  that  'lad  not  the  cruid  misfrondiict  of 
Ills  suns  engaged  him  in  war  when  he  f.iiii  would  have  been  at  peace,  he 
wiHiKI  li  ive  done  still  more  than  hi;  did  towanis  providing  for  the  internal 
welfare  of  his  kingdom.  What  he  did  towards  that  end,  if  it  appear  of  too 
stern  and  cruel  a  nature  tc  us  who  live  in  times  so  much  milder  and  more 
civilized,  seems  to  be  but  ,'oo  coin|)letely  jiisiiiied  by  what  th(;  historians 
tell  us  of  the  gross  and  evil  daring  of  tlii^  populact^  of  those  early  days. 
Ill  tlie  cities  especially,  where  the  congregating  of  nombi^rs  had  given  in- 
creased daring  to  offenders,  but  had  ni>t  as  yet  led  to  any  safe  and  sound 
arranifeiiients  of  police,  iIkj  insolent  violence  of  the  populace  attained  to 
aheiijlu  of  which  we  can  form  but  a  very  faint  notion.  Street  brawls 
aiiil  sireet  robberies,  attended  with  violence  always  and  not  unfrequently 
Willi  actual  murder,  were  every-day  occurrences.  Burglary  was  not  then 
as  now  confined  to  the  darkness  and  security  of  the  night-hours,  but 
even  the  wealthiest  traders,  though  their  shops  were  situated  in  t\w  most 
piiWic  streets,  had  constant  reason  to  fear  assault  and  robbery  even  at 
noonday,  so  bold  and  strong  were  the  gangs  of  thieves.  A  single  speci- 
men of  the  doings  of  the  street  robbers  of  those  times  may  not  be  unac- 
ceplahle.  The  house  of  a  citizen  of  known  and  lar^  ;  wealth  was  at- 
laikeil  by  a  band  of  robbers  who  actually  plied  their  wedges  and  axes  so 
efl'ectiially  as  to  make  a  breach  in  a  su!)stantial  stone  wall,  .lusi  as, 
swonl  ill  hand,  they  were  making  good  their  entrance,  the  citizen  led  on 
Ills  servants  to  resist  them,  and  so  stonily  defended  his  premises  that  his 
iieiulilioiirshad  time  to  arm  and  assist  him.  In  the  course  of  the  fight, 
ivliieh,  though  short,  seem  to  have  been  severe,  one  of  the  robbers  had 


,    »  Kiwi  ?**'»«  If' 


234 


THE  TllKASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


his  riglit  hand  cut  o(T.  This  niiiii  \v;is  suhscqucnlly  taken  prisjncr,  atiu 
as  lilt!  loss  Ik;  had  sustained  rcndeiud  all  denial  of  his  identity  pnfccilv 
idle,  he  ay;rccd,  in  order  to  save  his  own  life,  to  give  full  infornialioii  c( 
all  who  were  eoni^crncd  with  him.  Among  the  aecon'plices  thus  iiauicd 
was  a  very  wealthy  (Mtizen,  wlio  up  lo  tli;it  time  had  heen  looked  upon  ;i9 
a  person  of  the  greatest  probity.  Denying  the  charge,  he  was  trii'd  by 
the  ordeal  and  convicted.  lie  tJi-n  ollered  the  large  sum  of  five  liuiulrcd 
marks  in  commutation  of  his  oflencc;  but  the  king,  rightly  judgiii"  i||j,t 
the  rank  and  wealth  of  the  otTeiulcr  only  made  the  ofTencc  tlie^ninro 
shameful  and  unpardonable,  sternly  refused  the  money  and  ordered  ihp 
citizen  felon  to  he  hanged. 

Unlike  the  other  Norman  princes,  Henry  II.  was  not  so  attached  to 
his  game  as  to  hold  the  lives  of  his  siilijects  in  utter  contempt  on  its  uc- 
count.  He  greatly  moderated  the  forest  laws,  which  under  liis  predeces. 
sors  had  been  so  fruitful  a  source  of  misery  to  the  people,  and  punished 
infringements  upon  them,  not  by  death  or  mutilation,  but  by  fine  or  im. 
prisonment. 

Though  ,7encrally  of  a  grave  and  dignified  habit,  this  king  was  not  des- 
titute of  a  certain  dry  humour.  Thus  (iiraldus  Cambrensis  relates  iliai 
the  prior  and  monks  of  the  monastery  of  .St.  Swithin  made  grievon.-i  com. 

Elaiiit  to  Henry  of  the  rigour  wiih  whicii,  as  tlujy  alledged,  they  li;.,) 
cow  treated  by  tlie  bishop  of  Winchester  in  the  ordering  of  tlicir  din. 
"We  have  but  ten  dislns  allowed  us  now  !"  they  exclaimed.  "  IJut  ten!" 
.said  the  king,  "  1  have  but  three!  "I'is  the  fitter  number,  rely  upon  ii, 
and  1  desir<!  that  you  be  confined  to  it  henceforili." 

Henry  was  survived  by  two  leuilitnate  sons,  Ki'jliard  and  Jolin,  and 
three  legitimate  daughters,  Maud,  Kleanor,  and  .loan.  He  also  left  two 
illegitimate  sons,  Kicliard,  surnained  I.ongswoii!,  and  (ieoffri'v,  wlm  he 
came  arejibislioj)  of  York.  These  sons  were  born  to  him  by  Udsnniond 
daughter  of  Lord  ClilTord.  t)f  all  that  romaiii-e,  whether  in  its  own 
guise  or  in  th.it  of  history,  has  said  of  tiiis  lady,  nothing  seems  to  be  tine 
save  that  she  was  both  fair  and  frail.  Her  bower  at  Woodstock,  and  llie 
pleasant  choice  otTered  to  her  by  the  jealous  Queen  Kleanor,  between  the 
dagger  and  the  poisoned  chalice,  arc  mere  inventions. 


t^i 


'•■  (:i 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


THE    REIUN    OF    r.K  H.\nD    I. 


A.  D.  1189. — The  partiality  with  whi(;h,  even  down  to  the  present  timo, 
the  character  of  Richard  I.  has  tiecn  looked  upon,  is  a  striking  (iroof  how 
far  men  (van  go  in  dispensing  with  other  pood  qualities,  in  favour  of  hini 
who  is  aliundantly  endowed  with  the  mere  animal  quality  of  eoiir;iL'o. 
The  siiameful  ingratitude,  amounting  to  actual  barbarity,  witii  whicii  this 
prince  treated  his  only  too-indulgent  father,  and  even  the  hot-headed  sidf- 
ishness  with  which  lie  preferred  warring  abroad  to  beneficially  and  iisefidly 
ruling  at  home,  and  made  his  realm  a  mere  depH  for  the  men  and  iiiuiii- 
lions  requisite  to  the  proseeuiion  of  his  schemes  of  military  ambition,  are 
overlooked  in  considc^ratioti  of  his  recKless  daring  and  great  exjiloiis  in 
the  battle-field.  L'ntil  men  are  much  bettor  laiiglit  than  they  have  ever 
yet  been  as  to  the  real  value  of  courage  and  the  precise  limits  witiiin  wliich 
its  exercise  is  deserving  of  the  homage  now  so  indiscriminately  pnid  to  ii, 
grave  and  thoughtful  writers  will,  we  fear,  labour  but  vainly  towards 
causing  the  reality  of  Richard's  character  to  become  visible  throuijli  ihi' 
false  but  gorgeous  halo  with  which  the  error  of  long  centuries  li:is  sur- 
rounded it.  With  this  brief  caution  against  too  implicit  a  fiitli  in  llie  co- 
existence of  virtue  and  courage,  we  [)rocoed  to  tlie  reign  of  the  most  war 


TIIK  TIIEASU11\   OP  HISTOUY. 


235 


likd  I*" J""  of  even  England's  kin^s,  wliosc  C(|iiall3-  .i..j)Cluoiis  and  enduring 
bravery  obtained  for  him  from  tliu  most  wari  kc  men  of  a  warlike  age  tlio 
li[|i.  of  "  (.'teur  dn  Linn,'"  "  liie  linn  lieavleil.'' 

Tilt)  III  ■'I  '"^l  of  Jiieliard's  reijfii  gave  some  promise  of  a  wise  and  just 
Olio.     Instead  of  taking  into  favour  ..nd  em|)loyment  those  who  had  so 
sluiiiicfnlly  aided  him  in  his  undulifiil  and  chsjoyal  conduct,  he  treated 
,licin  with'  marked  disfavour,  and  contrariwise  retained  in  liieir  employ- 
nipnts  those  ministers  who  had  been  the  faithful  and  zealous  advisers  of 
liisl'iitlier.    He  released  his  mother,  Queen  lOleanor,  from  the  eonfjueuient 
',11  whicli  she  remained  at  the  death  of  Hcm-y,  and  committed  the  rejrency 
of  I'liiglaiul  to  her  till  Iw  should  arrive  to  govern  it  in  person.     To  his 
brother  John,  too,  he  showed  the  beginning  of  that  favour  which  he  con- 
tiiiu(.'<l  to  liitn  throughout  his  reign,  and  of  which  John  contiiiunliy  and 
fl;i(niintly  proved  his  unworthiness.     The  day  of  Richard's  coronaiioii  was 
niiTrked  hy  an  event  which  showed  the  intolermce  of  the  age  to  be  fully 
r(|iiiil  to  and  every  way  worthy  of  it.s  superstition.     Tlic  Jews,  every- 
vvlicic  a  prosc'-ihed  people,  were,  however,  everywhere  an  industrious 
niKJ  (;f  course  a  prosperous  iind  wealthy  people.     Being  the  largest  pos- 
Bossors  of  ready  money,  they  naturally  engrossed  the  invidious,  though 
often  iiiifiortaiit,  tradt;  of  moncy-londing ;   and  wiien  we  c-onsider  the 
usage  uliicli  the  '';ws  loo  commonly  received  at  the  hands  of  Christians, 
ami  add  to  that  the  frequent  losses  they  sustained,  wo  need  scarcely  be 
jiiii|ins('(l  that  they  sometimes  charged  enormous  interest,  and  treated 
Iheir  insolvent  debtors  with  a  rigour  that  almost  frees  Shakspeare  from 
the  cliaiiie  of  caricaturing  in  his  terribly  graphic  character  of  iShylo.  k. 
The  iicces-sities  that  ever  wait  upon  untliril'l  made  too  many  of  the  high- 
born and  the  powi^rful  personally  acipiainted  with  the  usurious  propeii- 
Bilu's  of  the  Israelites:  and  thus  added  jjcrsmial  feelings  of  animosity  to 
the  hate  borne  by  the  zealous  C/in.siiiins—-dU»]  wli;it  a  Christianity  was 
tliciis '.—against  the  Jesvs.     Diiriiij  the  reign  of  Henry  II.  the  animosities 
uliicli  wen;  nourished  against  the  Jews  were  not  openly  e.\press(;d ;  but 
Rnfliard,  wlio  combiufMl  iii  his  own  person  much  of  the  evil  as  well  as  of 
tlui  good  that  distinguished  his  stirring  and  biuoted  time,  h.id  an  especial 
halri'il  to  Jews,  and  he  gave  orders  tliiiton  the  day  of  his  coronation  they 
should  on  no  account  make  tin  ir  appearance  at  the  si-eiie  of  that  cere- 
mony.   Sonu!  of  them.  Judging  t'lat  their  gold,  at  least,  would  obtain  tliein 
exception  from  this  rule,  ventiiri'd  to  wait  upon  him  with  presents  of  great 
value.     Having  approacdied  the;  banqueting  hall  of  the  king,  they  were 
soon  disct)vered  by  the  erowi'  and  of  course  insulted.     From  words  the 
rablilc  proceeded  to  blows  ;  the  Jews  became  terrified,  lied,  and  were  pur- 
sued;  and.  either  in  error  or  maligni'.y,  a  refiort  was  spread  that  the  king 
hail  ordered  the  general  destriietioii  of  the  Jews.     Orders  si)  agreeable  at 
once  to  the  bigotry  and  the  licentiousness  of  siirh  a  populace  as  that  of 
Lon  ion,  were  belujved  without  iiuicli  scru[)le  and  executed  without  any 
remorse.     Not  contented  with  murdering  all  the  Jews  who  wiire  to  be 
foiiiul  in  the  streets,  tiio  rabbi'!  broke  into  and  lirsi  pUindered  and  then 
biinicii  the  houses  of  the  wealthy  indivuhials  of  that  persecuted  sc^el,  who, 
(liiven    to  despi^ration,  defeiuled    themselves    bravcsly    bat   inefrecilnally. 
From  London  the  tierce  cry  ag.iinst  the  Jews,  and  the  fulse  cry  that  the 
king  had  authorized  their  destruction,  spread  to  the  otiujr  gre.il  towns, 
wlieie  tlu!  unhappy  people  were  equally  plundered   and  slaughtered  as  in 
London.     At  York,  in  addition  to  llie  murders  committed  by  the  popu- 
lace;, a    truly   horrible     tragedy   took    place.       Upwards  ol     five   hun- 
dred of  the  Jews  shut  themselves  uji  in  the  eastie  with  their  faieilies. 
Fiiiiliii>r  that  they  could  not  much  loiigt-r  defmid  tlienis(dves  against  the 
iiif'iiriiilitd  and  blood-staitied  rabble  without,  the  men  of  this  unhappy  and 
persecuted  band  actually  killed  their  own  wives  and  children  and  threw 
their  corpses  over  the  walls,  and  then,  setting  lire  to  the  place,  ctiuse 


1 1 

! 


u 

II,  '  I' 


ii-  :-'  1'  .-.;   T' 


i     :•-» 


Ait;;  ■:  '■   'i' 


23(> 


THE  TUEA8URY  OF  HISTORY 


rather  to  perish  in  the  tortures  of  the  flames  than  in  thosi  which  th>y 
knew  woujii  l)e  adjudged  to  them  by  their  enraged  and  bi/joted  encmiti. 
As  though  tins  lu)i'ril)le  tra!i;edy  had  not  sufliciently  disgraced  the  niUiou 
the  gcniry  of  York,  most  of  whom  were  deeply  indebted  to  tiio  unhappy 
Jews,  ailded  a  cliaraeteristic  trait  of  sordid  disiionesiy  to  the  general  liorror 
by  making  before  the  altar  of  the  cathedral  a  solemn  burnt  sacrifice  of  the 
bonds  in  whicli  they  were  confessed  debtors.  The  detestation  with  which 
wo  are  inspired  by  this  whole  aHair  almost  makes  us  add  without  reyret 
or  pity,  that  long  after  the  Jews  weve  all  either  massacred  or  escaped  "the 
plundering  of  ihe  rabble  went  on  with  equal  zeal  in  the  houses  of  men 
who  were  not  Jews,  and  who  indignantly  impressed  that  fact  upon  the 
minds  of  the  plunderers.  Though  the  known  hatred  which  the  knigbore 
to  the  Jews  was  doubtless  influential  in  encouraging  the  rabble  to  excess 
on  tills  occasion,  it  is  certain  that  he  gave  no  direct  orders  or  ciicoiir. 
agement  to  them.  On  the  contrary,  as  soon  as  actual  force  had  restored 
comparative  order  in  the  country,  Richard  commissioned  his  chief  jusii- 
ciary,  the  celebralf.'d  (ilaiiville,  to  make  the  necessary  inquiries  and  to 
punish  as  many  as  could  be  discovered  of  the  original  instigators  of  these 
detestable  enormities.  Hut  even  partial  inquiry  showed  that  the  rabble 
were,  with  all  their  violence  and  grossncss,  by  no  means  the  most  blame- 
worthy party  upon  this  occasion,  and  so  many  powerful  and  wealthy  men 
were  found  to  be  dc^eply  implicated,  that,  after  the  punishment  of  a  very 
few  persons,  to  vindicate  the  laws  from  the  reproach  of  complete  ineffi- 
ciency, the  inquiry  was  wholly  laid  aside. 

Scarcely  had  Ricrliard  finished  the  ceremony  of  his  coronation  ere  he 
commenced  his  preparations  for  an  expedition  to  Palestine.  The  distance 
of  that  country  niade  it  impossible  for  him  to  rely  U|)on  Mngland  to  fiiriiisli 
him  fron  time  to  time  witli  the  requisite  supplies;  his  first  care,  tiicrcforc, 
was  to  I  rovide  himself  with  sudi  an  amount  of  money  as  would  place 
him  above  any  danger  from  want  of  means  to  provision  his  followers. 
His  father  had  left  him  above  a  hundred  thousand  marks — a  very  large 
sum  in  that  age — and,  to  add  to  that  important  treasure,  the  king  resorted 
to  the  sale  not  only  of  the  manors  and  revcMiues  ol  the  cr  .wn,  but  even  o! 
many  ofTices,  the  nature  of  wliicli  rendered  it  especially  important  that 
they  should  be  held  by  pure  hands.  The  oflice  of  sheriff,  which  con- 
cerned both  the  administration  of  justice  and  the  crown  revenue,  was  thus 
Kold,  as  was  the  scarce  less  important  office  of  forester;  and  at  length,  as 
if  to  show  that  all  considerations  were  trivial,  in  his  judgment,  wlwn 
compared  to  that  of  forwarding  his  favourite  scheme,  Richard  openly  and 
shamefully  sold  the  high  office  of  chief  jusliciiiry — that  office  upon  which 
the  liberties  aiui  properties  of  the  whole  nation  were  to  a  very  considerable 
extent  dependant,  to  Hugh  de  Puzas,  bishop  of  Durham,  for  a  thousand 
marks,  this  prelate  being  also,  "for  a  consideration,  invested  for  his  own 
life  with  the  earldom  of  Northumberland."  Completely  reckless  how  he 
obti'.ined  money,  and  really  seeming  to  have  no  single  thought  to  bestow 
upon  his  country,  except  as  a  source  of  money,  he  next  sold  back  to  the 
king  of  Scotland  the  .Scottish  fortresses  which  his  wiser  father  had  so 
carefully  guarded,  ami  released  William  from  all  sign  of  vassalage  beyond 
the  ordinary  homage  for  lands  held  by  him  in  Kiigland,  the  price  of  all 
this  advantage  on  the  one  side  and  disgraceful  sacrifice  on  the  other  being 
ten  thousand  marks. 

Besides  selling  in  this  reckless  way  mucli  iti  which  he  justly  and  le- 
gally held  only  a  mere  life-interest,  he  wearied  all  ranks  of  his  subjects 
for  loans  or  gifts;  tlie  distinction  in  words  being, it  will  easily  be  bclici'ed, 
the  only  distim-tion  between  the  two  ways  of  parting  with  their  money! 
The  uttnosi  having  been  done  to  raise  money  in  these  discreditable  ways, 
Richard  next  applnd  himself  to  selling  permission  to  remain  at  home  to 
those  who,  after  having  taken  the  cross  had,  from  whatever  cause,  Ixv 


'ftt-^1.: 


tm:  T11KA9U11Y  OK  HISTORY 


9S7 


tome  less  enamoured  of  ll."  task  of  combating  the  Infidels.  To  dwell  no 
luiigtT  upon  iliisdisjjiracefiil  piissai'c  in  our  liisiory,  lintlmnl,  in  iiis  anxiety 
to  raise  money  to  aid  iiini  in  his  merely  sellisli  pursirt  of  fame,  showed 
liiiiist'irso  reckless  a  sal(,'.srnaii  that  his  ministers  venlnred  to  remonstrtito 
jjtlihiin,  and  lie,  shamelessly  exultinir  in  his  own  want  of  prineiide  and 
ruL'  I'lide,  replied,  that  he  would  gladly  sell  his  good  city  of  London, 
foiild  lie  but  find  a  purchaser. 

Willie  iticliard  was  thus  niakint?  such  great  sacrifices,  nominally  for  the 
saku  of  the  Christian  cause  in  I'alestine,  but  really  for  the  sake  of  his 
own  fierce  vanity,  of  that  peculiar  quality  to  which  men  have  slavishly 
acrrt'cd  to  give  the  more  sounding  name  of  love  of  glory,  his  life  and  con- 
versiilion  were  by  no  means  of  tin!  most  Christian  pattern,  and  gave  great 
olTi'iice  to  those  crusadi^rs  whose  piiity  was  .sincere  and  practical,  though 
occasionally  carried  to  the  extrenu;  of  bigotry  in  feeling  and  of  grimace 
m  manifestation.  Fulkc  of  Neuilly,  a  zealous  and  eloquent  preacher  of 
llio  crusade,  preaching  before  Richard,  boldly  assured  him  that  he  had 
Ihrci'  favourite  luost  dangerous  daughters  of  whom  it  behoved  him  speedily 
to  rid  liiinsidf,  namely,  pride,  avarice,  and  voluptuousness.  '•  Yon  are 
niiile  right,"  replied  Richanl,  "  and  I  hertiby  give  the  first  of  them  to  the 
Templars,  the  second  to  the  Uenedictines,  and  the  tliird  to  my  prelates." 

I'ri'vioiis  to  departing  for  the  east,  Richard  commitled  the  adminislra- 
lioiiof  the  government  in  Knglaiid  to  Hugh,  bisho|)  of  [)urham,  and  Long- 
champ,  bi.sliop  of  Kly ;  but  though  he  at  first  swore  hot':  his  brother  Prince 
Joliii  ami  his  natural  brother  (ieoflVey,  arehbishni)  of  York,  not  even  to 
cuter  till!  kingdom  duriii'^  his  absenci-,  he  sid)se(piently  withdrew  that 
piiliiie  i)ioliibition.  Longr'iainp,  the  bisiiop  of  Kly,  tiiough  of  mean  birth, 
was  a  man  of  considerable  talent  ami  energy;  a:id  the  better  to  enalilc 
hmiio  giivern  with  elfect,  Richard,  who  had  aln-ady  made  him  chancelloi 
lif  the  kingdom,  also  procured  him  to  bo  invested  with  the  authority  of 
papal  legate. 

Willie  Richard  and  Philip  had  been  engaged  in  preparing  for  their 
casierii  cx|)C(lition,  the  ICmperor  Fretieric  had  alreaily  led  from  (lermany 
aail  the  neighbouring  countries  of  th(!  north,  an  army  of  l.')n,000  men,  and 
l!iuii!;li  tlie  force  of  the  Infidels  and  the  intrigues  of  the  court  of  the  east- 
mi  tiiijiiri — wiiich  feared  the  western  '"hristians  nearly  :is  much  as  it 
(iiil  liie  liiliilels  ttuunselves — causcid  him  both  great  delay  and  a  (ionsider- 
ahle  loss  of  men,  he  .had  already  reaehetl  the  frontiers  of  Syria,  when, 
bathiiiiz  in  tiie  Cydnus,  he  was  caused  so  violent  an  illness  by  the  exces- 
Mve  ciildiiess  of  the  water,  that  he  very  sliorlly  afterwards  died.  }lis  son 
Ciiiirad  assnincd  the  command  of  the  army,  which,  how(n'er,  reached 
I'alesliiie  reduced  to  about  eight  thousand  men,  and  even  of  these  many 
were  in  a  state  of  |)itiable  weakness  from  the  <liseases  iiieident  to  the  eli- 
maio  and  season  under  which  so  many  of  their  comrades  had  perished. 

I'iiilip  and  Henry  perceiving  how  nimdi  mischief  accrued  from  the 
(lilting  ofi'  of  such  immense  bodies  of  men  from  all  chance  of  suiu-oui 
from  i'lur()[)e,  resolved  to  equip  fleets,  not  only  for  the  i)urpose  of  carrying 
over  their  armies  and  such  stories  of  provisions  as  would  inevitably  be  re- 
riisite,  but  also  to  form,  as  ii  were,  a  line  of  eoinmunication  witii  Euro[)e 
wiictlier  for  supply  or  retreat. 

A.n.  11!>0. — .\ud,  indeed,  when  the  forces  of  Richard  and  Philip  met  on 
llie  plains  of  Vezelay,  on  the  frontiers  of  Uurgundy,  men  the  least  aun- 
(.'iiine  in  trusting  to  human  prowess  might  have  been  pardoned  for  deem- 
iii!;liiat  tiiat  mighty  host  must  be  invincible  by  any  power  that  the  Infidels 
coiiJii  muster  against  it.  After  all  the  necessary  and  cautious  weeding  by 
wincii  tiie  minor  leaders  had  taken  care,  as  far  as  possible,  to  have  none 
oinollcd  among  their  troops  save  those  w  ho  were  strong  of  body  and 
masters  of  tlieir  weapons,  this  force  amounted  to  more  than  a  hundred 
lliousand  men,  well  armed,  abundantly  provided  for,  and  animated  to  tho 


* 


*    » 


'C(i 


'.If 


I  '^ 


238 


THE  TllKAdUUy  Ol'  IIlriTOllY. 


Iiifilirst  possible  pitch  of  zc;»l  l)y  ilic  tlouble  focliiig  of  roligioiis  ardour  an* 
militiir)'  ;itnliitit)ii.  Hicliani  am!  I'liilip  picdijcd  holli  tlmiiisclvcs  mid  ihp 
other  icadors  of  tins  iniglitv  liost  to  iiiiitiiiil  faith  and  fricnd.'^hip  in  tho 
fiL'ld ;  and  tlu;  two  inoiuiivlis  cii^riijcd  thoir  barons  and  predates  whore- 
inained  at  lioinc,  on  oalli,  to  renuin  from  any  infringement  of  tlie  respec. 
tive  kini^doms,  and  called  down  interdict  and  excomnivn\ieation  npoii  wlm- 
soever  sliould  break  this  solemn  engagement.  This  done,  Philip  niarclirj 
towards  (Jcnoa,  and  Richard  towards  Marseilles,  where,  respectively,  tlicy 
had  reiulczvonscd  their  lleets.  Thongh  they  sailed  from  different  ports 
they  were  both,  and  nearly  at  the  same  lime,  tempest-driven  into  the 
harbiHir  of  Messina,  in  which  port  they  were  detained  during  the  whole 
remainder  of  the  year. 

Tho  adage  which  represents  a  long  confinement  on  board  ship  as  a  pe 
culiar  test  of  temper  and  tonehstono  of  friendship,  applies  eijually  to  all 
eases  of  very  close  companionship.  Hrought  thus  long  into  daily  cnn. 
tact,  these  young  princes,  who  were  so  well  fitted  to  have  been  iViciuis 
under  almost  any  other  circumstances,  were  the  more  certain  to  disa^rrco 
from  their  mutual  possession,  in  a  very  high  degree,  of  a  haughty  dotcr- 
mination,  ambition,  courage,  and  obslinacy;  anil  as  Philip  was  as  cool 
anil  reserved  as  Itichard  was  p.issionate  to  tin;  verge  of  frenzy,  and  cm- 
did  to  the  verge  of  ai)sohite  folly,  their  disagrrcmenta  were  pretty  sure  to 
lend  ehicdy  to  tht!  advantage  of  Philip. 

While  residing  at  Messina,  and  settling  some  difiference  which  both 
kings,  in  some  surl,  had  with  Taiicred,  the  reigning  usurper  of  Sicily, 
Richard,  exlremel\  jealous  of  tlu;  inti'ulions  of  both  prince  and  people, 
establisheil  himself  in  a  fort  which  commanded  the  harbour.  A  (pKirrcl 
was  the  consequence,  and  Richard's  troops  having  chastised  the  Mi  ssnifse 
for  an  atiack  which  he  rallu^r  guessed  than  had  any  proof  that  they  incdi- 
tated,  Richard  had  tho  Knglish  Hag  liisplayed  in  triumph  on  the  walls  ol 
the  cily.  Philip,  who  had  previously  doni;  all  that  he  eoidd  to  accotnmi) 
date  mailers,  jusily  enough  considered  this  display  as  being  insidtinij  ta 
him,  and  gave  orders  to  some  of  his  people  to  pull  the  standard  down. 
Rirhard,  on  the  other  hand,  chose  to  treat  this  onler  as  a  personal  insult 
to  him,  and  immediately  sent  wisrd  to  Philip  that  he  had  no  objection  to 
Temoving  the  standard  himself,  but  that  no  one  (dse  should  tinic!i  it,  s;\ve 
at  mortal  risk.  Philip,  who  was  too  anxious  for  the  aid  of  Richard  wiirii 
they  should  arrive  in  the  Holy  Lai  1  to  be  willing  to  drive  him  to  cxlrom 
ities,  accepted  the  proposal  with  sume  cordiality  ;  but  the  quarrel,  pciiyas 
it  was,  left  the  seeds  of  dislike  in  llir  hearts  of  both  princes. 

A.  n.  1191. — Tancrcd,  the  Sii  ilian  usurper,  drenuog  that  his  own  safety 
would  be  promoted  by  wliateMr  sowed  discord  I    tweeii  these  two  power- 
ful pruices,   was  gu'  "v  of  a   deception  which     n  their  mutual  teniprr  of 
led  I'ViMi  to   fatal  con-i'iiuenees.     Hcahowid  lo 
'i"       led  he  had  ri'ccived  from  the  hands  of  the 
•itrr.  which  purported  to  be  written  by  Philip, 
■  !   s  troops  suddenly  to  fall  upon  the  lliijjlish 
he  friMich  should  aid  him  in  the  destruction  of 
iu'  1  inl,    .nil  his  usual  fiery  and  unrenci'linLT  lom- 
um«y  fiction  without  examination,  and  being  wholly 
lus   f'-eling-,  he  at  once  told  I'hili|)  what  lie  w;is 


suspicion  might  hav 
Ricliaid  a  letter  wind 
liuke  of  Hurgundy. 
required   Tancred 
troo|)s,  and  proinis.  :  • 
the  common  eueiny. 
[)er,  bfdieved   this  cl 
unable  to   di^-ienible 


cliarged  wilhi',.  Ph-.lip  fl.i  Iv  (hnied  the  charge,  branded  the  .Sicilian 
usurper  with  la  i»  faU  hood,  ;i  ml  ihallenged  him  to  support  the  atioeioiis 
charge  he  had  nrilc  ;  :ii  Ta.  — -d  was,  of  course,  wholly  unabh'  to  Jo 

so,  Richard  profe?>sed  l)c  comp  tcly  satisfied.  As  ibis  attem[)t  of  Tun 
ercd  and  its  near  appui.ich  to  sue.  ss  had  warned  each  Philip  and  UhIkiiiI 
of  {\\c  d^iyi-'c.r  to  wtich  their  fric  '.ship,  so  im|)orlant  to  both  tin  ir  king- 
doms arjf  lo  the  great  cause  in  win  h  they  wen;  each  engagcMl,  vviis  per- 
pel'  ally      *'.>le  from  th-  arts  of  the  e;.    nics  of  either,  ihcy  agreed  lo  have  i 


THE  TIIRASURY  OK  HISTORY. 


239 


,,)P'inii  li"''y<  i"  ^^''i'''  "V(  ry  |)o.ssil)l(!  point  of  (linTcronco  shonlil  ho  so 
;ifi;,ii;rcil  tliiit  110  futiir(!  (lifliciilly  coiilil  ;iiiso.  Iliil  tins  very  utlompt  at 
f(iriii.ili>!'ii|?  fii('iiilslii|)  was  iiscIC  ilio  ciiiiso  of  a  dispiiir,  wliicli  at  llin  outset 
'10  hoa  fiit.il  our   • ' '- "" '-■  ' --ri>...i; _ 


" I ' 

tliiratiiicl  10  lioa  liit.il  oiii<,  iiiasimicli  as  tlie  family  honour  of  IMiilip  was 
yi.,y  iiiin'li  co!ux;iMicil  Ml  tt.d  matter. 

|i  will  III'  PMncmhcrfd  that,  in  his  sliamcful  opposition  to  his  father, 
[{iiliiini  liail  constantly  cxprcnsisd  tiu;  utmost  possililo  anxiety  for 
periiiisiiiiHi  to  espoiiso  Alice,  dautjliter  of  Louis,  tho  lato  kinnf  of 
Wxwc  and  the  sister  of  lli  it  l'liili|)  who  was  now  Hiehard's  fellow- 
crusaikT.  Alice,  who  Inn;,'  resided  in  l';n;j:land,  was  confidently,  lhonj,'h 
rn't\u\i!i  only  seandalonsly,  reported  to  have  hrcn  cnijaired  in  a  criminal 
aiiKPiir  witli  itichird's  own  father;  and  itichard,  well  knowiii(j  the  cur- 
ciii  report  on  that  head,  was  far  indeed  from  di'sirins  the  alliaii(;e  which, 
4S  II  sure  means  of  aniioyinii  his  father,  he  was  lliiis  per[)etually  de- 
niii'iiiii,''  Now  that  he  was  kii);|,  Uv  not  only  had  no  longer  any  intoii- 
iion  of  iiiarryini;  Alice,  hut  had,  in  fact,  made  proposals  for  IIk;  hand  of 
lleri'iigiina,  dauifhter  of  [\w  king  of  Navarre,  and  was  nxpectiny;  that 
priiii'i'ssti)  follow  him  under  the  nrotectioii  of  his  mother,  (iiieen  Kleanor. 
I'lulip,  probahly  suspeetiniir  or  knowiiifj  this  new  passion,  formally  re- 
qiiiri'il  that  Ui(Miar(l  should  espousi;  Alice,  now  that  there  was  no  longfcr 
aiiv  Im-iide  fattier  to  oppose  him.  lint  Richard  on  this  occasion  fjave 
iri'idf  that  ho  was  not  actuated  merely  hy  his  constitutional  levity,  hy 
TiHsiing  fiirward  |)roiif  so  clear  that  it  carried  conviction  even  to  the  un- 
m'liiiU  mind  of  Philip,  that  Alice  had  actually  born  a  child  to  IJichard's 
fiihor,  the  late  kin;,'  of  I'liiifland.  To  such  <i  reason  for  breaking  olT  the 
,Mi;ii!,'ciiieiit  no  valid  reply  could  he  made  ;  and  I'hiiip  departed  for  the 
Hilly  l.nul,  while  liicliard  r(;maiiied  i.l  Messina  to  await  tin,'  arrival  oi 
his  iimlhcr  and  the  iiriiicess  ilereiijijaria.  They  soon  after  arrived,  and 
luili.ird.iitteiided  hy  his  bride  and  his  sister,  the  dowager  (ineeii  of  Sicily, 
Ji'|)iil('il  for  the  Holy  Land;  tiMcen  lOleanor  returning  to  Knijland. 

Riihani's  fleet  was  met  by  a  heavy  storm,  which  drove  jiart  of  it  upon 
tliL'  isle  of  (,'ypru3,  the  prince  of  which,  Isaac,  a  despot  whoso  limited 
mt;uis  anil  power  did  not  prevent  him  fn-m  ,ssuiinii.i,' all  the  state  and 
tvniiiiimis  liearini?  of  an  emperor,  tlirc\\  •  wrecked  crews  into  prison, 
iii>ieail  of  hospitably  ad:nimsleriii}f  '"  0..  ir  wants,  and  even  carried  his 
nubinty  Sii  I  ii  as  to  prevent  tho  p.  ^,  on  their  peril,  from  being 

rii'ltcri'ii  111  Ins  port  of  Liiiiisso.  Rwi.  ;h'  iniiinph  of  this  ill-coiidit;'..iod 
lyraiil  was  only  brief.  Richard,  wh.>  si.n,  after  arrived,  landed  his  troops, 
I'lMt  tho  tyrant  before  Liinisso. ', m >k  iiiat  place  by  storm,  throw  Isaac 
liiiiiscif  into  jirison,  and  establi-^j.d  now  y:<)V(!rnors  in  all  tho  principal 
plai'i's  of  tlio  island.  A  singiiUr  lavour  was  in  the  midst  of  this  severity 
ii)iifcrri;il  by  Hioliard  iipun  tl>ie  defeated  and  imprisoned  tyrant.  Isaac 
ciimpiaiiied  bitterly  of  the  dejji-a.iuion  of  bv.'n\rt  loaded,  like  a  vnli;ar  mal- 
efacliir,  with  chains  of  iron  ;  l!;s  sense  of  desjradation  being  apparently 
limited  to  the  material  i»f  In  fetters,  and  not  extending  to  tiie  fact  af  his 
biMiiif  fettered  at  all.  With  an  indescriliably  droll  courtesy,  Richard  not 
oiilya.lmilled  the  justice  of  tho  eoiiijilaiiit,  but  actually  had  a  set  of  very 
siihsiaiitial silver  festers  made  for  Isaac's  esjHicial  use! 

Tlie  nuptials  of  Rieliard  and  norengiria  were  eelehratod  with  great 
poin|)  at  (Cyprus,  and  tli-^y  again  set  sail  towards  Palestine,  taking  with 
tlu'iii  Isaac's  daughter,  a  !"^'aulifiil  woman,  who  was  reported  to  have;  made 

™ r    n    _.t.'..  ,..1*  -     I *  1     ...,. - _ : ...     t,  ^     ._■   . »-     i-i_- 


'  .-.  .i..i,^iii<.i,  ,1 .  ■  .luiMui  .,w,ii,..i,  ...iv.  .,,..->  loporlcd  to  have;  made 
cuiKiui'st  r  Riciiard's  he:irt.  A  strange  companion  to  bo  given  to  his 
iii'wly-miriii  i|  wife  by  a  prince  professing  the  most  chivalrio  foldings  ol 
cM  liiiighthood,  and  espociallv   lioimd,  too,  on  the  serviiie  of  religion » 

Id;'       '        ■  ■  •     ■  •       ■■■       ■         •     ■    • 


11  kiiiglithood,  and  especially   lioimd,  too,  on  the  servuie  of  religion! 
li; hinl  ami  his  troops  arrived  in  time  to  take  a  distinguised  pari   in  the 
)ii'.'-l)i'!c  iguriMl  Awe. 
At  iirst  the  Knglish  and  French  troops  and  their  kingly  leaders  acted 
must  amicably  together,   alternately  taking   the  duty  of  guarding  the 


240 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


!    ^    I' 


iM'''^     ;::{ 


*j :  \ 


m  \ 


$  '  1  !  ■■'■     >)■' 


trenches  and  mounting  to  the  assault  of  tlie  place.  But  this  good  Tuim 
between  the  two  princes  would  prol):ibly  not  have  endured  very  long 
even  had  there  been  noother  cause  for  their  disagreements  but  the  warlike 
superiority  of  Richard,  whose  headlong  courage  and  great  personal  strciiuili 
made  him  conspicuous  in  every  attack.  15ut  to  this  latent  and  ever-raiik. 
ling  cause  of  quarrel  others  were  speedily  added. 

'I'he  first  dispute  that  arose  between  tlie  two  kings  to  call  into  open 
ight  the  real  feelings  which  policy  or  courtesy  had  previously  enabled 
them  to  veil,  originated  in  the  claims  of  Guy  de  Lusignan,  and  Conrade 
marquis  of  Montl'errat,  to  the  moresliowy  than  profitable  title  of  kiiiirol 
Jerusalem.  De  Lusignan  sought  and  obtained  the  advocacy  of  Richard 
and  Philip  ipsofaclowws  induced  to  give  the  most  strenuous  support  to  Coiu 
rade.  Nor  did  the  evil  rest  with  giving  itie  two  nioiuirchs  a  causeof  oppii 
and  zealous  opposiiion  to  each  other.  Their  example  was  naturally  fol- 
lowed  by  the  other  Christian  leaders.  The  knights  of  the  hospital  of  St. 
John,  the  Pisans,  and  Flemings,  gave  their  voices  and  support  to  tlio  side 
embraced  by  Richard,  while  the  Templars,  the  (Tormans,  and  the  (iciioese, 
gave  theirs  to  Philip;  and  tl.us,  while  every  circumstance  of  interest  and' 
duty  demanded  the  most  cordial  and  unwaviTing  unanimity  auioiiij  the 
(christian  princes  and  leaders,  their  cauip  was  tiivided  into  two  fierce  parties 
almost  as  ready  to  turn  their  arms  upon  each  other  as  upon  the  infidels. 

The  distressed  condition  to  which  the  iiilidels  were  already  reduced, 
nowever,  did  not  allow  of  their  profiting,  ;istbey  otherwise  might  have  done, 
by  the  Christian  dissensions;  and  they  surrendered  the  long-coiitosted 
city,  stipulating  for  the  s[iaring  of  their  lives,  and  agreeing,  in  return,  to 
give  up  all  the  Christian  prisoners,  and  the  true  Cross,  'j'he  joy  of  the 
Christian  powers  of  Kurope  at  this  long-desired  triinnph  was  so  rapiuroiis 
as  to  make  them  unmindful  of  the  fact,  that,  setting  almost  incahui- 
lable  treasure  wholly  out  of  eonsideralion,  this  result  had  in  the  course 
of  a  few  years  cost  ('hristendom  at  least  tlu'ce  hundred  thousand  of  her 
'jravest  lives. 

After  the  surreiuler  of  Acre,  Philip,  disgusted  probably  at  finding  him- 
self cast  so  much  in  the  shade  in  a  scene  in  which,  and  in  which  only, 
Richard  was  so  well  calculated  tn  ontslnne  him,  departed  for  Hurope  (in 
the  groimd  that  the  saOty  of  his  doiniiuoiis  would  not  allow  of  his  remain- 
ing to  lake  a  part  in  what  promised  to  he  the  very  slow  and  diniciilt  re- 
ca[)tin'e  of  Jerusalem,  which  it  was  only  reasonable  to  suppose  wnnlil  he 
Jtill  more  obstinately  (hifended  aiul  morc^  dearly  purchased  than  Acre  had 
jeen.  But  thougli  on  tin;  plea  that  the  weal  of  his  kingdom  and  I  he  state 
»f  his  own  health  would  not  allow  of  his  own  longer  presence,  he  guarded 
.•limself  against  the  imputation  of  being  wholly  indifierent  to  the  Christian 
cause,  by  leaving  ten  thousand  of  his  best  troops  to  Richard,  under  the 
command  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy.  And  in  order  to  allay  the  very  natural 
sus|)i(;ions  of  Richard,  lest  he  slioiild  maki;  use  of  his  presenci!  in  Mnrope 
to  do  any  v/rong  to  the  English  power,  he  solemnly  made  oath  that  he 
would,  on  no  pret(;nce,  make  any  attiMiipt  on  the  English  dominions  duriii;; 
Richard's  absence.  But,  so  lightly  wer(!  oaths  held  even  by  the  liiijhly 
born  and  the  enliirhlened  of  that  day,  that  scarcely  had  Pliilp  landeii  ni 
Italy  ere  he  had  the  mingled  hardihood  and  meanness  to  apply  to  I'opc 
Celestine  V.  to  absolvi;  him  from  his  oath.  The  pope,  more  just,  refused 
to  grant  it;  but  though  I'hilij)  was  thus  prevented  from  the  o()eii  liostiliiy 
which  he  had  most  dishonourably  planned,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  avnl  him- 
self to  the  utmost  of  every  means  to  work  evil  to  Richanl,  and  oppor- 
tunity was  abundantly  afforded  him  by  the  con>lticl  of  the  ungrateful  am! 
disloyal  John,  and  the  discord  that  reigned  among  the  Kiiglisti  nobility, 
almost  without  an  exception  of  any  note. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  Richard  on  his  departure  for  the 
Holy  Land  bad  deleg;ite<l  the  chief  authority  in  England  to  Hugh,  bishoji 


THE  TUEASUllY  OF  HISTOttY. 


iMl 


ipe  1)11 
.'iniiiii- 
•lilt  rc- 
oiiUl  be 
had 
he  sialc 
;u;irilcd 
iri>tiaii 
Icr  tho 
niiUiral 
liirope 
lliiit  \v. 
(Iurini5 
!uL;hly 
lulcii  in 
U)  I'opc 
ri'fiisod 
hostility 
ul  liini- 

•fill  aiv! 
nobility, 

for  llie 
,  bishop 


of  Durham  and  earl  of  Northumberland,  and  Lon^rchamp,  bisliop  o(  Ely. 
The  latter  was  not  only  far  superior  to  Ills  coileajrue  in  point  of  capacity 
aad  experience  in  the  arts  of  intrigue,  but  was  also  possessed  of  an  auda- 
cious Had  violent  spirit  little  becoming  the  cl.„rclinian.  The  king  had  not 
loiifrleft  I'iUglandere  the  domineering  spirit  of  Longchamp  began  to  man- 
ifest itself,  not  only  towards  the  nobility  in  general,  but  also  towards  his 
milder  colleague  in  the  govcrnnienl.  Having,  in  addition  to  his  equality 
of  civil  authority,  the  legatine  power,  then  so  very  tremendous  as  not  easily 
to  be  ri'sistcd  even  by  a  powerful  and  wise  king  in  his  own  proper  person, 
I.ongchanip  could  not  endure  to  treat  tlic  meeker  bishop  of  Durham  as 
iiiiylliiiig  more  than  his  first  subject.  At  first  he  manifested  his  feeling  ol 
suncriorlly  by  petty  means,  which  were  rather  annoying  than  positively 
hostile  or  injurious;  but  finding  himself  unresisted,  he  grew  more  and 
more  violent,  and  at  length  went  to  the  glaringly  inconsistent  length  of 
ilirowing  his  colleague  in  the  government  into  confinement,  and  demand- 
iiinofliim  the  surrender  of  the  earldom  of  Northumberland  which  he  had 
na'id  for  in  solid  cash.  This  took  place  before  the  king  had  departed  from 
Marseilles  on  his  way  to  the  east;  and  though  immediately  on  Kichard 
hcariiif.'  (if  the  dissension  between  the  two  prelates  upon  whose  wisdom 
and  [icrfcct  accord  he  so  mainly  depended  for  the  peace  and  safety  of  his 
doiiiiiiioiis,  he  sent  peremptory  orders  for  the  earl-bishop's  release.  Long- 
champ  had  the  consummate  assurance  to  refuse  to  obey  the  king's  com- 
mand, assuring  the  astounded  nobles  that  he  knew  that  the  king's  secret 
wishes  were  directly  opposed  to  his  public  orders  ! 

This  misconduct  was  followed  u|)  by  so  much  insolence  towards  the 
iiohility  in  general,  and  so  many  complaints  were  in  coiisc(jueiK:e  made  to 
Kichard,  that  he  appointed  a  numerous  council  of  nobles  without  whose 
ouuciirreiice  liOnuclrami)  for  the  future  was  strictly  foroitKien  to  transact 
any  important  public  busincs-i.  lint  his  vast  autliority  as  legale,  added  to 
his  daring  and  peremptory  temper,  deterred  even  those  named  as  his  conn 
cillors  from  venturiiifj  to  proilnce  their  commission  to  him,  and  he  contin- 
ued to  display  the  tna^jnificiiice  and  to  cxt  n  ise  the  power  of  an  absolute 
sovereign  of  the  realm. 

The  lircat  abbots  of  tlie  wealthy  monasteries  complained  that  when  lie 
made  a  progress  in  llicic  ricighbourhoocl,  lu-s  train  in  a  single  day's  residence 
licvoiiicd  (heir  rcv^'uuc  for  y«ars  to  come  ;  the  high-born  and  martial  barons 
coniplaiiii'il  of  tiie  more  than  kingly  hant(;iir  of  this  low-l)(>rn  man  ;  tho 
whole  nation,  in  short,  was  disconteiiteil,  but  the  first  open  and  elKcient 
opposition  was  made  by  one  whose  personal  ctiaractcistic  was  certainly 
mil  too  great  courage — the  prince  .lolm. 

That  the  bishop  and  legate  misused  his  anthorily,  '■>  the  insulting  of 
the  nobility  and  the  impoverisment  of  tlu;  nation,  would  not  a  jot  have 
moved  John,  but  he  could  not  endur'Mhat /ic  too,  should  Ik;  thrown  into 
shade  and  contempt  by  this  overbearing  prelate.  Tile  latter,  with  a  want 
of  policy  strangely  at  variance  with  his  undoubted  ability,  imprud(Mitly 
alkiwcd  himself  to  be  guilty  of  personally  disobliging  John,  who,  upon 
ihatafTioiit,  conci  ived  an  indignation  which  all  tiie  (lisobedience  shown  to 
Ills  brother,  and  all  the  injury  inllicled  iipoii  his  brother's  best  and  most 
faithful  subjects,  had  been  insuflicient  to  arouse,  lie  summoned  a  coun- 
lil  of  iirclaies  and  nobles  to  meet  him  at  Keading,  in  lierkslure,  and  cited 
l,oii!;(  lianip  to  appear  there  to  account  for  his  coiKinct.  A  wart'  when  il  wai 
loo  late  (if  the  dangerous  enemies  he  had  provoked  by  the  wanton  abuse 
of  his  autliority,  the  prelate,  instead  of  appearing  before  tho  council,  en- 
Irt'iichr.l  himself  in  the  Tower  of  London.  Hut  the  maimer  in  which  ho 
had  wielded  his  authority  had  left  him  so  few  and  such  lukewarm  friends, 
diat  he  soon  found  that  he  was  not  safe  even  in  that  strong  fortress,  and, 
ilisgiiisiiig  himself  in  female  apparel,  iin  contrived  to  escape  to  Franco 
where  he  was  sure  to  find  u  cordial  reception  at  the  hands  of  Fhilip.  He 
1-16 


M9 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HI3T0RY. 


i  r. 


was  now  in  form  deprived  of  the  high  civil  ofllccs  which  by  his  flight  he 
had  virtually  surrendered,  and  the  archbisliop  of  Rouen,  who  had  a  hioh 
reputation  for  both  talent  and  prudence,  was  made  ehaneellor  and  juslicra- 
ry  in  his  stead.  As  Longchamp,  however,  held  the  legaline  power,  of 
which  no  civil  authorities  could  deprive  him,  he  still  had  abundant  means, 
which  he  lost  no  opportunity  of  using,  to  aid  the  insidious  endeavours  of 
Philip  to  disturb  the  peace  of  England  and  injuic  the  absent  Richard. 

A.  D.  1192.— Philip's  neighbouriiood  to  Richard's  French  dominions  held 
out  an  opporinnily  far  too  templing  to  be  resisted  for  invading  tium, 
which  ho  was  on  the  point  of  openly  doing  when  he  found  himself  pre- 
vented in  his  treacherous  schen\es  by  the  almost  general  refusal  of  Wr 
nobles  to  aid  liiin  in  so  unjust  an  enterprise  against  the  territories  cf  a 
prince  who  was  gloriou.sly— though  anything  but  prudently— perilmp  life 
and  limb  in  the  distant  wars  of  the  cross.  IMiilip  was  discouraged,  more- 
over, in  this  part  of  his  dishonorable  plan  by  the  pope,  who,  especially 
consliluling  himself  the  guardian  of  the  rigiils  of  all  princes  engaged  ir. 
the  crusade,  threatened  Philip  with  the  terrors  of  an  interdict,  should  he 
venture  to  persist  in  attacking  the  territority  of  hia  far  worthier  brother- 
sovereign  and  fellow  crusader. 

But  though  obstacles  so  formidable  rendered  it  impossible  for  liini  to 

[)ersist  in  this  open  course.of  injustice,  save  at  the  hazard  of  destrnciioiito 
limself,  he  resolved  to  work  secretly  to  the  same  end.  Thoroughly  uii. 
derstanding  the  dishonourable  character  of  John,  he  made  overluresiull.it 
base  and  weak  prince ;  offered  him  in  marriage  that  princess  Alice  whuse 
blotted  character  had  caused  her  to  be  refused  by  the  usually  imprudent 
and  facile  Richard,  and  gave  him  assurance  of  investiture  in  all  the  French 
possessions  of  Richard,  upon  condition  of  his  taking  the  risk  of  iiivadmi' 
them.  John,  whose  whole  conduct  througli  life  showed  him  to  be  des- 
titute of  all  feelings  of  faith  or  gratitude,  was  in  no  wise  startled  by  the 
atrocity  that  was  proposed  to  hnn,  and  was  in  the  act  of  connncMicing 
preparations  for  putting  it  iiuo  execution  when  Queen  Kleanor,  more  jeal- 
ous of  the  kingly  ri^'hts  of  her  absent  son  than  she  had  formerly  showed 
herself  of  those  of  her  husband,  interposed  her  own  authority,  and  caused 
the  council  and  nobles  of  Knghind  to  interpose  theirs,  so  eflecttially,  that 
John's  fears  overcame  even  hiscui)idily,aiid  he  abandoned  a  project  which 
none  but  a  wholly  debased  mind  would  ever  have  entertained. 

While  these  things  were  passing  in  Kinope,  the  high-spirited  hut  unwise 
Richard  was  gathering  laurels  in  Asia,  and  unconsciously  accuiiuihUini; 
upon  his  head  a  terrible  load  •)f  future  suffering  ;  and  an  occurence 
which  just  now  took  place  in  that  distant  scene  was,  with  an  execra- 
ble ingenuity,  seized  upon  by  Philip  to  calumniate  in  Europe  the  ahsent 
rival,  each  new  exploit  of  whom  added  to  the  pangs  of  his  cver-iiidiiiiK  envy. 

There  was  in  Asia  a  mountain  prince,  known  to  Kuropeans  by  the  tillc 
of  the  ''Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,"  who  had  obtained  .so  absolute  a  power 
over  the  excessively  superstitious  minds  of  his  subjects,  that,  at  a  wiml  or 
a  sign  from  him,  any  one  of  them  would  put  himself  to  death  with  ihe 
unmurmuring  and  even  cheerful  compliance  of  a  man  in  the  ptirfornuuice 
of  some  high  and  indefeasible  religions  duty.  To  die  at  the  ordcrofiheir 
despotic  prince  was,  in  the  belief  of  these  unU'ttered  and  credulous  heings, 
to  secure  a  certain  and  instant  introduction  to  the  ineffable  delights  ol 
paradise  ;  and  to  die  thus  was  consequently  not  shunned  or  dreadciJ  as  an 
evil,  hut  courted  as  the  supremesi  possible  good  fortune.  It  will  readily 
be  understood  th.it  a  race  of  men  educated  to  coinnnl  suicide  at  the  word 
of  command,  would  be  found  no  less  docile  !o  their  despot's  orders  in  the 
matter  of  murder.  The  care  with  which  they  were  instructed  in  the  art 
uf  disguising  their  designs,  and  the  conleni|it  in  which  they  held  the 
mortal  consequences  of  their  being  discovered,  rendered  it  certain  death 
(o  give  such  offcncu  to  this  terrible  potentate  of  a  petty  territory  as  luiijlil 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HI8T0HV. 


i!43 


inauce  hini  to  dispatch  his  emissaries  upon  their  sanguinary  errand.  Con- 
rad, m.irqiiis  of  Montfcrrat,  who  seems  to  have  possessed  a  considerable 
(jeiiius  for  quarrelhng,  was  unfortunate  enough  to  give  deep  offence  to  the 
Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,  who  immediately  issued  against  him  his  infor- 
iiiiil  but  most  decisive  sentence  of  death.  Two  of  the  old  man's  devoted 
siihjocts,  known  by  the  name  of  assassins — which  name  their  practicei 
iiave  caused  to  be  applied  to  murderers — rushed  upon  Conrad,  while  sur- 
riiiiiided  by  his  guards,  and  mortally  wounded  him. 

About  the  aulhorof  this  crime  there  was  not,  and  there  could  not  be,  the 
jljolitcst  difference  of  opinion.  The  practice  of  the  Old  Man  of  tiie  Moun- 
i,\M  was  only  too  well  known;  it  was  equally  notorious  that  the  marquis 
of  Montfcrrat  had  given  him  deep  offence  by  the  contemptuous  style  in 
which  he  refused  to  make  any  satisfaction  for  the  death  of  certain  of  the 
old  man's  subjects  who  had  been  put  to  death  by  the  citizens  of  Tyre ;  and 
to  put  the  cause  of  Conrad's  death  beyond  all  seeming  possibility  of  mis- 
take, the  two  assassins,  who  were  seized  and  put  to  death  with  the  most 
crui'l  toriures,  boasted  during  their  dying  agonies  that  they  died  in  the 
porforniance  of  their  duly  to  their  prince.  IJut  the  king  of  France  pre- 
ti'iidcd  wholly  to  disregard  all  the  circumstances  which  thus  spoke 
trumpet-tongucd  to  the  truth,  and  loudly  protested  his  belief  in  the  foul 
murder  of  Conrad  having  been  committed  by  order  of  Richard,  the  former 
opponent  of  the  mai-iuis  ;  and  affecting  to  imagine  that  his  person  was  in 
daii^Ri"  of  attack  b;.  ■•ssins,  this  accomplisiied  hypocrite  ostent-itiously 
surrouiulcd  himsc  ,  >  body-guard.     This  calumny  was  far  too  gross 

10  be  believed  bj  .  ,  .  ic  ;  but  it  was  easy  to  seem  to  believe  it,  and  to 
convert  it  nito  an  .  Aci.se  for  violating  both  the  rights  and  the  liberties  vt 
ttiemost  valiant  of  all  tiie  crusaders. 

The  valour  and  conduct  of  Richard  and  the  other  Christian  leaders,  va  )t 
ami  hnlliant  as  they  were,  could  not  counterbalance  the  dissensions  whioh 
spraii};  up  among  liiem.  An  immense  host  of  Infidels  under  Saladin  ^as 
vanqiiislu'd,  nearly  forty  thousand  of  them  remaining  dead  upon  the  field 
of  bailie;  Ascalon  was  speedily  afterwards  taken;  and  Richard  had  led 
Ihe  victorious  Christiana  witiiin  sight  of  Jerusalem,  when  the  impolitic 
ilissonsioiis  to  which  we  have  alluded  compelled  him  to  make  a  truce  with 
Saladin,  just  as  the  perfect  triumph  of  the  crross  seemed  inevitable.  The 
duke  of  ifurguiuly,  whom  Pliilip  had  left  in  command  of  the  French,  open- 
ly and  obstinately  declared  his  intention  of  immediately  returning  to  Ku- 
ropc;  the  Ccrman  and  Italian  companies  followed  the  evil  example  thus 
set;  and  Hicliard,  compelled  to  treat  by  tiiis  unworthy  defection,  could 
hill  e.vort  himself  to  obtain  from  the  chivalrous  Saladin,  terms  as  favoura- 
ble as  possible  to  the  Christians.  Hy  the  terms  of  this  treaty,  which  was 
concluded  for  the  fanciful  period  of  tliree  years,  three  months,  three  weeks, 
ihree  days,  and  three  hours.  Acre,  Joppa,  and  other  parts  of  Palestine  were 
lo  be  held  l)y  the  Christians,  and  Ciirislian  pilgrims  were  to  proceed  to 
Jerusalem  without  let  or  molestation.  The  concluding  of  this  treaty  was 
marly  llie  last  important  public  act  of  Saladin,  who  shortly  afterwards 
expired  at  Damascus.  On  his  death-bed  he  ordered  legacies  to  a  large 
iimount  to  be  distributed  among  the  poor  of  Damascus,  without  distinction 
of  religion,  and  he  ordered  his  winding-sheet  to  be  exposed  in  the  public 
streets,  a  (Tier  the  while  making  proclamation,  "This  is  all  that  remains 
of  tiie  mighty  Saladin,  tlu;  conqueror  of  the  Fast." 

Taking  advantage  of  tlie  truce,  Richard  now  determined  to  return  to 
Knglaiiil,  to  oppose  his  own  power  and  authority  to  the  intrigues  of  his 
unifraleful  brother  John  and  the  unprincipled  king  of  France.  Being 
aware  llial  he  would  be  exposed  to  great  danger  should  he  venture  through 
rrauee,  he  sailed  for  the  Adriatic,  and  being  sliipwrecked  near  Aquileia, 
ho  took  the  disguise  of  a  pilgrim,  in  the  hope  tiiat  it  would  enable  him  un- 
hscovcied  to  pass  through  Germany.     Driven  out  of  his  direct  road  bf 


'^mrm 


^44 


THE  TUSASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


1    r 


eome  suspicions  of  the  governor  of  Istria,  he  was  so  imprudently  lavish  o( 
his  money  during  his  short  stay  at  Vienna  that  his  real  rank  was  discov- 
ered,  and  he  was  thrown  into  prison  by  Leopold,  duke  of  Austria,  who  had 
served  ui;  ■  and  been  grievously  affronted  by  him  at  the  siege  of  Acre. 
The  emp  ../  Henry  VI..  whom  Itichard  by  his  friendship  with  Tancred 
of  Sicily  (lad  also  made  his  enemy,  not  only  approved  of  ll'Hiard's  arrest 
but  required  the  charge  of  his  person,  and  offered  the  duke  of  Austria  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  as  a  reward  for  it. 

A.D.  1195. — The  gref  of  Richard's  friends  and  (he  triumph  of  his  enemies 
were  alike  excited  when  the  news  of  his  capture  reached  England;  the 
possible  ■•onsequencs  being  obvious  to  both  parties.  Queen  Eleanor  spir. 
itedly  demanded  the  interference  of  the  pope,  whose  duty  she  very  justly 
averred  it  to  be  to  wield  the  thunders  of  the  church  in  protection  of  the 
church's  bravest  and  most  icalous  champion.  The  pope,  probably  influ- 
enced by  some  occult  and  crafty  motive  of  policy,  showed  himself  any. 
ihing  rather  than  eager  tc  meet  the  urgent  wishes  of  Queen  Eleanor;  bu; 
as  foet,  are  usually  far  more  zealous  than  friends,  so  Philip  seized  'ipon 
this  as  a  favourable  opportunity  to  exert  his  utmost  power  against  thefaj. 
len  b'„t  still  formidai)le  Richard,  and  he  exerted  himself  to  this  end  with 
an  activity  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  To  those  of  his  own  barons  who 
had  formerly  refused  to  join  him  in  attacking  tiiu  territories  of  the  absent 
Richard,  he  now  urged  the  allcdjied  atrocity  of  that  prince  in  causing  the 
assassination  of  the  marquis  of  Montfcrrat ;  to  the  emperor  Henry  Vl.,  he 
made  large  offers  cither  for  yielding  up  Richard  to  French  custody,  or  for 
solemnly  engaging  for  his  perpetual  imprisonment ;  and  having  inailo  a 
matrimonial  alliance  with  Denmark,  he  applied  for  permission  and  a  licet 
to  enforce  the  Danish  claim  to  the  English  crown.  Nor  did  Philip  fail  io 
apply  himself  to  Prince  John,  whom  he  well  knew  for  the  most  willing 
and  eager  of  all  the  enemies  of  his  absent  brother.  John  had  an  interview 
with  the  king  of  France,  at  which,  on  condition  of  being  invested  with  his 
brother's  Frencii  territory,  he  consented  to  yield  a  great  portion  of  Nor- 
mandy  to  Philip;  and  it  is  with  no  littlcappearanceof  probability  affirmed. 
that  he  even  did  homage  to  Philip  for  the  English  crown.  Thus  much  is 
certain,  Philip  invaded  Normandy  and  was  well  served  by  John,  whose 
orders  enabled  him  to  take  Nenfchatcl,  (jisors,  and  several  otlicr  forts, 
without  striking  a  blow.  Tlic  counties  of  Ku  and  Aumale  were  spcedilv 
overrun  by  Philip,  and  he  then  marched  against  Rouen,  loudly  threatening 
that  he  would  put  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword  without  mercy,  in  the  event 
of  his  experiencing  any  resistance.  Rut  here  Pliilip  was  at  length  des- 
tined to  receive  a  check.  The  earl  of  Leicester,  who  had  shared  Richard's 
perils  and  toils  in  Palestine,  was  fortunately  at  Rouen,  and  he  took  the 
command  of  the  garrison,  to  whom  his  example  and  his  renown  gave  new 
courage ;  and  they  fought  so  steadily  and  so  well,  that  Philip,  after  many 
severe  repulses,  consented  to  a  truce;  the  English  regeiKiy  eng.igiiig  to 
pay  him  twenty  marks,  and  placing  four  fortresses  in  his  hands  by  way  of 
security. 

While  Philip  was  exerting  himself  in  Normandy  John  was  trying  tiie 
effect  of  a  most  audacious  falsehood  in  England.  VVcllknowing  tliut  kw 
indeed  among  the  barons  would  for  his  sake  consent  to  set  aside  tiie  hero 
of  Palestine,  John  boldly  tried  how  far  their  credulity  would  go,  and,  pre 
tending  that  he  had  received  undoul)ted  news  of  the  death  of  his  brother, 
demanded  the  crown  as  his  heir.  He  possessed  himself  of  the  important 
castles  of  Windsor  and  Wallingford;  but  the  lords  justiciaries  were  so 
well  convinced  that  Richard  still  lived,  that  they  and  the  barons  by  whom 
they  were  supported  opposed  the  would-be  usurper  so  gallantly  and  so  ef- 
fectually, that  he  was  fain  to  sue  for  a  truce,  and  before  the  term  of  it  had 
expired  he  took  refuge  at  the  court  of  Philip  of  France. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive  a  case  more  hopeless  than  tlial  of  he 


t  t. 


THE  TllEASOIlY  OF  HISTOllY. 


34S 


loyal  prisoner.     His  own  brother  plotting  ngainst  him  ;   the  papal  court 
lukewarm  in  his  cause,  if  not  even  possessed  by  a  si'"',  oorse  feeling;  al- 
ready ill  the  power  of  an  enemy,  and  hourly  expecting  to  be  handed  over 
to  the  custody  of  an  enemy  still  more  imbitlered  ;   the  proud  Richard  was 
it  the  same  lime  subjected  to  every  petty  hardship  and  galling  indignity 
wiiich  might  be  supposed  likely  to  exasperate  his  spirit  and  incline  him 
10  offer  the  higher  ransom  for  his  release.    Philip  caused  his  ambassadors 
to  reiioiirce  all  protection  to  Richard  as  his  vassal;   and  when  it  was 
liopcd  'hat  the  captive's  spirit  was  greatly  broken  by  continued  ill-usage, 
he  was  pro(  uced  before  the  imperial  diet  at  the  city  of  Worms,  and  there 
accused  by  the  emperor  of  Having  made  alliance  with  Tancred,  the  usurper 
ofSicil';  of  having  at  Cyprus  turned  the  arms  of  the  crusaders  against 
a  Chris,  an  prince,  those  arm«  which  were  especially  and  solely  devoted 
lo  the  c.ustisement  and  quelling  of  the  Infidels;   of  havitig  grievously 
wrnnged  and  insulted  Leopold,  duke  of  Austria,  while  that  prince  was 
fighting  for  t'i<3  cross  before  Acre;  of  having  by  his  quarrels  with  the  king 
of  France  injured  the  Christian  cause  m  the  Kast ;  of  having  planned  and 
causcii  the  murder  of  Conrad,  marquis  of  Moniferrat ;  and,  finally,  of  hav- 
ing concluded  a  truce  witii  the  infidel  Saladin,  and  left  Jerusalem  in  his 
ha°icls.     If  Richard's  enemies  calculated  upon  his  suflcirings  having  tamed 
hisspi''it,  th'-y  were  soon  undeceived;  if  those  sufl"ering8  were  severe,  so 
was  his  spirit  high.     His  speech,  as  summed  up  by  Hume,  is  a  model  of 
thiit  best  kind  of  eloquence,  which  springs  from  a  sense  of  riglu,  and  is 
clolhed  in  the  brief  and  biting  sentences  of  keen  and  shrewd  common- 
snisc.    "After  premising  that  his  dignity  might  exempt  him  from  answer 
iii^  before  any  jurisdiction  except  that  of  htiaven,  he  yet  condescended, 
for  the  sake  of  his  reputation,  lo  justify  his  conduct  before  that  great  as- 
secibly.     He  observed  tliat  he  had  no  hand  in  Trancred's  elevation,  and 
only  conclided  a  treaty  with  a  prince  whom  he  found  in  possession  of  the 
throne;   that  the  king,  or  rather  the  tyrant,  of  Cyprus,  had  provoked  his 
iiuliguation  by  the  most  ungenerous  and  unjust  proceedings,  and  though 
heliail  ciiastised  this  aggressor,  ho  li;id  not  for  a  monicnt  retarded  the 
pfdjirrss  of  his  chief  enterprise  ;  that  if  ho  had  at  any  time  been  wanting  in 
civihty  to  the  duke  of  Austria,  ho  had  already  been  sufficiently  punished  for 
that  sally  of  passion,  and  it  belter  became  men  who  were  embarked  to 
gilher  in  so  holy  a  cau-je  to  forgive  each  oliiers  infirmities,  than  to  pursue 
a  shglit  offence  with  such  unrelenting  vengeance;   that  it  had  sufiTiciently 
appeared  by  tlie  event  whether  the  'iiig  of  France  or  he  were  the  more 
zealous  for  the  conquest  of  the  Holy  Land,  and  wore  more  likely  to  sacri- 
fice private  passions  and  animosities  to  the  great  object;  that  if  the  whole 
tenor  of  his  life  had  not  shown  him  incapable  of  a  base  assassination,  aad 
justified  him  from  that  imputation  even  in  the  eyes  of  his  very  enemies, 
it  WHS  in  vain  for  him  at  rresonl  to  make  liis  apology  or  to  plead  the  many 
irrefragable  arguments  which  he  could  produce  in  his  own  favour ;  and, 
finally,  however  he  might  regret  the  necessity,  he  was  so  far  from  being 
ashamed  of  his  truce  with  Saladin,  that  he  raliier  gloried  in  Ihat  event,  and 
thought  ii  extremely  honourable  that,  though  abandoned  by  all  the  world, 
inpp.iried  only  by  his  own  courage  and  by  the  small  remains  of  his  na- 
iioiial  troops,  he  could  yet  obtain  such  conditions  from  the  most  powerful 
and  most  warlike  emperor  that  the  cast  had  ever  yet  produced.     After 
thus  deigning  lo  apologize  for  his  conduct,  he  burst  out  into  indignation  at 
llie  cruel  treatment  which  he  had  met  with  ;  that  he,  the  chan.piiin  of  the 
cross,  still  wearing  that  honourable  badge,  should,  after  expending  the 
blood  and  treasure  of  his  subjects  in  the  common  cause  of  Christendom, 
be  intercepted  by  Christian  princes  on  his  return  to  his  own  country,  be 
thrown  into  a  dungeon,  be  loaded  with  irons,  he  obliged  to  plead  his  cause 
as  though  he  were  a  subject  and  a  malefactor,  and,  what  he  still  more  re- 
gretted, be  thereby  prevented  from  making  preparations  for  a  new  crusade 


v^'wm. 


fj 


h  11 


I  '^      '■     j! 


M 


-•t 


f  /' 


tj 


I'l'/i 


■  v«  ■ 


f  ^  '  H 


24G 


THE  theasuuy  op  history. 


which  he  had  projected,  after  the  expiration  of  the  truce,  and  from  redeem, 
ing  the  sepulclire  of  Ciirist  which  had  so  loag  been  profaned  by  liic  do. 
minion  of  the  Infidels." 

The  force  of  Richard's  reasoning  and  the  obvious  justice  of  his  coin 
plaints  won  .1  y  ail  present  to  his  side  ;  the  German  prinees  iheniselves 
cried  shame  ;  1  the  conduct  of  the  emperor,  whom  the  pope  even  threat- 
ened with  e\  -ir.iiiunication.  The  emperor,  therefore,  perceived  that  it 
would  be  impessible  for  liim  to  complete  his  ineffably  base  purpose  of  giy. 
ing  up  to  Philip  of  France  and  the  f^alsc  and  cruel  f'rince  John  the  person 
of  Richard  in  exchange  for  sordid  gold ;  and  as  it  seemed  unsafe  oven  to 
continue  to  confine  him,  the  emperor  consented  to  h's  relief  at  a  ransom 
of  150,000  marks  ;  two-thirds  to  be  paid  previous  to  Richard's  relciisp.  and 
sixty-seven  hostajjes  to  be  at  the  same  time  delivered  to  s'cure  the  faith- 
ful  payment  of  the  remainder.  Henry  at  the  same  timt,  .nade  over  to 
Richard  certain  old  but  ill-ascertained  claims  of  the  empire  upon  the  king. 
com  of  Aries,  including  Provence,  Dauphiny,  Narhonne,  and  some  oilier 
territory. 

A  hundred  thousand  marks,  equivalent  to  above  two  hundred  thousand 
pounds  of  our  money,  w«s  a  sum  to  raise  which  required  no  small  exer. 
tion  on  the  part  of  Richard's  friends.  The  king's  ransom  was  one  of  the 
cases  for  which  the  feudal  law  made  express  provision.  Uut  as  it  was 
found  that  the  sum  of  twenty  shillings  which  was  levied  upon  each 
knight's  fee  did  not  make  up  the  money  with  the  rapidity  which  friendly 
and  patriotic  zeal  required,  great  individual  exertions  wt;re  made,  the 
clergy  and  nobility  giving  larije  sums  beyond  what  could  have  fairly  hpcn 
demanded  of  them,  and  the  churches  and  religious  houses  actually  melt- 
ing  down  their  plate  to  the  anmiint  of  .'30  OOO  marks.  As  soon  as  the 
money  by  these  exliMordiiiary  exertions  was  t;oi  together.  Queen  Kloanor, 
accompanied  by  the  archbisliop  of  Iloiien,  went  to  Meiitz  and  ilicif  paid 
it  to  the  emperor,  to  wliom  she  at  lb."  same  time  delivered  the  liuslanes 
for  the  payment  of  the  remainder.  There  was  something  perfectly  prov- 
idential in  the  haste  made  by  the  friends  of  Richard;  for  had  tlicie  been 
the  least  delay,  he  would  have  been  sacM'ifired  to  the  treaclieroiis  policy 
of  the  emperor,  who,  anxious  to  obtain  the  support  of  the  king  of  Trance 
agaiu't  the  tlirealeiiing  discontent  of  the  (iermaii  princes,  was  induced  to 
determine  upon  perpetiiatinyr  the  captivity  of  Kidiard.  even  after  the  re- 
lease of  that  prince  on  the  payment  of  the  money  and  the  delivery  of  the 
specified  nuinber  of  hostages.  'I'be  emperor  had  so  fully  deteiinined 
upon  this  flagili(H!>  breach  of  faith,  that  lie  airliially  sent  messenijcis  to 
arrest  Richard,  who,  however,  had  sailed  and  was  out  of  sight  of  land 
ere  they  reached  Antwerp.  Richard  was  received  most  rapiuioiisly  by 
his  faithful  sut)jects,  and,  as  if  anxious  to  wipe  away  the  stuin  of  incar- 
ceration, he  revived  the  custom  wliicli  his  father  had  allowed  to  fall  into 
neglect,  of  renewing  the  ceremony  of  coronation.  "  Take  care  of  your. 
self,"  wrote  Philip  to  John,  "  the  devil  has  broken  loose."  The  barons 
in  council  assembled,  however,  were  far  irore  terrible  to  the  uiiyritcfiil 
John  than  his  fiery  yet  placable  brother,  for  they  confiscated  the  whole  of 
John's  English  properly,  and  took  pos.)ession  of  all  the  fortresses  that 
were  in  the  hands  of  his  partizans. 

Having  made  some  stay  in  England  to  rest  himself  iifler  his  many 
fatigues,  and  having  found  his  popularity  proof  even  against  the  some- 
what perilous  test  to  which  he  put  it  by  an  arbitrary  resumption  of  all 
the  ffranls  of  land  which,  previous  to  going  to  the  Kast,  he  had  made  with 
an  improvidence  as  remarkable  as  his  present  want  of  honesty,  Richard 
now  turned  his  attention  to  punishing  the  wanton  and  persevering  enmity 
of  Philip  of  France.  A  war  ensued,  but  it  was  weakly  condocted  on 
both  sides,  and  a  truce  was  at  length  made  between  them  for  a  year.  A' 
the  commencement  of  this  war  John  was  on  thf  side  of  Philip;  I  u  ,ar 


J  ■  ** 


THE  TREASURY  01'  HldTURY. 


247 


f  incap.ibie  of  beinof  raithTul  even  in  wickedness,  he  took  an  opportunity 
,0  desert,  and  having  secured  the  powerful  intercession  of  Queen  Elea- 
nor, he  veniured  to  throw  himself  at  the  feet  of  Richard  and  entreiit  his 
pitrdon,  "  May  I  »s  easily  forg^et  iiis  injuries  as  he  will  my  forgiveness!" 
was  the  shrewd  remark  of  Rirhard  on  forgiving  his  unnatural  brother. 

The  truce  between  England  and  France  being  ai  an  end,  the  emperor 
of  Germany  solicited  Richard's  offensive  alliance  against  France,  and 
though  circumstances  occurred  to  prevent  the  treaty  with  the  emperor 
from  being  ratified,  the  mere  proposal  sutRced  to  renew  the  war  between 
Rjchiird  and  Philip;  but  on  this  occasion,  as  before,  the  operations  were 
coiiduufd  most  weakly  and  on  a  very  insignificant  scale,  (a.  d.  1196.) 
Afier  some  petty  losses  on  each  side  a  peace  was  made ;  but  the  kings 
were  too  inimical  to  each  other  to  remain  long  at  rest,  and  in  about  two 
months  hostilities  were  recommenced. 

Oil  this  occasion  Richard  was  joined  by  the  counts  of  Flanders,  Bou- 
Iciie,  Champiigne,  and  Toulouse,  and  by  some  other  of  his  fellow-vassals 
of'tlie  crown  of  France ;  but  the  alliance  was  thus  productive  of  far  less 
benefit  than  Richard  had  anticipated. 

Tiie  prelates  of  that  day  were  more  frequently  than  be(!ame  thera 
found  on  the  battle-field.  On  one  occasion  during  this  war  the  bishop  of 
BeHUVais,  a  relative  of  the  French  king,  was  taken  prisoner  in  battle,  and 
Richard  loaded  him  with  irons  and  threw  him  into  prison,  as  though  ho 
had  been  the  vilest  of  malefactors.  The  pope,  at  the  instance  of  the 
king  of  France,  demanded  the  release  of  the  valiant  bishop,  of  whom  he 
spoke  as  being  "his  son."  Richard,  with  a  dry  and  bitter  humour,  of 
which  he  secins  to  have  possessed  no  incoiisiderablu  share,  sent  to  the 
^ope  the  blood-stained  armour  which  tiie  prelate  had  worn  in  the  battle, 
and  quoted  the  words  of  Jacob's  sons,  "this  have  we  found;  know  now 
whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  no."  How  long  the  alternation  of  weak 
war  and  ill-kept  peace  would  have  continued  it  is  impossible  to  judge,  for 
the  great  cruelly  which  both  kings  exorcised  upon  their  prisoners  indi- 
cated 11  feeling  of  malignity  too  deep  to  be  destroyed  by  the  efforts  of 
negotiators;  but  while  such  efforts  were  being  made  by  tiie  cardinal  St. 
Mary,  the  pope's  legate.  Richard,  who  IkkI  esciiped  in  so  many  I'urious 
conlijcts  botli  in  the  East  and  Europe,  piM-islied  from  tlie  effect  of  a 
woniiii  received  in  a  petty  quarrel. 

A.  D.  1199. — Vidomar,  viscount  of  Limoges,  who  was  a  vassal  of  Ri- 
chard's, found  some  treasure  and  sent  a  considerable  share  as  a  present 
to  him;  Richard  demanded  that  all  should  bo  given  up  to  him  as  superior 
lord,  and,  on  receiving  a  refusal,  led  some  troops  to  the  siege  of  the  castle 
of  Chains,  in  which  the  viscount  was  slaying.  '*n  the  approach  of 
Richard  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  force  of  IJrabansons,  the  garrison 
offered  to  surrender  on  terms,  but  Richard  cruelly  replied  that  he  would 
first  take  the  place  and  then  hang  up  every  man  of  the  garrison.  After 
making  this  reply,  which,  imhap|)ily.  was  only  too  characteristic  of  his 
leinpir,  Richard,  attended  by  one  of  his  captains,  approaclied  the  walls  to 
reconnoitre,  iuid  had  an  arrow  lodged  in  his  shoulder  by  an  archer  named 
Bcrlrand  de  Gourdon.  Almost  at  the  same  moineiil  Ricliard  gave  the 
order  for  the  assault,  and  on  the  place  being  taken  he  literally  put  his 
threat  into  execution  upon  the  garrison,  with  the  sole  exception  of  de 
(lonniuii,  who  was  only  temporarily  spared  that  he  might  have  the  cruel 
distinction  of  a  slower  and  more  painful  death.  Richard  was  so  much 
mangled  by  the  awkwardness  with  which  the  barbed  arrow  was  drawn 
from  his  wound,  that  mortification  rapidly  set  in,  and  the  monarcii  felt 
that  W'.i  last  hour  approached.  Cuiising  de  Gourdon  to  be  brouglit  into 
his  |)rcsf-nce,  he  demanded  how  )ic  had  ever  injured  him.  "  With  your 
own  hand,"  firmly  replied  the  prisoner,  "you  slew  my  father  and  my  two 
brothnrs.    You  also  ihreatenad  to  hang  me  in  coiiiuioa  with  my  fellow 


■^;>.|:ifH^T: 


•48 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


:<Ei*'-'i| 


Boldicrs.  I  am  now  in  your  power,  but  I  shall  be  consoled  under  th« 
worst  tortures  lliat  you  can  cause  to  be  nillicled  upon  ine  wliile  I  can  ro 
fleet  that  I  have  been  able  to  rid  the  eartli  of  sucli  a  nuisaneu."  Richard 
softened  by  pain  and  tlie  near  approaeli  of  death,  ordered  that  the  bold 
ardier  sliould  bo  set  at  liherly  anci  presented  wiili  a  consi<lerable  sum  ol 
money;  but  Marcadee,  the  leader  of  the  Hrabangons  in  whose  eonipniiy 
Richard  was  wounded,  brutally  had  de  (lourdon  Hayed  alive  and  then 
hanged.  Uichard's  wound  dotied  the  rude  seienec  of  his  sin'geoiis,  and 
after  considerable  suffering  he  died  on  the  Gth  of  April,  119!),  in  the  foity. 
second  year  of  his  ago  and  the  tenth  of  his  reign — a  reign  very  brilhaiii 
as  regards  his  warlike  feats,  but  in  all  the  high  and  really  admirable  qual. 
ities  of  .1  monarch  very  sadly  deficient.  Ills  conduct  wat' in  some  par. 
licular  cases  not  merely  oppressive,  as  regarded  his  ways  of  raising 
money,  but  absolutely  dishonest.  As,  for  instant.'c,  he  twite  in  his  rcjirn 
gave  orders  that  all  charters  should  be  resealed.  the  parlies  in  each  ease 
having,  of  course,  to  pay  the  fees;  and  in  many  eases  taxes  were  indicted 
upon  particular  parties  without  any  othci  authority  tiian  the  king's  mere 
will,  lint  it  was  chiefly  in  the  re-enactment  of  all  the  worst  parts  of  the 
forest  laws,  those  parts  which  inflicted  the  most  cruel  and  disgusting  mu- 
tilations upon  the  offenders.  Hut  wliile  this  particular  branch  of  law  was 
shamefully  severe,  the  police  of  London  and  other  great  towns  was  in  an 
equally  lax  stale.  Kobbery  and  violence  in  the  streets  were  very  com. 
mon  ;  and  at  one  time,  in  1100,  a  lawyer  named  Fiizosbert,  suniamcJ 
Longbeard,  had  acquired  a  vast  and  dangerous  power  over  the  worst  rab- 
ble of  London,  numbering  nearly  fifty  thousand,  who  under  his  orders  for 
some  time  set  the  ill-consolidated  authorities  at  dcfianc*;.  When  called 
upon  by  the  chief  justiciary  to  give  an  account  of  his  conduct,  he  altciid- 
ed  with  so  numerous  a  rabble,  that  the  justiciary  deemed  it  unsafe  to  do 
more  with  him  at  that  lime  than  merely  call  upon  him  to  give  hostages 
for  his  future  good  behaviour.  Hut  the  justiciary  took  measures  for  ki'e|). 
ing  a  watchful  eye  upon  Fiizosbert,  and  at  length  attempted  to  take  Inin 
into  custody,  on  which  he,  with  his  concubine  and  some  attendants,  t()(ik 
refuge  in  How  Church,  whore  he  defended  himself  very  resolutely,  but 
was  at  length  taken  and  hanged.  So  infatuated  were  the  populace,  liow. 
ever,  that  the  very  gibbet  ui)on  which  this  man  was  executed  was  stolen, 
and  it  was  pretended  that  [)ieces  of  it  could  work  miracles  in  curing  the 
diseased.  Though  so  fiery  in  temper,  and  so  excessively  addicted  lo 
bloodshed,  liiehard  was  by  no  means  destitute  of  a  certain  vein  of  ten- 
derness and  romance.  !'e  pride<l  himself  pretty  nearly  as  much  upon  his 
skill  as  a  troubadour  as  upon  his  feats  as  a  warrior,  and  there  are  even 
some  of  his  compositions  extant.  On  the  whole,  however,  we  fear  llial 
the  popularity  of  Uichard  does  little  credit  either  to  his  cr)iitemporaries 
or  his  [losterity  as  far  as  good  judgment  is  concerned.  Ilrilliant  qiialitiej 
he  undoubtedly  had  ;  but  his  cruelly  and  his  dogged  self-will  threw  g 
blemish  over  them  all. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

THE      «  i:  I  O  N      OF      JOHN. 

A.  D.  1199. — When  Uichard  went  to  Palrstine  he  by  a  formal  will  se, 
aside  the  claim  of  John  to  be  his  successor,  in  favour  of  Arthur  of  Riit- 
tany,  the  son  of  their  brother  OeotVrcy.  Hut  during  Uichard's  absence 
John  caused  the  prelates  and  nobles  to  swear  fealty  to  him  in  despite  ol 
that  deed ;  and  Uichard,  on  ids  return  to  Kngland,  so  far  from  sliowiii; 
any  desire  to  disturb  that  arrangement,  actually  in  his  last  will  eoiiPti 
luted  John  his  successor,  in  direct  contradiction  to  his  own  loriner  ami 


'^-.%i:v^l^ 


THE  THEASUUY  OP  HISTORY. 


249 


lorniftl  'Ipf'fl'  ^"'  t'lougli  Joliii  was  tliiis  aiillioritativcly  n;inicfl  as  his 
Dfollicr's  successor,  miiiiy  of  tlio  liai-oiis  of  Noriiiinuly  llioujjht  llie  right 
of  vdiiiifr  Arlliiir  wholly  iiulcfciisilile  liy  even  tlic  will  of  his  uitde  ;  nnd 
Pliilip,  who  was  glad  of  any  opportiimly  to  injure  the  peace  of  the  Ku- 
glish  territories  in  France,  cheerfully  agreed  to  aid  them  in  tlie  support 
of  the  yoiiiig  prince,  whom  he  sent  to  Paria  to  be  educated  with  his  own 
jon.  John  acted  willi  unusual  alertness  and  good  judgment  on  this  occa- 
gjon.  Sending  his  mother,  Eleanor,  to  secure  the  provinces  of  Guienne 
and  Poictou,  where  slie  was  greatly  beloved,  he  himself  proceeded  to 
RouPii,  and  having  made  all  the  arrangements  necessary  to  keep  peace  in 
Normandy,  he  proceeded  thence  to  Kngland.  Hero  he  found  little  or  no 
(iirticiiliy  in  causing  his  claim  to  be  preferred  to  that  of  a  mere  boy  ;  and 
liaviiis;  received  the  homage  of  all  ibt;  most  powerful  barons,  \n)  hastened 
to  France  to  prepare  the  nncessaiy  opposiiion  to  whatever  exertions 
I'liilip  might  make  on  behalf  of  yonn!»  Arthur. 

A.D.  I'JOO.— The  actions  between  John  and  Philipwereof  butlittle  impor- 
taiii'C  ;  and  the  latter  having  inspired  young  Arthur's  mother  with  the  no- 
lioa  that  he  sought  to  benefit  hnnseif  latlier  tlian  her  son,  seized  an  oppor- 
tunity to  withdraw  Arthur  from  l\w  I'n  iidi  couit,  and  placed  him  under 
the  protection  of  John.  Finding  their  mutual  want  of  power  to  obtain  any 
grcit  and  permanent  advantage  by  war,  tin;  two  kings  now  made  a  treaty 
111  whicii  the  limits  of  their  several  lcrri!ories  were  laid  down  with  great 
fXiuli'iidc;  nine  barons  of  each  nation  swore  respectively  to  maintain  tlic 
lre;ily  in  g"od  faith,  even  should  it  be  necessary  to  make  war  U[)on  their 
own  sovereign,  and  still  farther  to  iiisuri!  iis  due  and  faithful  observance 
John  ;.nive  his  niece,  Ulanclie  of  Caslde,  with  certain  fiefs  of  her  dower, 
ti)  I'riiice  Louis,  eldest  son  of  llu;  Fremli  king.  Being  thus  relieved  from 
all  apparent  danger  on  the  side  of  France,  John,  though  he  had  a  wife 
hviiijf,  (letermiiKid  to  gratify  his  passion  fur  Isabella,  heiress  of  the  count 
of  Aiijouieme,  though  stie  was  already  married  to  the  (-ount  de  la  Marche, 
hf r  yoiiiii  alone  having  hitherto  previniled  llu;  consummation  of  the  union. 
Jiilii'i,  reckless  of  the  double  diflicHilty,  persuaded  Isabella's  father  to  give 
jiiia  his  (laughter,  whom  he  espoused  after  hiiviiig  unceremoniously  di- 
viirccil  ins  lawful  wife. 

A.  n.  l-'Ol. — The  Count  de  la  Man-lie,  in  the  highest  degree  provoked  at 
lliis  lliii;raMt  and  insolent  wrong  that  thus  was  dcnie  him,  found  it  no  difli- 
ciill  task  to  excite  commotion  in  Foictnu  and  Normandy  ;  the  barons  there, 
as  elsewhere  in  John's  dominion,  being  already  olTcnided  and  disgusted  by 
llicaiixtureof '.'eakness  and  insolence  in  which,  probably,  John  lias  never 
been  eipialled.  Alarmed  as  well  as  enraged  by  the  disobedience  of  his 
Frciicli  barons,  John  determined  to  punish  them  ;  but  on  summoning  the 
chivalry  of  Fngland  to  cross  the  sea  with  him  for  that  purpose,  he  was- 
mot  with  a  demand  that,  before  they  crossed  over  to  restore  his  autliorily 
ill  his  transmarine  dominions,  they  should  have  their  privileges  restored 
iui'l  placed  upon  a  secure  footing,  'i'lieir  demand  was  not  attended  to  on 
ilic  present  occasion,  but  this  union  of  the  barons  led,  as  we  shall  hereafter 
Bie,  totlie  most  important  conse(nieMces.  On  the  present  occasion  John 
contrived  to  break  up  the  coalilion  of  the  barons,  some  of  whom  agreed  to 
accoinijany  him  on  his  expedition,  while  the  rest  were  mulcted  two  marks 
Dn  cacli  knight's  fee  as  a  substitute  for  their  personal  attendance. 

The  addition  of  the  force  he  carried  from  Kngland  to  that  which  re- 
mained faithful  to  liiin  in  Normandy  gave  John  an  ascendancy  which, 
rii;luly  used,  might  have  spared  him  many  a  subsequent  liour  of  care. 
Dui  it  was  contrary  to  John's  nature  to  make  a  right  use  of  powei ;  and 
llic  nioiiieiit  he  found  himself  safe  from  the  infliction  of  injustice  he  was 
seized  with  an  ungovernaL'n  desire  to  inflict  it  upon  others.  He  advanced 
I'laiiiis  which  he  knew  to  bo  unjust ;  aiK'  as  disputes  of  the  feudal  kind 
were  cliielly  to  be  settled  by  the  duel,  he  co»istaiUly  kept  abc  ul  him  .skil 


too 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


i6h 


'}.-  -  i 


ful  and  desperate  bravos  whose  business  it  was  In  act  as  liis  chanipioi 
in  ciis(!8  of  iippeal  of  duel.     'I'lie  (/Oinit  do  la  .Marriic  and  othet  hit,, 
spirited  barons  complained  of  ilie  indignity  oflVrcd  to  lliem  in  thus  opposjno 
to  them,  as  tUtuig  antagonists,  men  wliose  low  birth  and  infamous  clmr 
acter  made  tlicin  unworthy  of  llic  noiiee  of  warriors  of  good  hirih  luid 

frentie  breeding,  appealed  to  Philip  as  their  superior  lord,  and  called  upon 
lim  to  protect  them  against  the  wantonness  of  John's  tyranny.  Pluim 
who  saw  all  the  advantages  whieli  might  possddy  aeeruo  to  hinuseif,  af! 
feeted  the  part  of  a  just  lord  ;  and  John,  who  could  not  disavow  Plulip'j 
authority  wiiliout  at  the  same  tinii:  sinking  at  his  own,  promised  that  |)y 
granting  his  barons  an  equitable  judgment  iii  his  own  court  he  would  (],>. 
prive  tiieni  both  of  the  right  and  the  necessity  of  appealing  to  the  superior 
court  of  I'liilip.  Again  and  again  his  promises  were  renewed,  but  only  to 
be  broken  ;  Philip,  finding  that  Ins  ■muso  of  honour  al.)nc  was  no  securitv 
demanded  that  the  castle  of  Uoutavant  and  Tilleries  should  be  placed  iij 
his  hands  as  security  for  justice  being  done  to  the  barons.  John  was  too 
weak  to  resist  this  demand  ;  but  he  was  also  too  faithless  to  keep  Ins 
promise,  which  was  broken  just  as  it  would  have  been  had  hegivenno  se- 
curily  whatever. 

A.  D.  l-,'t)3.— Young  Arlhurof  Brittany,  who  was  now  springinginto  niaii. 
hood  and  who  had  a  very  decided  taste  for  warfare,  had  by  ihis  tune  sipii 
enougli  of  llie  cruel  and  tynnnous  eharaeier  of  his  uncle  to  feel  ilmi  1;^ 
was  not  in  safety  while  living  with  him  ;  he  therefore  made  his  eseiiix;  lo 
Philip,  who  received  hiin  with  the  utmost  distinction,  kmghted  him,  y;ive 
him  his  daiigiiter  Mary  in  marri.ige,  and  invested  him  not  only  in  liis  he 
reditary  JJriilany,  but  also  with  Aiijon  and  Maine.  The  French  army  was 
for  a  time  successful  in  every  atlt.inpl ;  'rdleries  and  lioutavant,  Muriiniat 
and  Lyons,  wcri!  taken  almost  without  dillicully  ;  :iiid  (loiniiay,  coinjilcle. 
ly  flooded  by  a  slratagcin  of  I'hiiip,  was  ah.nnloiK^d  to  him  by  iliu  as- 
touniled  garrison.  Ai  each  new  loss,  John,  timid  in  adversity  ashuv.as 
despotic  and  unsparing  in  prosperity,  made  new  endeavours  to  ulitaiii 
peace  ;  but  tlic'  sole  coiiditiun  upon  which  Philip  would  now  (tonsciil  lu 
even  listen  to  his  proposals,  was  his  full  resignation  of  all  his  territory  on 
the  coiitincnl  to  Prince  Arihiir.  An  accident  at  length  occurred  uliicli 
changt!(l  tiie  pros[)ects  of  i  hat  youiiir  pi  nice,  wilh  fcaifnl  rapidity,  frinii  ihc 
Utmost  success  to  the  most  coniplclc  nun.  Well  knowing  how  imicli  las 
grandmother.  Queen  Kleaiior,  li;id  tjver  been  opposed  lo  his  welfare,  and 
hearing  that  slie  was  in  tlie  fortress  of  Mirabeau,  in  Poicliers,  ami  liul 
slenderly  att(Mided,  it  occurred  lo  him  tlial  if  he  could  obtain  possessioiiul 
her  person  he  would  obtain  the  means  t)f  exercising  considerable  iiilliiciiL'e 
upon  his  uncle's  mind,  and  he  accordingly  sat  down  to  besiege  the  piaLc, 
the  forlifi(;ationof  which  ()roiniscd  no  very  long  resistance.  John,  lli()iii;h 
at  some  distance  when  informed  of  his  mother's  danger,  hastened  to  inr 
assistance  with  a  specid  very  unusual  for  him,  surprized  young  Ariliiir's 
camp, dispersed  his  forces,  and  look  Arthur,  together  with  Count  de  la 
Marclie  and  other  distinguished  leaders  of  the  revolted  barons,  iirisoiiiT.s. 
Most  of  ihe  prisoners  were  for  greater  stM'uriiy  shipped  off  to  l')iii>laiul; 
but  Arthur  was  confined  in  the  castle  of  Falaise,  where  In;  was  sjircdily 
admitted  to  the  dangerous  honour  of  an  iiitereiew  with  his  uncle.  John 
reproached  Arthur  less  with  the  injustice  of  his  cause  in  general,  tiian  with 
the  folly  of  his  «!X[)ecling  to  derive  any  |)ermaneiil  advantage  frniii  the 
French  alliance,  which  would  keep  him  at  variance  with  his  own  fianily, 
merely  to  make  him  a  tool ;  a  view  of  the  case  which  was  none  tiie  itss 
correct  because  taken  by  a  [)riiice  of  wiiose  general  character  a  jiisl  it'^ii 
finds  it  iinpo.'isible  to  approve.  Arthur,  brave;  and  sangtiiiie,  asserieil  lliat 
his  claim  was  superior  to  that  of  his  uncle,  .md  that  not  oidy  as  rcj^iiriled 
the  French  territories,  but  as  regarded  Fnglaiid  also;  and  he  called  iipoD 
John  lo  listen  to  thu  voice  of  justice  and  restore  him  to  his  ri<i;hts. 


THK  TRKA8UIIY  OP  HISTORY 


951 


Historians  differ  as  to  the  way  in  which  John  freed  hiinsclt  from  a  com- 
npiilor  wliiise  Ciiriy  boldness  pioniiscd  at  no  distant  day  to  give  him  much 
irnuble.  We  have  always  donb'-d  Ihe  exact  accuracy  of  all  the  accounts, 
for  the  timidity  and  distrust  which  formed  so  principal  a  part  of  John's 
iiiiiiiniablf  character  would  surely  nev(!r  havo  deserted  him  so  far  on  so 
terribly  serious  an  occasion,  as  would  be  implied  by  his  proceeding  being 
known  with  circumstantial  accuracy. 

Ail  ih'it  seems  to  us  to  be  certain  upon  the  very  painful  subject  is,  that 
after  a  stormy  interview  with  his  unric  yoinig  Arthur  was  seen  no  more 
for  sonic  time.  A  report  got  into  very  Bcneral  circulation  that  he  had 
bi-eii  unfairly  dealt  with.  Such,  it  seems,  was  not  the  case  as  yet.  Tho 
Itjiig,  it  is  affirmed,  had  applied  to  William  de  la  Bray  to  put  the  young 
prince  to  death,  but  he  nobly  replied  that  ho  was  a  gentleman,  not  an  as- 
5a;siM  or  a  hangman.  A  less  scrupulous  person  was  at  length  found  and 
5nit  to  the  castle  of  Falaise  ;  b-it  he  was  sent  away  by  Hubert  de  linrgh, 
llif  governor  of  the  fortress,  wiih  Ihe  assurance  that  he  would  himself  do 
uhal  was  necessary  ; — which  humane  deception  he  followed  up  by  sprcad- 
iniT  ;i  report  of  the  prince's  death,  and  even  going  through  the  form  of  his 
fimeriil.  Hut  when  the  death  of  the  young  prince  was  thus  cUiihoritative. 
Iv  iisscrtcd,  the  general  ill  character  of  John  causcrl  him  to  be  universally 
p'oiiiied.it  as  the  murderer;  and  Hubert  do  Hiirgh,  fr  iring  that  all  Urittany 
ttOiiKI  break  out  into  revolt  confessed  the  innocent  deception  he  had  prac- 
tised. John  no  sooner  learned  that  his  unfortunate  nephew  sidl  lived, 
iliaii  he  ordered  his  removal  from  the  custody  of  the  faithful  and  humane 
De  l(iir»li,  and  had  him  taken  to  the  castle  of  itoucn.  Here  John  visited 
Arilitir  in  the  dead  of  night,  and,  though  the  young  prince  is  said  to  have 
kiicH  to  him  and  prayed  for  his  life,  stabbed  him  with  his  own  hand. 

That  Jolm  was  capable  of  this  extreme  atrocity  we  have  unfortunately 
1(1(1  nuicli  reason  to  gather  from  the  universal  detestation  in  which  he  was 
held  by  iiis  contemporaries.  Hut  though  tliere  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that 
Arthur  perished  by  the  order,  at  least,  if  not  by  tht;  very  hand,  of  his 
Hide,  we  would  again  direct  the  atienlion  of  the  reader  to  tie  too  great 
particiil.irity  of  th'S  iiccount,  in  tho  first  [ilace,  and  to  a  discrepancy  be- 
nvi'cii  ih(!  natural  charac'er  of  Arthur  and  that  part  of  the  story  which 
represents  liiin  as  kneeling  in  terror  to  his  uncle.  The  story  savours 
smiicwliat  more  than  it  should  of  a  scene  from  Shakspcare,  whose  dramatic 
jniius  it  would  be  idle  to  question,  but  whose  historic  authority  we  should 
be  liith  to  pin  our  faith  ufioii. 

But  though  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  so  wily  a  person  as  John  would 
allow  the  details  of  his  tyrannous  cruelly  to  b(!  thus  brought  before  the 
HiirkI,  and  though  his  personal  timidity  rendered  him  as  unlikely  to  have 
umlertakeii  with  his  own  haiiu  the  murder  of  Arthur,  as  it  was  that  this 
higii-hwnried  young  prince  would  show  any  terror,  even  in  the  death  hour, 
the  universal  belief  of  John's  contemporaries  was  thai  ho,  whether  with  his 
own  hand  or  not,  caused  Arthur's  death ;  and  loud  and  terrible  was  the  out 
fry  ofthfi  people  of  Brittany,  to  whom  .Arthur  was  as  dear  as  his  wily  and 
cruel  uncle  was  hateful.  Kleaiior,  An  iir's  sisler,  was  in  the  power  of 
John,  who  kept  her  closely  confined  in  England  ;  but  the  Breons.  resolved 
lodo  anything  rather  than  willingly  acknowledge  the  sway  of  John,  chose 
for  their  sovereign  young  Alice  the  daughter  of  Constance  by  her  second 
hiisbiiid,  Guy  de  '1  honars,  to  whom  they  committed  the  alTairs  of  the 
dnehy  as  guardian  of  his  daiibhter,  and  they  at  the  same  lime  appealed  to 
Philip  as  superior  lord  to  do  justice  upon  Jolin  for  his  violence  to  .Arthur, 
who  was  feudatory  to  France.  Philip  summoned  John  to  appear  before 
hiui.  and,  in  default  of  his  doing  so,  he  was  declared  a  felon  and  sentenced 
to  forfeit  all  seignory  and  fief  in  France  to  his  superior  lord,  Philip. 

No  one  who  has  accurately  read  what  has  already  been  related  of  the 
slirewd,  grasping,  and  somewhat  cunning  character  of  Pliilip,  can  douW 


III 


I, 


253 


THE  TftKASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


I  mmi 

WK^wi 

^-iJl 

^B  S^  £ 

i'ij^ 

wi^ 

nH 

mij 

WmM 

I'H^i 

IP 

^w, 

H^  '^ 

[ 


,ra 

^M^H; 

1 

H| 

fff'fjl 

^H 

l^^H^ri 

^■Hb|; 

vv'dul^H^^ffl 

ijlM^i' 

1;^j|^MME 

<^^S^k'1' 

filPiBiS 

Prl^B|^ ; 

rHnHpH 

|L'|9|  j 

ii 

X^^hn^Hlt^K   ' 

that,  from  the  first,  ho  took  up  the  cause  of  voiing  Arthur  less  wiiluTievf 
to  the  benefit  ot  that  young  prince,  than  in  the  hope  tliat  the  chapter  or  ac 
cidcnts  wouhl  ennhlc  him.  sooner  or  later,  to  deprive  the  English  crown 
or  some  portion,  if  not  all,  of  its  French  appanages.  And  the  appenl  of 
his  Drctoiis  to  his  justice,  the  unwise  advanta);e  afiforded  to  him  hv  John's 
default  of  appearance,  and  the  unanimous  sentence  of  ihe  Freni;h  peerj 
now  seemed  to  give  him  something  like  a  substantial  and  Judicial  right  as 
against  John. 

The  exertions  and  sagacious  policy  of  Henry  would  have  evoked  Fronch 
opposition  to  any  such  attempt;  that  skilful  politician  would  have  found 
but  little  difficulty  in  leading  the  French  barons  to  abstain  from  endeavour- 
ing to  add  to  the  authority  of  their  superior  lord,  lest  in  so  doing  ihey 
should  insure  their  own  ruin.  Neither  would  it  have  been  safe  to  try 
such  a  plan  while  the  lion-hearted  Richard  lived  to  shout  his  fierce  battle 
cry  in  ihat  popular  voice  which  would  have  been  heard  in  hall  and  tower 
and  which  would  nowhere  have  been  unheeded  where  chivalry  siill  abode! 
Ihit  John,  destitute  alike  of  courage,  popularity,  and  of  true  iioliry,  waj 
little  likely  to  unravel  or  defeat  a  dexterous  policy  or  long  to  wiilniand 
actual  force,  hated  as  he  was  even  by  his  own  barons.  The  opportuniiy 
was  the  more  templing  to  Philip,  because  those  of  his  great  vassals  who 
would  have  been  the  most  likely  to  oppose  his  aggrandizement  were  either 
absent  or  so  much  enraged  against  John,  that  their  desire  to  annuy  him 
and  abridge  the  power  he  had  so  shamefully  abused,  overcame  in  their 
minds  all  tendency  to  a  cooler  and  more  selfish  style  of  reasoning. 

Philip  took  several  of  the  fortresses  situated  beyond  the  Loire,  some  of 
which  he  garrisoned  for  himself,  while  others  he  wholly  destroyed;  aiul 
his  early  successes  were  followed  up  by  the  surrender  to  him,  by  the  count 
d'Alens'on,  of  all  the  places  which  he  had  been  entrusted  to  hold  for  John. 
Elated  by  this  success,  and  desirous  to  rest  liis  troops,  Philip  disembodied 
them  for  the  season.  John,  enraged  by  all  that  had  passed  in  this  brief 
campaign,  took  advantage  of  this  too-confident  movement  of  Philip,  and 
sat  down  before  Alen^on  with  a  strong  army.  But  if  Philip  was  capable 
of  committing  a  military  error,  he  whs  equally  capable  of  seizing  upon 
the  readiest  means  of  repairing  it.  To  delay  while  he  was  re-colleciin;' 
his  scattered  troops  would  be  to  expose  the  count  to  the  whole  force,  and, 
in  the  case  of  defeat,  to  Ihe  whole  vengeance,  too,  of  John.  But  it  fortu 
nately  happened  that  the  most  eminent  nobles,  not  only  of  FrHiice  but 
also  of  Italy  and  (lermany,  were  at  this  very  time  assembled  at  a  splendid 
tournament  at  Morct.  Hither  Philip  directed  his  course,  gave  a  vivid 
description  of  the  evil  character  of  John,  of  his  own  disinterested  desire 
to  punish  the  craven  felonry  of  that  prince,  and  of  the  danger  in  which 
the  count  de'Alengon  was  placed  by  his  devotion  to  truth  and  chivalry, 
which  had  led  him  to  dare  the  vengeance  of  one  who  was  well  known  to 
be  unsparing  after  the  stricken  field,  as  craven  while  the  tide  of  bnttle still 
rolled;  ai)il  he  called  upon  the  assembled  chivalry,  as  they  valued  their 
noble  and  ancient  names,  to  follow  hint  to  the  worthy  tasK  of  aiding  a 
gallant  and  honourable  noble  against  a  dastardly  and  adjudged  fidun. 
Such  an  appeal,  made  to  such  heart*,  could  receive  but  one  answer.  Like 
one  man,  the  assembled  knights  followed  Philip  to  the  plains  of  Alengim, 
resolved,  at  whatever  cost,  to  raise  the  siege  But  John  saved  them  all 
trouble  on  that  score.  His  conscience  told  l.im  that  there  were  men  in 
that  brave  host  who,  if  he  should  chance  to  be  made  prisoner,  would  be 
likely  to  take  fearful  vengeance  for  the  untimely  death  of  j'oung  Arthur; 
and  he  would  not  even  await  their  apporach,  but  raised  the  siege  in  sud 
haste  that  he  actually  left  all  his  tents  and  tjaggage  of  every  description 
behind  to  be  captured  by  the  enemy. 

For  some  time  John  kept  his  court  at  Rouen,  showing  n<  other  feeling 
than  a  most  ludicrous  confidence  in  his  own  resources  whenfver  he  shouli) 


■li:; 


il'SliVTa'V^ 


HUMBT  AMD  PMNU  AaTHUL 


■iOffn 


determine  to  mat 
of  some  new  suc( 
them  go  on ;  by  f 
spent  years  in  tal 
Such  conduct  i: 
English  provinces 
seemed  so  obstini 
lliousfh  lie  had  ne 
would  have  been  e 
of  which  John  ha 
pressiiigly  appeale 
atlhut  ambitious 
niaJic  peace  with  , 
leirilory,    But  Pli 
ivhJc'i  he  iiimself 
tvliich  their  own  a 
of  their  iiing:,  they 
support  against  all 
pope  ij  tlie  tempor; 
cise.    Encouraged 
complying  with  tl; 
'haleaii  tJailJard,  w 
left  to  defend  the  N 
A.  D.  I'JOt.— Tlii! 
Duilt  partly  upon  ai 
neither  labour  nor  e 
it  was  held  by  a  nu 
stable  of  Chester,  a 
Philip,  thinking  it 
famine  than  by  mai 
posted  a  part  of  bis 
undertook  its  block: 
person  whom  John 
sand  foot  and  three 
Philip's  camp,  whih 
manned,  was  siinul| 
and  thus  throw  relic 
his  part  of  the  attac| 
advantage  over  Phil 
passage,  its  assistaij 
was  already  defeate| 
night,  according  to 
as  it  was,  Philip  wal 
tliem  both  ofT  with  \l 
sed  by  defeat,  was  sf 
heconldnol  be  iiidiif 
lant  fortress,  thougj 
him  to  do  so  by  the  d 
tinned  to  defend  liiil 
sion.    He  was  at  le[ 
iihole  garrison  madi 
sense  of  the  couragj 
serve  ids  master  cvifi 
for  his  place  of  cont^ 
It  i»  difficult  full! 
could  induce  John  tol 
•afelv  of  his  wholef 
could  not  be  igijorail 


THK  THE  A  BURY  OP  H18T0EY 


253 


determine  to  make  use  of  them.  Wh^n  information  was  brought  to  him 
of  some  new  success  on  the  part  of  the  French,  he  would  reply  "Ah  !  let 
them  go  on;  by  and  by  I  will  just  retake  in  a  single  day  what  they  have 
spent  years  in  taking." 

Such  conduct  naturally  disgusted  the  brave  barons  of  England  and  the 
En^lis'i  provinces,  and  weakened  their  desire  to  combat  for  a  prince  who 
seemed  so  obstinately  bent  upon  their  disgrace  and  his  own  ruin.  But 
llioiisjli  'is  had  neglected  those  means  of  defence  of  which  his  brother 
would  have  been  even  too  eager  to  avail  himself,  there  was  one  resource 
of  wliicli  John  had  not  neglected  to  avail  himself;  he  had  humbly  and 
pressiiigly  appealed  to  Rome.  Such  appeals  were  always  gladly  received 
at  that  ambitious  court,  and  Philip  received  a  peremptory  command  to 
iiiake  peace  with  John,  and  abstain  from  trenching  any  farther  upon  his 
leiritory.  But  Philip  had  inspired  his  barons  with  a  haired  equal  to  that 
tthic'i  lie  himself  fell  for  John ;  and,  regardless  of  any  possible  injury 
which  their  own  aulhority  might  suffer  from  the  undue  aggrandizement 
of  their  iiing,  they  loudly  assured  him  that  he  should  have  their  cordial 
support  against  all  foes  whosoever,  and  as  loudly  denied  the  right  of  the 
pope  ijtl'e  temporal  aulhority  which  he  thus  took  upon  himself  to  exer- 
cise. Encouraged  by  this  disposition  of  his  barons,  Philip,  instead  ot 
complying  with  the  orders  of  the  pope,  proceeded  to  lay  siege  to  the 
'h;iteaii  (.iaillard,  which  was  the  most  important  fortress  that  was  now 
left  to  defend  the  Norman  frontier. 

A.  D.  I'JOl.— This  place  was  admirably  strong  both  by  nature  and  by  art. 
Built  partly  upon  an  islet  of  the  Seine  and  partly  upon  an  opposite  crag, 
neither  labour  nor  expense  had  been  spared  upon  it,  and  at  this  very  time 
it  was  held  by  a  numerous  garrison  commanded  by  Roger  de  Lacy,  con- 
stable of  Chester,  a  leader  of  determined  courage  as  well  as  of  great  skill. 

Philip,  tliinking  it  more  facile  to  take  such  a  place,  so  garrisoned,  by 
famine  than  by  mam  force,  threw  a  bridge  across  the  Seine,  where  he 
posted  a  part  of  his  force,  and  he  himself  at  the  head  of  the  remainder 
undertook  its  blockade  by  land.  The  earl  of  Pembroke,  by  far  the  ablest 
person  whom  John  then  had  about  him,  assembled  a  force  of  four  thou- 
sand fool  and  three  thousand  horse,  with  which  he  purposed  to  attack 
Philip's  camp,  while  a  fleet  of  seventy  flat-bottomed  craft,  luimerously 
manned,  was  simultaneously  to  sail  up  the  Seine  and  attack  the  bridge, 
ami  thus  throw  relief  into  ihe  fortress.  The  earl  was  exact  in  performing 
his  part  of  the  attack,  and  even  at  the  outset  obtained  some  considerable 
advantage  over  Philip;  but  the  weather  chancing  to  retard  the  fleet  on  its 
passage,  its  assistance  arrived  too  late  for  the  support  of  the  earl,  who 
was  already  defeated.  Had  the  attack  been  made  simultaneously  and  by 
night, according  to  the  earl's  plan,  it  had  most  probably  been  successful; 
as  it  was,  Philip  was  enabled  to  deal  with  his  assailants  in  detail,  and  beat 
lliem  bolh  off  with  very  considerable  loss.  John,  who  was  easily  depres- 
sed hy  defeat,  was  so  much  discouraged  by  the  ill  success  of  the  earl,  that 
he  could  not  be  induced  to  make  any  farther  attempt  to  relieve  this  impor- 
tant fortress,  though  ample  opportunity  and  inducements  were  offered  to 
liim  to  do  so  by  the  gallant  conduct  of  l)e  Lacy,  who  for  a  whole  year  con- 
tinued to  defend  himself,  in  spite  of  great  suffering  from  want  of  provi- 
sion. He  was  at  length  overpowered  in  a  night-attack,  and  he  and  his 
whole  garrison  made  prisoners.  To  the  credit  of  Philip,  he  showed  his 
sense  of  the  courage  and  fidelity  with  which  De  Lacy  liad  continued  to 
serve  iiis  master  even  after  he  had  been  abandoned  by  him,  by  giving  him 
for  his  place  of  confinement  the  whole  extent  of  the  city  of  Paris. 

It  ij  difficult  fully  to  understand  the  indolence  and  incapacity  which 
could  induce  John  to'neglect  the  relief  of  chateau  Gailliard,  upon  wliich  the 
lafely  of  his  whole  Norman  territory  depended.  This  dependance  he 
could  not  be  ignorant  of;  asyl  it  was  rapidly  and  perfectly  illustrated  by  the 


fji^prrj  ,* 


ii! 


'1^ 


'^bi 


THE  TREASJJRY  OP  HISTORY. 


»'  u',>f  i 


successes  which  Philip  obtained  after  its  capture.  Falaise,  Chcn,  Con- 
stance, Evreux,  Bayeux,  and  other  fortresses  sucreasively  fell  into  hii 
hands;  Lupicaire,  a  Brabangon  leader,  to  whom  John  had  entrusted  the 
defence  of  the  first-named  place,  deserted  with  all  his  men  to  the  standard 
of  Philip,  and  while  the  lower  division  of  Normandy  was  thus  overrun  by 
the  French  under  Philip,  Upper  Normandy  was  entered  by  the  Breioiij 
under  Guy  de  'I'houars,  who  took  Avranches,  Mont  St.  Michel,  and  the 
other  strong-holds  of  that  part.  Pressed  thus  by  an  active  prince,  who 
was  served  by  men  of  conduct  and  courage,  and  abandoned  by  John 
wiiose  hasty  and  secret  departure  for  England  might  almost  be  cal- 
led a  flight,  liie  Normans  had  no  resource  but  to  submit  to  Philip,  muchas 
they  disliked  the  idea  of  subjection  to  the  French  government. 

A.  D.  1205. — As  there  was  still  a  portion  of  the  Normans  who,  though 
abandoned  by  the  kin^  of  England,  determined  to  defer,  if  not  wholly  to 
avoid,  their  submission  to  Philip,  Kouen,  Argues,  and  Verneuil  confedera- 
ted for  this  purpose.  Philip  immediately  advanced  his  troops  against  the 
flrst-named  city,  the  inhabitants  of  which  signalized  their  hatred  of  France 
by  forthwith  putting  to  death  every  man  of  ihal  nation  who  was  living 
among  them.  The  cruel  are  rarely  brave;  and  the  defence  of  Rouen  by 
no  means  answered  to  the  promise  of  desperation  given  by  this  treacher- 
ous butchery.  Scarcely  had  the  besiegers  commenced  operations  when 
tiie  besieged  lost  heart,  and  merely  demanded  u  truce  of  thirty  days  to 
enable  them  to  obtain  succour  from  their  prince.  Philip,  who  well  under- 
stood the  character  of  John,  and  therefore  felt  sure  that  he  who  had  aban- 
doned chateau  Gailliard  was  little  likely  to  show  more  courage  in  the  less 
hopeful  case  of  Rouen,  complied  with  this  demand.  As  Philip  had  fore- 
seen, no  supplies  or  aid  arrived,  and  the  city  was  yielded.  All  the  rest  0/ 
the  province  equally  submitted  to  Philip,  who  thus  had  the  credit— niucli 
abated,  though,  by  the  character  of  his  opponent — of  reuniting  to  Franct 
this  important  portion  of  its  proper  territory  three  centuries  after  Charle* 
the  Simple  had  alienated  it  by  cession  to  the  first  duke,  the  valiant  Rollo 
F'rom  Normandy,  Philip  easily  extended  his  victorious  arms  to  Anjou, 
Maine,  Touraine,  and  a  portion  of  Poictou;  John,  the  while,  instead  ul 
endeavouring  to  arrest  the  progress  of  his  enemy,  was  railing  against  his 
barons  for,  what  he  called,  theirdcsertionof  him,  and  adding  to  the  nalional 
evils  created  by  his  indolence,  the  mischief  which  he  still  had  the 
power  to  do;  mulcting  his  barons  in  the  seventh  portion  of  all  their  move- 
able property  as  a  punishment  for  this  pretended  offence. 

Not  content  with  even  this  impudent  and  excessive  extortion,  John 
next  demanded  a  scutagn  of  two  and  a  half  marks  upon  each  knight's  fee 
to  enable  him  to  conduct  an  expedition  mto  Normandy  ;  but  the  money 
once  received,  the  expedition  was  no  longer  thought  of !  Subscquenlly 
he  collected  a  fleet,  as  if  fuily  determined  to  make  an  attempt  to  recovei 
his  transmit  ue  possessions;  buton  some  objections  being  made, he  aban- 
doned this  design,  too,  en  the  pica  that  he  was  deserted  and  betrayed  bv 
his  barons;  and  a',  length  mustered  courage  enough  to  put  to  sea,  bu> 
speedily  returned  to  port  without  aught  being  done  or  attempted.  Con- 
sidering the  fiery  temper  and  warlike  habits  of  the  barons,  it  is  perfectly 
astonishing  that  they  so  long  endured  the  insults  of  a  king  whose  very 
style  of  insulting  was  so  characteristic  of  his  weakness. 

A.  u.  120(5. — An  ally  was  at  length  presented  to  John  in  a  person  from 
whom  he  had  but  little  right  to  expect  aid  or  encouragement,  Guy  de 
Thouars,  to  whom,  in  right  of  his  daughter  Alice,  the  Bretons  had  com- 
mitted tlieir  government.  This  noble,  perceiving  the  immense  strides 
made  by  Pliilip,  became  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  Brittany,  and  therefore 
made  a  proposition  to  John  for  their  junction  against  Philip,  and  Julm 
accordingly  left  England  with  a  consideri'blc  force  and  landed  in  safely  al 
llochcUe,  whence  he  marched  to  Angers,  which  he  captured  and  burned 


THE  TREASURY  OF  IK8T0RY. 


255 


l^hilip  now  rapidly  approached,  and  John,  becoming  alarmed,  gained  time 
by  making  proposals  for  peace,  and  then  covertly  fled  back  to  England — 
safe,  indeed,  in  person,  but  loaded  with  disgrace  and  contempt,  which  to 
aiiv  one  less  debased  in  sentiment  would  have  been  far  more  terrible  than 
teili  iiself.  Tiius  all  the  vast  sums  which  John  had  extorted  from  his 
barons,  under  pretence  of  recovering  his  lost  footing  in  France,  were  ex 
pended,  not  in  repairing  the  loss,  but  in  adding  disgrace  and  disgust  to  it. 

We  have  already  remarked  that  it  was  astonishing  that  fiery  and  martial 
men  could  so  long  endure  the  doings  of  a  man  so  mean  in  act  and  weak 
ill  character  as  John ;  and  astonishing  it  certainly  was,  oven  makijig  all 
possible  allowance  for  the  extensive  power  which  the  very  nature  of 
the  feudal  tenure  gave  in  reality,  and  the  still  greater  power  which  it  gave 
ill  idea,  to  the  Norman  soverciiins.  It  is  to  he  considered,  however,  that 
this  great  power,  wielded  as  it  had  been  by  the  art  of  some  of  John's  pre- 
decessors and  tlio  martial  energy  of  others,  was  not  to  be  either  easily  or 
early  shaken,  even  by  the  personal  misconduct  of  a  John,  in  whom  the 
king,  the  preat  feudal  lord  paramount,  would  still  be  feared  and  obeyed  by 
the  most  powerful  of  his  vassals,  after  the  man  John  had  overwhelmed 
himself  uilh  the  contempt  and  the  disgust  of  the  meanest  horseboy  in  his 
iriiin.  Uut  even  the  vast  prestige  of  tlie  feudal  monarchy  was  at  length 
Wdiii  out  by  the  personal  misconduct  of  the  weak  monarch ;  and  llie  church, 
ever  ready  to  seize  upon  opportunity  '\{  extending  and  consolidating  its 
immense  temporal  power,  was  the  first  to  encroach  upon  the  authority 
which  John  had  so  often  proved  himself  unworlhy  to  hold,  and  unable  to 
wield  with  either  credit  to  himself  or  advantage  to  his  people. 

AD.  I'J07. — The  then  pope.  Innocent  III.,  havina  arrived  at  the  papal 
power  at  the  unusually  early  age  of  thirty-seven,  had  never  been  unmind- 
fid  of  the  opportunities  that  presented  themselves  to  him.  Taking  advan- 
l;iRe  of  the  plausible  pretext  afforded  to  him  by  the  state  of  the  Holy  Land, 
he  had  so  far  stretched  his  authority  over  tlie  clergy  of  Christendom,  as  to 
send  among  them  collectors  with  authority  to  levy  a  fortieth  part  of  all 
cwlesiastical  revenues  for  the  relief  of  Palestine  ;  and  to  make  this  levy 
the  more  obviously  and  emphatically  an  act  of  authority  and  power  of  the 
pupcdoiu  over  the  ecclesiastics,  the  same  collectors  were  authorized  to 
rrei'ive  a  like  proportion  of  laymen's  revenues,  nut  as  a  tax,  but  as  a  vol- 
iiiitiiry  contribution.  A  pope  thus  resolved  and  austute  in  riveting  his 
chiiins  upon  a  body  so  numerous  and  so  powerful  as  the  clergy,  was  not 
hkcly  to  he  slow  in  exercising  his  power  against  so  contemptible  a  prince 
as  John;  nor  was  an  opportunity  long  wanting. 

Hubert,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  dying  in  1205,  the  monks  of  Christ- 
church,  Canterbury,  had  the  ri<^ht  of  election,  subject  to  the  consent  of  the 
king;  but  a  minority  of  them,  consisting,  too,  almost  without  exception, 
of  llie  juniors,  assembled  on  the  very  night  of  Hubert's  death,  and  elected 
as  his  successor  their  sub-prior,  Reginald,  who,  having  been  hastily  and 
covertly  installed  in  the  archiepiscopal  throne,  immediately  set  out  for 
Rome  to  procure  the  pope's  confirmation.  The  vanity  of  Reginald,  or  the 
H'iint  of  prudence  of  his  friends,  caused  the  affair  to  reach  the  king's  ears 
almost  as  soon  as  the  new  archbishop  had  commenced  his  journey.  John 
was  so  far  favourably  situated,  that  his  anger  at  this  presumptuous  and  ir- 
regular proceeding  of  the  junior  monks  of  Canterbury  was  fully  shared  by 
the  senior  monks,  and  also  by  the  suffragans  of  Canterbury,  both  of  whom 
had  a  right  to  influence  the  election  of  their  primate.  In  the  hands  of  the 
mnnks  John  left  the  new  election,  only  recommending  that  they  should 
fleet  the  bishop  of  Norwich,  John  de  Cray.  He  was  according  elected, 
but  as  the  suffragans  had  not  even  in  this  new  election  been  considered, 
they  now  sent  an  agent  to  Rome  to  protest  against  it,  while  the  king  and 
the  monks  of  Christchurch  sent  twelve  of  that  u  der  to  support  it.  Here 
the  great  advantage  was  clearly  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the  pope,  foi 


Uiffrrf 


5S  1 
*  :1s 


^  \.  l  .> 


Wi 


1  ,  '?'^^ 


256 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOilY. 


while  each  of  the  three  disputinnf  parties  opposed  the  pretensions  of  the 
other  two,  all  three  agreed  in  acknowledging  the  pope's  authority  to  de- 
cide the  question;  and  Innocent  111.  wns  not  the  man  to  allow  liia'.  ad- 
vantage to  escape  his  r  'tice.  That  the  election  of  Reginald  had  been 
irregular  and  furtive,  none  but  himself  and  his  immediate  friends  couln 
well  deny;  and  the  ai  lht:^t,y  of  the  p.  j.al  court  easily  overruled  the  pro- 
tensions  of  the  suffrn-^an  b'  shops,  which,  to  say  the  truth,  were  strnngly 
opposed  to  the  pap; '  ■  iax.:ns  and  usages.  These  two  points  being  decided 
it  would  at  first  sight  have  seemed  clear  that  tiie  decision  must  he  in  fa. 
vour  of  the  bishop  of  Norwich ;  but  the  pope  decided  that  the  first  eleciion 
being  disputed  as  irregular,  the  decision  of  the  pope  upon  that  elecii'jii 
should  have  preceded  any  attempt  at  a  n'!W  cMie ;  that  as  it  had  not  done 
so,  such  second  election  was  uncanonical  and  null,  and  that,  as  a  corollary, 
henceforth  the  appointment  to  the  primacy  must  remain  in  the  hands  \)[ 
the  pope.  Following  up  this  decision  by  action,  he  commanded  the  ninnlts 
who  had  been  dcpuied  to  defend  tlie  election  of  the  bishop  of  Norwich  im- 
mediately to  elect  the  cardinal  Langton,  a  man  of  great  talent,  Kiv^lisii 
by  birth,  but  infinitely  more  attaclun!  to  the  interests  of  Rome  than  id 
those  of  his  native  land.  All  the  monks  ohjectftd  to  this  course,  tliuttlicy 
should,  even  looking  only  to  the  pope's  own  recrent  decision,  be  commit 
ting  a  new  irregularity,  having  neilticr  the  king's  writ  nor  the  antiionty 
of  their  convent  to  warrant  them  ;  but,  with  the  single  exception  of  Vawv 
de  Hrantefield,  they  succumbed  to  the  pojie's  authority,  and  the  election  was 
m:  le  accordingly. 

Innocent  now  followed  up  his  arbitrary  proceedings  by  what  our  histo- 
rians call  a  mollifying  letter  and  present  to  John  ;  but  what  would  certain- 
ly be  called  an  addition  of  mockery  to  injury  in  the  case  of  any  cloarcr- 
minded  and  higher-hearted  princ(>,  for  by  way  of  consoling  John  for  the 
precedent  thus  set  of  transferring  to  the  papal  court  one  of  the  most  valued 
and,  ill  many  respects,  important  prerogatives  of  the  Knglish  crown.  Inno- 
cent sent  him  him  four  gold  rings  set  with  precious  stones,  and  an  explan- 
atory letter  of  no  less  i)recious  conceits.  "He  begged  him,"  says  Iluiii,' 
in  his  condensed  account  of  this  admirably  grave  papal  jest,  "to  consider 
seriously,  the  form  of  the  rings,  their  number,  their  matter,  and  their  en! 
our.  Their  form,  being  round,  shadowed  out  eternity,  which  had  neither 
beginning  nor  ending;  and  he  ought  thence  to  learn  his  duty  of  aspirini; 
from  earthly  objects  to  heavenly,  from  things  temporal  to  things  eternal 
The  number,  four,  being  a  scjuare,  denoted  steadiness  of  mind,  not  lo  be 
subverted  either  by  adversity  or  by  prosperity,  fixed  forever  on  the  firni 
basis  of  the  four  cardinal  virtues,  (iold,  which  is  the  matter,  being  the 
most  precious  of  metals,  signified  wisdom,  which  is  the  most  valuable  ol 
all  accomplishments,  and  justly  preferrc^d  by  Solomon  to  riches,  power, 
and  all  exterior  attainments.  The  blue  colour  of  the  sapphire  rcprosentei! 
faith ;  the  green  of  the  emerald,  hope  ;  tiie  redness  of  the  ruby,  charily; 
and  the  splendour  of  the  to[)az,  good  works." 

Never,  surely,  were  mystical  conceits  vynded  at  a  higher  price!  Kven 
John,  weak  and  tame  as  was  his  spirit,  did  not  consider  four  rings  and  a 
bundle  of  conceits  quite  an  adequate  (consideration  for  the  more;  precious 
and  substantial  jewel  of  which  the  pope  had  so  unceremoniously  deprived 
him,  and  kis  wrath  was  tremenduous.  As  the  monks  of  ('anterbiiry 
showed  themselves  willing  to  abide  by  the  election  which  their  fellows  al 
Rome  had  made  in  obedience  to  the  pope,  the  first  en"ects  of  his  anger  fell 
upon  them.  He  despatched  Henry  de  Cornhule  and  Fulke  dc  Cinileiiipe 
two  resolute  knights  of  his  retinue,  lo  expel  the  prior  and  monks  of  Christ- 
church  not  only  from  their  convent,  but  also  from  the  kingdom,  a  duly 
wl'.ich  the  knights  performed  quite  literally  at  the  point  of  the  .iword;  3 
piece  of  violence  at  once  partial  and  childish,  whicli  Innocent  noticed  only 
Vjy  a  new  letter,  i'  which  he  earnestly  advised  the  king  no  longer  to  opposo 


.!^iX'-^h 


THE  TIIEASORY  OF  HISTOllY. 


257 


himself  to  GoJ  and  the  cliurcli,  nor  longor  to  uphold  that  u  iri^'hlnous  cause 
which  had  cost  liio  martyr  St.  Thomas  of  (Jantcriiury  his  life,  but  at  the 
giiine  time  exalted  him  to  an  equality  with  the  hi^Wiesi  saints  in  hiravon- 
av"ry  plain  allusion  to  the  possibility  of  IJeckets  hein^r  easily  fomid  to 
niaintai'i  the  eausc  of  Rome  against  a  prince  so  much  incaniT  than  he  to 
whom  "the  martyr"  Heekel  had  done  so  much  evil! 

As  this  si|,niificaiil  hint  had  not  as  luneh  efle-Jt  as  the  pope  had  antici- 
pated in  I'eihicinij  Joiin  to  submission,  lnnoci;nt  now  connnissioned  the 
bishops  of  London,  Worcester,  and  Kly  to  assure  him  that  should  he  per- 
severe in  his  disobedience  to  the  Holy  Sec  an  interdict  should  hi;  laid  upon 
his  kiiijjdoin ;  and  both  these  and  their  brother  prelates  acttuaily  kn<dt  to 
him,  ai^d  "'itli  tears  besoui^ht  him  lo  avert  a  result  so  fearful,  by  consent- 
iiirr  to  nil .  ivc  archbishop  Langton  and  restoring  the  monks  of  Christ(dmrch 
l()''lheir(M)nvent  and  rev(Miue.  Bui  John,  thoiiyh  well  aware  how  little  he 
cniiM  (I'pend  upon  the  love  of  his  stales,  whom  he  did  not  even  dare  to 
afSHHiblc  to  support  him  ir.  an  open  stru^rirh;,  was  eneotirafred  by  the  very 
hmiiilily  of  the  i)ostnre  assmned  by  the  prelates  not  merely  to  refuse  eom- 
phiinec  with  their  advice,  but  to  eoncli  his  refusal  in  terms  fully  as  dis- 
gracefal  to  him  as  they  could  be  offensive  to  those  to  whom  they  were 
allresscd.  Not  contented  with  p(;rsonally  insulting  the  prelates,  he  de- 
fland  his  (lefiancc  of  the  pope  himstlf ;  sweannij  "by  (Jod's  teeth"  that 
shoiilil  the  pope  lay  an  inlerdiel  upon  his  kingdom,  ho  would  send  the 
whole  of  the  ihiglish  clergy  to  Rome  for  sup[)orl  and  takt;  their  estates 
ami  revenues  to  his  own  use;  and  that  if  thenceforth  any  Romans  ven- 
tiireil  into  Ins  dominions  they  sliould  lose  their  eyes  and  noses,  .nat  all 
wlio  looked  upon  them  might  know  them  from  other  andi)etter  men.  In- 
iK.ccnt  was  not  to  be  (h.'ceived  by  this  vague  and  vulgar  abuse;  lie  well 
knew  the  real  weakness  of  John's  position,  and  findin'r  that  half  measures 
aiiil  maiiiigtmient  would  not  siillice  to  reduce;  him  to  obcdiiMiee,  he  at  length 
issued  the  teriible  scuitence  of  interdict.  As  this  sentiMiee  frecjuenlly  oc- 
nirs  in  our  history,  and  as  it  is  essential  that  readisrs  shoidd  clearly  and 
111  ilelail  understand  the  niiture  of  the  decre(!  by  which  Rome  could  fur  ages 
sfiid  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  mighlie'sl  nations  in  Christendom — a 
icrror  from  which  neither  rank,  sex,  nor  scarcely  any  stage  of  life  was 


•""' '■ "••  ■•-•- -....,         ....... ».,  ....J         w.,.„ ^  ,.     ..- 

lycinpted — we  pause  Inire,  in  the  regular  march  of  our  history,  to  quote 
ihi'brief  but  cleardescriptionof  it  which  we  find  sncemelly  given  in  Ilumc, 
friiin  llio  aceoinils  scattered  in  many  pages  of  more  prolix  writers. 

"The  sciilenec  of  interdict  was  at  that  time  the  great  instruMienl  of  ven- 
gfaiiee  and  polii'y  employed  by  tlit!  coiu't  of  Ronii' ;  was  denouiieed  against 
sovereiniis  for  the  liglit(;st  ofTences ;  and  made  the  gmlt  of  one  person  in- 
volve the  ruin  of  millions,  even  in  their  spiritual  and  eternal  widfare.  The 
execution  of  it  was  ealenlateil  to  strike  thi;  senses  in  the  highf^sl  degree 
and  lo  operate  with  irn^sislible  forc(!  on  the  supcrsliiious  minds  of  llu;  peo- 
p\  The  nation  was  suddenly  de[)rived  of  all  exterior  exer(.'ise  of  its  re- 
li;ioii;  the  altars  were  despoih.'d  of  their  ornaments;  the  crosses,  the 
rdiqiies,  the  images,  tne  statues  of  the  saints,  weic  laid  on  tlic  ground; 
and,  MS  if  the  air  itself  were  profanijd  and  might  |)ollut(!  them  by  its  con- 
tact, the  priests  carefully  covered  them  iij),  even  I'ruin  their  own  approach 
an  I  veneration.  The  use  of  the  bcdis  entirely  ceas(!d  in  all  the  churches, 
the  hells  themselves  were  removed  from  the  stee|)l(!S,  and  laid  on  the 
ground  with  the  other  sacrfMl  utensils;  mass  was  celebrated  with  closed 
do'irs,  and  none  but  the  priests  were  admilteil  to  that  holy  institniion;  the 
iai.y  partook  of  no  religious  rile,  except  baptism  to  ncnvly-borii  infants 
aiidlliR  eoniiminion  to  the  dying;  tin;  dead  were  not  interred  in  (;onsecra- 
ttd ground;  they  were  thrown  into  ditches,  or  buried  in  common  fields, 
and  llieir  obsequies  were  not  attended  with  praytirs,  or  any  hallowed  cer- 
rcmouy.  Marriage  was  celebrated  in  the  chnri'hyards ;  and,  that  every 
action  of  life  might  bear  the  marks  of  this  dreadful  situation,  the  peopr 

i.-n 


siSft 


THE  TRKA'DRY  OF  HI3T0HT, 


l^nl] 


> 


were  proliibited  Iho  use  o' sr.eat  as  in  Lent ;  and, as  in  times o''  l',p  hijihe.,* 
penaiicr,  were  debarred  fioii  all  pleasures  and  enlertainmiiils,  aid  wern 
forbidden  even  to  salute  eii  ii  other,  or  so  much  as  to  sliavi-  ihfir  In  injg 
and  give  any  dece;ii  atlenlioa  to  their  person  and  apparel.  Kveiy  >  ir^ m,. 
stance  carried  syni,)toins  of  the  decjjesl  distress,  a*.  J  of  the  hioni  :iii  ;i: 
diate  apprehension  of  divini-  indignation  and  venjjeanee." 

Unwarned  by  even  the  conimenccmtMil  of  this  -tute  of  tliiiinrs  in  his 
kingdom,  and  obstinately  elosinsj  his  ey;s  iMrainst  tlic  contcm,  i  in  winch 
he  was  held  by  those  lay  haruin  U|)on  uliu.'i  lie  mus!  'hpem;  for  nhai. 
ever  sujiporl  he  might  need  ajirainst  the  tiiUiiiiil  power,  John  now  turned 
his  venjjeance  especially  aji;uiiat  those  of  tin  idergy  who  veiili.ui!  ii>  |)i,y 
attention  to  the  interdict,  and  generally  against  tii.'  :ui!ier! ms  of  Arch- 
bishop Lanfjlon.  'I'lic  |<relates  of  these  cl-ivsi>s  he  s»  iil  inin  exde,  and 
the  monks  he  confmed  to  their  convent  witii  tlie  harr'st  pcasibk  ;!ll(i\,;i!\i'(' 
for  their  tdi.poral  riecessilies,  and  in  both  eases  he  male  hiinsiU"  Uio  n 
cipiei'i  '■<(  Ihcir  revt  luics.  CoiuMibinayc  being  ,\  eoii.aion  vie  of  thi, 
clergy,  i.*;  sei/rd  upon  that  point  to  annoy  them  by  ihrowHig  thcu'  i Diitu- 
bines  iiUo  prisor.  wlieiice  iiu  would  only  release  them  upon  [jaymc'iitof 
high  fines;  c()ntiii''t  wiii'iii  was  the  more  egregriously  tyraimical,"  heciiii.so 
he  well  kii-;'v  tii-it,  in  most  eases,  tliose  wiio  were  callei  the  eoiieubiiies 
of  the  ch'rf-jy  Fived  wnii  all  the  decency  and  fidehty  of  wives,  and  only 
wcic  no',  wves  in  cons^'quencc  of  llie  cruel,  mmatnral,  and  oil  ions  exer. 
CISC  of  i.he  power  of  itonie  to  compel  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy. 

Mcaiilinn;  the  quarrel  between  John  and  the  pope  <■<  liiinned  its  iiivet 
eracy  on  both  sides,  and  lasted  for  some  y(;ars;  the  pi'iple,  who  had  no 
pari  in  the  quarrel,  being  thus  exjjosed  to  all  the  evils  and  vexalioiis  which 
v/e  have  described,  excepting  in  the  comparatively  few  c  i.<.cs  u  iicni  the 
threats  or  persuasions  of  John  were  powerful  eiiongli  to  in'hice  the  clergy 
to  disregard  the  interdict.  With  these  exceptions,  upon  uhicli  even  ilie 
laity,  much  as  they  were  injured  by  the  interdict,  looked  v.'ii!j  dislike  and 
conlenii)t,  all  the  clerpiy  remaining  in  England  were  the  enemies  of  Jnhii. 
But  he,  affecting  the  utmost  contempt  fur  public  opinion,  clerical  us  lay, 
loaded  all  classes  of  his  people  with  heavy  imposts  to  defray  l!u!  ex))cnsi's 
of  Scotch,  Welsh,  and  Irish  ex[)editions,  in  which  success  itself  pioihiccd 
him  no  glory,  as  it  proceeded  rather  from  tlm  weakness  of  those  to  wlimn 
he  was  o|)posed  than  from  his  own  valour  or  conduct.  As  if  desirous  to 
irritate  his  subjects  to  tins  utmost,  he  made  the  very  diversioni>  of  his 
leisure  hours  either  insulting  or  injurious  to  them.  His  liceniiinisucns  in- 
sulted their  families  wherever  he;  made  his  appearance  ;  and  lie  aildcd  to 
the  odious  (diaracter  of  his  forest  laws  by  ()rohihiling  his  sul)jecis  from 
pursuing  feathered  game,  and  by  the  purely  spiteful  act  of  causing'  liie 
forest  fences  to  be  removed,  so  that  the  cultivated  fields  in  the  nciijliliour- 
hood  were  trampled  and  fed  upon  by  the  vast  herds  of  deer  which  the  in- 
jured husbandman  dared  not  destroy. 

A.  D.  1208. — A  constant  continuance  in  a  cou>-so  like  this  coidd  iiotfai' 
to  exciio  against  the  king  the  hatred  even  of  those  among  his  subjects 
who  had  taken  little  or  no  interest  in  his  original  quarrel  with  Iloiiu',  and 
a  ccnsciousnesa  of  this  hatred,  so  far  from  causing  him  to  relrm'c  \vi 
steps,  only  aroused  him  to  grosser  tmd  more  determined  tyranny,  and  ne 
demanded  from  all  of  his  nobility  wlunn  he  honoured  with  his  sii-spicioiis 
that  they  should  place  their  nearest  relatives  in  his  hamls  as  hosiaj^es, 
Among  those  of  whom  this  insnlling  demand  was  made  was  William  de 
Bravwse,  whose  lady,  a  \von\an  of  determined  spirit  and  plain  speech,  inld 
the  king's  messenger,  that  for  her  part  she  would  never  consent  to  eiiinist 
her  .siMi  in  the  hands  of  the  man  who  had  notoriously  murdered  liisowii 
nephew.  The  oaroii,  thoiigii  both  wealthy  and  jiowerl'iil,  was  scusil'lc 
that  there  was  no  safety  for  iiim  after  such  a  reply  had  been  rctiinicd  ic 
the  king,  and  he  sought  shelter,  with  his  wifu  and  child,  in  a  ren:ute  situn 


pruiioimee  it ;  am 


i.«icon  of  Norwicll 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


259 


lion  ill  Irelaiul.  But  Jolin.  like  most  tyrants,  was  only  too  faithfully  served 
tiy  his  spies;  the  unfortunate  baron  was  discovered,  and  although  he  con- 
Iviveil  to  es('ap«  to  France,  both  his  wife  and  their  child  were  seized  and 
I,  iiially  starved  to  death  in  prison. 

..ver  was  that  line  of  the  heathen  poet  which  says  that  "the  gods 
i,  madden  lliose  whom  they  wish  to  destroy"  more  vividly  illustrated 
iliriii  by  the  constant  addition  which,  by  tyrannies  of  this  kind,  John  was 
rapidly  making  to  the  general  hatred  of  his  people,  at  the  very  time 
Hiiti!  lie  was  aware  that  such  hatred  could  ai  any  moment  have  been  al- 
lowed by  Home  to  break  out  into  open  rebellion. 

For  though  the  papal  interdict,  with  all  its  severity  upon  the  unoffend- 
ii!  people,  did  not  release  them  from  their  allegiance  to  the  king  who  had 
piiiji'd  down  that  severity  upon  their  heads,  the  next  step  was  cxcommu- 
iiicalinii,  which,  as  John  well  knew,  put  an  end  to  allegiance,  and  would 
arm  many  a  hand  against  him  that  now  was  bound  by  "  that  divinity  which 
(lolli  hedge  a  king."  And  yet  this  inexplicable  man,  usually  so  cowardly, 
siill  held  out  against  the  pope,  though  excommunication  was  certain  to 
fall  with  such  peculiar  severity  upon  him,  should  he  provoke  thepope  to 
pronounce  it ;  and  he  exerted  himself,  alike  in  his  rule  and  in  his  pas- 
time, to  in(;iease  that  very  hate  from  which  much  of  its  peculiar  severity 
would  spring. 

The  patience  of  the  pope  was  at  length  exhausted,  or,  perhaps,  to  speak 
more  correctly,  his  policy  no  longer  required  delay,  and  the  terrible  sen- 
tence of  excommunication  was  issued.  But  even  now  there  was  no  formal 
absolution  of  the  people  from  their  oath  of  allegiance.  That  most  terrible 
step  of  all  the  pope  still  held  in  reserve,  as  a  last  resource,  being  well 
iware  Imw  powerful  an  effect  the  ordinary  results  of  excommunication 
were  calculated  to  have  upon  a  king  of  far  stronger  nerve  than  Jolin  could 
boast;  for  how  coidd  ho  claim  to  be  served  with  zeal  and  fidelity  who 
was  thus  disclaimed  and  cut  off  by  the  church  ! 

Scarcely  had  the  pope's  orders  been  obeyed  by  the  bishops  of  London 
Ely,  and  Worcester — those  very  prelates  upon  whom  John  had  formerly 
heiiped  insult,  as  coarse  as  undeserved,  and  as  unbecoming  as  impolitic — 
when  a  specimen  was  exhibited  of  its  paralysing  effect  by  Geoffrey,  arch- 
deacon of  Norwich.  Like  most  of  the  great  churchmen  of  that  day,  he 
held  ;i  judicial  situation,  and  ho  was  engaged  in  its  duties  when  he  re- 
ceived the  news,  upon  which  he  immediately  rose  and  left  the  court, 
iihserving  that  it  was  too  periK)Us  to  continue  to  serve  an  excommunicated 
king.  This  prompt  abandonment  of  the  archdeacon,  however,  cost  him 
Ins  life,  for  John  threw  him  into  prison,  had  a  large  leaden  cope  fitted 
lijlitly  to  his  head,  and  inflicted  other  severities  upon  him  until  he  literally 
niik  under  lliem.  Warned,  perhaps,  by  this  severe  example,  other  clerical 
d'gnitarics.  though  quite  as  ready  to  abandon  their  detested  and  dangerous 
kinj?,  took  care  to  place  themselves  beyond  his  reach  in  the  very  act  of 
abandoinnent.  Among  these  was  Hugh  de  Wells,  the  chancellor.  Being 
appointed  bishop  of  Winchester,  he  requested  leave  from  the  king  to  go 
to.N'ormandy  to  obtain  consecration  from  the  archbishop  of  Rouen  ;  but 
leave  being  granted,  he  went  not  thither,  but  to  Pontigny,  the  residence 
of  the  archbishop  Latigton,  to  whom  he  paid  the  formal  submis.sion  due 
from  a  suffragan  to  his  primate.  The  frequency  of  these  desertions 
among  both  the  prelates  and  the  lay  nobility  at  length  gave  the  king  very 
serious  alarm,  and  more  especially  as  he  received  but  too  probable  hints 
of  a  widsly-sprcad  conspiracy  against  him,  in  which  he  knew  not  who 
among  those  who  still  remained  apparently  faithful  to  him  might  be  en- 
gaged. Now  that  moderate  concession  could  no  longer  avail  him  ;  now 
tliat  his  nakedness  and  his  weakness  were  so  evident  to  his  foes  that  they 
wniild  richly  deserve  his  contempt  if  they  did  not  provide  his  violence 
*illi  ail  effectual  bridle  for  the  future,  even  should  they  chose  (o  show 


'■Piil 

■J^P 

w 

r  v^ 

M 

,  9-  J. 

H 

H 

U,,**fP'^- 


S60 


THE  TIlBAeUIlY  OP  HISTORY. 


5'  'rlk 


,t.j/ 


VW  1   1  '' 


r*  (r> 


H'S,^ 


m 


mi 


'|,  '1: 


^      f'^  '    5   'I 

lii'iitf 

)  If  t 


BoniiJ  nodoration  in  dealing  with  him  as  to  llic  past ;  now,  in  a  word 
when  he  no  longer  had  it  in  liis  power  to  negotiate  to  advantage,  John 
commenced  a  negotiation  with  the  hitherto  exiled  and  despised  Lanfion, 
A  meeting  nceordingly  took  phice  between  them  at  Dover,  and  Jolm  of! 
fered  to  submit  himself  to  tlic  pope,  to  receive  Langton  as  primate,  to  re- 
instate the  whole  of  the  exiled  clergy,  and  to  pay  a  certain  snm  in  cotti- 
Sensation  of  the  rents  which  he  had  confiscated.  But  these  terms,  which 
ohn  might  have  commanded  at  the  outset  of  the  dispute,  and  at  which 
in  fact,  he  had  then  manifested  such  childish  and  unbecoming  lagp,  wore 
far  loo  favouralile  to  be  allowed  him  now  that  Rome  had  at  once  his  torrot 
and  his  helplessness  to  urge  her  to  severity.  Langton  demaudcl  Ihut 
instead  of  a  certain  sum  in  the  way  of  compensation  for  the  wrong  doiin 
to  the  clergy,  John  should  pay  all  that  ho  had  unjustly  received,  and,  still 
further,  that  he  should  make  full  and  complete  satisfaction  for  all  injuries 
sulTered  by  the  clergy  in  consequence  of  their  exile  and  the  confiscation 
of  their  revenues.  It  was  less,  now,  from  unwillingness  to  make  poace 
with  Rome,  on  even  the  jiardest  terms,  tiian  from  sheer  terror  at  the 
thought  of  having  to  collet .  again  all  the  vast  sums  he  had  wantonly  dis- 
sipated, and  of  having  still  further  to  fmd  money  for  damages  which  those 
who  had  suflTcrcd  them  were,  of  all  men,  the  least  likely  to  undervalue, 
that  John  pronounced  it  impossible  for  him  to  comply  with  Langlon's 
demands. 

A.  n.  1212. — The  pope,  wi:o  most  probably  did  not  fully  apprecialn  the 
extent  of  the  pecuniary  dilRculties  which  ca;ised  John  to  shrink  from 
Langton's  proposal,  now  soleninly  absolved  John's  subjects  froni  their 
allegiance  to  him,  and  denounced "excomsnunicalion  upon  all  who  should 
venture  to  have  any  (rommercc  with  him,  at  the  council  board  or  in  the 
festive  hall,  in  privi'.tc  or  in  public,  as  a  monarch  or  even  as  an  individual, 
As  even  this  terrible  severity,  by  which  the  most  powerful  men  could  be 
in  an  hour  deprived  of  all  support  and  of  all  demonstration  of  afroctioii, 
and  made — so  much  more  powerfid  were  superstitious  fears  than  'Mc 
iirgings  of  either  duty  or  an"c<;tion — desolate  and  shimned  as  the  pariah  of 
the  desert  or  the  Hebrew  leper,  did  not  instantly  force  John  to  submission. 
Innocent  followed  it  up  by  a  solemn  sentr  \ce  o( deposition. 

The  pontiffs  in  that  superstitious  ajre  were  wiser  in  their  gonpration 
than  the  lay  princes  with  whom  they  had  to  deal,  and  they  well  kiiev,- 
how  to  make  those  princes  each  the  instrument  of  the  othorV  sulijcctioii, 
Accordingly,  on  this  occasion,  the  pope,  who  well  tmdersloii  Uie  ambi- 
tious character  of  the  king  of  France,  and  the  animosity  that  mutually  ex- 
isted between  John  and  I'liilip,  promised  the  latter  not  only  reniissioa  of 
sins,  but  also  the  sovereignty,  as  a  vassal  of  the  popedom,  of  John's  kiiij- 
dom  of  England,  as  the  reward  of  his  invading  it  and  subduing  John. 

Philip  readily  consented  to  comply  with  the  pope's  wishes,  and  hiviiij 
levied  a  vast  force  and  summoned  all  his  military  vassals  to  atKnd  iim! 
aid  him,  he  assembled  a  fleet  of  seventeen  hundred  sail  on  the  coustof 
Normandy  and  Picardy,  and  prepared  for  Mie  immediate  and  effectual  iii- 
fasion  of  England. 

But  the  papal  court,  as  usual,  was  playing  a  double  and  an  interested 
game,  and  was  by  no  means  sincere  in  desiring  to  replace  on  the  throne 
of  England  a  despised  and  incapable  monarch,  like  John,  by  a  popular, 
warlike,  and  politic  one  like  Philip,  unless,  indeed,  the  terror  of  the  latter 
should,  as  was  by  no  means  probable,  fail  to  reduce  the  former  to 
submission. 

In  this  decidedly  the  most  serious  of  all  his  perils  from  without,  John 
displayed  something  like  a  flash  of  the  high  and  daring  spirit  of  his  Nor- 
man race.  Issuing  orders  not  only  for  the  assembling  of  all  his  military 
Tassals  at  Dover,  but  also  for  the  arming  and  preparation  of  every  man 
able  to  bear  arms  throughout  the  kingdom,  he  sceaaed  determined  either 


lo  preserve  his 
of  martial  feeli 
craven  conduct 
amonij  his  peo| 
threw  a  damp  < 
Mioai  zealous  a 
trcinhled  for  the 
of  feudal  obedi 
mensc  inunber, 
force  of  sixty  th 
Philip,  in  the  i 
which  promised 
iml  directly  am 
obliged  to  he  (ihs 
whuiii  the  whole 
;iequaintcd  with 
3l  PInlip's  aid  a 
TliHtdonc,  Pand( 
on  the  one  liaml,  I 
on  till!  other,  to  t 
Enfflish  force,  of 
«iih  H'ily  and  em 
submission  to  the 
in;u:ied  upon  to  I 
attacked  liy  his  m 
liy  his  own  vasna 
Uji'Mi  the  day  of  b:i 
WHO  knew  them  I 
vailo  and  obsiiiKUt 
ity  and  ohedieiice 
tliepiipo;  the  airk 
(he  restoration  of 
on  account  of  this 
and  revenues  that 
ione  by  the  confi> 
pounds  on  accoim 
and  f  ivour  of  al 
all  ihiso  terms  th 
also  swore  lo  causi 
Mfgol  the  king  It 
aiiJ  merit  of  the 
lionic  hy  ihc  king' 
forohvioijs  reasiMis 
■Mdsiarijiiigeven  J 
"M'le  lilt.'  king  viri 
!odiseiitiiic  him  to 
"'"''»•  oir  the  mask, 
offieifiadation  hu  s 
Ji'hn  had  .sworn 
nou'irtinired.  a.s  ih 
kiiigdoin  to  the  dm 
nis  iiiosi  effectual  . 
woiiM  not  dare  to  at 
and  eiistudy  of  Roi 
lic^'radation  whichi 

filSsal  of  iliiUghty    -, 

cliarier,  in  which,  n 
nouiiced  England  a 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


961 


irratmn 
knew 
ctiwi, 
iiiibi- 
Uy  ex- 
ion  of 
kiii;j- 

cluiil  \\\- 

tliroiio 
popular, 
lie  lalti^r 
rmer  lo 

nt,  Jnlm 
his  Nor- 
military 
:'vy  man 
id  either 


(0  preserve  his  crown  or  to  die  in  (lefiMice  of  it.  Uiit  this  temporary  gleam 
of  iniirlinl  feeiiiijj  came  too  late,  and  wiis  too  strongly  opposed  hy  his 
craven  conduct  on  former  occasions  to  obtiiin  him  any  ucnenil  sympathy 
aiiionu  liis  peoph\  Mis  excommnnicalion  and  his  gcni'ral  n  ;)opularity 
threw  a  damp  on  the  spirits  of  even  the  bravest  of  liis  sniij  is,  and  the 
most  zealous  among  the  very  few  friends  wiiom  hii  vicea"  had  left  him 
ircmliled  for  iho  issue.  Nevertheless,  patriotic  feeling  in  some  and  habits 
of  feiiilal  obedience  in  others  caused  his  orders  to  he  obeyed  by  an  im- 
mense ninnber,  from  whom  lie  selected  for  immediato  service  the  largo 
forieof  sixty  thousand. 

Pliilip.il>  the  meantime,  though  anxious  immediately  to  strike  the  blow 
wliicii  promised  to  give  liim  so  vast  a  prize,  was,  as  a  vassal  to  the  pope, 
iml  directly  and  specially  engaged  in  supporting  the  papal  authority, 
oblijid  lo  he  (>i)s<'rvai)t  of  the  directions  of  Pandolf,  the  papal  legate,  lo 
wiiuni  ilic  whole  conduct  of  tlu^  expedition  was  connnilted.  Pandolf,  well 
acquainted  with  the  real  and  occult  views  of  Innocent,  required  no  more 
of  Philip's  aid  after  that  prince  had  prepared  and  displayed  his  force. 
That  done,  Pandolf  summoned  John  to  a  conference  at  Dover.  Pointing, 
onllie  one  hand,  to  the  immense  power  and  interested  zeal  of  Piiilip,  and, 
on  the  other,  to  those  peculiar  drawbacks  upon  the  efiicient  action  of  the 
Knijlish  force,  of  which  John  was  already  but  too  sensible,  the  legate, 
ttiih  wily  and  emphatic  el()C|iience,  urged  John,  by  a  speedy  and  complete 
submission  to  the  pope,  to  embrace  the  only  means  of  safety  that  now  re- 
niameil  open  lo  him  ;  cxcomnnmicated  by  ihe  pope,  on  the  eve  of  being 
ailacked  by  his  mighty  and  vindictive  rival  of  France,  and  secretly  hated 
by  his  own  vassals,  who  were  not  at  all  unlikely  openly  lo  desert  him 
uji'iii  (lie  day  of  baltle.  The  statements  of  the  lejiale  were  true,  and  John, 
wiio  knew  them  to  be  so,  passed  in  an  instant  from  the  extreme  of  bra- 
vado and  obstinacy  to  an  equally  extreme  and  f.ir  more  disgusting  humil- 
ity and  obu(lienc«;.  John  now  promised  t!ic  most  entire  snbnnssion  to 
llic  piipc;  the  acknowledgement  of  Langlon  as  archbishop  of  Canlerbury; 
lilt' restoration  of  all,  whether  clergy  or  laymen,  whom  he  had  banished 
on  account  of  this  long  and  tnifortunate  dispute! ;  restitution  of  all  goods 
3P.ll  revenues  that  had  been  coiifiscaied,  and  full  payment  of  all  damages 
done  by  the  confiscation ;  and  an  immediate  iiayment  of  eight  thousand 
pounds  on  aecotinl,  together  with  an  immediate  acceptance  lo  iiis  grace 
and  fivonr  of  all  who  had  sufTertxl  in  them  for  adhering  to  the  pope.  To 
a!l  Ihise  terms  the  king  swore  agreement,  and  four  of  his  great  barons 
also  swore  localise  his  faithful  compliance.  From  the  instant  that  Pan- 
dolf ({ot  llie  king  to  agree  to  these  degrading  conditions,  the  whole  right 
and  merit  of  the  quarrel  was  sobst  intially  and  unalterably  assigned  to 
Ivonic  hy  the  king's  own  solemn  confession;  anil  this  point  Pandolf  was, 
foroiivious  reasims,  anxious  to  secure  prior  to  running  the  risk  of  stinging 
vm\  Stan  ling  even  John's  dastanl  spirit  into  iles()eratioii.  But  having  thus 
made  ihe  king  virtually  confess  that  his  share  in  the  quarrel  was  su(rh  as 
iodisentilic  him  to  the  support  of  Ins  friends  and  subjects,  Pandolf  wholly 
ihieHolT  the  mask,  and  showed  John  how  much  more  of  the  bitter  draught 
ofdcirrmiiiiion  he  still  had  to  swallnvv, 

Jidin  had  sworn  humble  and  complete  obedience  lo  the  pope;  lie  was 
nnn'ieiinired,  as  ihe  first  convincing  proof  of  that  obedience,  lo  resign  his 
kingdom  to  the  church  ;  an  act  of  ol)eiiienc(!  which  he  was  assnn^d  was 
his  most  elTectual  miile  of  proicciing  his  kingdom  against  Philip,  who 
would  not  dare  lo  attack  i'.  when  placed  under  the  immediate  guardianship 
and  custody  of  Rome.  John  had  now  gone  too  far  to  recede  from  that 
dcj;railation  which  made  him  forever  iho  mere  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual 
vassal  of  haughty  and  overreaehing  R<niie.  He  therefore  subscribed  a 
cliartcr,  in  which,  professing  to  be  under  no  resln.'ii;!,  he  s<)lemidy  n- 
nauacnd  England  and  Ireland  lo  Pope  limocenl  and  his  apostolic  sue- 


^.^^i 


I      '■ 
i  '  i 


1'%;-:  m 


I!  •! 

'if 


m^^ 


feiiajyij 


1 


as  H'J  «  "    J      ft 

4'  >  'Dili's 

kii'-'*' 


S62 


THR  TllKAS'JTlY  OP  UlSTORV. 


ccssois,  ami  agreed  lluiiictfortli  to  hold  tlicm  al  the  nunual  rent  of  n  thou, 
sand  nmrks,  n»  feudatory  of  tho  pupal  llirone  ;  bii\diiig  liis  sufccsMirsai 
well  as  hiinsulf '.o  the  due  pcrforiuaiii-e  of  this  condition,  on  pain  of  nbjo. 
luie  forfeiture  in  the  event  of  inipcoitent  disohedienee.  Kven  llie  siijiiii,|i 
of  this  degradinjf  agreement  was  not  allowed  to  terminate  .lohn's'ilnn 
hunnli'ition.  He  was  compelled,  in  open  court,  to  do  homage  in  ihe  ii$ii;|j 
feudal  form  to  Pand  f  as  the  representative  of  tiie  pope,  and  at  ihn  s;iin„ 
lime  to  pay  in  advance  a  portion  of  tlie  trihuto.  upon  which  ilu;  \vii:\\f 
trampled  hi  open  scorn.  And,  so  iinich  had  J(\iur8  misconchn'i  (l(i;nii|c,| 
his  brave  subjects  as  well  as  hinnscif,  that,  wiiii  the  single  exccpdon  ol 
the  archbishop  of  Dublin,  no  one  present  had  the  spirit  to  resent  I'iimlolf, 
rude  and  impolitic  beliavionr. 

After  John  bud  submitted  io  all  this  ignominy,  ho  was  still  compcllpd 
to  feel  himself  depenilent  upon  the  very  doublfiil  generosity  of  Home;  f,), 
Pandolf  refused  to  remove  tlie  interdict  and  exconmiunicatidn  till  iv. 
damages  of  the  clergy  should  bo  both  estimated  and  jiaid.  Yet  cvon  n, 
this  terrible  and  galling  state  of  his  fortunes  Jtdm  relaxed  not  from  hi 
tyranny  to  his  subjecirf.  An  cntiuisiast  or  impostor,  named  VnWi  oi 
fomfret,  a  iiermil,  had  in  one  of  jiis  rhapsodies  prophesied  that  lliokmn 
would  this  year  lose  his  crown,  a  prophecy  whicii  iiad  been  likely  cm.MU'h 
to  be  actromplished  in  any  one  of  m<niy  preceding  years.  This  i)i:iii,  mI] 
his  son  as  his  accomplice  or  al>ettor,  were  tried  as  impostors  ;  and  tliou^>h 
the  hermit  stoiuiy  mainlained  that  the  king's  surrender  to  Home,  mii]  iln. 
vassalage  in  whicii  he  liad  now  consented  it)  liold  his  formerly  iMdi'pen 
dent  crown,  verified  the  prophecy,  tliey  were  both  ilragged  at  hor.scs'ldils 
to  the  gallows  and  there  hanged. 

John,  tlie  baseness  of  whose  temper  made  hini  callous  to  many  rcflpc. 
tioi;s  which  woidd  have  stung  a  prouder  and  more  hDinnnabli  iiiiin  al- 
most  lo  njadness,  wan,  amid  all  his  degradation,  less  to  he  pilied  jiisi  ikiw 
than  tilt  dnpod  and  baffled  Philip,  liis  rage  on  leariniig  lh.it  his  (.'.xpm. 
sive  display  of  force  had  only  served  the  purpose  of  driving  John  into  ilie 
protection  of  the  pope,  could  scarcely  be  kept  within  either  safe  or  dcciiil 
bounds.  He  biiterly  com|)lained  of  the  insincere  ofTers  and  pnuiiisoshy 
which  he  had  been  gulled  into  an  outlay  of  sixty  thousand  pounds;  ;ii|ii, 
his  indignation  being  shared  by  his  barons,  he  went  so  far  as  to  dci  lare 
that  not  even  the  pope's  protection  should  savi;  Kngland  from  Imn.  It 
indeed  seemed  probable,  that  he  would  at  all  risks  Imve  invaded  Kii|r|s:iJ 
but  for  tlie  influence  and  intrigue  of  the  earl  of  Flanders,  who,  hcinxniia 
secret  confederacy  with  John,  loudly  protested  against  the  ini|mMy  of 
attacking  a  slate  that  was  now  beconte  a  part  of  Nt,  P<.'ter's  painiiiin.y, 
Shrewdly  judging  that  the  earl  would  follow  up  his  words  by  corres|H)i,ii. 
ing  deeds,  Philip  resolved  to  chastise  him  ;  but  wliile  he  was  eiiungclin 
60  doing,  nis  fleet  was  attacked  by  John's  natural  brother,  the  earl  ofS.iliv 
bury,  so  that  Philip  deemed  i!  tlie  wisest  plan  to  lay  aside  his  niL'iliia'.iil 
attack  upon  England,  at  least  for  the  present. 

John,  as  easily  elated  as  depressed,  was  so  pufled  tip  by  his  novel  safei; 
accompanied  though  it  was  by  so  much  ignominy,  that  he  boasted  his  in- 
tention to  invade  France.  But  he  was  met  on  the  part  of  his  barons  wiih 
colli  and  contemptuous  refusal  to  take  part  in  his  enterprise;  and  ahni 
in  the  hope  of  shaming  them  into  joining  him,  he  sailed  with  only  hu 
personal  followers  us  far  as  ide  island  tif  Jersey,  lie  had  the  niorlifiiMti'iii 
of  being  compelled  to  return,  not  one  of  the  barons  having  so  far  rclpii'd 
as  to  follow  him.  On  his  return  he  threatened  to  cliastise  thciu  for  tlieii 
want  of  obedi'^nce  ;  hut  here  he  was  met  by  the  archbishop  liiingloii,  who 
reminded  him  that  he  was  but  the  vassal  of  Rome,  and  threatened  liim 
with  the  most  sianal  punishment  if  lie  venti.red  to  levy  war  upon  anyol 
Ois  subjects. 

Rome  removed  the  infliction  upon  John  and  his  kingdom  to  the  full  at 


THIS  TUKASUHY  OP  HISTORY. 


98J 


■'^i':--'M 


grailnallyfis  slio  Ivid  laid  them  on;  but  in  ihn  ond  the  popo  himsolf  intfip- 
fiTCil  III  f)n>H'cl  him  ajraiiist  iho  extortion  of  thn  cl(;r|»y,  and  commanded 
,lieii,  til  iiii<('  forty  ihoiisaiid  marks  instead  of  a  hundred  thonsand,  which 
j„iiii  had  olTcred.  and  instead  of  the  infamously  excessive  sum  beyond  that 
whii'li'hcy  had  rated  tlnir  h)ssr8  at. 

In  the  end,  the  king's  submissive  behaviour  and  his  disbnrsemeut  of 
,ar^i'  sum-  of  money  prociifed  llje  inlrnliet  to  he  removed  from  his  king- 
jiiin  ;  aiul  ih(?  (irrlates  and  snjjerior  cleriry  having  received  their  damages, 
til,,  inferior  ch:r;,ry  were  left  to  console  themselves  as  they  best  mf^ht 
mihoul  any  r<j)ayment  at  all;  Nicholas,  bishop  of  Frcscati,  who  was 
now  li'^'ate  in  LiislanJ  instead  of  Pandolf,  showing  himself  more  favour- 
jIiIp  10  John  than  his  prt'decessors  had  been. 

X,  0  I'JU.— Not  deterred  by  the  evident  dislike  of  his  barons,  and  then 
dcUTUiination  never  to  assist  him  when  they  could  make  any  valid  e.xense, 
Juliii  now  [)rocecded  to  I'oietou,  and  his  authr/rity  beiiifr  stil'  held  in  re- 
spiL't  there,  he  was  enabled  to  carrv  the  war  into  Philip's  territory.  Hut 
before  J()hn  ha>l  well  commenced  his  depredatn)ns  he  was  routed  by 
Philip's  son,  younff  Prince  l.oiiis,  and  tied  in  terror  to  Kntrland,  to  enjrafje 
once  more  in  his  conj^euial  task  of  oppressing,'  hi'  snb|ecls.  For  this 
aiiiiihle  l)ursuit  he  deemed  that  his  submission  to  Rome  had  furnished 
him  wiih  Cull  nnnuinity  ;  but  mortilicatiiuis  of  the  most  severe  description 
were  still  in  store  for  him.  The  barons,  shocked  out  of  even  their  feudal 
tiHtioiis  nf  submission,  became  clamorous  for  the  practical  and  formal 
osialilishnienl  of  I  lie  liberties  and  privileires  whi(di  had  been  promised  to 
llioiM  liv  hoiii  Henry  I.  and  Henry  II.  In  their  demands  they  were  much 
backed  :i;id  aided  by  Archbishop  Lansjton;  less,  it  would  seem  pretty 
cltur,  from  any  fjennine  patriotism  on  bis  part,  than  from  old  detestation 
of  .lohi),  exacerbated  and  festered  by  tin;  obstinacy  with  which  he  had 
rcsi^ldd  l.:ui<;toii's  admis-^iim  to  the  ])rimaey.  At  a  private  meetinij  ol 
Ilie  inest  zealous  of  tlu!  barons,  I.anjrton  not  oidy  encoiirasred  them  by  his 
O'vii  elo(iuent  advice,  but  also  produeed  a  copy  of  ttu!  charter  of  Henry  I., 
\vh'(  K  he  li.id  rummajjed  out  of  some  monastic  crypt,  and  urj^ed  them  to 
mike  tiiat  the  ijuide  and  basis  of  their  demands,  and  to  persevere  initil 
lliusc  (leinaiels  were  both  fully  and  seeundy  conceded  to  them.  Perceiv- 
es the  efTeet  of  this  coiidnet,  he  repeated  it  at  another  and  more  immerons 
niii'tiiii,'  of  l!ie  batons  at  St.  I''dnumd's  Iliiry  in  Suffolk  ;  and  the  cdiarter, 
s'i;ip()i'teil  by  its  own  vivid  c  loquence,  so  wrought  upon  the  barons,  that 
tri'  thry  separated  they  solcmidy  swore  to  be  true  to  each  other,  and 
lU'viT  to  cease  to  make  war  upon  their  faithless  and  tyrannical  kiiiff  until 
ho  should  grant  their  just  demands.  This  done  they  separated,  after 
(ixiii?  upon  a  day  for  their  reunion  to  commence  their  open  and,  if  need 
be,  iirined  advocacy  of  their  cause. 

A.  I).  l','l ;'). — On  the  given  day  they  punctually  met.  and  demanded  their 
rights,  as  promised  by  his  own  oath  and  as  laid  nowii  in  the  charter 
nfdfiiry  I.  Alarmed  at  their  union,  .Fohn  promised  that  they  should  be 
niiswcred  on  the  following  Raster;  and  the  jirimate  with  the  bishop  of  Kly 
ami  the  earl  of  P(;mbroke  becomin<f  surety  for  the  performance  of  the 
kina's  wcfds,  the  barons  contentedly  retired  to  their  castles. 

IS'it  John  had  soufjhl  delay,  not  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  nature 
and  propriety  of  the  demands,  but  for  tliat  of  findintj,  if  possible,  some 
mpuiis  by  which  at  once  to  baulk  the  barons  and  to  be  avenired  of  them. 
Having;  experienced  to  his  cost  the  power  of  Rome,  he  thought  his  best 
way  to  baflle  his  nobl(\s  was  to  conciliate  the  church,  to  which  he  volun- 
lanly  made  many  concessions  and  compliments  ;  one  of  the  former  being 
liH  voluntary  relinquishment  of  that  riyht  to  investiture  which  the  pre- 
vious No;man  kings  had  so  stoutly  battled  for,  and  one  of  Uie  latter,  an 
equHlly  voluntary  proffer  and  promise  to  lead  an  army  against  the  infidels 
in  the  Holy  Land;  and,  to  signify  his  entire  sincerity  upon  this  last  point, 


:iif^-'  ■ 


M4 


THE  TREASUaV  OF  HiaTOUY. 


m} 


Mi' 


m 


m 


m 


m 


Sjs 


M 


he  at  on(!f!  nssumed  llio  Cross.  Bolli  from  Jolin'ii  urgency  for  liis  protec. 
tion  and  from  ilu;  counter  and  no  less  iirtfcnt  inslanccH  of  l\ui  bardiis.  the 
|)0|)('  was  excited  lo  much  alarm  about  Kn;,'land,  for  the  [icace  ami  [inis. 
perity  of  wlucli  he  lind,  8inc(!  John  basely  became  iiis  vassal,  coiiirivtd  a 
son  of  paternal  interest.  Knowin;^  full  well  bow  nuu-h  mure  iliirRnii  n 
would  be  to  deal  with  the  power  of  Knyland  under  the  bold  banms  Wr.m 
under  a  despiBcd  and  weak  prince  like  John,  it  was  t)l)viously  lu  ilu!  in. 
terest  of  Inno''"  '.  to  uphold  the  latter  vrn  faras  possible  anainht  tht;  iDnner 
and  he  ther.'fore  Issued  a  bull,  in  which  he  characlcri.sed  the  pioeecilin^,' 
of  the  Itarjus  as  iile((al  and  treasonable;  forbade  them,  under  piiin  u| 
pxcoimnnnicatiun,  from  iierslHting  in  their  demands;  ami  enjoined  Joim 
under  the  same  penally,  not  to  comply  with  tliem. 

The  primate,  beiu)^  in  favour  of  the  barons,  refused  to  give  formul 
publicity  to  thi'i  bidl ;  and  thoufrh  he  was  suspended  for  his  eomhict  m 
this  respect,  the  failure  of  the  bull  was  not  the  less  insured;  and  iliu,  ^ 
new  proof  was  atforded  how  much  the  pope's  power  ilepended  upon  ihe 
extent  and  cordiality  of  the  co-operation  of  the  rest  of  the  church.  Dut 
thoiiL'h  i\w  pope  and  the  kin^j  Hms  exerted  ihemselvcs  to  defeat  tticbardiis, 
the  latter  succeeded  in  wresting  from  the  kinjjf  that  wcdl  known  dcil.ira. 
lion  of  riifhts  and  definition  of  prerogative  known  as  Mn^nin  C/iarin,  or  iho 
(jreat  Charter— a  document  which  we  need  not  insert  here,  on  account  ol 
Its  fjeneral  notoriety.  Hut  no  charter  or  aifreenu'nt  coidd  bind  llic  king; 
he  Introduced  forei<tn, mercenaries,  besieged  and  took  Koclicstcr  ciisiFc, 
and  barbarously  put  all  but  the  very  hii,'hcst  of  the  gnni^on  to  denlli,  and 
then  carried  fire  and  sword  into  llu!  towns  and  vdlages  throughout  Kiv^. 
land.  The  barons,  chiefly  from  some  faults  or  omissions  on  tlicir  own 
part,  were  reduced  to  such  straits,  that  they  ventured  in  the  uiipiitrmii' 
and  dangerous  expedient  of  oflferiuff  the  crown  of  Kuj^daiul  to  Prince  Luni!;, 
son  of  I'Inlip  of  l>' ranee. 

A.  D.  121(i, — The  prince  accordingly  landed  in  England  with  a  large 
force.  In  spile  of  the  menaces  an<l  orders  of  the  popiv,  John  was  (k'scriid 
by  the  fDreijjncrs  upon  whom  he  <diieMy  de[)ended,  and  who,  ihoiich  wil- 
Inig  enough  to  slaughter  his  i'^nglish  suiyects,  were  naturally  uiiwiliinslo 
fight  jig.iinst  their  own  native  prmce.  Most  of  the  Knglish  nobility  who 
had  heretofore  sided  with  John,  now  deserted  him ;  town  after  tovvii,  and 
castle  after  castle,  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  (Miemies;  and  evcrviliiiig 
seemed  to  threaten  him,  when  a  report,  true  or  false,  got  currency,  that 
Lotus  merely  used  the  Knglish  iiobhjs  as  his  tools,  atul  would  cxccnte 
them  as  traitors  whenever  his  success  should  be  complete.  This  rcporl 
had  visibly  turned  the  8<!ale  once  more  m  favour  of  John.  Several 
nobles  returned  to  their  allegiance,  and  he  was  ra[)idly  collecting  power- 
ful forces  to  crombat  for  his  kingdom,  when  a  heavy  loss  of  treasure  anc" 
baggage,  which  occured  as  he  was  passing  towards  Lincoln,  so  luuili  a;: 
gravated  an  Illness  under  which  he  already  laboured,  that  he  expired  ai 
Newark,  on  the  17th  of  October,  121(5,  In  the  forty  ninth  year  of  his  ;ine, 
and  in  the  eighteenth  of  his  agitated,  mischievous,  and  inglorious  r(>i<.'ii. 

It  was  In  this  reign  that  the  citizens  of  London  first  were  privilej^'d  an- 
nually and  from  their  own  body  to  choose  their  mayor  and  common  i-ouii- 
cil,  and  lo  elect  aiul  discharge  their  fiherltTs  at  pleasure  Of  tlrc  k  mj's 
character  no  summary  Is  needed;  both  as  man  and  as  sovereign  l<^  is 
hut  too  forcibly  depicted  in  the  evcKts  of  wiilch  we  have  giv"  a  briei  but 
RO'iplele  nnd  impartial  account. 


TIIK  TllKAStlHY  OP  HISTORY. 


36A 


niAI'TKIt  XXIII. 
Tiic  neiuN  or  iik.mit  mi. 

i,o  121f).— ArllKMloalhof  Jolmhisddf'st  sdii,  Ilciiry,  was  only  mncyeari 
old;  lull  li'ipi"'y  '"-  '>'"'  "I  ^'"'  ^''^'''  "'  l'<'iii'>i'i>kt!  II  ftitMid  :iiiil  guanliiiii  who 
w;is  Imili  alilo  uiiii  williiij,'  lo  prcvnit  his  iiir;mcy  from  I)(miijj  any  disad 
viiiitiiui.'  l»  l"i"  •  "'"'  I'"""*  "T  Kiiiiicc,  who  expected  to  dtirive  ^rcat  hciio- 
Sil'ioiii  the  dfiiili  of  Jolm,  found,  on  tlie  contrary,  thai  very  eircumsiunco 
iiidsl  iiijurioiis  to  him. 

liiiiiiciluitoly  after  llm  kin^;''*  death,  the  carl  of  P<Mnbroko  look  every 
nci'tissiiry  precaution  on  heh;df  of  ihi^  youui;  [inucc.     lie  had  hiui  crowned 
iniiiit'ili.ileiy  after  the  funeral,  and  caused  hnn  publicly  lo  swear  fealty  lo 
Ihi' [)i)[)c  ;  measures  most  iinixn-laiil  towards  iusurinjf  tin;  cnthusiasni  of 
the  jit'oplc,  on  the  oni)  hand,  and  the  support  of  Konie,  on  tho  other.    Still 
farlhor  to  increase  the  [)opulanty  of  ihe  yoniuf  kin.^.  Ilu!  earl  of  I'enihroke, 
uiiw  rcflidarly  authorized  with  "the  tillc  of  protector  of  tin;  roalni,  confer- 
reiliiiiDU  hnn  hy  a  ureal  conned,  is.siicd  in  Ins  name  a  new  charter,  ehielly 
foiiiuit'il  (III  ihat  which  John  had  granled  and  hnd^en  tlirou<;h ;  and  suh- 
sniuriitly  ht;  added  several  stdl  more  popular  articles   to  it,  disaforcsiing 
iniiili  til  the  vast  (lunnlily  of  land  which  !i;id  arhitriirily  hccn  enclosed  by 
lliiliiinl  and  Jolm,  and   sul)>lituliiiif  line  and  imprisonment  for  the  more 
triifl  |)iiiusliments  which  had  heretofore  lu;eii  awarded  for  ftn'est  oirenccs, 
Willie  active!  in  lakinii;  tliesi!  trencral  measures  to  secure  the  aU'ections 
of  tin' people,  the  earl  did  not  omit  to  <'xeit  his  individual  inlKiciice  to  de- 
Ui'li  llic  tiaroiis  who  had  sided  with  Louis,     lie  pointed  out,  with  admira 
ble  liii'i,  ilie  vasl  diirerencc  heiween  lii>liliii^  auainsi  a  sovcreiy;n  of  mature 
ytais  wild  had  wron','ed  and  insulted  iliem,  and  warrini^  ai^'ainsl  an  infant 
|iiini'(>  of  the  race  of  their  aiK-ient  monarchs,  to  set  up  in  his  place  the  son 
iil'ilii'  Krenidi  kiiiij;  ho  dwelt  iilioii  lln;  good  measures  which  had  already 
bi'cn  (fleeted  liy  the  nrovernment  of  ihe  infant  kiiifj,  and  licsoiiyht  them  lo 
lake  till'  lavoiirahle  o(iportuniiy  now   ollcrcd.  of  ahandoiiing  tlu^  crausc  of 
1/  'w,  which  was  unjust   in   itself,  anatliemalized  hy  the  pope,  and  had 
hiilirilitbicn  as  sinyfularly  unfortunate  as  il  was  ohvioiifly  unhlessed.   'I'lic 
ri.iticler  of  I'einbrokf!  was  so  liij,'h  lliat  his  remonstrances  had  a  uny.il 
lilict  on  those  lo  whmn  ihey  were  addressed.     Many  barons  foriluvjtli 
ib.tiiiloiied  LiOiiis,  and  earned  over  their  slrcnijlh  lo  iheir  native  prince; 
ami  many  more,  though  not  yet  (piite  prepared  to  go  all  that  length,  enter- 
i.liii'.ita  cdrrespondence  with  Pembroke  which  sliowed  their  leaning  that 
way,    Louis  added  lo  this  leanin;f  by  the  impolitic  o()ciiiies3  with  which 
he  I'viiured  Ins  distrust  of  the  Knjjlisli.     Robert   Kilz-VVallir,  that  power- 
ful iiolilo  under  whom  all  llic!  barons  of  Kii^land   had  tliiiught  it  no  (lis. 
gricc  to  range  Ihemscdves  when  they  commenced  the   struggh'  with  ihe 
lyiMiit  John,  applied  to  Louis  for  the  government  of  the  castle  of  Hertford, 
ami  was    refused,  althnugh  lie  had  a  personal  claim  upon  the   fortress. 
Willi  such  an  example  befort-  their  eyes,  how  could  the  barons  help  feel- 
III,' that  he  was,  indeiHl,  making  more  tools  of  them? 

Liiiiis  being  obliged,  by  the  great  losses  he  had  sustained,  to  go  into 
Fiance  for  reinforcements,  afforded  the  doubtful  an  opportunity  to  return 
111  llieir  allegiance  and  join  Pembroke,  who  at  lenglli  liid  siege  to  Lincoln 
cily,  which  was  garrisoned  by  the  French  under  Count  Pcnche,  who  in 
ihi'iruini  hemmed  in  and  besieged  iho  I'lnglish  garrison  of  Lincoln  castle. 
k  s:illy  from  the  castle  was  made  at  the  same  moment  that  Pembroke  and 
his  troops  mtiunted  to  Ihe  assault  of  the  town  ;  and  so  complete  was  the 
luiicess  of  the  Knglish  on  this  occasion,  that  the  fate  of  the  kingdom  may 
bes;ii(l  to  have  depended  mi  the  issue. 

When  Pembroke  oliiaiiied  ihis  great  advantage  Louis  was  besieging 
Dover  castle,  which  was  as  ably  as  obslinalciy  defended  by  Hubert  de 
Burgli;  and  on  hearing  the  tidings  from  Lincoln  he  hastened  lo  London. 


3 

mwHi 

a  i 

1 

5'  ..;^^ 


Uiifrrr 


"i'    In  If  ,. 


i  ll  ■ 


I IM "  ■ 


flTt"   i 


!      ^  ' .  f 


I : ;  ^ 


268 


THE  TllKASUIlY  OF  IIISTOIIY. 


where  llic  farllicr  ill  news  awaited  liim  oftlic  defeat  and  dispcrsioi:  oi  j 
rrencli  fleet  wiiicii  was  brinyiiig  liiiii  over  reiiiforcemeiiis. 

These  two  events  caused  new  desertions  of  llie  Kiigli«ii  barons  to  Pem 
broke;  and  instead  of  cntertaiuins;  farilier  hope  of  winning  tlie  Kii»!is!i 
crown,  Louis  now  thought  only  of  securing  a  safe  and  s|)eedy  de|i;uuiic 
from  a  kiugthnn  in  whieli  he  had  met  wiih  so  many  misfortunes;  lie  fx. 
cordiugly  agreed  to  evaeuale  the  kingdom  forihwiih,  upon  the  sole  cm- 
ditiou  that  neiilier  in  property  nor  in  liht-rlies  should  itiose  barons  v,iio 
had  adiiered  to  his  eause  be  made  to  s-ufier  for  that  adherence. 

Tlie  protector  readily  agreed  to  so  easy  a  condiiioii  ;  and  tiio  civil  war 
being  thus  liappily  terminated,  Pembroke,  as  regarded  the  hiy  baioiis  who 
had  supported  Louis,  fully  performed  liis  part  of  the  agreement,  not  only 
restoring  them  to  their  possessions,  but  also  taking  every  oppoiluiiiiy  to 
show  that  their  former  conduct  was  not  allowed  to  h;ive  the  slightest  wnylit 
in  preventing  favour  or  preferment  from  r(  aching  them.  For  the  cli  ru  .il 
rebels  a  far  severer  fate  was  in  store.  As  far  as  regarded  the  mcrt'ly  tivil 
portions  of  their  onreiice  Pembroke  molesled  none  uf  them  ;  hut  Guiilo.ihe 
pope's  legale,  dealt  somewhat  more  sternly  fcu' the  contempt  and  di^ulicdi- 
ence  with  which,  in  spite  of  tlie  interdict  and  exeonnnunication,  Hay  liiid 
dared  to  eoutinuc  to  support  Louis.  In  so  numerous  a  body  of  iiuiiit  u;is 
obviously  impossible  but  that  liiero  should  lu;  degrees  of  guilt;  ami  ac- 
cordingly, wnile  some:  where  ih'ijosed,  others  were  only  sus[)eiu!(d  ;  sunic 
were  banished,  but  all,  whatever  their  degree  of  guilt,  had  to  pay  a  line  lu 
the  le'iate,  to  whom  this  wholesale  cliastisemenl  of  the  ennig  ck-iks 
produced  an  innnense  sum. 

The  earl  of  Pembroke,  to  whom  the  peace  was  so  greatly  owiii^,  diod 
Bonn  after  its  conclusion,  and  llu;  iiroteclorate  passi'd  into  the  lnuitls  (-! 
Hubert  do  ihirgh,  the  justiciary,  and  Peter  des  KiK  lies,  bishop  of  Wm. 
Chester.  Though  the  former,  who  to(di  the  chief  part  in  tlu;  giivcriiiiitiil, 
was  a  great  and  able  man,  lie  had  not  that  personal  repulaticm  animin;  [\w 
barons  which  had  been  enjoyed  by  the  eail  of  Pembroke,  and  wliitli  had 
chiefly  enabled  that  nobleman  to  curb  tlie  evil  dispositions  wliicli  iiuw 
broke  forth  into   full  and  fell   aitivity,  insulting  the  royal  auliiniily,  and 


everywhere  pillaging  and  co<' 


the  people.      Among  the  nio^l  dis- 


orderly of  tlii'sc  was  the  eail  of  Allu  ni;iile.  lit  had  served  tiiuler  hiniis, 
but  had  quickly  returned  to  iiisdiily  and  dislinguihlied  himself  in  lijjliiing 
against  tlie  Ficnc!!.  His  disorderly  con.'.uei  in  the  north  of  Ihiglaml  iimv 
became  so  notorious  ami  so  mis(  lii(v(niK,  that  Hubert  (b^  Diuiiii,  ilii;iii;h 
greatly  averse  to  harsh  measures  against  those  [lowerful  iiobles  \^lll)^e 
future  favour  might  be  of  such  imporlant  eonseipieiice  to  his  yoiiiijr  kin^, 
seized  upon  the  castle  of  Rockingham,  which  liie  ear!  had  filled  wiili  jus 
licentious  soldiery.  The  earl,  supjiorted  by  Fawkes  de  lJr(  ante  and  oihtr 
warlike  and  tuibuleiit  barons,  foitificd  the  castle  of  Uilliam,  put  liimsoll 
upon  his  open  defence,  and  seized  upon  the  castle  of  Fotheringay  ;  aiui  it 
seemed  not  unlikely  that  the  daring  and  injustice  of  this  one  man  Numld 
again  kindle  the  so  lately  extiimuislied  (lames  of  civil  war.  Forliiin'kiy. 
Pandidf.  who  was  now  restored  to  the  jcganiine  power  in  lMii(laii(i,  uas 
present  to  take  a  part  on  bcdialf  of  t!ic  constituted  authorities.  He  issiud 
a  sentence  of  excommunication  nut  only  against  Albeinaile,  hul  alf^o  in 
general  terms  against  all  wlio  should  adiiereto  that  nobleman's  cause;  iiimI 
an  anny,  with  means  of  paying  ii,  were  provided.  'I"he  proinfititiide  mid 
vigour  of  these  measures  so  alarmed  Albemarle's  adherents,  that  lie  was 
on  the  instant  deserted  by  the  most  powerful  of  them,  and  saw  ao'iliiiig 
left  but  to  sue  for  the  king's  parduii,  which  was  iU)t  only  graiiteil  liiiii  an 
regarded  his  person,  but  he  was  at  the  same  time  rcjstored  to  his  'vholo 
estate. 

It  was  probably  the  confidence  of  being,  in  the  last  resort,  able  to  in- 
Bure  liimsfdf  a  like  impolitic  degree  of  Itniity,  that  encounacd  Fawlvij 


THE  TaEASURY  OF  HISrORY. 


867 


,i>  Dreaufe  to  treat  the  govcriimGiit  with  a  most  uiihcard-or  insolence  and 
contempt.  Having  been  raised  from  ahiworiijiii  by  Kiiiij  John,  wlioni  ho 
(ijjlowcil  ill  tiio  dismx'ciitable  capacity  of  a  military  bully,  this  man  carried 
iho  cDiulmH  and  manners  of  his  original  station  into  the  higher  fortune  to 
wiiich  lu!  iiad  attained,  and  was  among  the  most  turbulent  and  unmaii- 
zirp-Mii  of  all  ihe  barons. 
°To  desire  a  freehold,  and  forcibly  to  expel  the  rightful  owner  and  take 

)ssession,  were  with  him  but  one  and  the  same  thing;  and  for  literal 
roi)l)cries  of  this  summary  and  whoK^s.ile  description,  no  fewer  than  thir- 
ivfivi!  vcriiicts  were  recorded  against  him  at  one  time.  Far  from  being 
akslied  or  alarmed  by  such  a  phirality  of  crime,  Fawkcs  marciied  a  body 
of  his  staiincliest  disorderlies  to  the  court  of  justice  which,  was  then  sit- 
liiijf,  seized  upon  his  beiicii  the  judge  who  had  ventured  to  decide  against 
60  pottiit  an  offender,  and  actually  imprisoned  that  judicial  dignitary  in 
Bi'ilfDrd  caslle.  Having  gone  to  this  extent,  Fawkes  could  have  but  little 
compiiiK'tion  about  going  still  farther,  and  he  opeidy  and  in  form  levied 
\\\i{  upon  the  king.  But  he  had  now  gone  to  the  full  length  of  his  tether; 
lit  was  opposed  so  vigorously  that  his  followers  were  soon  put  to  the 
rout,  and  he,  being  taken  prisoner,  was  punished  by  confiscation  and  ban- 
ishment. 

A.  D.  1222. — In  this  year  a  riot  broke  out  in  the  metropolis.  Com- 
niPiiciiij  ill  some  petty  disimte  tliat  oc(Uirred  during  a  wrt'slling  match 
bdwct'ii  a  portion  of  the  rabble  of  London  and  Westminster,  it  at  length 
ruse  to  a  despjrate  and  dangerous  tumult,  in  the  course  of  wliii;li  several 
persons  were  much  hurt,  and  some  houses  were  plundcTed  and  demolished. 
Tlii'se  lumses  belonging  to  so  important  a  [lerson  as  the  abbot  of  West- 
miiislcr,  (hat  circumstance  alone  would  |)robiibly  have  caused  the  riot  to 
be  looked  upon  in  a  serious  light  at  court.  Hut  it  farther  appiuired,  that 
111  llie  course  of  the  eoiilliiit  the  comliatanls  on  either  or  both  sides  had 
been  lie. ird  to  iisi;  llio  French  war-cry  "iMounijoy  St.  Denis!"  and  tiie  re- 
cent altempt  by  Louis  upon  the  lliiglish  erown  caused  the  use  of  this 
w;ir-i"i'y  to  give  to  an  ordinary  riot  sonieiliing  of  the  aspect  of  a  [)olitieal 
and  treasonable  attempt;  and  ILibert,  the  jnsticnary,  personally  took  cog- 
nizance of  the  in. liter.  'I'he  ringleader,  (vonstanline  Fitz-Arniilf,  behaved 
Willi  iiiiieh  self-possession  and  aiidaci  y  when  before  llie  justiciary,  and 
\v;is  fortlnvitli  hul  out  from  his  presence  and  hanged  ;  while  si.-ver.il  of 
lliose  wdose  guilt  was  confessedly  less  heinous  had  their  feet  amputated; 
an  awful  severity  umler  any  possible  circninstaiices — how  miicli  more 
so  when  contrasted  with  the  lenity  shown  to  so  despeiate  an  olFinider  as 
Fawkes  de  Breante ! 

Slunily  after  this  atTair,  which  was  much  complained  of  as  being  con- 
tnry  to  th(!  (ireat  Charter,  Hubert  procured  a  bull  from  the  pope,  pro- 
nimiiclng  tlu;  king  of  full  ige  to  guvern.  He  ilien  resigned  into  the  young 
kiiig'o  hands  the  Tower  cf  London  and  Dover  casth!,  which  had  been 
I'litriisled  to  him;  and  having  by  this  e>;ample  aeijuired  the  greater  right 
lo  demand  at  the  hands  of  other  nobles  a  similar  strengthening  of  the 
rmichiiiipaired  power  of  the  crown,  he  formally  did  so.  But  the  barons 
of  iliai  d.iy  were  like  the  rake  of  a  later  dr.inialist;  they  "could  admire 
virtue,  hut  could  not  imitate  it."  All  inurmnred,  most  refused  to  comply, 
and  many,  among  whom  were  the  earls  of  Chester  and  AUiemarle,  John, 
coiisiuhli!  of  (Chester,  John  de  Lacy,  and  William  de  Courtel,  absolutely 
met  in  arms  at  Waltlrim  and  prepared  to  march  in  lioalih;  ai ray  upon 
Lomlim.  But  before  they  had  time  to  commemte  this  actual  levying  of 
iivil  war  they  had  tidings  that  the  king  was  pre[)ared  to  outnninlier  and 
defeat  them.  They,  therefore,  abandoned  their  design,  and  a|)|)eared  at 
court,  whither  ihcy  were;  summoned  to  answer  for  tfieir  conduct.  But 
lliongh,  as  a  matter  of  prudence,  they  had  laid  aside  the  design  of  lev.ving 
»bspluie  war  upon  their  sovereign,  they  made  no  profession  of  repent- 


Hf^."|^' 

MNR^H 

|^n|^^ 

wm'    ^^'i 

^^  wMDHw 

^IKffii 

^^K'  «- 

^^fflflBn 

Bh^m^^  v^  i1m 

I^H 

Hi^mr'l  il  '^'i^'- 

^^K! "                kf 

BRPiiyii 

Afifrrf. 


268 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOR 


11'- 


ance.  On  the  contrary,  while  they  eagerly  disavowed  any  personal  hos. 
tility  to  the  king  himself,  they  equally  admilled  llial  they  were  hostile  to 
Hubert,  and  that  they  were  still  as  deicrminnd  as  ever  to  insist  upon  Ins 
removal  from  his  power  and  authority.  They  were  too  numerous  and 
potent  to  be  subjected  to  the  punishment  which  tlieir  insohiut  sedition 
merited  ;  and  probably  it  was  their  pcreeplioii  of  that  as  the  real  cause  of 
their  being  sulfered  to  retire  nnseathed  from  court  after  so  open  a  (lecia. 
ration  of  their  hostility  to  Hubert,  that  encouraged  lhen>  very  shortly 
afterwards  to  hold  anoiher  armed  meeting  at  Leicester.  Here  again  they 
determined  that  the  king,  then  resident  at  Northampton,  was  too  strong 
and  too  well  prepared  lo  allow  of  their  seizing  upon  his  person,  wiiich 
despite  tiieir  former  dis(daimer,  it  was  all  along  tiieir  desire  to  do.  Bm' 
as  if  watching  for  some  relaxation  of  the  vigilance  of  the  justiciary,  or 
some  diminution  of  tlic  royal  forces,  they  kept  together  under  the  pre- 
tenc'.!  of  celebrating  Christmas.  As  it  was  evident  that  mischief  would 
speedily  occur  to  both  king  and  people,  unless  tuese  bold  bad  men  wlto 
stopped  before  th(!y  had  eneourageil  each  other  too  far,  the  arcliijisiiop  and 
the  prelates  sternly  remonstrated  with  them,  and  threatened  thcni  with 
immediate  excommunication  as  iIk;  penalty  of  their  longer  delaying  their 
submission  to  the  king  and  the  disbanding  of  their  hostile  array.  Most 
oJ"  the  (-astles  were,  upon  this  threat,  given  up  to  the  king,  and  wo  may 
judge  ho'v  necessary  a  sl('p  Hubert  had  taken  on  beiialf  of  his  yoimn 
sovereign,  when  we  read  that  tiiere  were;  in  England  at  that  iniie  no  less 
than  eleven  himdred  and  fifleeu  of  these  castles.  When  Ilubcn's  just  and 
wise  design  was  fulfilled,  the  king  restored  to  that  faithful  subject  and 
servant  the  fortress<>s  lu;  had  surrendered,  and  tiiis  restoration  was  bitterly 
complained  of  by  the  facticnis  barons,  who  eliose  not  to  perceive  the  ini. 
mcnse  din"erence  between  fortresses  held  for  the  king  and  fortresses  held 
against  him. 

Parliament  having  granted  the  king  a  fifteenth,  he  was  obliged  to  employ 
it  in  carrying  on  war  against  Trance,  in  sjiite  of  ilie  disallected  state  of 
so  many  of  his  most  poncrful  subjects.  For  ller..'y  having  deinmided 
the  resiilnlion  of  his  ancestral  Normandy,  liOiiis  VIH.  was  so  fir  from 
making  that  restitution,  that  he  made  a  sudden  attack  upon  Poictmi,  be- 
sieged and  took  Rocdielle,  and  showed  an  eviihmt  determination  to  deprive 
the  Knglisli  of  their  very  small  nMiiainiug  continental  territory.  The 
king  sent  over,  as  his  lieuieuanls,  his  brother  the  carl  of  Cornwall,  and 
his  uncle  iht;  earl  of  Salisbury,  who  succeeded  in  preventing  aii\-  I'arlhcr 
progress  mi  thi;  part  of  Louis,  and  in  kecfiing  the  vassi^.ls  of  (iaseony 
and  I'oictou  in  obedit;nce ;  and.  after  two  years'  stay  in  I'ranci',  iliiriiig 
which  the  military  operations  amounted  to  nothing  higiier  than  what  inoj. 
ern  gtiiierals  would  term  a  skirmi.-^h,  the  earl  of  Cornwall  returned  to 
England. 

A.  n.  1'2J7. — Though  lliidiard,  earl  of  Corewall,  seems  to  have  cared 
little  enough  for  the  ordinary  ends  of  ambition,  he  had  a  greediness  of 
gain  which  aiiswei(!d  all  the  purposes  of  ambition  in  arraying  him  auainst 
his  brother  and  king;  and  a  petly  <lispute  whic'i  arose  out  of  the  earl's 
gre(Ki  and  his  unjust  course  of  gratifying  it,  not  oniy  produced  feud  ainnng 
the  brotliers,  hut  had  wtdl  nigh  invoived  the  whide  nation  in  a  civil  war, 
and  certainly  would  have  done  so  but  for  the  weak  and  yielding  chaiacler 
of  Henry,  wliose  iircsolution  even  thus  early  became  manifest  lo  both 
his  friends  aiiu  his  enemies. 

Taking  advantage  of  a  dispute  which  had  occurred  between  Richard 
and  one  of  the  barons,  ndative  to  the  possession  of  a  certain  manor,  a 
powerf'.d  confederacy  of  dls<!ontented  nobles  was  formed  r»gaiinH  the  kini,', 
who  at  length  yielded  the  point  through  fear,  and  made  {;oncf"*sioii8  as 
impolitic  as  they  were  inglorious  to  him  as  a  sovereign.  So  v  i-A  and 
pliant,  111  fact,  was  the  character  of  Henry,  that  it  may  be  doubted  wlielher 


and  jxofusion,  di 


'^M 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


2G9 


he  would  evpr  have  roigiied  at  all  had  the  oare  of  his  minority  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  a  less  iibh;  and  upright  man  than  Hubert  (1(!  liiirgli.  And 
il  was  iiu  small  proof  of  his  weakness  that  after  al  the  important  and 
sieadf'ist  services  which  he  had  received  from  De  Hurgli,  that  minister 
was  disaiissed  his  ollice,  deprived  of  his  property,  driven  to  take  sanc- 
liiary,  drawn  tlience  and  committed  to  close  custody  in  the  i-astle  of  De- 
vizes, for  no  otiier  reason  than  that  he  had  been  faithful  to  tliL'  king. 
Oilier  real  charge  than  this  tliere  was  none ;  though  several  pretences 
were  urged  against  him,  such  as  tiie  frivolous  ones  of  his  having  gained 
(licking's  favour  and  affection  by  ads  of  enchantment,  and  of  purloining 
from  il'L'  royal  treasure  a  gem  vvincti  \\m\  the  virtue  of  rendering  its 
wearer  invulnerable!  Hubert  was  at  leiiglh  driven  into  exile;  but  re- 
ciilled  and  taken  into  favour  with  just  as  little  apparent  reason  as  there 
had  been  fur  his  p;'rs(!iniiion.  \Ui  sei'ui-^  in  his  adversity  to  liave  al  least 
learned  the  valuable  lesson  of  the  dang.r  of  counselling  wisely  a  weak 
kiiiir;  for,  though  he  was  now  personally  as  muidi  a  favourite  as  evi^r,  ho 
never  afterwanls  showed  any  desire  to  resume  his  perdous  authority, 
wliicli  was  bestowed  at  his  overthrow  w\Mn  Pet(.'r,  bishop  of  Winchoster, 
3  native  of  Poie-tou,  arl)itrary  and  vioh'iit,  Imi  without  any  of  Hubert  de 
l!iir;jli's  talent  or  courage,  and  so  little  fitted  for  the  almost  sovereign 
authority  that  was  entrusted  to  him,  that  it  was  mainly  owmg  to  his  mis- 
toiulnet  and  tyranny  as  judiciary,  and  regent  of  the  kingdom  <luring  an 
absence  of  King  John  in  France,  that  the  barons  had  been  stung  into 
that  nieniorablc!  (;oinbiiiation  v.diich  resulted  in  the  great  charter,  the  foun- 
dation of  constitutional  libm-ly  in  Kngland. 

A.  n  1231. — iiike  all  sveak  jicrsons,  Henry,  while  he  felt  his  own  inca 
paeity  for  governing,  was  uiiwdling  to  abide  by  the  advice  of  those  who 
were  worthy  of  his  (Mtnfideive ;  and  feeling  that  his  true  nature  was 
-iirewdly  understood  by  his  own  su!>j''  's,  he  invited  over  a  <jrcat  number 
of  Poieieviiis,  in  whom  he  rightly  su|»posed  that  he  would  find  more 
jMiiiicy  and  less  restraint.  Upon  these  foreign  wcophants  he  conferred 
various  (ifrii-rs  .)f  trust  :ind  power  which  he  feared  ui  bestow  upon  his 
Kiiglit^h  subjects.  Contideni  in  the  [iroteetion  of  the  kwtg,  iiifla'ed  by  the 
<lre:iin  of  good  furlune  whitdi  so  suddenly  flowed  in  upon  them,  md  either 
Ignorant  or  heedless  of  the  hate  and  i«*alousy  of  wlmdi  they  w»  'i^  the  o!) 
jpcts,  lliesi'  foreign  favouritt-s.  by  tlv-  <••  insolence,  added  to  iXw  r..iicour  of 
ihc  powerful  enemies  by  wlnjin  the  i»»»re  favour  and  profuse  ht>erality  of 
the  king  were  of  tliems(dves  sn-rtieient  to  surround  tliem.  The  baron.s,  on 
i!ie  oilier  hand,  finding  all  indirf  -t  tokens  of  their  displeasure  UMaitendiid 
iMit  lenij'h  refnseil  to  attentt  thnr  parlnnientary  dutie-:,  under  pretence 
of  fearing  the  power  of  the  foreigners  ;  and  when  the  king  rem'/  -  '  aied 
and  plainly  cominaiidnd  their  attendance,  they  replied  that  they  would 
attend  lu)  more  until  the  king  should  have  dismissed  the  Poictevins,  and 
that  if  ho  did  not  speedily  dismiss  those  men,  both  they  and  he  should  be 
driven  from  the  kingdom.  At  length,  however,  the  barons,  altering  their 
plan,  did  i)roceed  to  parliament,  but  in  m>  warlike  .i  guise,  that  i:  'as  evi- 
hntilicy  .'itcndcd  to  overawe  the  king,  find  make  their  <}Vin  w  '  serve 
for  law  bott  to  nim  and  to  the  kingdom.  Aiv"'  'his  thev  duubtles-  vi'ould 
speedily  hav<- <ione  with  the  strong  hand,  h.i<!l  i»y  bee-i  opposed  'oy  no 
abler  antagoni'*^  than  the  king,  liul  the  justif».rfy.  Fetor  de:*  Koclw^*,  so 
ably  employed  tts»»»f  interval  of  irresolution,  tiia'  he  deiaeli^d  from  Uliem 
not  only  the  earls  </  Chest'^^  and  Lincoln,  but  also  -he  earl  of  Cornwitt, 
;lie  king's  brother,  an'J  thus  ^v  mucdi  weakened  th^  ■»onfe(lr;fi«'-y,  that  i> 
iv:is  broken  up  and  its  \t'.nW<t  '•xposed  \,o  the  vciijffaiice  of  the  V\^ 
Ri'lnrd,  the  earl  pwarshal,  fl<i;d  into  Wabs  and  Ukpuce  v,  Ireland,  wlj««t 
.«■  was  assassinated ;  ottwrs  of  tli*  barons  wen  forviwiiile  eiiougii  tf 
tfs'app,  but  their  estates  were  <v>ii^sca*ed,  an<<,  w««^i  the  k^'/s  usuhI  folly 
and  ixofusion,  distributed  anioH/  the  -*lready  *r«»lih-gorgi»'4  totf)%\w.rm 


L?    i' 


't  A 


i^fl, 


m^M 


M 


270 


THE  TREASURY  OF  IIISTOHY. 


'   !i}f!if^'5 


i     ' 


and  llic  justiciary  publicly  said  that  the  barons  of  England  must  learn  to 
know  themselves  as  inferior  to  those  of  France  ! 

To  what  extent  of  insolent  tyrainiy  he  who  uttered  such  a  sppcch  mitrht 
have  proceeded  it  is  not  easy  to  guess;  but  his  pride  met  with  a  sudden 
check,  and  that  from  a  quarter  whence  he  might  reasonably  have  least 
anticipated  it.  The  church  became  alarmed  for  its  own  intcesls  ;  several 
of  the  prelates,  well  knowing  the  general  discontent  that  was  spreading 
among  the  people  in  consequence  of  the  insolent  and  tyrannical  condi'.ct 
of  the  justiciary,  attended  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  court,  where  he 
strongly  represented  to  Henry  the  impolicy  a  i  well  as  injustice  of  the 
course  lie  had  pursued  himself  and  allowed  the  justiciary  to  p.u'sue  in  his 
name;  and,  attributing  all  the  evil  to  the  justiciary,  demaudtd  his  dis. 
missal  on  pain  of  an  instant  sentence  of  excommunication  an;ai'ist  the 
king  himself.  Timid  by  nature,  though  well  enough  inclined  toward' 
despotism  while  it  could  be  practised  safely,  Henry  was  struck  w  'h 
alaiin  at  the  threat  of  excommunication,  which  he  rightly  judged  would 
be  satisfactory  to  the  op[)ressed  people  as  well  as  to  the  barons,  and  he 
consented  to  the  dismissal  of  Peter  des  Roches.  The  primate  succeeded 
him  in  the  task  of  ordering  state  alTairs  ;  and  being  a  man  of  promptitude 
as  well  as  of  good  sense,  he  speedily  restored  content  by  banishing  the 
detested  foreigners  and  reinstating  tiie  English  magnates  in  tiie  olliccs 
from  which  "'.ey  had,  as  insultingly  as  unjustly,  been  banished. 

A.i>.  i'23(). — The  inclinations  of  a  weak  prince,  however,  are  usuallytoo 
strong  for  the  advice  of  the  most  prudent  iMuister,  and  the  coniplanits  of 
the  king's  preference  of  fureigners  soon  ijccame  louder  than  cer. 

Having  married  I'^lcanor,  daughter  of  the  Ci  'mt  of  i^rovencc,  Henry 
surrounded  himself  with  her  countrymen  and  those  of  her  maternitl  uncle, 
the  bislupof  Valence,  who  was  of  the  house  of  Savoy.  The  Provencals 
and  Savoyards  now  lasted  of  the  king's  indiscriminate  bouiity  as  largely 
as  the  Poictevins  had.  The  bishoj)  of  Valence  became  as  potent  a  per- 
sonage as  Peter  des  lloclies  had  been  ;  tmother  member  of  the  family  ol 
Peter  was  presented  with  the  manor  of  Uichmond  and  the  great  wardship 
of  the  earl  of  Warenne,  and  Hoiiiface,  also  of  Savoy,  was  made  archbishdp 
of  Cant(!rbury.  Nor  were  the  men  alone  thus  fortunate;  to  the  ladies  of 
Savoy  the  king  gave  in  mam  ige  the  young  and  wealthy  nobles  who  were 
his  wards.  Profusion  like  this  soon  exhausted  even  the  monarch's  ample 
means,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  put  the;  king  in  possession  of  funus 
for  farther  liberalities,  by  obtaining  an  absolution  for  him  from  Rome 
from  the  o  itli  whi(di  he  had  taken  to  support  his  former  grants  to  his  Knj;- 
lish  sabj.'cts.  In  truth,  it  soon  btscame  necessary  cither  that  the  kin? 
should  obt;;in  new  funds,  or  that  he  should  abandon  his  system  of  profu- 
sion ;  for  a  new  claim,  which  had  some  show  of  reason,  was  now  made  upon 
him.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Ilimry's  mother,  Isabella,  had  hceii  by 
the  violence  of  King  John  taken  from  her  lawful  husband,  the  count  de  li 
Marche;  and  to  iiiin,  as  soon  art(!r  .lohn's  death  as  decency  would  allo'i', 
she  had  given  her  iiand  in  second  marriage.  By  this  second  'iiarriage 
she  liad  four  sons,  Guy,  William,  (leolTrey,  and  Aylmer,  whom  she  sent 
over  to  visit  H(;nry.  Their  being  foreigners  would  perhaps  have  been  quite 
sunicienl  ta  procure  for  them  a  coidial  reception  ;  but  having  the  additional 
recommondaiion  of  being  his  half-brothers,  they  were  rapturously  re- 
ceived by  him,  and  he  lieaped  wealth  and  dignities  upon  them,  with  a 
most  entire  uii'iouccrn  as  to  his  own  means  and  as  to  the  feelings  and 
claims  of  Ins  subjects.     In  church  as  in  state,  foreigners  were  coiistaiilly 

Sjreferrcd  tc-  nalivc^s,  and  while  Henry  was  I.ivishiiig  wealth  and  civil 
loimurs  upon  the  Poictevins,  Savoyards,  and  (iasi^ons,  the  ()V(!rwlielinnig 
■::flue:icc  of  Home  filled  the  richest  ehurc!)  bcneilces  of  Engiaiui  witr. 
nameless  Italian  monks,  and  it  was  at  one  time  proved  to  demonstraiioM 


i  t 


.n.4 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


271 


ilint  the  Itiilian  intriulers  into  the  church  were  in  tlie  y,-»nrly  receipt  of  a 
rcvfiuie  ■.'oiisiderably  larjrin'  than  that  of  tlie  king  iiimself : 

L'liiler  such  circiiinstaiices  it  was  natural  tiiat  tho  pariiaineni  should 
6lu)W  sDiiK!  unwillingness  to  grant  supplies  to  a  king  who  so  ill  knew  how 
louse  iiis  funds,  or  tliat  men  of  all  ranks  should  murmur  against  a  king 
soeiitiriily  dcslitnto  of  patriotic  feeling;  and  the  more  especially,  as  he 
«,is  i!uis  lavish  to  foreigners  while  utterly  careless  to  flatter  the'  I']nglish 
wiihiliat  martial  enterprise!  which  then,  as  long  after,  was  viewed  by  them 
US  ;''n[)lc  <:ovcring  for  many  defects,  personal  and  political.  Whenever 
lie  dcaiaiuled  supplies  ha  was  obliged  to  listen  to  the  complaints  of  the 
viiilinice  done  to  his  faithful  subjects,  of  the  mean  marriages  forced  upon 
those  of  the  highest  ranks,  of  the  actual  violence  by  which  his  table  was 
supplied,  his  person  decorated,  and  his  religious  solemnities  adorned. 

n,o.  1.2.33. — To  all  the  complaints  of  this  nature  Henry  listened  with 
imiiiiicace,  and  replied  with  vague  and  general  promises  of  amendment; 
ai'lLMiglli,  in  125.'},  having  exhausted  the  patience  of  his  long-enduring 
siihji'crs,  he  hit  upon  a  new  moile  of  obtaining  funds  from  them,  by  80- 
luiliiicr  a  supply  to  aid  him  in  the  pious  design  of  a  crusade  against  the 
liiiiiii'U'.  liut  he  had  now  so  often  been  tried  and  found  v/anting,  that  the 
');irli;imi'nt  could  not  put  faith  in  this  specious  profession.  The  clergy, 
101,  ulu)  lightly  deemed  their  interestii  perilled  by  the  ii.fatnateii  coiiduct 
of  the  king,  were  as  much  opjjoscd  to  him  as  iIk;  laity ;  and  they  sent  the 
archhisliiip  of  Canterbury,  and  the  bishops  of  Winchester,  Salisbury,  and 
Carlisle,  to  n.'monslrate  with  him  upon  his  general  e.vtravagance,  as  well 
as  upon  the  '"regular  manner  in  which  he  disposed  of  church  dignities. 
Ipoii  this  occasion  Henry  displayed  more  than  his  usual  spirit.  Availing 
Limsi'lf  of  tlic  fact  th.it  he  liad  greatly  favoured  thesj  very  personages, 
lie  rt  plied,  "  It  is  true,  I  hare  been  in  cMTor  on  tliis  point  of  im[)roper  pro- 
i:viii()iis;  I  obtruded  you,  my  lord  of  Canterbury,  uiiim  your  sec;  I  was 
iiliiiieJ  to  employ  both  tbrcMits  and  persuasions,  my  lord  of  Win  liester, 
to  Have  yo..  elected  ;  and  irregular,  indeed,  was  my  conduct,  my  lords  of 
Sili-luiry  and  Carlisle,  v.'li(!n  from  your  lowly  stations  I  raised  yon  to 
yiiiir  present  dignities."  There  was  much  truth  in  this,  but  there  was  no 
apolii^jjy ;  and  the  prelates  shrenvdly  rej)lied,  that  the  question  was  not  of 
ermrs  |i;ist,  but  of  the  avoidance!  of  future  errors. 

.Noiuitlistandmg  the  .sarcasm  with  which  the  king  met  the  complaints 
of  the  prelates,  he  promised  so  fairly  for  the  reformation  of  both  ecelesi- 
;is;i;'al  and  civil  abuses,  that  the  parliament  at  length  consented  to  gr.  it 
hull  ii  teiitli  of  lh(!  eecde'siastical  Ixjiieliees,  and  a  si!utage  of  three  marks 
up.iM  each  knight's  fee,  on  condition  of  his  solemnly  ratifying  the  great 
charter,  while,  with  the  ceremony  of  "  bell,  book,  and  candle,"  they  cursed 
wii'ipver  should  benc(!forlli  violate  it.  The  king  joined  in  the  ceremony, 
aiidihly  and  emphaticaUy  aajreed  in  the  awful  (uirse  invoked  upon  any  vio- 
hii.ju  of  iiis  oiiih — and  immediately  al'terwards  returned  to  his  old  prac- 
lii'us  as  lh{)ii-;l\  nothing  extr.iordiiiary  had  occurred  ! 

.\.n.  IJjS.— Condu(;t  so  infatuated  on  tlie  part  of  the  king  almost  seemed 
toiiiviti!  rebellion,  and  at  length  tempted  oiu!  ambitious  and  daring  noble  so 
far,  that  he  determined  to  eiiileavour  to  win  the  throne  frcnn  a  kiiu''  who 
priui',1  himself  so  unworthy  of  filling  it  with  dignity  or  honour.  Simon 
(If  .Moatford,  a  son  of  the  great  warrior  of  that  name,  having,  though  born 
alirdal,  inherited  large  propcsrty  in  ICnglaad,  was  created  earl  of  licices- 
tcr,  ail  i  in  the  yt-ar  1"2.'J8  married  the  dowagereountes.sof  Pembroke,  sister 
t()  lilt;  king.  Till!  earl  had  been  sometimes  greatly  favoured,  sometimes 
as  siun, illy  disgraced  by  tin;  kiim,  but  being  a  man  of  great  talent  he  had 
ron'.rived  always  to  recover  his  footing  at  court,  and,  whether  in  or  out 
of  fiviiur  with  the  king,  to  l)e  a  giMieral  favourite  with  the  petjple,  who  at 
his  first  marrying  tho  king's  sister  had  hated  and  raded  against  hiiii  foi 
I:i3  foreign  birth. 


mm 

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ti^-i^T'f  :  .-  'I' 


372 


THE  TUEASOllY  OF  HISTORY. 


Vi)  ^  '  il| 


«ti;| 


Percciviiig  liow  invcteralely  tlio  king  was  addicted  to  his  Ivrannies  and 
follies,  this  arlful  ami  able  nobleman  determined  to  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  popular— or,  more-  properly  speaking,  the  baronial  andcimrch 
—party,  believing  that  Henry  would  so  far  provoke  his  enemies  as  tujoge 
his  throne,  in  whicii  case  Leicester  trusted  to  his  own  talents  and  infltienee 
to  enable  him  to  succeed  to  il.  Accordingly  ho  took  up  the  cry.  now 
bocome  as  general  as  it  was  just,  ag;iinst  the  king's  oppression  of  the 
people,  and  his  preference  of  foreigners— Leicester  conveniently  over- 
looking  his  own  foreign  birth! — and  sought  every  occasion  of  puuinj 
himself  forward  as  the  advocate  of  the  native  barons  and  tlie  prelntcs 
When  by  persevering  cflbrts  in  this  way  ho  had,  as  he  considered,  sulfi! 
ciently  strengthened  liis  own  hands  and  inflamed  the  general  resent'iniins 
against  the  king,  he  took  occasion  of  a  quarrel  with  Henry's  half-l)ruther 
and  favourite,  William  do  Valence,  to  bring  maiters  to  a  crisis,  V/Mm 
a  meeting  of  the  most  incensed  and  powerful  of  the  '•aions-,  luMcprcsciited 
to  them  all  those  violations  of  the  charier  to  which  we  have  already  iij. 
luded,  and  demanded  whetiier  they  had  so  far  degenerated  from  the  iiich 
feelings  of  the  barons  who  had  wrested  the  cliarter  from  John,  lisnt  they 
were  prepared,  witiiout  even  a  struggle,  to  see  it  a  mere  dead  Iciivr  in  the 
hand  of  Henry,  whose  most  solemn  promises  of  reformaliou  tliey  had  so 
often  experienced  to  be  unworthy  of  belief. 

There  was  so  much  of  truth  in  Leicester's  harangue,  thai  the  position 
which  he  had  occupied  as  a  favoured  foreigner  was  overlooked,  lii-,  recom- 
mendations were  made  the  rule  of  the  barons'  coiuluct,  and  they  inTiepd 
forthwith  to  take  the  government  of  public  aHairs  into  their  own  iiands. 
They  were  just  then  summoned  to  meet  the  king  for  the  old  jjorposp, 
namely,  to  grant  him  sup[)lies,  and  to  his  astonishment  he  found  ilieni  all 
it'  complete  armour.  Alarmed  at  so  unusual  a  sight  and  at  the  s(doiiii)  si- 
lence with  which  he  was  received,  he  demanded  whether  lu;  was  to  look 
upon  them  as  his  enemies  and  liimself  as  their  prisoner;  to  which  R^ncj 
Bigod,  as  spokesman,  replied,  that  they  looked  upon  him  not  as  their  pri- 
soner, but  as  their  sovereign  ;  that  they  had  met  him  there!  in  the  most 
dutiful  desire  to  aid  him  wiih  snp[)lies  ilial  Ik;  might,  as  ho  wished,  fix  his 
son  upon  the  throne  of  Sicily ;  but  tliey  at  the  same  time  desired  ccrlain 
reforms  which  the  e.xperienee  of  the  past  plainly  showed  that  ho  coulij 
not  make  in  his  own  jierson,  and  that  lliey  therefore  were  under  the  nccrs 
sity  of  requiring  him  to  conl'er  authority  upon  those  who  would  strnnioiis 
ly  use  it  for  the  national  benefit.  'I''.e  evident  deti'rmination  of  t!ie  barons 
nnd  the  great  and  instant  need  which  he  hail  of  supplies,  lei't  the  king  no 
choice;  he  therefore  assureil  thein  that  he  would  shortly  sumnioii  [uiuiliii 
parliament  for  the  election  of  |)ersons  to  wield  the  authority  spoken  of. 
and  also  to  settle  and  deliiie  that  authority  wilfiin  precise  limits. 

A  |iarliameiit  'as  acc^ 'dingly  called,  at  which  the  barons  made  thrii 
appearance  with  ,  .^  formidiible  an  armed  attendance,  that  il  was  (iiiiie 
clear  that,  whatever  they  might  propn  e,  the  king  had  no  power  to  rcsi.t 
them. 

Twelve  barons  were  selected  by  the  king  and  twelve  by  the  parliaiiicn!, 
«pd  to  the  body  thus  formed  an  unlimited  nd'orming  [)0\>-er  wa:;  given,  ihe 
king  himself  svv-earing  to  agree  to  ami  maintain  whatever  they  should  di.  'ii 
fit  to  order.  Their  instant  orders  were  most  reascjiiable  ;  that  three  tiins 
in  each  year  tlu;  parliament  slionld  meet;  that  on  the  next  me(  "ng  of  jiir- 
liament  each,  shire  or  county  slioiild  send  four  knights  to  that  p:iilia:iic:.t, 
that  so  the  especial  wants  and  grievances  of  every  p.trt  of  tlii'  kni'.iiio!n 
might  be  known;  that  the  sherilTs,  otlii-ers  of  great  power  and  iiiiliii  ii^'e, 
should  theneeforih  bo  annually  elected  by  the  counties,  and  should  no 
longer  have  the  power  to  fine  barons  for  not  ;iltending  their  courts  or  the 
justiciaries'  circuits;  that  no  e;istk;s  should  be  committed  to  the  custody 
and  no  heirs  to  the  wardsliips  of  foreigners,  that  no  new  forests  or  wai 


.  ^i^ 


.ii.'<  ■  ■•* ' 


THE  TttKASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


273 


reus  should  be  made ;  and  that  the  revenues  of  counties  or  liundrcils  shouici 

110  longer  be  farmed  out. 

Thus  far  the  barons  proceeded  most  equitably.  But  bare  equity  and  the 
pood  of  the  people  did  not  include  all  that  tlie  barons  wanted.  As  the 
shiiineful  profusion  of  the  king  liad  heaped  wealth  upon  foreigners,  so  the 
dtstruclioa  of  these  foreigners  would  yield  an  abundant  liarvesl  to  the 
iKiiive  Inirons.  Accordingly,  when  the  king,  having  acquiesced  in  the 
reiail:ilii)iis  abovf;-mentioned,  looked  for  the  promised  and  much-needed 
tiipplies,  he  was  met  by  loud  outcries  against  foreigners  in  general,  and 
;io,iiiist  his  half-brothers  in  particular.  So  loud  was  the  clamour  ajrainst 
these  iiitter,  that  even  tiie  king's  presence  seemed  insufficient  to  secure 
ihtir  lives,  and  they  took  to  flight.  Being  hotly  pursued  by  souk;  of  the 
Diorc  violent  of  the  barons,  they  took  refuge  in  the  palace  of  Winchester, 
10  which  see  Aylmer  had  been  promoted.  Kvcn  here  they  were  siirround- 
[■i  uiul  threatened,  and  the  king,  as  the  solo  mode  of  saving  tlioni  from 
ilcstnitlioii,  agreed  to  banish  them.    Having  tliiis  nearly  attacked  the  king 

111  the  prrsons  of  those  who  had  some  reasonable  and  natural  claim  upon 
ins  favour,  the  barons  next  pniccedcd  to  dismiss  tlic  justiciary,  treasurer, 
,i;iJ  other  ctiief  ministers;  and  having  fiilcil  tliese  important  posts  with 
■lersous  upon  whom  they  coidil  implicitly  rely,  they  next  proceeded  to  the 
viiiiial  usurpation  of  tlie  tlironc,  l)y  administering  an  oatli  to  all  tlie  lieges 
u  obey  and  execute  all  llie  regulations  of  tiie  twenty-four  barons,  niKJer 
nam  of  being  declared  public  enemies ;  and  such  was  tlu;  power  which- 
liiidcr  the  pretence  of  tlie  purest  [):itriotisni,  tliese  barons  had  usurped,  tha; 
(voii  tlie  powerful  earl  Wareiiiie  and  Prince  Kdward,  the  heir  to  the 
'.irun:-,  were  not  e.\empt  from  the  obligation  to  take  this  oalli. 

x.it.  12(il. — So  arrogantly  did  tin;  barons  use;  their  (extensive  and  usurp 
(J  authority,  tliat  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  from  being  a  chief  in  their  con 
iLiliracy,  separated  from  it  to  side  with  the  king;  and  Prince  Kdward, 
cu'Oiira'gcd  by  the  general  nuirmurs  of  t!ic  people  that  the  b.iroiis  were 
Vcoiuiiiginore  tyrannous  llian  even  a  kiiiu  could  be,  threatened  the  barons 
i.iaihi!  would  peril  his  life  in  ojjposing  them  if  they  did  not  speedily  bring 
liii'ir  rcibruis  to  a  close. 

Till'  spirit  of  the  prince  Edwanl  rallied  so  much  favour  to  the  side  of 
ijc  crown,  that  Henry  thought  that  he  might  safely  veiitun>  to  emlravour 
;i)[iiit  acu.b  upcn  the  exorbit.uit  jxiwer  of  the  twenty-f.;  •■  l--vons;  !)ijt  as 
IrIiiicw  how  prejudicial  to  iiis  interests  it  would  be  to  leave  it  in  the 
power  of  his  encinies  to  accuse  him  of  perjury,  he  in  the  first  place  applied 
loRoiue  for  absolution  from  tlu;  oatii  iu!  had  made  to  support  the  barons 
111  their  auliiority — an  absolution  wiiich  he  readily  received,  both  because 
Ui  i!ieini:'coiiduct  of  th(^  barons,  and  because  th<'  pope  w;;s  seriously  olTcnd- 
flwitli  tlie  l''";.;lisl)  clen,''y  for  having  sliown  a  greater  tendency  towards 
i;!>li'peiideiKc  than  sin.ared  with  either  the  papal  interests  or  the  papa! 
iiiixiins.  Prince  Kdward  refusc-d  to  avail  himself  even  of  this  absolution 
.:iiiil  the  outrageous  misconduit  of  flc  'larons  compelled  him  to  do  so; 
mil  tliD  scrupulous  fiih-iity  with  which  he  thus  kept  t(jan  engagement  which 
liC  hud  been  forcei!  into,  procured  him  a  general  admiration  whieh  subse- 
qunilly  was  very  importantly  beneficial  to  him. 

A.  I).  1002. — As  soon  as  Henry  received  lie  ■ib'">luiion  ho  had  solicited 
from  lluiiie,  he  issued  a  proclamation,  ri  whuh  he  bitterly,  and,  f'-r  the 
;iii  -;  part,  truly  p. noted  the  personal  »od  KcUish  views  witii  whicii  the 
Uuiily-foiir  barons  liad  both  sought  and  used  their  luliioriiy,  and  declared 
ilwl  iiuhity  to  himself  ind  his  people  he  should  ffim  that  lime  forth  use 
Ills  royal  authority  without  its  diminution  or  participation  by  any  one;  he 
changed  all  the  chief  (Jtficers  of  state  and  of  his  own  household,  as  also 
most  of  the  ^iteriffis  of  coonttes  and  governors  of  castles.  Having  tlius  far 
sucured  heuself  he.  aMMioned  ajrarUainent.  which  met  on  the  twenty 
1-19 


iy 

kta, 

,,i-i^ ; 

^^ 

^f^Y  ^; 

'i\ 

S 

1 

Hi 

iwf^ 

m 

1 

m 

# 

A 

,i«^ 

^ 

vr 


S7i 


THIS  THEASUIIY  OF  HISTORY 


:C,|'iv^.r;:r:; 


iMi  'Sit Sri, 


third  of  April  in  this  year,  and  which,  with  but  five  dissenting  votes,  con 
firmed  his  resumption  of  iiis  authority. 

B(ii  the  snake  of  disatTection  was  only  "  scotelied,  not  killed;"  many  of 
the  harons  still  corresponded  with  Leiecsler,  and  tiiat  liaughty  niible 
though  resident  in  France,  was  busily  employed  in  fomenting  evil  fur  l^nir.' 
land,  which  he  now  tiie  more  eonfideiilly  hoped  to  reign  over,  bei'mise  h's 
powerful  rival  Gloucester  was  dead,  and  Gilbert,  that  nobleman's  son  and 
successor,  hud  given  his  adhesion  to  Leicester. 

While  Leicester  and  his  adherents  were  busily  preparing  to  attack  the 
power  of  the  king,  ihe  Welsh  suddenly  made  an  irruption  over  the  border 

trobahly  prompted  by  Leicester.  The  prince  I']dward,  however,  rcfjuliivj 
ilewellyn  and  his  ill-disciplined  troops,  and  then  returned  to  aid  his  fatlicr 
against  whom  Leicester  was  now  openly  and  in  great  force  arrayeij. 

Leicester  directed  his  attacks  cliiefly  against  the  king's  demusiics,  and 
excited  the  zeal  of  his  followers  to  perfect  fury  by  encouraging  'ueni  to 
spoil  and  plunder  to  their  utmost.  The  liishops  of  Hereford  and  Norwich 
were  seized  and  imprisoned,  and  in  spite  of  the  determined  and  aMe  con- 
duct of  Prin(!c  Edward,  the  king's  cause  began  to  wear  an  liiiiiroinisiiiir 
aspect.  The  rabble  of  the  great  towns  were  the  zealous  adiicronts  o? 
Leici'ster,  whose  cause  and  liberty  to  plunder  they  coupled  ;  and  in  Lon- 
don, especially,  the  very  dregs  of  the  population  were  up  in  arms,  heailcil 
and  rncournged  by  the  mayor,  a  violent  and  ill-principled  man  named 
Fitz- Richard,  by  whom  large  gangs  of  desperadoes  were  encouragi'd  to 
pillage  the  wealthy  and  assail  the  peaceable.  The  season  of  Knstcr  was 
especially  marked  by  these  outrages  in  the  nictropolis.  A  cry  was  at  first 
raised  against  the  Jews;  from  attacking  them  the  mob  proceedel  to  attack 
the  Lombards,  then  the  chief  bankers  and  money  lenders;  and,  as  usual 
in  such  cases,  the  violence  speedily  proceeded  to  be  directed  iiuiiscriini- 
nately  I'gainst  all  who  had  or  wen^  suspected  of  having  any  thing  to  be 
plundered  of.  To  such  a  Insight  did  the  fury  of  the  moli  |)roceed,  that  the 
queen,  who  was  then  lodging  in  the  Tower,  became  so  seriously  alarnuil, 
that  she  left  it  by  water  with  Ihe  intention  of  seeking  safety  at  Windsor. 
But  as  her  barge  approacdied  London  liriilge  tlie  rabble  assailed  licr,  ii 'i 
only  with  the  coarsest  abuse,  but  also  with  vollics  of  filth  and  stoiius,  so 
lial  she  was  obliged  to  return  to  the  Tower. 

Prince  Kdward  was  uiil'ortuiialcly  made  i)rison(;r  during  a  parley  at  Ov. 
ford,  and  that  event  so  inuidi  weakened  the  king's  party,  that  Henry,  liiid- 
ing  Leicester's  party  Iriuinphant  and  insolent  ail  over  the  kiiigtloin,  wis 
fain  to  treat  for  peace.  Av.'are  that  they  had  the  upper  hand,  the  rtlicls 
would  allow  of  no  terms  short  of  the  full  power  formerly  given  to  the 
twenty-four  barons  being  again  entrusted  to  a  like  nuinher,  of  whom  a 
list  was  given  to  the  king;  and  as  Prince  Kdward  had  shown  great  talent 
and  daring,  Leicester  sli|)ulated  that  tlse  treaty  now  made  should  rcnuim 
ill  force  during  the  life  of  the  prince  as  well  as  that  of  the  king.  Henry 
'.5ad  no  choice  but  to  submit ;  th(!  barons  restored  their  own  creatarrs  to 
oflice  in  the  fortresses,  the  counties,  the  stale,  and  the  king's  honsi  hold, 
a.id  then  summoned  a  parliament  to  meet  them  at  Westminster,  and  deter- 
mine upon  future  measures  for  the  government  of  the  country. 

Prince  Kdward  being  restored  to  liiierty  by  this  treaty,  lost  no  time  in 
exerting  himself  to  prejiare  for  a  new  struggle  against  the  insolent  preten- 
Mions  of  Leicester;  but  though  many  powerful  iiarons  gave  him  theiradhe- 
Bions,  including  the  ords  of  tin;  Scotch  and  Welsh  marches.  Leicrsier's 
party  was  still  too  strong  to  give  tin;  young  prince  hopes  of  siiccess;  and 
the  people  clamouring  loudly  for  peace,  the  prince  and  king  proposed  that 
lh«s  di-<pHle  between  IIkmu  and  the  harons  should  be  referred  to  the  arhitra- 
ii(»ii  of  the  king  of  Fr::!ice.  That  upright  prince,  on  examinatuiii  of  the 
affair,  decided  that  the  king  shmild  be  fully  restored  to  his  power  and  pre- 
roaalivu  on  the  one  hand;  and  that,  on  the  other  hand,  the  peoplo  were 
mlitleu  to  aL  the  benefits  of  the  great  cliancr.     Unfortunately,  thoujii 


THE  THEA8U11Y  OF  HlSTOftY. 


27» 


idis  decision  was  just,  it  only  left  the  conteiu1in<j  paities  precisely  wliere 
ihey  were  at  liic  coinniencemciit  of  tlio  quiirroi,  uiiil  stated  in  fo.-m  t!iat 
Uicli  was  perfectly  notorious  before,  namely,  that  tlie  king  had  over- 
sirelilicd  tl»e  power  to  which  he  was  entitled,  and  that  the  barons  had 
iissiiiiiL'd  a  power  to  which  they  were  not  entitled.  Leice^tf^r,  to  wlioso 
Risuiuil  views  peace  was  utterly  destnictive,  re[(rcscntcd  to  his  party, 
tliiil  tlio  award  of  the  French  king  was  wholly  and  nnjnstly  on  the  side  of 
Ilfiiry  ;  lie  caused  seventeen  other  barom?  to  join  Iiini  in  a  compact  with 
the  discontented  Londoners,  by  w hich  thiy  mutually  bound  thei'iselvcs 
■itvir  to  make  peace  with  thfl  kinjj  b\it  with  tiie  full  and  oprn  :oncur- 
ioiic<!  of  Loth  these  contractiufj  parties ;  and  whiio  some  of  Lci'iester'a 
fflcmis  rekindled  the  civil  war  in  ihc  provinces,  he  and  Filz-Richard  did 
ihe  like  in  London  ;  so  thaf  the  whole  country  once  more  b:istled  with 
iiriiis  and  resounded  with  cries  of  war. 

i'iiiiliiig  civil  war  inevitable,  the  kinjj  and  his  brave  son  promptly  made 
ilicii'  preparations.  In  addition  to  their  military  vassals,  wnoin  ihey  sum- 
moned from  all  quarters,  Ihoy  were  joined  by  forces  under  Baliol,  lord  ot 
fliilliiway)  Brus,  lord  of  Annandale,  John  Coniyn,  and  other  northern  lead- 
ers of  power.  With  this  array  ihey  (jonniienced  their  proccedmgs  by  lay- 
1111' siege  to  Northampton,  in  which  was  a  slronjj  garrison  commanded  by 
Eiime  of  the  principal  barons.  This  place  being  speedily  taken  by  assault, 
il,croy,il  army  inarched  against  Leicester  and  Nottingham,  which  opened 
their  "ales.  Prince  Kdward  now  led  a  detachmenl  against  the  proj)erty 
of  thi^carl  of  Derby,  whose  lands  were  laid  waste  as  a  punishment  of  his 
dislovaliy.  Leicester,  in  the  meanwhile,  taking'  care  to  keep  up  a  com- 
muiiieation  with  London,  upon  the  support  of  whii  'i  he  grcaily  depended, 
|;iid  siege  to  Rochester  castle,  which  was  the,  only  slronjf-hold  in  Kent 
th;il  slill  held  out  for  the  king,  and  which  was  ably  defended  by  Karl 
\V;ireniie,  its  governor.  The  royal  army,  flushed  with  its  success  else- 
where, MOW  marched  in  all  haste  to  relieve  this  important  fortress ;  and 
Leicester,  hearing  of  their  approach,  and  fearing  to  be  outnumbered  in  a 
,;is;ulvai\lagcous  position,  hastily  raised  the  siege  and  fell  back  upon 
i.oiiiioii.  From  London,  Leicester  sent  pro[)osals  to  Henry,  but  of  so 
irro;;:mt  and  exorbitant  a  character,  that  he  must  have  been  aware  thoy 
Hoiiki  not  be  listened  to ;  and,  on  a  sicrn  answer  being  returned  by  the 
king,  Leicester  publicly  renounced  bis  allegiance  atid  marched  the  whok 
fori-e  lie  could  collect  towards  Lewes,  in  Sussex,  ^vhere  the  royal  army 
l,:y ;  llio  bishop  of  Chichester  giving  the  rebels  a  formal  and  general  abso- 
hiiioii,  and  assuring  them  that  all  w  ho  should  fall  m  fighting  against  the 
king  would  undoubtedly  go  to  heaven. 

Leicester,  though  a  shameful  rebel,  was  a  skilful  general,  and  on  this 
ntcnsiDii  he  so  idily  conducted  his  march,  that  he  almost  surprised  the 
rnyalisls  in  their  quarters;  but  the  short  time  that  elapsed  between  the 
ahirin  and  the  arrival  of  the  rebels  sulTiced  to  enable  the  active  prince  Kd- 
ward to  march  the  army  to  the  field  in  good  order;  one  division  being  led 
by  himself,  the  Karl  Warreniie,  and  William  do  Valence,  a  second  by  the 
kingofilie  Romans  and  bis  son  Henry,  and  the  third  forming  a  reserve 
iiiulertlie  personal  commtiud  of  the  king  himself.  The  prince  led  his  di- 
visijii  against  the  enemy's  vanguard,  which  was  composed  of  the  Lon- 
doners, who  fled  at  the  very  first  charge.  Forgetting  that  his  assistance 
miitlil  be  required  elsewhere.  Prince  Kdward  allowed  himself  to  he  gov- 
erned entirely  by  his  headlong  rage  agaiusl  these  invcterately  disloyal 
men,  ami  pursued  them,  with  great  slaughter,  for  nearly  five  miles  from 
tiie  field  of  battle.  This  impetuosity  of  tlu-  prince  lost  his  father  the  day; 
fur  Leicester,  promfitly  availing  himself  of  the  jirince's  absence,  cliarged 
so  holly  upon  the  remaining  two  divisions  of  the  royalists,  that  they  were 
directed  with  terrible  loss,  and  both  the  king  and  his  brother,  the  king  of 
llie  Ron.aiis,  were  taken  prisoners;   as  were  Brus,  Comyn,  and  all  tlie 

'«t  considerable  leaders  on  the  king's  side.    Earl  Warcnue,  Hugh  B'god, 


•imrpt . 


.}  'i;  Jl 


1  •! 


Im  i'i 


f7« 


THK  THEA8UUY  OF  HISTORY. 


and  William  de  Valence  escaped  beyond  sea  ;  but  Princi":  Iviward,  ^nr,^. 
palled  by  the  consequenecs  of  his  own  iinprudenc.e.  kept  hi'A  ior».e  toireihcr 
added  to  it  as  m;iriy  as  could  bo  rallied  of  the  dc^feated  divisions,  and  pre! 
sented  so  bold  a  front,  tliat  Leicester  thout^lit  it  more  prudent  to  amuse  lii;n 
with  pretended  desire  to  treat,  than  to  urge  him  to  a  desperate  attuck. 
The  earl  accordingly  proposed  terms  ;  nnrl  thougli  ihey  were  scM^rf,  ami 
Buch  as  underother  circumstances  the  j)rincc  would  have  laughed  los''orn 
a  little  examination  of  the  royal  resources  showed  so  hopeless  a  of 
things,  that  Kdward,  despite  his  pride,  was  obliged  to  agree.  The.^  -mg 
were,  that  Prince  Kdward  and  Henry  d'Allmanie,  son  of  the  king  iiic 
Romans,  should  surrender  themselves  prisoners  in  exchange  fo,  .heir 
fathers ;  that  six  ari)iters  should  be  named  by  tlie  king  of  France,  (imt  these 
six  should  choose  two  others,  also  French,  and  that  one  EnglishniMu  stiould 
be  named  by  these  last ;  the  council  thi;s  named  !o  have  power  definitely 
to  decide  upon  all  matli  rs  in  <lispute  btlvvecn  Henry  and  bis  barons,  hi 
compliance  with  these  terms,  Kdward  and  his  cousm  yielded  theinsolvos 
and  were  sent  prisoners  to  Dover  castle  ;  init  Lcicestc",  though  he  nomi- 
nally gave  Iho  king  his  liberty,  took  care  to  keep  him  completely  in  his 
power,  and  made  use  of  the  royal  name  to  forward  his  own  designs.  Tims 
the  most  loyal  governors  readily  yielded  up  their  important  fortresses  in 
the  king's  nanu; ;  and  when  commanded  by  the  king  to  disarm  and  disbiiiid, 
no  loyal  soldier  could  longer  venture  to  keep  the  field.  Leicester  m;uip. 
in  fact,  precisely  what  alterations  and  regulations  he  jjleased,  t;ikiii^  ciire 
to  make  them  all  in  the  king's  name ;  and  so  evidently  considered  hidisi'lf 
virtually  in  possession  of  the  throne  at  «hich  lie  bad  so  daringly  aimeil, 
thai  he  even  ventured  to  treat  with  insolent  injustice  the  very  barons  to 
whose  parlicipation  of  bis  disloyal  labour  he  owed  so  much  of  its  success, 
Having'  .oifii-cated  the  large  possessions  of  some  eighteen  of  the  royalisl 
baroiM,  :iiH'  r.ceived  the  ran'^om  of  a  host  of  prisoners,  he  applied  the 
whclf-  Hf-ii!  ;  /  his  own  use,  and  when  bis  confederates  demanded  to  shiirc 
w/('i  )i!-n  'u  :'oolly  told  them  that  they  already  had  a  sufliciency  in  being 
saf-i:  friim  ih^  attainders  and  forfeitures  to  which  they  would  have  been 
exposed  !)<((  for  bis  victory. 

As  for  liio  reference  to  ])arties  to  be  named  by  the  king  of  France  and 
his  nominees,  though  the  earl,  in  order  to  hoodwink  Prince  Fdvvanl,  lii!!l 
so  much  stress  upon  it  during  their  negotiation,  he  now  took  not  th.e 
sliglitest  notice  of  it,  but  summoned  a  parliament,  so  selected  that  he  we'J 
knew  that  his  wishes  won'd  be  law  to  them.  And,  accordingly,  this  ser- 
Tile  senate  enacted  that  all  acts  of  sovereignty  should  require  the  saiietio:i 
of  a  council  of  nine,  which  council  could  he  wholly  or  in  part  cliangnl  al 
tlie  wdl  of  the  earls  of  Leicester  and  (Jloucester,  and  the  hisliop  of  Chi- 
chester, or  a  tnajonhj  of  these  three.  Now  the  bishop  of  Chichester  beinj 
the  mere  convenient  t()()l  of  T.nicester,  the  carl  was  in  reality  in  full  power 
over  the  council — in  other  v.oi:;s,  be  w.is  a  despotic  monarch  in  every 
thing  but  name.  The  queen,  secretly  assisted  by  Louis  of  France,  col- 
lected a  force  together,  with  an  int.  lilion  of  invading  Eiigl"iid  on  behal 
of  her  husband,  in  whose  name  the  coast  of  England  was  lined  with  forces 
to  oppose  her ;  but  the  queen's  expcdiiion  was  first  delayed  and  llien  bro- 
ken up  altogether  by  contrary  winds.  The  papal  court  issued  a  bull  ;i^:iiii.st 
Leicester,  but  be  threatened  to  put  the  legate  to  death  if  he  appeared  with 
it;  and  even  when  the  legate  himself  became  pope  under  the  title  of  I'r- 
ban  IV,,  L(Mcester  still  ventured  to  brave  him,  so  confidently  did  he  rely 
upon  the  dislike  to  Rome  that  was  entertained,  not  ordy  by  the  people  in 
general,  but  also  by  the  great  body  of  the  English  clergy. 

A.D.  12(!5. — Slill  desirous  to  govern  -wiih  a  show  of  legality,  Leicester 
summoned  a  new  parliament,  which  more  nearly  resembled  the  existing 
form  of  that  assembly  than  any  which  had  preceded  it.  Before  this  par- 
liament the  earl  of  Derby — in  the  kinp's  name — was  accused  nud  commit 


bcfii 

nco  ain! 
,1,  l;iv! 

not   llli' 

lie  wo'J 

this  sor- 
iiictioii 

muni  a! 
f  Clii- 
r  king 
piiwcr 
every 

ice,  cul- 
bnlwl' 

111  fones 
n  bru- 

ired  with 
le  of  I'r- 
he  rely 
eople  ill 

jeiccptcr 
existing 
this  par- 
i-nmniit 


THE  TUEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


277 


icil-  and  the  r:\x\  of  (iloiiccstdr  was  iiitoiidcd  for  the  s;\mc  or  a  worse  f;ile 
bv  Ills  powc.  ,iil  iiiui  iitiscriipuloiis  colloagiio,  but  avoided  all  prosciil  eullis- 
oiiwitli  iiiin  by  retirinsT  from  parliariu'iil  am!  the  council.  This  obvious 
qiMrixl  between  the  earls  gnva  great  encouragement  to  the  king's  friends, 
iiiiil  tho  jicneral  voice  now  began  loudly  to  demand  the  release  of  the  b;.ive 
princft  jjdward  who  had  reuiaincd  a  close  prisoner  ever  since  the  battle  of 
Lewi'S.  Leicester  consented  on  conditions  to  release  the  prince,  but  he 
tO!ik  care  to  keep  both  him  and  the  king  wiiliin  his  reach;  and  'cy  were 
ohliiri  I  to  accompany  him  on  his  march  against  the  earl  o<"  "ester, 

who  had  retired  to  his  estates  on  the  borders  of  Wales.     ^  •'■<--i. 

irriay  '•'  Hereford,  thtealeninir  the  earl  of  (iloue(;ster,  lb'  " 

cmiliian  J  to  coinmunicalo  with  F'rinco  I'Mwanl,  and  so  to  .; 
that  lilt' young  prince  escaped  from  the  "attetidaii'e,"  as  ., 

lhH  really  <iie  conliiicment,  in  whicii  he  had  been  kept,  and  iy 

at  slit' lii'iul  of  a  gallant  army,  which  daily  received  accessio,.,  wlien  the 
glad  news  of  hi.)  real  liberty  became  generally  known.  Simon  de  Moiit- 
f'jrt,  Li'iccster's  son,  liasteiied  from  London  with  an  army  to  the  assist- 
aiice  of  his*  fii'l't''"'  I'rince  Kdwanl,  having  broken  down  the  bridges  ol 
tLeSi'viTii,  tunied  away  from  the  earl's  position,  and  fell  suddenly  upon 
Sinuiaiii:  .Monifort,  who  was  carelessly  encamped  at  Ver.ilwortli,  put  his 
foroi:  uitcrly  to  the  rout,  and  took  the  carl  of  Oxford  and  several  other 
biiions  prisoners.  Leicester,  ignorant  of  this,  had  in  the  meantime  man 
v:n\  1.0  get  his  army  across  the  Severn  in  boats,  and  halted  at  Kvesham, 
ill  Worcpsiershire,  in  daily  expectation  of  the  -.rival  of  that  force  which 
liail  alnady  been  put  to  the  rout.  I'linco  Edward,  vigilant  himself  and 
well  served  by  his  scouts,  dcxtei-oMsly  availed  himself  of  the  earl's  mis 
3piirc!ieiision  of  the  state  of  alT.iirs,  and  h.i\yng  sent  part  of  his  army  on 
ils'iiiarcli  towards  tlie  earl,  bearing  I)c  Montfort's  banners  and  otherwise 
provided  for  re(ireseiitaig  Ins  routed  force,  he  with  tiie  main  body  of  his 
army  took  .mother  route,  so  as  to  fall  upon  the  earl  in  a  dilTercMil  (juarter* 
aM'iso  coinplelely  was  the  deception  swccessfnl,  that  when  Leicester  at 
li'ii^tli  liiscovered  the  real  stall;  of  the  case,  lu;  exclaimed,  "Now  have  I 
iiiighl  tiK.'in  to  war  to  some  puriiose!  May  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  out 
rjal^,  f'»r  our  bodies  ludoiig  to  I'rince  Edward !"  Uut  there  was  not  iriuch 
!!;iief(ir  reflection;  IvUvird  led  hi."  troops  to  the  attack  Mgormisiy  and  in 
(\;'clli  at  order;  Lcii'i-^tci-'i  troops,  on  the  other  hand,  were  disjjirited  by 
iht'ir  li.id  posi'iou  and  suffering  much  from  sickness;  and  vittory  speedily 
'.KhivA  fur  the  firim  c.  In  the  heat  of  the  balllc  Leicester  was  struck 
i'.vii  and  nninediatcly  dispatched  though  he  demanded  fjuarter,  and  his 
ivlidie  force  was  routed,  ii|)waids  of  a  hundred  of  tho  (irincipal  leaders  and 
ki!i;;!its  being  takiii  prisoners.  The  king  hiinsclf  was  on  the  point  of  los- 
iiijhis  life.  The  earl  had  cruelly  placed  him  in  the  very  front  of  the  bat-- 
il'.aad  a  knight  who  had  already  wounded  him  was  about  to  reptiat  his 
blow,  when  Ilenrv  saved  himself  by  o.vclaimiiiir,  "I  am  Henry  of  Win- 
ciii'stcr,  your  king." 

The  victory  of  Evesham  re-established  the  king's  authority ;  and  to  the 
great  credit  of  the  royal  party,  no  blood  disgraced  that  victory.  Not  a 
single  cajiiial  punishment  took  place  ;  the  family  of  Leicester  alone  was 
aitainled  to  full  effect;  for  though  manv  otlicr  rebellious  families  wero 
formally  attainted,  their  sentences  were  reversed  on  payment  of  sums, 
iritliii!;  iiidiied  wl'.eii  the  heinousuess  of  the  offt  nee  they  had  committed  is 
coiisidfred, 

Tlin  kiiigdeiTi  being  thus  restored  to  peace  and  released  from  all  danger 
from  i!ia  turbulent  Leicester,  Prince  Eilward  departed  for 'he  Holy  Land, 
where  he  so  greatly  distinguished  himself,  that  the  Infidels  al  length  em- 
ployed an  assassin  to  destroy  him  ;  but  though  severely  and  •^  eii  danger- 
ously wounded,  the  prince  fortunately  escaped  with  life,  and  his  asaailanl 
was  put  to  death  on  the  spot. 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  US80 

(716)  872-4503 


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278 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


Wl 


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m 


A.D.  1272. — Lest  Gloucester  should  imitnte  his  late  rival  in  rebellion 
Edward  took  that  powerful  nobleman  with  him  to  the  East ;  but  his  own 
absence  was  very  injurious  to  the  public  peace  in  England.  No  one  pre. 
Bumptuous  and  even  powerful  baron,  indeed,  dared  to  dispute  the  cruwn 
with  his  royal  master,  but  there  was  a  general  tendency  to  disorder  amono 
both  barons  and  people ;  and  the  rabble  of  the  great  towns,  and  especially 
of  London,  became  daily  more  openly  violent  and  licentious.  Henry  wag 
little  able  to  contend  against  such  a  state  of  things.  Naturally  irresolute 
he  was  now  worn  out  with  years,  and  with  iiifirnjities  even  beyond  those 
incident  to  age.  Perhaps,  too,  the  disorder  "('  his  kingdom  aggravated  his 
sufferings;  he  perpetually  expressed  his  wish  for  the  return  of  his  son, 
and  lamented  his  own  helplessness,  and  at  length  breathed  his  last  on  the 
16th  of  November,  1272,  aged  sixty-four ;  having  reigned  fifty  years,  with 
little  ease  and  with  little  credit,  being  obviously,  from  his  youth  upwards, 
rather  fitted  for  a  private  than  for  8  public  station. 


CHAPTER  XXIV, 


THE  RCION  OF  EDWARD  I. 


A.  D.  1273. — Prince  Edward  was  already  as  far  as  Sicily  on  his  way 
h<ime  when  he  received  tidings  of  the  death  of  his  father.  He  at  the  same 
time  heard  of  the  death  of  his  own  infant  son  .Fohn;  and  when  it  was  ob- 
served to  him  that  the  former  loss  seemed  to  alTeri  him  the  most  painfully 
he  replied  that  the  loss  of  his  son  might  be  supplied,  but  that  of  hisfaihei 
was  final  and  irreparable. 

Hearing  that  all  was  peaceable  in  England  he  did  not  hasten  home,  hut 
passed  nearly  twelve  momlis  in  France.  Being  at  Chalons,  in  BiirgiiiKJy, 
he  and  some  of  his  knights  engaged  in  a  tournanuMit  with  the  Uurgundian 
chivalry,  and  so  fierce  was  the  spirit  of  rivalry  that  tlie  sport  became 
changed  into  earnest;  blood  was  spilt  on  both  sides, and  so  mm-h  damage 
was  done  before  the  fray  coiiM  be  terminated,  that  the  engagenu'ni  of  this 
day,  though  commenced  merely  in  sport  and  good  faith,  was  seriously 
termed  the  little  battle  of  Chalons. 

A.  D.  1274. — After  visiting  Paris,  where  he  did  homage  to  Philip  the 
Hardy,  then  king  of  France,  for  the  territory  which  he  held  in  that  king- 
dom, he  .ent  to  Guienne  to  put  an  end  to  some  disorders  that  rxisteii 
there,  ana  at  length  arrived  in  London,  where  he  was  joyfully  received 
by  his  people.  He  was  crowned  at  Westminster,  and  immediately  turned 
his  attention  to  the  regulating  of  his  kingdom,  with  an  especial  view  to 
avoiding  those  disputes  which  had  caused  so  much  evil  during  the  life  of 
his  father,  and  to  putting  an  end  to  the  bold  practices  of  malefactors  hy 
whom  the  country  was  at  once  much  injured  and  disgraced. 

Making  the  great  charter  the  standard  of  his  own  duty  tov/ards  it,'; 
baron«,  he  insisted  upon  the  same  standard  of  conduct  towards  their  vas- 
sals and  inferiors,  a  course  to  which  they  were  hy  no  means  inclined. 

A-  p,  1275. — Having  summoned  a  parliament  to  meet  him  in  Feiiruary, 
1275,  he  caused  several  valuable  laws  to  be  passed,  weeded  the  magistracy 
of  those  who  lay  under  the  imputation  of  either  negligence  or  cornipiion, 
and  took  measures  for  putting  a  check  alike  upon  the  robberies  comuiitted 
by  the  great,  under  the  colour  of  justice  and  authority,  and  upon  those 
which,  in  the  loose  state  into  which  the  kin<rdom  had  fallen  durititr  the 
close  of  the  late  reign,  were  so  openly  and  daringly  committed  on  the 
highways,  that  men  of  substance  could  only  safely  travel  under  escort  ni 
in  great  companies.  For  the  suppression  of  this  latter  class  of  crimes  the 
king  showed  a  fierce  and  determined  spirit,  whi(!h  might  almost  be  judged 
10  have  been  over  severe  if  we  did  not  lake  into  consideration  the  dcs 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


979 


perale  extent  to  which  the  evil  had  arrived.  The  ordinary  Judgfcs  were 
mlimidated,  the  ordinary  police  was  weak  and  ili-orgunized,  and  the  king 
therefore  established  a  commission  whicii  was  appointed  to  traverse  the 
country,  laking  cognizance  of  every  description  of  evil  doing,  from  the 
pettiest  to  the  most  heinous,  and  inflicting  condign  and  prompt  punish- 
ment upon  the  offenders.  The  old  Saxon  mode  of  commuting  other  punish- 
ments fur  a  pecuniary  fine  was  applied  by  this  commission  to  minor  of* 
fenres.  and  a  large  sum  was  thus  raised,  of  which  the  king's  treasury  stood 
much  ill  need.  But  the  zeal  of  this  commission — and  perhaps  some  con 
sideralion  of  the  state  of  the  royal  treasury — caused  the  fines  to  be  ter- 
ribly severe  in  proportion  to  the  offences.  There  was,  also,  too  great  a 
readiness  to  commit  upon  slight  testimony ;  the  prisons  were  filled,  but 
not  with  the  guilty  alone  ;  the  rufiian  bands,  who  had  so  long  and  so  mis« 
chievously  infested  the  kingdom,  were  broken  up,  indeed,  but  peaceable 
subjects  and  honest  men  were  much  harrassed  and  wronged  at  the  same 
time.  The  king  himself  was  so  satisfied  of  the  danger  of  entrusting  such 
extensive  powers  to  subjects,  that  when  this  commission  had  finished  its 
labours  it  was  annulled,  and  never  afterwards  called  into  activity. 

Though  Edward  showed  a  real  and  creditable  desire  to  preserve  his 
subjects,  of  all  ranks,  from  being  preyed  upon  by  each  other,  truth  com- 
pels us  to  confess  that  he  laid  no  similar  restraint,  upon  himself.  Having 
made  what  profit  he  could  by  putting  down  the  thieves  and  other  offanders 
in  general,  Edward  now  turned  for  a  fresh  supply  to  that  thrifty  but  perse- 
cuted people,  the  Jews.  The  counterfeiting  of  coin  had  recently  been 
carried  on  to  a  most  injurious  extent,  and  the  Jews  being  chiefly  engaged 
iu  trafficking  in  money,  this  mischievous  adulteration  was  very  positively, 
though  rather  hastily,  laid  to  their  charge.  A  general  persecution  of  the 
unhappy  people  commenced,  of  the  fierceness  and  extent  of  whicli  some 
judgment  may  be  formed  from  the  fact,  that  two  hundred  and  eighty  ol 
them  were  hanged  in  London  alone.  While  death  was  inflicted  upon  many 
in  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  the  houses  and  lands  of  still  more  were  seized 
upon  and  sold.  The  king,  indeed,  with  a  delicacy  which  did  not  always 
characterise  him  in  money  matters,  seized  in  the  first  instance  only  upon 
one  half  of  the  proceeds  of  these  confiscations,  the  other  being  set  apart  as 
a  fund  for  the  Jews  who  should  deem  fit  to  be  converted  to  Christianity; 
but  so  few  Jews  availed  themselves  of  the  temptation  thus  held  out  to 
them,  that  the  fund  was  in  reality  as  much  in  the  king's  possession  as 
though  no  such  provision  had  been  made.  It  had  been  well  for  l-^dward's 
character  if  this  severity  had  been  exercised  against  the  Jews  only  for  the 
crime  with  which  they  were  charged  ;  but,  urged  probably  still  more  by 
ills  want  of  money  than  by  the  bigoted  hatt'ed  to  this  race  which  he  had 
felt  from  his  earliest  youth,  Edward  shortly  after  commenced  a  persecu- 
tion against  the  whole  of  the  Jews  in  England;  not  as  coiners  or  as  men 
concerned  in  any  other  crimes,  but  simply  as  being  Jews.  The  constant 
taxes  paid  by  these  people,  and  the  frequent  arbitrary  levies  of  large  sums 
upon  them,  made  them  in  reality  one  of  the  most  valuable  classes  of  Ed- 
ward's subjects  ;  for  whether  their  superior  wealth  was  obtained  by  great- 
er industry  and  frugality  than  others  possessed,  or  by  greater  ingenuity 
anil  Imartlessncss  in  extortion,  certain  it  is  th;it  it  was  very  largely  shared 
with  their  sovereign.  But  the  slow  process  of  taillages  and  forced  loans 
did  not  suit  Edward's  purposes  or  wants ;  and  he  suddenly  issued  an  order 
for  the  simultaneous  banishment  of  the  whole  of  the  obnoxious  race,  and 
for  their  deprivation  of  the  whole  of  thoir  property,  with  the  exception  of 
so  much  as  was  requsite  to  carry  them  abroad.  Upsvards  i)f  fifteen  thou- 
sand Jews  were  at  once  seized  and  plundered,  under  this  most  inexcusably 
tyrannous  decree ;  and  as  the  plundered  victims  left  the  country,  many  of 
them  were  robbed  at  the  sea-port.s  of  the  miserable  pittance  which  the 
king's  cupidity  had  spared  them,  and  some  were  murdered  and  thrown 
into  the  sea. 


380 


THE  TKBASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


|1 


ii 


While  taking  this  cruel  and  dishonest  means  of  replenishing  his  trea. 
Bury,  Edward  had  at  least  tlie  negative  merit  of  frugally  expending  whal 
be  had  unfairly  acquired. 

Aided  by  parliament  with  a  grant  of  the  fifteenth  of  all  moveables,  by 
the  pope  with  a  tenth  of  the  church  revenues  for  three  years,  and  by'the 
merchants  with  an  export  tax  of  half  a  mark  on  each  sack  of  wool  and  a 
whole  mark  on  every  three  hundred  skins,  he  still  was  cramped  in  mcausi- 
and  as  he  was  conscious  that  during  the  late  long  and  weak  rcigu  many 
encroachments  iuid  been  unfairly  made  upon  the  royal  demesnes,  he  issued 
a  commission  to  inquire  into  all  such  encroachments,  and  also  to  devise 
and  seek  tiie  best  and  most  speedy  ways  of  improving  the  various  branches 
of  the  revenue.  The  commission,  not  ahva^  s  able  to  draw  the  line  between 
doubtful  acquisitions  and  iiereditary  possessions  of  undoubted  rightfulness, 
pusiied  their  inquiries  so  far  tliat  liiey  gave  great  offence  to  some  of  tiie 
nobility.  Among  others  they  applied  to  the  Earl  Warcnne,  who  so  brave- 
ly supported  the  crown  against  the  ambition  of  Leicester  during  the  late 
reign,  for  tiie  title  deeds  of  his  po^-sessions ;  but  the  indignant  earl  drew 
his  sword  and  said,  that  as  his  ancestors  had  acquired  it  by  tlie  sword  so 
he  would  keep  it,  and  that  he  held  it  by  the  same  right  tliat  Edward  held 
his  crown.  This  incident  and  the  general  discontcni  of  the  nobles  deter- 
ir.  .  d  the  king  to  limit  the  commission  for  the  future  to  cases  of  undoubt- 
ed irespuss  and  encroachment. 

A.D.  1276.— Not  even  pecuniary  necessities  and  the  exertion  necessary 
to  supply  them  could  prevent  Edward's  active  and  warlike  spirit  from 
seeking  employment  in  the  field.  Against  Llewellyn,  prince  of  Wales, 
Edward  had  grea*  cause  of  anger.  He  had  been  a  zealous  parlizan  of 
Leicester;  and  though  lie  had  bu(!ii  pardoned,  in  common  with  the  ottier 
barons,  yet  there  had  always  been  something  of  jealousy  towards  him  in 
the  mind  of  Edward,  which  jealousy  was  now  fanned  into  a  flame  by 
Llewellyn  refusing  to  trust  himself  in  England  to  do  homage  to  Edward, 
unless  tlie  king's  eldest  son  and  some  nobles  were  putinto  the  hands  of  the 
Welsh  as  hostages,  and  unless  Llewellyn's  bride,  a  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
Leicester,  who  had  been  captured  on  her  way  to  Wales  aii('  was  detained 
at  Edward's  court,  were  released. 

A.  a.  1277. — Edward  was  not  sorry  to  hear  demands,  hi'  \;\l  to  com- 
ply with  which  would  give  him  the  excuse  he  wished  foi  larch  into 
Wales.  He  accordingly  gave  Llewellyn  no  other  ans'ver  .  .in  a  renewa. 
of  his  order  to  him  to  come  and  do  homage,  and  an  offer  of  a  personal  sa'e 
conduct. 

Edward  was  both  aided  and  urged  into  his  ii^vasion  of  Wales  by  David 
and  Roderick,  brothers  of  Llewellyn,  who  h  ivir.g  been  despoiled  of  their 
inheritance  by  that  prince,  had  now  sought  sl>ellur  and  taken  service  with 
bis  most  formidable  enemy. 

When  the  English  approached  Wales,  Llewellyn  and  his  people  retired 
to  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  Snowdovvn,  judging  that  he  could  maintair. 
against  Edward  that  desultory  warfare  whicli  hadharrassed  and  tired  out 
the  Saxon  and  Norman  invaders  of  an  earlier  day.  But  instead  of  expos- 
ing his  forces  to  being  harrassed  and  beaten  in  detail,  Edward  guarded 
every  pass  which  led  to  the  inacccssable  retreats  of  the  enemy,  and  then 
coolly  waited  until  sheer  hunger  should  dispose  them  either  to  treat  or  to 
fight.  Nor  was  it  long  in  occurring;  brave  as  Llewellyn  was,  he  saw 
himself  so  completely  hemmed  in  tliat  he  was  unable  to  strike  a  blow, 
and  he  was  compelled  to  submit  to  the  terms  dictated  to  him  by  Edwaid. 
And  severe  those  terms  were  ;  Llewellyn  was  to  pay  50,OOW  by  way  o( 
expenses  of  the  war;  to  Jo  homage  to  the  king  ;  to  allow  all  the  baronn 
of  Wales,  save  four  of  those  nearest  to  Snowdown,  to  swear  fealty  to  Ed- 
ward ;  to  yield  to  the  English  crown  the  whole  of  the  country  between 
the  river  Conway  and  the  county  of  Cheshire ;  to  settle  a  thousand  marks 


,,,,Oi«i;jalf:''l'!PW'|iiil!i! 


BARL   VaRCNNB  DSFEHDINO  THB  TlTLB  TO   HIS   BSTATBS. 


per  year  on 

give  ten  fios 

articles  havi 

of  fifty  thoui 

love  of  mom 

gave  lip  so  li 

possible  by  i 

But  the  in: 

with  peace. 

the  noble  an( 

glish,  on  tlie 

bloodless  and 

marches,  ton 

a  general  spii 

selflo  theins 

get  his  persoi 

opposing  the 

tneir  country 

Luke  de  Ten; 

lacked  as  he  p 

most  extravay 

by  Mortimer," 

two  thousand  < 

eigiity,  exertec 

numerous  to  al 

been  struck  iiii 

of  Llewellyn. 

among  the  mos 

betraved  to  Kd' 

by  the  Rug-Iish 

as  a  traitor— a 

of  a  Im'o-hter  an 

The  death  of 

opposition  on  tl 

and  Eiig-iish  offi 

•lie  principality 

oom  at  Caernar 

A.  D.  1336 ' 

'Sled  between 
'Ju''d,  that  Kdw 
oifcrences  wli 
Pliilip  the  Fail, 
tdivard  was  ei 
nearly  three  yea 
disorders  and  m 
by  lawless  band 
"ere  before  the 
The  disputes 
"om  gave  Ed  war 
f*^".  to  interfere 
''0  made  larger  a 
""t  to  its  actual 

A-D.  1Q93 1 

"'"» a-rreed  that 
of  'Scotland  wen 
oshow  Kdward 
•'""I?  Scotland  t, 
IS  though  he  m 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


281 


per  year  on  his  brotliRr  Roderick  and  half  that  sum  upon  David;  and  to 
give  ten  hostages  for  his  future  good  and  peaceable  beiiaviour.  All  the 
articles  having  been  duly  performed,  with  the  exception  of  the  large  sum 
of  fifty  thousand  pounds,  Edward  forgave  that;  and  considering  his  great 
love  of  money,  or  rather  his  great  need  of  it,  we  naay  suppose  that  he 
gave  lip  so  large  a  sum  only  because  the  payment  of  it  was  rendered  im- 
possible by  the  excessive  poverty  of  the  country. 

But  the  imperfect  subjection  of  a  country  like  Wales  could  not  co-e.\ist 
witii  peace.  The  Welsh,  impetuous,  proud  and  courageous,  remembered 
the  noble  and  obstinate  defences  their  land  had  formerly  made  ;  the  En- 
glish, on  the  other  hand,  referred  in  tones  of  insolence  and  taunting  to  the 
blooilless  and  undisputed  conquest  they  had  now  made.  The  lords  of  the 
marches,  too,  connived  at  or  encouraged  many  insults  and  depredations  ; 
a  general  spirit  prevailed  among  the  Welsh  that  preferred  destruction  it- 
Beif  10  the  insults  they  had  to  endure,  and  this  spirit  caused  David  to  for- 
get his  personal  wrongs,  and  to  join  hand  and  heart  with  his  brother  in 
opposing  the  Kn^lish.  The  Welsh  flew  to  arms,  and  Edward  entered 
their  country  with  an  army  which  seemed  to  leave  them  but  little  hope. 
Luke  de  Tenay,  commanding  a  detachment  of  Edward's  troops,  was  at- 
tacked as  he  pussed  the  Menai,  and  his  defeat  inspired  ihe  Welsh  with  the 
inost  extravagant  hopes;  but  Llewellyn  was  shortly  afterwards  surprised 
by  Mortimer,  defeated,  and  killed  in  the  action,  together  with  upwards  of 
two  thousand  of  his  men.  David  who  now  succeeded  to  the  Welsh  sover- 
eignty, exerted  himself,  but  in  vain,  to  collect  another  army  sufficiently 
numerous  to  allow  of  his  facing  Edward  in  the  open  field.  Terror  had 
been  struck  into  the  inmost  heart  of  the  people  by  the  defeat  and  death 
of  Llewellyn.  David  with  a  few  followers  was  obliged  to  seek  shelter 
among  the  most  difficult  fastnesses  of  his  native  hills,  and  he  was  at  length 
betrayed  to  Edward  and  sent  in  chains  to  Shrewsbury,  where  he  was  tried 
by  the  Knglish  peers,  and  condemned  to  be  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered, 
as  a  traitor — a  sentence  so  disgraceful  to  Edward,  that  not  even  his  deeds 
of  a  brighter  and  nobler  character  can  wash  off  the  stain  of  it. 

The  death  of  Llewellyn  and  David  put  an  end  to  all  hope  of  successful 
opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Welsh,  who  fully  submitted;  English  laws 
and  English  officers  were  permanently  established,  and  Edward  conferred 
the  principality  upon  his  eldest  surviving  son,  the  prince  Edward,  who  was 
born  at  Caernarvon. 

A.  D.  1236. — Though,  as  was  inevitable,  some  national  rancours  still  ex 
isted  between  t'ne  two  people,  the  Welsh  were  now  so  completely  dub- 
ducd,  that  Edward  found  himself  at  liberty  to  go  abroad  to  interfere  in  the 
differences  which  had  arisen  between  Alphonso,  king  of  Arragon,  and 
Philip  the  Fair,  of  France,  who  disputed  the  kingdom  of  Sicily.  VVhile 
Edward  was  engaged  in  settling  this  dispute,  which  occupied  him  for 
nearly  three  years,  his  absence  from  England  had  given  rise  to  numerous 
disorders  and  mischiefs.  The  administration  of  justice  was  openly  defied 
by  lawless  bands  ;  and  robberies  had  become  nearly  as  common  as  they 
were  before  the  severe  examples  made  at  the  beginning  of  his  reign. 

The  disputes  which  existed  in  Scotland  about  the  crown  of  that  king 
dom  gave  Edward  an  opportunity,  of  which  he  was  not  slow  to  avail  him 
self,  to  interfere  in  the  aflfairs  of  that  nation ;  and  at  every  interference 
lie  made  larger  and  more  obvious  claims,  not  to  the  mere  fealty  of  its  king 
but  to  its  actual  sovereignty. 

A-  D.  1292. — The  two  principal  competitors  were  Baliol  and  Bruce.  It 
was  agreed  that  Edward  should  arbitrate  between  them,  and  the  castles 
of  Scotland  were  put  into  his  hands.  This  demand,  alone,  would  go  far 
to  show  Edward's  real  intentions ;  yet,  while  he  was  fully  bent  upon  sub- 
duing Scotland  to  his  own  rule,  he  put  the  dispute  upon  tl;e  true  footing. 
M  though  he  meant  to  act  justly,  in  the  following  question  to  the  com- 


882 


TUB  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


i 


3 


missioncrs  appointed  to  report  to  him  or\  tlio  case,  and  to  the  principal 
legists  of  Kuropc.  Ilns  a  person  descended  Cronj  nn  elder  sister,  but  far. 
ther  reniovi.'d  by  one  degree,  the  preference  as  to  siicct^ssion  to  u  liiiigdoin 
to  one  desfcnded  from  a  younger  sister,  but  one  degree  nenrcr  to  the 
common  s'ock  ?  Tliis  question  was  nnswered  him  in  ihr  HfRrniiilive;  and 
Daliol.  being  in  the  first  category,  was  prononneed  by  Edward  to  be  ihc 
rightful  sovereign;  a  decision  which  so  much  enraged  Bruce  thai  lie  joined 
himself  to  Lord  Hastings,  who  was  another  claimant,  but  only  for  a  pur. 
tion  of  tlie  kingdom,  which  he  maintained  to  be  divisible. 

A.  D.  1293. — John  Biiiiol  having  taken  the  oath  of  fealty  to  Rdward  as 
his  feudal  superior,  was  put  into  possession  both  of  his  throne  and  the 
ortresses  of  the  kingdom.  But  having  thus  far  acted  with  apparent  good 
faith,  Edward  now  began  to  exercise  his  feudal  authority  in  so  vexaiious 
a  manner,  that  it  was  quite  evident  that  he  desired  either  to  cause  Ihiiol 
to  throw  up  his  sovereignty  in  disgust,  or  to  burst  out  into  "some  sudden 
flood  of  mutiny,"  such  as  would  by  the  feudal  usages  cause  the  foifciiure 
of  his  fief.  He  gave  every  encouragement  to  appeals  to  his  authority  from 
that  of  the  Scottish  king,  harasi  ed  Baliol  by  repealed  summonses  to  Lon. 
don  upon  matters  comparatively  trivial,  and  instead  of  allowing  him  to 
answer  by  his  procurator,  compelled  him  to  appear  personally  at  tlie  bar 
of  the  English  parliament.  Such  treatment  could  not  fail  to  urge  pvpn 
the  quiet  temper  of  BmUoI  into  anger,  and  he  at  length  returned  into  Snit. 
land  with  the  full  dclerminalion  to  abide  the  chances  of  a  war  rather  tliia 
continue  to  endure  such  insults.  In  this  determination  he  was  eiiciiiir- 
aged  by  a  dispute  in  which  Edward  was  now  involved  in  another  qiwrur, 

It  will  readily  be  understood  that  in  an  age  in  which  robbury  and  vio- 
lence were  so  common  on  land,  piracy  and  violence  were  no  less  coiiimoa 
upon  the  sea ;  and  both  French  and  English  sailors  were  but  too  roadv 
to  engage  in  contests,  without  care  as  to  the  possible  consequences  to  their 
respe(rtive  countries.  It  chanced  that  a  Norman  and  an  English  vissd 
met  off  Bayonne,  and  both  sending  a  boat  ashore  for  water  the  panics 
quarrelled  at  the  spring.  From  words  they  proceeded  to  blows,  and  one 
of  the  Norinans  having  drawn  a  knife,  an  Englishman  closed  with  him; 
both  fell,  and  the  Norman  died  on  the  spot ;  the  English  alledging  that  he 
accidentally  fell  upon  his  own  knife,  the  Normans  loudly  affirming  that  he 
was  stabbed.  The  Normans  complained  to  King  Philip,  who  hado  tht'in 
avenge  themselves  without  troubling  him.  'I'he  words,  if  lightly  spi)kpn, 
were  taken  in  all  seriousness;  the  Normans  seized  upon  an  bliiglisli  ship, 
hanged  some  of  the  crew  side  by  side  with  an  equal  number  of  do^fs,aiid 
disiiiissed  the  rest  of  the  ship's  company,  tauntingly  assuring  them  that 
they  had  now  satisfactorily  avenged  the  Norman  sailor  who  was  killed  at 
Bayonne. 

When  this  intelligence  reached  the  mariners  of  the  Cinque  porls 
they  retaliated  upon  French  vessels,  and  thus  an  actual  war  w;is  soon 
raging  between  the  two  nations  without  a  formal  declaration  of  hosiili'y 
having  been  made  or  sanctioned  by  either  sovereign.  As  the  qunrrcl  pro- 
ceeded it  grew  more  and  more  savage;  seamen  of  other  nations  took  part 
in  it,  the  Irish  and  Dutch  joining  the  English,  the  Genoese  and  Flemish 
joining  the  French.  Al  length  an  incident  in  this  singular  war  rendered 
It  impossible  for  Edward  and  Philip  any  longer  to  remain  mere  speeialors 
of  it.  A  Norman  fleet,  numbering  two  hundred  vessels,  sailed  southward 
for  a  cargo  of  wine,  and  to  convey  a  considerable  military  force ;  and  this 
powerful  fleet  seized  on  every  English  ship  it  met  with,  plundered  the  iinnds, 
and  hanged  the  seamen.  This  news  more  than  ever  enraged  the  Knglish 
Bailors,  who  got  together  a  well-manned  fleet  of  sixty  sail,  and  went  in 
quest  of  the  Norinans,  whom  they  met  with  and  defeated,  taking  or  sink- 
ing  most  of  the  vessels ;  and  these  being  closely  stowed  with  niililiry, 
and  the  Engl'sh  giving  no  quarter,  it  was  asserted  that  the  Norman  lost 


THE  TREA8URY  OF  HISTOKY. 


283 


wn8  not  less  than  fifteen  thousand  men;  an  enormous  loss  nt  any  time, 
but  especially  so  in  an  age  when  battles  which  altered  the  destinies  of  em- 
pires were  frequently  decided  at  a  far  less  expense  of  life. 

Philip  MOW  demanded  redress  from  Kdward,  who  coldly  replied  that  the 
Eiiirlisli  courts  were  open  to  any  Frenchman  who  had  complaints  to  make  ; 
anirtlioii  he  offered  to  refer  the  whole  quarrel  to  the  pope,  or  to  any  cardi- 
nals whom  himself  and  I'hilip  mifrlu  arrrec  upon.  Out  the  parties  most 
conctiiic  1  in  the  quarrel  were  by  this  lime  loo  much  enraged  to  hold  their 
hands  on  account  of  negotiations  ;  and  Philip,  finding  that  the  violence  was 
in  110  wise  discountenanced  by  Edward,  summoned  him,  as  duke  of  Gui- 
eiine  ami  vassal  of  France,  to  appear  in  his  liege  lord's  court  at  Paris  and 
answer  for  the  offences  his  subjects  had  commiited. 

X.  D.  1294 — The  king  instructed  John  St.  John  to  put  Guienne  into  a 
stHie  of  defence,  and  at  the  same  time  endeavoured  to  ward  off  attack  from 
it  by  suiiiling  his  brother,  the  carl  of  Lancaster,  to  Paris  to  mediate  with 
Philip.  The  earl  of  Lancaster  having  married  the  queen  of  Navarre, 
mother  of  Jane,  the  queen  of  France,  the  latter  offered  him  her  aid  in 
Bccoiiimndatiiig  the  dispute  ;  and  the  queen-dowager  of  France  joined  her, 
in  all  apparent  good  faith.  But  the  two  princesses  were  acting  most 
insidiously.  They  assured  the  earl  that  if  Kdward  would  give  Philip 
siezin  or  possession  of  Guienne,  to  heal  the  wound  his  honour  had  receiv- 
ed from  liis  sulwassals  of  that  province,  Philip  would  at  once  be  satisfied 
and  iinmcdialely  restore  it.  'I'o  this  Kdward  agreed,  and  gave  up  the 
priiviiice  as  soon  as  his  citation  to  Paris  was  withdrawn  ;  but  the  moment 
he  liad  done  so,  he  was  again  cited,  and,  on  his  non-appearance,  con- 
demned to  forfeit  Guienne.  The  trick  thus  phiyed  by  Philip  was  so  pre- 
cisely similar  to  that  which  Kdward  had  himself  planned  for  Scotland, 
that  it  is  truly  wonderful  how  so  astute  a  prince  could  ever  have  fallen 
blindfold  into  such  an  uncovered  pit. 

A.  D.  1095. — Kdward  sent  an  army  to  Guienne,  under  the  command  of 
his  nephew,  John  dc  Breiagiie,  earl  of  Richmond,  together  with  John  St 
John,  and  other  officers  of  known  courage  and  ability ;  and  as  his  projecti 
upon  .Si!(Hlaud  did  nut  enable  him  to  spare  so  many  regular  soldiers  as 
were  needed,  he  on  this  occasion  opened  all  the  gaols  of  Kngland  and 
added  the  most  desperate  of  tlieirlenants  lothe  force  he  sent  over  to  France. 

Wiiiie  a  variety  of  petty  a(ttions  were  carried  on  in  France,  Philip  en- 
deavoured to  cause  a  diversion  in  his  favour  by  entering  into  an  alliance 
with  John  Baliol,  king  of  {Scotland  ;  and  ho,  smarting  under  the  insults  of 
Edward  and  longing  for  revenge,  eagerly  entered  into  this  alliance,  and 
slrenittlicned  it  by  stipulating  a  marriage  between  his  own  son  and  the 
daughter  of  Charles  de  Valois. 

A.  D.  1296. — Conscious  how  deep  was  the  offence  he  had  given  to  Baliol, 
Edward  had  too  carefully  watched  him  to  be  unaware  of  his  alliance  with 
France;  and  having  now  obtained  considerable  supplies  from  his  parlia- 
ment, which  was  more  popularly  composed  than  heretofore,  he  prepared 
to  chastise  Scotland  on  the  slightest  occasion.  In  the  hope,  therefore,  of 
creating  one,  he  sent  a  hanglity  message  desiring  Baliol,  as  his  vassal,  to 
send  liiin  forces  to  aid  him  in  his  war  with  France.  He  next  demanded 
that  tlie  castles  of  Berwick,  Roxburgh,  and  Jedburgh  should  be  placed  in 
his  hands  during  the  French  war,  as  security  for  the  Scottish  fidelity  :  and 
then  summoned  Baliol  to  appear  before  the  English  parliament  at  New- 
castle. Baliol,  faithful  to  his  own  purpose  and  to  the  treaty  that  he  had 
made  with  Philip,  complied  with  none  of  these  demands ;  and  Edward 
having  thus  received  Ihe  ostensible  offence  which  he  desired,  advanced 
upon  Scotland  with  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  fool  and  four  thousand 
horBt". 

The  military  skill  of  Baliol  being  held  in  no  very  higli  esteem  in 
Scotland,  a  council  of  twelve  of  the  most  eminent  nobles  was  appointee* 


'I  4:  ■     «f.r         M 


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m 
li 


£84 


THE  TUEASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


:•)  in;      , 


to  advise  and  assist  liitn — in  other  words  to  act,  for  tlio  time,  at  least  ai 
"  viceroys  over  him."  ' 

Under  the  manngenwint  of  this  council  vigorous  preparations  were  made 
to  oppose  Edward.  An  army  of  forty  thousand  foot  and  about  five  hund- 
red horse  marched,  after  a  vain  and  not  very  wisely  planned  attempt  upoii 
Carlisle,  to  defend  the  soutlieastern  provinces  threatened  with  Ktlward'a 
first  attacks.  Already,  however,  divisions  began  to  appear  in  the  Scottish 
councils  ;  and  the  Bruccs,  the  earls  of  March  and  Angus,  and  otheremiiicnt 
Scots,  saw  so  much  danger  to  their  country  from  such  a  divided  host  at- 
templing  to  defend  it  against  so  powerful  a  monarch,  that  they  took  the 
opportunity  to  make  an  early  submisson  to  him.  Edward  had  crossed  the 
1  w^ed  at  Coldstream  without  experiencing  any  opposition  of  either  word 
or  deed ;  but  here  he  received  a  magniloquent  letter  from  Baliol,  who,  hav- 
ing obtained  from  Pope  Celestine  an  absolution  of  both  himself  and  hisiia- 
tion  from  the  oath  they  had  taken,  now  solemnly  renounced  the  homage 
he  had  done,  and  defied  Edward. 

Little  ro^jarding  mere  words,  Edward  had  from  the  first  moment  of  com- 
mencing his  enterprise  been  intent  upon  deeds.  Berwick  had  been  tai<en 
by  assault,  seven  thousand  of  the  garrison  put  to  the  sword,  and  Sir  Wij. 
liam  Douglas,  the  governor,  made  prisoner;  and  now  twelve  thousand  men 
under  the  command  of  the  veteran  earl  Warcnne,  were  despatched  against 
Dunbar,  which  was  garrisoned  by  the  very  best  of  Scotland's  nobility  and 
gentry.  Alarmed  lest  Dunbar  should  be  taken,  and  their  whole  country 
thus  be  laid  open  to  the  English,  the  Scots  marched  an  immense  army  to 
the  relief  of  that  place ;  but  the  earl  Warenne,  tliough  his  numbers  were 
so  inferior,  attacked  them  so  vigorously  that  they  fled  with  a  loss  of  twenty 
thousand  men;  and  Edward  with  his  main  army  coming  up  on  the  follow- 
ing  day,  the  garrison  perceived  that  further  resistance  was  hopeless,  and 
surrendered  at  discretion.  The  castles  of  Roxburgh,  Edinburgh,  and  Stir- 
ling now  surrendered  to  Edward  in  rapid  succession ;  and  all  the  southern 
parts  of  Scotland  being  subdued,  Edward  sent  detachments  of  Irish  and 
Welsh,  skilled  in  mountain  warfare,  to  follow  the  fugitives  to  their  reees 
ses  amidst  the  mountains  and  islets  of  the  north. 

But  the  rapid  successes  which  already  attended  the  arms  of  Edward  had 
completely  astounded  the  Scots,  and  put  them  into  a  state  of  depression 
proportioned  to  the  confidence  they  had  formerly  felt  of  seeing  the  inva- 
der beaten  back.  Their  heavy  losses  and  the  dissensions  among  their 
leaders  rendered  it  impossible  for  them  to  get  together  anything  like  an 
imposing  force  ;  and  Biiliol  himself  put  the  crowning  stroke  to  his  coun- 
try's calamity  by  hastening,  ere  the  resources  of  his  people  could  be  fully 
ascertained,  to  make  his  submission  once  more  to  that  invader  to  whom 
he  had  but  lately  sent  so  loud  and  so  gratuitous  a  defiance.  He  nol 
merely  apologized  in  the  most  humble  terms  for  his  breach  of  fealty  to  his 
liege  lord,  but  made  a  solemn  and  final  surrender  of  his  crown ;  and  Ed- 
ward, having  received  the  homage  of  the  king,  marched  northward  on'y 
to  be  received  with  like  humility  by  the  people,  not  a  man  of  whom  ?p- 
proached  him  but  to  pay  him  homage  or  tender  him  service.  Having  thus, 
to  all  outward  appearance,  at  least,  reduced  Scotland  to  the  most  perfect 
obedience,  Edward  marched  his  army  south  and  returned  to  Phiglaiid  car- 
rying with  him  the  celebrated  inauguration-stone  of  the  Scots,  to  which 
there  was  a  superstition  attached,  that  wherever  this  stone  should  be,  there 
dhould  be  the  government  of  Scotland.  Considering  the  great  power 
which  such  legends  had  at  that  time,  Edward  was  not  to  blame,  perhaps, 
for  this  capture  ;  but  the  same  cannot  be  said  of  his  wanton  order  for  the 
destruction  of  the  national  records. 

Baliol,  though  his  weak  character  must  have  very  effectually  placed  hira 
beyond  the  fear  or  suspicion  of  Edward,  was  confined  in  the  Tower  of 
Loi'don  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was  allowed  to  retire 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


i285 


10  France,  where  ho  remained  during;  the  rest  of  his  life  in  that  private 
itation  for  whicii  his  limited  talents  and  his  timid  temper  best  fitted  him 
The  government  of  Scotland  was  entrusted  to  Earl  VVareiuie,  who,  both 
from  policy  and  predilection,  took  euro  that  Englishmen  were  preferred 
to  nil  offlces  of  profit  and  influence. 

Ill  (luienno  Edward's  arms  had  been  less  successful ;  his  brother  the 
earl  of  Lancaster  had  at  first  obtained  some  advantages;  but,  he  dying, 
Ihe  earl  of  Lincoln,  who  succeeded  to  the  command,  was  not  able  to  make 
any  progress.  Edward's  success  in  Wales  and  Scotland,  had,  however, 
made  him  more  than  ever  impatient  of  failure  ;  and  he  now  projected  such 
a  confederacy  against  the  king  of  France  as,  he  imagined,  could  not  fail 
to  wrest  Guiennc  from  him.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  he  gave  his  daugii- 
ler,  the  princess  Elizabeth,  to  John,  earl  of  IloUana  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
stipulated  to  pay  to  Guy,  earl  of  Flanders,  the  sum  of  75,000/.  as  his  sub- 
sidy for  joining  him  in  the  invasion  of  the  territory  of  their  common  enemy, 
Philip  of  France.  Edward's  plan,  a  very  feasible  one,  was  to  assemble 
all  his  allies  and  march  against  Philip's  own  capital,  when  Philip  would 
most  probably  be  glad  to  remove  the  threatened  danger  from  himself  by 
giving  up  Guienne.  As  a  large  sum  of  money  was  requisite  to  carry  out 
ilic  kmg's  designs  he  applied  to  parliament,  who  granted  him — the  barons 
and  knights — a  twelfth  of  all  moveables,  and  the  boroughs  an  eighth.  But 
if  liio  king  laid  an  unfair  proportion  of  his  charges  upon  the  boroughs,  ho 
proposed  still  more  unfairly  to  ta.x  the  ck-rgy,  from  whom  he  demanded 
a  fifth  of  their  moveables.  Pope  Boniface  VI IL  on  mounting  the  papal 
throne  had  issued  a  bull  forbidding  the  princes  of  all  Christian  nations  to 
tax  the  clergy  without  the  express  consent  of  Rome,  and  equally  forbid- 
Jiiiff  the  clergy  to  ptiy  any  ttix  unless  so  ^auctioned ;  and  the  English 
clergy  gladly  sheltered  themselves  under  that  bull,  now  that  the  king  pro- 
posed  to  burden  them  so  shamt^fully  out  of  all  proportion  to  his  chtirges 
upon  other  orders  of  his  subjects.  Though  Edward  was  much  enraged  at 
the  l:u!it  opposition  of  the  clergy,  he  did  not  instantly  proceed  to  any  vio- 
lence, but  caused  all  the  barns  of  the  clergy  to  be  locked  up  and  prohibited 
all  payment  of  rent  to  them.  Having  given  thus  much  intimation  of  his 
ileicrmination  to  persist  in  his  demand,  he  appointed  a  now  synod  to  con 
fcr  with  him  upon  its  reasonableness ;  but  Robert  de  VVinchelsey,  arch 
bishop  of  Canterbury,  who  had  suggested  to  Boniface  that  bull  of  whicl 
ilie  clergy  were  now  availing  themselves,  plainly  told  the  king  that  tha 
clergy  owed  obedience  to  both  a  temporal  and  a  spiritual  sovereign,  and 
llm  the  obedience  due  to  the  former  woidd  bear  no  comparison  as  to  im- 
portance with  that  which  was  due  to  the  latter*  ami  'hni  consequently  it 
Has  impossible  that  they  could  pay  a  tax  demanded  by  ilie  king  when  they 
were  expressly  forbidden  to  pay  it  by  the  pope. 

AD.  1297. — Really  in  need  of  money,  and  at  the  same  time  equally  de 
sirous  of  avoiding  an  open  quarrel  with  the  pope  on  the  one  hand,  and  of 
making  any  concessions  to  obtain  a  rela.xation  of  his  bull  on  the  other, 
Edward  coolly  replied  that  they  who  would  not  support  the  civil  power 
could  not  fairly  expect  to  be  protected  by  it.  He  accordingly  gave  orders 
10  all  his  judges  to  consider  ihe  clergy  as  wholly  out  of  his  protection. 
He,  of  course,  was  obeyed  to  the  letter.  If  any  one  had  a  suit  against  a 
clerk  the  plaintiff  was  sure  of  success,  whatever  the  merits  of  his  case, 
for  neither  the  defendant  nor  his  witness  could  he  heard ;  on  the  other 
hand,  no  matter  how  grossly  a  clerk  might  have  been  wronged  in  matters 
not  cognizable  by  the  ecclesiastical  courts,  all  redress  was  refused  him  at 
the  very  threshold  of  those  courts  whose  doors  were  thrown  open  to  th» 
meanest  layman  in  the  land. 

Of  such  a  state  of  things  the  people,  already  sufficiently  prone  to  plun- 
der, were  not  slow  to  avail  themselves  ;  and  to  be  a  clerk  and  to  be  plun- 
dered and  insulted  were  prettly  nearly  one  and  the  same  thing.    The  rents 


m 


I 

^U'l:) 

k.. 

m 

mm 

M 

\  f|t|U| 

■'  1 

'    ViiB&'i  * 

98<r 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


both  in  money  and  in  kind  were  cut  off  from  the  convcnti ;  and  if  tt)( 
moirks,  in  peril  of  being  starved  at  homn,  rodo  forth  in  scuch  of  suhiji. 
tenco,  rolibcr-s,  emboldened  by  the  king's  rule,  if  not  actuiiily  pronipiiMJ  by 
his  secret  orders,  robbed  them  pitilessly  of  money,  apparel  and  liorsci 
and  sent  tlicm  buck  to  their  convents  still  poorer  and  in  a  worse  pljohi 
than  they  had  left  them.  The  archbishop  ol  Canterbury  issired  a  KciiRral 
excommunication  against  all  who  took  part  in  these  shameful  proceedings- 
but  it  was  little  attended  to,  and  had  no  effect  in  checking  the  spoljittion 
of  the  clergy,  upon  wliich  the  king  looked  with  the  utmost  indifference 
or,  rather,  with  tho.doublo  satisfaction  arising  from  feeling  that  the  hmei 
of  the  clergy  would  at  length  induce  them  to  submit,  even  in  despite  of 
their  veneration  for  the  pupal  commands,  and  that  the  people  were  thiii 
gradually  accustoming  themselves  to  look  with  less  awe  upon  the  papal 
power.  Whether,  in  wishing  the  latter  consummation,  Edward  wisiied 
wisely  for  his  successors  we  need  not  now  stay  to  discuss ;  in  anticipating 
the  former  consummation  ho  most  assuredly  was  quite  correct;  fur  the 
clergy  soon  began  to  grow  weary  of  a  passive  struggle  in  which  ihoy  were 
being  tortured  imperceptibly  and  incessantly,  without  cither  the  dignity  ol 
martyrdom  or  the  hope  of  its  reward.  The  nonhern  province  of  York  liad 
from  the  first  paid  the  fifth  demanded  by  the  king,  not  in  any  pr:.'  ;!ce 
of  his  orders  to  those  of  the  pope,  nor,  certainly,  with  any  peculiar  ,.nd 
personvil  predilection  for  being  taxed  beyond  their  ability,  but  becnuso  their 
proximity  to  Scotland  gave  them  a  fearful  personal  interest  in  the  ability 
of  the  king  to  have  suHicicnt  force  at  his  command.  The  bishops  of  Sal. 
isbury  and  Kly,  and  some  others,  next  came  in  and  offered  not  indeed  lit- 
erally to  disobey  the  pope  by  paying  the  fifth  directly  to  Edward,  but  to 
deposit  equivalent  sums  in  ct-rlain  appointed  places  whence  they  could  be 
taken  by  the  king's  collectors.  Those  who  could  not  command  ready 
money  for  this  sort  of  commutation  of  the  king's  demand  privily  ontereil 
into  recognizances  for  the  payment  at  a  future  time,  and  thus  cither  di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  mediately  or  immediately,  the  whole  of  the  clergy 
paid  the  king's  exorbitant  deniand,  though  reason  warranted  liicni  in  a  re- 
sistance which  had  the  formal  sanction,  nay  the  express  command,  of  their 
spiritual  sovereign.  In  this  we  see  a  memorable  instance  of  the  same 
power  applied  to  different  men ;  the  power  that  would  have  cruslied  the 
weak  John,  however  just  his  cause,  was  now,  with  a  bold  and  triuiiipbaiit 
contempt,  set  at  naught  by  the  intrepid  and  politic  Edward,  though  it  op- 
posed him  in  a  demand  which  was  both  shameful  in  its  extent  and  illegal 
even  in  the  manner  of  its  imposition. 

But  with  all  this  assistance,  the  supplies  which  Edward  obtained  stilt 
fell  far  short  of  his  necessities,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  contrived  to 
make  up  the  difference  was  characterized  by  the  injustice  which  was  the 
one  great  blot  upon  what  would  otherwise  have  been  a  truly  glorious  reign. 
Though  the  merchants  had  ever  shown  great  willingness  to  assist  liim,  he 
now  arbitrarily  fixed  a  limit  to  the  exportation  of  wool,  and  as  arbitrarily 
levied  a  duty  of  forty  shillings  on  each  sack,  being  something  more  than 
a  third  of  its  full  value !  Nor  did  his  injustice  stop  here ;  this,  indeed,  was 
the  least  of  it;  for  he  immediately  afterwards  seized  all  the  wool  that  re- 
mained in  the  kingdom,  and  all  the  leatlicr,  and  sold  them  for  his  own  ben- 
efit. The  sheriffs  of  each  county  were  empowered  to  seize  for  him  two 
thousand  quarters  of  wheat  and  two  thousand  of  oats.  CiHtle  and  other 
requisites  were  seized  in  the  same  wholesale  and  unceremonious  fashion; 
and  though  these  seizures  were  made  under  promise  to  pay,  the  sufTerera 
naturally  placed  little  reliance  upon  such  promioc  made  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, ^n  the  recruiting  of  his  army  Edward  acted  quite  as  arbi 
trarily  as  in  provisioning  it ;  compelling  every  proprietor  of  land  to  pij 
•he  yearly  value  of  twenty  pounds,  either  to  serve  in  person  or  find  a  proxy 
even  though  his  land  were  not  held  by  military  tenure.     Notwitiistandiii( 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


987 


ihe  great  popularity  of  Edwiinl,  and  the  terror  of  his  power,  he  could  not 
,iii,),.ri"ui  li  cirnimutancos  of  provocalion  previ-nt  the  peopltt  from  miinnur. 
m;  iiiir  were  the  murmurs  coiiliiied  to  llie  poorer  sort  or  those  who  were 
Mrsimally  sufferers  from  the  iting's  nrbiirary  conduct,  but  ihe  liighfst  no- 
I  IfSiiNu  felt  the  outrage  that  was  committed  upon  Ihe  general  principle 
of  liluriy.  Of  this  feiling  Kdward  was  made  aware  an  soon  as  ho  had 
cuiiipUled  hist  i)n'piiralions.  He  divided  his  forces  into  two  armies,  in- 
III!  iiiig  la  assail  France  on  the  sidi;  of  Flandera  wilh  one  of  ihem,  and  to 
iiMil  tilt!  oilier  to  assail  it  on  the  side  of  (Jascony.  I3ut  when  cveryiliing 
wdi  rc;i(iy  and  llie  troops  actually  asseinhled  on  the  Koa  coast,  Uoger  IJigod, 
,,irl  of  Norfolk  and  murslial  of  England,  and  Uohun,  earl  of  Hereford  and 
cDiistable  of  Knglaiid,  to  whom  lie  intended  to  entrust  the  (Jascoii  portion 
of  Ins  expedition,  refused  to  take  charge  of  it,  on  the  plea  that  by  ihcir 
Difices  lliey  were  only  bound  to  attend  upon  his  person  during  his  wars. 
Liiilciiscd  to  bo  thwarted,  the  king  was  greatly  enraged  at  this  refusal, 
anil  m  tlie  liiph  words  that  passed  upon  the  occasion  ho  exclaimed  lo  the 
pari  iif  llirelord, "  Uy  (iod,  Sir  Karl,  you  shall  either  go  or  hang ;"  to  which 
Ilcnf'irti  coolly  replied,  "Uy  (Jod,  Sir  King,  I  will  neither  go  nor  liaiig;" 
diilliu  immediately  left  the  expedition,  taking  wilh  him  above  thirty  oilier 
powi'iful  barons  and  their  numerous  followers. 

Fiiiiliiij,'  himself  iiius  considerably  weakened  in  actual  numbers,  and 
still  iiinre  so  by  the  m(<ral  effect  this  dispute  had  upon  men's  minds,  Kd- 
\i,irii  now  gave  up  the  Gascon  portion  of  his  expedition  ;  but  the  opposi- 
iMii  was  iiol  yet  at  an  end.  for  the  two  earls  now  refused  to  perform  their 
July  oil  the  ground  that  their  iuuiestors  had  never  served  in  Flanders. 
Niif  knowing  how  far  the  same  spirit  might  have  spread,  Kdward  feared 
iu|iri)eped  to  extremities,  aguravatcd  and  aiiiuiyiiig  as  this  disobedience 
,v;is,  l)i;l  conlentcd  himself  wilh  a[)poinliiig  (icollVey  de  (ieyneville  and 
riiuiiiiis  de  Berkeley  lo  act  for  the  recusant  offit-ers  on  the  present  occa- 
iiiii;  fur  as  the  offices  of  marshal  and  (nonstable  were  hereditary,  he 
nnililonly  have  deprived  the  offenders  of  them  by  the  extreme  measure 
of  aiuiiiulcr.  He  farther  followed  up  this  conciliatory  policy  by  taking 
lluprin'iate  into  favour  again,  in  hope  of  thus  securing  the  inlerest  of  the 
I'liiriii;  and  he  assembled  a  great  meeting  of  the  nobles  in  Westminster 
Hail,  to  whom  he  addressed  a  speech  in  apology  for  what  they  might 
Jinii  nxccptionable  in  his  coiuhict.  Me  pointed  out  how  strongly  the 
iDiiniir  of  the  crown  and  the  nation  demanded  the  warlike  measures  lie 
[imposed  to  take,  and  how  impossible  it  was  to  take  those  measures  wilh- 
aiii money;  he  at  the  same  time  protested,  that  should  he  ever  return  he 
ivHiild  take  care  that  every  man  should  be  reimbursed,  and  that  wherever 
iliire  was  a  wrong  in  his  kingdom  that  wrong  should  be  redressed.  At 
lliL'sunie  time  that  he  made  these  promises  and  assured  his  hearers  that 
lliey  might  rely  upon  his  fulfilment  of  them,  he  strongly  urged  them  to 
lay  aside  all  animosities  among  themselves,  and  only  strive  with  each 
other  who  should  do  most  towards  preserving  the  peace  and  upholding 
the  credit  of  the  nation,  to  be  faithful  to  him  during  his  absence,  and,  in 
the  event  of  his  falling  in  battle,  to  be  faithful  to  his  son. 

Tiioiiirh  there  was  something  extremely  touching  in  the  politic  pleading 
of  ilio  king,  coming  as  it  did  from  a  man  usually  so  fierce  and  resolute, 
ills  arbitrary  conduct  had  injured  too  widely,  and.  slung  too  deeply,  to 
aiiinit  of  words,  however  pathetic,  winning  him  back  the  friendship  of  his 
people;  and  just  as  ho  was  embarking  at  Winclielsea,  a  remonstrance 
which  Hereford  and  Norfolk  had  framed  was  presented  to  him  in  their 
Mines  and  in  those  of  other  considerable  barons.  In  this  remonstrance, 
strongly  though  courteously  worded,  complaint  was  generally  made  of 
liis  recent  system  of  government,  and  especially  of  his  perpetual  and 
tliigiaut  violation  of  ihe  great  charter  and  of  the  charter  of  the  forests, 
md  his  arbitrary  taxation  and  aeizuiej,  and  they  demanded  redress  of 


¥{ 


388 


TUB  TUEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


^1111 


I 

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tP 

<^WH 

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S  a    f  ^ 

y\ 

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?'"^  *>ff 

M, 

,'waCl 

M-S  is^ 

itkl 

thiM 

these  great  and  manifest  grievances.  Tlie  circumstances  under  which 
this  memori:il  was  delivered  to  the  king  furnished  him  with  an  excuse  cl 
which  he  was  by  no  means  sorry  to  avail  himself,  seeing  tliat  he  could 
neither  deny  the  grievances  nor  find  the  means  of  redressing  them ;  and 
he  briefly  replied,  that  he  could  not  decide  upon  matters  of  sucli  higi'i  j,,,. 

Eortance  while  at  a  distance  from  his  council  and  in  all  the  bustle  of  cm 
arkation. 

But  the  two  earls  and  their  partizans  were  resolved  that  the  king's  cm 
barkation  should  rather  serve  than  injure  their  cause ;  and  when  the  prjncj 
of  Wales  and  the  government  summoned  tiicm  to  meet  in  parliament  they 
did  so  with  a  perfect  army  of  attendants,  horse  and  foot,  and  would  not 
even  enter  the  city  until  the  guardianship  of  the  gates  was  given  up  to 
them.  'I'lie  council  hesitated  to  trust  so  much  to  men  who  had  assumed 
fo  hostile  an  attitude  ;  but  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  sided  with 
the  carls,  overruled  all  objections  and  argued  away  all  doubts ;  tiie  gains 
were  given  into  the  custody  of  the  malcontents,  and  thus  both  the  prince 
and  the  parliament  were  virtually  put  into  their  power. 

'I'liat  power,  however,  they  used  witii  an  honourable  moderation,  de. 
manding  only  that  the  two  charters  should  be  solemnly  confirmed  by  the 
king  and  duly  ol  served  for  the  time  to  come;  that  a  clause  should  be 
added  to  the  great  charter,  securing  the  people  from  being  taxed  without 
the  consent  of  parliament ;  and  that  they  who  had  refused  to  attend  the 
king  to  Flanders  should  be  held  harmless  on  that  account  and  received 
into  the  king's  favour.  I5oth  the  prince  of  Wales  and  his  council  agreed 
to  thes'?  really  just  and  moderate  terms;  but  when  they  were  submitted 
to  Edward,  in  Flanders,  he  at  first  objected  to  agree  to  them,  and  even 
after  three  days'  deliberation  he  was  only  with  difliculty  persuaded  to 
do  so. 

'I'lic  various  impediments  which  the  king  had  met  with  in  England 
caused  him  to  reach  Flanders  too  late  in  the  season  for  any  operations  m[ 
importance;  and  enabled  Philip  to  enter  the  Low  Countries  before  his 
arrival,  and  make  himself  master,  in  succession,  of  Lisle,  St.  Oiners, 
Court  rai,  and  Ypres.  The  appearance  of  Kdward  with  an  English  army 
of  fifty  thousand  men  put  an  end  to  this  march  of  prosperity;  and  Philip 
not  only  was  compelled  to  retreat  on  France,  but  had  every  reason  to  fc:ir 
that  he  should  be  early  invaded  there.  Edward,  however,  besides  bcuii; 
anxious  for  England,  exposed  as  it  was  to  the  hostilities  of  the  Scots,  wa* 
disappointed  of  a  considerable  force  for  the  aid  of  which  he  Ikk!  paid  a 
high  price  to  Adolph,  king  of  the  Romans ;  and  both  monarchs  bcin? 
thus  disposed  to  at  least  temporary  peace,  they  agreed  to  a  truce  of  two 
years,  and  to  submit  their  quarrel  to  the  judgment  of  the  pope. 

A.  D.  1298. — Though  both  Edward  and  I'bilip  expressly  niaiutaineJ 
that  they  referred  their  quarrel  to  the  pope,  not  as  admitting  the  papid 
right  to  interfere  in  the  temporal  affairs  of  nations,  but  as  respecting  his 
personal  wisdom  and  justice,  he  was  too  anxious  to  be  seen  by  the  world 
in  the  character  of  mediator  between  two  such  powerful  princes,  to  niaki' 
any  exception  to  the  terms  upon  which  his  mediation  was  accepted.  He 
examined  their  diflferences,  and  proposed  that  a  permanent  peace  sliould 
be  made  by  them  on  the  following  terms,  viz.:  that  Edward,  who  was 
now  a  widower,  should  espouse  Margaret,  sister  of  Philip,  and  that  the 
prince  of  Wales  should  espouse  Isabella,  daughter  of  Philip,  and  llial 
Guienne  should  be  restored  to  England.  Philip  wished  to  include  the 
Scots  in  his  peace  with  Edward,  but  the  latter  was  too  inveterate  against 
Scotland  to  listen  to  that  proposal,  and  after  some  discussion  the  peace 
was  made — Philip  abandoning  the  S(!ots,  and  Edward  in  turn  abandoning 
the  Flemings,  So  careless  of  their  allies  arc  even  the  greatest  monarchs 
when  their  own  interests  call  for  the  sacrifice  of  those  allies! 

It  is  but  seldom  that  projects  of  conquest  will  bear  scrutiliy  ;  still  more 


tilled  liini  on  llie 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


369 


•aintaincJ 

'ctiiig  liis 
the  wurW 
1,  to  \m\'<' 
!pte(l.  He 
liice  should 

who  was 
nil  tlial  llic 
and  llwl 
ii'idmle  the 
•ate  against 

the  ppai'e 
abandoning 
5t  monarchs 

still  more 


jcldom  that  tliey  merit  pr<iisc.  But  certainly,  looking  merely  at  the  geo- 
uruphii'ul  relations  of  England  and  Stujlland,  it  is  impossible  lo  deny  that 
the  latter  seems  intended  by  nature  to  belong  to  the  former  whenever 
any  considerable  progress  should  be  made  in  civilization.  That  Scotland 
ihmild  loiiff  ""J  fiercely  struggle  for  independence  was  natural,  and  ex- 
cites onr  admiration  and  sympathy;  but,  on  turning  from  sentiment  to 
reason,  we  cannot  but  approve  of  the  English  determination  lo  annex  as 
(riemls  and  fellow-subjects  a  people  so  commandiiigly  situated  to  be  mis- 
•hievons  and  costly  as  enemies.  It  is  probable  that  Scotland  would 
ievcr  have  mado  a  struggle  after  the  too  prudent  submission  of  John 
g,|j(i],  had  the  English  rule  been  wisely  managed.  But  Earl  Warenne 
was  obliged  by  filling  health  to  retire  from  the  bleak  climate  of  Scot- 
liuil;  aird  Oriiicsby  and  Oressingham,  who  were  then  left  in  possession 
of  full  aiithiirity,  used,  or  rather  abused  it  in  such  wise  as  to  arouse  to 
halo  and  indignation  all  high-spirited  Scots,  of  whatever  rank,  and  o( 
whatever  moderation  in  their  former  temper  towards  England.  Their 
Ehanieful  and  perpetual  oppressions,  in  fact,  excited  so  general  a  feeling 
of  hostility;  tiiat  orly  a  leader  had  been  for  some  lime  wanting  to  pro- 
duce an  armed  revflt  SJid  such  a  leader  at  length  appeared  in  the  per- 
son of  the  aftcrv.'arag  lamous  William  Wallace. 

William  Wallace,  a  gentleman  of  moderate  fortune,  but  of  an  ancient 
ami  hononrable  family  in  the  west  of  Scotland,  though  his  efTorls  on  be- 
|i;ilf  of  his  country  deserve  at  least  a  part  of  the  enthusiastic  praise 
niiirli  his  countrymen  bestow  upon  him,  would  probably  have  died  un 
liiiowii,  and  without  one  palriotic'struggle,  but  for  that  which  often  leads 
to  patriotic  cfTorls-a  private  quarrel.  Having,  like  too  many  of  his  fel- 
low-eonntrymen,  been  grossly  insulted  by  an  English  olHcer,  Wallace 
killeil  him  on  the  spot.  Under  so  tyraimous  a  rule  as  that  of  the  English 
ill  Scotland,  such  a  deed  left  the  doer  of  it  but  little  mercy  to  hope;  and 
Wiillacp  betook  himself  to  the  woods,  resolved,  as  his  life  was  already 
forfeit  to  the  law,  to  sell  it  as  dearly  as  possible,  and  to  do  away  with 
whatever  obloquy  might  attach  to  his  first  act  of  violence  by  mixing  up 
forlhe  fnture  his  own  cause  with  that  of  his  country.  Of  singular  bodily 
ai  well  as  mental  powers,  and  having  a  perfect  acquaintance  with  every 
morass  and  mountain  path,  the  suddenness  with  which  Wallace,  with 
the  small  band  of  outlaws  he  at  first  collected  round  him,  fell  upon  the 
Finilish  oppressors,  and  the  invariable  fa(;ility  and  safety  with  which  he 
iniile  good  his  retreat,  soon  made  him  looked  up  lo  by  men  who  longed 
for  tlic  deliverance  of  their  country,  and  cared  not  if  they  owed  it  even 
10  a  hand  guilty  of  deliberate  murder.  The  followers  of  Wallace  thus 
fjieciiily  became  :nore  and  more  numerous,  and  from  the  mere  outlaw's 
band  grew  at  length  to  the  patriot's  army. 

Kvcry  new  success  with  which  Wallace  struck  terror  into  the  hearts 
ofiheKn^lish  increased  the  admiration  of  his  countrymen;  but  thougl' 
Hie  number  of  his  adherents  was  perpetually  on  the  increase,  for  a  long 
lime  he  was  not  joined  by  any  men  of  rank  and  consequence  sulHcient 
lo  stamp  his  exertions  with  a  national  (diaracter.  But  this  great  dilliculty 
was  at  length  removed  from  his  path.  After  a  variety  of  minor  suLCesses 
he  prepared  his  followers  to  attack  Scone,  which  was  held  by  the  hated 
KiiLdish  justiciary,  Ormeshy;  and  that  tyrannical  person  being  informed 
by  Ins  spies  of  the  deadly  intentions  of  Wallace  towards  him,  was  so 
aiarmed,  that  he  precipitately  departed  into  England:  and  his  example 
was  closely  followed  by  all  the  immediate  accomplices  and  tools  of  hi» 
cruelly  and  tyranny. 

Tlie  panic  (light  of  Ormesby  added  greatly  to  the  eflfect  which  the  eour- 
ajeaiul  eonduct  of  Wallace  had  already  produced  upon  the  minds  of  hit 
ftllow-couiitrymen  ;  and  even  the  great,  who  hitherto  had  deemed  it  pru- 
ilent  to  keep  aloof  from  him,  now  showed  him  both  sympathy  and  coiifi 

i-ia 


•■  f? 

??iMnr 

SitJfjWfc 

4;;: 

■'■itii 

fei™ 

4           1 

X      1 
i 

' ; 

MS 

290 


TH4  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


dcnco.   Sir  William  Douglas  openly  joined  him,  and  Robert  Bruce 


secretly 


m 

Vt.f 


en«;i>iir;igcd  Imn ;  the  smaller  gentry  and  the  people  at  large  g„vc  lijm 
tho  full  eonfidence  and  support  of  which  the  efTorts  lie  had  afrcady  made 
proved  him  capable  of  priihlin!,s  and  so  general  was  the  IScoujsli  move. 
meni,  th.it  in  a  short  time  the  Knglisli  government  was  virtually  at  an  md 
in  Scotland.  The  more  sanguine  among  the  Scrots  already  began  to  hope 
that  their  country's  iiidepeiidenee  was  completely  rc-estubiislied,  but  lUe 
wiser  and  more  experienced  judged  that  Kngland  would  not  tlius  e;isi|y 
part  with  a  conquest  so  desirable  and,  perliaps,  even  csseniial  to  liurowii 
national  safety  ;  and  their  judgment  was  soon  j  \stified  by  tho  appeiiranco 
of  Karl  VVarenne  at  Irvine,  in  Annandale,  with  aj.  army  of  upwards  of  furty 
thousand  men  ;  a  force  which,  if  prudently  used  under  the  exisiing  cir- 
cumstances, must  on  the  instant  have  undone  all  that  Wallace  Imj  as  ye' 
done  for  the  enfranchisement  of  his  country.  For  the  mere  appcanuiceol 
so  vast  and  well  appointed  an  army,  under  the  command  of  a  leader  of  ilij 
known  valour  and  ability  of  VVarenne,  struck  such  terror  into  niai.y  of  the 
Scottish  nobles  who  had  joined  Wallace,  that  they  hasieiiod  to  subiiiii  lo 
Wareniie,  and  to  save  their  persons  and  property  by  renewing  llic  o.ulinl 
fealty  to  Kdward;  wh  ;  many  who  were  secretly  in  correspondence  with 
Wallace,  and  among  lis  most  zealous  friends,  were  compelleil,  tlioiKrh 
sorely  against  their  w  II,  to  join  the  Knglish.  Wallace,  bein;,'  then  thus 
weakened,  a  pnu'ent  jse  of  the  vast  English  force  was  all  that  was  re- 
quired to  have  insured  success;  and  had  Warenne  acted  suleiy  iipmi  his 
own  judgment,  success  most  certainly  would  have  been  his.  Biii  Cres- 
singham,  the  treasurer,  whose  oppressions  had  only  been  second  to  iluise 
of  Ormesby,  was  so  transjiorted  by  personal  rage,  and  bad  so  much  iiillu- 
ence  over  VVarenne,  as  to  mislead  even  that  veteran  commander  iiiiuan 
error  as  glaring  as  in  its  consetiuence  it  was  mis(diievous. 

llrgfd  by  Cressingham.  Wartmne,  who  had  advan(;ed  to  Canihusken- 
neth,  on  the  banks  of  the  Forth,  resolved  to  assail  Wallace,  who  hiid  most 
skilfully  and  strongly  posted  himself  on  the  opposite  bank.  .Sir  UicharJ 
Lundy,  a  native  Scotchman,  but  smcerely  and  zealously  attaclied  tn  the 
Knglish  cause,  in  vain  pointed  out  to  VVarenne  the  disadvantages  unlet 
which  he  was  about  to  make  the  attack.  'J'he  order  was  given,  ami  tin 
English  bega'n  their  inarch  over  the  bridge  which  crossed  the  river  ,ii  ilui 

Eoint.  Wallace  allowed  the  leading  divisions  to  reach  his  side  of  the  river, 
ut  before  they  could  fully  form  in  order  of  battle  he  gave  the  word,  Ins 
troops  rushed  upon  the  Knglish  in  overwhelming  force,  and  in  an  iiurcJi- 
bly  short  time  the  battle  became  a  mere  rout,  the  lOnglisli  flying  in  every 
direction,  and  thousands  of  them  being  put  to  the  sword  or  drowned  li; 
their  vain  endeavours  to  escape  from  their  enraged  enemies.  Cressiii[| 
ham,  who  behaved  with  much  gallantry  during  the  short  but  nuirderdiis 
conflict,  was  among  the  number  of  the  I'lnglish  slain;  and  so  inveteriio 
and  merciless  was  the  hatred  with  which  his  tyranny  had  inspireil  the 
Scotj,  that  they  actually  flayed  his  corpse  and  had  his  skin  tanned  and  cmi- 
verted  into  girths  and  belts.  The  great  loss  sustained  by  the  Kii^hsh 
upon  the  field,  and  tho  complete  panic  into  which  the  survivors  were 
thrown,  left  Warenne  no  alternative  but  to  retreat  into  Kiiglanil.  IIh 
castles  of  Berwick  and  Roxburgh  were  speedily  taken,  and  Seotlind  wis 
herself  free  once  more,  and  loudly  hailed  Wallace  as  her  deliverer.  The 
title  of  regent  was  bestowed  upon  him  by  acclamation ;  and  bmli  from 
aeing  elated  by  his  almost  marvellous  success,  and  from  the  absolute  f.iin. 
ine  which  prevail.;d  in  Scolls;id,  he  was  now  induced  to  carry  the  w;it 
into  Kngland.  He  accordingly  mTched  his  troops  across  the  border,;ini! 
tpreading  them  over  the  norihcrn  .:3untieH.|)liuidercd  and  destroyed  with- 
out mercy,  till  at  length  having  penetr."ed  as  far  as  the  bisliopnck  of  Dur- 
ham, he  obluiaed  euunnous  booty,  wilu  which  he  returned  in  iriinnplito 
Scotland. 


m 

jiHii'i 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


991 


The  news  of  this  great  triumph  of  tlie  Scots  reached  Edward  while  in 
FlaiidcfSi  wliere,  forluiiately,  he  liad  just  completed  a  truce  witli  France. 
He  was  thus  at  lihcrty  to  hasten  to  England  and  endeavour  to  retrieve 
llio  loss  of  his  most  valued  conquest.  Sensible  ihat  his  past  conduct  had 
pre  Illy  olTendcu  as  well  as  alarmed  his  people,  of  whoso  utmost  aid  ani 
zeal  li"J  now  stood  in  so  much  need,  his  first  care  was  to  exert  every  art 
to  regiiii)  his  lost  popularity.  To  the  citizens  of  London  he  paid  his  court 
t)v resioiing  to  them  the  privclege  of  electing  their  own  magistrates,  ol 
which  his  fallier  had  deprived  them  ;  and  he  gave  ostentatious  directions 
forexiict  inquiry  to  be  made  as  to  the  value  of  corn,  cattle,  and  other 
commodities,  which  a  short  time  before  he  had  ordered  to  be  seized ;  thus 
leading  tlie  more  sanguine  among  the  sulTercrs  to  believe,  and  persuading 
otiiers,  that  he  intended  to  pay  for  the  goods  thus  violently  obtained.  To 
the  nobles  lie  equally  endeavoured  to  recommend  himself  by  solemn  pro- 
ressioiis  uf  his  determination  to  observe  the  charters  ;  and  having  thus 
iiiirratiaied  himself  with  all  orders  of  men,  he  made  extensive  levies  and 
preparations  for  the  re-conquest  of  Scotland,  against  which  he  was  soon 
enabled  lo  march  with  an  army  of  nearly  a  hundred  thousand  men. 

Tlie  magnitude  and  excellent  equipment  of  Edward's  force  were  not  his 
only  advantages  ;  dissensions  were  rife  and  fierce  among  the  Scots  at  the 
very  moment  when  it  was  obvious  that  nothing  but  the  most  unanimous 
and  disinterested  zeal  could  give  them  even  a  chance  of  success.  Wal- 
lace had  (lone  wonders  in  raising  his  country  from  the  extreme  degrada- 
tion and  despair  in  which  he  had  found  her;  but  then  Wallace  was  only 
the  sun  of  a  private  gentleman,  and  his  elevation  to  the  important  post  of 
reirent  gave  deep  offence  to  the  proud  nobility,  each  of  whom  deemed  liim- 
Be[f  more  worthy  than  the  other.  Perceiving  both  the  cause  and  the  dan- 
ger of  the  divided  spirit,  Wallace  showed  himself  truly  noble  in  soul,  by 
disinterestedly  resigning  the  authority  he  had  so  well  won,  and  retaining 
only  the  command  of  his  imincdiato  followers,  who  would  have  obeyed  no 
other  commander;  and  the  chief  authority  was  divided  between  Cummin 
of  Ijadenoch  and  the  steward  of  Madenoch,  who  agreed  in  concentrating  all 
the  Siottish  forces  at  Falkirk,  there  to  await  the  attack  of  the  Enijlish. 
Each  of  the  Scottish  commanders-in-chief  headed  a  great  division  of  their 
army,  while  a  tiiird  division  was  under  the  immediate  command  of  Wal- 
lace himself.  The  pikcmen  formed  the  front  of  each  division,  and  the 
intervals  between  the  three  were  occupied  by  strong  bodies  of  archers ; 
amlasllic  English  had  a  vast  superiority  in  cavalry,  the  whole  front  of 
the  Scottish  position  was  protected  as  well  as  possible  by  stakes  strongly 
fccnred  to  each  other  by  ropes. 

Edward,  on  arriving  in  front  of  his  enemy  formed  his  army,  also,  into 
three  divisions.  His  archers,  probably  the  most  skilful  in  the  world,  com- 
menecd  the  attack,  and  so  galled  the  Scottish  bowmen,  that  they  were 
leizcd  vvitli  a  panic  and  fled  from  the  field.  The  fearful  shower  of  the 
English  bolts  and  arrows  was  now  turned  upon  the  Scottish  pikemen,  and 
ihecharife  of  the  English  pikcmen  and  cavalry  followed  up  the  advantage 
thns  obtained.  The  Scots  fought  bravely  and  well,  but  the  superiority  ol 
the  Ihigiish,  in  discipline  and  equipments  as  well  as  in  numbers,  was  so 
freat,  that  tlie  utmost  cfibrls  of  the  Scotch  were  in  vain,  and  they  were  at 
lc!ij,'ih  routed,  with  a  loss  of  ten  thousand  men,  but  which  the  popular 
lanientalion  rated  as  high  as  fifty  thousand. 

I'lvcii  ill  this  appiiUiiig  scene  of  confusion  and  slaughter,  Wallace  contri- 
ved to  keep  his  division  unbroken,  and  to  lead  it  in  good  order  behind  the 
tiver  Carron,  lining  the  bank  of  that  river  in  such  wise  as  to  render  the 
.iiluck  of  tlie  lOnglish  highly  perilous,  if  not  actually  impracticable. 

An  iiiiorview  here  took  place  between  Wallace  and  young  Bruce,  who, 
licsiiite  his  own  high  birth  and  not  wpak  claim  upon  the  Scottish  royalty 
was  then  serving  in  Edward's  army     The  account  given  by  the  Scbttivh 


293 


THE  TafiASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


historinns  of  this  interview  is  so  precise  as  to  be  somewhat  siispjciout. 
especially  as  authors  quite  as  credible  aflirni  that  Bruce  was  not  then  with 
the  English  army,  or  even  in  that  part  of  the  country.  If,  however  the 
interview  took  place,  the  subsequent  conduct  of  Bruce  shows,  tliat,  so  far 
from  succeeding  in  his  endeavour  to  induce  Wallace  to  struggle  iio'loneei 
for  his  country's  independence,  he  was  himself  converted  by  the  great 
hero  into  a  nobler  way  of  thinking. 

A.  D.  1299. — While  Wallace  still  remained  unconquercd  and  in  some 
force,  Edward  felt  that  his  triumph  was  not  complete;  but  after  having 
subjected  the  south  of  Scotland,  Edward  was  obliged,  by  sheer  want  of 
provisions,  to  march  his  troops  back  into  England  and  to  leave  the  north 
of  Scotland  still  unconquercd. 

A.  D.  1300. — The  Scotch  having  in  vain  applied  for  aid  to  Philip  o| 
France,  now  betook  themselves  to  the  mediation  of  Rome  ;  and  Boniface 
wrote  on  their  behalf  a  long  and  justly-argued  letter  to  Edward,  in  which 
he  strongly  put  forward  all  the  solid  arguments  that  existed  against  his 
equally  unjust  and  arrogant  claim  to  Scotland.  But  as  the  ambition  of 
Boniface  was  fully  equal  to  his  ability,  he  weakened  the  justice  of  his 
opposition  to  the  arrogant  claim  of  Edward,  by  putting  forward  an  equally 
arrogant  and  unfounded  one  on  the  part  of  Rome,  to  which  he  asserted 
Scotland  to  have  by  right  appertained  from  the  most  remote  antiquity. 

The  real  claim  of  Kdward  was  plainly  founded  upon  tlie  right  of  the 
strongest;  his  only  justification  was  to  be  found  in  the  geographical  con- 
nection  of  Scotland  and  England.  But,  in  replying  to  the  letter  of  the 
pope,  Edward  advanced  arguments  which  were  nuitc  as  remarkable  for 
grave  and  absurd  assurance  as  even  the  claim  of  the  pope  himself.  Com- 
mencing with  Brutus  the  Trojan,  Edward  cited  and  assumed  historical 
sayings  and  doings  down  to  the  time  of  Henry  II.  in  support  of  his  claim; 
but  carefully  leaving  out  everything  that  told  for  Scotland,  though  he 
commenced  his  elaborate  document  by  a  solemn  appeal  to  the  Almighty 
to  witness  his  sincerity  and  good  faith !  It  is  still  more  extraordinary  that 
Edward's  pretensions  were  backed  by  no  fewer  than  a  hundred  and  four 
barons,  who,  to  his  defence  of  his  claims,  added,  that  though  they  had 
condescended  to  justify  them  to  Boniface,  they  by  no  means  acknowj. 
edged  his  right  to  judge,  and  that  if  their  sovereign  were  willing  to  give 
up  the  prerogatives  which  they  were  determined  at  all  hazards  and  all 
sacrifices  to  uphold,  they  for  their  parts  would  in  nowise  allow  him  to 
do  so. 

A.  D.  1303. — While  Edward  was  thus  endeavouring  to  g:iveto  a  politic 
and  tempting  usurpation  the  character  of  a  just  and  ancient  claim,  the 
Scots,  relieved  from  his  immediate  and  fatal  activity,  were  exerting  them 
selves  for  another  efl^ort  in  behalf  of  their  national  independence.  John 
Cummin  was  made  regent,  and  he  did  not  content  himself  with  keeping 
a  force  together  in  the  north,  but  made  frequent  incursions  upon  the  sub- 
dued southern  provinces.  John  de  Segrave,  whom  Edward  had  left  as 
his  representative  in  Scotland,  at  length  led  out  his  army  to  oppose  I'le 
Scotch,  and  a  long  and  sanguinary  action  took  place  at  Roslin,  near  Edin- 
burgh, in  which  the  English  were  completely  defeated,  and  tht'  whole  ot 
the  southern  provinces  freed  from  them  by  the  regent. 

Edward,  to  his  infinite  indignation,  now  perceived  that  he  had  not  to 
complete,  merely,  but  actually  recommence  the  conquest  of  this  brave  peo- 
ple, and  he  made  preparation  for  so  doing  with  his  accustomed  vigour  aiiJ 
activity.  Assembling  naval  as  well  as  military  forces,  ho  entered  Scot- 
land with  a  large  army,  which  his  navy,  sailing  along  the  coast,  putoiitol 
all  danger  as  regarded  want  of  provisions.  The  superiority  which  this 
arrangement  gave  to  Edward  rendered  the  resistance  of  the  Scotch  as 
hopeless  as  it  was  gallant.  Place  after  place  was  taken,  the  chieftains  in 
succession  yielded  in  despair,  and  Cummin  himself  and  his  most  zeal' 


liad  not  to 
is  brave  peo- 
d  vigour  anil 
ntcred  Scot- 
5t,  putoutol 
which  lliiJ 
,e  Scotch  as 
chieftains  in 
nioBtzcal' 


THE  TREASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


2S3 


0U3  Iricnds  at  length  sihbmitted.  But  though  Edward  '.ad  marched  trinm- 
DJiantly  from  one  cud  of  llie  country  to  the  oilier,  and  liad  received  the 
lubinission  of  the  ablest  and  the  bravest,  his  conquest  v/as  still  incomplete, 
for  Wallace  was  yet  at  liberty  and  was  still  undaunted. 

A.D.  IS'^'l  5.— t-dward  on  many  occasions  during  his  busy  reign  display- 
ed great  talents,  but  his  really  clear  judgment  was  usually  vanquished  when 
It  became  opposed  by  his  love  of  arbitrary  rule.  He  had  now  dono 
eiioiigli  to  display  his  power,  and  his  truest  policy  would  have  been  to  en- 
deavour to  reconcile  the  existing  generation  of  Scou  to  their  loss  of  real 
independence  by  flattering  liiein  with  as  much  as  pctssible  of  the  appear- 
ance of  it,  liy  governing  them  by  iheir  own  laws,  and  by  indulging  ihem 
ill  tlieir  national  customs,  until,  habituated  to  rule  and  influenced  by  the 
ptopeiisily  of  imitation,  which  is  everywhere  so  strong,  they  sluuild 
mdiiiilly  assimilate  themselves  in  those  respects  to  their  conquerors.  But 
tins  slow  though  sure  process  did  not  accord  wiUi  his  passionate  disposi- 
tioa;  and  he  nut  only  made  sweeping  alterations  in  the  Scottish  laws,  but 
fHiHinore  deeply  wounded  the  national  pride  by  the  malignant  zeal  with 
which  lie  destroyed  all  their  most  precious  records,  and  most  valued  moau- 

meiils. 

By  this  injudicious  cruelty  he  powerfully  excited  the  hatred  of  the  Scots, 
and  iliiU  haired  was  now  pushed  to  its  utmost  excess  by  what  even  an 
English  historian  can  only  term  the  murder  of  the  brave  but  unfortunate 
Wallace.  Resolved  never  to  despair  of  his  country,  nor  to  cease  his 
exertions  for  her  but  when  he  should  cease  lo  live,  Wallace  sought  shelter 
inllie  mountain  fastnesses,  confiding  the  secret  of  his  retreat  to  only  a 
few  upon  whom  he  thought  he  ct)uld  implicitly  rely,  and  watched  eagerly 
and  hopefully  for  some  opportunity  of  again  rousing  Scotland  to  resist" 
ante.  But  the  anxiety  of  Edward  to  get  into  his  power  this  most  formi- 
dable enemy  to  him,  because  moat  devoted  friend  to  his  native  land,  led  him 
tolinjil  out  the  promise  of  such  reward  and  favour  to  whomsoever  would 
put  Wallace  into  his  power,  that  a  traitor  was  found  even  among  the  mere 
handful  of  Scots  to  whom  the  power  of  being  thus  treacherous  was  con- 
fined. The  man  to  whose  name  this  eternal  infamy  attaches  was  Sir  .lohn 
Jlonicith,  an  intimate  and  confidential  friend  of  Wallace.  This  dastardly 
and  treacherous  nobleman  revealed  the  place  of  the  patriotic  chieftain's 
shelter,  and  he  was  siezed,  loaded  with  irons,  and  sen*  to  London.  Dis- 
liiigtiishcd  as  Edwanl  himself  was  forcourage,  the  almost  romantic  bravery 
and  devotion  of  Wallace  might  have  been  expected  to  have  excited  his 
adiiuralion.  It  is  scarcely  possible  lo  read  this  portion  of  our  history 
niihiiut,  for  Edward's  own  sake,  feeling  shocktid  and  disappointed  at  the 
iinl<iiigiilly  want  of  generosity  he  displayed.  Had  he  kept  Wallace  even 
a  cluse  prisoner,  tlumgh  the  wrong  doer  would  still  have  been  exercising 
the  unjust  right  of  the  strongest,  Edward  had  been  excusable,  as  it  was 
qniic  obvious  that  so  long  as  Wallace  was  at  liberty  the  conquest  of  Scot- 
land was  not  secure  for  a  single  day.  But  the  courage  and  perseverence 
uiiieli  ought  lo  have  secured  Edward's  syuipalliy,  only  exciled  his  ini- 
placalileliitred;  and  the  unfortunate  Scottish  patriot,  after  the  mere  mock- 
ery ufa  trial  for  treason  and  rebellion  against  that  power  to  which  he  had 
iiever  made  submission,  was  publicly  beheaded  on  'I'owerhill. 

IfI'Mward  hoped  by  this  shameful  severity  to  put  an  end  to  the  Scottish 
hopes  and  determination,  he  was  signally  mistaken  ;  the  dyin^  resentment 
of  the  people  was  aroused  ;  even  those  who  had  been  roreinosl  in  envying 
llie  siipreniacy  of  Wallace  now  joined  in  deploring  his  fate,  and  tht;  gen- 
eral iiiind  was  pul  into  the  most  favourable  stalt;  for  insuring  welcinne 
and  i>u|iport  to  the  next  <'ham|)ioti  of  independence,  who  soon  presented 
himself  in  i!.e  person  of  Robert  Uruce. 

A.  u.  1306. — Rdbert  Bruce,  grandson  of  the  opponent  of  Baliol,  was  now, 
bv  ilic  decease  of  bu.h  his  graudfulher  and  father,  the  inheritor  of,  at  the 


H'^l 

(   ' 

n 

I  ft 

sHk 

1 

y 

WL  ^x' 

ft     1  IT 

w 


294 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HI3T0RY. 


'.h 

ji 

1 

k 


v% 


least,  a  plausil)lc  cl;iim  lo  the  Scottish  crown,  and  had  therefore  a  nc^ 
S'lUiil  as  well  as  a  patriotic  motive  for  opposing  the  tyranny  of  Mdwafj 
Though  he  was  iiimsulf  personally  well  treated,  though,  indeed,  he  was 
viewed  less  as  a  prisoni-r  at  large  than  a  favoured  native  noble,  Bruce 
could  not  butifccl  disgust  and  indignation  at  the  numerous  cruellies  of  Kd. 
ward,  crown  ^1  as  they  were  by  the  damning  injustice  of  the  murder  of 
Wallace;  an.i  after  iving  long  pondered  the  subject,  he  determined  to 
Bucceed  to  th  ii  hero  in  his  task,  even  at  the  risk  of  succeeding  also  tojiij 
viideiit  end.  This  determination  Uruce  confided  to  his  intimate  friend 
John  Cumini'i,  who  approved  of  his  design  and  encouraged  him  in  \i 
Whether  Cu'nmin  from  the  first  listened  only  to  betray,  or  whether  he  al 
first  entered  sincerely  into  the  views  of  Bruce,  and  only  betrayed  them 
from  horror  at  the  magnitude  of  the  danger,  does  not  clearly  appear.  But 
certain  it  is  that,  from  whatever  motives,  he  did  reveal  the  senliniciitsand 
inti'nlions  of  Bruce  lo  the  king. 

Kdward,  tliough  little  prone  to  sparing,  knew  how  to  dissemble ;  and 
being  dcsinnis  of  getting  into  his  power  the  three  brothers  of  Bruce,  who 
were  still  at  liberty  in  Scotland,  and  fearing  to  alarm  them  ere  he  could  do 
80,  should  he  take  any  decrisive  measure  against  Robert,  he  for  the  prcs. 
enl  contented  liimself  with  pnttiughis  every  act  and  word  under  the  most 
severe  surveillance  of  persons  practised  in  that  most  contemptible  species 
of  employment.  This  policy,  intended  to  make  the  ruin  of  Robert  Bruce 
more  certain  and  c(nnplcte,  proved  his  safety  ;  for  an  Knglish  iiobiemdn 
who  was  privy  to  Kdward's  design  put  Bruce  on  his  guard  in  time.  The 
friendly  nobleman  in  (juesiion,  being  aware  how  closely  Bruce  was  watched 
could  not  venture  to  warn  him  personally  and  in  plain  terms  of  the  danger 
which  beset  him,  tjiit  sent  him  by  a  sure  hand  a  pair  of  spurs  and  a  purse 
of  ntoney.  The  -agacity  of  Bruce  rightly  interpreted  the  meaning  of  this 
double  present,  ;-'ul  he  instantly  set  off  f(»r  Amiandale,  and  arrived  Iheie 
safely  ;  having  t-Kcn  the  precaution  to  have  his  horse  shod  backward,  so 
that  even  had  a  >  'jrsuit  been  commenced,  the  pursuers  would  speedily  have 
been  thrown  on! 

High  as  Bruc'  ranked  in  the  Scottish  nobility,  he  had  hitherto  been 
looked  upon  as  «vholly  lost  to  Scotland ;  as  the  mere  minion  of  the  En. 
glish  king;  lessa>  iicnis  about  the  land  to  which  he  owed  his  birth  than  to  iliat 
in  which  he  livcc  a  life  of  splendid  slavery.  It  was,  therefore,  with  noli;- 
tie  surprise,  and  i  erhaps  in  some  eases  even  with  suspicion,  that  the  Scut. 
tish  nobility  thei.  assembled  al  Dumfries  saw  him  suddenly  appe;irbcl(ire 
them,  with  the  a;  owed  determination  of  following  up  the  mighty  elTortsni 
Wallace,  and  of  itierating  his  trampled  country  or  nobly  perishing  in  llie 
attempt.  'I'he  ci  iqucuce  and  spirit  with  which  Bruce  declared  his  inten- 
tions and  exhorttd  the  assembled  nobles  to  join  him  in  his  efforts,  roused 
their  spirits  to  tin  highest  enthusiasm,  and  they  at  once  declared  their  in- 
tention to  follow  'tic  noble  Bruce  even  to  death.  To  this  enthusiasm  and 
assent  tliere  was  out  (Uie  e.\i'eplion  : — Cunmiin,\vho  had  already  hetrined 
the  designs  of  Bi'jce  to  the  king,  now  endeavoured  to  introduce  discord 
into  the  council,  y  dwelling  with  great  earnestness  upon  the  little  proba- 
bility that  existed  >f  their  being  successful  against  the  tremendous  powei 
of  Knglaiid,  and  u  lon  th'j  still  smaller  probability  of  Kdward  showing  any 
mercy  to  them,  s!i  luld  they  fall  into  his  hands  after  insulting  him  by  anew 
brcaih  of  their  oa'O  and  fealty. 

The  discourse  o  Cummin  had  the  greater  weight  because  he  wasIicU 
to  he  a  true  patriot  ;  and  Bruce  clearly  per(reived  that  this  man,  who  had 
so  nearly  betray*  1  tiim  to  certain  fmprisonment  ami  very  probable  ex. 
ecntiou,  h.id  so  sti  «ng  a  hold  on  the  minds  of  the  nobles,  that  they  woulJ 
most  likely  follow  his  a'lvice,  until  the  arrival  of  Kdward  wiili  an  over- 
whelming  power  would  render  exertion  useless.  Enraged  at  such  an  op- 
position being  added  to  the  treachery  of  which  he  was  aware  that  Cum 


THE  TREASURY  OF  IIISTOHY. 


20!t 


mm 


„„.  haJ  already  been  guilty,  Drucc,  when  tlic  meeting  of  the  nobles  wna 
a'djoiinied  to  auotlier  day,  followed  Cummin  as  far  as  the  monastery  of 
the  fii'L'y  '■''■''i'"'',  in  the  cloister  of  which  he  went  up  to  him  and  ran  liim 
througli  the  body.  Uruco  imagined  that  lie  had  killed  the  traitor,  but  on 
ocliii' "asked  by  a  friend  and  con(idan(,  named  Fitzpatrick,  whether  he  had 
dumJ'so,  lie  replied,  "I  believo  so."  "  Uelieve',"  exclaimed  Fitzpiitrick, 
"ami  is '''•''■'* ''''"S 'o  1'^"^'^  t"  ••'"^'i'^*''  I  will  secure  him  V  So  saying 
the  fier^'O  knight  went  bank  to  t!ie  spot  where  Cummin  lay,  and  slabbed 
hiintliioiigb  the  heart.  ThisbriiMil  violcmie,  which  in  our  more  enlighU 
died  (lay  we  cannot  even  re  id  of  without  horror  and  disgust,  was  then 
dcemcil  a  matter  not  of  shame  but  of  triumph  and  boasting,  and  the  mur- 
derer Fitzpatrick  actually  took  for  his  crest  a  hand  and  bloody  dagger, 
a;:d  ilie  words  "  I  will  secure  him !"  for  his  motto. 

Tim  munler  of  K'lward's  spy — and  murder  it  assuredly  was,  howevei 
base  the  character!  the  victim — left  the  assembled  nobles,  and  Bruce  es- 
pecially, 11"  t'hoice  ,is  to  their  future  itourse ;  ihey  must  cither  shake 
off  the  power  of  Edward,  or  jxirish  beneath  Edward's  aroused  ven- 
UCiiiicp.  Bruce  in  this  emergency  proved  himself  well  adapted  for  the 
joftv  and  perilous  mission  to  which  he  had  devoted  himself.  He  flew 
froiii  oik;  \yiWl  of  the  country  to  the  other,  everywhere  raising  armed  par- 
ti«;uis,  iiiul  sending  them  against  the  most  important  towns  and  castles 
lliil  vciitined  to  hold  out  for  Edward;  and  by  this  activity  he  not  only 
ohi  liiieil  strong-holds  in  every  direction,  liut  organized  and  concentrated 
afirce  so  (considerable,  that  he  was  able  to  declare  Scotland  indepr^ndent, 
aiiJ  ID  have  liinsclf  crowned  as  her  king  in  the  abbey  of  Scone,  the  arch- 
bishopof  St.  Andrew's  oni(;ialing.  Bruce,  though  both  policy  and  ambi- 
limi  led  linn  to  bi;  crowned,  did  not  suffer  mere  ceremonial  to  occupy 
niiieh  (iftlie  linic  for  which  he  hid  so  much  more  important  a  use,  but 
busily  pnrsned  the  English  until  iliey  were  all  driven  from  the  kingdom, 
save  those  who  found  shelter  in  the  comparatively  few  fortresses  that 
stdl  lii.'lil  onl  for  Edward. 

A  D.  1307. — Eihvard,  who  seemed  as  enthusiastic  in  his  desire  to  con- 
oiiiT  Scotland  as  the  Scots  were  in  their  desire  to  live  free  from  his  yoke, 
received  the  tidings  of  this  defcrit  of  his  purpose  only  as  a  summons  to  ad- 
vaiicii  to  the  conriuest  yet  once  more;  and,  while  making  his  own  ar- 
Ma;,'rineiits,  he  sent  forward  a  large  advance  force  under  Sir  Aylnier  de 
Valence,  who  fell  suddenly  upon  Bruce,  in  Perthshire,  and  put  him  com- 
pleicly  to  the  rout.  Bruce  himself,  with  a  mere  handful  of  personal 
fiieiuH,  took  shelter  in  the  western  isles;  Sir  Simon  Eraser,  Sir  Chris- 
topher Setoii,  and  the  i.arl  of  .Vthol  were  less  fortunate;  being  taken  pris- 
oners, Mdward  ordered  their  immediate  execution,  as  rebels  and  traitors. 
Similar  severity  vv'as  shown  in  the  treatment  of  other  prisoners,  and  Ed- 
ward now  in  person  commenc.^d  his  march  against  Scotland,  vowing  veii- 
Seanci!  upon  the  whole  of  tlie  nation  for  il'.e  trouble  and  disappointment 
to  which  it  had  exposed  him.  But  a  mightier  than  Edward  was  now  at  hand 
to  renh-r  farther  cruelty  or  injustice  impracticable.  He  was  already  ar- 
rived as  far  on  his  journey  of  vengeance  as  Cumberland,  when  he  was  sud- 
denly siezed  with  illness,  and  died  on  the  7th  of  .Inly,  1,307,  in  the  thirty- 
lifih  year  of  his  reign  and  the  sixty-ninth  of  his  age. 

Warlike,  politic,  and  so  especially  attentive  to  amending  and  consolida- 
tiiijr  the  laws  of  his  country  that  the  title  of  the  English  .lustinian  was 
iii)t(|iiite  unjustly  bestoweil  upon  him,  Edward  yet  was  rather  a  great 
than  a  good  monarch;  better  calculated  to  excite  the  pride  of  his  subjects 
than  to  deserve  their  love.  Self-will,  a  necessary  ingredient,  perhaps,  to 
ieeitain  extent,  of  every  great  character,  was  in  him  carried  to  an  excess, 
and  made  him  pass  from  a  becoming  pride  to  arrogance,  and  from  just 
comnniul  to  unprincipled  extortion  an(l  unsparing  despotism.  With  less 
uf  ariD^fance  he  would  have  been  in  cverv  w«v  a  better  king;  vet,  such  u 


t96 


THE  TREASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


I'  11 
If  ff 


r  M 


the  temper  of  all  uncullivated  people,  the  tyrannieg  of  this  splendid  and 
warlike  tyrant  were  patiently,  almost  alTiM-tionalcly,  borne  oy  ilie  .umuj, 
who  revolted  at  the  fur  less  cxtonsivc  and  dak-in^r  tyrannies  of  John. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  RErON  or  EDWARD  II. 

A.  D.  1307. — The  dying;  commands  of  Kdward  I.  to  his  son  and  sncccs 
■or  wore,  that  he  should  follow  no  the  enterprise  aj^iiiiist  Seoil;iiid,  Jind 
never  desist  until  that  nation  should  be  complett'ly  subdued.  An  a'bun. 
dantly  sufTicient  force  was  ready  for  the  young  king  Kdward  II, ;  iimi  ;,j 
Bruce  had  by  this  lime  rallied  forces  round  him,  and  inllicled  ;i  riulier 
important  defeat  upon  Sir  Aylmerdc  Valence,  the  F-^nglish  people,  too f^nj 
of  glory  to  pay  any  scrupulous  altcniion  to  llie  justice  of  the  i-ause  in 
which  it  was  to  be  aoquired,  hoped  to  see  Kdward  II,  at  the  very  cmn. 
mencement  of  his  reisjn,  imitating  the  vigorous  conduct  of  his  iniirtial 
father;  and  they  were  not  a  little  disgusted  when  Edward, after  inarclijiiir 
gome  short  distance  over  the  border,  gave  up  the  enterprise,  not  from  niiy 
consideration  of  its  iiijnstice,  but  in  sheer  indolence,  and  returned  into 
England  and  disbanded  that  army  upon  the  formation  of  which  his  (Mm 
had  bestowed  so  much  exertion  and  care.  Hitherto  the  character  of  tins 
prince  had  been  held  in  esteem  by  the  Knglish  people,  who,  with  (heir 
accustomed  generosity,  took  the  absence  of  any  positive  vice  as  a,i  indi. 
cation  of  virtue  and  talent,  which  only  needed  opportmiily  to  manifts'  tlii'in- 
Belves.  Hut  tnis  first  act  of  his  rei},ni,  while  it  disgusted  the  neople  ia  yen. 
eral,  at  the  same  time  convinced  the  lurbidcnt  and  bold  nobles  t>,;it  Fliey 
might  now  with  safety  put  forward  even  unjust  claims  upon  a  kuiy;  who 
bade  fair  to  sacrifice  all  other  considerations  to  a  low  and  conteinpiihio 
love  of  his  personal  ease.  The  barons,  who  had  not  been  wholly  knpt 
from  showing  their  jjride  even  by  the  slern  and  determined  hand  of  Kt]. 
ward  I.,  were  not  likely  to  remain  quiet  under  a  weaker  rule;  aiul  ihe 
preposterous  folly  of  the  new  king  was  not  long  ere  it  furnisti-'d  lliciii 
with  suiriciently  reasonable  cause  of  complaint. 

The  weak  intellect  of  Edward  11.  caused  him  to  lean  with  a  cliJld-like 
dependency  upon  favourites  :  but  with  this  diflference,  that  the  deiwiidiiay 
which  is  touching  and  beautifid  in  a  child,  is  contemptible  in  a  man,  aiu' 
must  to  the  rough  and  warlike  barons  have  be(Mi  especially  di.'ynsiiug 
The  first  favourite  upon  whinn  Edward  bestowed  his  unmeasured  conli 
dence  and  favour  v/as  Piers  Gaveslon,  a  (lascon,  whose  father's  kiiigliliy 
service  in  the  wars  of  the  b'te  king  had  introduced  the  son  to  the  esinb. 
lishtnent  of  the  present  king  while  prince  of  Wales.  The  elegant  tiKiiiijh 
frivolous  accomplishments  of  which  Gaveslon  was  master,  and  tlie  piiiiis 
which  he  took  to  display  and  employ  them  in  the  amnsemt-nt  of  liiewciik. 
minded  young  prince  whom  he  served,  obtained  for  Gaveston,  evciidiiniig 
the  lifetime  of  Edward  I.,  so  alarming  an  influence  over  the  mind  of  the 
heir-apparent,  that  the  stern  monandi,  who  had  little  taste  for  cliildisli  pur- 
suits, banished  Gaveslon  not  only  froin  the  court,  but  from  the  realm  alto- 
gether, and  exacted  the  most  positive  promise  from  the  prince  never  on 
any  account  to  recall  him. 

His  own  interests  and  his  promise  to  his  deceased  father  were  uUcrly 
forgotten  by  the  yoiniu;  Edward  in  his  anxiety  again  to  enjoy  the  coMip;\;iy 
»f  his  accomplished  favourite,  and  having  astounded  his  rugged  baroiishy 
disbanding  his  army,  he  completed  their  wondering  indignation  by  hastily 
sending  for  Gaveslon.  Uefore  ihe  favourite  could  even  njtich  lliigliiia 
the  young  king  conferred  upon  him  the  rich  earhlom  of  Cornwall,  which 
had  lately  escheated  to  the  crown  bv  the  death  of  Edmond,  son  of  the  kin? 


•j-i'    r    I., 


THF.  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


397 


ef  the  Rnninns.    In  tlnis  hrslowin^  upon  an  obscure  fnvoiirite  tlio  rich 

ggjcssiniis  iiiul  liiift!  litlti  lliat  liad  m  recently  sudlccd  a  prince  of  the 
blodil  royiil.  I'Mwanl  hnd  only  comniencpd  his  career  of  liberality  ;  weallll 
and  liDii 'iirs  llowed  in  upon  the  foiiunatc  young  ma  i,  whom  hdu-ald  at 
leiicth  allied  to  the  ilirnne  itsell"  by  giving  him  for  his  wife,  his  own  neice 
llii°sisii'r  of  ihi!  carl  of  (Jloucester. 

Tlie  fully  of  tlio  king  was  in  nowise  excused  orkopt  in  the  back  ground 
by  thii  fiivouritu.  Instead  of  endoavouring  to  disarm  the  anger  and  cn\y 
of  the  l);Mi>nH  by  at  least  nu  alTectalion  of  humility,  Gaveslon  reecMved 
cacli  iii'^v  fivour  as  though  it  were  merely  the  guerdon  and  the  due  of  his 
eiiiiiiiiit  merit ;  in  equipage  he  surpassed  the  highest  men  in  the  realm, 
ami  lie  took  delight  in  showing  the  wisest  and  most  powerful  that  he, 
fclyiiigoiily  upon  the  king's  personal  favour,  had  in  reality  a  power  and 
inrtiiciue  superior  to  all  that  could  be  won  ^y  wisdom  in  the  council  or 
v,ilinir  in  tlie  field.  Witty,  he  made  the  nol^lcs  h-s  butt  in  the  court  con- 
vcrsiiiiiin;  aecoinplished,  he  took  every  opportunity  to  mortify  them  by 
some  dexterous  slight  in  tin;  tilt  yard  or  at  tin  tourney  ;  ind  the  insoleneo 
cfihcf.ivDiirite  thus  completed  the  hatred  which  the  jolly  of  the  king  had 
first  aroused. 

Sdiiii  after  his  accession  to  the  throne  Edward  had  to  visit  France,  in 
order  Id  do  homage  to  Philip  for  Guienne,  and  also  to  espouse  that  inon- 
arili's  (!  iiigliter  Isabella,  to  whom  he  had  a  long  lime  been  betrothed  ;  and 
oil  iiis  departure  he  gave  a  new  proof  of  his  infalualed  iifTeelion  for  Gav- 
csiiiii,  liy  not  only  preferring  him  to  all  the  Knglish  nobles  for  the  hoiiour- 
ahle  and  imporiant  oflice  of  guardian  of  the  realm,  but  also  giving  him  in 
lh;ite;ip;iciiy  more  than  usually  extensive  powers. 

When  lldward  brought  his  young  quec  ii  to  Knghiiid  he  introduced  Gav 
psioii  to  licr,  and  showed  so  anxious  an  interest  in  the  favourite's  welfare, 
llul  Lsahella,  who  was  both  shrewd  in  observation  and  imperious  in  lem- 
por,  insiaiitiy  conceived  a  mortal  hatred  for  the  man  who  evidently  pos- 
sessed SI)  iniKdi  power  ovt.  a  mind  which  shi-  deemed  that  sh<;  alone  had 
annlit  to  beguile  or  to  rule.  Gaveslon,  though  too  quick  of  perception  to 
bciiinwareof  the  queen's  feeling,  was  iint  wise  (uiough  to  aim  at  coneili- 
alinglier,  hut  aggravated  her  already  deadly  emnity  by  aflTronts,  which 
were  doiilily  injurious  as  being  oflTered  to  a  queen  by  the  mere  creature 
aiiJ  miniiin  of  her  husband  ;  a  prosperous  and  inflated  adventurer,  whom 
abreiitli  had  made  and  whom  a  breath  could  just  as  easily  destroy. 

A,  0.  l.lflS  — I'hiraged  that  such  a  person  should  both  share  her  hiwband's 
coiifidciu'c  and  openly  deride  or  defy  her  own  inlluence,  Isiihella  gave 
every  encouragement  to  ttie  nobles  whom  she  perceived  to  be  inimical 
If,  Gaveslon  ;  and  it  was  with  her  sanction,  if  not  actually  at  her  suL'ges- 
lioii,  that  a  confederacy  was  formed  for  the  express  purpose  of  expidhng 
llie  insident  favourite  from  the  court.  At  the  head  of  this  confederacy 
was  llie  king's  own  cousin.  Thomas,  earl  of  Lancaster.  First  prince  oi 
the  blood,  he  was  also  poss('ss(;d  of  both  greater  wealth  and  greater  powei 
lli.iiiany  oilier  subject  in  the  realm;  and  it  was  probably  less  from  anj 
patriotic  feeling  than  from  vexation  at  seeing  his  private  influence  witJ 
the  king  surpassed  by  that  of  an  upstart  favourite,  that  he  now  so  sirenu 
ously  epjiused  him.  This  powerful  noble  assembled  around  him  all  thosj 
barons  who  were  inimical  to  Gaveslon,  and  they  enltu'cd  into  an  agree- 
meiil,  which  they  solemnized  by  an  oath,  never  to  break  np  their  confed- 
eracy i;iilil  Gaveslon  should  be  expelled  from  the  kingdom.  From  this 
uiiijer-eiurenl  of  opposition  many  open  disturbances  arose  in  the  kingdom, 
aiki  there  were  eviileiii  symptoms  of  a  near  approach  to  actual  civil  war. 
At  lenfjtli  a  parliament  was  summoned  to  meet  at  VVesiminsler,  which 
Liii^.isier  and  his  ■.•ssociales  attended  with  so  great  a  forc(!,  that  they  wcro 
able  lo  dicta'e  their  own  terms  to  llie  king.  Gavcstoii  was  accordingly 
bdiiialicd,  being  at  the  same  time  swum  never  to  return,  and  the  preiatea 


^'% 


wa 


THE  TRKASUllY  OP  HISTORY. 


ml 


thrcatcnini;  liiiii  with  cxcomimiiiiciition  should  lie  venture  lo  do  go 
Though  Kdwaid  could  not  prevent  this  sentence  being  passed  upon  hi) 
minion,  he  contrived  lo  deprive  it  of  its  sting.  Instead  ol'sending  (l.ivis. 
ton  home  to  liis  own  country,  lu;  courerred  upon  him  tiie  olFieo  of  idij 
icutenant  of  Irehmd,  went  witli  him  on  liis  way  lliitiier  as  fur  as  Urisiul 
and  made  him  a  parting  gift  of  some  vahiahic  lands.  ' 

During  his  residence  in  Irelaiul,  Gaveston  displayed  both  conr.igc  and 
cond\iLt  in  putting  down  rebellion,  and  prolmbly  was  far  liappjcr  ju  ||j, 
post  than  while  mingling  in  tlic  inane  gaities  of  the  Knglisli  court.  Hut 
Edward  was  absolutely  wretched  at  the  loss  of  his  favourite.  Coinriani. 
live  peace  was  restored  by  tliat  person's  absence,  but  peace  itself  lo  thj 
weak  king  seemed  valueless  until  Gaveston  should  return  to  grace  it,  |{, 
order  to  pave  the  way  for  the  restoration  for  which  ho  was  so  aiixioii-i 
the  kinfc  endeavoured  to  gratify  the  most  powerful  of  the  barons.  Tiio 
ofllee  of  hereditary  high  steward  was  given  to  Lancastar,  and  gifts  auj 
grants  were  profusely  lavished  unoii  the  carls  Warennc  and  Lincoln, 
vVhen  by  these  means  Edward  had,  as  he  tliought,  sutficienily  nioilHici 
Gavcston's  enemies,  he  applied  to  the  pope  for  a  dispensation  for  the 
favourite,  recalled  him  from  Ireland,  and  hastened  lo  Chester  toinei'tlnin 
at  his  landing.  As  the  absence  of  Gaveston  had  in  a  great  inea«uie  imusl;! 
his  insolence  to  be  forgotten,  llie  barons,  willing  to  oblige  the  king,  cun 
seiited  to  llie  favourite's  re-establishment  at  court. 

Had  Gaveston  been  taught  by  the  past  to  enjoy  his  good  fortune  ininb- 
irusively  and  inofTonsively,  all  might  now  have  been  well  with  him.  l!ut 
the  doling  folly  of  his  master  was  fully  equalled  by  his  own  incmalile 
insolence  and  presumption,  and  he  had  not  long  been  restored  to  his  fur- 
mer  station,  ere  his  misconduct  aroused  the  barons  to  even  nidie  tliantlicir 
former  hate  and  indignation. 

At  first  they  silently  indicated  their  anger  by  refraining  from  tlicir  alien. 
dance  in  parliament;  but  perceiving  that  no  alieratiim  was  made  in  1,0 
profusion  of  the  king  or  the  insolence  of  Gaveston,  they  attended  paiiia- 
ment,  indeed,  but  did  so,  in  contempt  of  an  especial  law  to  the  contrary, 
with  a  force  powerful  enough  lo  enable  thcin  once  more  to  dictate  to  tlie 
king,  lo  whom,  in  the  form  of  a  petition,  they  presented  their  dcnianj 
thai  he  should  deleirate  his  authority  to  certain  barons  and  prelairs,  who, 
until  the  following  Michaelmas,  should  have  power  to  regulate  both  tho 
kingdom  and  the  king's  household  ;  that  the  regulations  tliiis  made  slioiilJ 
become  perpetual  law  ;  and  that  the  banms  and  prelates  in  question  slmuM 
further  be  empowered  to  form  associations  for  securing  tlie  observanienf 
those  regulations.  In  brief  lerins,  this  petition  did  regally  create  an  impt- 
riuin  in  imperii) ;  and  the  degradation  of  the  royal  aiilliorily  was  not  \\\»\ 
the  less  complete  because  the  petitioners  professed  to  receive  the  vast 
powers  they  demanded  solely  from  the  free  gra(;e  of  the  king,  and  prom- 
ised that  this  concession  should  not  be  drawn  into  a  precedent,  anil  thai 
the  powers  demanded  should  determine  at  the  appointed  time. 

A.D.  1311.— Many  of  the  regulations  made  under  the  cxtraordiiiar; 
powers  thus  usurped  by  the  barons  deserve  all  praise,  inasmuch  as  ihey 
tended  to  provide  for  llie  security  of  the  people  at  large  and  the  regular 
administration  of  justice.  But  the  main  object  of  the  barons  was  to  rij 
themselves  of  Gaveston,  who  was  accordingly  again  banished,  and  it  was 
»t  the  same  time  ordained  that  should  he  ever  again  return  lie  shoulii  he 
considered  and  treated  as  a  public  enemy. 

To  all  other  alterations  Edward  was  wholly  indifTcrcnt;  but  the  banish. 
ment  of  Gaveston  filled  him  with  rage  and  grief.  Me  tlieicfore  rcllitilii) 
York,  and,  gathering  forces  about  him,  openly  invited  Gaveston  bark 
from  Flanders,  wliile  he  declared  that  he  had  been  tyramionsly  and  ille> 
(rally  banished,  and  re-established  him  in  all  his  former  pomp  and  power, 
file  insolenc  and  haughty  nature  of  Gaveston  was  now  so  well  known  lo 


(he  barons, 
be  crnslicd 
nii>lal)k'  coi 
Doluni,  earl 
Ridicrt  do  V 
the  fliTgy  t( 
disijiisl  cansi 
lu  long  faith 
l.ani'asti'r 
iiii('a{ii'd  then 
r:i«ile.    Mere 
til  I'liileavoiir 
in;'  the  baron 
ill  the  men 
pnscd,     The 
lit'iillygarrisii 
iii'iiig  sent  to 
lie  did  so  one 
dniiiiglwo  nui 
alMiil  an  iicco 
tw\\  cndeavot 
ttiiii;  and  that 
Ihcir lands  gni 
Oil  the  snrici 
wiih  all  rivilitj 
where,  on  pnitt 
Siiax'ly  had  I' 
fniiii  the  first  ( 
I'll' ca.silc,  whit 
Illy  liilDred  (jan 
lie,  where  War' 
mary  ccremoiiv 
liniis  granted  ti 
When  I'Mivar 
unappeasable 
III  lie  ilaiigi^nni.'i 
linn  iif  the  b,ir( 
f'lijily  form  of 
frniijf  to  asK 
liieeii  the  kin" 
Jiiiil  Ihe  people 
61^'iiai  vindicatK 
"here  Ihaii-e 
1112  himself. 
aii'l  thence  he 
liiniaiids.     Si'C(. 
iiir  James  Dougl 
ami  Ihe  iiinnific( 
lietDiik,  greatly 
ali'iie  the  iniirde 
fvi'ppiion  of  ii  . 
Ivl"anl,  by  the 
'"'■I',  "hich  Hi 
fiMiiloying  it  to 
license  had  necv: 
A.I).  1.314.— 'rii 
loan  emi.  and  V. 
"iii'«  erusliiiig  U, 


lia( 
O 


'XL 


H«t 


TUB  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


299 


(1  |),iiii;l- 
coiitr;iiy, 
m;  lo  the 
di'i\i;iiiJ 
aics,  who, 
bi)lli  ihi; 

iilc  sllDlllJ 

ioii  sliDuM 
rvuui'c  III 

s  not  a  Jul 

the  vast 

ami  prom- 

lit,  iiiid  ihal 


;triiordiiiar; 

iich  as  ihi,7 

till!  regular 

was  Id  rill 

anil  it  was 

he  slioiilil  he 


the  hanisli- 

!•(<  rcliia''!  10 

vi'stiiu  hai'k 

sly  ami  ille- 


c 


iiul  powet. 
II  kiiowulfl 


the  barotu,  ibal  ihcy  felt  thny  must  ciihrr  wholly  crush  him  or  propiiro  to 
I,,,  crinliuil  hy  liini;  Laiirastrr  iicorJingiy  suiiiinoiicd  iiroiiiul  him  a  for- 
piMiil)|i.'  cDiircdciMcy,  at  the  hisid  of  vvliich  wcro  (luy,  pari  of  VVurvvick, 
DolHiii,  rarl  of  llcinfoni,  and  Aymor  do  Valcncr,  f;,rl  of  I'eml)n)ko. 
IlobiTl  do  Wiiichtdsua,  aiylibisliop  ol'  Caiilorhury,  hroujfht  iho  wlioje  of 
the  citiruy  n»  thu  aid  of  this  niijjlitv  coiifodcrai-y ;  and  so  (jfivral  was  tho 
disjiisl  (Musi'd  hyilic  \i\\\'/n  al)surd  and  ruinous  folly,  that  Karl  Warouno, 
10 Toiig  faiilirul,  now  opunly  d(!clar(;d  against  him. 

l„ia°islir  Itid  I  lit!  army  of  th(!  confederacy  to  York,  but  tho  king 
tM'a|icd  ihcMCf  fo  Tcigiunoulh,  whence  he  embarked  for  Scarborougri 
Pisilc.  Mere  he  left  the  favourite,  while  he  himself  rel\iriied  to  Y((rk, 
l,ifii(l(MVoiir  to  raise  an  army  sulllciently  numerous  to  admit  of  hismeet- 
iiijr  the  barons  in  the  field. 

Ill  the  meantime  (J.iveston  was  far  less  seeure  than  Kdward  had  sup- 
nnsi'il.  The  castle  of  Searborongh  was  very  strong,  but  it  was  iiisufB- 
iieiitlv'giiri'isoned,  and  still  more  insuirn'iently  provisioned  ;  nnd,  Peml)roko 
tiling  seat  to  besiege  it,  daveston  found  himsi'lf  compelled  lo  capitnlalo 
lie  did  souncondiiion  that  he  should  remain  in  the  custody  of  Pembroke 
diiiiiigiwo  nioiitlis,  which  time  should  be  employed  in  endeavours  to  brine 
ahniit  an  accominodalion  between  the  king  and  the  barons;  tlial  should 
8111  li  endeavours  fail,  the  castle  should  be  restored  unimpaired  to  (Jave- 
itiiii;  and  that  Henry  Pierey  and  the  earl  of  I'lnnbroko  should  with  all 
ihcir  lands  guarantee  the  due  performance  of  these  articles. 

Oil  the  sunenderof  (Saveston,  the  earl  of  Penilu-oke  treated  his  prisoner 
with  all  livilily,  and  ciMidticled  him  to  Dedin'jton  castle,  near  Uanbury, 
whereon  pretext  of  business,  he  left  him  with  only  a  very  weak  guard. 
Scarcely  had  Peniltntke  departed,  when  (Siiv,  earl  of  Warwick,  who  had 
(riiiii  lite  first  exhibited  a  most  fnriims  ze.d  aL'ainst  (lavestoii,  attacked 
l!iu  castle,  which  was  readily  surrenderi'd  lo  him  by  the  feeble  and  proba- 
Hv  tutored  garrison,  (i.ivesion  was  now  hurried  away  to  Warwick  cas- 
tle, where  Warwick,  Mereford,  Aruiidid.  and  Lancaster,  after  a  very  sum- 
mary eereniony,  ordered  him  to  be  beheailed,  in  contempt  alike  of  tho 
tiriiis  grinileii  to  him  by  Pembroke,  and  of  the  general  laws  of  the  land. 

When  I'Mward  first  heard  of  the  (ieatli  of  his  favourite,  his  nige  setMned 
unappeasable  and  his  grief  inconsolable.  Unt  he  was  too  weak-minded 
tohi'ihiiigermis  ;  and  even  while  he  was  threatening  ihi!  utter  exlermina- 
li.m  of  the  b  irons,  they  reconciled  themselves  to  him  by  the  politic  and 
fiiiply  forie  ')f  feigning  to  regret  the  deed  that  was  irrevocable,  and  prof- 
fering to  asK  upon  their  knees  pardon  for  the  ofTi.Mice.  The  quirrel  be- 
tween the  king  aic'  'lie  barons  was.  for  the  present  at  least,  piKdied  up; 
;iml  the  people  hoped  from  this  reunion  of  such  powerful  interests  somo 
Bi^'iial  vindication  of  tin;  national  honour,  espi'cially  as  reganli-d  Scotland, 
where  Hrui-e  had  for  some  lime  been  both  bravely  and  successfully  exert- 
ing himself.  Of  thi!  hill  cmiiitry  he  had  made  himself  entirely  master, 
mill  ilienee  he  had  carried  (lestrnclion  upon  the  Cummins  in  the  norlh 
|iiwi:iiuls.  Seconderl  by  his  brother  l-ldward  nruce  and  by  the  renowned 
Sir  James  Douglas,  Robert  was  contiiiuiilly  achieving  some  new  conquest ; 
anil  the  mniiilicence  with  which  he  bestowed  upon  the  nobility  the  spoils 
lieloiik,  greatly  t(Midcd  to  secure  him  that  conlidetice,  for  want  of  vvliich 
alone  the  ninrdered  Wallacre  had  filled  in  his  patriotic  elTorts.  With  the 
fxi'epiion  of  a  few  fortresses  he  had  subdueil  the  whole  kingiloi;i;  and 
Elward,  by  the  distractions  of  Kngland,  had  been  forced  to  ciHisenl  to  a 
tni'e,  which  Uriice  wisely  emidoyed  in  consolidating  his  power  iiiul  la 
oiiiiiloyiiig  it  to  the  refonnation  of  the  numerous  abuses  which  w:it  atid 
license  had  iietiessarily  inlrodnced. 

A.I).  1314. — Tlie  triiee,  ill  observed  from  fh<'  beginning,  at  hmgth  came 
loan  (Mid.  anil  I'Mward  now  assembled  a  vast  army  with  the  design  of  a 
onetj  crushing  Urnec,  and  Hnally  subJuinj,'-  that  kingdum  which  had  givca 


"'        ■<:■   ■-"'''    't'    ;■■ 


^:B1.  .if. 


MO 


THK  TRBASURY  OF"  IIISTOIIY. 


1 1  'ft.' 


•o  miii'h  lri)iil)ln  lo  liis  politic  nnd  wnrliko  fnlhcr.  Ilesides  ;is  .nnil)liiit»  al\ 
tho  iiiililaiy  fono  oT  Kiiyliiiul,  lit!  called  over  Noiiin  of  Ills  powerful  vnsmli 
of  G;isc(Miy,  mid  to  tlio  inig;lily  nriiiy  thus  formed  lio  addMl  a  liiisi;  duiir 
derly  force  of  liisli  and  WcUli,  eager  for  plunder  nnd  peciili.irly  well  finej 
for  till'  irregular  warfare  of  a  niounlain  land.  Willi  Huh  various  forci' 
ami)uiitiiii>  to  ill  Inust  a  hundred  tliouHaiid  iniMi,  liu  marched  into  8i'Ui|||„j' 

Robert  Briicr,  with  an  army  of  only  thirty  thousand  men,  awaited  ihe 
approach  of  his  ciiRinies  at  Uannockbiirn,  n«;ar  Stirling.  On  hig  rislu 
flank  roac  a  hill,  on  his  left  Htretehed  a  moiMss,  and  in  hii*  front  wasnrivii. 
let,  along  the  bank  of  whi(di  hu  caused  sharpened  slakes  to  be  set  in  pitj 
which  were  then  lightly  covered  with  turfs. 

Towards  evening  the  l^nglish  appeared  in  sight,  and  their  advaiiecd 
guard  of  cavalry  wits  fiercely  charged  l)y  a  similar  body  of  Scots  kd  by 
Bruce  in  person.  The  fiyiil  was  short  but  sanguinary,  and  tiic  Kiirt|isii 
were  put  to  (light  upon  their  main  body;  one  of  ihcir  bravest  gcmluiiiuii 
Henry  de  Uohnii,  being  cleft  to  the  chin  by  the  battle-axe  of  Uiuic.        ' 

The  eonibat  procjeeded  no  further  that  iiiglii,  but  very  curly  on  ihe  fol. 
.owing  morning  the  Knglish  army  was  led  on  by  I'Mward.  The  lufi  wimr 
of  the  cavalry  was  entrusted  to  tlu!  command  of  the  earl  of  (Jloiireste? 
Edward's  iie(ihew,  whose  youthful  ardour  led  to  a  terrible  calai.iiiy' 
Disdaining  all  caution,  he  led  on  his  force  at  full  charge,  and  rider  ;iiij 
horse  were  speedily  [duiigin;.'  aininiif  the  staked  pits  which  Druce  had  pre. 
pared  for  just  such  an  emergency.  Tin;  young  e  irl  himself  was  slain  at  ihe 
very  (uitset,  the  greater  number  of  his  men  were  utterly  disordered  aiij 
helpless,  and  before  they  could  recover  and  form  in  a  line  of  halilo,  they 
were  so  fiercely  charged  by  the  Scoltisli  cavalry,  under  Sir  James  Doii". 
las,  that  they  were  fairly  drivfMi  off  tins  field.  As  the  hopes  of  VAwi'i 
ami  the  anxiety  of  Bruce  had  chiefiy  referred  to  the  English  superiority 
in  cavalry,  this  event  had  a  proportior  no  efieci  upon  the  spirits  of  hotli 
armies;  and  tiio  alarm  of  the   i']n;4hii  was  now  clniiged  into  a  iiorfect 

fianic  by  the  success  of  tlic  followin,'  simple  stiMlagoin.  Just  as  the  Kiig. 
ish  cavalry  were  in  full  rctreai  from  tlie  field,  the  heights  on  ilir  It^ft 
were  throngeil  with  what  seemed  to  be  a  second  .Scotch  army,  bin  wlmt 
really  was  a  mere  mob  of  j)easaiits  whom  Bruce  had  caused  to  iippt'ar 
there  with  music  playing  and  banners  fiying.  At  sight  of  this  new  ene- 
my— as  this  mere  rabble  was  deemed — the  Kiiglisli  on  the  instant  lost  all 
heart,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  betook  themselves  from  the  field  in  the 
utmost  disord(!r.  'I'he  Scots  pursued  them,  and  the  road  all  the  way  to 
Berwick,  upwards  of  ninety  miles,  was  covered  with  Iho  dead  and  dying. 
Besides  an  immense  booty  which  was  taken  on  the  field  and  during  ilie 
pursuit,  the  victors  were  enrieh(!d  with  the  ransoms  of  upwards  of  four 
hundred  gentlemen  of  note,  who  were  taken,  in  addition  to  a  perfect  host 
of  meaner  prisoners,  to  all  of  whom  Bruce  behaved  with  tlic  humaiiiiy 
and  courtesy  of  a  true  hero. 

Det"rmined  to  follow  up  his  succr  ■-•,  Robert  Bruce,  as  soo;,  .is  hv  c. !'!'. 
recall  iiis  troops  from  the  pursuit  and  slaughter,  led  them  fi'  <■:  tie  !  ^  < 
and  iilnndered  the  north  of  England  without  opposition  ;      1 1    i '' 
to  annoy  lh(!  English  government,  he  sent  ills  brother  Edw.iiii  lo  Irelaiiu 
wi*h.  lour  thousand  troops. 

Ltncasti^r  and  the  malcontent  batons  who  had  declined  to  accompany 
Edward  upon  his  Scottish  expedition,  no  sooner  beheld  him  return  beaten 
aiu'  -Icjei'ied,  than  they  look  advantage  of  his  situation  lo  renew  tiieir 
old  >Ie:  i-.iid  for  the  establishment  of  their  ordinances.  The  kins  was  in 
no  suiiil' ••!  to  .rtsist  such  formidable  domestic  enemies;  a  perfectly  new 
miiiiiUry  W-'  lur'Mcd  with  Lancaster  at  ils  head,  and  great  preparations 
v/ire  .1;  ivic  lo  resist  the  •i'n.-'iened  hostilities  of  the  now  once  more  indo- 
pciu'eiil  ■',  'otlaiid.  Bii.  chougti  Lancaster  showed  niui.li  apparent  zeal 
Bg;aiist  tho  Scots,  and  was  actually  at  the  liead  of  the  army  dcstineij 


THE  TIlKASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


10  '"pOBC  UiPiii,  it  was  strongly  Biispcctcil  ilial  lie  \vu«  sccrotl)  f",t'  lablo 
ID  il'ii'iii  iiiiil  iicliially  liclJ  a  privuin  correspoiKleiicf  u  <U  IJriicu.  juusmg 
lliil  whiU'  tliu  kin;,'(li)ui  was  tiiiis  llirciiloiicd  from  witlioui  Im  could  the 
,„i,rc  i';isily  \iouni  thi!  kiiif;. 

Iiiilic  iiii'imtim('l''ilw.ir.l,  truly  iiicapa!)lc  of  self  reliance,  had  spIocU 
cil  a  successor  to  (Javcstdii  in  il.c  splendid  but  dai){{('rous  honour  of  his 
favour  and  confidence.  Tins  pi-rson  was  Ilnjfli  Ic  Uespenscr,  luore  com- 
liioiily  cidlcd  .'Spenser,  who  to  all  tlu!  tdoijuent  acconiplishinents  and  per 


idded  no  »niall  portion  of  the  presnninlion  und 
conMyiicd  that   udvcnlurer  to  an    untimely  grave 


luml  graces  of  G.tv.sioi, 

insolence  wliicl'    hiil  coi     _  _    ^ 

Tlic  elder  Speiiici  V  1  ''l.-  '  ■  >»ry  high  in  the  kinjj's  favour,  and  as  he  pos 
Fosspti  grca'  i.nderi.  ion  ,  well  as  great  experience  and  ability,  he  might 
prubahiy  liavc  saved  both  I  i'^  won  and  the  king  from  many  misforlnnes, 
liiil  tl   ;  i">t  '■'"""    '  If-dooined  beyond  the  reach  of  advice  or  warning. 

4,1,.  njl— Any  lavouiite  of  tlio  king  would,  tp.10  facto,  have  be  1  dis- 
(ji,,. ;  hy  tiie  barons  ;  but  the  insolence  of  young  Spenser  speedily  made 
iiiin  iiu  iiliject  of  as  tleadly  a  hale  as  that  which  had  ruined  (Javeston. 

To  iiisoicnce  S|'"n^cr  added  cimidiiy.  He  had  marritMl  a  niece  of  the 
king,  wlio  w:;s  alao  a  co-lieiress  ol  the  young  earl  of  Gloucester  who  fell 
ai  llaimockbuni,  and  hail  thus  acquirt;d  considerable  |)ropcrly  on  the 
WVlsli  hordcrs,  wjiich  lie  was  so  iinxious  to  extend  that  he  beeamu  in 
(oheil  ill  hot  dispute  with  two  neigliboining  barons,  Aubrey  niul  Amnion, 
towards  whom  common  report  made  him  guilty  of  great  dishonesty  and 
0][irrs>iOll. 

Ill  the  same  neighbonrliood  he  got  into  a  still  more  seiious  dispute  re- 
spei'tiiig  the  barony  of  (iower.  'I'liis  barony  came,  by  inheritance,  into 
llie  possession  of  .lohii  de  Mowbray,  who  imprudently  entered  upon  pos- 
icssiuii  withinit  complying  with  the  feudal  duty  of  taking  seizin  and  livery 
from  the  crown.  Spenser  being  very  desirous  to  possess  this  properly, 
persuaded  the  king  to  take  advaiiinge  of  De  Mowbray's  '..erely  technical 
(ijc^fs,  declare  the  barony  escheated,  and  then  bestow  it  upon  him.  This 
wasdoi'.r,  and  the  llagrant  iiiinsiice  of  the  case  excited  such  general  and 
lively  indignation,  that  the  chief  nobility,  including  the  earls  of  Lancaster 
ami  Hereford,  Audley,  Aminori,  Roger  de  Mortimer,  Hogcr  de  Cliflord, 
and  oilier  barons,  tlew  to  arms  and  declared  open  war  both  against  the 
favourite  and  tlu;  king  himself. 

As  the  barons  had  long  been  iiursiiipj  a  sullen  and  deep  discontent,  they 
had  already  made  preparations;  they  accordingly  appeared  at  the  head 
of  a  powerful  force,  and  sent  a  mc-sage  to  Kdward,  demanding  the  instant 
dismissal  of  Spencer,  and  threatening,  should  that  be  refused,  to  take  hia 
puiiisliincnt  into  their  own  hands.  Iloth  the  Spensers  were  absent  on  the 
Kinjj's  business,  and  ICdwarci  replied  to  the  message  of  his  barons,  that 
hi  could  not,  without  gross  and  ni  inifest  breach  of  his  coronation  oath, 
coiuiemn  he  al  sei.t,  against  wlioii.   moreover,  there  was  no  formal  charge 

L.irons  probably  expected  some  such  answer ;  and  they  scarcely 
wailed  to  receive  it  ere  they  marched  their  forces,  devastated  and  plun- 
dered the  estates  of  both  the  S|tensers,  and  then  proceeded  to  London  and 
tendered  to  the  parliament,  which  was  then  sitting,  a  complicated  charge 
agiiinst  both  father  and  son  Tl;e  parlianunl,  without  obtaining  or  de- 
nwndiiig  a  single  one  of  the  if  iiy  artj^-h's  of  this  charge,  sentenced  both 
the  Spencers  to  confiscation  im  ^.^ImxS  ainl  to  perpetual  exile. 

This  done,  they  went  thi(nii!h  the  mockery  of  soliciting  and  obtaining 
from  the  king  an  indemnily  fur  their  proceedings,  which  llicy  thus  plainly 
confessed  to  have  been  deliberately  illegal,  and  then  disbanded  their  troops 
and  ii'tired.  in  haughty  coiiiiliiiMe  of  set  urity  irom  any  attempt  at  ven- 
geance on  the  part  of  the  vi^jck  king,  each  to  iu«  own  (>>«tatu. 

So  weak  and  induleat  was  the  iiutur'^  uf  Ldward,  that  it  is  |>.-obable 


I  hifr»'r 


308 


THE  T11EA3U11Y  OF  IIISTOllY. 


ti  ; 


*^  .Li,, I 


that  lie  would  have  left  the  b:irons  to  the  undisturbed  enjoyment  oi  tlieif 
triuMipli,  but  for  ati  itisull  which  iiucj  been  offered  to  his  queen.  Ilcr  rii-i. 
jesty  beiuff  belated  in  the  neifjlibourliood  of  Leeds  casile,  was  deiiicj  j 
ninhl's  shelter  there  by  the  lord  liadlesnicre,  to  wlioiii  it  belon^r(;(l,  .mj,- 
her  att(  ndants  reinonstratins;,  a  fray  arose,  in  whieli  several  of  iIk.u]  ^^.(-rn 
wounded  and  two  or  three  killed. 

In  addition  to  tiie  faet  that  the  refusal  of  a  nij^ht's  lodging  was  tliur. 
lisli,  and  in  the  case  of  a  lady  doubly  so,  the  queen  had  ever  coiiiluLiud 
lirrself  so  as  to  win  the  r(!K[)e(;l  of  the  baronage,  especially  in  Ik.t  .symna. 
thy  with  their  hatred  of  both  (iaveslon  and  the  youii^^er  Spenser;  :iii.j' 
every  one,  therefore,  agreed  in  blaming  the  uneivil  eoiiduelof  Lord  [',,ii\. 
esmerc.  'I'aking  aclvantage  of  this  temper,  which  priiinised  liiin  uii  easy 
vii.'tory,  Kdward  assembled  an  army  and  tcok  vengeaneo  on  Hadlusiiicre 
wiilioiil  any  one  iiit(Mferiiig  to  save  the  olTender. 

Thus  far  successful,  the  king  now  cominuniealcd  with  his  frinnds  in  iil| 
parts  of  tlu;  country,  ami  instead  of  disbanding  his  forc(j  on  llio  accom- 
nlislimeiit  of  tlu!  object  for  which  alone  he  had  ostensUdy  asscinljlcrj  n 
lie  issued  a  manifesto  recalling  the  two  S()ensers,  and  de>  hiring  llitir  sen.' 
teiK.'e  unjust  and  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  land. 

A.  1).  L'i:.'J. — This  0[)en  declaialion  he  inslantly  Adlowed  up  by  m.ircliinn 
Ills  ti(JO[.>s  to  the  Welsh  marches,  where  the  possessioi.s  of  his  iiioht  con' 
Biderable  enemies  were  situated.  As  his  a[)j)roaeh  was  sudden  mid  iuk.x- 
pected  lie  met  with  no  resistance ;  and  scvimmI  of  the  barons  were  siizij 
and  their  (lastles  taken  possession  of  by  the  king.  Dut  Laiiciistcr,  iho 
very  life  and  soul  of  the  king's  opiioiienls,  was  still  at  liberty  ;  and,  asscin. 
bliiig  an  army,  iK^lirew  olfilK!  mask  he  had  so  long  worn,  and  avoucl 
his  loiig-suspeeted  eoniiet  tion  with  Scotland,  lieiiig  joined  by  ilio  c^,! 
of  Hereford,  and  having  the  [)roiiiise  of  a  reiiiforcemenl  from  Si;<jilainJ 
under  the  command  of  Sir  .Fames  Douglas  and  the  earl  of  Miiiray,  Lin. 
caster  marched  against  the  king,  who  had  so  widl  emph/yed  Ins  liiii(:ili,it 
ho  was  now  at  the  heail  of  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men.  'i'hc  hos. 
tile  forces  met  at  IJurton  and  Trent,  and  Lancaster,  who  had  no  great  iml. 
itary  genius,  and  who  was  even  suspected  of  being  but  indiirciciiily  en. 
dowed  with  personal  comam',  failing  in  his  attempts  at  defi'iiding  ilupa!,. 
sages  of  the  river  retreated  iioriliw.iril,  in  the  hope  of  beiii^  J()iir(I  and 
snp[)orted  by  the  promised  reiiifon:ements  ri(ini  S(:otlaiid.  'i'lii)ii;;h  liu;'y 
pursued  by  the  royal  forces,  Ik;  retreated  in  safety  ami  in  [ler.O'cl  oidi  r  .;j 
far  as  Horoiighbridgc;,  where  his  farther  progress  was  opposed  byadiviMoii 
of  the  royal  army,  under  Sir  .Andrew  liarilay.  Lancaster  atleiii|ji{(|  lo 
cut  his  w,iy  through  this  fiu'ce,  but  was  so  stoutly  op[)osed  that  his  tro(i|'i3 
W(fre  thrown  into  the  utmost  disorder;  tlir;  earl  of  Hereford  was  slain,  lUil 
Iiaiicast(fr  himself  was  taken  jirisoner  and  draugcd  to  the  preseiici!  nf  Ins 
ofT'emled  sov(;reigii.  'i'lie  w(;ak-iiiiii(I(;d  are  usually  vindictive  ;  and  tvni 
liad  lid  ward  not  been  ^o,  the  t(,'iiip(.'r  of  the  times  would  li.ive  made  ,1 
unlikely  that  a  king  so  ollemlcd  slunild  show  any  niiircy  Ihit  tli' re  wa, 
a  pe'tty  malignity  in  lldward's  treatment  of  Lancaster  iiigldy  disyruelj 
to  his  own  cliaraeter.  The  recently  [lowerfnl  mdiie  was  moiinted  iijien  i 
sorry  hack,  without  saddle  or  bridle,  Ins  head  was  covered  with  a  huDiJ, 
and  in  this  plight  he  was  carried  lo  his  own  castle  (jf  I'oiitefract  and  there 
beheaded. 

Uadlesiner(!  and  U[)wards  of  twenty  more  o(  the  leaders  of  this  revol! 
were  lei;:illy  tried  and  executed  ,  a  great  number  were;  condeiniici]  !•)  iLt 
iniiior  jieiiallies  of  forfeiiiiri;  and  iiiiprisonment ;  ami  a  still  grenter  niiiii- 
oer  wore  fonunate  enough  to  make  tlnnr  esca[ie  beyond  seas.  Sir  .\iiilreiv 
Handay,  to  whom  the;  king's  success  was  mainly  owing,  was  laised  ;ij 
to  the  e.irldom  (jf  (/"arlisle,  and  riMieived  a  goodly  share  ol  the  iiiiiiiereiis 
forfeited  ('si;iics  w Inch  the  king  had  to  distribute  aimni^  his  liiends.  Il.il 
lius  distribution  been  made  with  unything  like  judgment,  it  had  iifTui'iled 


im 


THE  THBASUUY  OF  IIISTOttY. 


303 


lljcking  a  pplcndid  opportmiily  of  increasing  tlm  number  of  his  friends 
mill  iifqiiirkciiing  '""^  eoM(iiiiiin[r  llicir  /eiil.  IJiit  the  l<iii;i;  :ind  liis  fiivonr- 
lli;  wv.tc  iiiiiiuijrlit  by  iIh;  piisl ;  iind  to  llie  youn^'er  Spenser  fell  the  liou's 
slijirc  of  these  rich  foi  f{;itures ;  a  piirliaiiiy  which  naturally  disgusted  the 
lr,ii.  fricml.s  of  liie  crown. 

Td  the  eiieiiiies  whom  Spenser's  cupidity  tlius  made  even  among  his 
own  [iHity,  other  and  scarcely  less  forniidahle  ones  were  added  in  the 
Ijirsoiis  of  tlie  relations  of  the  attiiintcd  owners  of  the  properly  he  thus 
i;r:i>|i'il  at ;  and  his  insolence  of  (h'meanoiir,  which  fully  kepi  pace  with 
liis  iinriiase  in  wealth,  formed  a  wididy-spread,  though  as  yet  coiii;ealed, 
|,;iriy  ihit  was  passionalc'ly  and  delerniinedly  h(;nt  upon  his  desiruciion. 

A  iVuitli'^s  :itleiii[jt  which  Kdward  now  made  to  recover  his  lost  power 
iiiSiiitlaiid  convinced  (;ven  him  that,  in  llie  existiii;^  t(;mpcr  of  Ins  people, 
succi'ss  in  that  ((iiartcr  would  be  iinatlainalde ;  and  after  makinjr  an  iii- 
"riiious  nlreal  he  Hi<^n('d  a  truce  fortiurtecMi  years. 

°  A.I)  Ki-I. — Iflhis  truce  was  seasonalih,'  to  Kin^  Robert  Uruce — forkin;j 
he  HMS,  tlionsh  not  fortnally  aeknouledf^'cd  as  t^ucli  by  Knjjland— it  was 
i;i)  li'ss  so  to  IMward;  for,  in  addition  to  the  discontent  that  existed 
.iiiiMii!.'  his  own  subjects,  he  was  just  now  enyai^'ed  in  a  dis[)ute  of  no  small 
i:::j,(iii;iii('e  with  the  king  of  France.  (Jliarics  the  Fair  foiiml  or  feigned 
..o,iii' r(;;ison  tocoin()lain  of  the  coiiiliict  of  Fdwiird's  ministers  in  (jiiienne 
,i;il  >lii)W('d  a  (lelcrmination  to  aveiigi;  himself  by  the  conliscaiioii  of  all 
l/luiiid's  f<)rei;r;i  territory  ;  and  an  embassy  sent  l)y  I'ldward,  with  his 
liniilicr  the  eail  of  Kent  at  its  !i(;ad,  had  failed  to  pacify  lh(!  king  of 
France. 

IMwiird's  queen,  Fsabclla,  had  long  learned  to  liold  liim  in  (lontempt, 
Li[i/ii  tiie  present  occasion  .she  si^cmed  to  syinpathi/c  with  his  vexation 
aiii  |nr|)l('.\ily,  and  olTiTcd  to  i;o  personally  to  the  court  of  France  and 
[:i'li:ivi)ur  to  arrange  all  m.ill''rs  in  ili.'<pnte. 

Ill  lliis  voluntary  odice  of  ncdiation  Isabella  made  .some  progress;  but 
h;hii  all  the  main  [loiiils  in  tin;  dispute  were  disposed  of,  (Jharles,  fjuile  in 
ari:oi(laiu;e  with  feudal  law,  (lein.aiided  that  Ivlward  in  person  should  ap- 
pciriil  I'ari.s  and  do  homage  for  his  French  possessions.  Had  he  alone 
iiHii  caiiceriH.'i,  tins  rcijuisiiion  could  not.  have  caused  him  an  hour's  dc- 
ir,  III'  a  luiiuite's  [KM'plexily  ;  IH)1  so,  b(nmd  up  as  his  inl(;resls  were  with 
l!,iiji;(if  Spenser.  'J'liat  insolent  minion  will  kiu'w  that  he  had  given  the 
iliificst  e(l'in(!e  to  the  pride  of  Isala-lla  ;  he  well  knew  her  lo  lie  both 
liiil:iiii|  inalignanl,  and  In;  feared  that  if  he  ventured  to  attend  the  king  to 
I'.iiiS  l.'-abella  would  (!Xert  her  powiT  there  to  his  destruction;  while  on 
'lioiitliiT  hand,  slnuild  he  riinain  hi.'lhnd  lu;  would  Ik;  scarcely  able  lo  dc- 
fiml  himself  in  the  king's  ;ibscnce,  while  his  innuence  over  lli;it  weak 
)[iiicr.  would  niDst  proi):ib|y  be  won  away  by  some  new  lavomile.  Isabfd- 
,1,  who  [jrobably  penetrated  the  caiisiMhal  (Udayed  her  husband's  jour- 
i;(,v,  iKjw  proposed  that,  insti^ad  of  Ivlward  proceeding  to  France  in  per- 
j'l:,  lic  slionld  send  his  son,  young  Fdward.  at  that  time  thirteen  yc;irs  of 
a?r,  Knli)  lioin:ig(!  fur  < tiiieiine,  an  I  resign  tliat  dominion  to  him.  Hoth 
Sjii'ii'^cr  and  the  king  gladly  embraci-d  ihis  exjiedient ;  the  young  prince 
was  siiii  over  to  i'rance;  anil  ls;iliilla,  h.iving  now  obtained  the  custody 
(ifihi' liiir  to  IIk!  crown,  threw  aside;  ;ill  di>giiise,  declaring  her  detestation 
ofSpiMiser  iuid  iier  delerinination  to  have  bun  banished  from  the  pr'.rwjiiro 
a;il  iiilliience  he  had  so  iierniciously  abuseil ;  u  deidaration  which  mado 
biliclhi  very  popular  in  i'liigland,  where  the  liiilred  to  Spcinser  ijr':w  d'.ep- 
ri  .mil  more  virulent  every  day.  A  great  uuinlier  of  the  adherenis  <A  the 
u  ifDiliiiiate  Lancaster,  who  bad  escaped  from  Kngland  when  tin  ii  leader 
w.is  (l('fc;it('d  and  put  to  death,  were  at  this  time  in  France;  and  ;is 
Ihi'V,  eqiially  with  the  ([ueeii,  detestiMl  Spenser,  their  servii'cs  were  nat- 
iirii')  tendered  lo  her.  Foremost  among  them  was  linger  Mortimer. 
Tm,i  yeuiii;  man  had  been  a  powerful  and  wealthy  baron  in  the  Welsh 


Hiifr-ry 


t  1 


-^i( 


'dV'V 


S04 


THE  TIlEASUllY  OF  HISTOliy. 


maichcs,  but  having  been  condemned  for  high  treason,  his  life  was  spapd 
on  condition  of  his  rtMnaining  a  prisoner  for  hfe  in  the  Tower  of  Lomlon 
Aided  bv  friends,  he  had  been  fortmuite  enough  to  escape  to  Friii:cc,  jud 
having  ii.  tiie  first  instance  been  introduced  to  Isalieiia  only  in  ilm  char 
acler  o(  a  poliiical  partizan,  his  liaiidsomc  person,  acconiplislniieiits,  anj 
wit  soon  obtained  liini  a  more  tender  and  more  criminal  favour.  Ili,Vin' 
thus  fallen  away  from  her  duly  to  her  husband,  slie  was  easily  iiidncni]  to 
include  him  in 'the  enmity  she  had  hitherto  professed  to  eonliiie  lu  hjj 
minion.  As  Isabella  henceforth  lived  in  the  most  unconcealed  nitiniacv 
with  Mortimer,  and  as  their  mutual  correspondence  with  tlic  most  disaf. 
fected  barons  inKngland  was  made  known  to  the  king,  he  became  alarm" 
ed,  and  sent  a  peremptory  message  requiring  her  no"l  only  to  reium  lo 
England,  but  also  to  bring  the  young  prince  home  with  her.  To  liiis  nios- 
sage  Isabella  as  peremptorily  replied,  llial  neither  she  nor  her  son  would 
ever  again  set  foot  in  England  until  Spenser  should  be  definitively  re- 
moveii. 

Edward's  situation  was  now  truly  terrible.  At  home  secret  conspjra. 
cies  were  formed  against  him  ;  abroad  a  force  was  rapidly  preparing  lo 
,nvade  him;  the  minion  for  whom  lie  had  eucoumercd  so  many  eiimiufis 
30uld  do  but  little  to  aid  him  ;  and  his  own  wife  and  child,  those  near  and 
precious  connexions  upon  whom  he  ought  to  have  been  al)le  to  rely  in  the 
worst  of  circumstances,  were  at  the  very  head  of  the  array  tliat  tlircaten. 
ed  ills  crown,  if  not  his  person.  The  King  of  France  entered  warmly  into 
the  cause  of  the  queen  ;  and  Edward's  own  brother,  the  earl  of  Kent,  biiiiw 
induced  to  beli(;ve  that  the  sole  iiitentiun  of  lsal)ella  was  to  pidciiru  t!ie 
banishment  of  Spenser,  joined  the  queen  as  did  the  earls  of  Leicester  and 
Norfolk.  Nor  was  the  enmity  of  the  clerical  order  wanting  to  the  formid- 
able array  against  lOdwanl. 

A.  D.  1320. — With  all  these  elements  prepared  for  the  destruction  of 
the  unhappy  Edward,  it  was  chiar  that  nothing  was  wanted  towaids  the 
commencement  of  a  civil  war  but  tlie  appearance  of  the  queen  at  the 
head  of  an  invading  force.  Tliis  apjiearance  Isabella  was  very  willing  to 
make;  but  some  delay  was  caused  by  the  decent  unwillingness  of  "the 
king  of  France  to  have  an  expedition,  headed  by  the  wife  and  son,  sad 
from  any  of  his  ports  against  the  husband  ami  father.  D(!i(>rniincd  in 
her  purpose,  Isabella  removeil  this  oljstaele  to  its  aecomplislniR'nt,  bv 
betrothing  young  Edward  to  I'liilippa,  daiigliter  of  the  count  of  iiollaii'j 
and  Hainault.  Ilaving  thus  allied  herself  with  this  prince,  Isabella  was 
speedily  cnaiiled  to  collect  a  force  of  upwards  of  three  tliousan<l  iiicii;  and 
With  this  force  she  sailed  from  Dort,  and  landed  safely  and  uiioiipofcd 
upon  the  coast  of  Suffolk.  Here  shi;  was  joined  by  the  earls  of  Norfulk 
and  Leicester,  and  the  bishops  of  Ely,  IIereror(l,and  Lincoln,  who  liroii;;iit 
to  her  aid  all  their  vassals  ;  and  lioliert  de  W'atleville,  who  was  suit 
down  to  Suffolk  at  the  head  of  a  force  lo  opjiosi;  her,  actually  dcsert.d 
to  her  with  the  whole  of  his  troops.  As  she  pr(»gressed  her  fun'cs  were 
still  fanlier  increased,  men  of  substance,  thinking  that  they  ran  no  tik 
in  siding  with  the  heir  to  the  crown,  and  the  common  sort  beiiiK  ;illiirt'd 
by  the  general  professions  of  justice  and  love  of  liberty,  of  w  liicli  Isa- 
bella took  care  lo  be  abundantly  liberal  in  her  [)roclamatuni:-i. 

On  hearing  that  his  queen  hiid  landed  and  ivas  advancing  atraiiisl  him 
in  force,  Edward's  first  endeavour  was  to  rai^e  the  Loii(ioMer.s  ia  his  de- 
fence, rightly  judging  that  if  he  could  do  that,  he  wuuld  still  have  a  chance 
of  obtaining  reasonable  terms.  Hut  his  alteiii[!i  met  with  no  siicciss;  his 
entreaties  and  menaces  alike  were  listened  to  in  a  sullen  silence,  and  he 
departed  to  make  a  similar  attempt  in  the  west. 

The  king's  departure  was  the  signal  for  a  general  insunrciion  in  Lon- 
don. Wealth,  it  may  be  easily  sujiposed,  was  the  chief  crime  against 
which  the  iiiaurgciil  populace  levelled  it  rugc ;  the  next  h'.'inous  crime 


THE  TREASUttV  OP  HISTOIIY. 


30ft 


I     if 


vTus  that  of  being  pnssively  loyal  to  the  fugitive  moiiiirch.  Robbery  and 
mirder  were  conmiittcd  wholesale  and  in  the  broad  liglu  of  day;  and 
'ninoii"  til"  viciliins  was  the  bishop  of  Kxelcr.  This  prelate,  who  was  as 
"  i,„j;iihli.  for  kindly  disposition  as  for  talent  and  loyalty,  was  seized  as 
ho  passed  along  the  street,  beheaded,  and  his  body  thrown  into  the  Thames. 
iii|,Jj'fji,iers,  or  rather  the  rebels,  now  by  a  stratagem  obtained  possession 
of  tlic  'I'ower,  and  then  entered  into  a  Formal  association  and  eovenant, 
hy  wliii'li  they  bound  themselves  to  put  to  death  all  who  should  dare  to 
opiiise  the  designs  and  desires  of  the  queen. 

riie  advanced  guard  of  the  vindictive  and  treacherous  Isabella  passed 
[l,roii"li  Lihuhin  in  pursuit  of  the  king,  and  consisted  of  a  body  of  I'ln- 
clishaiid  Hollanders,  the  latter  commanded  by  John  de  Hainault,  and  tho 
former,  Iwrribile  diclu,  by  the  king's  own  brotlier,  the  earl  of  Kent.  Ar- 
rived at  Bristol,  the  unfortunate  king  was  disappjinted  of  the  aid  ahd 
support  lie  expected  to  find  tliere;  and  his  furious  pursuers  being  but 
a  short  distance  in  his  rear,  he  hastily  departed  for  Wales,  leaviug  tho 
flier  Spenser,  who  had  been  some  time  before  created  earl  of  Winches- 
Ifr,  tn  defend  Uristol  castle,  of  which  he  was  governor.  The  faithless 
girnsoM  mutinied  against  the  venerable  earl,  who  was  then  nearly  ninety 
years  of  age,  and  delivered  him  into  the  hands  of  the  queen's  partizans, 
by  whom,  without  even  thn  mockery  of  a  trial,  he  was  hanged.  Nor  did 
lliebriitiility  of  his  cnemiifls  end  even  here  ;  lie  was  scarcely  dead  ere  ho 
\v;i8  taken  from  the  gibbet,  and  his  body  cut  up  and  thrown  to  the  dogs, 
his  head  being  stuck  upon  a  pole  and  exhibited  to  the  populace. 

After  equally  inelTeclual  attempts  to  escape  and  to  raise  sulFicient  force 
for  his  defence  in  field  or  fortress,  the  unfortunate  king  was  discovered 
amoii"  tlie  mountains  of  Wales,  and  imprisoned  in  Kcnil  worth  e.istle,  ia 
i!ic  custody  of  the  carl  of  Leicester.  The  younger  Spenser  about  the 
same  time  was  taken,  and  he  speedily"  met  with  the  fearful  fate  of  his 
fai'ier,  a  late  which  even  in  tho  case  of  this  arrogant  minion,  whatever 
Ins  faidls  or  crimes,  was  illegally  and  brutally  inflicted.  The  earl  of 
Aniiulel  was  also  jiut  to  death  by  the  dominant  party,  though  the  utmost 
malice  could  alledge  nothing  against  him,  save  that  he  had  maintained 
las  loyally  unshaken  and  uncorrupted  amid  the  shameless  disk)yaUy  and 
JiSL'ncefiil  success  of  the  majority  of  the  Knglish  baronage. 

Ualiloek,  tlio  chancellor,  who,  as  beiug  the  most  active  as  well  as  tho 
able:l  of  liie  king's  advisers,  was  especially  hated  by  the  populace,  and 
who.  moreover,  was  detested  by  Isabella,  could  not  so  safely  be  put  to 
death  by  the  direct  tyraimy  of  the  barons ;  for  he  being  a  priest,  liis  death 
ttoiild  lave  been  olTensive  to  Rome.  Unl  the  barons,  well  knowing  the 
pouiT  and  temper  of  the  London  mob,  sent  thi!  unhappy  man  to  the  bisliop 
of  Hereford's  palace  in  London.  .\s  had  been  foreseen,  tiis  slender  guard 
was  overpowered,  and  after  he  had  been  foully  maltreated  by  the  mob 
he  was  thrown  into  Newgate,  where  he  shortly  afterwards  died  of  his 
ivoiiiids  or  of  poison. 

A.D.  13-7. — Having,  by  tliis  long  series  of  illegal  tind  cruel  deeds,  given 
jlnindaiit  intimatiiin  of  the  fate  that  would  await  those  wlio  should  dare 
lo  oppose  her  measures,  Isabella  now  sunnnoned  a  parliament  to  meet  her 
at  Wcsimiiisler,  and  a  long  and  formal  cliargt;  was  presented  lo  it  against 
lie'  king.  Though  tho  charge  was  laboured  with  the  utmost  ingenuity, 
aaJ  obviously  ins[)ired  by  tin;  deepest  malignity,  it  did  not  from  beginning 
to  fii  1  eontain  a  single  accusation  upon  which  the  meanest  of  his  subjects 
could  jtisily  have  been  i)unishe(l,  however  slightly,  either  in  [)ur.se  or  per- 
i-n.  The  worst  that  was  alledged  against  him  svas  a  most  pitiable  want 
of  talent,  unless,  indeed,  we  may  condescend  to  notice  that  most  strange 
charijie  against  a  sovereign,  that  ho  had  imprisoned  sundry  bannis  and 
prelates  who  bad  been  convicted  of  treason.  A  more  absurd  eliargo  it 
woulil  have  been  scarcely  possible  to  frame ;  but  if  such  a  cliatge  had 
Vol.  I 20 


/v^ff^    III'?/ 

-^  It"      'f  "'  ! 


.Mm 


r'''')i'i<fr'T 


306 


THE  TREASURY  C  F  HISTORY. 


oeeii  presented  to  that  scandalous  parliament,  the  unhappy  king  would 
still  have  been  pronounced  guilty,  for  they  who  sat  in  judgment  upon  him 
could  only  confess  his  innocence  by  confessing  their  own  treason  and  in. 
justice. 

At  the  very  commencement  of  these  disgraceful  proceedings,  the  voiini? 
prince  of  Wales  had  been  named  as  regent;  he  was  now  pionouiieed  to 
be  king  in  the  room  of  his  father,  whose  deposition  was  declared  in  ii,e 
same  breath.  But,  as  if  to  show  more  fully  how  conscious  they  were  o( 
the  injustice  and  illegality  of  their  conduct,  these  malignant  and  serviie 
nobles  sent  a  deputation  to  Edward,  in  his  dungeon,  to  demand  hisrwi^ 
nation  after  they  had  pronounced  him  justly  ilcposed.  " 

Entirely  helpless  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  whose  past  conduct  siif. 
ficienlly  warned  him  against  trusting  to  their  justice  or  compassion,  ihe 
unhappy  king  gave  the  resignation  required ;  and  Isabella,  now  wholly 
triumphant,  lived  in  the  most  open  and  shameless  adultery  with  her  ac- 
complice, Mortimer. 

The  part  whicli  Leicester  had  taken  in  this  most  disgusting  revolution 
had  procured  him  the  earldom  of  Laiicafitcr ;  but  not  even  this  valued 
and  coveted  title  could  reconcile  him,  conspirator  and  traitor  thouuli  he 
was,  to  the  odious  task  of  adding  personal  ill  usage  to  the  many  miseries 
under  which  his  royal  captive  was  alniady  suffering.  The  honourable 
and  gentle  treatment  which  Lancaster  bestowed  upon  the  king  fill,>d  ihj 
guilty  Isabella  and  her  paramour  with  fears  lest  the  earl  should  at  leiintti 
be  moved  to  some  more  decisive  manifestation  of  his  good  feelinir;  itiid 
the  royal  prisoner  was  now  taken  from  Kenilworlti,  and  cominiited'io  the 
custody  of  Lord  llcrkcley,  Maltravers,  and  (Journay,  each  of  wjiom 
guarded  him  an  alternate  month.  The  Lord  Berkeley,  like  the  carl  of 
Lancaster,  had  too  much  of  true  nobility  to  add  to  ihe  miseries  of  Ins 
his  prisoner,  but  when  he  passed  to  the  hands  of  llie  other  two  stale  jail- 
ers they  added  personal  ill-treatment  to  his  other  woes.  Everything  that 
could  irritate  first  and  then  finally  prostrate  the  spirit  of  tin;  uiilKippy 
kiiifif  was  put  in  practice;  and  when  at  lengtli  they  despaired  of  breakiii" 
down  his  (;onstitutioa  witli  sulilicieiit  rapidity  by  these  indirect  nKans' 
they  broke  through  all  restraint  and  put  him  to  death.  V-'e  shall  not  tic- 
scribe  with  the  minuteness  of  sonu;  of  our  historians  the  barbarous  and 
disgusting  process  by  which  the  rufTian  keepers  perpetrated  their  dialwl- 
ical  act.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  a  red-hot  iron  had  been  forcibly  introducul 
into  the  bowels  of  the  unhappy  sufferer ;  and  though  tiie  body  e.\liiliiiid 
no  outward  marks  of  violence,  the  horrid  di^ed  was  discovered  to  nil  the 
guards  and  attendants  by  the  screams  with  which  the  agonized  kin;;  lilicJ 
the  castle. 

It  is  as  well  to  state  here  what  became  of  these  most  detestable  and 
ferocious  wretches.  The  pulilic  indignation  was  so  strong  against  ilieiii, 
that,  even  before  the  impudent  guilt  of  Isabella  caused  her  downfall,  tneir 
lives  were  in  danger,  and  when  that  event  at  length  took  place  ihoy  were 
obliged  to  fly  the  country,  (iournay  was  seized  at  (Juitninc  and  sei.i  to 
England,  but  was  beheaded  on  the  way,  probably  at  the  sui,'gestinii  of 
some  of  the  instigators  of  his  ruffianly  crime,  who  feared  lest  he  shonid 
divulge  their  concern  in  it.  Maltravers  lived  for  some  yeais  on  the  con- 
tinent, and  at  length,  on  the  strength  of  some  services  to  his  vielinrs  son 
and  successor,  ventured  to  approach  him  and  sue  for  pardon,  which,  to 
the  eternal  disgrace  of  Edward  ML,  was  granted. 


A,  D.  1327.- 

nideuus  guilt 

Lancaster  wa: 

Ihe  general  gr 

reijeiiey,  coiii 

bishops  of  VV( 

Kent,  and  Sur 

The  first  cat 

mentary  inden 

all  stigma  fron 

heap  all  possil 

Spcnsers. 

Disgusted  as 

power  ^vas  as 

of  the  young  ki 

by  his  advaiicec 

live  personal  pn 

cious  spirit  slil 

Feeling  certain 

iiiestic  affairs  b( 

lageously  to  ma 

while  it  was  lab 

arable  from  the  i 

ing  made  an  uns 

inaiid  of  twenty 

ray,  iviili  ordsrs 

iiorlheni  Englisl: 

avoiding  war,  aj 

fiieiny  as  Scotia] 

ill?  those  atleml 

men,  c.vchisive 

under  John  de  III 

We  force  to  DurlJ 

ill?  so  active  aiul 

ijueriiig  liiin  wliel 

so  hardy  that  cvl 

subsisted  themsel 

I'.v  Cruin  place  tol 

p:iralleled  rapidit| 

ferent  to  that  in 

On  no  occasioi] 
aimoy-ig  than  oil 
now  harrassing  hi 
"orlli.  and  now  sf 
steps  again;  but 
"it^places  where 
porary  slay,  he  e] 
™  to  this  harrafi 
lime  e.x-posed,  in 
"f  :i  iuindred  pou 
such  inforniatioii] 
i'ligtlihereceivedf 
enabled  to  come 


THB  TEEASURY  OF  HISTOHY. 


307 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


the:  reign  of  edward  hi. 


4.  D.  1327.— When  Isabella  aiul  her  naramour  had  consummated  their 
nideoiis  guilt  by  the  murder  of  the  unoffending  Edward  II.,  the  earl  of 
Lancaster  was  appointod  guardian  of  the  person  of  the  young  king,  and 
ihe  general  government  of  the  kingdom  was  committed  to  a  council  of 
•ewney,  consisting  of  the  primate  and  the  archbishop  of  York,  the 
iijJiiops  of  Worcester,  Winchester,  and  Hereford,  the  earls  of  Norfolk, 
Kcnl,  ami  Surrey,  and  the  lords  Wake,  Ingham,  Piercy,  and  Ross. 

The  first  care  of  the  dominant  party  was  to  procure  a  formal  parlia- 
mentary iiidenmity  for  their  violent  proceedings ;  their  next,  to  remove 
all  stigma  from  the  leaders  and  head  of  the  Lancastrian  party,  and  to 
heap  all  possible  odium  and  disqualification  upon  the  adherents  of  the 
Spcnsers. 

Disgusted  as  the  people  were  by  the  gross  misconduct  of  Isabella,  her 
power  was  as  yet  loo  formidable  to  be  opposed,  and  the  first  disturbance 
of  the  young  king's  reign  came  from  the  Scots.  Though  Robert  Bruce, 
by  his  advanced  age  and  feeble  health,  was  no  longer  able  to  take  an  ac- 
tive personal  part  in  the  field,  ae  had  been  his  wont,  his  brave  and  saga- 
cious spirit  slill  animated  and  instructed  the  councils  of  his  people. 
Fi'L'ling  certain  that  England  would  never  give  him  peace  should  its  do- 
mestic afT.iirs  be  so  completely  and  calmly  settled  as  to  enable  it  advan- 
tageously to  make  war  upon  him,  he  resolved  to  anticipate  its  hostility 
while  it  was  labouring  under  the  disadvantages  which  are  ever  insep- 
arable from  the  minority  of  a  king  and  the  plurality  of  the  regency.  Hav- 
ing made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  upon  Durham  castle,  he  gave  the  com- 
mand of  twenty-five  thousand  men  to  Lord  Douglas  and  the  earl  of  Mur- 
rav,  with  orders  to  cross  the  border  and  devastate  as  well  as  plunder  the 
northern  Knglish  counties.  The  Englisli  regency,  sincerely  desirous  of 
avoiding  war,  at  least  for  tliat  time,  with  so  diflicull  and  obstinate  an 
enemy  as  Scotland,  made  some  attempts  at  maintaining  peace,  but,  find- 
ing those  attempts  unsuccessful,  assembled  an  army  of  sixty  thousand 
men,  exclusive  of  a  strong  body  of  highly-disciplined  foreign  cavalry 
under  John  de  Hainault ;  and  the  ycnmg  prince  himself  led  this  formida- 
ble force  to  Durham  in  search  of  tiio  invaders.  But  the  difliculty  of  find- 
ing so  active  and  desultory  an  enemy  was  only  inferior  to  that  of  con- 
ijuering  liim  when  found.  Lightly  armed,  mounted  on  small,  swift  horses, 
so  hardy  that  every  common  supplied  them  with  abundant  food,  and  easily 
fiibsisted  themselves,  those  northern  soidiers  passed  with  incredible  celer- 
ity from  place  to  place,  plundering,  destroying,  and  disappearing  with  un- 
paralleled rapidity,  and  suddenly  reappearing  in  some  direction  quite  dif- 
ferent to  that  in  wliich  they  had  been  seen  to  take  their  departure. 

On  no  occasion  was  their  desultory  ;iciivity  more  remarkable  or  more 
aiiiioyvig  tlian  on  present.  Edward  followed  them  from  place  to  place, 
now  liarrassing  his  troop.s  with  a  forced  march  by  dilTliHilt  roads  to  the 
north,  and  now  still  mon;  dispiriting  tiiem  by  leading  tliem  to  retrace  their 
steps  again  ;  but  though  he  everywhere  found  that  the  Scots  had  been  in 
llie places  whore  he  sought  them,  and  had  left  fearful  marks  of  their  tem- 
porary stay,  he  every wlierc  found  tliat  they  had  made  good  their  retreat; 
and  to  this  harrassing  and  annoying  waste  of  activity  lie  was  for  some 
time  exposed,  in  spite  of  his  having  offered  the  then  very  splendid  reward 
of  a  hundred  pounds  per  anmnn  for  life  to  any  one  who  would  give  him 
such  information  as  would  enable  him  to  come  up  with  the  enemy.  At 
ieiigili  he  received  information  of  the  exact  locality  of  the  enemy,  and  wat 
enabled  to  come  up  with  them,  or  rather  to  bo  tantalized  with  the  sight  of 


hiifrrr 


308 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


'  Ji'  5  i 


i«ii 


r  ,.n  'ij 


Ihem  ;  for  tlicy  had  taken  up  so  strong  a  position  on  the  southern  bank  ol 
the  river  Wear,  that  even  Kdvvard,  young  as  he  was  and  burning  for  ilm 
lombat,  was  obliged  to  confess  lliat  it  would  be  a  wanton  exposure  of  Ijjs 
orave  troops  to  certain  destruction  were  ho  to  attempt  to  cross  tliu  river 
while  the  foe  maintained  so  admirably  chosen  a  position.  Naturally  brave 
Edward  was  doubly  annoyed  at  this  new  difficuity  on  account  of  his  pre! 
vious  vain  resea'rches;  and  in  the  excess  of  his  enthusiasm  he  sent  a  for" 
mal  challenge  to  the  Scots,  to  abandon  their  extraneous  advantnges,  and 
meet  his  army,  man  to  man  and  foot  to  foot,  in  tiie  open  field,  'riiugen. 
eroHS  absurdities  of  chivalry  rendered  this  challenge  less  irregular  and 
laugliable  than  it  would  now  be ;  and  Lord  Douglas,  himself  of  a  most  fiery 
and  '"hivalric  spirit,  would  fain  have  taken  Edward  at  his  woni,  but 
he  was  restrained  by  tiic  graver  though  not  less  courageous  earl  of  Mur- 
ray,  who  drily  assured  Edward  that  he  was  the  very  last  person  from 
whom  the  Scots  would  like  to  take  advice  as  to  their  operations. 

The  Scots  and  EiJv, ard  niiiintained  their  respective  po.sitions  for  several 
Jays ;  and  when  the  former  at  length  moved  higher  up  the  river,  tiiuydij  so 
t>y  so  unexpected  and  rapid  a  movement,  that  they  were  again  securely  nust- 
ed  before  Edward  had  any  chance  of  attacking  them.  The  high  courafe 
of  the  youthful  monarch  led  him  to  desire  to  attack  the  enemy,  no  nialttr 
at  what  risk  or  disadvantage  ;  but  as  often  as  he  proposed  to  do  so  he  was 
overruled  by  Mortimer,  who  assumed  an,almost  despotic  authority  over 
him.  While  both  armies  thus  lay  in  grim  and  watchful,  thongti  iuaeiive 
hostility,  an  affair  took  place  which  had  well  nigh  changed  the  fortunes  of 
of  England.  Lord  Douglas,  audacious  and  enterprising,  had  not  merely 
continued  to  take  an  accurate  survey  of  every  portion  of  Edward's  cii. 
campmcnt,  but  also  to  obtain  tlie  password  and  countersign ;  and  in  tht 
dead  of  night  ho  suddenly  led  two  hundred  of  his  most  resolute  followers 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  English  camp.  His  intention  was  either  to  eap 
ture  or  slay  the  king,  and  he  advanced  immediately  to  the  royal  tent.  Kd. 
ward's  chamberlain  and  his  chaplain  gallantly  devoted  themselves  to  the 
safety  of  their  royal  master,  who  after  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  his  as- 
sailants, succeeded  in  esca|)ing.  The  chamberlain  and  the  chaplain  were 
both  unfortunately  killed  ;  but  the  stout  resistance  they  made  not  only  ena. 
bled  Edward  to  escape,  but  also  aroused  so  general  an  alarm,  thai  Lord 
Douglas,  baulked  in  his  main  design,  was  happy  to  be  able  to  figlit  his  way 
back  to  liis  own  camp,  in  doing  which  he  lost  nearly  the  whole  of  his  de- 
termined little  band.  The  Scots  now  hastily  broke  up  their  camp  and 
retreated  in  good  order  to  their  own  'country  ;  and  when  Edward,  no  Ion. 
ger  to  be  restrained  by  Mortimer,  reached  the  spot  which  the  Scots  had 
occupied,  he  found  no  human  being  there  save  six  English  prisoners, 
whose  legs  the  Scots  had  broken  to  prevent  them  from  carrying  any  in- 
telligence to  the  English  camp.  Though  the  high  spirit  and  warlike  tem- 
per which  Edward  had  displayed  during  this  brief  and  bootless  campai^'a 
made  him  very  popular,  the  public  mind  was  justly  very  dissatisfied  wnli 
the  absolute  nullity  of  result  from  so  extensive  atiu  costly  an  cxpediiioi  ; 
and  Mortimer,  to  whom  all  the  errors  committed  were  naturally  aitiibn- 
ted,  became  daily  more  and  more  disliked.  So  puffed  up  and  in-solcni  was 
he  rendered  by  iiis  disgraceful  connection  with  Isabella,  that  his  general 
want  of  popularity  seemed  to  givcliiin  neither  annoyance  nor  alarm.  Yel 
was  there  a  circumstance  in  his  position  which  a  wise  man  would  have 
striven  to  alter.  Though  he  had  usurped  an  evf?ii  more  than  royal  power.and 
settled  the  most  important  public  affairs  without  deigning  to  consult  eiihet 
the  young  'cing  or  any  of  the  blood  royal ;  though  he  by  his  mere  word  had 
gone  so  fj.r  as  to  settle  upon  the  adulterous  Isabella  nearly  the  whole  of 
the  royal  revenue  ;  yet  in  forming  the  council  of  the  regency  hn  had  re- 
lied so  much  on  his  power  that  he  reserved  no  ofiice  or  seat  therein  for 
himeclf.    This  was  a  grave  error.    He  must  have  been  ill  judging  indeed 


THE  THEASUttY  OF  HISTOUY. 


309 


If  he  imng'ncd  that  tlio  mere  absciiPO  of  nominal  power  would  proonrea 
characicr  for  moderation  for  a  man  whoso  aulliorily  actually  superseded 
tiiaiof  ilie  whole  council. 

jk.  n.  l^'-S— To  all  the  other  offences  committed  by  Mortimer  he  now 
addi-'d  the  very  serious  one  of  wounding  the  pride  of  the  nation.  War 
upon  Scotland,  and  the  most  strenuous  attempts  to  reduce  that  nation 
once  iiif>''G  '"  '''°  condition  of  a  conquered  province,  were  universally 
popular  objects  in  England.  But  Mortimer,  aware  liiat  he  was  daily  be- 
coming more  and  more  hated,  concluded  a  peace  with  Robert  Bruce,  fear- 
ing tiiat  the  continuance  of  a  foreign  war  would  put  it  out  of  his  power 
lo  keep  his  domestic  enemies  in  check.  He  stipuhited  thai  David,  son 
ml  lit-'if  "f  Robert  Brnce,  should  marry  tlie  princess  .lane,  sister  of  the 
young  king  Edward  ;  that  England  shcMild  give  up  all  claim  to  the  hom- 
age of  Scotland,  and  recognise  that  country  as  being  wholly  independent, 
and  iliat,  in  rclurii,  Robert  Bruce  should  pay  30,000  marks,  by  way  of  ex- 


penses. 

Tbis  treaty  was  excessively  unpopular ;  and  Mortimer,  conscious  of  this, 
now  licg.in  to  fear  that  the  close  friendship  and  unanimity  that  existed 
among  tlic  three  royal  princes,  Kent,  Norfolk,  and  Lancaster,  boded  him  no 
guod.°  lie  accordingly,  when  summoning  them  to  attend  parliament,  took 
upon  liimself  to  forbid  them,  in  the  king's  name,  from  being  attended  by  an 
armed  force.  Whatever  had  been  their  previous  intentions,  the  three 
prnices  puid  inipli(^it  obedience  to  this  order  ;  but,  to  their  astonishment, 
ihiy,  oil  leaching  Salisbury,  where  ihe  parliament  was  to  meet,  found  (hat 
Jlorlimer  and  his  friends  were  attended  by  an  armed  force.  Naturally 
alarmed  at  this,  the  earls  retreated  and  raised  a  force  strong  enough  to 
tliase  Mortimer  from  the  kingdom.  Tiicy  advanced  for  the  purpose  of 
(!oin;j  so,  but  unfortunately  the  earls  who  had  hitherto  been  so  closely 
uiiiled  unv  quarrelled,  Kent  and  Norfolk  declined  to  follow  up  the  cnto 
prisp.aiiil  Lancaster,  loo  weak  to  carry  it  out  by  himself,  was  compelled 
10  make  his  submission  to  ihe  insolent  Mortimer. 

A, D.  1329.— But  though,  at  the  intercession  of  the  prelates,  Mortincr 
consented  lo  overlook  the  past,  and  bore  himself  towards  the  princes  as 
ihiiuglithe  whole  quarrel  were  forgotten  as  well  as  forgiven,  he  detur- 
niined  to  make  a  victim  of  one  of  them,  in  order  to  strike  terror  into  ihe 
survivors.  Accordingly,  his  emmissaries  were  instructeu  lo  deceive  the 
eiirl  of  Kent  into  the  belief  that  King  Kdward  H.  had  not  been  put  to  death, 
but  was  still  secretly  imprisoned.  The  earl,  who  had  sufTefed  much  from 
romnrseful  remembrance  of  the  part  he  had  taken  against  his  unhappy 
brother,  eagerly  fell  into  the  snare,  aud  entered  into  an  undertaking  for 
selling  the  imprisoned  king  at  lil)criy,  and  replacing  him  upon  the  throne. 
The  deception  was  kept  up  until  the  earl  had  committed  himself  sufficient- 
iy  for  tiie  purpose  of  his  ruthless  enemy,  when  he  was  seized,  accused 
before  parlianiciit,  and  condemned  to  death  and  forfeiture;  while  Morli- 
niir  and  the  execrable  Isabella  hastened  his  execution,  so  that  the  young 
Kdward  had  no  opportunity  to  interpose. 

A.  D.  1330 — Though  the  corrupt  and  debased  parliament  so  readily  lent 
itselfto  ttio  designs  of  Mortimer,  llio  feeling  of  the  commonality  was  very 
dilTireiit  iiiiJced,  and  it  was  quite  evening  bef'.jrc  any  one  could  be  fnund 
to  behead  the  betrayed  and  unfortunate  prince,  who  during  the  day  which 
intervpiied  between  his  senteiuie  and  execution  must  have  been  tonured 
indeedwith  thoughts  of  the  unlioly  zeal  with  which  he  had  served  the  royal 
adulicii'ss,  lo  whose  rage,  as  much  as  to  that  of  her  paramour,  he  was 
now  sacrificed. 

Perceiving  that  the  sympathy  of  the  people  was  less  courageous  than 
deep  and  lender,  Mortimer  now  threw  Lancaster  and  numerous  other 
nobles  ill  prison,  on  the  ciiarge  of  having  been  concerned  in  the  conspi- 
racy of  Kent.    Any  evidence,  however  slight,  sufficed  lo  insure  couvic- 


,1      r:'  ''     -l 


'  It'  j 


310 


THE  TllEASUUY  OF  HISTORY. 


lion;  and  as  forfeiture  was  invariably  a  partofilic  sentence,  Morlimnrliad 
abundant  means  of  enriching  liiniself  and  his  adherents;  and  how  liii|, 
scruple  he  made  aiiout.  availintf  liiniself  of  this  opportunity  may  be  jmlM 
from  the  fact,  that  tlie  whole  of  the  large  possessions  of  the  earl  of  Kent 
were  seized  for  GejfTrey,  youaj;;er  son  of  Mortimer ;  though  liijs  latter  per- 
Bon  was  himself  already  in  possession  of  the  grea'er  portion  of  ilm  v;|j. 
wealili  of  the  two  Speiisors  and  their  adherents.  The  cupidity  and  m. 
aolence  of  Mortimer  at  length  produced  their  natural  cousequcuce;  ade^ 
testation  so  general  and  so  fierce,  that  nothing  was  wanting  to  liif  dps* 
truction  bui  for  scnnc  one  to  be  bold  enough  to  make  the  first  attack  upon 
him  ;  and  fortunately,  that  person  was  foimd  in  the  young  king  liimself 
Most  fortunate  it  assuredly  was  that  Mortimer,  in  his  insolence^aiid  pridj 
of  place,  had  overlooked  the  necessity  of  so  treating  the  king  while  vd, 
minor,  as  to  secure  his  favour  and  support  when  he  should  at  length  aiiai^ 
his  majority. 

Edward  was  of  far  too  high  and  generous  a  nature  to  have  hcoii  other. 
wise  than  deeply  slung  by  the  petty  insidls  and  galling  restraints  iinpiised 
upon  him  by  Mortimer;  and  now  tiiat  he  was  in  his  eighteenth  ycur  lie 
determined,  at  the  least,  to  n)ake  an  effort  at  obtaining  the  indepciuleiipe 
for  which  he  had  so  long  sij^hcil;  he  therefore  eominunii-ated  his  wishes 
to  the  Lord  Aiontacute,  who  ennaged  his  friends  the  Lords  ClilfDnJ  ;ind 
Molins,  Sir  John  Nevil,  Sir  ICdward  Hohun,  and  others,  to  join  liim  in  a 
bold  attempt  at  delivering  both  king  and  people  from  the  tyranny  of  Mur- 
timer. 

Queen  Isabella  and  her  paramour  Mortimer  at  this  limo  resided  in  X„t. 
tinghani  castle  ;  and  so  jealously  did  they  guard  iheniselves,  that  ivpii  the 
king  was  only  allowed  to  have  a  few  attendants  with  him  when  licl()ii"ej 
there,  and  the  kevs  of  the  outward  gales  were  delivered  to  the  (jiii'cii  her. 
self  every  evenfng.  Lord  Monta('ul(^  however,  armed  wiih  tlic  |<iii''s 
authority,  had  no  diniculty  in  proctning  the  coijcnrrence  of  Sir  Willi'in 
Eland,  tiie  governor,  who  let  the  king's  party  enter  by  a  suhicnaiuous 
passage  which  had  long  lain  forgottcm  and  choked  up  with  ruhhisli.  So 
quietly  was  cveiylhing  done,  tliat  the  armed  men  reached  the  (jiieeii's 
Koartment  and  seized  upon  Mortimer  before  he  could  prepare  to  nmke 
rtsistance.  Isabella  implored  them  to  "spare  hi'r  gentle  MortmuT;"  biii 
the  paramour's  doom  was  seahrd  beyond  the  power  of  her  entrcaiies  to 
alter  it.  A  parliament  was  nnmediately  summoned,  and  was  funnd  us 
supple  and  facih;  an  instrument  for  his  ruin  as  it  had  been  for  doing  his 
pleasure.  He  was  aecus(!d  of  having  usurped  regal  power,  of  havinir  pro. 
cured  the  death  of  King  Edward  II.,  of  having  dissipated  the  royal  treii- 
sure,  and  of  having  obtained  exorbitant  grants,  of  secreting  two-iliirds  of 
the  30,n00  niarks  pani  by  Scotland,  and  a  variety  of  similar  niisiii'iik-im. 
ours.  The  ihoroughly  servile  parliament  in  its  eagerness  to  conc'enin 
could  not  legally  convict  even  this  most  outrageous  criminal.  Kvukmc 
was  not  called  to  a  single  point,  though  eveiy  point  might  liavn  heeii 
proved  by  a  perfect  (doud  of  witnesses;  but  this  parliament  convhied 
Mortimer  and  sentenced  him  to  the  gibbet  and  forfeiture,  not  upon  ies:i- 
mony.  but  upon  what  they  called  :he  notoriety  of  the  facts  !  A  loose  sys- 
tem of  condemning  men,  which  none  but  tyrants  or  their  tools  wonldiver 
tolerate,  evei\  could  no  other  evidence  be  found.  Though  at  the  prriodof 
tlie  conviction  of  Mortimer  men  were  too  nnich  irritated  ag.iiiist  liim  to 
look  to  strict  justice,  scarcely  twenty  years  had  passed  ere  his  illcgdiy 
attainted  rank  was  rest(n-ed  to  his  son,  upon  the  right  and  hououraldi'  prin- 
ciple that,  however  detestable  and  however  morally  undeniahle  the  guilt 
of  the  elder  Mortimer,  his  cmivjction  had  bern  tin-  residt  not  of  evidence, 
but  of  mere  rumour  and  assumption.  Simon  d((  Ueresford  and  some  oihers 
of  the  mere  satellites  of  MortiiiK^r  wert;  executed,  and  the  vilcsi  criniiiiiil 
of  all.  tliti  adulteress  Isabella,  was  confined  lor  the  remainder  of  I'erliff 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


311 


10  lier  castle  of  Risings.  Tlio  king  allowed  lior  four  hundred  a  year  for 
her  support,  and  lie  paid  Iiorone  or  two  formal  visits  every  year;  "inil  hav- 
ing oiH'C  deprived  her  of  llie  influence  of  which  slie  had  made  so  bnd  and 
biise  ;i  ii^f,  lie  look  caro  thai  she  should  never  again  have  an  opporiunity 
ofrrgaiiiiiigit. 

As  soon  as  Kdward  had  wrested  from  the  usnrpingr  hands  of  Mortir.iei 
(]„,  loyal  power,  he  showed  hinisrlf  well  worthy  of  it  hy  ttio  manner  in 
wliicli  lie  used  it.  He  not  only  exhorted  his  judges  and  other  great  ofli- 
cers  to  execute  justice,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  the  open  depredations  and 
armed  bands  of  robbers  by  which  the  country  was  now  more  than  ever 
infested  and  disgraced,  but  lie  personally  exerted  himself  in  that  good 
\v>rk,  aii'l  showed  both  courage  and  eondu  't  in  that  important  task. 

A.  n.  1.333. — Soon  after  the  completion  of  the  treaty  between  Kngland 
m\  Scotland,  as  reiuled  under  the  head  of  the  year  i;5-J8,  the  great  Robert 
Driiee,  worn  out  even  more  by  infirmities  and  toil  than  by  years,  lermina- 
leii  liis  life;  and  his  son  and  heir,  David  nruce,  being  as  yet  a  minor,  the 
reffeiiey  was  left  to  llandolph,  earl  of  Murray,  the  constant  sharer  of  Rob- 
eri"'s  perils.  In  this  treaty  it  was  agreed,  that  all  Scots  who  inherited 
property  in  Koglaiid,  and  all  ICiiglishineii  who  inherited  property  in  Scot- 
laiKJ,  should  be  restored  to  possessi-  -  as  free  and  secure  as  though  no 
\v;ir  hail  taken  pla<'e  between  the  twi.  uniries.  This  part  of  the  treaty 
jiailbeen  faiihl'ully  performed  by  Ungl;  id;  but  [{obert  Rruce,  and,  sut)se- 
qiieiiily,  the  regent  .Murray  had  contrived  to  refu.^e  the  restoration  of  con- 
siileniiie  properties  in  Scotland,  either  from  actual  difficulty  of  wresting 
Ihdii  from  tlie  Scottish  holders,  or  from  a  politic  doubt  of  ilie  expediency 
of  so  far  slriMiglheiiing  an  enemy — which  they  jiidgi'd  Kiigland  must 
aluays  in  reality  be — iiy  admitting  fo  many  I'lnglishmen  to  wealth  and 
ciHisi'qiioiit  power  in  the  very  heart  of  the  kingilom.  Whatever  the  mo- 
live  by  wliidi  Rruce  and  Murray  were  actuated  in  this  in. liter,  tlieir  denial 
or  delay  of  the  stipulated  restoration  gave  great  olTeiicc  to  th(!  numerous 
Kiiillisli  of  high  rank  who  had  a  personal  interest  in  it.  Many  who  were 
thus  situated  were  men  of  great  wealth  and  influence;  and  their  power 
lioMiiie  more  than  ever  formidable  when  they  were  able  to  eonimand  the 
all.inec  of  Kdward  Halioi.  Me  was  the  son  of  that  .John  Raliol  who  had 
briellv  worn  the  Scottisli  crown  ;  and  he,  like  his  father,  settled  in  France, 
\vi!h  ilie(h'terininalioii  of  leading  a  private  life  rather  than  ri.sk  all  comfort 
forllie  mere  chance  of  grasping  a  precarious  and  anxious  power.  This 
rrsiilutioii,  though  consonant  with  the  soundest  philosophy,  was  not  eal- 
ciilileii  to  procure  him  much  worldly  estiniiition;  and  his  really  strong 
flaimiotlK!  Scottish  royally  procured  him  so  little  cfmsideration  in  France, 
tliil  for  some  infraction  of  the  l;iw  he  was  thrown  into  gaol,  as  though 
lieliad  been  IIk;  meanest  prival(!  person.  In  this  situation  he  was  discov- 
er"il  liy  Lord  Reaumoiit.  an  Knglisli  baron,  who  laid  claim  to  the  Scotch 
farliloin  of  Uiichan.  Reaumoiit  without  los.s  of  time  procured  Raliol's  re- 
lease mid  carried  him  over  to  Fngland,  wh(M"e  he;  placed  him,  nominally 
ai  least,  at  the  head  of  the  confederation  which  already  had  meditated  the 
iinasioii  of  Scotland. 

Kiiiir  Kdward  secretly  aided  Raliol  and  the  Fnglish  barons  in  preparing 
fi)r  their  enterprise,  though  he  would  not  be  persuaded  to  give  them  any 
opeiiciieoiiragement,  as  he  had  bound  himstdf  lo  pay  20,000  pounds  to  the 
pope,  slioiild  he,  F.dward,  commit  any  hostilities  upon  Scotlaiul  within  a 
certain  period  which  had  not  yet  expired  ;  moreover,  tho  young  kiiiir  l)a- 
vjil,  siili  a  minor,  was  actually  married  to  Kdward's  sisKjr  Jane,  though 
the  inarriagi!  was  .lol  yelcoiisumnialed;  and  llie  world  would  scarcely  fail 
toeniisine  Kdward  should  he,  under  such  circumsiances,  cause  a  renewal 
of  war  hetween  the  two  countries.  Under  these  eircumstanc(!s,  eager  as 
Eilward  iriighi  be  to  aid  his  nobles  in  Iheir  enmity  to  Scotland,  he  deter- 
iiiiied  to  confine  himself  to  secret  proceedings  on  their  behalf;  and,  thiu 


fin  a'  it  ,'■  ■aP-iP  :■■■  nm 


J   I  ,+<H"! 


313 


THE  TEEASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


'    'hi-!   ' 


aided,  Uicir  nominal  leader,  Daliol,  was  speedily  at  the  head  of  a  force  of 
two  liiousaiid  five  hundred  men,  connnanticd  by  tln'  I.ord  licaimioni  he. 
fore  mcnlioned,  Umfrevillc,  carl  of  An^iis,  the  lords  Tiilbot,  Mowbray  iinj 
other  eminent  barons  interested  in  the  adventure.  As  such  a  foifu  cuM 
not  be  so  secretly  raised  as  wholly  to  have;  escaped  the  noiicc  nf  ihf  Sioi. 
tish  regent,  who  would  naturally  expect  to  be  attacked  by  the  llnulisli 
border,  Ualiol  and  his  friends  embarked  at  Uavensi)ur  anil  liiiidcd  iin.,, 
force  on  tiic  coast  of  Fife.  'I'he  former  regent,  Murray,  was  dead;  imj 
his  successor,  Donald,  earl  of  Mar,  was  far  inferior  to  him  in  warlike  ex. 
pericnce  and  ability.  Nevertheless,  the  Llnglish  were  promptly  and  v V. 
orously  opposed  the  moment  they  landed  ;  and  tliougli  ihey  suuL'ccdeil  n\ 
beatiuji  back  their  undisciplined  opponents,  time  was  thus  alTordcd  loMnr 
to  collect  a  very  large  army,  which  some  historians  reckon  as  high  asfuiiy 
Ihousnnu  men. 

The  hostile  forces  came  in  sight  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  V.m 
and  Baliol,  crossing  that  river  in  the  night,  attacked  the  unwieldy  fiirceo' 
the  Scots  so  vigorously  and  unexpectedly,  that  he  drove  tluMu  from  iHe 
field  with  considerable  slaughter,  their  numbers  being  a  disi(dvaiii;i;r(.  [,, 
them  amid  the  confusion.  Hut  as  daylight  approached,  the  Scots  rcMjlvdJ 
once  more  to  try  their  fori  one  against  an  enemy  whose  inferior  iiuinljtrj 
made  it  disgraceful  to  yield  to  ;  but  they  were  charged  while  >ti,iji. 
gling  over  some  broken  and  difTicidt  ground,  and  so  complete  wiis  ihe 
rout  that  ensutul,  that  while  the  Mnglish  lost  scan'cly  fifty  men,  ihe  ScuH 
lost  twelve  thousand,  including  the  earls  ol  Mhoi  and  Monteiih,  llu;  lurd 
Hay  ofErrol,  constable  of  Scotland,  llic  lords  Keith  and  Lindsey,  and  ilw 
earl  of  Carrick,  a  natural  son  of  Kobert  Bruce. 

Baliol  followed  up  this  victory  by  taking  Perth.  Merc  he  was  blnci. 
aded  by  sea,  and  besieged  on  the  land  by  an  army  of  fo'ty  'hocsand  Sci.is, 
under  the  carl  of  March  and  Sir  Archibald  Douglas;  b'  t  Mie  Knglislishfj 
disi)ersed  the  blockading  sqiiailron ;  and  as  Baliol  was  tins  enabled  lo  cum- 
maud  an  abundant  supply  of  provisions,  the  besieging  Scots  weresimriy 
obliged  to  retire  from  that  very  :i|)proach  to  famine  by  which  they  had  im. 
ticipaled  reducing  him;  ami  iIk;  nation  br'in^  in  effect  subdued,  for  the 
present  at  least,  Baliol  was  solenmly  crowned  at  .Scone  on  the  7ili  of  Sep. 
tember.  So  little  chance  did  there  now  appear  lo  be  of  a  eh;iiige  of  for- 
tune in  favour  of  David  Bruce,  that  he  and  his  betrothed  wife  departou  for 
France;  and  their  hitherto  zealous  partizans  sued  Baliol  for  a  triire,  tint 
his  title  might  be  fairly  examined  and  decided  upon  by  the  Scottish  par- 
liament. 

A.  D.  1333.— Baliol's  prosperity  was  as  fleeting  as  it  had  been  sudden. 
Having  owed  ;dl  his  success  to  the  presence  (>f  his  Knglish  supporters,  he 
was  no  sooner  obliged  lo  allow  them  to  depart,  from  want  of  nie;iiis  lo 
support  them,  than  Sir  Archibald  Douglas  and  others  of  the  friends  of 
Bruce  fell  upon  Baliol  and  his  slender  attendance,  slew  Baliol'.s  brotlicr 
John,  and  drove  himself  back  to  England  in  the  most  eo'.ipleie  de.~iiiiinoii. 
Baliol  had  previously  to  this  reverse  proposed  to  Ed.vard  that  hissoicr 
Jane  should  be  divorced  from  David  Bruce,  in  wbicn  event  Bt'iid  wonlJ 
marry  her  and  also  do  homage  to  Edward  for  Scotla'id  ;  thus  nsiiori;!;,'  It, 
England  that  superiority  which  the  minion  Morlime "  had  given  iip  duri:ii; 
Edward's  minority.  As  Edward  now  began  to  despa,  •  of  Ha!i()r.s  puitcss 
by  any  other  means,  he  resolved  to  interfere  openly,  and  having  oliiiiiiitd 
a  considerable  grant  from  parliament  for  that  purpose — which  giiinl  w  is 
accompan.f  d  by  a  very  blunt,  though  very  reasonable  desire,  that  he  tliciin'- 
forth  "  would  live  on  his  own  revenue  and  not  grieve  his  siibjerts  witii 
illegal  taxes" — he  led  a  considerable  army  to  Berwick,  where  a  powafi;! 
garrison  was  commanded  by  Sir  William  Keith,  The  plan  of  llic  Smt- 
tish  leaders  was,  that  Keith  should  obstinattdy  defend  IhTwick,  Mndwliile 
be  thus  engaged  the  atlention  of  Edward,  Douglas  shouh'  lead  u  numcruui 


ecu  sudilen. 
ipportcs,  lie 
of  me;iiisio 
frieiiiU  u( 
iol's  lirntlKT 
(Ic-tliiiMon, 

IVi'miI  Wlllllil 

r(  ^^tovill;!  to 
■  II  iij)  iliiiiii',' 

nil's  fUl'CI'SS 

ii\ir  olnaliitil 
cli  '^n\A  W'lS 
.-.ii  tu;  lliciK'i'' 
subjects  Willi 
re  it  piiwfffi;! 
»  of  lilt'  S 


\- 


THE  TREASUIIY  OF  HI8T0UY. 


313 


ck,  Mini  wliile 
id  a  iiumeroui 


fni'myfvrr  the  bonier,  and  carry  the  horrors  aiul  losses  of  war  into  the 
i„,,i,y's  (iwii  coiiiitry.  But  Kdvvard's  army  was  so  well  (lisi-iplinecl  and 
ji)  "ill  piiivid(!(l,  thai  before  Douglas  eoiild  marcli  into  Nortliuinberland 
liij  iiliiii  iif  (ipcratitins  was  changed,  by  the  inforinatlon  of  Sir  William 
Kciih  iiciiijc  reduced  to  such  exireniity,  that  he  had  cngagcu  to  surrender 
Uinvick  sliould  no  relief  reach  him  wiihin  a  few  days.  Douglas  marelicd 
loihcrt'liff  of  tli:'t  imporiant  place,  and  in  a  general  a(!tion  that  ensued  the 
gi,i,ls  were  utterly  defeated,  with  a  loss  of  nearly  thirty  thousand  men. 
The  IlMKlifh  loss  was  certainly  very  trilling;  yet  wc  cannot  wilhont  eon- 
v,kral)l"  licsiiatiou  adopt  the  aeeounis  wliieh  concur  in  assuring  us  that 
llii' liiliil  I''Mglis!i  loss  amounted  to  thirteen  soldiers,  one  esquire,  and  one 
liiiiiht;  a  loss  which  can  only  be  imagined  i)y  considering  that  battle  to 
liiu'  l)ix'ii  liiiie  better  than  a  disorderly  (light  on  the  one  part  and  a  uiur- 
(lirou-i  pursuii  on  the  other. 

\s  the  lesult  of  this  battle,  Scotland  was  again  apparently  submissive 
lolliiiol.  lie  was  acknowledged  as  king  by  the  Scottish  parliament, and 
he  and  many  of  the  Scottish  nobles  did  homage  to  Kdward,  who  then  re- 
),iriiP(l  10  Mngland,  leaving  a  detachmeat  to  support  Baliol.  As  long  as 
lliis  (Iciaclnneut  remained  Haliol  was  nu)st  submissively,  not  to  say  ser- 
vildv  I'hcyed  by  the  Scots,  even  when  lie  s-timg  their  national  pride  full 
J(i|ily  liy  ceding  iu  perpetuity  to  Knghmd,  llerwick,  Dunbar,  Roxburgh, 
tiiiiliiiigh.and  ttie  whole  of  the  sonih-easlern  eountirs  of  Scotland.  But 
3<siM)nas  U  iliol,  consid(!ring  himself  safe,  and  perhaps  being  seriously 
;;ii(ii:veiiiiMiced  by  the  expense  of  kee|)ing  them,  scut  away  his  English 
nit'KMMUirics,  (he  Scots  again  rose  against  him,  and  after  a  variety  ot 
jiniL'L'Ics  liftween  him  and  Sir  Andrew  Murray,  who  acted  as  regent  in 
tili.ilf  i>f  lh(!  absent  David  Bruce,  lialinl  was  once  more  chased  from  ali 
i!i;l  ill'  foiully  iinagined  he  had  j)ermanently  conquered  for  himself  or 
Kiiijliiiih 

A,  p.  ID,'!").— Edward  again  marched  to  chastise  and  subject  the  Scots, 
uliii  ahmiiloned  or  ilestroyed  their  homes  and  sought  shelter  in  their 
iiiiMiiuiiin  fastnesses,  but  only  to  return  again  the  moment  that  he  had 
riiiri'il.  In  this  obslinattdy  patriotic  coiu'se  the  Scots  weru  greatly  en- 
ivurigcd  liy  Kd ward's  position  with  regard  to  France.  He  had  for  years 
hill  an  uiifouiuk'd  claim  to  the  sovereignty  of  that  country,  and  thougli 
lii'liaJoM  one  occasion  in  the  most  distinct  terms  recogniscid  Philip's 
riL'lit,  ;iiiil  (lone  homage  to  him  for  his  lauds  there  held,  the  encourage- 
Hunt  of  Robert  d'Artois  and  the  concurrence  of  Edward's  father-in-law, 
ihc iniiiit  of  Hainault,  the  duke  of  Brabant,  the  archbishop  of  Cologne, 
?!.il  several  other  sovereign  princes,  had  induced  Edward  to  persevere  in 
a  claim  which  was  opposed  to  common  sense,  and  plainly  coiitradict- 
fl  by  his  own  deliberate  act  and  (IcimI,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of 
aiiiiitiial  hatred  whi(di  has  oidy  completely  subsided  within  the  memory 
of  men  who  as  yet  arc  but  young.  He  pretended  that  he  ought  to  suc- 
ci'cl  in  right  of  his  mother  Is.ibella,  though  Isabella  herself  was  legally 
ami  fiirmally  excliuled  from  succeeding;  he  was  thus  guilty  of  the  special 
a!i5iii(!ily  (if  claiming  to  inherit  from  a  woman  a  crown  to  which  a  woincUi 
roiilil  nut  succeed — and  he  could  only  support  that  special  absurdity  u[)on 
a;;riit  ral  |iriiicipli!— that  of  the  natural  right  of  women  to  succeed  being 
wlmlly  iiiiicfeisible  by  special  regulation ;  and  in  that  case  each  of  Iha 
thri'P  last  kings  had  left  daughters  whose  right  upon  that  general  priii- 
cijilc  wiuilil  take  precedence  to  his!  And  yet  such  a  monstrous  absurdity 
of  assumption  found  friends,  and  caused  rivers  of  the  best  blood  of  both 
iiaiidiis  to  be  shed  iu  fierce  conflict ! 

Til  all  his  other  abettors  in  this  really  ridiculous  as  well  as  unjust  claim, 
was  iiuw  adde.l  the  well  known  Elcmish  demagogue  James  d'Areteveldt, 
abnwcr  of  GheiM,  who  had  reached  to  so  despotii;  a  power  over  his  fel- 
.ow-cilizeus,  that,  after  exciting  them  to  furious  resistance  against  Micir 


J' 


f-. 


IMW 


f 

t 

■Ti-iiff-itV     '"■ 


I!    I 


fl4 


TUB  TIIEASUIIY  OF  HISTOllY. 


jl'i 


legilimato  sovrroijrns,  lio  liimsdf  could  fill  all  llio  oilier  towns  of  Flandnn 
with  hi?*  adroit  iiiid  iiiipriiiciplrd  spies,  niid  could  put  down  jili  cliain'cuf 
opposjiioii  in  (ihcnt  itself  hy  the  simple  process  of  ordering  llie  opiioni,,,. 
to  be  butchered — and  he  was  b'llchered  without  remorse  "or  (|il;iy.  -n 
this  deniiijfogun  Hdward  had  no  didlculty  in  rceoinniendiiig  liinisilf-  f,,, 
v/itli  the  servility  that  ever  accompanies  the  and)iiiiin  of  such  nini'  ilin 
dcmagojjue,  wlio  'letestcd  Ins  natural  superiors,  was  in  a  perfrci  iluiiirof 
gratified  vanity  at  being  solicited  by  a  powerful  foreign  nioiiardi,  hikI  jn. 
vilcd  Kdward  to  make  the  Low  Countries  his  'vantan(!  point'  iicumst 
France  ;  suggesting  to  him  that,  to  prevent  the  Flemiiig>i  from  liavinir  imy 
scruple  about  aiding  him,  he  should  claim  their  aid,  as  ri|;iiif(il  knu-ol 
Franco,  in  dethroninn  tin-  usurper,  Philip  of  Valoin  ;  that  nswi/irr"  lo 
whom,  both  peisonaliy  and  by  a  formal  written  deed,  he  had  done  iioin'u'e 
and  owned  fealty  !  " 

The  king  of  l-'rancc  was  greatly  aided  by  tlie  influenco  of  the  pope,  who 
at  tins  time  resided  at  Avignon,  and  was  (o  a  cimsiderahle  exunt  i]p. 
pendent  upon  I'hilip  ;  the  king  of  Navarre,  the  duke  of  Uriltaiiy,  iIh>  kuiu 
of  IJohemia,  the  bishop  of  I.iegc-,  and  numerous  oilier  pnwerliil  iillii' 
tendered  their  aid  to  Philip,  as  being  really  interested  for  him  ;  wiijlc  |;j.' 
ward's  allies,  looking  only  to  what  they  c(Mild  get  of  the  large  sums  \\v.\\:\i 
wrung  from  liis  people  for  this  unjustifiable  enterprise,  were  slow  iiiid  culj 
in  theirs. 

A.  D.  l.'!39. — After  much  dinicnlly  in  keeping  his  hopeful  alli<'s  evoiup. 

farently  to  their  faith,  and  after  having  his  pretensions  to  the  crown o| 
'ranee  very  acciiraiely  [)ronomiced  upon  by  two  of  those  allies,  the  ((nn;) 
of  Nainur  and  thi!  count  of  Hainault— who  succeeded  his  fatliir  iind  Ki!- 
ward's  father-in-law  in  the  interval  between  the  old  count  joining  i;; 
Kdward's  scheme  and  thi"  actu;il  eommencement  of  <)|)eraiii)iis— the  iwo 
counts  in  (jiesiion  abandoning  I'.dward  solely  on  tin-  plea  that  I'liilip  wiis 
ihcjr  lir<<e  (ird,  against  whom  Ihey  as  vassals  could  not  fight,  llilniinl  i;i 
camped  near  Capello  with  an  army  of  nearly  ■'JO, 000,  tlnr  majority  of  whoin 
were  foreign  mercenaries.  Philip  advanced  towards  tlie  same  spot  wiih 
nearly  a  hundred  llionsand  of  his  own  subjects;  but,  al'ter  simply  ir;izi:iu 
at  each  other  for  a  few  days,  these  mighty  armies  separated  \viiliiiiit!i 
blow,  Kdward  inarching  Isis  mercenaries  back  into  Flanders  and  ilnre 
disbaniling  them.  In  this  hiilierlo  bloiuilcss  and  miproduclivc!  conn  >,t  Ei]. 
ward  had  not  only  expemled  all  the  large  sum  granted  by  his  peopli'.  iiml 
pawned  fiverytbing  of  valiit;  that  Ik;  could  [)awii,  even  to  the  ji-welsnf  Ins 
queen,  but  he  had  also  coiitracled  debts  to  the  frightful  amount  of  C.IOOooo, 
and  probably  it  was  the  very  vastness  of  the  sacrifii-e  he  had  made  ili;!i 
determined  him  to  persevere  in  a  demand,  of  the  injustice  of  wliii.hLt 
must  have  been  coiisi-ions  from  the  very  outset.  Aware  that  lie  Imd  un- 
mercifully pressed  uptm  the  means  of  his  subjects,  and  finding  llml  tliey 
were  daify  growing  more  and  more  im[v»tieiit  of  his  demaiiiis,  I'Mwaril 
now  relmiied  to  England  and  ofi'ered  his  ijarliament  a  full  and  iie«-  lUii- 
firmation  of  the  two  charters  and  of  the  privileges  of  boroughs,  a  [)aiiluii 
for  old  dfhts  and  trespasses,  and  a  reform  of  certain  abuses  in  the  chiiimich 
law.  'I'lie  first  of  these  the  king  ought  to  have  been  asliained  to  cdiifcss 
to  be  nec(!ssary.  l*ut  public  spirit  and  the  control  of  parliament  over  the 
royal  expenditure  were  as  yet  only  in  their  infancy,  and  tlu;  whole  con- 
cessions were  deemed  so  valuable,  that  the  parliament  in  return  graiiifJ 
the  king — from  the  barons  and  knights,  the  ninth  sheep,  fleece,  and  lamb 
from  their  estates  for  two  years;  from  the  burgesses,  a  iiiiilh  of  llit.' 
whole  moveables  at  their  real  value;  and  from  tin?  wiiole  pailiainiiil,  a 
duty  of  forty  shilling-"  «n.  1st.,  each  three  hundred  wool  fidls,  and  '.'J., 
each  last  of  leather,  also  for  t\<'i  years.  It  was  expressly  stated  that  this 
grant  wtis  not  to  be  drawn  into  a  nrecedent;  but  as  the  kiiif^'s  ncccssiiiP! 
were  great,  it  was  additionally  detLiniined  that  twenty  thousand  sacks ol 


wr»i  should  iinmc(h 
fruiii  llic  iiiiitlis  whi( 
till'  p.niianiiMit  of  lOi 
ili»i;'ii  upon  France, 
as  kill),' of  Kiigland, 
tiij  iiiiiqiicniig  the  I 
(jintiiiL'i  Iroin  and  iiidi 
fM>fiil  it  certainly  w 
ttuiiM  Ikivc  pit. vented 
iiij  iiiii  scat  of  govcn 
(iiitiMiiid  treasury. 

A.D.  I.IJO.  — Philip  I 

aiil  udicii  Fihvard  at  i 
vrssi'ls,  lie  was  eiicoi'i 
drril  vessels,  carryini 
Kiiijlisli  u'us  at  iho  vt-i 
ii;iv,il  coininaiidcrs,  w 
Miiiii(,'c  of  lighting  w 
plico  so  near  Fland'fs 
llic  n'siiil  of  the  eb'ti 
llii-  It»iicIi,  with  the  1 
lliiiiis.iiid  ineii,  iiicludii 
IJhvard,  whove  loss 
llic  fiDiii'i.'rs  of  Franc 
'fLi'Mt  ivi'ii'irh  having 
ii;  luil'crt  d'Arlois,  i 
■:ii,l  'ii'L";  to  St.  Oiners 
wiscliiftly  composed  ( 
in  H'.ir  (ir  in  love  with  i 
OMhis  doughty  army  to 
bravp  ciiiiiinandcr, 

Ivhvard's  suhsetjuciit 
frcctly  di-.lressed  Tour 
li.'i't'vcn  111  ilii;  way  o 
L\  lii'iiiiglil  some  lie 
i.iM'iiriK'sc,  and  only  .•, 
o;i  llic  other  hand,  suj 
iWnly  unable  lo  meet 
IriiiT,  lliciTl'ore,  »vas  v 
ilwiliitu  stealih  return 
aii(l:iilnbiitiiig  it  eliici]^ 
hull,  Ivdwai'd  nil  sooner 
up'iii  Ins  priiicijial  aWh 
Miji'  III  tile  case  of  ,S| 
(liv(ih't-i|  t|„.  (Iiin.nilt 
fMiilcd  hy  the  parliai 
l""lli  .slieaf,  lamb,  and  ( 
it'li'd  with  unusual  sh 
"isilulennined  to  veu 
"ic  privy  seal,  .Sir  Johi 
tliHiisliopsof  Clijclu;st 
fci-hiip  of  Canterbury 
ausnii  from  London  oi 
».  t>.  l-i4I.~Archbisl, 
in  his  duty  from  the  no 
li"iii''il  before   llie  uiij 
oriiicoas  Kdward;  aiid 
«ilh  the  other  great  oi} 


*•  ^m. 


•"ry.  T.IBASURY  OK  HISTORY. 


3ia 


»o)i  slioiilil  immedn'fl'y  Ir)  put  ;il  his  disposal,  llio  valno  lo  hw  dcdiiclcd 
»  ,„  jlif  iiiiillis  wliicli  WDithi  of  iH'ccs  iiy  coino  111  more  slowly.  Wliilc 
llic  |)iniiiii'"'"' "'  l'^'')il"i'(l  acted  itiu-,  liluirally  i,i  lorwardiiiir  I'Mwaril's 
jtsi'ii  iipoii  l''niiice,  liH'y  made  a  iDnnal  ileclaralioii  thai  llicy  auli-d  liim 
as  Itmi:  |>I  l'<iiyl;ii"Ji  !ii"'  ""'  ''*'  kiiii;  of  France,  and  llial  in  llic  event  o/ 
Ilia  lUiiqiiLiiiiy;  111"  I'llter  country,  ilio  former  imiHt  ever  remain  wliolly 
d,siiiict  iroiii  and  indepenileisl  of  ilio  latter.  Hut  liad  Kdward  lieen  suc- 
cissfiil  It  tx'rlaiiily  would  not  iiave  been  this  haio  and  idle  protest  thai 
ttiiiiM  li  ive  pii  vented  so  resolute  and  self-willed  a  monarch  froai  reinov. 
iit'T  lilt:  seat  of  govci'iiinunt  to  France,  and  making  Kn^rjand  a.  lucru  pro- 
,i'a'  iiii'l  inMsin-y. 

A,  D.  l.'MO.— I'liilip  kept  a  watchful  cyo  upon  tlin  Knijlish  movfMiients, 
aiilwlicii  I'ldwurd  at  length  sailed  with  a  lleel  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
vfssils,  lie  was  ein'Oi'iitercd  off  Sluys  hy  a  Frencli  licet  of  nearly  four  Imn- 
ilinl  vessels,  carrying  forty  thousand  men.  The  inferior  force  of  tho 
Kiii'lisli  was  at  liie  vt-ry  outset  fully  compensated  for  by  the  skill  of  their 
iiiul  tiMiiinanders,  who  got  th(i  weatlier-gai,'(>  of  the  enemy,  and  IIks  ad- 
vaiiuijje  of  liglitmg  with  the  sun  to  their  hacks;  while  the  actiim  taking 
pUce  so  near  Flanil'rs,  the  Fleinin;js  hastened  out  to  join  the  English,  and 
iIr' r('^^lllt  of  the  ch-'tinate  and  sanguinary  action  was  the  total  defeat  of 
the  Ir'ncli,  with  the  loss  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  vessels  and  thirty 
ihiiiiviiul  men,  including  two  of  their  admirals. 

luhvard,  who-o  loss  had  beiiii  coin[)arative|y  triHing,  now  marched  lo 
llip  fiiiiii'iTs  of  France  with  an  army  a  hundred  ihonsaiid  strong,  his 
•diMt  iviuinph  having  caused  a  host  of  foreigners  to  join  him  on  his  land- 
11.1  lliit'ert  d'Artiiis,  in  the  hope  of  corroborating  the  success  of  Ivl  ward, 
';ii,!fH'jc  to  St.  Outers.  Hut  ihongh  his  force  numbered  .'JO, 000  men,  it 
wisi'liu'lly  composed  of  a  incie  rabble  of  •irlilicers,  so  liilli!  experienced 
i!i  Hiir  iir  III  love  with  its  perils,  that  a  sally  of  the  garrison  put  the  whole 
01  this  doughty  army  to  (light,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  its  really  able  uud 
bnvr  commander. 

Ivhvard's  subsecpient  oi)erations  worn  by  no  means  so  successful.  He 
pn  illy  (li->ti-essed  rouniay,  indeed,  and  he  siilVered  no  very  great  advaii- 
ii^ffvt'ii  in  till.'  way  of  m.iiia'uvre  to  be  gamed  by  the  French;  but  {^very 
(iiV  liroiiglit  soiiK!  new  proof  that  his  very  allies  were;  at  heart  hostile  to 
l,i>|)iir|nisc,  aiidoiily  supported  him  in  llieir  own  greeiliness  of  gam  ;  while, 
oil  ilKMitlier  hand,  supplies  arrived  so  slowly  from  Hnglan  1,  that  In;  was 
iriirly  unable  lo  ine<'t  llie  clamorous  demands  of  his  creditors.  A  long 
liiii'i',  llii'rcl'ore,  was  very  gladly  .i^reed  to  by  liitn.  and  he  hastily  and  by 
ibsiijiile  stealth  returned  to  Fiigland.  Annoyed  at  his  want  of  success, 
awliinnhiilnig  it  <:liictly  to  the  slowness  wiili  which  supplies  had  r(!atdied 
hiiii,  I'libvard  no  sooner  arrived  in  i'lnglaiid  than  he  began  to  ve-nt  Ins  anger 
upiiii  liis  princijial  ollict.'rs;  and  hi;  with  great  iin()olicy  showed  esp^:(dal 
r;i);i' ill  ilit;  case  of  Str.ill'onl,  aridihishop  of  Canterbury,  upon  wlmm  had 
(liviilvcd  the  diirictill  and  not  very  ple.isant  task  of  realising  the  taxes 
gfiiiUed  by  the  parliamiMit.  It  was  in  vain  lo  urge  to  ICdvvaril  that  the 
iiiiiili  sheaf,  lamb,  and  fleece,  being  unusual  taxes,  were  necessarily  col- 
Ititcil  with  unusual  slowness  ;  he  was  enraged  at  his  own  ill  success,  and 
ttiisilL'lenuined  to  vent  it  upon  his  oll'icers;  Sir  .lohn  St.  I'aul,  keeper  of 
lb('|irivy  seal,  .Sir  Jidiii  Stoner,  chief  justice,  the  Mayor  of  liondon,  and 
tilt  lusliops  of  Chichester  and  Lil('bli(dd,  were  imprisimed  ;  and  iho  arcll- 
bhliiip  of  (-'aiiterbury  only  escaped  iho  like  indignity  by  chancing  lo  be 
abni'iii  I'roin  London  on  Kdwanrs  arrival. 

A.  i>.  l.!41.— Archbishop  Stratford,  who  really  scotns  only  to  have  failed 
in  Ins  limy  from  the  novil  and  diincull  nature  of  it,  wiis  not  of  a  temper 
lu  i]iiiiil  before  tilt;  unjust  anger  even  of  so  powerful  and  passionate  a 
ormw;  ;is  Fdward;  and  on  le.irning  to  what  lengths  tho  king  had  gone 
»itii  ll;u  other  great  olficers  <if  stale,  the  archbishop  issued  a  general  se;i. 


WW 


im 


316 


THE  TllEASUIlY  OF  HI3T0IIY 


tencc  of  cxcommuiiiciUioii  against  all  wtio  slioulJ  assail  the  clergy  eiihci 
id  person  or  propcity,  infnnyo  the  privileges  bccurud  to  lliurn  hy  ii.j 
ecclcsiaslicil  'juiioiis  and  by  the  great  charter,  or  accuse  a  prtluie  ol 
treason  or  any  oi'ier  crime  to  hriiiy  him  under  the  king's  displeasun' 
Nor  did  the  bold  and  somewhat  arrogant  archbishop  sloj)  even  iieio 
After  hnvingthus  generally  aimed  at  the  king's  conduct,  and  after  hiivnii 
taken  care  to  employ  the  clergy  in  painting  that  conduct  in  ihc  daikn't 
colours  to  the  people,  Stratford  per.^onally  addressed  a  letter  to  ihe  kini 
ill  which  he  asserted  the  superiority  of  the  clerical  to  the  civil  puwi'/ 
reminded  him  that  the  priesihood  were  answerable  at  the  divine  iribmni 
as  well  for  kings  as  for  siii)jecis,  and  were  the  s()irilual  faiiuirs  of  ij,,. 
former  as  of  the  latter,  and  were  therefore  manifestly  and  fully  eiuiili  J 
both  to  dirrcl  them  to  right  conduct  tiiid  to  censure  them  for  Iransgrcs- 
sioMS.  This  bold  and  unlimited  assertion  of  superiority  was  in  no  wise 
calculated  to  soothe  Edward's  irritation,  and  he  marked  his  sense  of  ijiiu;. 
ford's  condiKt  by  sending  him  no  summons  to  attend  the  parliament,  lint 
the  ar(;libisliop,  attended  by  a  uumerous  and  imposing  train  of  pttr- 
spiritual  and  temporal,  [iresented  iiimself,  crosier  in  hand  and  in  full  [juii- 
tificals,  and  demanded  admission.  For  two  days  the  king  refused  to  ndimi 
him;  but  at  lenaih,  fe.iring  the  coiiseijucnces  (»f  too  compli'tc  a  bruiuli 
with  the  ecclesiastical  power,  he  not  only  j)tMaiiilted  him  to  take  his  scat 
in  parliament,  but  also  restored  liim  to  his  fonncr  high  oflii'e. 

'I'lie  maxim  of  the  ICnglish  parliament  secMiis  at  that  time  to  have  bem, 
that  tlu;  necessity  of  the  king  should  be  made  the  advaiitaiie  of  iliu  sub- 
ject. 'I'iie  close  restrictions  wh  ch  had  been  laid  upon  Henry  111.  ai:J 
Edward  II.  W(Te  now,  as  far  as  was  deemed  safe,  made  the  b.isis  uf  ue 

Iiarliameiit's  dema'ids  upon  IvJwanl  111.  for  (!onci  ssions  to  be  gr.iiilijd  by 
lim  in  return  for  a  grant  of  twenty  ihousaiid  sacks  of  wool.  Edward  wjj 
BO  pressed  by  his  creditors,  that  he  was  obliged  to  comply  with  the  tcniis, 
hard  as  they  were;  but  as  soim  as  his  necessilie.-,  heeanie  soiiiL'uii;ii 
mitigated  he  rt.'voked  all  th.it  he  deemed  olfeiisive,  alledgiiig  that  Ikmvis 
advised  to  do  so  by  some  of  his  barons,  and  that  in  originally  inakiii^r  sui.h 
concessions  he  had  uixsc/n/ilvd  ,i\u\  had  made  them  with  a  .sec/t/ pioiist 
A  most  dishonest  |ilea  in  itself,  and  one  which,  it  is  obvious,  wiiiilil,i[ 
alloweil,  render  all  Uie  most  solemn  public  engagements  mere  deccplioiis 
atid  mockeries. 

A.  r>.  1.34J. — Dissensions  in  Brittany  led  to  a  state  of  affairs  which  re- 
vived ICdward's  expiring  hope  of  conquering  ('"ranee.  lie  accordiiiyy 
sent  a  strong  fleet  and  army  thither  to  the  aid  of  the  countess  of  Mouiii- 
fori,  who  was  besieged  by  (Miarles  of  Blois.  Robert  d'Arlois,  wliotmn- 
nianded  this  li>ri'(!,  fought  a  succc'ssful  ai'tion  with  the  French,  and  landed 
Iii.s  troojis  ill  llriltany.  He  l.iid  siege  to  Valines  and  took  it,  but  sliurdy 
afterwards  died  of  a  wound  received  at  the  retaking  of  that  place  Ly  a 
party  of  Breton  nobles  of  the  faction  of  (/'liarles.  Deprived  of  the  services 
of  Kobert,  upon  whose  ability  and  valour  Edward  had  great  rchaiic, he 
now  determined  to  proceed  m  person  to  the  aid  <if  the  countess,  lie 
truce  between  England  and  iVance  had  expired,  and  the  war  was  opciiiy 
and  avowedly  to  he  carried  on  between  these  two  powers,  which  for  siiiiie 
lime  had  really  been  breaking  their  truce  in  the  ciiaracler  of  partisans  to 
the  respective  coiii|)clitors  for  the  duchy  of  Brittany.  H.iviiig  lamlcJ 
near  Vannes  with  an  army  of  twelve  thousand  men,  Edwanl,  aii.xiinisio 
make  some  iiiiportant  impression,  and  greatly  overrating  his  iiiimiisuI 
doing  so,  siniultaiieously  eomiiK'nced  three  sieges;  of  Valines,  of  lien- 
nee,  and  of  Nantes.  As  might  have  been  t'xpected,  hut  little  |)rogrt'.ss  v-.ia 
made  by  a  small  force  thus  divided.  Even  the  chief  siege,  of  Viiiiiirs 
Ihul  wa.s  cimdiK^ed  by  Edward  in  person,  was  a  failure  :  and  Edwuni  »ai 
at  length  obliged  to  eoncenirate  all  his  iroops  in  that  iieighliouiluiinl, oil 
accuu.il  of  the  approach  of  Philip'd  eldest  sun,  the  duke  of  Nuniiaiitlif 


cp'htiible  stral; 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


317 


ffitli  an  army  of  thirty  tlioiisand  foot  and  four  lliousand  horse.  I'dward 
,ii.iiii(r|y  ciitrciiclieJ  himself;  bin  he  soon  bocanic  so  distressed  for  pro- 
vsiui's.  wliilo  his  antagonists,  bolh  of  the  fortress  and  the  army,  wcro 
v.lII  lad  fully  supplied,  lliat  he  was  {jlad  to  eiiler  into  a  Irui-o  of  three 
vVir'*,  and  consent  to  Vannes  remaining  in  the  hands  of  the  pope's  legate, 
uiio  iieS"''^"^''  ""^  truce,  and  all  the  other  sirong-holds  of  IJriitany  to  re- 
nmii  ii^tlic  hands  of  those  who  then  held  them.  Edward  returned  to 
Iji^iii'l,  and  thongli  he  had  made  a  truce  for  the  long  term  of  three  years, 
Ills  quite  clear  from  his  conduct  that  he  merely  did  so  to  extricate  him- 
filfiiiid  iiis  followers  from  actual  capture.  lie  made  complaints  of  a  vir- 
lail  breach  of  the  treaty  liy  the  punishment  of  certain  Breton  nobles  who 
Bvro  partisans  of  England  ;  and  the  parliament,  adopting  his  views, 
Fraitcd  liini  a  fifteenth  from  the  counties,  and  a  tenth  from  the  boroughs 
for  two  years,  to  which  the  clergy  addend  a  tenth  for  three  years.  Henry 
ciilof  Derby,  son  of  the  earl  of  Lancaster  and  cousin  of  the  king,  was 
noiv  sent  with  a  force  into  (Juienne  ;  and  having  beaten  off  all  assailants 
f'om  that  province,  he  followed  the  count  of  Lisle,  the  French  general,  to 
BiTi'-'rac,  beat  him  from  his  entrenchments,  and  took  the  place.  lie 
ai;cnvards  subjected  a  great  part  of  Perigord  ;  and  the  count  of  Lisle, 
l.iniij,' re-collected  and  reinforced  his  troops,  attempted  to  recapture  Au- 
fceroche,  when  the  earl,  at  the  head  of  1,000  horse,  surprised  him,  com- 
p'.c'.cly  rnnted  his  force,  and  took  him  prisoner. 

A.  n.  ini.O.— After  this  the  earl  made  a  most  rapid  series  of  conquests 
ri  the  side  of  Guiennc,  partly  owing  to  the  general  discontent  of  the 
French  at  some  new  taxes,  especially  one  on  salt,  which  Philip's  ncccs- 
ii.ics  had  compelled  him  to  lay  upon  his  peo[)le. 

A.D.  I.IKJ. — As  soon  as  Philip's  finances  became  in  better  order,  vast 
pri'piirations  were  made  l)y  ttio  French  to  change  the  aspect  of  afTair.s.  A 
\irys[ilendid  army  was  led  towards  (iiiienne  i)y  the  dukes  of  Normandy 
nd  Hurgundy,  and  oliiers  of  the  chief  nol)les  of  France  ;  and  the  earl  of 
Ilirliy  fuund  his  force  so  inadequate,  that  lie  was  compelled  strictly  to 
ci'iiliiie  his  movements  to  the  defensive.  The  French  army,  therefore, 
ui,  Ifftfnll  opportunity  to  lay  siege  to  Angoideme,  and  they  itivesti^d  it 
foilosciy,  tint  Lord  Norwi(!h,  th(!  gallant  Fnglish  governor,  was  reduced 
tjilii;  most  painful  extremities.  I)(;s[)airingof  relief  and  unwilling  to  sur- 
viA'r  liiinsi.'lf  and  troops  as  prisoners,  he  had  recourse  to  a  not  very 
cpiiitiilile  stratagem,  which,  moreover,  was  only  successful  in  conse- 
(Uiiiec  of  the  rigid  honour  of  the  duke  of  Norniamly.  Desiring  a  confer- 
eiite  with  that  noble  leader.  Lord  Norwich  proposed  a  cessation  of  arms 
firtlie  following  day,  which,  as  being  the  feast  of  the  Virgin,  he  professed 
a  ili^hke  to  desecrating.  The  cessation  of  arms  being  agreed  to.  Lord 
N'lrwich  marched  his  troops  through  the  beleaguered  city,  and,  as  he 
wi-!icd  to  pass  through  tlie  French  lines,  gent  a  messenger  to  remind  the 
ailio  of  the  existing  truce.  "  I  see  the  ffovemnr  has  outwitted  me"  was  the 
n!j!c  reply  of  the  duke,  who  allowed  the  Knglish  to  pass  without  annoy- 
£.:«',  and  contented  himself  with  obtaining  possession  of  the  place. 

Wliile  these  and  minor  transaclions  were  passing  in  France,  I'^dward 
tivi  been  engaged  in  Kngland  in  preparing  a  splendid  expedition  with 
winch  he  and  his  son  tlie  prince  of  Wales,  now  about  fifteen  years  of  age, 
£'.  length  set  sail  from  Southampton.  The  original  dc-stination  of  this  ex- 
rHiiiun,  which  amounted  to  nearly  a  tliousand  sail,  was  (luienne;  but 
tontrnry  winds  prevailing  for  some  time,  Edward  listened  to  the  advice  of 
fHolTrey  d'Marconrt,  and  resolved  to  make  a  descent  upon  Normandy,  the 
r:rh  fields  of  which  would  supply  his  army,  while  the  very  proximity  to 
l!>c  capital  would  render  any  impression  made  there  of  proportionate  im- 
parlance. This  determination  made  Edward  speedily  disembark  at  La 
Ik'gue,  with  four  thousand  English  men-at-arms  and  ten  thousand  archers, 
loguther  with  ten  thousand  Welsh  and  six  tliousand  Irish  infantry,  who. 


, ; 


mm. 


.-.     f 


j  "ii 

lilrlti^f  if  ' 


W 


318 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTOHY 


if  not  very  important  in  actual  line  of  iiattle,  were  admirably  adapted  ' 
quality  of  foragers  and  scouts,  to  bo  serviceable  to  their  own  force  aiI5 
most  mischievous  to  the  enemy. 


'Orce  and 


Havin{r  destroyed  tlie  shipping  in  La  Hogue,  Cherbourg,  and  Barfleur 
Edward,  wlio  on  landing  iiad  kniglited  his  son  Edward  and  some  of  ii ' 
young  nobility,  dispersed  all  his  lighter  and  more  disorderly  troops  M 
over  t!ie  country,  with  orders  to  plunder  and  destroy,  without  oilier  res 
triction  than  that  they  should  return  to  their  camp  by  night.  The  efTect" 
of  this  order  was  to  spread  the  utmost  consternation  not  only  all  over  ihe 
province,  but  even  to  Paris  itself;  and  as  Caen  seemed  most  likely  lobe 
the  next  objectof  Ed  ward's  enterprise,  the  Count  d'Eu,conEtableof  I'rmn.p 
and  the  count  of  Tancarville  were  dispatched  with  an  army  to  its  defence' 
As  had  been  foreseen,  Edward  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  attack 
so  rich  a  place  ;  and  the  inhabitants,  encouraged  by  the  presence  of  roc 
ular  troops,  joined  them  in  advancing  against  the  English.  Hut  the  zeal 
of  these  civilians  gave  way  at  the  very  first  shock  of  battle,  the  troops 
were  swept  along  with  them,  both  the  counts  were  taken  prisoners,  aiid 
the  conquering  troops  entered  and  plundered  the  city  with  every  tireum. 
stance  of  rage  and  violence.  The  unhappy  people  sought  to  proerastj. 
nate  their  doom  by  barricading  their  houses  and  assailing  the  Eiiglish  wiih 
missiles  from  the  windows  and  house-tops,  and  the  soldiers,  eliraocd  at 
this  more  insulting  than  injurious  opposition,  set  fire  to  two  or°thrfe 
houses  in  various  parts  of  the  town.  But  Edward,  alarmed  lest  the  spoil 
should  thus  be  lost,  slopped  the  violence  of  liis  troops,  and,  havin^j  made 
the  inhabitants  give  up  ttiiMr  vain  resistance,  allowed  liis  soldiers  to  plun- 
der the  place  in  an  orderly  and  deliberate  way  for  three  days,  reserving 
to  himself  all  jewels,  plate, silk,  and  fine  linen  and  woolen  cloths.  Thcs' 
together  with  three  hundred  of  the  most  considerable  citizens  of  Caen 
he  sent  over  to  Kngland. 

Edward  now  marched  towards  Kouen,  where  he  expected  to  lia^ea 
similar  profitable  trimnph ;  but  finding  the  bridge  over  the  Seine  broken 
down,  and  the  king  of  France  in  person  awaiting  him  with  an  army,  he 
marched  towards  Paris,  plundering  and  committing  the  most  waiiioiidc 
slruction  on  the  road,  lie  had  intended  to  pass  the  Seine  at  Poissy,  but 
found  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  lined  with  the  French  troops,  ai;d 
that  and  all  the  neighbouring  bridges  broken  down.  15y  a  skilful  ma. 
ncGuvre  he  drew  the  French  from  Poissy,  returned  thither,  repaired  the 
bridge  with  wonderful  rapidity,  passed  over  with  his  whole  army,  and 
having  thus  disengaged  himself  from  danger,  set  out  by  hasty  nianhcs 
from  Flanders.  His  vaiiijnard  cut  to  pieces  the  citizens  of  Amiens,  who 
attempted  to  arrest  their  march;  but  when  the  English  reached  the 
Sonnne  they  found  themselves  as  ill  .situated  as  ever,  all  the  brid<,rcs  be- 
ing eiiher  broken  down  or  closely  guarded.  Ciuided  by  a  peasant,  Kdward 
found  a  ford  at  Abbeville,  led  his  army  over  sword  in  hand,  and  put  to 
fliglil  the  opposing  French  under  (lodemar  do  Faye,  the  main  body  of  the 
French,  under  their  king,  bi;ing  only  prevented  from  following  i;j\ard 
across  the  ford  by  the  rising  of  the  tide. 

After  this  narrow  escape,  Edward,  unwilling  to  expose  himself  to  the 
enemy's  superior  cavalry  force  in  the  open  plains  of  Picardy,  hailed  upon 
a  gi'utle  ascent  near  the  village  of  Crescy,  in  a  position  very  favoiaahle 
for  his  awaiting  the  approach  of  the  French.  Having  disposed  his  army 
in  three  lines,  Ik;  intrenched  his  fl;inks,  and  there  being  a  wood  in  liis  rear, 
in  that  he  placed  his  bagirage.  His  first  and  second  lines  he  eommitlcil 
to  the  yomig  prince  of  Wales,  with  the  earls  of  Warwick,  Oxford,  Arun- 
del, and  Northampton,  and  the  lords  (Jliandos,  Holhmd,  Willonghby,  liuss 
and  other  eminent  leaders  ;  while  the  third  line,  under  his  own  iniii.ediaie 
comnsand,  he  kept  back  as  a  corps  de  reserve,  cither  to  support  the  forinci 


J'l.'m  de  Vienne, 


fill 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


319 


nisrlf  tn  I'.ie 
iKilloil  upon 
y  I'livoufaMe 
nl  liis  nrmy 
1  ill  liis  ri'sr, 
le  commiticil 
)xf()rJ,  Arim- 
lusliby,  lt"ss 
iTii  imiLtnliiiH 
i-t  the  forinei 


two  if  boiiten  back,  or  to  improve  any  impression  that  they  might  make 
upiMi  the  enemy. 

Ill  ii(iditH)n  to  the  care  with  which  Eiward  had  secured  his  flanks  and 
reiir,  lie  pl-iced  in  iiis  front  some  cannon,  tlu.-n  newly  invented  and  never 
oeVre  used  to  any  extent  in  actual  baltlc.  His  opponent,  though  he  also 
i,o<st'sse(i  cannon,  had,  it  s'lould  seoin,  left  them  behind  in  his  hasty  and 
l,inoiis  iii:irch  from  Abbeville. 

I'liilip's  army  amounted  to  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men  ;  but 
tlic  superiority  of  the  Knglish  archers,  and  the  incdiciency  of  the  bovv- 
5iiiii:,'s  uf  the  archers  on  the  French  side,  from  their  not  having  been  se- 
cured against  rain,  caused  the  very  first  charge  to  be  injurious  to  this  vast 
and  luimiltuous  h.ost.  Young  Kdward  no  sooner  perceived  the  confusion 
lluit  'onk  place  in  the  crowded  ranks  of  his  enemy,  than  he  led  his  line 
iiciulily  into  the  mclce,  and  so  furious  was  the  combat,  that  the  earl  of 
\Vanvici<,  alari^ed  lest  the  gallant  young  prince  should  be  overpowered, 
sciu  to  the  king,  who  surveytjd  the  battle  from  a  neighbouring  hill,  and  in- 
Ircali'd  liiin  to  send  a  reinfoj'ceinent.  Learning  that  tiie  prince  was  not 
ivoiiiidcd,  the  king  said  in  reply  to  Warwick's  message,  "  Return  to  my 
joii.  ;ind  tell  him  lliat  I  reserve  the  honour  of  the  day  to  him  ;  I  am  confi- 
de:)! iliat  he  will  sliow  himself  worthy  of  the  honour  of  knightliood  which 
jgii  lately  conferred  upon  him.  He  will  be  able  to  repel  the  enemy  with- 
oiii  my  assistance." 

Tmi'  king  of  !•' ranee,  far  from  inactive,  did  his  utmost  to  sustain  the  first 
|i;ie  bv  that  which  was  under  his  own  command.  But  the  first  disadvan- 
tii,'('ci)ul(l  not  be  remedied,  and  the  slaughter  momentarily  became  greater. 
Piiilip  hail  already  had  one  horse  killed  under  him,  and,  being  re-inoiiiUed, 
wasagaiii  rushing  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  wiien  .lohn  of  Hainault 
«u/('d  the  bridle  and  literally  dragged  hitn  from  the  fi(!ld.  The  battle  was 
iiowclnnjed  into  a  compltMc!  rout,  and  the  vanquished  French  were  pursued 
8!ul  slan;,'htered  until  nightfall.     When  tlie  king  received  his  gallant  son, 

cnislieil  into  his  arms,  exclaiming,  ".My  brave  son,  persevere  in  your 
hi'iDurahle  course.  You  are  my  son  indeed,  for  valiantly  have  you  ac- 
q;;,'.!i  d  yoiusi'lf  to-day-     Yon  have  shown  yourself  worthy  of  empire." 

riie  loss  to  the  Frcticli  on  this  most  fatal  occasion  amounted  to  1200 
kiiiji'its,  1100  gentlemen,  4000  men-at-arms,  and  about  30,000  men  of  infe- 
r;!>rrank.  Among  the  slain  of  superior  rank,  wer(>  the  dukes  of  Lorraine 
aii'J  Hourbon,  the  earls  of  Flamlers,  Blois,  and  Vaudemont,  and  the  kings 
of  Majorca  and  Bohemia.  The  latter  king,  though  very  old  and  quite 
biiad,  woulil  not  be  dissuaded  from  taking  a  pi.'rsonal  part  in  the  battle,  but 
lii  1  his  liiiillc  fastened  to  these  of  (wo  attendants,  and  was  thus,  by  his 
OHM  order,  or  at  least  by  his  own  act,  led  to  perish  in  the  thickest  of  the 
lijlit.  His  crest  and  motto  were  a  triple  ostrich  plume  and  the  words  /cA 
ii'it,  I  serve,  which  were  adopted  by  the  prince  of  Wales,  and  have  been 
borne  by  all  his  successors,  in  memory  of  this  most  decisive  battle. 

Of  this  battle  we  may  remark  as  of  a  former  one,  that  it  seems  to  have 
bc'iiralhera  chase  murderously  followed  up;  for  while  the  French  lost  so 
aufiil  a  number  of  all  ranks. "the  Fnglish  lost  only  three  kr.ights,  one 
fSi|iiiie,  and  a  few  common  soldiers 

"reat  as  Fdward's  victory  was,  he  clearly  perceived  that  for  the  present 
many  cireiimstances  warned  him  to  limit  his  amhilion  to  capturing  some 
place  that  would  at  all  times  afford  him  a  ready  entrance  into  Franco  ;  and 
iciirdiiigly,  after  employing  a  few  days  in  burying  the  dead  and  resting 
lii'iiiiny,  he  presented  himscU'  before  Calais. 

Jehu  de  Vienne,  knight  of  Burgundy,  commanded  this  important  garri- 
siiii;  an  honour  which  he  owed  to  his  very  high  reputation  and  experience. 
He  WHS  well  supplied  with  means  of  defence;  and  Kdward  at  the  very 
oiiisd  determined  not  to  attempt  assault,  but  to  starve  this  important  gar- 
nsnu  into  submission.     He  accordingly  intrenched  the  whole  city  and 


M   L 


320 


THE  TttEASUttY  OF  HISTOEY. 


V^ 


.< 

"t 

1 

I 

t 

1 

w. 

formed  liis  camp,  causing  his  soldiers  to  raise  thatched  huts  fortheirpro 
tection  from  the  severity  of  the  weather  during  the  wintor.  De  Vieime 
jndjjing  what  was  Edward's  design,  sent  all  the  superfluous  hands  out  a 
the  city,  and,  to  the  iionour  of  ICdward  be  it  said,  he  not  only  let  the  lieJD. 
less  people  pass  through  his  lines,  but  even  supplied  t'  .in  with  money  [a 
aid  them  i')  seeking  some  other  place  of  refuge. 

During  twelve  months  Edward  was  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Calais  and 
the  earl  of  Derby  was  during  that  period  carrying  on  war  in  Guieime 
Poicters,  and  the  southern  provinces  of  France.  Charles  of  Blois  at  ihe 
same  time  invaded  Brittany,  and  laid  siege  to  the  castle  of  Rochelieda 
Rien,  where  he  was  attacl<ed  and  taken  prisoner  by  the  countess  of  Mom. 
fort.  While  she  and  her  rival  and  antagonist,  the  wife  of  Charles  de  Blois 
were  displaying  their  courage  and  talents  in  France,  King  Edward's  queen' 
Philippa,  was  still  more  importantly  exerting  herself  in  England.  The 
Scots  had  a  few  years  before  recalled  their  king,  David  Bruce,  and  though 
they  could  not  greatly  rely  upon  his  talent  or  prowess,  they  were  encour. 
aged  by  the  engagement  of  Edward  in  France  to  make  an  irruption  into  the 
northern  English  counties,  to  which  they  were  strongly  urged  by  thp;.(ne 
of  France,  who  in  all  his  truces  witli  Edward  had  shown  great  regard  for 
the  safety  a?:d  welfare  of  Scotland.  With  an  army  of  50,000  men  David 
Bruce  broke  into  Northumberland,  and  ravaged  and  devastated  the  coun. 
try  as  far  south  as  the  city  of  Durham.  Philippa,  doubly  indignant  that 
such  an  outrage  should  be  committed  during  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
got  together  an  army  of  only  about  12,000  men,  which  she  placed  under 
the  command  of  Lord  Piercy,  and  accompanied  it  and  him  to  Neville's 
Cross,  near  Durham.  Here  she  addressed  the  troops  in  a  very  spirited 
speech,  and  could  scarcely  be  persuaded  to  retire  even  when  the  battle 
actua'ly  commenced.  The  result  was  proportionate  to  the  gallantry  ol 
the  a'.tenipt.  The  Scots  were  completely  routed,  with  a  loss  of  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  thousand  killed,  among  whom  were  Keith,  the  earl  marshal,  and 
Sir  Thomas  Charteris,  the  chancellor ;  and  among  a  vast  number  of  prij. 
oners  were  David  Bruce  himself,  the  earls  of  Fife,  Sutherland,  Monteith, 
and  Carrick,  the  lord  Douglas,  and  many  nobles  of  less  note. 

Queen  Philippa,  after  lodging  her  important  prisoners  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  was  herself  tiie  bearer  of  the  news  to  Edward,  who  was  still  be- 
fore Calais,  where  she  was  received  with  all  the  applause  and  admiration 
due  to  her  gallant  and  more  than  womanly  devotion  under  circumstances 
80  diflicult. 

A.  D.  '347. — John  de  Vicnne  in  his  defence  of  Calais  had  well  justified 
his  sovereign's  choice  of  him.  But  as  Philip  had  in  vain  endeavoured  to 
relieve  him,  and  actual  famine  had  begun  its  dreadful  work  upon  the 
garrifon,  De  Vienne  now  offered  to  surrender,  on  condition  that  the  lives 
and  litjerties  of  his  brave  fellows  should  be  spared.  But  Edward  was  so 
irritated  by  the  very  gallantry  v/hich,  a"  De  Vienne  very  pertinently  ar- 
gued, he  would  have  expected  from  any  one  of  his  own  knights  under  sim- 
ilar circumstances,  that  he  at  first  would  hear  of  nothing  short  o.'  Ihe 
whole  garrison  surrendering  at  discretion ;  but  he  was  at  length  persua- 
ded to  alter  his  terms,  though  even  then  he  required  that  the  keys  of  tho 
place  should  be  delivered  to  him  by  si.v  of  the  principal  citizens,  bareheaded, 
and  with  ropes  upon  their  necks,  and  that,  as  the  price  of  the  safety  of 
the  garrison,  these  six  men  should  be  at  his  absolute  disposal  for  either 
life  or  death. 

To  send  six  men  to  what  seemed  certain  destruction  could  not  fail  lobe 
a  terrifying  proposition.  Tho  whole  garrison  was  in  dicmay  ;  but  Eustace 
St.  Pierre  nobly  volunteered;  his  example  was  followed  by  five  ottior  pa 
triots,  and  the  six  brave  men  appeared  in  the  prescribed  form  before  Ed 
ward,  who  only  spared  their  lives — e*  en  after  this  touching  proof  of  llieii 
excellence — at  the  entreaties  made  tv'  him  upon  her  knees  by  hisqiieem 
Philippa. 


Iieirpro 

Vieiine 

Is  out  ft 

Ihe  help, 
noney  to 

ilais,  and 
Guienue, 
ois  at  the 
)chelle  de 
i  of  Mom- 
3  de  Blois, 
d's  queen, 
jnd.    The 
nd  though 
re  encour. 
on  into  the 
)y  the  !.ing 
regard  for 
men  David 
1  the  coun- 
ignanl  that 
2r  husband, 
laced  under 
lo  Neville's 
ery  spirited 
n  the  battle 
gallantry  ol 
from  fifteen 
narshal,  and 
iber  of  pris- 
d,  Monteith, 


'^■'■"f'MffTf.    '    J. 


''1 


*i 


Ml  vi 


li  i< 


THE  TREA8UIIV  OF  HISTOIIY. 


321 


On  takiiiif  possession  of  Calais,  I'^dward  adopted  a  plan  far  more  politic 
than  any  inliiimaii  execution  of  brave  men  eouid  have  been ;  for,  consid- 
ering tha' every  Frenelnnan  must  needs  be  an  enemy  to  him,  lie  cleared 
tiiis  important  key  to  France  of  all  its  native  inhabitants,  and  made  it  o 
complete  English  colony. 

A.  D.  134!).— Kven  tiiis  politic  measure,  and  a  truce  which  now  existed 
between  France  and  England,  had  well  nijrh  failed  to  preserve  to  Edward 
this  only  valuable  fruit  of  all  his  expense  of  blood  and  treasure.  Me  en- 
trusted  tlio  governorship  of  Calais  to  a  native  of  Paris,  who  had  the  repu- 
tation of  bravery,  but  who  was  utterly  unrestrained  by  any  feeling  of  fidel- 
ity; and  tliis  man  volunteered  to  deliver  his  important  trust  to  Geoffrey 
de  Ciiarni,  the  commander  of  the  nearest  French  troops,  on  payment  ot 
twenty  thousand  crowns.  The  traitor  was  himself  betrayed  by  his  secre- 
tary, who  despatched  tidings  of  the  intended  treachery  in  time  to  enable 
Kdward,  with  Sir  Walter  Manny  and  the  prince  of  Wales,  to  reach  Calais 
with  a  thousand  men.  'l"hc  governor  was  secured  and  taxed  with  his 
crime;  and  easily  consented  as  the  price  of  bis  pardon,  to  lead  the  French 
into  tlie  ambush  prepared  for  them  by  Edward.  Tiie  French  appeared 
and  were  attacked  and  conquered.  Edward  himself  fought  as  a  mere  pri- 
vale  jreiitlemen,  and  was  twice  felled  to  t!ie  earth  by  his  gallant  antagonist, 
SirKustace  de  Uibaumont,  who  at  length  surrendered  to  him.  Those  of 
(he  Fieni'li  olTicers  who  were  ca).  .cd  were  treated  with  much  distinc- 
lionby  Fdward  and  his  heroic  son  ;  and  the  king  not  only  gave  Eustace 
de  Uibaumont  his  liberty  witiioul  ransom,  but  also  presented  hiin  with  a 
iiaiidsonu)  cliaplet  of  pearli,  wiiich  he  desired  him  to  wear  in  mcmorj'  of 
having  proved  tho  stoutest  kriight  with  whom  the  kingc  England  had  ever 
been  personally  engaged. 

Edward,  partly  in  conunemoration  of  his  toils  in  France  and  partly  to 
elevate  the  warlike  si)irit  among  his  nobles,  shortly  afterwards  estai)lish'^'1 
the  order  of  the  Garter;  an  order  which,  being  to  this  very  day  limited 
lo twenty-five  persons  beside  the  sovereign,  is  one  of  the  proudest  and 
most  envied  rewards  of  eminent  merit. 

A.  D.  1319. — This  year  deserves  especial  reni..rk  from  the  awful  pesti- 
lence which,  arising  in  the  East,  swept  with  fierce  and  destroying  power 
ihrou^di  Fngland,  as  through  all  the  rest  of  Eurojie,  carrying  otV on  an  ave- 
rage a  lull  third  of  the  population  of  every  country  in  which  it  made  its 
appearance. 

A.  D.  13J0. — The  miseries  inflicted  by  the  pestilence  U[)'mi  both  Franco 
and  England  tended  to  prolong  the  cessation  of  arms  beti-een  them  ;  but 
Charles,  king  of  Navarre,  surnamed,  very  a[)pr()priately,  the  fi'id,  caused 
mueh  bloodsiied  and  disturbance  in  France  ;  and  Edward,  at  length  wea- 
ried with  peace,  allied  himself  with  the  French  malcontents,  and  sent  an 
army  under  the  heroic  prince  of  Wales — who  was  now  generally  known 
by  the  title  of  the  Blac/c  Prince,  from  the  colour  of  his  armour — to  make 
ail  incursion  on  the  side  of  Giiienne,  while  he  himself  broke  in  on  the  side 
of  Calais. 

Each  of  these  incursions  was  productive  of  great  lo:ss  to  the  French, 
and  of  numerous  prisoners  and  much  spoil  to  the  English,  but  led  lo  no 
general  or  decisive  engagement ;  and  befori;  any  such  could  be  brought  on, 
Kdward  was  called  over  to  England  to  prepare  for  a  thrciv  ^ncd  invasion 
by  the  ^cots,  who  had  surprised  Berwick,  and  had  gathered  hiiarmy  there 
ready  to  fall  upon  the  north  of  England.  l?ut  at  Edward's  approach  they 
retired  to  the  mountains,  and  lie  marched  without  encountering  an  enemy 
from  Berwick  to  Edinburgh,  plundering  and  burning  at  every  step.  Haliol 
attended  Edward  on  this  occasion,  and  was  either  so  disgusted  with  the 
ruin  which  he  saw  indicted,  or  so  utterly  !i()p(  less  of  ever  establishing 
himself  npoii  the  Scottish  throne,  that  he  made  a  final  and  formal  icsigna- 
lion  of  his  pretensions,  in  exdiiautte  for  a  pension  of  two  thousand  pounds 
I.— 21 


3i.'2 


THE  TllEASiraY  OF  HISTORY. 


A.  D.  13.5G. — The  prince  of  Wales  in  the  meantime  iiad  penetrated  into 
tlic  very  heart  of  Friin(;e,  and  committed  incredible  havoc.  Having  only 
an  army  of  12,000  men,  most  of  whom  were  foreign  mercenaries,  lie  was 
anxious  to  march  into  Normandy,  and  forni  a  junction  with  the  kincofNa- 
varre  and  the  English  force  that  was  assisting  that  monarch,  iiMderlhe" 
command  of  the  earl  of  Lancaster ;  but  every  bridge  being  broken  down 
and  every  pass  guarded,  he  next  directed  his  march  towards  (Juieiine 
.lohn,  king  of  France,  who  had  succeeded  Philip  of  Valois,  thougli  a  tnild 
and  just  prince  was  a  very  brave  man;  and,  being  enraged  by  the  desttuc- 
lion  wrought  by  the  young  prince,  he  got  together  an  army  of  nearly 
60,000  men,  with  which  he  overtook  the  Ulack  Prince  at  ISIaupertuis,  near 
Poitiers ;  and  the  prime  having  done  all  that  lay  in  his  power  lo  prevent 
himself  from  being  compelled  to  fight  at  a  disadvantage,  now  cxerlod  him- 
self no  less  to  avoid  defes-t  even  while  so  fighting. 

With  so  great  a  superiority  of  force,  the  French  king,  by  merely  sur- 
rounding the  Fnglish,  might  without  any  ,isk  have  starved  tliem  into 
submission  :  but  both  .lohn  and  his  principal  nobles  were  ,-,o  eager  to  close 
with  and  totally  destroy  so  daring  and  mischievous  an  eneniy,  thit  ihey 
overlooked  all  the  cooler  suggestions  of  prudence.  Kven  this  hot  haste 
would  perhaps  have  proved  fatal  to  the  English  ;  hut,  fortunately  for  them, 
though  John  had  no  patience  to  surround  liis  enemy  and  starve  him  into 
submission,  he  did  allow  his  impetuosity  to  be  just  sufilciently  checked 
to  afford  that  enemy  time  to  make  the  very  best  of  his  situation,  bad  as  it 
really  was. 

The  French  had  already  drawn  up  in  order  of  bati'.o,  and  wore  prepar- 
ing for  that  furious  and  instant  onset  which,  next  to  patient  heniming  in  of 
the  English,  would  have  been  their  most  certain  means  of  success,  when 
King  John  suffered  himsef  to  be  delayed  to  enable  the  cardinal  of  Peri- 
gord  to  endeavour  to  bring  the  English  to  terms  without  farther  Wood- 
shed. The  humane  endeavour  of  the  cardinal  was  not  ill  received  by  the 
Black  P"ince,  who  was  fully  sensible  of  the  disadvantageous  position 
which  he  occupied,  and  who  frankly  confessed  his  willingness  to  make 
any  terms  not  inconsistent  with  honuor  ;  and  offered  to  purchase  an  unas. 
sailed  retreat  by,  1st,  the  cession  of  all  the  conquests  he  had  made  during 
this  and  the  preceding  campaign,  and  2dly,  pledging  himself  not  to  serve 
against  France  for  seven  years  from  that  date.  Happy  would  it  have 
been  for  John  had  he  been  contented  with  these  proffered  advantages. 
But  he  imagined  that  the  fate  of  the  F^nglish  was  now  absolutely  at  iiis 
disposal,  and  he  demanded  the  surrender  of  Calais,  together  witli  Prince 
Edward  and  a  hundred  of  his  knights  as  prisoners;  terms  which  Edward 
indignantly  refused. 

By  the  time  that  the  negotiation  was  terminated  the  Jay  was  too  far 
8p(Mit  to  allow  the  commenciiment  of  action,  and  Edward  thus  gained  the 
inestimable  advantage  of  having  the  whole  night  at  his  disposal  to  strength- 
en his  post  and  alter  the  disposition  of  his  forces.  Besides  greatly  adding 
to  the  extent  and  strength  of  his  intrenchments,  he  caused  th:;  caplal  de 
Buche,  with  three  hundred  archers  and  the  like  number  of  men-at-arms, 
to  make  a  circuit  and  lie  in  ambush  ready  to  seize  the  first  favourable  op- 
portunity of  falling  suddenly  on  the  flank  or  rear  o'"  the  enemy.  The 
main  body  of  his  troops  the  prince  had  under  hij  own  command  ;  the  van 
he  entrusted  to  the  earl  of  Warwick  ;  the  rear  to  the  earls  of  Salisbury  and 
Suffolk  ;  and  even  the  chief  subdivisions  were  headed,  for  the  most  part, 
by  warriors  of  scarcely  inferior  fame  and  experience. 

The  king  of  France  also  drew  out  his  army  in  thre<»  divisions;  the  fivt 
of  wliich  was  commanded  by  his  brother  the  duke  of  Orle?ns,  the  second 
oy  the  dauphin  and  two  of  John's  younger  sons,  and  the  thini  by  J?hn  hi  p- 
self,  who  was  accompanied  by  his  fourvii  son,  Philij»,  ihen  pnlj  fOL'ftot 
years  old 


THE  TaBASURY  OP  HiaTORY. 


323 


The  compaiativc  weakness  of  the  Englisli  army  was  compensated  by 
its  posilioii,  wliich  only  allowed  of  the  enemy  approaching  it  along  a  nar- 
row lane  flankerl  by  thick  hedges.  A  i  ,rong  advanced  guard  of  the 
French,  led  by  marshals  Clermont  and  Andrcheu,  commenced  the  engage- 
ment by  marching  along  this  lane  to  open  a  passage  for  the  main  army. 
Thig  detachment  was  dreadfully  galled  and  thinned  by  the  English  arch- 
,.rs,  wlio  from  behind  tiie  hedges  poured  in  their  deadly  arrows  with- 
out being  exposed  to  the  risk  of  retaliation.  But,  in  spite  of  the  terrible 
siaujjhier,  this  gallant  advanced  guard  pushed  steadily  forward,  and  the 
survivors  arrived  at  the  ei'd  of  the  lane  and  bravely  charged  upon  a  strong 
body  of  the  English  which  awaited  them  under  the  command  of  the  prince 
in  person.  But  the  contest  was  short  as  it  was  furious ;  the  head  of  this 
brave  and  devoted  column  was  crushed  even  before  its  rear  could  fairly 
emerge  from  the  lane.  Of  the  two  marshals,  one  was  taken  prisoner  and 
the  other  slain  on  tlut  spot,  and  the  rear  of  the  beaten  column  retreated  in 
disorder  uncii  its  own  army,  galled  at  every  step  by  the  ambushed  arch- 
ers. At  the  very  instant  that  the  hurried  return  of  their  beaten  friends 
threw  tlic  French  army  into  confusion,  tlic  captal  de  Buche  and  his  de- 
tachment made  a  well-timed  and  desperate  charge  upon  the  French 
ilank,  so  close  to  the  ciauphin,  that  the  nobles  who  liad  the  charge  of  that 
vciiiii;  pnnce  became  alarmed  for  his  safety,  and  hurried  him  from  the 
■field. 

The  flight  of  the  dauphin  and  his  immediate  attendants  was  a  signal  for 
that  of  the  whole  division;  the  duke  of  Orleans  and  his  division  followed 
the  example;  and  the  vigilant  and  gallant  Lord  Chandos  seized  upon  the 
important  instant,  and  called  to  Prince  Edward  to  charge  with  all  his 
chivalry  upon  the  only  remaining  division  of  the  French,  which  was  under 
the  immediate  command  of  John  himself.  Feeling  that  all  depended  upon 
;hi?  one  effort,  John  fought  nobly.  The  three  generals  who  commanded 
'he  German  auxiliaries  of  his  army  fell  within  sight  of  him ;  young  Philip, 
whose  sword  was  wielded  with  a  hero's  spirit  in  defence  of  his  father,  was 
wounded  ;  and  the  king  himself  was  several  times  only  saved  from  death 
'jythe  desire  of  his  immediate  assailants  to  make  him  prisoner;  yet  still 
he  shouted  the  war-cry  and  brandished  Ins  blade  as  bravely  as  though  his 
cause  had  been  truly  triumphant.  Even  when  he  was  sinking  with  fatigue 
he  demanded  that  the  prince  in  person  should  receive  his  sword;  but  at 
length,  overwhelmed  by  numbers,  a  id  being  informed  that  the  prince  was 
loo  far  off  to  be  broughit  to  the  spot,  he  threw  down  his  gauntlet,  and  he 
and  ills  gallant  boy  were  taken  prisoners  by  Sir  Dennis  de  Morbec,  a 
knight  of  Arras,  who  had  fled  from  his  country  on  being  charged  with 
murder. 

The  gallant  spirit  which  John  had  displayed  jUght  to  have  protected 
him  from  further  ill ;  but  some  English  soldiers  rescued  him  from  de 
Morbec,  in  hope  of  being  rewarded  as  his  actual  captors  ;  and  some  Gas- 
cons, actuated  by  the  same  motives,  endeavoured  to  wrest  him  from  the 
English ;  so  high,  indeed,  ran  the  dispute,  that  some  on  both  sides  loudly 
itireatened  rather  to  slay  him  tlian  to  part  with  him  living  to  their  oppo- 
nents, when,  fortunately,  the  earl  of  Warwick,  dispatched  by  the  prince  of 
Wales,  arrived  upon  the  spot  and  conducted  him  in  safety  to  the  royal  tent. 

Prince  Edward's  courage  and  conduct  in  the  field  were  not  more  credit- 
aWe  to  him  than  the  striking  yet  perfectly  unaffected  humanity  with  which 
he  now  treated  his  vanquished  enemy.  He  received  him  at  his  tent,  and  con- 
ducted himself  as  an  inferior  wailing  upon  a  superior ;  earnestly  and  truly 
ascribed  his  victory  less  to  skill  than  the  fortune  of  war,  and  wailed  be- 
hind the  royal  prisoner's  chair  during  the  banquet  with  which  he  was 
served.  The  example  of  the  prince  was  followed  by  his  army  ;  all  the 
prisoners  were  released,  and  at  such  moderate  ransoms  as  did  not  press 
upon  them  individually,  though  their  great  number  made  the  English  sol 
iliers  wealthy. 


1\       li.*.!}.;-' 


.mi 


334 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTOEY. 


in', 


Mi    )> 

h  t . 


li. 


'  3 


Kdwnnl  now  made  a  truce  with  the  French  for  two  years,  and  condiirt. 
ed  John  to  to  Ijondon,  treating  him  not  as  a  eaptive  but  as  a  nioiiiirc'i" 
taking  care  himself  to  appear,  alike  as  to  horse  and  httirc,  as  a  person 
of  inferior  station. 

King  Kdward  showed  his  approval  of  his  son's  modest  and  delicate  con. 
duct  by  closely  imitating  it;  advancing  to  Soulhwark  to  meet  John  oii 
his  landing  there,  and  in  every  sense  treating  him  not  as  a  captive  but  i\% 
a  monarch  and  voluntary  visitor. 

Edward  had  now  two  kings  his  prisoners  in  London.  But  tlio  contin. 
ued  captivity  of  David  Bruce  iiad  proved  less  injurious  to  Scotland  than 
Edward  had  anticipated,  the  power  of  that  country  being  ably  and  indp. 
faligably  directed  by  David's  heir  and  nephew,  Robert  Stuart.  Edward 
therefore  restored  David  to  liberty  at  a  ransom  of  100,000  marks,  fur  the 
payment  of  which  the  sons  of  his  principal  nobles  became  liostagrs. 

A.  n.  1358. — Though  the  very  virtues  of  John,  king  of  France,  wcrocal- 
culated  to  encourage  disobedience  to  him  in  so  turbulent  and  ili-rrgnhited 
an  age,  and  in  a  country  so  often  convulsed  as  France  was  by  bcinij  made 
the  Ihealre  of  war,  yet  his  absence  was  early  and  visibly  prodiiciivc  of  in. 
jury  and  disturbance  to  his  kingdom.  If  his  goodness  had  been  some- 
times imposed  upon  and  his  kindness  still  more  frequently  abused,  yet 
as  it  was  well  known  that  he  had  both  wisdom  and  coura'jre,  his  pre?- 
ence  had  kept  the  ill-disposed  within  certain  bounds.  The  (lauphin,  iipnn 
whom  the  diflicult  task  now  lay  of  ruling  during  the  imprisonment  of  |ii< 
fattier,  was  brave  and  of  good  capacity  ;  but  he  had  one  fatal  defcci,  in  j:. 
self  sufTicient  to  incapacitate  him  for  fully  supplying  his  falher'splace;lie 
was  only  eighteen  years  of  age.  How  far  that  circumstance  wrakuiioj 
his  aithority  appeared  on  the  very  first  occasion  of  his  assembling  the 
states.  Though  his  father  was  now  made  captive  in  defending  tlie  kingdom 
the  young  dauphin  no  sooner  demanded  the  supplies  which  his  fatlier'scap 
tivity  and  the  situation  of  the  kingdom  rendered  so  necessary,  than  he  va 
met  not  by  a  generous  vote  of  sympathy,  confrlence,  and  assistance,  I'ui 
by  a  harsh  and  eager  demand  for  tiie  limitation  of  the  royal  autlioiity,  fm 
redress  of  certain  alledged  grievances,  and  for  the  liberation  of  the  kiiigol 
Navarre,  who  had  been  so  mischievous  to  France  even  while  John  was  al 
liberty  to  oppose  him,  and  whose  liberation  now  might  rationally  be  ex- 
pected to  be- productive  of  the  very  worst  coiise(iuenccs.  This  ungcinr- 
ous  conduct  of  the  states  did  not  lack  imitators.  Marcel,  provost  of  llic 
merchants,  lh(!  first  and  most  influential  magistrate  of  Paris,  instead  of 
using  the  weight  of  his  authority  to  aid  the  dauphin,  actually  constitiitcu 
himself  the  ringleader  of  the  ralihle,  and  encouraged  them  in  the  most  in- 
solent and  unlawful  conduct.  The  (latipliin,  thus  situated,  found  that  he 
was  less  the  ruler  than  the  prisoner  of  these  ungrateful  men,  wlio  carricl 
their  brutal  disrespect  so  far  as  to  murder  in  his  presence  the  marshals 
do  Clermont  and  dc  C.'onflans.  As  usual,  the  indulgence  of  iildispo^i 
tions  increased  their  strength  ;  all  the  other  friends  and  ministers  of  iho 
dauphin  were  threatened  with  the  fate  of  the  murdered  marshals,  and  he 
at  length  seized  an  opportunity  to  escape.  The  frantic  demagogues  of 
Paris  now  openly  levied  war  against  the  dauphin,  and  it  is  scarcely  neces- 
sary to  add  that  tlieir  example  was  speedily  followed  by  every  large toni; 
in  the  kingdom.  Those  of  the  nobles  who  deemed  it  time  to  exert  them- 
selves in  support  of  the  royal  authority  were  taunted  with  tlieir  llight  from 
the  battle  of  Maupertuis,  or  as  it  was  generally  termed,  of  Poitiers;  the 
king  of  Navarre  was  liberated  from  prison  by  aid  of  the  disalTectcili 
and  the  whole  kingdom  was  the  prey  of  the  most  horrible  disorders. 

The  dauphin,  rather  by  his  judgment  than  by  his  military  talents,  re- 
duced the  country  at  length  to  something  like  order.  Kdward  in  the 
meantime  had  practised  so  succes.sfully,  and,  we  may  add,  so  ungen- 
erously, upon  the  captive  John,  as  to  induce  him  to  sign  a  treaty  whicli 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


391 


^•3s  so  maiiiffisHy  i'"l  ""fairly  injurious  to  France,  tliat  tho  (-Tiiupliin  re- 
fused  10  1)0  bound  by  it.  (a.  n.  l.'J.j'J-flO.)  War  consrqueiitly  was  re- 
LMiniiiciiccd  by  KdwiirJ ;  but  tliougli  iho  Knylish  armies  traversed  France 
froiiu'iiJ  l'>  cud,  and  comn)ilted  the  most  diwgraceful  ravages,  Kdward's 
siiiCTs^s  WHS  so  disproportionate,  and  his  advantages  eonslaiilly  proved  so 
flw'tint'.  tliiit  e^'C"  ll'"  'Juke  of  Lancaster,  his  own  near  rehilive  and  zeal- 
ous ;isi  well  as  able  general,  remonstrated  with  him  upon  his  absurd  obsti- 
nacy ill  insisting  upon  terms  so  extreme,  lliat  they  were  calculate^,  rather 
10  induce  desperation  than  to  ineline  to  submission. 

These  remonstrances,  bac^ked  as  they  were  by  llie  whole  circumstances 
of  the  case,  at  lengtii  led  Kdward  to  incline  to  more  reasonable  terms. 
Ijy  way  of  salvo  to  his  dignity,  or  pride,  he  professed  to  have;  mawo  a 
vow  during  an  awful  tempest  wiiieh  threatened  the  destruction  of  his 
army,  and  iu  obedience  to  this  his  alledged  vow  he  now  concluded  peace 
on  the  fiiilownig  footing,  viz. :  tiiat  Kmg  John  should  be  restored  to  lib- 
erty at  a  nuisoni  of  three  millions  of  golden  crowns  ;  that  Edward  should 
for  himself  and  his  successors  renounce!  all  claim  to  the  crown  of  France, 
and  to  ills  ancestral  provinces,  Anjou,  Touraine,  Maine,  and  Normandy; 
and  should  in  exchange  receive  other  specilied  districts  in  that  direction, 
iviih  Calais,  (iuisues,  Montreuil,  and  I'onlliicu,  on  llie  other  side  of  France, 
ill  full  and  independent  sovereignty;  together  with  sundry  other  slipula- 
lions.  John  was  accordingly  restored  to  liberty ;  and  as  he  had  been  per- 
snn;illy  well  treated  in  England,  and,  besides,  was  at  all  limes  greatly  in- 
cliiied  to  sincerity,  he  seems  ',o  have  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to 
cause  the  treaty  to  bo  duly  fuli.lled.  Uut  the  people  in  the  neighborhood 
ofGiiienne  were  obstinately  bent  against  living  under  the  !']nglish  do- 
iniiiwii;  and  some  other  (lilFicullios  arose  which  induced  John  to  return 
to  IliiglanJ  in  the  hope  of  adjusting  matters,  when  he  sickened  and  died, 
A,  D.  1363. 

A,  D.  13G4. — Charles  tlie  daui)hin,  who  succeeded  to  the  throne  of 
France,  devoted  his  first  eflbrts  to  settling  all  disturbances  in  his  owa 
realm,  and  ridding  it  of  the  nmnerous  "/rce  companions,'^  who,  soldiers  in 
lime  of  war  and  robbers  in  time  of  peace,  were  one  of  the  principal 
eausesof  all  the  disorder  that  reigned;  and  he  was  prudent  enougli  to 
cause  ihfMu  to  (lock  to  that  Spanish  war  in  which  the  Black  Prince  most 
imprudently  took  part. 

Having  got  rid  of  this  dangerous  set  of  men,  and  having  with  secret 
jhidiiess  beheld  the  Black  Prince  ruining  himself  alike  in  health  and  for- 
luiie  ill  the  same  war  which  drafted  so  many  desperate  rulTians  from 
France,  ("harhis,  in  the  very  face  of  his  father's  treaty,  assumed  a  feudal 
power  to  which  lie  had  no  just  claim.  Edward  recommenced  war;  but 
ihough  France  once  more  was  extensively  ravaged,  a  truce  was  at  length 
agreed  upon,  when  the  varied  events  of  war,  consisting  rather  of  the 
skirmislies  of  freebooters  than  of  the  great  strife  of  armies,  had  left  Ed- 
ward scarce  a  foot  of  ground  in  France,  save  Calais,  Bourdeaux,  and 
Bayoiine. 

A.v.  I37G.— Edward  the  Black  Prince,  feeble  in  health,  had  for  some 
lime  past  been  visibly  hastening  to  the  grave.  His  warlike  prowess  and 
istiiisullicd  virtue— unsullied  savt;  by  that  warlike  fury  which  all  man- 
.'jiiJare  prone  to  rate  as  virtue — made  his  condition  the  source  of  a  very 
icep;uid  universal  interest  in  England,  which  was  greatly  heightened  by 
the  unpopularity  of  the  duke  of  Lam-aster,  who,  it  was  feared,  would 
lake  advaiuago  of  the  minority  of  Richard,  son  a-id  heir  of  the  Black 
Prince,  to  usurp  the  throne.  This  general  interest  grew  daily  more  deep 
and  painful,  and  the  Black  Prince,  amid  the  sorrow  of  the  whole  nation, 
expired  on  the  8ih  of  June,  in  the  very  prime  of  manhood,  aged  only 
lortysix.    The  king,  who  was  visibly  affected  by  the  loss  of  his  son. 


^■^mM 


'  ■?T»l'!'ii 

-mm 


,i!))«r-»-r 


326 


THE  THRASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


.  '  Aim  s;  »I  Amm  ''mf  I:']-? 


lived  only  n  year  lonijor,  ilying  on  tlio  21st  of  June,  1377  in  tho  Slst  vtaj 
of  his  reign,  und  in  the  OSih  of  U\n  ii^c- 

Tlio  senso  of  power  is  usually  mom  iiiflucnlial  on  men's  judffineni 
Hinn  the  sense  of  righ'. ;  and  thongli  his  wars  both  witli  Scoilan,]  ^|  I 
Franeo  chietly  originalcd  in  tyrannous  self-will,  the  splemlour  of  lii!i  viJ 
like  talents  and  tho  vigour  of  his  character  m.ulu  him  helovej  and  ^j 
mired  by  his  people  , I  iring  his  life,  and  still  make  the  Knijiisli  lii^iDrmn 
love  to  linger  over  his  reign.  His  ve:y  injustice  to  foreign  pc()|i|(;  keu, 
aedition  and  its  fearful  evils  afar  from  his  own  subjecls ;  und  if  he  \v;,j 
hiinstdf  but  too  burdensome  in  tho  way  of  taxation,  he  al  least  kVpt  a 
firm  hanri  over  liis  nobles,  and  did  much  towards  advaiiciiisi  uiul  esi.iblbli. 
ing  the  right  of  tho  people  al  large  to  be  uninnlested  in  their  priviUnlife 
and  to  have  their  interests  considered  ami  their  reasonablo  demands  at! 
tended  to.  It  has,  indeed,  been  generally  admitted  that  he  was  one  o( 
the  best  and  most  illustrious  kings  that  ever  sat  on  the  Kiiglish  throne 
and  that  his  faults  were  greatly  outweighed  by  his  heroic  viriiu's  aiij 
amiable  qualities.  On  the  whole,  the  reign  of  Kdward  III.,  as  it  was  one 
of  the  longest,  so  was  it  also  one  of  the  brightest  in  England's  liittturv. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THK    RKIUN    or    RICHARD    II. 

A.  D.  1377. — Ed^vard  III.  was  succeeded  by  Richard  II.,  son  of  the 
Black  Prince.  The  new  king  was  but  little  more  than  eleven  years  dlj' 
but  he  had  three  uncles,  the  dukes  of  Lancaster,  York,  and  filDiicctir, 
whose  authority,  aided  by  the  habits  of  oliedii-iice  which  ilw  linn  rule  o( 
the  late  king  had  established,  seemed  to  |)romise  at  the  least  an  umms 
turbed  minority. 

The  very  eomirimencement  of  this  reign  proved  how  much  Edward  111. 
had  raised  tlie  views  and  added  to  the  importance  of  the  eominniH  in 
parliament,  the  didiberiitive  business  of  which  had  now  so  much  imnaseJ, 
that  they  found  it  necessary  to  choose  a  8j)eaker,  both  to  be  tlieinirpii 
of  communication  and  to  k(M'p  (hie  order  and  gravity  in  their  deb.iics. 
The  choice,  however,  showed  but  little  gratitmle  to  tlic  late  king,  fur  il 
fell  upon  Peter  do  la  Mare,  a  man    vho  had  distinguished  himself  liy  op- 

[losition  to  the  late  king's  ministers,  and  had  bciMi  imprisoned  for  a  viu- 
ent  attack  on  Alice  Pierce  (or  Penvrs,)  who,  as  the  king's  inistross,  liaJ 
become  so  unpopular  in  consoqiieiiee  of  the  inHuencc  slio  was  siipjio'ij 
to  have  upon  his  measures,  that  he  was  oblige!  to  part  with  her  lu  ;i;j- 
pease  the  popular  ela'iour. 

Though  the  choice  of  this  person  for  speak,  r  did  not  indicate  aii)  la 
tention  on  the  part  of  the  a)mmons  towards  too  submissive  a  coiid  ;t'i, 
they  did  not  immediate  v  >,  ,,)w  any  desire  unduly  to  interfere  in  lin' i^ov- 
eminent,  but  confim  I  "i  nse  ves  to  petitioning  the  lords  tiiat  a  ciii.nil 
of  nine,  composed  <*f  ir!i>iworihv  and  virtuous  men,  should  be  apiiumleil 
to  conduct  the  public '•foiiiess.  ai  1  to  sujicrintend  llie  life  and  ediiraiiui 
of  the  young  king  during  hm  minority.  The  former  part  of  the  pnition 
was  answered  'y  the  appxmi'ment  ot  the  bishops  of  London,  Carlisle,  ;iiiJ 
Salisbury,  the  f  arls  of  Marci  am;  Stafford,  and  sirs  Richard  de  SialTord, 
Hf  ry  le  Scrop«e,  John  Devm  \,  and  Hugh  Seagrave,  who  were  em- 
powered to  eoiniiict  II,  T>uWic  1-  '.ncss  for  one  year.  With  respect  to 
the  lattiT  portion  of  tl  peiition.  the  lords  declined  interfering  with :; 
reasonabi"  thinking  Ih  ii  to  interli  -e  in  the  young  prince's  private  life 
and  edncai  m,  unless  his  royal  unc  s  proved  careless  or  inimical,  "oulJ 
be  neither  flicate  nor  just. 

Of  'he  "  tee  uncles,  L'le  duke  of  1    ncaster  was  certainly  by  f.i;' ili« 


THK  TRKA9URY  OP  IlISTORV. 


397 


^biifsti  *"''  P''"*^!i'''y  ""'  'ho  least  ambilious ;  :in{|  ihnuirti  there  wjis  no 
one  to  wlioiii  any  authority  wan  osHMisibly  or  formally  (fivcii  to  control 
lli(.  council,  Laiicaster  seems  to  have  been  the  actual  re!,'onl  who  for  some 
yi'iirs  not  only  governed,  hut,  by  his  irresistible  thou<ih  secret  inllnence 
even  ;i|)poinii'(i  the  i;ouneil. 

\s  IS  ii!<nal  with  popular  and  numerous  nMsemblies,  the  commons,  ou 
fimliiiL'  ""''■'  interference  complied  with  instead  of  being  resented,  be- 
caiiie"anxious  and  somewhat  impatient  to  push  it  still  farther.  Searcoly 
had  llif  greater,  and  also  tho  most  important  part,  of  their  first  petition 
been  acted  upon  ore  they  presented  another,  in  whiidi  they  prayed  the 
king  and  his  council  to  take  measures  to  prevent  tho  barons  from  confed- 
eraiiii!,'  lojri'ther  to  uphold  each  other  and  their  followers  in  violent  and 
unlawful  deeds.  A  civil  answer  was  given  to  this  petition ;  hut  thouffh 
ihe  answer  was  couched  in  those  general  terms  which  really  bind  the 
parlies  using  them  to  no  particular  course,  it  speedily  called  forth  another 
pcliiion  of  a  far  more  ambitious  nature,  and  calculated  to  .idd  at  one  step 
nrnst  prodigiously  to  the  inflnencf!  of  tlu  commons,  who  now  prayed  that 
duriiiir  tlie  minority  of  the  king  all  the  great  oflleers  should  be  appointed 
bv  parliament— (dearly  meaning  that  the  mere  appointment  by  tlie  lords 
should  thenceforth  be  of  no  validity  unh^ss  it  were  confirmed  by  tho 
comniona.  Tliis  petition  did  not  meet  with  so  favourable  a  reception; 
ihr  lords  still  retained  to  themselves  the  power  of  appointing  to  the  great 
otficps  of  state,  and  the  cominons  look  part  in  the  appointments  only  by 
tacit  acquiescence. 

Previous  10  this  parliament  being  dissolved  the  commons  gave  another 
proof  of  their  consciousness  of  their  own  tifrowing  importance,  by  repre- 
senting the  necessity  as  well  as  propriety  of  their  being  Hnnnally  assein- 
bli'i),  and  hy  appointing  two  of  their  nuinhrr  to  receive  and  disburse  two- 
(ifteeiiths  and  two  toiilhs  wliicdi  had  been  voted  to  the  kiii!». 

A,  D.  i'M\. — Though  the  war  with  France  broke  forth  from  time  to 
linifi,  in  spite  of  the  [jriident  conduitt  of  Charles,  who  niost  justly  was 
cillcd  The  Wise,  the  military  operations  were  \\.\\  mi-  li  as  to  demand  de- 
tail. Hut  if  unproductive  o|  glory  or  terri'  'i  v,  ihe  w.ir  was  not  the  less 
Jestiuctive  of  treasure;  and  on  the  parlimnmt  meeting  in  1330,  it  was 
found  re(piisite,  m  order  to  [)rovid(«  f  '  J*'  ■  pressing  and  indispensable 
necessities  ol  the  government,  to  imp  -  ill-tax  of  three  groiits  upop 

«vpry  person,  male  and  femah^  who  h  ,s  n«iorc  than  fifteen  years  of  age. 

There  was  no  foreign  conniry  w;:'>  wKudi  I'^ngland  had  so  close  and 
contimind  an  intercourse  as  with  blainlers,  which  greatly  (le|)piided  on 
England  for  its  sup|)ly  of  the  W(x>v  necessary  for  its  manufactures.  The 
spirit  of  independence  that  had  arisen  among  the  Flemish  peasinls.  as 
exemplified  in  the  brutalitii-s  whic^  they  had  committed  upon  their  nat- 
urahiiid  lawful  rulers,  ani'  the  ser-Mlity  with  vvhiirh  they  had  submitted  to 
the  utmost  tyranny  at  thr  ha;  ds  of  a  brewer,  now  began  to  communicate 
itself  to  the  lower  order  iai  Rutland.  Tiien,  as  in  far  more  modern  times, 
(here  were  demagogues  who  sought  to  recommend  themselves  to  the 
credulous  people,  and  to  prey  u[)on  tliein  by  the  loud  inculc atioii  of  an 
equality  among  mankind,  %vhich  no  man,  not  decidedly  inferior  to  all  the 
;estof  his  race  in  the  quality  of  intelligence,  can  fail  to  see  is  but  par- 
tially true  in  the  abstract,  and  wholly  false  by  force  of  circumstances 
wiiieh  are  ut  once  ineviiable  and  perfectly  independent  of  the  form  of 
governmnnt  nid  even  of  the  go(nl  or  bad  adminislraiion  of  the  laws. 
Aniiing  the  demagogues  who  just  at  this  period  raised  their  voice  s  to  de- 
rive and  plunder  the  multitude,  was  one  John  Ball,  a  degraded  priest, 
but  a  man  by  no  means  destitute  of  ability.     To  such  a  man  the  imposi- 

Mi  of  a  ta.v  which  was  both  excessive  iind  cruel  in  the  then  state  of 
.  ""our  and  its  wages,  was  a  perfect  godsend;  and  the  opportunity  it  af- 
forded him  of  giving  vent  to  cxcitinji  and  plausible  declamation,  was  not 


it  < 


t  '  n-i 


i'    • 


mii"^ 


,  „_,_  _       111:  »a_ 

m  mm 


328 


THE  TKEA8URY  OF  HISTORY 


diminished  by  the  bitter  and  impolitic  mockery  of  a  recommendation  from 
the  council,  that  when  this  new  poll-tax  should  be  found  to  press  loo  se- 
verely  on  the  poor,  the  wealthy  should  relieve  them  by  increasing  tlieii 
own  contribution. 

It  is  not  easy  to  imagine  any  circumstances  under  which  so  excessive 
a  demand  upon  a  suffering  population  could  have  failed  to  cause  discon. 
tent  and  sedition ;  but  when  to  the  excess  of  the  tax  the  excited  temper  o| 
the  people  and  the  activity  of  their  deluders,  the  demagogues,  was  added 
an  insolent  brutality  on  the  part  of  the  collectors,  there  could  be  liiHj 
doubt  of  the  occurrence  of  great  and  extended  mischief. 

The  tax  in  question  was  farmed  out  to  the  tax-gatherers  of  the  various 
districts,  who  thus  had  a  personal  interest  in  the  performance  of  their  in- 
vidious  duty,  which  was  certainly  not  likely  to  make  them  less  urgent  01 
less  ins:>lent  Every  where  the  tax  raised  complaints  both  loud  and  deep, 
and  every  poor  man  was  anxious  to  avail  himself  of  any  possible  misrep^ 
resentation  as  to  the  age  of  the  children  for  whom  he  was  charged.  The 
blacksmith  of  a  village  in  Kssex  having  paid  for  the  rest  of  his  family, 
refused  tc  do  so  for  a  daugliter  whom,  whether  truly  or  falsely  does  not 
appear,  he  stoutly  averred  to  be  under  the  prescibed  age;  and  the  tax- 
gatherer,  a  low  brutal  fellow,  offered  a  violent  indecency  to  the  girl  in 
proof  of  his  right  to  the  demand.  The  father,  poor,  irritated  at  the  loss  of 
the  money  he  had  already  paid,  and  doubly  indignant  at  tlie  outrage  thus 
offered  to  his  child,  raised  the  ponderous  hammer  he  had  just  been  using 
in  his  business,  and  dashed  the  rufnan's  brains  out  on  the  spot.  Under  a 
state  of  less  violent  excitement  the  bystanders  would  probably  have  been 
shocked  at  the  smith's  fatal  violence  ;  but  as  it  was,  the  murder  acted  like 
a  talisman  upon  the  hitherto  suppressed  rage  of  the  people,  and  In  a  few 
hours  a  vast  multitude,  armed  with  every  description  of  rude  weapon,  was 
gathered  together,  witli  the  avowed  intcniion  of  taking  vengeance  on  their 
tyrants  and  of  putting  an  end  to  their  oppression.  From  Kssex  the  flame 
spread  to  all  the  adjoining  counties ;  and  so  sudden  and  so  rapid  was  the 
gathering,  that  before  the  astounded  government  could  even  determine  on 
what  course  to  follow,  upwards  of  a  hundred  thousand  desperate  men  had 
assembled  on  Blackheath,  under  the  command  of  Wat  Tyler,  the  black- 
smith, and  several  other  ringleaders  who  bore  the  assumed  names  of  Hob 
Carter,  Jack  Straw,  and  the  like.  The  king's  mother,  the  widow  of  the 
heroic  Black  Prince,  in  returning  from  a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  had 
to  pass  through  this  desperate  and  dissolute  multitude;  and  such  was  llieirin- 
discriminate  rage,  that  she,  to  whom  they  owed  so  much  respect,  was  taken 
from  her  vehicle,  insulted  with  the  familiar  salutes  of  drunken  clowns,  and 
her  attendants  were  treated  with  equal  insult  and  still  greater  violence 
.\t  length,  probably  at  the  intercession  of  some  of  the  least  debased  of  the 
leaders,  she  was  allowed  to  proceed  on  her  journey. 

The  king  in  the  meantime  had  been  conducted  for  safety  to  the  Tower 
of  London,  and  the  rebels  now  sent  to  demand  a  conference  with  him. 
He  sailed  down  the  river  in  a  barge  to  comply  with  their  request,  but  as 
he  approached  the  shore  the  mob  showed  such  evident  inclination  tobruie 
violence,  that  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  the  fortress. 

In  London  the  disorder  was  by  this  time  at  its  height.  The  low  rabblj 
of  the  city,  always  in  that  age  ripe  for  mischief,  had  joined  the  rioters  from 
the  country ;  ware-houses  and  private  houses  were  broken  open,  and  not 
merely  pillaged,  but  the  contents  burned  or  otherwise  destroyed  when  they 
could  not  be  carried  away  ;  and  the  Savoy  palace,  the  property  of  the  duku 
of  Lancaster,  wliichhad  so  long  been  the  abode  of  the  king  of  France,  was 
in  wanton  mischief  completely  reduced  to  ashes.  Ascribing  their  suffer- 
ings to  the  richer  and  better  instructed  classes,  the  mob  not  merely  mal- 
treated, hut  in  very  many  cases  even  murdered,  such  gentlemen  as  were 


on  from 
too  Se- 
ng tlieit 


tcessivc 
!  discon- 
;mpRr  ol 
as  iidded 
be  liula 

e  various 
their  in- 

urgent  oi 

and  deep, 

le  misrep- 

red.    The 

lis  family, 

y  does  not 

id  the  tax- 

tlie  girl  in 

the  loss  o( 

Urage  tlius 

been  using 

.    Under  a 
have  been 

r  acted  lilce 

lid  in  a  few 

eapon,  was 

lice  on  their 

>x  the  flame 

pid  was  the 

etermineon 
ite  men  had 
,  the  black- 
I'nes  of  Hob 

[idow  of  tlie 
erbury,  had 
Iwastlieirin- 
|t,  was  taken 
clowns,  and 
ler  violence 
[based  of  the 

,  the  Towei 
with  him. 
[juest,  but  as 
Itiontobruie 

|r  low  riibblJ 
J  rioters  from 
ipen,  and  not 
\ii  when  they 
ly  of  the  duk'i 
[France,  was 
I  their  suffer- 
I  merely  mid- 
Ven  as  new 


»*:M!^ 


!'?!* 


»■■>._,»  . w 


S:l 


r  I'hjil.; 


iraiikhi  ij 


X — t 


aiifortiinate  ei 
Ireaied  wilhoi 
The  king  a 
End,  vvheru  oi 
siirroiiiiiled  hit 
ferned  in  the 
tolls  and  inipo; 
holdings,  instei 
coiidiliun  to  pr 
Ihe  above  were 
was  thus  sent  | 
But  the  dang 
rebels,  headed  t 
nieaiiiinie  broki 
cellor  and  anrjil 
nilh  some  othe: 
siiig  through  Sii 
place.    The  kin 
now  only  sixtce 
vioiislyleft  hisb 
whole  of  the  roj 
Flushed  with  hi; 
such  inenaeing  g 
llie  Iheu  mayor  o 
tliat  he  struck  tti 
A  licrce  yell  fro 
leader;  but  bufei 
rode  steadily  up 
coiiiniaiid  which  ] 
pxclaiined,  "  My 
I'lat  ye  liave  lost 
!»•'  iiiy  people's  |i 
surprise  his  cooln 
lliein,  ilie  king  |e 
ioincJ  hy  an  arnu 
trtand  hi.sotlie 
toiirgellitMn  into 
ll)is  baud  as  peat 
Mde  End,  and  by 
WhdetlK!  kinir 
,  ")■  ill  all  parts  o 
"leir  retainers ;  i 
»f«,000nien;  tl 
3'iJ  the  charters, 
Uiifit  for  the  state 
"I"  cveeulion,  wer 
asliiiviiig  been  ex 
liiw  banded  togetl 
?"iiiiiry  and  sweu 
J  sovereicm  «„  yoi„ 
«"'liard  did  on  th 
"is  bnglii  proinis 
AD.  138.5,  _.Sc 
.'^''cii  tlie  attitude 
ise  and  check  the 
^ferj'J  -ScoiLiud  by 
My  of  French  c^ 
I  "1  Ine  mountains, 


THE  TEEASURY  OF  HI3T011Y. 


329 


whole  of  the  royal  rctin 
Flushed  with  liis  brutai 
such  menacing  gnsturef 
llielheniniivorof  Loiidi... 


aufortiinatc  enough  (o  fall  into  their  hands ;  and  lawyers,  especially,  were 
treated  without  mercy. 

The  king  "t  length  left  the  Tower  and  proceeded  to  a  field  near  Milo 
End,  where  one  of  the  main  bodies  of  the  rioters  had  assembled.  They 
surrouiuled  him  with  peremptory  demands  for  a  general  pardon  for  all  con- 
eerned  in  the  insurrection,  the  instant  abolition  of  all  villeinage,  and  of 
toils  and  imposts  in  all  markets,  together  with  a  fixed  money  rent  of  land- 
holdings,  instead  of  personal  service.  The  government  was  as  yet  in  no 
condition  to  proceed  to  forcible  measures  ;  and,  consequently,  charters  to 
the  above  were  hastily  drawn  out  and  delivered,  and  this  body  of  riuters 
was  thus  sent  peaceably  away. 

But  the  danger  was  as  yet  only  partially  past.  A  larger  body  of  the 
rebels,  headed  by  Wat  Tyler  and  oilier  leading  insurrectionists,  iiad  in  the 
nieaiitinie  broken  into  the  Tower  and  put  to  death  Simon  Sudbury,  chan- 
cellor and  archbishop  of  CaiHerbury,  and  Sir  Robert  Males  the  treasurer, 
with  some  other  persons  of  high  rank,  though  of  less  note  ;  and  were  pas- 
sing through  Sniithfield  just  as  the  king  and  his  attendants  entered  that 
place.  The  king  with  a  spirit  and  tem|)er  far  beyond  his  years,  for  he  was 
now  only  sixteen,  entered  into  conference  with  Wat  Tyler,  who  had  pre- 
viously left  his  band  with  a.i  order  to  rush  on  at  a  given  signal,  niuider  the 
"•"1  make  the  young  monarch  their  prisoner, 
■erto  unchecked  trinmi)h,  Wat  Tyler  made 
■.oke  to  the  king,  that  William  \Valsworth, 
.*as  so  provoked  out  of  all  sense  of  the  danger, 
iliathe  struck  the  rndiaii  to  the  ground,  and  he  was  speedily  dispatched. 
A  tierce  yell  from  the  rebels  proclaimi;d  their  rage  at  the  loss  of  their 
leader;  bnt  bufere  they  could  rush  upon  the  royal  party,  young  Richard 
rode  steadily  up  to  them,  and  in  that  calm  tone  of  high  confidence  and 
command  which  has  so  great  an  influence  over  even  the  most  violent  men, 
exclaimed,  "  My  good  people !  What  moans  this  disorder  1  Are  ye  angry 
that  ye  have  lost  your  leader  1  I  am  your  king !  follow  me  !  I  myself  will 
be  my  people's  leader!"  Without  giving  lliem  time  to  recover  from  the 
furprisc  his  coolness  and  liie  majesty  of  his  air  and  appearance  had  caused 
iheui,  the  king  led  the  way  into  tiie  ueiglibouriiig  fields,  where  he  was 
ioined  by  an  armed  force  under  Sir  Robert  ICnoUes.  Cautioning  Sir  Rob- 
ert and  Ins  other  friends  to  allow  nothing  short  of  the  most  vital  necessity 
tourgethiMii  into  violence,  the  king  after  a  short  conference,  dismissed 
this  band  as  peaceably  and  as  well  satisfied  as  he  had  the  former  one  at 
Mde  Knd,  and  by  means  of  giving  them  similar  charters. 

While  the  king  had  thus  skdfnlly  been  temporising,  the  nobility  and  gen- 
try in  all  parts  of  the  country  had  been  actively  assembling  and  arming 
their  retainers  ;  in  a  few  days  Richard  was  able  to  take  the  field  at  the  head 
of 40,000  men;  the  rioters  dared  no  longer  to  appear  openly  and  in  force; 
and  the  charters,  which,  reasonable  as  they  now  seem,  were  not  merely 
unlit  tor  the  state  of  the  country  at  that  time,  but  actually  impracticable 
of  execution,  were  formally  revoked,  not  only  upon  that  ground,  but  also 
as  having  been  extorted  while  the  king  was  under  constraint  of  men  who 
liad  banded  together  to  murder  all  the  liigluT  ranks  and  bring  about  a  saii- 
juiuary  and  sweeping  revolution.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  imagine  a 
sovereign  so  young  giving  more  clear  proof  of  courage  and  ability  ihau 
Riehard  did  on  this  sad  occasion ;  but  his  later  years  by  no  means  fulfilled 
the  bright  promise  thus  given  by  his  boyhood. 

A.  D.  133.5. — Scarcely  was  peace  restored  after  this  alarming  revolt, 
when  the  attitude  of  thft  Scots  rendered  it  absolutely  necessary  to  chas- 
tise and  check  them.  Accordingly  the  king  with  a  numerous  army  en- 
tered Scotl.ind  by  Berwick.  But  the  Scots,  who  had  a  strong  auxiliary 
body  of  French  cavalry,  had  ;dready  secured  all  their  moveable  property 
I  in  the  mountains,  and,  leaving  their  houses  to  be  burned,  they  entered 


« 


m 


,..^i 


••'aihSS^ ill    til^ 


•41   „ 


iO 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


ll!l?f!l^^ 


En^-lnnd,  dispersed  themselves  in  large  marauding  parlies  tlirougliout  Cum 
beriai' '  VVcslmoreiand,  and  Laiicasliire,  and  returned  ladeu  wiiji  booiv 
with.      Iiaviiig  met  with  any  show  of  resistance.  ■' 

Tl(,i  English  army  under  Richard  had  in  the  meantime  marched  unon. 
posed  to  Edinburgh,  burning  all  the  towns  and  villagjs  on  their  wav' 
Perth,  Dundee,  and  a  vast  number  of  other  places  in  the  Lowlinids,  were 
treated  in  the  same  manner.  But  when  news  reached  the  army  of  the 
successful  inroad  of  the  Scots  upon  tlie  northern  counties  of  Knglaiid  the 
true  nature  of  Richard,  his  frivolity,  and  his  determined  preference  ol 
pleasure  to  action,  only  loo  clearly  appeared  ;  for  he  positively  refused  to 
make  any  attempt  at  cutting  off  the  retreat  of  the  spoil-laden  enemy,  and 
immediately  led  his  army  home. 

A.  D.  1386. — The  French  had  aided  the  Scots  chiefly,  if  not  solely,  with 
a  view  to  annoy  the  English;  and  Flanders  being  now  at  peace  with 
France,  a  large  fleet  and  army  assembled  in  the  Flemish  port  of  Siuysfor 
the  invasion  of  England.  The  fleet  actually  sailed,  but  was  scarcely  out 
of  port  when  it  encountered  a  terrible  storm,  which  dispersed  it  and  de- 
stroyed  many  of  the  largest  ships.  The  English  men-of-war  attacked  ana 
took  the  remainder,  and  thus,  for  the  prescu.  at  least,  this  new  daiigerwas 
averted. 

But  ilioughthis  expedition  had  completely  failed,  it  turned  the  attention 
of  the  nation,  as  well  as  the  king  and  council,  towards  those  circumstan- 
ces which  made  it  only  too  certain  that  a  similar  attempt  would  be  made 
at  no  great  distance  of  time.  The  disturbances  which  had  so  recenlly 
agilatetl  I'^ngland  from  one  end  to  the  other  could  not  fail  to  act  as  an  in- 
vilation  to  foreign  enemies  ;  and,  to  make  the  matter  still  worse,  tiic  bcsl 
of  the  Englisii  soldiery,  to  a  very  great  number,  were  at  this  time  in  Spain, 
suppiirliiig  the  duke  of  Lancaster  in  the  claim  he  had  long  hiiiltothe 
crown  of  Castile.  Perhaps  the  Jilann  which  called  attention  to  these  cir 
cumstanct:^  mainly  served  to  avert  the  danger;  at  all  events,  it  speedily 
appeared  that  the  peace  of  England  was  in  greater  danger  from  English 
men  than  from  foreigners. 

\Vc  have  already  had  occasion,  under  the  reign  of  Edward  II.,  to  poini 
out  the  propensity  of  weak-minded  princes  to  the  adoption  of  favourites, 
to  whose  interests  they  delight  in  sacrificing  all  other  considerations,  in- 
cluding their  own  dignity  and  even  th(Mr  own  personal  safety.  Richard 
wnu  had  shown  so  much  frivolity  in  his  Scotch  expedition,  now  gave  a 
new  proof  of  his  weakness  of  mind  by  adopting  a  successor  to  the  Spen- 
Kcrs  and  the  Gavestons  of  an  earlier  day. 

Robert  de  Vere,  earl  of  Oxford,  of  noble  birth,  agreeable  manners,  and 
great  accomplishments,  but  extreindy  dissolute  and  no  less  vain  and  am- 
bitions, made  his  company  so  agreeable  to  Richard,  that  the  youiiif  mon- 
arch seemed  scarcely  able  to  exist  but  in  his  presence.  In  proof  of  his 
attachnient  to  him,  the  king  made  him  marquis  of  Dublin — the  title  bring 
then  first  used  in  England — created  him  by  patent  vice-king  of  Ircbridfui 
life,  and  evinced  his  preference  for  him  by  various  other  marks  of  royal 
favour. 

As  is  uniformly  the  case  with  such  favouritism,  the  favourite's  rapaciiy 
and  insolence  kept  full  pace  with  the  king's  folly;  tlie  marquis  of  Dublin 
became  the  virtual  king;  all  favours  were  obtainable  through  his  inleiesl 
justice  itself  scarcely  obtainable  without  it ;  and  the  marquis  aiul  his  -ai- 
ellites  became  at  once  the  plague  and  the  detestation  of  the  whole  nobility, 
but  more  especially  of  the  king's  uncles,  who  saw  the  influence  which 
they  ought  to  have  possessed,  and  much  that  ought  to  have  been  refuseil 
even  to  them,  transferred  to  a  man  of  comparative  obsiiurity.  The  min- 
isters, though  they,  it  is  quite  clear,  could  have  little  power  to  correct 
their  master's  peculiar  folly,  shared  the  sovereign's  disgrace,  and  ill' 
who.e  kingdom  soon  rang  with  complaints  and  threatenings. 


.^|b? 


THE  TaBASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


331 


The  first  rush  of  the  long-brewing  tempost  sliowed  itsc".  in  h  fiorne  attack 
npoii  Micliael  cie  la  Pole,  eurl  of  SiiflToik,  the  chancellor.  Though  he  was 
orisiimily  o"'y ''"'  ''O"  ^^ ''  merchant,  he  had  won  a  high  and  well-deserved 
eelebriiy  by  his  valour  and  conduct  during  the  wars  of  the  late  king,  and 
had  since  shown  very  splendid  civil  ability.  He  was  supposed  to  be  Iho 
chief  confidential  friend  of  the  king  and  of  De  Vere,  who  was  now,  from 
the  marqiiinte  of  Dublin  raised  to  the  dukedom  of  Ireland  ;  and  the  duke 
of  Glouct  sier  consequently  singled  him  out  for  persecution,  (iloucester, 
yvlio  was  boll',  aole  and  ambitious,  had  secured  a  most  potent  sway  over 
both  the  lords  and  commons,  and  he  now  induced  the  latter  to  impeach  the 
carl  of  Su  ""oik  before  the  former:  a  power  and  mode  of  proceeding  which 
thecoinin  ns  had  possessed  themselves  of  towards  the  close  of  the  reign 
of  Edward  'I. 

The  impeachment  of  the  most  eminent  of  his  ministers  naturally  alarmed 
the  king  for  himself  and  his  favourite;  and  he  retired  to  the  royal  palace 
at  Eilhan.,  to  be  out  of  immediate  danger,  and  to  deliberate  upon  his  future 
course.  Rightly  judging  that  while  the  king  was  thus  comparatively 
removed  from  danger  and  annoyamte  they  would  have  little  chance  of 
hringing  him  to  compliance  with  their  wishes,  the  parliament  sent  to  in- 
form hnn  that  unless  he  immediately  returned  they  would  dissolve  with- 
nnl  making  an  attempt  at  preparation  for  the  French  invasion  with  which 
the  nation  was  at  that  tiMie  threatened.  And  lost  this  threat  should  fail 
to  (.'ompel  the  king  to  compliance,  they  called  for  the  production  of  the 
parliamentary  record  of  the  deposition  of  Edward  II.  Tiiis  hint  was  loo 
iniellisible  to  be  disregarded,  and  the  king  at  once  consented  to  return,  on 
the  sole  condition  that,  beyond  the  impeachment  already  commenced 
againr.t  the  earl  of  SufToik,  no  attack  should  be  made  upon  his  ministers; 
astipulation  which,  most  probably,  he  chiefly  made  with  a  view  to  the 
safety  of  the  duke  of  Ireland. 

The  charges  against  SulTolk  were  directed  almost  wholly  against  his 
pecuniary  transactions.  He  was  accused,  for  instance,  of  having  ex- 
changed a  perpetual  annuity,  ivhich  he  had  fairly  inherited,  for  lands  of  equal 
value,  with  the  king ;  of  having  purchased  a  forfeited  crown  annuity  ol 
fifty  pnuiiils  and  induced  the  king  to  recognise  it  as  being  valid  ;  and  oi 
having  obtained  a  grant  of  liOOl.  per  amuim  to  support  his  dignity  on  his 
beinjj  created  carl  of  .SnlTolk.  The  fa'st  of  those  charges,  it  is  clear,  could 
only  have  been  made  by  n)en  who  weio  sadly  at  a  loss  for  some  weapon 
with  which  to  assail  their  enemy;  the  second  was  ill-supported;  and  the 
third  proceeded  with  a  very  ill-grace  from  Gloucester,  who,  though  as 
wealthy  as  Suflblk  was  poor,  was  himself  in  receipt  of  just  double  the 
amount  by  way  of  pensic.n!  When  to  fliis  we  add  that,  as  to  tht;  first 
charge,  it  was  positively  proved  that  Suffolk  had  made  no  sort  of  purchase, 
honest  or  disnonest,  Irom  tne  crown  during  his  enjoyment  of  olUce,  the 
reader  would  be  greatly  surprised  at  learning  that  he  was  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  lose  his  office — if  it  were  possible  for  the  reader  to  have  no- 
ticed the  events  of  history  even  thus  far  without  learning  that  when  pow- 
erful KM  hate  deeply,  they  do  not  require  either  very  important  charges 
or  very  clear  evidence  to  induce  them  Ui  convi(;t  the  ()arty  hated. 

This  triumph  of  the  anti-favourite  parly  emboldened  them  to  fly  at  a 
higher  quarry.  They  kept  the  letter oflheir  agreement  with  the  king,  and 
made  no  further  attack  upon  his  ministers;  but  at  once  proceeded  io  strike 
at  his  own  authority  by  appointing  a  council  of  fourteen,  to  which  the 
sovereign  authority  was  to  be  transferred  for  a  year,  the  council  in  ques- 
tion consisting,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  arrhbishop  of  York,  of  the 
personal  friends  and  partizaiis  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester;  and  thus  Rich- 
ard 11.,  whose  boyhood  had  promised  ^o  vigorous  and  splendid  a  reign, 
wasal  the  early  age  of  twenty-five  virtually  deposed,  and  a  iiicre  puppet 
and  prigoner  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies.     No  chance  of  present  resist- 


.132 


THE  TftEASIJRY  OF  HISTOEY. 


W-  \ ' 


VX'ii 


I*  i: 


ance  offbred  itself,  and  theuiifoi-tuniitc  and  weak  king  signed  the  commii- 
siun  wiiieii  in  rc;ility  uncrowned  iiim,  increasing  rather  tiian  ciiminisl.inB 
tile  pleasnr;)  and  iriumpii  of  liis  enemies  by  an  impotent  protest  which  lie 
made  at  the  <f  the  session  of  parliament,  to  the  effect  that  nothing  in 

tiie  oommisf i  .e  had  signed  was  to  be  held  to  impair  the  prerofal'ives 
of  tiieerowii 

A.  D.  13S7. — The  pampered  favourite  and  his  supporters,  as  tlicy  had  so 
greatly  profited  by  the  king's  weak  misuse  of  hi"  power,  did  not  fail  to  do 
liieir  utmost  to  stimulate  his  anger  and  to  induce  him  to  make  some  effort 
to  recover  his  lost  authority,  in  which,  in  trulii,  they  were  far  more  inter- 
ested than  he  was. 

Estranged  as  the  lords  seemed,  he  resolved  to  endeavour  to  niflii. 
ence  tiie  shL'rills  to  return  a  commons'  house  calculated  f  his  purpose; 
but  here  he  found  himself  completely  anticipated  by  the  fact  that  most  of 
t'le  sherifTsand  magistrates  were  tlie  partizansof  Gloucester,  and  aL-lu.illy 
owed  their  appointments  to  his  favour. 

Baflled  in  this  quarter,  he  now  tried  wliat  use  he  could  make  of  the  au. 
thorily  of  tiie  judges.  Having  met.  at  Nottingham,  Tresilian,  chief  justice 
of  tiic  King's  Bencii,  and  several  of  the  otiior  most  eminent  judges,  he  pro. 
posed  toiiieni  certain  queries,  to  which,  in  substance,  they  replied, "  ihat 
the  commission  was  derogatory  to  the  prerogative  and  royalty  of  the  king, 
and  that  Ihosi;  who  urged  it  or  advised  the  royal  compliance  with  it  were 
punishable  with  death;  that  those  who  compelled  hiin  were  guilty  of  trc:i- 
son  ;  that  all  who  persevered  in  maintaining  it  were  no  less  guilty;  that 
the  king  had  the  riglit  to  dissolve  the  parliament  at  his  pleasure ;  that  the 
parliament  while  sitting  must  give  its  first  attention  to  the  business  of  the 
king;  and  that  without  the  king's  consent  the  parliament  had  no  right  to 
impeach  his  ministers  or  juilges." 

Hichard  did  not  consider  when  he  took  this  step  that  even  the  fa- 
vourable  opinions  of  judges,  are  only  opinions,  and  of  little  weight  when 
opposed  to  usurped  power,  armed  force,  and  an  iron  energy.  Moreover, 
he  coiild  scarcely  hope  to  keep  his  conference  and  the  opinions  of  the 
judges  a  secret ;  and  if  he  could  do  so  of  what  avail  could  be  the  latter! 
And  would  not  this  step  sharpen  the  activity  of  his  enemies  by  leading 
them  to  fear  that  it  was  but  the  prelude  and  foundation  of  a  far  more  deci- 
ded step  \  It  actually  had  that  effect ;  for  as  soon  as  the  king  returned  to 
London,  Gloucester's  party  appeared  with  an  overwhelming  force  at  High- 
gate,  whence  they  -^ 'iit  a  deputation  to  demand  that  those  who  had  jjiven 
him  false  and  peruous  counsel  should  be  delivered  up  to  them  as  traitors 
alike  to  the  king  and  kingdom;  and  they  speedily  followed  up  this  message 
by  appearing  armed  and  attended  in  his  presence,  and  accusing  of  havinj 
given  such  coiiiisel  the  archbishop  of  York,  the  duke  of  Ireland,  the  earl 
of  Suffolk,  Sir  iiobert  Tresilian,  and  Sir  Nicholas  Urembre,  as  public;  ene- 
mies. This  accusation  the  lords  offered  to  maintain  by  duel,  and  in  token 
of  their  willingness  to  do  so  they  actu;illy  threw  down  their  gauntlet!-'. 

The  duke  of  Ireland,  at  the  first  appearance  of  this  new  and  urgentdan- 
^er,  retired  into  Cheshire  to  levy  troops  to  aid  the  king;  but  he  was  met 
by  (Jloucester,  as  he  hastened  to  join  liichard,  and  totally  defeated.  This 
defeat  deprived  him  of  all  (dianee  of  being  of  use  to  his  friend  ami  master, 
and  he  escaped  to  the  Low  ('ountries,  where  he  remained  in  exile  and 
comparative  obscurity  until  his  death,  which  occurred  not  many  years 
afterwards. 

A.  D.  1338. — Rendered  bolder  and  more  eager  than  ever  by  this  defeat 
of  the  duke  of  Ireland,  the  lords  now  entered  London  at  the  head  of  ;m 
army  of  40,000  men ;  and  the  king  being  entirely  in  their  power,  was 
obliged  to  summon  a  parliament  which  lie  well  knew  would  be  a  mere 
passive  instrument  in  the  hands  of  his  rebellious  lords.  Before  this  packed 
iiid  slavish  parliament  an  accusation  was  now  made  against  the  five  per- 


THE  T11EA3UR.Y  OP  HISTOllY. 


333 


sona'^es  wlio  had  already  been  denounced  ;  and  tliis  accusalion  was  sup- 
poricd  by  five  of  the  must  powerful  men  in  Kngluiul,  viz,,  the  duke  of  Glou- 
cester, uiulc  to  the  king  whom  he  was  endeavouring  to  ruin,  tiic  earl  of 
Qerby,  s^ui  of  tlie  duke  of  Lancaster,  the  earl  of  Arundel,  the  earl  of  War- 
tticii,  mid  the  carl  of  Nottingham,  marsiial  of  England. 

As  if  the  combined  and  formidable  power  of  these  great  nobles  had 
Ijccii  iiisiillicient  to  crush  the  accused,  tiie  servile  parliament,  though  judg- 
es in  tiiu  case,  actually  pledged  themselves  at  the  outset  of  the  proceed- 
iiws  "to  hve  and  die  with  the  lords  appellant,  and  to  defend  them  against 
aifupposilion  with  their  lives  and  fortunes !"  Sir  Nicholas  Urembre  was 
the  only  o:r  of  the  five  accused  persons  who  was  pi-osent  to  ''car  the 
thirty-iiiiie  charges  made  against  him  and  the  other  four  persons  accused. 
He  iiad  tiic  mockery,  and  but  the  mockery,  of  a  trial ;  the  others  being 
absent  were  not  even  noticed  in  the  way  of  evidence ;  hut  that  did  not  pre- 
vent lliem  from  being  found  guilty  of  high  treason.  Sir  Nicliolas  and 
also  Sir  Robert  Trcsiliail,  who  was  apprehended  after  tlie  trial,  were  ex- 
ecuted; and  here  it  might  have  been  supposed  that  even  these  rancorous 
lords  and  their  parliamentary  tools  would  have  halted  in  their  career  of 
chicaiiK  and  violence  ;  but  far  other  was  their  actual  conduct.  All  the 
oiiier  Jiulges  wiio  had  agreed  to  the  opinions  given  at  Nottingham  were 
comlcnnicd  to  death,  but  afterwards  l)aiiishedto  Ireland;  and  Lord  Beau- 
liuunp  of  Holt,  Sir  .lames  Uerncrs,  Sir  Simon  Burlcy,  and  Sir  .loim  S.ilis- 
bury  were  condemned,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  last-named,  execuied. 

The  execution,  or  to  speak  more  truly,  the  murder  of  Sir  Sinu)n  Hurley, 
made  a  very  great  and  painful  sensation  even  among  the  enemies  of  the 
1,  ■;  for  he  was  highly  and  almost  universally  popular,  botli  on  account 
(in..d  personal  character  and  from  his  having  from  the  earliest  infancy  of 
the  lamented  Black  Prince  been  the  constant  attendant  of  tiiat  hero,  who, 
as  will  as  Kdward  III.,  had  cor.ciirred  in  appointing  iiim  governor  of  tlie 
present  king  during  his  youtli.  But  the  gallantry  which  had  procured  him 
llie  lioMOiir  of  the  garter,  and  the  imperishable  fame  of  a  laudatory  men- 
hoiiiii  lli(!  glowing  pages  of  Froissarl,  tlie  beggarly  nature  of  the  charges 
against  iiiin  and  the  very  insullicitMit  evidt'iice  by  which  even  those  char- 
ges were  supported,  and  the  singularity  of  his  case  from  the  circnmstances 
whicli  wuuld  have  excused  a  far  more  implicit  devotion  to  the  king  whose 
infancy  lie  had  watched,  were  all  as  nothing  when  opjiosed  to  the  fieicc 
determination  of  his  and  his  sovereign's  implacable  enemies.  Nay  more, 
the  kin'4's  wife,  whose  virtues  had  obtained  her  from  tlie  people  the  afl'ec- 
tionalc  title  of  the  Good  Queen  .Vnne,  actually  fell  upon  her  knees  before 
Gloucester,  and  in  that  posture  for  tlirce  hours  besought,  and  vainly  be- 
souglit,  the  life  of  the  unfortunate  Hurley.  The  sten.  enemies  of  his 
master  had  doomed  the  faithful  knight  to  die,  and  he  was  executed  ac- 
cordingly. 

As  if  conscious  of  their  enormous  viUany,  and  already  beginning  to 
dread  rrtribiition,  the  parliament  conrluded  this  memorably  evil  session 
by  an  act,  providing  for  a  general  oath  to  uphold  and  maintain  all  the  acts 
of  forfeiture  and  attainder  which  had  previously  been  passed  during  the 
session. 

A.  D.  13811. — The  violence  with  which  the  king  had  been  treated,  and 
the  de»radation  to  which  he  had  been  reduced,  seemed  to  threaten  not 
only  his  never  recovering  bis  authority,  but  even  his  actual  destruction. 
Uut,  whether  from  sheer  weariness  of  their  struggle,  from  disagreements 
among  themselves,  or  from  some  fear  of  the  interference  of  the  eominoiis, 
now  daily  becoming  more  powerful  and  more  ready  to  use  their  power, 
tlie  cliicl'si  of  the  niidcontents  were  so  little  able  or  inclined  to  oppose 
Richard,  that  he,  being  now  in  his  twenty-third  year,  ventured  to  say  in 
open  council  that  he  had  fully  arrived  at  an  agy  to  govern  for  himself,  and 
that  henceforth  he  would  govern  both  the  kingdom  and  his  own  house 


334 


THE  THEASURY  OP  1IX8T0UY. 


^',^ 


P-.J. 


hold;  and  no  one  of  all  liis  lately  fierce  and  overbearing  opponents  ven 
lured  to  gainsay  him.  The  ease  with  which  the  king  regained  his  au 
thoriiy  can  only  be  accounted  for,  as  it  seems  to  us,  by  supposiu'r  thii 
circunisiances,  no  account  of  wliich  has  come  down  to  us,  rcmJered  ilie 
king's  enemies  afraid  of  opposing  him. 

From  whatever  cause,  liowever,  it  is  certain  that  the  king  sudJenly  re 
gained  his  lost  power.  His  first  act  was  to  remove  Fitzailan,  arciibishon 
of  Cantcrbiu-y,  from  the  office  of  chancellor,  and  to  replace  liim  by  ilm 
celebrated  William  of  Wykcham,  bishop  of  Winchester.  Proceeding  in 
the  obviously  wi.sc  policy  of  substituting  friends  for  foes  in  the  hiWi  of. 
fices  of  stale,  the  king  dismissed  tiio  bishop  of  Hereford  from  beinu 
treasurer,  and  the  carl  of  Arundel  from  being  admiral.  Tiie  earl  of  War", 
wick  and  the  duke  of  Gloucester  were  removed  from  the  council;  and 
even  this  evident  sign  of  the  king's  determination  to  deprive  his  enemies 
of  the  power  to  injure  him  called  forth  litUe  complaint  and  no  opposition. 

To  the  policy  of  what  he  did,  the  king  in  what  he  left  undone  added  a 
still  higiier  wisdom,  which  his  former  infatuation  gave  but  little  promise 
of.  He  did  not  show  tlie  slightest  desire  to  recall  the  duke  of  Ireland- 
and  while  he  took  care  to  purge  the  high  olRccs  of  state,  he  did  not  by 
any  part  of  his  demeanour  leave  any  room  to  doubt  that  he  was  heartily 
and  completely  reconciled  to  the  still  powerful  uncles  who  had  caused 
him  so  much  misery.  Nay,  more,  as  if  determined  to  remove  all  dani'ci 
of  the  revival  of  past  animosities,  he  of  his  own  motion  issued  a  procla. 
niation  confirming  the  parliamentary  pardon  of  all  offences,  and,  still  more 
completely  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  tax-burdened  people,  he  volun- 
tarily declined  levying  some  subsidies  wliich  had  been  granted  to  him  by 
the  parliament. 

Partly  as  a  consequence  of  these  really  wise  and  humane  measures 
and  paitly,  perhaps,  owing  to  the  return  from  Spain  of  the  duke  of  Lan- 
caster, Richard's  government  for  the  next  eight  years  went  on  so  smoothly 
and  so  prosperously,  that  not  a  single  dispute  occurred  of  '■onscqueiice 
enough  to  be  related.  Lancaster,  between  whom  and  Richard  there  had 
never  been  any  quarrel — unless  we  may  interpret  the  p.ist  conduct  of  the 
duke's  son  as  the  indication  of  one — was  powerful  enough  to  keep  his 
brothers  in  check,  and  was  at  the  ^amo  lime  of  a  more  mild  and  peace- 
loving  temper.  And,  accordingly,  the  duke  was  extremely  useful  to 
Richard,  who  in  turn  t(.>  k  every  opportunity  of  favouring  and  gratifying 
nis  uncle,  to  wiiom  at  one  time  ho  even  ceded  Guienne,  though,  from  the 
discontent  and  annoyance  expressed  by  the  Gascons,  Richard  was  shortly 
afterwards  obliged  to  revoke  his  grant.  The  king  still  more  strongly 
testified  his  preference  of  Lancaster  on  occasion  of  a  difference  which 
sprang  up  between  the  duke  and  his  two  brothers.  On  the  death  of  the 
Spanish  princess,  on  account  of  whom  Lancaster  had  entertained  such 
high  but  vain  hopes,  and  expended  so  much  time  and  money,  the  duke 
married  Catharine  Swainford,  by  whom  he  had  previously  had  children, 
and  who  was  the  daugliter  of  a  private  Hainault  knight  of  no  great  wtillh, 
Lancaster's  two  brothers  loudly  exclaimed  against  this  match,  which 
they,  not  wholly  without  reason,  declared  to  be  derogatory  to  the  honour 
of  the  royal  family.  Uul  Richard  stepped  in  to  the  support  of  his  uncle, 
and  caused  the  parliament  to  pass  an  act  legitimatizing  the  lady's  children 
born  before  marriage,  and  he  at  the  same  time  created  the  eldest  of  them 
earl  of  Somerset. 

While  these  domestic  events  were  passing,  occasional  war  had  slill 
been  going  on  both  with  France  and  Scotland  ;  but  in  each  instance  the 
actual  fighting  was  both  feeble  and  unfrequent.  This  was  especially  the 
case  as  to  France  ;  while  the  most  important  battle  on  the  Scottish  sid» 
was  t'liat  of  Otterbourne,  in  which  the  young  Piercy,  surnamed  Harry 
Hotspur,  from  his  impetuous  temper,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  Douglat 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


335 


killed;  but  tliis  really  was  less  a  national  battle  than  a  comba    arising 
out  of  ii  private  quarrel  and  individual  animosity. 

1^.  D.  130G.— The  insurrections  of  the  Irish  having  become  so  frequent 
j;  to  excite  some  fear  for  the  safety  of  that  conquest,  the  king  went 
thither  in  person ;  and  the  courage  aiid  conduct  he  displayed  in  reilucing 
the  rebels  to  obedience  did  much  towards  redecminpf  his  character  in  the 
ludgmen'  of  his  people.  A  still  farther  hope  was  raised  of  the  tranquillity 
iiidrcspcL'tiibility  of  the  remainder  of  this  reign  by  a  truce  of  twenty- 
five  yeiirs  which  was  now  made  between  France  and  Knglaiid.  To  ren- 
der this  "■"'■"  ''•"  more  solid,  Richard,  who  ere  this  had  buried  the  "Good 
Queen  Anne,"  was  afHaiiced  to  Isabella,  the  daughter  of  the  king  of 
France,  then  orily  seven  years  old.  It  seems  probable  that  Richard,  still 
fetlin"  insecure  in  the  peacefulness  of  hia  uncles  and  the  barons  gen- 
cMily°  sought  by  this  alliance  not  only  to  strengthen  the  truce  between 
the  two  nations,  but  also  to  obtain  from  it  additional  security  against  any 
domestic  attacks  upon  his  authority. 

But  though  he  thus  far  gave  proofs  of  judgment,  there  were  other  parts 
of  his  conduct  which  were  altogether  as  impolitic  and  degrading.  Unsta- 
ble, inconsistent,  wildly  extravagant,  and  openly  dissolute,  the  king  efTec- 
lually  prevented  his  popularity  from  becoming  confirmed.  Having  shown 
50  niucli  wisdom  in  refraining  from  recalling  the  duke  of  Ireland — and 
perhaps  even  that  arose  less  from  wisdom  than  from  satiety  of  his  former 
minion— he  now  selected  as  his  favourites,  to  almost  an  equally  olTensive 
extent,  his  half  brothers  the  earls  of  Kent  and  Huntingdon,  to  whom  he 
so  completely  committed  the  patronage  of  the  kingdom  as  to  render  him- 
self, ill  that  respect  at  least,  little  more  than  their  mere  tool.  This,  with 
his  indolence,  excessive  extravagance,  indulgence  al  the  table,  and  othet 
dissolute  pleasures,  not  only  prevented  hia  growing  popularity  from  ever 
being  confirmed,  but  even  caused  a  revival  of  the  former  complaints  and 
animosities. 

A.  n.  13!)7. — What  rendered  this  impolltie  conduct  the  more  surely  and 
entirely  destructive  to  Richard,  was  the  profoundly  artful  manner  in  which 
liis  chief  and  most  implacable  enemy,  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  availed  him- 
self of  it.  Instead  of  endeavouring  to  vie  with  Richard's  favourites  and 
10  invite  a  share  of  his  partiality,  the  duke  almost  retired  from  llie  eourt ; 
appearing  there  only  on  the  public  occasions  which  would  have  caused 
his  absence  to  have  been  ill  remarked  on,  and  devoting  all  the  rest  of  his 
lime  to  cultivating  'he  pr.pular  favour  by  every  art  of  which  he  was  mas- 
icr.  When  obliged  to  offer  liis  opinion  in  council,  he  took  care  to  give 
the  most  powerful  reasons  he  could  command  for  his  opposition  to  the 
measures  of  the  king.  As  the  truce  and  alliance  which  Richard  had  con- 
cluded with  France  were  almost  universally  unpopular,  Gloucester,  to  all 
orders  of  men  who  had  approach  to  him,  affected  the  utmost  personal  sor- 
row and  patriotic  indignation  that  Ricliard  hud  so  completely  and  shame- 
fully degenerated  from  the  high  anti-Gallican  spirit  of  his  renowned  and 
warlike  grandfather,  who  looked  upon  the  French  as  the  natural  foes  of 
Kugland,  and  upon  France  as  the  treasure-house  of  England's  high-born 
chivalry  and  lusty  yeomen.  To  fall  in  with  the  interested  opinions  of 
men  is  ilin  surest  possible  way  to  obtain  their  favour;  and  the  more  un- 
popular liicdiard  became,  the  more  openly  and  earnestly  did  the  people, 
and  more  especially  the  military,  declare  that  the  duke  of  Gloucester's 
patriotism  was  the  real  cause  of  his  want  of  favour  at  court ;  and  that  his 
wisdom  and  counsel  alone  could  ever  restore  tiie  honour  and  prosperity 
of  the  nation  whose  true  interests  he  so  well  understood  and  so  disinter- 
nledly  advocated. 

Tbiti  Gloucester  for  a  long  lime  had  harboured  the  most  treasonable 
de5ij,'ii3  against  Richard  is  quite  certain  from  even  his  own  confession 
and  Uichard,  urged  by  the  advice  not  only  of  his  favourites,  but  also  bv 


'  l^^ 

1 

\  ^ 

ji-  '■ 

^w  , 

's 

*, 

i. 

T 

:M 

mm 

m 

nan 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  IIISTOUY. 


•n 


•1^ 


tlio  kitifj  of  Franco,  siirldcniy  caused  Oloiicestcr  tn  be  arrested  and  co 
vrycd  to  Ciilais,  while  fit  thr  same  time  liis  friendh  tlie  earls  of  Aimul'! 
an(i  Warwick  wou'  seized  and  thrown  into  prison.  As  both  the  (luiicJ  ^^ 
Lancaster  and  Vork  and  their  chlest  sons  approved  of  and  supported  \\' 
king's  suddenly  adopted  course,  the  friends  of  tiio  imprisoned  nobles  nif 
that  resistance  would  only  servo  to  involve  themselvca  in  ruin.  TlJ 
king,  too,  by  influencing  the  sheriffs,  caused  a  parliament  to  be  assem. 
bled,  which  was  so  completely  subservient  to  his  wishes,  that  it  not  onlv 
annulled  the  commission  which  had  so  extensively  Irencliod  upon  the 
royal  authority,  and  declared  it  hiffh  treason  to  attempt  the  renewal  of  a 
like  commission,  but  even  went  so  far  as  to  revoke  the  general  pardon 
that  Wichard  had  voluntarily  confirmed  after  he  regu:...;d  his  authority, anj 
to  revoke  it,  in  the  face  of  that  fact,  upon  the  grounJ  of  its  having  beei 
extorted  hi/  force  and  never  freely  ratified  hy  the  king! 

The  duke  of  Gloucester,  the  earls  of  Arundel  and  Warwick,  and  tht 
archbishop  of  (/anterbury  wore  now  impeached  by  the  commons.  Arun- 
del was  execute  I,  Warwick  banished  for  life  to  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  the 
archbishop  was  deprived  of  his  temporalities  and  banished  the  kingdom. 
That  they  all  really  were  cognizant  of  and  concerned  in  Gloucester's  more 
recent  treasonable  projects  there  can  be  no  moral  doubt;  and  yet,  legally 
these  men  were  all  unjustly  condemned,  for  they  were  condemned  not 
for  any  recent  treason,  t)ut  for  that  old  rebellion  which  the  kmg  had  par 
doned  voluntarily  and  while  under  no  restraint.  The  chief  pa'rtizans  of 
Gloucester  being  thus  disposed  of,  the  governer  of  Calais  was  ordered  to 
bring  the  duke  himself  over  for  trial;  but  to  this  order  he  returned  word 
that  the  duke  had  suddenly  died  of  apoplexy.  When  it  is  considered  that 
this  sudden  death  of  the  duke  happened  so  conveniently  for  releasing  the 
king  from  the  unpleasant,  practical  dilemma  of  either  setting  at  liberty  a 
powerful  and  most  implacable  foe,  or  incurring  the  odium  which  could 
not  but  attach  to  the  act  of  putting  to  death  so  near  a  relation,  it  is  ditTi- 
ci^lt  to  withhold  belief  from  the  popular  rumour  which  was  very  rife  at 
the  time,  and  still  more  so  during  the  next  king's  reign,  that  the  duke  was, 
in  fact,  smothered  in  his  bed,  in  obedience  to  a  secret  order  of  his  king 
and  nephew. 

Kre  the  parliament  was  dismissed,  very  extensive  creations  and  pro- 
motions took  place  in  the  peerage,  of  course  among  those  who  had  been 
most  useful  and  zealous  in  aiding  the  recent  royal  severity;  and  at  the 
very  close  of  this  busy  and  discreditable  session  the  king  gave  a  sing'j. 
larly  striking,  though  practically  unimportant,  proof  of  his  inconsistency; 
he  exacted  an  oath  from  the  parliament  perpetually  to  maintain  the  acts 
they  had  passed — one  of  those  very  acts  being  in  direct  and  shameful  vio 
lation  of  a  precisely  similar  oath  which  had  been  subsequently  sanctioned 
by  the  king's  free  and  solemn  ratification! 

A.  D.  1.398. — When  the  parliament  met  at  Shrewsbury,  in  January,  LW, 
the  king  again  manifested  his  anxiety  for  the  security  of  the  recent  acts, 
by  causing  both  the  lords  and  commons  to  swear,  upon  the  cross  oi'  Can- 
terbury, that  they  would  maintain  them.  Still  ill  at  ease  on  this  point, 
he  shortly  afterwards  obtained  the  additional  security,  as  he  deemed  ii, 
of  a  bull  from  the  pope,  ordaining  the  permanence  of  these  acts.  At  the 
same  time,  as  if  to  show  the  folly  of  swearing  to  the  perpetuation  of  acts, 
the  parliament  reversed  the  attainders,  not  only  of  Tresilian  and  tlio  other 
judges,  for  the  secret  opinions  they  bad  given  to  the  king  at  .Nottingliani, 
biit  also  of  the  Spensers,  father  and  son,  who  were  attainted  in  the  reign 
of  Edward  II. 

Though  the  enmity  towards  Gloucester  of  the  nobles  who  had  :-o  zial 
ously  aided  in  the  destruction  of  that  prince  had  united  them  in  apparcnily 
'ndissoluble  friendship  while  the  duke  lived,  animosities  and  heartbnriiin:.> 
•oon  sprang  np  ainong[  them  when  this  common  bond  of  union  was  n 


THK  TllEASailY  OF  HISTORY. 


337 


jved.  Tlio  duke  of  Hereford  in  liifi  place  in  pnrliameiil  solemnly  ac- 
'" ^i,j  ,"l,e  duke  of  Norfolk  of  having  laiidercd  tlu!  king,  by  iiiipiitini,r  to 
'^^11  ihe  iiilention  of  destroying  some  of  the  highest  of  the  nohilily ;  Nor- 
(Ik  ifave  Ileruford  the  lie,  and  demanded  the  trial  l)y  duel.  The  cliallenge 
Ijljjj Ulluwc'd  and  accepted;  and  as  the  parliament  was  now  separ.iting, 

'j  iPjTJslative  authority  might  yet  be  renrlered  necessary  by  the  resnlt  of 
ihij duti,  a  singular  and  somewhat  hazardous  expedient  w.is  resorted  to; 
thai  of  delegating  the  full  powers  of  the  parliament  to  a  coninuttce  of 
nvelvp  lords^anu  six  of  the  commons. 

The  lists  for  the  duel  were  fixed  at  Coventry,  the  king  in  person  was 
10  witness  the  combat,  and  the  whole  chivalry  of  Kiigland  was  split  into 
tivo  piirties.  siding  with  the  respective  champions.  But  on  lli'  day  of 
iliieltlie  king  forbade  the  combat,  banisliing  Norfolk  for  ten  years  and 
Hereford  for  life. 

The  great  inconsistency  of  Uichard  makes  it  diflieult  to  write  his  reign. 
Bv  llie  net  we  liave  just  recorded  he  showed  sound  and  humane  policy; 
vfi  in  llie  very  next  year  we  find  him  eonimilting  a  most  wanton  and 
Jfspoiie  wrong ;  as  though  he  would  ba'ance  the  prudence  of  putting  an 
Hill  10 one  source  of  strife  among  liis  nobles  by  taking  the  earliest  possi- 
,lcoii|)ortuiiity  to  open  another ! 

A. D.  13'JS'' — 'I'i'c  duke  of  Lancaster  dying,  his  son  aiijdied  to  be  put 
iiwposscssionof  the  estate  and  authority  of  his  father,  as  se(;unHl  by  the 
kiii'i'i  own  patent.  Hut  Richard,  jealous  of  that  succession,  caused  the 
:jimnittee  to  which  the  authority  of  parliament  had  been  so  strangely  de- 
ckled, to  authorize  him  to  revoke  that  patent,  and  to  try  and  condemn 
Jiitasler's  own  attorney  for  having  done  his  duly  to  his  employer !  This 
„ioiistroiis  tyranny  was  not  carried  to  the  length  of  actually  putting  the 
itioriiey  lo  deatli,  in  pursnance  to  the  sentence,  but  that  extreme  rigour 
..asonly  coniinutcd  to  banisliinent! 

Tne  tyranny  of  this  strange  act  was  indisputable  and  detestable;  but 
v  no  means  more  strange  and  unaccountabli!  than  its  singular  impolicy. 
li  would  have  been  im-"  issih'.e  to  name  a  noble  then  living  who  was  more 
'iieriilly  and  univcirsally  popular  than  Henry,  the  new  duke  of  I,aiicaster. 
Ill' had  served  with  gnat  credit  against  the  Inlidfls  in  Lithuania;  he  was 
•,05t!y  connected  by  blood  with  many  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  iiobil- 
iv,  and  by  friendship  with  still  more:  and  his  own  popularity,  and  the 
iPicstalion  into  whicli  the  king  had  now  fallen,  caused  tin;  great  majority 
,)f  the  nation  not  only  to  take  an  iiidignaii'.  interest  in  tlu  llagraiit  wrong 
iioiietotlie  duke,  but  also  to  hope  that  the  vastness  of  his  wrongs  would 
iiiliice  him  to  become  the  avenger  of  theirs. 

Notwithstanding  the  mere  irritatiii'j;  and  driving  out  of  the  country  a 
jiaii  Hhn,  alike  by  birth,  popularity,  and  talents,  was  so  well  calculated 
n wrest  from  him  liia  tottering  throne,  the  infatuated  Richard  now  left 
Kiighiiid,  as  though  for  the  express  {)urpi)si!  of  inviting  and  facilitating 
ioiiie  aiieiiipt  likely  to  consummate  his  pni'iable  ruin  !  Mis  cousin,  and 
ill'  presumptive  heir  to  the  throne,  Roger,  earl  of  .March,  having  been 
sain  in  a  .skirmish  with  the  Irisii  kern,  Richard  went  over  to  Ireland  in 
person  to  avenge  his  deceased  relative.  The  promptitude  of  the  dnke  of 
■  Liuicaster  was  fully  tqual  to  the  infatuation  of  Richard.  Minliarkiiig  at 
.Nantes  with  a  retinue  only  sixty  in  number,  the  duke  landed  at  Ravenspnr 
ia  Yorkshire,  and  was  joined  by  the  earls  of  Northumberland  and  VVest- 
inorehiiul.    '    ''  "  ■' 


111  iuiivoiiitu,  auu  "as  jumcu  i'^    iiiu  Uiiiis  i»i     i-^ui  uniiiiufi  itiini  emu    ?»uai- 

inorthiiul.    In  the  presence  of  these  two  potent  nobles,  and  of  the  arch- 

}isliopof  Canterbury  and  that  prelate's  nephew,  the  young  earl  of  Arun- 

lel,  both  of  whom  had  been   his  companions  from   Nantes,  the  duke 

*anily  made  oath  that  he  had  returned  to  the  country  with  no  other 

Kirpose  than  that  of  recovering  his  duchy  that  had  been  so  tyrannically 

vuliheld  from  him.     Having  thus  taken  the  best  means  to  appease  the 

ears  of  the  king's  few  friends,  and  of  t'-o  numerous  lovers  of  peace  whom 
a 


338 


THE  TIIEA8URY  OF  HI8T0RV 


I.IM:,U  \i 


the  dread  of  a  civil  war,  as  a  consequence  of  his  aiininct  at  the  throrc 
would  oliiorwisu  liave  rendered  hostile  to  him,  the  duke  nivitml  not  „,,']„ 
all  his  own  friends,  but  iill  in  Knylaud  who  were  true  lovers  of  justice  in 
aid  and  uphold  him  in  this  incontcstahly  just  and  reasi)ual)le  desiiju-  iind 
hia  appcui,  partly  from  personal  alToction  to  him,  but  chietly  fr()iii"(rciif|...i 
and  intense  detestation  of  the  absent  king,  was  so  eagerly  luid  .sn(.|.|]|L 
answered,  that,  in  a  very  few  days,  he  who  had  so  lately  left  Names  uiih 
a  slender  retinue  of  only  sixty  persons  was  at  the  head  of  an  arniy(f  aj 
many  thousands,  zealous  in  his  eause,  and  beyond  expression  anxiuus  in 
take  signal  vengeance  for  the  numerous  tyramiies  of  Richard. 

On  leaving  Knglaud  for  the  purpose  of  chastising  the  Irish  rebo's,  Rich 
hrd  gave  the  important  oHlcc  of  guardian  of  the  realm  to  the  diikeol 
York.  This  prince  did  not  possess  the  talents  requisite  in  tlic  datii'iirous 
crisis  which  had  now  arisen;  moreover,  he  was  too  closely  connccicd 
with  tli(!  duke  of  Lancaster  to  allow  of  his  cxertnig  the  sincere  ami  ex 
.icrne  rigour  by  which  alone  the  advances  of  that  injured  but  no  less  am. 
bilious  noble  could  be  kept  in  check  ;  and  those  friends  of  the  kiii(r  whosn 
power  and  zeal  might  have  kept  York  to  his  fideliiy,  and  supplied  his 
want  of  ability,  had  accompanied  Richard  to  Ireland.  Kverylliinjr,  there. 
fore,  seemed  to  favour  the  duko  of  Lancaster,  should  ambitiou  feidhim 
to  attempt  something  beyond  the  mere  re(!overy  of  his  duchy. 

The  duke  of  York,  however,  did  not  at  the  outset  show  any  wiint  o( 
will  to  defend  the  king's  rights.  He  ordered  all  the  forces  tliatcoulJbe 
collected  to  meet  him  at  St.  Alban's ;  but  after  all  exertion  had  been  made, 
he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  no  more  than  forty  thousand  men;  m 
these  far  from  zealous  in  the  royal  cause.  Just  as  he  made  this  discovery 
of  his  twofold  weakness,  he  received  a  message  in  which  the  duke  of  Lim 
caster  begged  him  not  to  oppose  his  recovery  of  his  iidicritancc,  to  whirh 
he  still  with  consummate  hypocrisy  affected  to  limit  his  deMiaiidsuiil 
wishes.  York  confessed  that  he  could  not  think  of  opposing  liis  nophcw 
in  so  reasonable  and  just  a  design,  and  York's  declaration  was  rcceivpj 
with  a  joy  and  applause  which  augured  but  ill  for  the  interests  of  thea'i- 
sent  king.  Lancaster,  still  pretending  to  desire  only  the  recovery  of  his 
right,  now  hastened  to  Hristol,  where  scnne  of  the  ministers  had  taken  ro. 
fuge,  and,  having  speedily  made  himself  master  of  the  place,  gave  the  ic 
to  all  his  (irofessions  of  moderation  by  sending  to  instant  exccuiioii  the 
earl  of  Wiltshire,  Sir  John  Dussy,  and  Sir  llciry  CJreen. 

Intelligence  of  Lancaster's  proceedings  had  by  this  time  reached  Rirh- 
ard,  who  hastened  from  Ireland  with  an  army  of  20,000  men,  ami  lamlfi 
at  Milford  Haven.  Against  the  force  by  which  Lancaster  had  by  ths 
lime  surrounded  himself,  the  whole  of  Richard's  army  would  have  availoi 
but  little  ;  but  before  he  could  attempt  anything,  above  two-thirds  of  even 
that  small  army  had  deserted  him,  and  ho  found  himself  compelled  lo 
steal  away  from  the  faithful  remnant  of  his  force  and  take  shelter  in  the 
Isle  of  Anglesey,  whence  he  probably  intended  to  embark  for  France, 
there  to  await  some  change  of  affairs  which  might  enable  him  .o  c.wri 
himself  with  at  least  some  hope  of  success. 

Lancaster,  as  politic  as  he  was  ambitious,  saw  at  a  glance  how  ranch 
mischief  and  disturbance  miglit  possibly  accrue  to  him  from  Kiidiardn!)- 
taining  the  support  and  sheltiM-  of  France  or  even  of  Ireland,  and  deter- 
mined to  possess  himself  of  the  unhappy  king's  person  previous  to  wholly 
throwing  off  the  thin  mask  he  still  wore  of  moderation  and  loyalty.  He, 
therefore,  sent  the  earl  of  Northumberland  to  Richard,  ostensibly  for  the 
purpose  of  assuring  him  of  Lancaster's  loyal  feeling  and  moderate  aim; 
and  Northumberland,  as  instructed,  took  the  opportunity  to  seize  upon 
Richard,  whom  he  conveyed  lo  Flint  castle,  where  Lancaster  aiixiouslr 
awaited  hia  precious  prize.  The  unfortunate  Richard  was  now  conveyed 
to  London,  nominally  under  the  protection,  but  really  as  the  prisoner,  d 


THE  TKEASUIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


339 


laiicast",  who  ihroiiirhoiit  the  journey  was  every  where  received  with 
Ihe  siihiiiission  and  aculatnations  that  of  rijjhl  belonged  to  his  sovereign. 
■riie  Londoners,  especially,  showed  unbounded  afTeclion  to  the  duke;  and 
sonic  writers  even  alTirni  that  they,  by  their  recorder,  advised  Lancaster 
II)  put  Richard  to  death.  However  atrocious  this  advice,  the  spirit  of  that 
jgiMvas  such  as  by  no  means  to  make  it  impossible  that  it  was  given. 
But  Luiicastcr  had  deeper  thoughts,  and  hud  no  intention  of  letting  his 
wlioli' designs  be  visible,  or  at  least  declared,  until  ho  could  do  so  with 
perfect  safety  from  having  the  chief  authorities  of  the  nation  compromised 
bvhii  acts.  Instead,  therefore,  of  violently  putting  an  end  to  the  captive 
king,  lie  made  use  of  the  royal  name  to  sanction  his  own  measures. 
liiclwrd,  helpless  and  a  prisoner,  was  compelled  to  summon  a  parliament; 
mid  before  this  parliament  thirty-three  articles  of  accusation  were  lai(l 
against  tiie  king.  .Most  of  the  nobles  who  were  friendly  to  Richard  had 
Hciired  dicir  own  safety  by  flight ;  and  as  Lancaster  was  at  once  powerful 
aiiJ  popniar,  we  may  fairly  believe  that  Richard  was  as  ill  provided  with 
friends  in  llic  commons  as  in  the  lords.  Hut  the  bishop  of  Carlisle,  in  the 
hlter  imiiso,  nobly  redeemed  the  national  character  by  the  ability  and 
firmness  with  which  he  showed,  at  once,  the  insudleiency  of  the  charges 
ma(lcn^..inst  Richard,  and  the  unconstitutional  and  irregular  nature  of  the 
treatment  bestowed  upon  him.  He  argued,  that  even  those  of  the  charges 
ajaiiist  Kicliard  which  might  fairly  bo  adniitled  to  be  true,  were  rather 
fvidence  of  youth  and  want  of  juclgment  than  of  tyranny ;  and  that  tho 
deposition  of  Hdward  IL,  besides  that  it  was  no  otherwise  a  precedent 
ihanas  it  was  a  successful  act  of  violence,  was  still  further  no  precedent 
11  this  case,  because  on  the  'ieposition  of  Kdward  the  succession  was  kept 
iiiiiiilate,  his  son  being  placed  upon  the  llirone  ;  while  the  duke  of  Lan- 
caster, whom  it  was  now  proposed  to  substitute  for  Richard,  could  only 
ranuni  the  throne,  even  after  Richard's  deposition,  by  violating  the  rights 
of  the  ihildreii  of  his  father's  elder  brother,  Lionel,  duke  of  Clarence,  upon 
iviiniii  the  crown  had  been  solemnly  entailed  by  the  parliament. 

The  spirited  and  just  conduct  of  the  able  prelate,  however  honourable 
10 himself,  and  however  preciuus  as,  pro  lanto,  rescuing  the  national  char- 
jdcr  from  the  charge  of  being  utterly  lost  to  all  sense  of  right,  was  of  no 
Service  lotlie  uiiliappy  Richard.  The  bishop  was  heard  by  tlie  parliament 
,15 though  lie  had  given  utterance  to  something  of  incredible  folly  and  in- 
jiistiee;  the  charges  were  voted  to  bo  proven  against  Richard;  and  the 
Juke  of  Lancaster,  now  wholly  triumiihant,  immediately  had  the  bishop  of 
Liiieoiii  iirrcsted  and  sent  priaoner  to  St.  Alban's  abbey,  there  to  acquire 
a  more  subservient  understanding  of  the  principles  of  constitutional  iaw. 

Richard  being  in  due  form  deposed,  the  duke  of  Lancaster,  who  had  s»; 
roiently  made  oath  that  he  sought  only  the  recovery  of  his  duchy — of 
ivhichi't  is  beyond  all  question  that  ho  had  been  most  wrongfully  deprived, 
wvcame  forward,  crossed  himself  in  the  forehead  and  breast  with  mur  h 
jfciiiing  devotion,  and  .said,  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  an  ■:  the 
Holy  (ihost,  L  Henry  of  Lancaster,  challenge  this  realm  of  Englari,  and 
ihe  crown,  and  all  the  members  and  appurtenances  also,  thrt  I  am  des- 
pfiided  by  right  line  of  the  blood,  coming  from  the  good  king  Henry  the 
Th'rJ,  and  through  that  right  that  God  of  his  Rrace  hath  sent  me,  with 
liflpof  kin  and  of  my  friends,  to  recover  it ;  the  which  realm  was  on  point 
of  being  undone  by  default  of  governance  and  undoing  of  the  good  laws." 

The  right  to  which  the  duko  of  Lancaster  here  pretends  requires  a  few, 
and  !j„t  a  few,  words  of  explanation.  "  There  was,"  says  Hume,  "  a  silly 
story  received  among  the  lowest  of  the  vulgar,  that  Edmond,  earl  of  Lan- 
caster, son  of  Henry  the  Third,  was  really  the  elder  brother  of  Kdward ; 
Mihat  hy  reason  of  sonic  deformity  in  his  person  he  had  been  postponed 
ill  the  succession,  and  his  younger  brother  imposed  upon  the  nation  in  his 
'itad,    .\3  the  present  duke  of  Lancaster  inherited  from  Kdmond,  by  hi* 


4 


•*-,'«'li(S.tH 


i  *» 


,i„»rir'r    ■' 


SiO 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


mother,  this  genealogy  made  him  the  true  heir  of  the  monarchy,  and  u 
therefore  insinuated  in  his  speech,  but  the  absurdity  was  too  gross  to  hi 
openly  avowed  either  by  him  or  the  parliament." 

But  if  too  gross  for  formal  parliamentary  use,  it  could  scarcely  be  ton 
gross  for  imposing  upon  the  changeful,  ignorant,  and  turbulent  rabble  m]i\ 
Henry  of  Lancaster  was  far  too  accomplished  a  demagogue  to  ovcr'ook 
the  usefulness  of  a  falsehood  on  account  of  its  grossness. 

Tlie  deposition  of  Richard  rendered  it  necessary  that  the  pnrliampni 
should  be  dissolved ;  but  in  six  days  after  that  took  place  a  new  parliament 
was  called  by  his  usurping  successor.  This  parliament  gave  a  new  nronl 
of  the  absurdity  of  swearing  the  parliament  and  people  to  the  pcrpptuitv 
of  laws  ;  all  the  laws  of  Richard's  former  parliament,  which  had  notoiifv 
been  sworn  to  but  also  confirmed  by  a  papal  bull,  being  now  abrogated  at 
one  fell  swoop !  And  to  make  the  lesson  still  more  striking  and  still  more 
disgusting,  all  the  acts  of  Gloucester's  parliament  which  had  h<^en  so  sol- 
emnly  abrogated,  were  now  as  solemnly  confirmed  !  For  accusing  Glnu. 
coster,  Warwick,  and  Arundel,  many  peers  had  been  promoted;  they  were 
now  on  that  account  degraded  !  The  recent  practice  had  made  appeals  in 
parliament  the  rightful  and  solemn  way  of  bringing  high  offenders  to  jus. 
tice;  such  appeals  were  now  abolished  in  favour  of  common  law  indict. 
nicnts.  How  could  peaceable  and  steady  conduct  be  expected  from  a  peo. 
pie  whose  laws  were  thus  perpetually  subjected  to  chance  and  change,  to 
the  rise  of  this  or  to  the  fall  of  that  party? 

Henry  of  Lancaster,  by  due  course  of  violence  and  fraud,  of  hyprocilsy 
and  of  perjury,  having  usurped  the  crown,  the  disposal  of  the  person  of 
the  late  king  naturally  became  a  question  of  some  interest;  and  theeiri 
of  Northumberland,  who  had  acted  so  treacherous  a  part,  was  deputed  !o 
ask  the  advice  of  the  peers  iipon  that  point,  and  to  inform  tlmni  thatilie 
king  had  resolved  to  sjiare  Richard's  life.  The  peers  were  unanimously 
of  opinion  that  Richard  should  b{!  confined  in  some  secure  fortress,  .mil 
prevented  from  having  any  communication  with  his  friends.  PoiUefric! 
castle  was  accordingly  fixed  upon  as  the  deposed  king's  prison,  and  here 
he  speedily  died  at  the  early  ago  of  thirty-four.  That  he  was  ninnlepd 
no  historian  denies  ;  but  while  some  say  that  ho  was  openly  attacked  by 
assassins  who  were  admitted  to  his  apartments,  and  that  before  he  was 
dispatched  he  killed  one  of  his  assailants  and  nearly  overpowered  the  rest; 
others  say,  that  he  was  starved  to  dcjath,  and  that  his  strong  conslituiir;i 
inflicted  ui)on  him  the  unspeakable  misery  of  living  for  a  fortnight  after 
his  inhuman  gaolers  had  ceased  to  supply  him  with  any  food ;  and  tli;< 
latter  account  is  more  likely  to  be  the  correct  one,  as  his  body,  wlm 
exposed  to  public  view,  exhibited  no  marks  of  violence  upon  it.  Wlnl'vir 
his  fault,  it  is  impossible  to  deny  that  he  was  most  ue.justly  treated  hythe 
usurper  Henry,  an<l  very  basely  abandoned  by  both  liouses  and  parliainoii!; 
and  his  fate  furnishes  a  new  proof  that  tlie  smallest  tyraiuiies  of  a  weil; 
sovereign,  in  a  rude  and  uidettercd  age,  will  provoke  the  most  sangiiin  r}' 
vengeance  at  the  hands  of  the  very  same  men  who  will  patiently  iii! 
basely  put  up  with  the  greatest  and  most  insulting  tyrannies  at  thclnmls 
of  a  king  who  has  either  wisdom  or  courage. 

Apart  from  the  sedition  and  violence  of  which  we  have  already  e;ive;i 
a  detailed  account,  the  reign  of  the  deposed  and  nnirdered  Hiclnrd  liil 
but  one  circumstance  worthy  of  especial  remark  ;  the  coiumencement  i:i 
England  of  the  reform  of  the  church.  .John  Wickliffe,  a  secular  priespf 
Oxford,  and  subsequently  rector  of  Lutterworth,  i;i  Leicestershire,  hein? 
a  man  of  great  learning  and  piety,  and  being  unable  by  the  most  earcfd  j 
study  of  tlie  scriptures  to  find  any  justification  of  the  doctrine  of  IherrJ 
presence,  the  supremacy  of  Rome,  or  the  merit  of  vows  of  c( libacy,  f'll  j 
himself  bound  to  make  public  his  opinion  on  these  points,  and  tomaiiiiiio 
"that  the  scriptures  were,  tf  o  «ole  rule  of  faith;  that  the  ehuieh  wi'.sile 


fciiJI 


V  W^thui 


THE  TEEA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


341 


Dcndantoii  the  stato  and  sliould  be  reformed  by  it;  tliat  the  clcigy  ought 
•0  possess  no  cstiites ;  tliat  the  begging  friars  were  a  nuisance  and  ought 
iioi  10  be  supported ;  that  the  numerous  ceremonies  of  the  church  were 
hurtful  to  true  piety;  tliat  oatlis  were  unlawful,  that  dominion  was  found- 
ed in  grace,  tliat  everything  was  subject  to  fate  and  destiny,  and  tiuit  all 
iiicawere  predestined  to  eternal  salvation  or  reprobation." 

It  will  be  perceived  from  this  summary  that  WicklifTe  in  some  particu- 
lars went  beyond  the  reformers  of  the  sixteenth  century ;  but  drawing 
his  opinions  from  the  scriptures  and  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  he,  in  the 
main,  agrees  with  the  more  modern  reformers  who  also  sought  truth  in 
that  same  true  source.  Pope  Gregory  XI.  issued  a  bull  for  the  trial  of 
Wicklilfe  as  to  the  soundness  of  his  opinions.  The  duke  of  Lancaster, 
who  then,  in  consequence  of  Richard's  minority,  governed  the  kingJom, 
not  only  protected  WicklifTe,  but  appeared  in  court  with  him,  and  ordered 
that  he  sliould  be  allowed  to  sit  while  being  examined  by  Courtcnay, 
hijhopof  London,  to  whom  the  pope's  bull  was  directed.  The  populace 
a;  this  time  were  much  against  Wickliffe,  and  would  probably  have  pro- 
ttcJc'i  to  comiuit  actual  violence  upon  both  him  and  his  great  protector 
imi  lor  the  interference  of  the  bishop.  IJut  WicklifTu's  opinions  being, 
for  the  most  part,  true,  and  being  maintained  by  an  extremely  earnest  as 
woli  as  learned  and  pious  man,  soon  made  so  much  progress,  that  the  uni- 
versity of  Oxford  neglected  to  act  upon  a  second  bull  wiiich  the  pope 
direi'leJ  against  the  intrepid  reformer;  and  even  the  populace  learned  to 
see  so  much  soinidness  in  his  arguments,  that  when  he  was  summoned 
jel'ore  a  synod  at  Lambeth,  they  broke  into  the  palace  and  so  alarmed  the 
prelates  wlio  were  opposed  to  him,  that  he  was  dismissed  without  censure. 
Oil  subsequent  occasioiis'he  was  troubled  for  iiis  opinions,  but  though  he 
showed  none  of  the  stern  and  headlong  courage  of  Luther  in  a  later  age, 
he  did  that  which  paved  the  way  for  it;  being  suiTiciently  tinctured  with 
that  enthusiasm  necessary  to  unmask  imposture,  he  gained  the  approba- 
iioii  of  honest  men  ;  while  he  so  skilfully  explained  and  temporized,  that  he 
iiViJ  prosjjorously  and  died  in  peace  at  his  rectory,  in  the  year  1335 ;  hav- 
sifsei  the  example  of  deep  and  right  thinking  upon  the  important  subjects 
of  nligion,  but  leaving  it  to  a  later  generation  to  withstand  the  tyrannous 
asjiiiniilions  of  Rome  even  to  the  stake  and  the  axe,  the  torture  and  the 
iiiaddeniiig  gloom  of  the  dungeon.  The  impunity  of  WicklifTe  and  his 
toiiteniponiy  disciples  must  not,  however,  bo  wholly  set  down  to  the  ac- 
count of  Ins  and  their  prudent  temporizing  and  skilful  explanation.  These, 
ahed,  umlcr  all  the  circumstances  greatly  served  them,  but  would  have 
utterly  failed  to  do  so  but  that  as  yet  there  was  no  law  by  which  the  se- 
cular arm  eould  be  made  to  punish  the  heterodox  ;  and  Home,  partly  from 
lierown  sdiisms  and  partly  from  the  state  of  England,  was  just  at  this 
tune  in  no  condition  to  take  those  sweeping  and  stem  measures  which 
(itiieriii  an  earlier  or  later  age,  with  the  greater  favour  of  the  civil  ruler, 
slie  would  have  proved  herself  abundantly  willing  to  take.  That  the  power 
and  opportunity,  rather  than  the  will,  were  wanting  on  the  part  of  Rome 
to  suppress  the  Lollards — as  WicklilTe's  disci|)les  were  called — rests  not 
liii'rely  upon  speculation.  Proof  of  that  fact  is  alTorded  by  an  act  which 
a;  lilt  four  years  before  the  death  of  WicklifTe  the  clergy  surre|)titionsly 
jot  enrolled,  though  it  never  had  the  consent  of  the  commons,  by  which 
act  all  sheriffs  were  bound  to  apprehend  all  preachers  of  heresy  and  their 
abettors.  The  fraud  was  discovered  and  complained  of  in  the  commons 
during  the  next  session  ;  and  the  clergy  were  thus  deterred  from  making 
iinniediato  use  of  their  new  and  ill  aeiiuired  power,  though  they  contrivoj 
lo prevent  the  formal  repaal  of  the  smuggled  act. 


m 


'■^'..•Miilij 


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Pi-'- 


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■.i<A^->-t 


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S43 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HI8T0ET. 


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11 


i , 


.■?'i 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


THE    REION    OF    HENRY    IV. 


A.D.  1399.— However  Henry  IV.  might  gloss  over  the  matter  to  ilio  servile 
commons  or  to  the  profoundly  ignoriuit  rabble,  he  could  not  hut  be  perfect. 
ly  aware  thai  he  had  no  hereditary  right ;  that  his  "  rififht,"  in  fiK^i^  „,|j 
merely  the  right  of  a  usurper  who  had  paved  the  way  to  the  thmiie  by  the 
grossest  hypoerisy.  And  he  must  have  constantly  been  tortured  with 
doubts  and  anxieties,  lest  the  ambition  of  some  new  usurper  should  be 
sanctioned  as  his  own  had  been,  by  what  artful  demagogues  facetiously 
call  the  "  voice  of  the  people,"  or  lest  some  combination  of  the  barons 
should  pluck  the  stolen -Jiadem  from  his  brow,  to  place  it  on  ihiU  of  the 
heir  of  the  house  of  Mortimer,  whom  parliament  had  formerly  decUrcd 
the  heir  to  the  crown.  But  Henry  could  lessen  these  cares  and  fears  by 
reflecting  that  he  had  possession,  and  that  possession  was  not  so  easily  to 
be  wrested  from  liini  by  a  future  usurper,  as  it  had  been  by  himself  from 
the  weak  and  unskilled  arm  of  Richard  ;  while,  even  should  tiie  parlia. 
mentary  decision  in  favour  of  the  true  heir  be  brought  into  play,  it  was  not 
so  diflicultor  uncommon  a  thing  to  alter  the  most  solemn  auts,  even  when 
passed  amid  oaths  and  supported  by  a  bull  I  Moreover,  as  to  ilic  difTiculty 
that  miglit  arise  from  the  true  heir,  Henry  probably  placed  his  chief  reh- 
ance  here — that  heir,  then  only  seven  years  old,  and  his  younger  brother, 
were  in  Henry's  own  custody  in  the  royal  castle  of  Windsor. 

A.D.  1400. — Mad  Henry  been  previously  ignorant  of  the  turbulent  char- 
acter of  his  barons,  his  very  first  parliament  had  furnished  him  with  ahini- 
dant  information  upon  that  score.  Scarcely  had  the  peers  assembled 
when  disputes  ran  so  high  among  them,  that  not  only  was  very  "u;ip;it. 
liamentary"  language  bandied  about  among  them,  even  to  the  extent  of 
giving  each  other  the  lie  direct,  and  as  directly  charging  each  other  wiili 
treason,  but  tliis  language  was  supported  by  the  throwing  down,  nponlhi; 
floor  of  the  house,  of  no  fewer  than  forty  gauntlets  in  token  of  thoir 
owners  readiness  to  mainlain  thoir  words  in  mortal  combat.  Fur  the 
present  the  king  had  influence  enough  among  tliosc  doughty  peers  to  pre- 
vent them  from  coming  into  actual  p(!rsonal  collision.  Bill  he  was  not 
able  to  prevent  their  quarrel  from  still  rankling  in  their  hearts,  still  less 
was  he  able  to  overpower  tho  strong  feeling  of  hatred  which  some  ol 
them  clKuislievl  against  his  own  power  and  person. 

We  spoke,  a  little  while  since,  of  ihcdegredation  by  Henry's  pariiameiit 
of  certain  peers  who  had  been  raised  by  Richard's  parliament, on  aceouniof 
the  part  they  took  at  the  time  of  the  rebellion  of  the  duke  of  (JIdui'osIit. 
The  earls  of  Rutland,  Kent,  and  lliiiitingdon,  and  the  Lord  Spencer,  who 
were  thus  di  ,raded,  respectively  from  the  titles  of  Albemarle,  Surrey, 
E.vt'tcr,  and  Gloucester,  the  three  first  being  dukedoms  and  the  fouith  3!i 
earlilom,  now  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  seize  liie  king  at  Windsor;  and 
his  deposition,  if  not  his  death,  must  infallihy  have  followed  had  they  suc- 
ceeded in  the  first  part  of  their  design.  The  (^arl  of  Salisbury  mvI  llw 
Lord  Lumkiy  joined  in  this  conspiracy,  and  the  measures  were  so  well 
taken  that  Henry's  ruin  would  have  been  morally  certain,  but  that  Hiil- 
land,  from  compunction  or  some  less  creditable  motive,  gave  the  kiiij 
timely  notice  and  he  suddenly  withdrew  from  Windsor,  where  he  wai 
living  comparatively  unprotected,  and  reached  London  in  private  jiisl  aj 
tlic  conspirators  arrived  at  Windsor  with  a  party  of  five  hundred  cavairj, 
Before  tiie  baflled  conspirators  could  recover  from  their  surprise  the  king  j 
posted  himself  at  Kingslon-on-Tlrimes,  with  cavalry  and  iiifa!ilry,cbifi!y 
supplied  by  the  city  of  London,  to  Ihe  number  of  twenty  thousand.  Th( 
conspirators  had  so  entirely  depended  upon  the   cflfcct  of  surprising  lt« 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


343 


mnjand  nmkin^f  use  of  the  possession  of  his  person  thai  they  now  saw 
ihaillicy  liad  lost  ail  in  losing  him,  and  tliey  betook  themselves  to  their 
respeciive  counties  to  raise  iheir  friends  and  dependants.  But  the  king 
ij  now  all  the  advantage  of  being  already  in  force,  and  strong  dolach- 
menlsof  !iis  friends  pursued  the  fugitives  so  hotly  that  they  had  not  the 
chiiiice  of  making  any  combined  resistance.  The  earls  of  Kent  and  Sulis- 
Ijiiry  were  seized  at  Cireneester,  in  Gloucestershire,  by  tlie  inhabitants  of 
,y  place,  and  were  beheaded  on  the  following  day;  Spencer  and  Lumley 
were  similiii'ly  disposed  of  by  the  men  of  Bristol;  and  the  earls  uf  Ilunt- 
incdon,  Sir  Thomas  Blount,  Sir  BiMiedicl  Sely,  and  several  others  who 
were  made  prisoners  were  subsequently  put  to  death  by  Henry's  own  or- 
der. It  gives  us  a  positive  loathing  for  the  morality  of  that  age  when  we 
readtliat  on  the  quartered  bodies  of  these  persons  being  brought  to  Lon- 
jqi,^  ihe  mangled  and  senseless  ruaiains  were  insulted  by  the  loud  and 
dijir'ustiiig  joy,  not  only  of  immense  numbers  of  the  rabble  of  the  turbu- 
lent metropolis,  but  also  by  thirty-two  mitred  abbots  and  eighteen  bishops, 
who  lliiis  set  an  example  which — can  we  doubt  it  1 — was  only  too  faith- 
fully followed  by  the  inferior  clergy.  But  the  most  disgusting  as  well  aa 
the  most  horrible  part  of  this  sad  story  still  remains  to  be  told.  In  this 
truly  degrading  procession  the  earl  of  Rutland  made  a  conspicuous  figure, 
not  merely  as  being  son  and  hcirof  thedukeof  York,as  having  aided  in  the 
murder  of  his  uncle,  the  duke  of  Glouccslf-,  as  having  deserted  from  llich- 
arJto  Henry,  and  having  conspired  against  the  latter  and  betrayed  to  him 
the  wretched  men  whose  remains  were  now  being  brutally  paraded  before 
the  eyes  of  the  rabble;  these  distinctions  were  not  enough  for  his  evil 
ambiiioii,  and  lest  he  should  be  overlooked  in  the  bloody  procession,  he 
earned  upon  a  pole  the  ghastly  head  of  one  of  those  victims  whom  he  had 
first  sell iif'od  and  conspired  with,  and  then  betrayed — and  that  victim  was 
the  Lord  Spencer,  his  own  brother-in-law  !  Surely  this  man  had  sucees- 
fully  aimed  at  the  sublimity  of  infamy  ! 

A.D.  1-101.— Politic  in  everything,  and  resolute  to  make  everything  as 
far  as  possible  subservient  to  his  safety  and  interest,  Henry,  who  in 
liisyoiit!)  and  while  as  yet  a  subjecH  had  been,  as  his  father  had,  a  favour- 
crof  the  Lollards,  now  aided  in  their  oppression,  in  order  to  conciliate  the 


established  clergy.     And  to  all  the  other 


evil  characteristics  of  this  reign 
in  lOnglaud  of  civil  penal  laws 


IS  to  be  added  that  of  the  originating 
apiiist  the  uiidefinable  crime  of  heresy. 

Lolliirdisin,  appeaUng  to  the  simple  common  sense  of  the  multitude,  had 
bytliislime  become  very  widely  disseminated  in  Kngland  ;  and  the  clergy, 
to  oppose  the  leading  arguments  of  the  detested  heretics,  and  unpossessed 
of  tlie  power  to  silence  those  whom  they  could  not  confute,  loudly 
demamled  the  aid  of  tht;  civil  power.  Anxious  to  .serve  a  vast  atid  pow- 
erful body  of  men  who  in  any  great  emergency  would  be  so  well  able  to 
serve  liiui,  Henry  engaged  the  parliament  to  pass  a  bill,  which  provided 
th:itall  relapsed  heretics  who  shouhl  rcjfuse  toiibiu''e  their  errors  of  faith 
when  siiuiinoned  before  the  bishop  and  his  commissioners,  should  be  de- 
livered over  to  the  civd  authorities,  who  should  publi(!ly  commit  them  to 
the  flames.  An  atrocious  use  of  the  king's  power;  but  every  way  worthy 
of  the  atocious  hypocrisy  and  violence  by  which  th;\l  power  liad  beeu 
acquired. 

When  this  act  was  passed  with  all  the  due  forms,  the  clergy  speedily 
aiforded  proof  that  they  did  not  intend  to  allow  it  to  remain  a  dead  letter. 
William  Sautre,  a  clergyman  of  London,  was  condemned  as  a  relapsed 
heretic  hy  the  <!onvocation  of  Canterbury,  and  being  committed  lo  the  chas- 
tisemeiu  o(  the  civil  power,  the  king  issued  his  writ,  and  the  wretched  man 
was  burned  to  death.  Great  as  all  the  other  crimes  of  Henry  were,  they 
fall  into  coniparative  insignificance  in  compariso:?  )f  this  :  that  he  was 
Ike  first,  since  the  dark  and  cruel  superstUionof  the  Druids,  who  dis^usicd  and 


341 


THL  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


'  ^.i  '  :. 


>Mif\  mi  ill' 


1' 


horrified  the  inhabitants  of  England  with  the  awful  sight  of  a  fellow-creatti 
yielding  up  his  breath  amid  the  ineffable  tortures  of  the  sacrificial  flame!      * 

Wliile  Henry,  conscious  of  the  badness  of  lii's  title,  was  tlius  ciidcavour 
ing,  by   the  most  alrocif  is  sacrifices  to  expeili(;ncy,  to  slieiii;tlic'ii  |,,, 
self  in  England,  he,  as  lur  as  possible,  avoided  liie  necessity 'of  maki'"' 
any  consideiablo  exerti  -n  ^  1  -ewiiere.     But  even  Iiis  consunnnatuartcuuld 
not  wholly  urcserve  h'.-a  iVc-  i  the  cares  of  war. 

Thekinjiiftf  Franc  ■  .ad  .oo  many  causes  of  anxiety  in  his  own  kino. 
dom  to  admit  of  his  making,  as  both  ho  and  his  friends  were  ar.xious  m 
make,  a  descent  upon  Kngland,  and  he  was  obliged  to  content  himsilfwitii 
getting  his  daughter  safely  out  of  the  hands  of  Henry.  But  the  (iaseons 
among  whom  Hichard  was  born,  and  who,  in  spite  of  his  nuinorous  and 
glaring  faults,  were  passionately  attached  to  his  memory,  refused  to 
swear  allegiance  to  his  murderer  ;  and  had  the  king  of  France  been  able 
to  send  an  army  to  their  support,  they  would,  beyond  all  doubt,  liave  made 
an  obstinate  resistance.  But  Charles's  own  situation  rendering  lilm  \^^^. 
able  to  assist  them,  the  earl  of  Worcester,  at  the  head  of  an  Va\^\'%\^ 
army,  found  no  didicully  in  bringing  them  to  obedience  ;  and  tliey  vere 
the  less  inclined  to  make  any  new  attempt  at  shaking  ofif  Henry's  yoke 
because  he  was  in  communion  with  the  pope  of  Home,  whose  zealous  par- 
tizans  they  were  ;  while  France  was  in  communiou  with  the  aiiti-rjo'ie 
then  resident  of  Avignon.  '  ' 

A  sturdier  and  more  formidable  o[)ponent  of  the  usurper  was  fmnidniat 
hom^.  Owain  (Hendwyr,  the  powerful  chieftain  of  Wales,  a  linealde. 
scendant  of  the  ancient  princes  of  that  country,  and  greatly  beloved  on  i!iai 
account  as  well  as  for  his  remarkable  personal  courage,  gave  deep  of- 
fence to  Henry  by  the  lirm  attachment  which  he  displayed  to  die  memory 
of  the  murdered  Richard.  Lord  Ciray,  of  P.,ulhyn,  a  confidential  aud  nn- 
scrupulous  friend  of  Henry,  had  a  large  piis^sessiou  in  the  WelsJi  inarcii- 
cs  ;  aiiu  vi(dl  knowing  lliat  ho  sIkhiM  please  Henry — perhaps  even  pir. 
sonally  instiiiated  by  Inin — he  forcibly  entered  Glendwyr's  territory,  aiii 
ex|)elled  iiim  ami  his  followers.  The  personal  fame  and  the  aiitujiie  de- 
scent of  (ijendwyr  enabled  him  easily  and  speedily  to  collect  a  sutiicient 
force  to  oust  the  intruders,  and  Henry,  as  probably  had  bfcii  a^recJ, 
sent  ii.ssislanci^  to  fjotd  (iray,  whence  a  long  and  sanguinary  wareiisiuJ. 

The  Welsh  chieftain  no  longer  combated  merely  his  personal  enemy, 
but  made  war  wiliiout  distinction  upon  all  the  Knglish  subjects  in  Ins 
neighbourhood,  :uid  among  them  upon  the  earl  of  Marche.  iSir  KdmunJ 
Mortimer,  inn  le  of  that  nobleman,  assembled  the  family  retainers  aiijea. 
deavoured  to  make  head  against  Cileiidwyr,  but  was  defeated,  and  liu.hhe 
and  the  young  earl,  who,  though  only  a  youth,  would  go  to  the  field,  were 
taken  prisoners. 

Detesting  thi^  family  of  Alorlimer  in  all  its  branches,  Henry  not  only 
took  no  steps  towards  obtaining  the  release  of  the  young  earl,  Inil  even 
refused  to  grant  the  earnest  intreaties  of  the  earl  of  Nortiiumlierlami  to  be 
permitted  to  do  so,  although  the  earl  had  sc  mainly  contributed  to  Ifiiry's 
own  (devation,  and  was,  besides,  very  nearly  related  to  the  young  I'apiivi-, 
But  in  point  of  ingratitude,  as  in  point  of  hypocrisy,  Henry  stopped  a'  no 
half  measures;  and  having  thus  shown  iiis  sense  of  the  call's  jiast  service 
he  very  shortly  afterwards  made  a  new  service  the  actual  ground  of  new 
and  even  more  directly  insulting  ingratitude. 

The  Scots,  tempted  by  the  occasion  of  so  recent  and  flagrant  an  nsur- 

fiatior.  of  the  crown,  made  incursions  into  the  northern  counties  of  V.m- 
and,  and  Henry,  attended  by  tin-  most  warlike  of  his  nobles,  inanhtd 
in  such  force  to  Mdinbnrgh,  that  the  Scots,  unable  at  that  moineiit  prudent. 
ly  to  give  iiiin  battle,  retired  to  the  mountains,  as  was  ever  their  custom 
when  they  could  not  fight,  yet  would  not  resist.  In  this  dilemma,  wiiha 
foe  which  he  could  neither  Diovokc  into  the  field  oi  terrify  into  a  formal  and 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


34S 


nsincere  submission,  Henry  issued  a  formal  and  pompous  summons  to 
Robrrt  in.  to  come  to  him  and  do  homage  for  his  crown,  and  marched 
lionic  ami  dishnndcd  iiis  army, 

V.  D.  I'O-' — Delivered  from  the  immediate  prcseijce  of  their  enemy,  the 
Si'ols  txertcd  themselves  so  well  that  Lord  Douglas  was  now  able  to  load  an 
wmyof  twelve  thousand  men,  officered  by  all  the  heads  of  the  nobility, 
iiilo  England,  where  the  usual  devastation  and  plunder  marked  their  pres- 
ence. Tiie  earl  of  Northumberland  and  his  gallant  son  collected  a  force 
jiiil  overtook  tiic  Scots  at  Holmedon,  as  they  ..ere  returning  home  laden 
with  booty.  In  the  battle  which  ensued  the  Scots  were  completely  roi't- 
eil  v;ist  numbers  of  them  were  slain  or  taken  prisoners,  and  among  the 
lil'tor  were  J-ord  Douglas  himself,  the  carl  of  Fife,  son  of  the  duke  of  Al- 
liiiiv  luid  n  'hew  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  the  carls  of  Angus,  Mur- 
r,iv,'aiid  Orkney, 

III  that  age  tiie  ransom  of  prisoners  was  a  most  important  part  of  the 
nrntit  of  the  warrior,  whether  officer  or  private.  The  noble  who  went  to 
war  lor  liis  sovereign  not  only  ran  the  ordinary  risks  of  the  figlit,  but  also, 
ifiakcii  prisoner,  had  to  purchase  his  own  release,  often  at  a  sum  so  vast 
15 10 entail  comparative  poverty  upon  his  family  for  generations.  Under 
;iii'li  circumstances  to  interfere  with  him  as  to  the  ransom  of  his  prison- 
pij,  when  he  was  favoured  by  the  fortune  of  war,  was  as  scandalous  a 
'nvachof  faith  as  any  other«aiid  more  obvious  invasion  of  his  poperty ; 
nil!  ihis  breach  of  faith,  with  the  added  infamy  of  extreme  ingratitude, 
y,  llcnry  now  commit,  by  sending  a  peremptory  message  to  the  Percies 
;,)!  10  ransom  their  prisoners  on  any  terms  ;  the  desire  of  the  politic  ty- 
niii  henig  to  make  the  continued  imprisonment  of  those  noblemen  a 
iiraiis  of  procuring  advantageous  terms  from  the  kingdom  of  which  tiiey 
.VI  re  the  pride  and  ornament. 

K.  1).  1403.— Henry  had  probably  reckoned  on  the  continued  faith  of  the 
firl  uf  Northumberland,  under  any  ein-umstancesof  provocation,  from  the 
jiilirincipled  absence  of  all  scruple  which  that  nobleman  had  sliown  in  aid- 
:!;  his  usurpation.  Hut  the  carl,  l)esides  that  he  himself  smarted  under 
I'le  minjilcd  insult  and  injury,  was  still  farther  prompted  to  vengeance  by 
;;<son  the  younger  Percy,  better  known  as  Harry  Hotspur,  and  it  was 
Ji'tirmined  between  them  that  an  attempt  sliould  be  made  to  hurl  the  un.-, 
:r;iU>ful  usurper  from  the  throne  to  which  they  had  so  mainly  contributed 
1 1  raise  him.  Entering  into  a  correspondence  with  Glendwyr,  they  agreed 
; :  j.iiii  liim  in  his  opposition  to  Henry,  and,  still  farther  to  strengthen 
;liniisclvps,  gave  Lord  Douglas  his  liberty,  and  engaged  that  warlike  no- 
lle to  join  tliem  with  all  the  Scottish  force  that  they  could  command. 
Thoirowu  military  retainers  and  friends  were  not  a  weak  army;  aiid  so 
'li'i|iotic  was  the  power  of  the  earl's  family,  and,  at  the  same  time,  so  im- 
plicit and  undying  was  the  attachment  of  its  followers,  that  the  very  men 
iviin  had  formerly  followed  the  earl  for  the  purpose  of  placing  Henry  on 
;iie  throne,  now  followed  for  the  purpose  of  deposine;  him. 

All  the  preparations  be<ng  made,  the  earl's  army  was  ready  for  action 
when  it  was  deprived  of  its  leader  by  a  sudden  illness  which  disabled 
lie  earl  from  moving.  But  young  Henry  Percy  had  the  eonlUionce  of  his 
■ruops  in  a  degree  not  inferior  to  that  in  which  it  was  enjoyed  by  the  earl 
:  iiixelf,  and  he  marched  towards  Shrewsbury,  where  he  was  to  bo  joined 
by  (ijendwyr. 

Henry,  who,  whatever  his  crimes,  was  both  brave  and  able,  had  just  col- 
I  cieii  a  force  with  a  view  to  repelling  or  chastising  the  Scots,  and  by  hur- 
aeii  inarches  he  contrived  to  reach  Shrewsbury  before  Glendwyr  arrived 
to  the  support  of  Percy. 

It  was  obviously  the  king's  true  policy  to  force  Percy  to  an  engagement 
before  iiis  expected  allies  could  arrive,  and  the  fierce  and  impatient  tem- 
per of  Henry  Hots[)ur  admirably  seconded  the  king's  wish. 


I 


BE'. '■■Mi  JSJ'  ■ 


r-v-i?" 


}!' 


Am 


''roll  '^  W0M 


a 


im-i 


'1^ :,     \M  k 


*^.;i-^S:fi^,..^ 


^■it 


346 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


As  if  fearf.ii  lest  any  motive  should  induce  the  king  to  decline  tho  it.siani 
trial  of  their  streniflh,  H(  tspur  issued  n  manifesto,  in  which  ue  u,-,pj 
every  topic  that  was  calculated  to  goad  the  king's  conscicncf .  or  tov..i,^M 
lis  nride  and  lower  his  chaiMcter.  In  the  words  of  Hume,  "  He  a-  '  , 
ced  his  allegiance.  s,nt  liim  at  defiance,  and  in  the  name  of  hi;  fui!;,  .inJ 
nnclc  as  well  as  in  iiis  own,  lie  enumerated  si!  the  c^evanccF  rinvii;'.;^', 
pretended  the  nation  had  ro;son  to  complani.  He  npbraid  .1  fiim  ,  ,i', 
the  perjury  of  which  he  had  been  guilty,  whfn,  on  Linding  at  P.,  veiispi'ir 
he  had  sworn  upon  the  gosp';!s,  before  tlie  rarl  of  Nf  •thumbe,!' m!,  ilmt 
.le  had  no  other  intention  than  to  recover  the  .iiichy  of  Lni;naster,  and  thin 
he  would  ever  remain  a  faithful  subject  to  Kj'-.g  Richard.  He  iiffiravaied 
his  guilt  in  first  dethroning  and  then  murdcrin,.;  that  prince,  and  ,!i  surn. 
ing  the  title  of  the  house  of  Mortimer,  to  whom,  both  by  hntal  siic^ 
cession  and  bj'  declarations  of  porliament,  th(>  throuf,  wWn  vacant  by 
RichardV  demise,  did  of  riyht  belong.  Ho  compiainr-d  of  hisctu:  I  pt.irv 
in  allow  iir;.;  the  young  earl  of  Marchc,  whom  he  oiigh'  '0  legar.i  ysiiii) 
sovcrriff  I,  III  remain  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  his  one(),i,-?s.  and  \r\  --ven 
rrfiisinj:  ;>/  all  his  frionds  pcrmisson  to  treat  for  hisransurn-  ijo  c'ha.gQj 
him  agiiiii  .viih  f '-.Miry  in  lo^'ding  the  nation  with  heavy  taxes,  after  iinv. 
ing  sworn  t'laf,  v,  ithoui  \\u-  uUnost  necessity,  he  would  never  lay  any  m- 
positions  up'r^  In-tn -,  and  he  reproached  him  with  the  ails  employcil  in 
procuring;  Uivo.'iuble  elociions  into  parliar.ient ;  arts  which  he  himself  hi 
before  impu'ed  as  a  criaie  to  Richard,  and  which  he  had  made  one  cliicf 
reason  oi  that  prince's  arraignment  and  deposition." 

The  trnllii  here  collected  tell  very  heavily  against  Dio  characloi  of 
Henry ;  but  the  reader  must  not  omit  to  notice  that  in  n;o:<t  of  the  cnims 
here  laid  to  his  charge  thc:  earl  of  Northumberland  had  tictn  his  zealous 
a'Tomplice,  and  by  his  overgrown  power  had  mainly  enabled  him  to  do  those 
very  things  which  he  now  charged  against  him  as  crimes,  nnd  wliicli  he 
so  ( liargrd  only  because  of  their  bitter  personal  feud.  So  rar-.'ly,  so  vcrv 
rarely,  do  even  the  most  patriotic  enterprises  take  their  rise  solely  iiipn'. 
triotic  and  pure  feelings. 

On  thc  following  morning  the  embattled  iiosts  attacked  each  oilier,  and 
rarely  upon  English  ground  has  so  sanguinary  an  a(!tion  taken  placo. 
4)ouglas  and  young  Percy,  who  had  so  often  and  so  bravely  opposed  each 
other,  now  that  they  fought  in  the  same  ranks  seemed  to  strive  toouluc 
each  other  in  deeds  of  daring  and  self  exposure.  Henry,  on  his  side,  with 
whom  was  thc  young  prince  of  Wales,  who  now  "  fleshed  his  maiden 
sword,"  proved  himself  worthy  of  the  usurped  crown  as  far  as  valour  ami 
conduct  were  concerned.  Yet,  though  he  repeatedly  charged  where  the 
battle  was  the  fiercest  and  the  slaughter  the  most  terrible,  he  even  011  this 
occasion  showed  that  he  never  allowed  courage  to  leave  policy  altogeiher 
behind.  Feeling  sure  that  the  hostile  leaders  would  not  fail  to  dircel  tiieir 
especial  exertions  to  slaying  him  or  making  him  prisoner,  he  car.sed  sfr 
eral  of  his  officers  to  be  dressed  and  armed  in  the  royal  guise;  ami  Ihi? 
policy  at  once  proved  thc  correctness  of  his  judgment,  and,  in  all  'iiiiiin!; 
probability,  saved  his  life,  for  several  of  the  seeming  kings  paid  wiliuheii 
lives  for  their  temporary  disguise;  the  fierce  Douglas  roaming  tliroui;h  the 
field,  and  slaying  each  that  bore  the  royal  semblance  who  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  come  within  the  sweepof  his  trenchant  and  unsparing  blade.  Th' 
slaughter  was  tremendous,  but  the  victory  was  on  the  side  of  the  king, 
the  troops  of  Percy  falling  into  complete  and  irremediable  disorder  through 
that  gallant,  though  too  impetuous  leader  being  slain  by  some  undistin- 
guished hand.  About  four  thousand  soldiers  perished  on  the  side  of  Per 
cy,  and  above  half  that  number  on  the  side  of  the  king,  while,  including 
the  loss  of  both  armies,  considerably  more  than  two  thousand  nobles  and 
gentlemen  were  slain.  The  earls  of  Worcester  and  Douglas  were  taken; 
the  latter  was  treated  with  ill  the  respect  and  kindness  due  toai'istii;- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


34'» 


wished  prisoner  of  wnr,  but  the  former,  together  with  Sir  Richard  Vernor, 
,,„,beliradc(l  at  Shrewsbury. 

The  earl  of  Northumberland,  who  by  this  time  li.id  recovered  from  his 
if' ;,';?,  ti;id  raised  a  small  force  and  was  advancing  to  the  aid  of  his  gallant 
^,1  /v!\eii  he  was  shocked  and  astounded  by  the  disastrous  tidings  from 
'  V-.  .jbaiy.  Perceiving  the  impossibility,  wiih  all  the  force  he  could  then 
,,,•;  .1.111(1,  of  at  that  time  maknig  head  against  the  king,  he  dismissed  all 
f„r  fjllowers,  except  tlie  retinue  usual  to  men  of  his  rank,  proceeded  to 
Voik,  !iii<l  presented  himself  to  the  king,  to  wimm  bn  boldly  affirmed  that 
liis  £(jie  iiilention  was  to  endeavour,  by  mediating  between  his  son  and 
Ik  kii-S,  lo  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood  which  now  unhappily  had  taken 
p;;(:,  Henry,  whose  policy  it  was  to  evade  war  by  every  means  in  his 
powtr,  pretended  to  be  deceived,  and  a  formal  pardon  was  given  to  the  earl. 

X.  D.  I'lOS. — But  the  earl  of  Northumberland  knew  mankind  in  general, 
:iiiJ  Ilt'iiry  in  particular,  far  too  well  lo  suppose  that  there  was  any  reality 
i;, this  very  facile  forgiveness;  and  he  was  confirmed  in  his  own  enmity 
\.y.  only  by  the  loss  of  his  brave  son,  but  also  by  the  conviction  tliat  he  had 
bfpiitooiiiiquitously  useful,  and  was  loo  dangerously  powerful,  to  allow*  of 
his  ever  being  safe  from  Henry,  should  circumstances  allow  ol  that  prince 
ailing  upon  his  real  feelings.  He  now  did  what,  had  he  done  it  previous  to 
;liC  battle  of  Shrewsbury,  would  most  probably  have  given  liim  a  complete 
aiiJ  cdmparatively  easy  victory  over  Henry.  The  earl  of  Nottingham, 
son  of  ilie  duke  of  Norfolk,  and  the  archl)ishop  of  York,  bmlher  of  that 
carlof  VViilsliire  whom  Henry,  while  still  duke  of  Lancaster,  had  beheaded 
at  Bristol,  had  never  ceased  to  hate  Henry.  Whether  from  their  own 
backwiriliifss  or  from  some  unaccountable  oversight  on  the  part  of  the 
Pcreies,  these  two  powerful  personages  had  taken  no  part  against  the  king 
at  Shrewbbury,  but  they  now  very  readily  agreed  lo  join  with  Northum- 
borhiiul  in  a  new  attempt  lo  (letiironc  the  usurper;  but,  as  though  the  want 
of  judgment  on  the  part  ofttic  foes  of  Henry  were  always  to  stand  him  in 
as  much  stead  as  even  his  own  profoundly  artful  policy,  Nottingham  and 
llie  archl'istiop  took  up  arms  before  Nortliumberland  hiid  com[)leted  his 
propiiraiioiis  for  joining  them.  Tiiey  issued  a  manifesto,  in  which  they 
(Ifsraiiled,  tliougli  ill  temperate  terms,  upon  Henry's  usurpations,  and  de- 
manded not  only  that  sundry  jniljlic  grievances  should  be  redressed,  but 
also  that  lite  riglit  line  nf  succession  should  be  restored.  The  earl  of 
Wrstiiioreland,  who  commanded  the  king's  forces  in  their  neighbourhood, 
f.nding  himself  too  weak  to  tillow  of  his  prudently  engaging  them,  had  re- 
course to  a  stratagem  so  obvious  that  he  could  only  have  resorted  to  it  on 
the  assumption  that  he  had  to  do  with  very  simple  persons,  and  one  that 
iiipniving  successful  showed  that  assumption  to  be  very  correct. 

UestiiKireland  desired  a  conference  with  Nottingham  aiid  the  archbish 
cp,  hslonod  with  admirable  gravity  to  all  the  complaints  they  had  to  make, 
b(g(;ed  tiicin  to  suggest  remedies,  cordially  assented  to  the  propriety  of 
all  that  they  proposed,  and  closed  the  conference,  by  undertaking  on  the 
part  (if  the  king,  that  every  tiling  should  bi-  arrange(J  to  their  entire  satis- 
faiiioii.  It  miglit  be  supposed  that  men  of  their  rank,  men,  too,  who  had 
entered  upon  so  perilous  an  undertaking,  would  have  had  their  suspicions 
aroused  by  the  very  facility  of  the  assent  to  their  terms  ;  and  it  is  difficult, 
even  with  the  well-authenticated  account  before  us,  to  believe  that  so  far 
from  that  being  the  case,  ihey  actually  suspected  nothiiig  when  AVest- 
morelaud  proposed  that,  as  all  their  terms  had  been  agreed  to,  and  there 
was  110  longer  any  feud  between  them  and  his  royal  master,  both  armies 
sliould  he  disbanded,  that  the  country  might  be  relieved  from  the  very 
(Treat  bunhiMi  of  having  two  su(;h  larjie  and  expensive  bodies  to  support. 
Dm  the  earl  and  the  archbishop,  like  the  doomed  men  told  of  in  tales  of 
witchcraft,  rushed  upon  their  ruin  wiih  closed  eyes.  They  disbanded  their 
army,  aiul  Westmoreland  pretended  to  disband  his  •  but  the  instant  th&t 


■i!  it       iW     H        f-J 


348 


THE  TIIEA8UUY  OF  IIISTOttY. 


liis  opponcnta  woro  utterly  powerless,  Westmorehiul's  secret  orders  cai 
ed  his  forces  together  again  as  if  by  mugicainl  Nottingiiam  and  the  arch 
bishop  were  niadt;  prisoners,  and  sent  to  the  king,  who  was  at  that  mo 
nient  nuking  forced  marches  towards  them,  in  llie  expectation  of  havin(J 
to  oppose  tiieni  in  the  field.  The  earl  of  Nottingham  and  the  archhishnn 
were  both  condemned  and  loth  executed  ;  a  new  proof,  as  retriirds  thn 
archbishop,  of  the  very  limited  oxtcnt  to  which  Rome  could  at'tliis  time 
exert  its  formerly  great  power  in  England. 

The  eiirl  of  Northumberland,  on  learning  this  new  calamity,  which  was 
chiefly  attributable  to  the  double  folly  of  his  friends  in  revolting  before  W 
could  join  them,  and  in  listening  to  deceptions  by  which  even  cliililr™ 
ought  not  to  have  been  imposed  upon,  escaped  into  Scotland,  accoinpanipd 
by  lord  Hardolph ;  and  Henry  revenged  himself  upon  them  by  seizinc  and 
dismantling  all  their  fortresses.  'I'his  done,  Ilenry  marched  ai'iinst 
Glendwyr,  over  whom  the  prince  of  Wales  had  obtained  some  ndvan- 
tagcs;  but  though  (>lendwyr  was  not  in  force  to  meet  his  enemies  in  th(. 
field,  his  mountain  fastnesst ,  and  the  incorruptible  fidelity  of  his  friends 
enabled  him  to  escape  from  being  captured. 

A.  D.  1407. — The  earl  of  Northumberland  and  Lord  Bardolph,  more  in 
veteraie  than  ever  against  Henry,  since  he  had  dismantled  their  castles 
eniercd  the  north  of  Kngland  with  but  a  slender  retinue,  in  the  hope  that 
sympathy  with  them  and  h;.  trod  of  the  king  woidd  cause  the  people  to 
flock  to  their  standard.  But  if  Henry's  crimes  had  made  him  hated,  his 
success  had  made  him  feared ;  the  attempt  was  unsuccessful,  and  the 
sherifTof  York,  Sir  Thomas  Kokeby,  having  got  together  a  force,  sud. 
denly  attacked  the  outlawed  nobles,  both  of  whom  perished  in  tiie  haltle, 
To  complete  Henry's  good  fortune  and  wh(dly  free  him  from  his  domestic 
enemies,  the  formidable  Glendwyr  soon  after  died. 

Fortune  served  Henry  in  Scotland  as  it  already  had  served  him  in  Eng. 
land.  Robert  HI.,  a  mild  and  incapable  sovereign,  allowed  his  hroiher, 
the  duke  of  Albany,  completely  to  usurp  his  authority  ;  Alliany,  tyrannini 
and  ambitious,  threw  his  elder  nephew,  David,  the  heir  apparent  to  the 
throiK?,  into  prison,  where  he  was  starve  1  to  death.  IJoben's  youngest 
son,  James,  who  alone  now  stood  biitwecMi  Albany  and  that  'liroiie  for 
which  he  had  already  committed  so  awful  a  crime,  was  sent  by  his  alarm- 
ed father  for  safety  to  France ,  but  the  vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  cap. 
tured  by  the  English,  and  the  prince  was  carried  to  London.  I  here  was 
at  the  time  a  truce  between  England  and  Scotland,  notwithstaiiaiiig\vhi''ti 
Henry  would  not  part  with  his  young  prisoner;  and  this  viriiial  loss n( 
his  only  remaining  child  completely  broke  the  heart  of  the  unfortunate 
Robert,  who  shortly  afterwards  died.  Henry  now  had  a  most  sirinL'ent 
power  over  Albany,  who  governed  Scotland  as  regent;  for  he  could  eon. 
tinue  the  duke  in  that  high  o/Tice  by  detaining  young  James,  while,  upon 
the  slightest  breach  of  peace  on  the  duke's  side,  Henry  could  at  mice 
ruin  him  and  gain  the  friendship  of  the  Scots  by  restoring  tiiem  their 
rightful  king. 

In  the  wars  which  occurred  among  the  French  factions  during  the  latter 
part  of  this  reign  Henry  took  but  little  part,  and  nothing  that  his  troops 
did  in  tliat  country  was  of  .sullicient  importance  to  nii'rit  any  delaiicJ 
mention. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  king,  though  outwardly  thus  prosper^ 
ous,  enjoyed  his  usurped  dignity  without  any  drawbacks.  Ilis  lueiital 
sufferings  are  described  to  have  been  tremendous ;  the  greatest  sueeess 
could  not  fortify  his  mind  against  a  harrowing  dread  of  future  misforiiino, 
and  even  while  he  was  preparing  for  new  crimes  by  which  to  support  his 
throne,  he  was  haunted  by  remorse  for  the  old  ones  by  wiiieh  lie  had 
acquired  it.  This  perpetual  misery  at  length  wholly  deprived  him  of  his 
reason,  and  ho  died  tlie  victim  of  crime  and  remorse,  a  worn  out  lusn, 


THE  TUEASrjIlV  OP  HISTORY. 


34» 


while  ypt  as  to  age  only  in  the  very  prime  of  life,  on  tlic  I'Olli  of  March, 
I41,i,  ill  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign  and  in  liie  forty-sixlli  of  his  age. 

Of  this  reign  litth^  need  be  said  in  the  way  of  snminary.  Ill  aetjuired 
aswiis  Henry's  authority,  he  showed  hiniseir  so  able  to  wield  it,  ■  lat  had 
liek'cii  a  legitimate  sovereign  iiis  reign  would  undoubtedly  huvt  .con  oiio 
of  tilt'  most  gh)rious  in  our  hvstory. 

Tho  i)arliainent,  profiting  by  the  defect  of  the  king's  title,  made  con- 
siderable advanees  in  authority  in  tliis  reign;  but  though  Henry  waa 
politic  enough  to  yii'ld  in  matters  of  little  moment,  he  also  knew  how  to 
refuse  'vlien  refusal  was  necessary  to  prevent  eucroaehment  from  going 
furilier.  Thus  on  one  occasion  he  dismisst.'d  four  persons  from  his  housc- 
|,nlil,  iiii'Uuling  his  confessor,  at  tiie  demand  of  the  commons ;  while  on 
snoiiier,  he  replied  to  the  demand  of  the  commons  for  greater  lenity  to 
ilie  Lollards,  by  ordering  a  Lollard  to  be  burned  before  the  close  of  tho 
session ! 


IS 


■  f 


CHAPTRR  XXIX. 

THE    RKUi.V    OF    HENRY    V. 

A.D.  1413. — Thol'oh  the  bad  title  of  Henry  IV.,  and  the  care  with  which 
his  father's  jealous  suspicions  during  the  latter  years  of  his  reign  had 
amcd  hiin  to  exclude  iiis  son  from  any  share  in  the  civil  government 
seemed  to  give  llu;  young  prince  but  little  op[)ortiinity  of  easily  ascending 
ihe  tlirDiH',  he  had  the  very  great  advantage  of  being  popular.  The 
cuiirasre  and  conduct  which  he  liatl  sliown  in  luilitary  afl'airs,  so  far  as  his 
fy.lierliiiil  allowed  liim  to  act  in  tlit'in,  and  a  certain  ciiivalric  and  fantastic 
generosity,  iiad  not  only  caused  the  jjcople  to  set  at  least  a  full  value 
upon  what  he  diil  of  good,  but  also  to  excuse,  as  the  mere  "  flash  and 
uiiibreak  of  a  fiery  mind,"  irregularities  which  would  have  excited  their 
iiuiiost  iiiiiignation  against  a  prince  of  a  more  sullen  and  less  generous 
itiiiper. 

Looked  upon  with  jealousy  by  his  fatiier,  and  discouraged,  or  rather 
preveiitfi,  from  mixing  with  the  statesmen  of  the  day  and  sharing  in  tho 
i'ares  of  government,  the  mercurial  temper  of  the  young  prince  caused 
hull  to  seek  pleasure  and  com|)aiiionsliip  out  of  iiis  proper  sphere,  and  to 
make  liimself  talked  of  among  his  future  subjects  for  many  frolics,  which 
many  other  person  would  have  been  treated  as  crimes  of  no  ordinary 
ra;i?iiitu(ie.  He  not  only  rioted  and  drank  with  men  of  bad  repute  and 
broken  fortune,  hut  it  is  even  said  that  on  more  than  one  occasion  he 
joined  them  in  laying  the  wealtiiy  passenger  under  contribution  on  the 
hii'away.  Shakspeare,  who  in  this  as  in  many  other  cases  has  painted 
faiilifully,  makes  Falstall'  exclaim  to  this  young  prii>ce — "  Rob  mc  the 
aelRHjuer,  Hal!"'  but  the  prince,  if  historians  speak  the  truth,  took  the 
lilierty  to  rob  the  subject  ere  ids  coin  i.-ould  find  its  way  to  the  exchequer. 
Sueli  ;i  course  was  but  ill  adapted  to  rei^oncih!  the  nation  to  the  bad  title 
upon  wliii'h  Henry  V.  now  ascended  the  throne,  or  to  give  them  hope  that 
the  laws  would  be  well  adiidnistcred  under  his  government.  But  as  his 
generous  and  gay  nature  had  reconcihui  them  to  the  faults  of  the  youth- 
ful prince,  so  now,  young  as  he  sliU  was,  the  wisdom  and  propriety  of  his 
very  first  act  gave  them  reason  to  think  hopefully  of  him  as  their  king. 

On  one  of  the  many  occasions  in  wliicii  Prince  Henry's  turbulent  coin 
pauions  had  disturbed  the  public  peace,  certain  of  them  were  indicted  for 
.lieir  misconduct,  and  the  Prince  Henry  attended  their  trial  in  tho  court 
of  King's  Bench.  Perceiving  that  the  lord  chief-justice,  Gascoigne,  was 
not  overawed  by  the  presence  of  the  heir  apparent.  Prince  Henry  was 
guiky  of  some  interruption,  for  which  the  chief-justice  at  once  ordered 
Inin  to  be  taken  to  prison.    It  may  be  doubted  whether  some  of  tho 


360 


THE  TREA8UHY  OF  IIISTOttY. 


"  cournge"  and  "  uprightnesii"  whicli  historians  so  emphalipallyaU/ihult 
to  tlic  lord  cliief-jusli'-e,  on  iiocount  of  lliis  afTiiir,  did  not  origiiiute  in  iha 
knowhdge  Uiat  the  king  would  be  rather  pleased  tliau  angry  at  any  nior. 
tificatiun  inflicted  up')n  the  poptdar  heir  apparent.  At  all  evoiils,  how! 
ever,  we  must  admit  tlial  <5a.sco!gnc  at  least  showed  that  he  did  iioichi' 
ciilatc,  as  many  more  eminent  men  liavo  done,  the  future  couscquencei 
of  his  present  performance  of  his  duty. 

On  the  accession  of  Henry  V.,  Gascoiync  waited  upon  him  wiihevcrv 
expectation  of  rceeiviuff  llie  plainest  discouragement;  but  tlic  kiiiir  Z 
far  from  showing  himself  ofTeiidcd  at  the  past,  made  it  the  cspcoial'siib. 
jcct  of  his  commendation,  and  exhorted  tlio  chief-justice  to  continue  sull 
to  administer  the  laws  faithfully  and  fearlessly,  without  reference  to  ihe 
rank  of  the  offender.  To  the  grave  and  wise  ministers  who  hud  ably 
served  his  father  the  yoiuig  king  ,,'avo  a  like  grueious  reception,  and 
sending  fur  the  former  companions  of  liis  dissolute  youth,  he  made  iliem 
liberal  presents,  assured  them  of  hia  intention  wholly  to  reform  his  way 
of  life,  and  forbade  iheir  ever  again  appi'oa,;hing  his  presence,  until  ihty 
should  h;.ve  followed  his  present  o.Xiimple,  as  they  had  participated  and 
encouraged  his  former  vice. 

Most  men  were  greatly  surprised  at  this  wise  conduct,  and  all  were 
gladdened  by  it ;  and  probably  none  were  more  completely  in  either  ol 
these  cate;;.<iiea  than  the  ministers  who,  at  the  very  time  that  they 
imagined  iliey  were  e.irning  tlie  prince's  bitter  enmity  by  their  discour- 
agement of  his  youthful  levities,  were,  in  fact,  securing  both  his  esteem 
and  bis  eonfidenee. 

Henry's  prudence  and  justice  were  not  manifested  merely  in  ilius  mak- 
ing .unends  for  his  own  early  follies.  l)ee|)ly  conscious  that  his  fiiiher 
had  wrviiigfully  acquired  tliut  tiirone  which  he  himself  had  loo  much  am- 
bition to  ^uve  i;p,  he  endt.ivoured,  in  all  liut  giving  it  up,  to  do  all  that  he 
coidd  towaids  repairing  the  wrongs  committed  by  his  father.  lie  caused 
the  memory  of  the  murdered  Kichard  to  be  honoured  with  the  nios' 
soleir.n  and  sjjlendid  obsequie.-;  that  could  have  been  bestowed  upon  ;i 
potent  sovereign  newly  deceased,  am!  he  set  at  liberty  the  young  carloi 
Marche,  of  whom  his  father  had  been  so  exiremeiy  jealous,  and  sho»(i! 
him  every  kindness.  The  you-ig  earl,  who  was  of  an  extremely  miid 
temper  and  who  seemed  to  liavi!  had  no  [)article  of  ambition,  appeared 
fully  sensible  of  Henry's  kindness,  and  not  only  would  never  make  any 
attempt  to  disturb  his  government,  but  showed  himself  strongly  and  siii- 
cerely  attached  to  his  person.  As  if  anxious  to  leave  no  token  exisinii; 
of  the  sad  tumults  of  the  last  reign,  Henry  also  restored  the  Percy  family 
to  their  honours  and  property  ;  and  by  this  and  numerous  other  acts  indi- 
cative of  his  determination  to  forget  all  party  distinctions,  caused  all 
parties  to  be  too  much  delighted  with  his  use  of  power  to  have  either 
leisure  or  inclination  to  iiupiire  how  ho  became  possessed  of  it, 

But  party  spirit  could  not  be  wholly  eradicated  from  the  popular  heart 
even  by  the  personal  exhortations  and  example  of  the  king  himself.  The 
horrible  punishments  which  in  the  recent  reign  were  for  the  first  lime  in 
England  inflicted  upon  heretics,  tliouyh  it  might  have  awed  many  who 
would  otherwise  have  continued  to  be  I^oUards,  far  more  certainly  made 
many  such,  who,  but  fortius  J'^rrible  advertisement,  would  have  gone  lo 
their  graves  in  ignorance  of  tin  very  existence  of  Lollardism.  The  pnb- 
lie  attentiini  was  roused  and  fixed  by  these  brutal  executions;  discussion 
and  inquiry  followed,  and  by  degrees  the  country  became  divided  into  two 
parties,  the  frien  Is  of  Home  and  the  Lollards;  and  if  the  latter  were  by 
far  inferior  to  the  former  in  number,  they  were  already  sufliciontly  num- 
erous to  cause  great  annoyance  to  the  clergy  and  some  anxiety  even  to 
the  civil  power. 

By  fa '  the  most  eminent  matt  among  the  Lollards  at  this  time  was  L«rJ 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


361 


Cflblirim,  who,  both  uiuler  tint  title  and  as  Sir  John  Olilcasllc,  had  done 

y,l  service  to  tlw;  nutioii,  uikI  h:ul  bf.'on  horioiirod  with  thn  notiro  and 

3pnr(ii).itii)ii  of  b(»lh  the  I;ilo  and  tlio  present  king.     Tho  very  excellence 


of 


(•luir.icter  and  the  extent  of  his  abilities  made  his  sectarianiom  the 
injiL'()(Ti:ii>iiv(!  n>  the  chinch  ;  and  as  it  was  deemed  that  the  incrcasinfr 
puinbor  of  lln;  Lollards  rci,iiired  to  be  cheeked  by  some  especially  striking 
cwniplo,  Lord  Cobham  was  selected  as  tin;  victim,  and  tin)  archbishop  of 
Ciii'iibiiry,  Arundel,  applied  to  Henry  for  permission  lo  indic^t  Cobham. 

IK'iiry,  who  seems  lo  have  been  better  awan-  than  the  bigoted  arcli- 
bisliop  of  llic  real  effects  of  pcracciilion  in  matters  of  faith,  was  extremely 
u  iwilliii!,'  t"  consent  to  a  prosecnlion  which,  he  judged,  would  but  too 
siirelvcnil  in  Cobham's  destruction  ;  and  tho  archbishop  was  forbidden  to 
lake  any  titcps  until  Henry  himself  should  have  endeavoured,  by  force  of 
ar'Uineiit  alone,  to  lead  Cobham  back  to  the  cliurch  from  which  ho  had 
(jcKiried.  Henry  accordingly  sent  for  Lord  ('obhani  to  court  and  en- 
liiavournl  lo  convince  him  of  his  error;  but  Cobham  was  fully  equal  to 
lU'iiryin  Cic  nse  of  intellectual  weapons,  and  was  not,  upon  so  important 
a  tiipii:,  at  all  inclined  to  sacrifice  truth  to  complaisance  and  etiquette. 
Kiiiiliiig  It  in  vain  to  endeavour  to  convert  this  unforfiniate  nobleman, 
llinr),''wiih  scemini^ly  sincere  regret,  was  obliged  to  give  the  clergy  their 
ruiiiireil  permission  to  indict  him.  The  archbishop,  assisted  by  the  bishops 
of  l.omloii,  Winchester,  and  St.  David's,  proceeded  against  him,  and  he 
«;i.i  coiulcmnnd  lo  be  burned.  He  was  sent  to  the  Tower,  and  a  day  was 
I'jMiiiitcd  for  his  e.\(H'ution,  but  before  that  day  arrived  he  managed  to 
esiiipe  from  his  gaolers.  Naturally  of  a  fierce  and  somewhat  haughty 
ipirit,  liin  troatmcnt  he  had  received  and  the  danger  from  which  ho  had 
iii  narrowly  escaped  excited  him  to  so  liigli  a  pilch  of  anger  and  resolu- 
iioii,  lliat  he  (leteriiiined  to  aim  at  a  gemu'al  revohition  of  the  kingdom. 
Aiii  ;icconlingly,  from  the  obscure  retreat  in  which  he  found  shelter,  ho 
Uiu\\  onicrs  to  the  Lollards  upon  whom  he  could  most  depend,  lo  join 
him  upon  a  certain  day,  Uial  they  might  in  the  first  place  seize  upon  the 
mrs.ii'i  oftlio  king,  who  was  at  that  time  lodging  in  the  palace  of  Ellham, 
liiluiit,  and  then  take  summary  vengeance  upon  the  chiefs  of  their  per- 
si'ciilors. 

A.  D.  Ull. — As  Cobham  was  very  highly  esteemed  among  the  Lollards, 
aii'l  ;is  they  were  not  only  very  numerous  but  also  included  a  great  num- 
ber of  wealthy  and  respectable  persons,  the  king,  who  was  informed  of 
whit  was  in  contcm[)lation,  deemeij  it  necessary  not  only  to  guard  him- 
self ;i^faiiist  the  intended  surprise,  but  also  to  prepare  to  resist  open  insur- 
recliUM.  He  accordingly  removed  to  the  palace  at  Westminsler,  and  pre- 
pared himself  f()r  whatever  force  Oobliam  might  be  able  to  bring.  Kven 
iiuw  Cobham  had  ample  opportiiiiity  to  al)and(>ii  his  design,  which  became 
hopeless  from  tho  moment  it  became  known,  and  to  escape  from  the  king- 
dom. But  he  seems  to  have  been  of  a  teiiiper  which  dilhculty  and  danger 
might  enrage  but  could  not  intimidate,  and  he  assembled  all  the  forces  he 
could  raise  in  the  fields  of  St.  (ides,  lieing  made  acquainted  with  the 
appointed  lime  as  well  as  place  of  meeting,  the  king  caused  the  gates  of 
ilie  city  lo  be  closed,  to  prevent  the  disconicnted  from  getting  an  increase 
tothoir  niimbcrs  from  that  quarter;  he  then  went,  well  attended,  lo  St. 
dill's,  and  seized  those  of  the  leaders  who  had  already  arrived,  while  tho 
military,  skilfully  stalioucd,  arrested  all  who  were  found  hastening  to  tho 
spot.  It  appeared  that,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  the  greater  number  of 
the  prisoners  knew  little  or  notliing  of  the  real  designs  of  their  leaders, 
lliooghof  the  criminal  and  treasonable  designs  of  tlie  latter  there  remained 
CO  shadow  of  doubt.  Those  who  were  proved  lo  have  treasonable  de- 
iiij;iis  were  eA-eciited,  but  by  far  the  greater  number  were  pardoned.  He 
whom  the  clergy  were  the  most  anxious  to  punish,  and  wlui,  indeed,  was 
now  not  much  less  obnoxious  to  tho  civil  than  to  the  ecclesiastical  autho 


il'^ 


\,     I' 


w^hi 


303 


THE  TUEASUllY  OP  HISTOEV. 


rlty,  the  Lord  Cobiiani  liimself,  was  forluiiiite  cnoucli  to  csciipe,  Bni 
BciitiMico  WHS  proiiounciMl  a;{iiiiist  Uitu,  par  conliimacc,  m  a  tnijior  ai,|j 
rolapscil  and  iiicorrigiblo  licrotic  ;  and  Ijcingapprtdiciidud  al)i)nt  fonrve'ir* 
afterwards,  he  was  hanged  for  his  participation  in  treason  iigainstil' 
king,  and  his  body  waH  burned  in  pursuance  of  the  sentence  passed  aiiaii  1! 
him  for  hf-rcsy.  ' 

The  severity  with  which  tlic  leaders  in  lliiseruiln  and  ill-plaimcd  revolt 
were  treated,  and  the  advantage  wliich  tlie  cireunistanccs  of  it  ^javj.  lu 
dergy,  in  bein-;  aoie  to  coiuiect  heresy  and  treason  as  ofTences  cuuplfdu 
necessity  and  naturally  springing  the  one  from  the  other,  hail  u  very  sen. 
Bible  efTfct  in  checking  tlie  progrens  of  Lollardy;  but  not  so  nuicli  on  ac! 
count  of  th«'  terror  attached  to  the  punishinent,  as  the  disgru'e  aiuj  con! 
tempt  which  seemed  everywhere  to  attach  to  the  crime.  V<iy  wisiiv 
the  clergy  and  the  civil  authorities  appeared  at  this  time  to  trcnt  the  I,(,|. 
lards,  associated  as  they  had  confessedly  been  with  the  civil  disturliaiia's 
of  Cobhain,  not  so  much  as  heretics  as  partly  heretics  and  partly  loose 
fellows  who  were  desirous  of  causing  public  disturbance  for  the  Leiier 
accomplishment  of  their  own  |)rivate  ends;  a  mode  of  treating  the  case 
the  best  possible  for  making  it  intolerable  in  the  eyes  of  all  deceiil  jn'oplc 
nnd  for  depriving  such  people  of  all  curiosity  as  to  its  doctrinal  jiucuhar' 
ities.  Happy  had  it  been  lor  mankind  if  riiliculc!  had  ever  been  ihe  sub- 
stitute for  p(!rsecutiou  !  Truth,  indeed,  would  overcome  the  loriiier  asn 
has  the  latter ;  but  what  pangs  would  havt;  been  spared  to  some  of  the 
combatants — what  dark  and  undying  infamy  to  others!  Nor  was  it 
merely  among  the  nnrellccting  muliitnde,  and  tiiosi!  who,  simply  with  re- 
ference to  their  worldly  possessions,  wen;  unwilling  to  coniitiiiancL'  those 
whose  oiiiiiions  and  practices  were  lik(dy  to  ilistmb  the  public  piaco  aiij 
put  wealth  in  peril,  that  the  exploded  plot  of  (."obhaiii  cuisimI  a  distaste 
for  Lollardisin.  'I'lie  parliament  met  just  after  the  dispersion  of  Cohhaiirs 
adherents,  and  one  of  its  first  acts  was  h.'velled  against  heretics,  This 
act  jiroviiled  that  all  persons  who  were  convicted  of  Lidlardy  shnuhl  not 
only  be  capitally  punished,  as  was  provided  for  by  the  foriiUT  act,  but 
should  also  forfeit  all  their  lands  and  goods  whatever  to  the  kiiisj;  and 
that  the  cbancidlor,  treasurer,  the  justices  of  the  peace,  and  ciiief  niagij. 
trates  of  all  cities  and  boroughs,  should  be  sworn  to  use  their  utiuust 
pains  and  diligence  in  the  extirpation  of  heresy. 

That  the  lioUards  were  feared  and  detested,  less  on  account  of  their 
religious  lu'resy  than  as  civil  disturbers,  appcirs  fn»m  the  contrast  littwcci 
the  act  thus  providing,  and  the  subsequent  coolness  with  wliich  llio  saiin' 
parliament,  on  the  king  demanding  a  sujjply,  begged  him,  instead  of  puiin,^' 
them  to  the  task  of  imposing  a  tax  u|)on  the  p;;ople,  to  take  posscs.siou  n( 
the  ecclesiastical  revenues  and  convert  them  to  the  use  of  the  crown. 
The  renewal  of  this  projiosition,  which  had  formerly  been  made  to  llciiry'ii 
father,  threw  the  clergy  into  alirm.  'I'o  turn  the  king's  aitentioii  froiuihe 
proposed  v\holcsale  spoliation  of  the  church,  they  endeavoured  at  oiitiiio 
supply  his  more  |)ressing  and  immediate  wants,  and  to  coneiliati'lis  pir- 
sonal  favour,  by  voluntarily  conferring  upon  him  the  valuable  iiiieii  [irioriis 
wliich  were  dependent  upon  chief  abbeys  in  Normandy,  and  had  been  be- 
queathed to  those  abh«'ys  while  Knglaiid  and  Normaiuiy  were  siill  iiiiiteil 
under  the  crown  of  England.  Still  further  to  turn  the  att<iiiuiii  of  ti'e 
king  from  a  proposal  wdiich  was  so  ,  regnant  with  alarm  and  danger  to  the 
clergy,  Chichely,  the  then  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  endcavouicd  to  en 
gage  the  king  in  a  war  with  France. 

A.D.  1415. — In  this  design  of  the  arcdibishop — a  design,  be  it  parenthe- 
tically said,  whiidi  was  much  more  politic  than  either  humane  or  Christian 
— he  was  considerably  aided  by  the  dying  injunctions  of  Henry  IV.,  who 
had  warned  his  son,  if  he  could  at  all  plausilily  engage  the  Kiiylisli  peopls 
m  war,  never  to  allow  them  to  remain  at  peace,  which  would  iafallibli 


•?r^ 


THE  TttEAHUttY  OF  III8T011Y. 


33* 


turn  their  inclination!"  towards  domestic  dissonsiions.  The  kiin{dom  of 
I'Miice  liiiil  "iiwfor  along  time  bi'.cw  pliiriBod  in  tlio  utmost  confuHion  and 
ilisciini.  ami  itic  various  parties  iiad  been  guilty  of  eiueliirs  and  oulriges, 
XjiTHirifiil  not  meiely  to  themselves  but  even  to  our  eonimon  nature. 
The  5t:ii<Mif  that  km;{doni  was  eonscMjueutly  at  thiH  time  sueh  as  to  hold 
iiutiiilvaiit.iiji's  to  Henry,  which  were  well  ealculated  to  (jivi;  foree  to  iho 
,,1j.|'ci.  (if  Cliichely  and  the  dying  rccjuetst  of  Henry  IV.  Hut  junt  as 
Hmrv,  «lio  did  not  want  for  either  ainl)ition  or  a  warlike  sjiirit,  was  pro- 
nariiie'^""'  aicclitating  an  attack  upon  tlie  neighl)ourinn  and  rival  kingdom, 
LalifntiDii  was  for  the  moment  arrested  by  the  discovery  of  adangerouu 
andi'Xieiixive  eonspiracy  at  home. 

As  we  have  already  said,  the  young  earl  of  Marche  was  ho  sensible  of 
ilu' kiiiJaess  shown  to  him  by  thi!  present  king  at  the  comnu'iicemeiit  of 
liisrcii'ii,  tiiat  he  seemed  to  have  no  desire  ever  to  give  any  di.sturhanco 
l,)liis^'c)vcriinient.  IJut  tiie  earl's  sister  was  married  to  the  earl  of  Cam- 
.,fiilop,%i'coiid  sou  to  the  deceased  duke  of  York,  and  he  thus,  not  nnna- 
UiriiHv.  ix'iMiiie  anxiously  coiici'med  for  the  rights  and  interests  of  a 
fiiiiilv  with  which  he  had  himself  bi'come  so  iiiliinately  eonneeted. — 
PrtiiiiMifit  possible  to  recover  the  crown  for  that  family,  ho  took  pains  to 
iiniiiire  p;irli/iMs,  and  addressed  himself,  among  others,  to  liord  Scrope 
oi'Mhliiiin, ami  toSir  Tliomas(irey  of  Ileatoii.  Whether  from  treachery 
orlroin  want  of  siifiicicnt  caution  on  tlie  part  of  llie  earl  of  Cambridge, 
•iif  I'Diispir.icy  became  known  to  tlu;  king  liefore  it  had  gone  beyond  tlio 
luoreprt'liminaries  ;  but  the  eonspiraiors  ii[)on  being  seized  iiiadt^  such 
aiiipli'ilisclosures  of  tliiur  ultimate  designs,  as  both  enabled  the  king  to 
onicrlhi'ir  tiial,  and  fully  warranted  him  in  so  iloiiig.  They  were  in  the 
iir<i  iiist;iMri!  tried  iiy  a  jury  of  eoiniiioners,  and  condemned  upon  the  tes- 
:i:iiiinvof  the  conslabb!  of  Soiithanipion  castle,  who  swore  that  the  pris- 
iinors  li:iii  coiifes.scd  their  guilt  to  him;  but  tliey  afterwards  pleaded,  and 
wreiilliiwed  their  privilege  as  peers,  lint  though  Henry  iiad  hitherto 
jhowii  so  iiiiich  inclination  to  moderation,  he  on  this  ociMsion  evinced 
nadi'sirc  ;■>  ilc[)art  from  tlu;  arbitrary  jiraclices  of  the  kings  of  that  age. 
Acmirt  of  eighteen  barons  was  suininoned  and  pr(!sid(;d  over  by  tlie  duke 
ii|('lirt''.i;e;  before  ibis  court  the  single  testimony  that  had  been  given 
kfiirc  llie  coininon  jury  was  read,  and  without  further  evidence  or  nearer 
a;';'Miclito  even  the  form  of  a  trial,  tliese  two  prisoiUM's,  one  of  them  a 
priiicc  of  tlu!  blood,  were  condemned  to  death  without  being  heard  in 
I'ii'ir  own  (lefeiice,  cr  even  being  produced  in  court,  and  were  (;.\eeutcd 
3'('flrilmi,'ly ! 

Tins  ill-iliu"'stcd  and  unsuccessful  attempt  of  his  brother-in-law  put  the 
ynmi^'cad  iif  Marche  in  considerable  peril.  As  it  was,  nominally,  on  hia 
jcoiiiit  thill  the  war  was  to  have  been  levied  against  the  king,  he  was 
ji'Hisi.'i!  of  having  at  least  consented  to  the  conspiracy;  but  the  constat''. 
3!:i(!i!iieiit  he  had  shown  to  Henry  had  probably  gained  him  a  ^Iroiig 
>r^lm  il  iiUcrest  with  that  monandi,  who  freed  him  from  all  further  peril 

iiarnniiit  of  tills  affair  by  giving  him  a  general  pardon  for  all  otTences. 

AssooM  as  the  excitement  consequent  upon  this  conspiracy  had  somo- 
I  what  passed  away,  Henry  again  turneil  bis  attention  towards  France. 

The  duke  of  Uurgiindy,  wlio  had  been  expelled  from  France  by  a  com- 

Itaiion  of  the  usually  jarring  powers  of  that  country,  had  been  in  such 

prresponilence  with  Henry,  that  the  latter  prince  felt  quite  secure  of  the 

cuke's  aid  whenever  an  English  army  should  appear  to  claim  it;  and 

fcrefore,  witho'it  making  any  precise  arrangements  with  the  duke,  and 

mild  without  <'ven  coming  to  any  positive  agreement  with  him,  Henry, 

on  llie  14th  of  August  in  this  year,  put  to  sea  and  landed  safely  in  Nor- 

jmindy,  with  about  twenty-four  thousand  infantry,  chiefly  consisting  of 

jircliers,  and  six  thousand  men-at-arms. 

Harileur  had  for  its  governor  D'Estoutevillc,  under  whose  comman 
Voj..  I.— 23 


» 


( ' 


m 


t 


ri 


llHilV'l 


'Mi 

it 


354 


THE  TRKASCttY  OF  HISTORY. 


were  De  Guitri,  De  Gaucourt,  and  other  eminent  French  soldiers.    Henrv 
laid  immediate  siege  to  the  place,  but  was  so  stoutly  and  siiccessfull"  r 
sisted,  that,  between  the  excessive  fatigue  and  the  more  than  usual  he^' 
of  the  weather,  his  men  suffered  dreadfully,  and  were  alarmnii;ly  tliinne'ri 
by  fever  and  other  sicknesses.     But,  in  spile  of  all  los.ses  and  discouraw 
ments,  Henry  gallantly  persevered;  and  the  French  were  so  much  strait 
ened,  that  they  were  obliged  to  promise  that  if  no  relief  were  afforded 
them  by  the  IHlh  of  September,  they  would  evacuate  the  place.    No  simj 
of  relief  appearing  on  that  day,  the  Knglish  were  admitted;  but  so  much 
was  the  army  thinned,  and  in  so  sickly  a  condition  were  the  majority  of 
the  survivors,  that  Henry,  far  from  having  any  enoouragenicnt  to  follow 
up  this  success  by  some  new  enterprise,  was  advised  by  all  about  liim  to 
turn  hi.s  attention  to  getting  the  skeleton  of  his  army  in  safety  back  to 
England.     Even  this  was  no  easy  or  safe  matter.     On  his  first  laiidino  he 
had  so  little  anticipated  tiie  havoc  which  fatigue  and  sickness  had  maijc 
in  his  army,  that  lie  had  incautiously  dismissed  his  transports;  and  he 
now  lay  under  the  necessity  of  marching  by  land  to  Calais,  ere  lie  could 
place  his  troops  out  of  danger,  and  that,  too,  in  the  face  of  an  army  uf 
fourteen  tliousand  men-at-arms  and  forty  thousand  foot,  as.scmbled  in 
Normandy  under  the  command  of  the  constable  D'Albret.    The  French 
force  so  tremendously  outnumbering  that  of  Henry,  he  very  prudcmlv 
offered  to  sacrifice  his  recent  conquest  of  Harfleur,  at  the  price  of  Wnv' 
allowed  to  pass  unmolested  to  Calais  ;  but  the  French,  confident  in  ihei' 
superiority,  rejected  his  proposal.     Henry,  therefore,  in  order  equally  to 
avoid  discouragement  to  his  own  troops  and  encouragement  to  the  Fiuich 
retreated  by  easy  marches  to  the  Somme,  where  he  hoped  to  pass  the 
ford  at  Hlaiujuetagne,  as  Edward  had  escaped  from  Philip  de  V  alois  iiiukr 
very  similar  circumstances;  but  he  found  that  the  French  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  render  tiie  ford  impassable,  besides  lining  the  opposite  bank 
with  a  strong  body  of  troops,  and  he  was  o.)li;red  to  seek  a  passage  hiidifr 
up  the  river.     Scarcely  anything  could  exceed  the  distress  of  llenn's 
present  situation.     His  troops  were  fast  perishing  with  conliiiual  huim 
and  the  prevalent  sickness ;  ho  could  procure  no  provisions,  owiui;  tu  ili- 
activity  of  the  French;  and  everywhere  he  found  himself  coiifroiiied  Iv 
numerous  enemies,  ready  to  fall  upon  him  the  instant  he  should  eiossil,'' 
river.     But  under  all  these  circumstanceii  Henry  preserved  his  couraije 
and  presence  of  mind ;  and  a  ford  near  St.  (iuentin  being  but  slenderly 
guarded,  he  surprised  the  enemy  there,  and  led  his  army  over  in  safely. 

Henry  now  hastened  towards  Calais,  but  in  passing  tiie  little  river  of 
Ternois,  at  Blangi,  he  had  the  mortification  to  perceive  the  main  bodyo; 
the  French  drawn  up  and  awaiting  him  in  the  extensive  plains  of  A'ui:,- 
court.  To  reach  Calais  without  an  action  was  now  evidently  iinpossibii', 
the  French  were  to  the  English  as  four  to  one,  besides  beiiiir  free  frura 
sickness,  and  abundantly  su[)plied  with  provisions;  in  a  word,  Henry u:i5 
now  in  fully  as  dangerous  a  position  as  that  of  Edward  at  Crcssy,  ord,e 
heroic  Black  Prince  at  Poitiers.  Situated  as  they  had  been,  he  resolved 
to  imitate  their  plan  of  battle,  and  he  awaited  the  attack  of  the  eni'inyon 
a  narrow  land  closely  flanked  by  a  wood  on  either  side.  With  their  aJ- 
vantage  in  numbers  and  facilities  of  obtaining  provisions,  the  Freiic': 
ought  clearl)  to  have  remained  obstinately  on  the  defensive,  until  the 
Englisli  should  by  absolute  famine  be  obliged  to  advance  from  their  favour- 
able position;  a  position  which,  to  a  very  great  extent,  gave  t!ie  advan- 
tage to  the  side  having  the  smaller  number  of  men  to  manocuyre.  Ikt 
their  very  superiority  in  numbers  deprived  the  French  of  all  prudence, 
and  they  pressed  forward  as  if  to  crush  the  English  by  their  mcreweighi. 
The  mounted  archers  and  men-at-arms  rushed  in  crowded  ranks  upon  me 
English,  who,  defended  by  nalisadoes,  and  free  from  the  crowding  wlncli 
embarrassed  the  actions  and  distracted  the  attention  of  the  enemy,  DJiei' 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


36lt 


I'lem  willi  a  dnadly  and  incessant  shower  of  sliafts  and  bolts.  The  heavy 
and  reiulercd  slill  more  ditTicult  and  tenacious  by  recent  rain,  was  highly 
disadvaiittii,'(M)Us  to  the  French  cavalry,  who  were  soon  still  farther  in- 
coiniiioded'iii  their  movements  by  the  innumerable  dead  and  dying  men 
and  horses  with  which  the  English  archers  strewed  the  narrow  ground 
Wlicii  the  disorder  of  the  enemy  was  at  its  height,  Henry  gave  orders 
10 the  Kiiglish  to  advance  with  their  pikes  and  battle-axes;  and  the  men- 
ai.ar  Following  them,  the  confu.sed  and  pent-up  multitude  fell  in 
crouii^.  willioiit  even  the  possibility  of  resistance.  The  panic  of  the 
eiieinv  speedily  led  to  a  general  rout,  with  the  sole  exception  of  the 
Freiiili  roar-guard,  which  still  maintained  itself  in  line  of  battle  upon 
;lu>  open  pliiiii-  This  also  was  speedily  cut  to  pieces ;  and  just  as  tlie  ac- 
iioii  closed  completely  in  favour  of  the  Kiiglish,  an  incident  occurred 
.vhich  caused  the  loss  of  the  French  to  be  far  more  numerous  in  killed 
ijauit  oilierwise  would  have  been.  A  mob  of  a  few  peasants,  led  on  by 
iomc  ireiiilpmcn  in  Picardy,  had  fallen  upon  the  unarmed  followers  of 
iv  Eiiglisli  camp  with  the  design  of  seizing  upon  the  baggage  ;  and  the 
akirni  and  outcry  thus  caused  leading  Henry  to  imagine  tliat  his  numer- 
ous prisoners  were  dangerous,  he  hastily  gave  orders  for  them  to  be  put 
;o  iho  sword;  upon  which  a  terrible  slaughter  of  these  unhappy  men 
:ook  place  before  he  discovered  his  mistake,  and  revoked  an  order  so 
sMi'innary  and  so  contrary  to  the  laws  of  war. 

Ii'this  sliort  but  most  decisive  .action  the  French  lost  ten  thousand 
\\M,  of  wham  eight  thousand  were  cavalry,  and  fourteen  thousand 
irisiiiicrs ;  tlie  former  included  the  constable  d'.Mbret,  the  count  of  Nev- 
^r<,  the  duke  of  Mrabaiit.  the  duke  of  Alentjon,  the  duke  of  IJarre,  the 
oii'iiof  Vaiiilemont,  and  the  count  of  Marie;  while  among  the  prisoners 
.leiellie  duke  of  IJourhon,  the  duke  of  Orleans,  tlu;  maresciial  Boucicaut, 
iiililic  counts d'En,  Vendome.and  Uichemont.  The  English  loss,  though 
■niisidcralde,  was  small  compared  to  that  of  the  enemy,  and  the  chief 
Eiihshnian  of  note  tliat  was  slain  was  the  duke  of  York.  As  if  fully 
<i!;stii'd  wiili  his  victory,  and  intent  only  on  regaining  his  native  land, 
Henry  nnniediatcly  coiilinued  his  march  to  Calais,  whence  he  embarked 
vith  his  prisoners  for  Knglaiid;  and  he  even  granted  the  French  a  truce 
flit  two  years,  without  insisting  upon  any  corresponding  concession  on 
ll'.cir  part. 

.1.  [I.  IIIS.— The  intestine  disputes  of  France  still  continued  to  rage 

■ii'ist  furnnisly;  not  only  were  the  duke  of  Uurgundy  and  the  French 

V ill  fiercely  warring  upon  each  other,  but  ct)ntinued  feuds,  scarcely  le^jS 

mli'iit,  and  no  less  bitter,  raged  among  the  various  members  of  the  royal 

lamly.    This  state  of  things  encouraged   Henry  to   make   a  new  and 

■iroigcr attempt  upon  France;  and  he  landed  in  Normandy  at  the  head 

I'liiiianny  (if  lwen:y-five  thousand  men,  without  encountering  the  slight- 

f^iopposiiion.     He  took  Falaise  ;  Evreux  ami  Caen  immediately  surren- 

i'Tiil  to  him,  and  I'oiit  de  I'Arche  (|uickly  afterwards  opened  its  gates. 

lliviiii!  subdued  all  Lower  Normandy,  and  received  from  England  a  re- 

i.iirceinent  of  fifteen   thousand  men,  Henry  proceeded  fo  lay  siege  to 

Ifi'H'M.    While  thus  engaged  he  was  visited  by  the  cardinal  des  Ursins, 

|«!i»tried  to  persuade  him  to  afford  a  chance  of  peace  to  France  by  mod 

eiaiHiijhis  pretensions.     But  Henry,  bent  upon  obtaining  th(!  sovereignty 

61  that  kingdom,  and  well  aware  of  the  advantage  he  derived,  not  only 

I  from  liis  own  strength,  but  also  from  the  dissensions  of  tlu!   French, 

I  cjinily  replied,  "Do  you  not  perceive  that  God  has  led  me  as  by  the 

Ibid!    !•' ranee  has  no  soveriMgn ;  1  have  Just  pretensions  to  that  king- 

liliiin;  everything  here  is  in  the  utmost  confusion,  and  no  one  thinks  of 

jtosisting  uie.    Can  1  have  a  more  sensible  proof  that  the  Being  who  dis- 

jposes  of  empires  has  determined  to  put  the  crown  of  France  upon  my 

I lead  r 


'^1 


4.  p^i'-|^if 


356 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 


But  while  Henry  expressed  this  confidence,  and  made  every  effort  lh 
preparation  to  carry  iiis  designs  into  execution  by  force,  lie  at  tlies 
time  carried  on  negotiations  for  a  peaceful  settlement,  on  ilie  one  1^"'! 
with  the  queen  and  duke  of  Burgundy — who  had  the  semblaucu,  ai  le'^  i 
of  the  only  legal  authority  in  the  kingdom,  inasmuch  as  tliey  had? 
custody  of  the  king's  person — and  with  the  dauphin,  on  tlie  other  han™ 
who  had  all  the  popular  favour  on  his  side,  and  was,  besides,  tlie  uiidoubi' 
cd  heir  to  the  monarchy. 

It  is  uiHieccssary  here,  indeed  it  would  be  out  of  place,  to  do  more  than 
merely  to  allude  to  the  distractions  of  which  France  was  now  and  f^r 
long  time  had  been  the  prey.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  disputes  of  t^,j 
rival  parties  were  so  wholly  and  intensely  sellish,  that  citlior  of  ihein,  bm 
especially  the  queen's  parly,  seems  to  have  considered  liio  iiiteresi's  o' 
tlie  nation  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  even  temporary  personal  emulii! 
inenls.  Taking  advantage  of  this  temper  of  the  antagonist  parties,  Hinry 
offered  to  make  p„  ice  willi  them  on  the  condition  of  their  giving  him  ilie 
princess  Catharine  in  marriage,  and  with  her,  in  full  soveroigmv,  Nor. 
mandy  and  all  the  provinces  wliich  were  ceded  to  Edward  lll.'byiiif 
treaty  of  Bretigni;  and  these  terms,  so  obviously  injurious  to  the  power 
(jf  France,  were  agreed  to. 

A.  D.  1419. — While  Henry  was  attending  to  some  minor  ('ircunistancps 
tlie  adjustment  of  which  alone  was  waited  for  ere  the  treaty  al)ov«  i(. 
scribed  should  be  carried  into  effect,  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  who  lai 
been  carrying  on  a  secret  negotiation  with  the  dauphin,  formed  a  irmtv 
with  that  prince,  by  which  it  was  agreed  between  them  tliat  they  shuiili 
<livide  tiie  royal  authority  as  long  as  King  Charles  shoidd  survive,  v.A 
that  they  should  join  their  elTorts  to  expel  all  intrmiers  from  the  kiiisilnin 
An  interview  was  appointed  to  take  place  between  them;  but  as  theijukt 
of  Burgundy  had,  by  his  own  avowal,  been  the  assassin  of  the  lati'diikt 
of  Orleans,  and  had  thus  by  his  own  act  sanctif)ned  any  treacherous  n. 
tempt  that  might  be  made  upon  his  life,  and  had  at  the  same  time  ^.v-'i 
everyone  reason  to  refuso  to  put  any  confidence  in  his  hoiuiur,  the  iiui-; 
ijiinute  precautions  were  taken  to  guard  against  treaelierv  on  either  siJe 
But  all  these  precautions  were  taken  in  vain.  Several  of  ih.-  retainers  ol 
the  dauphin,  who  had  also  been  attached  to  the  late  duke  of  Orleans, si]. 
denly  attacked  Burgundy  with  their  drawn  swords,  and  despalciied  liim 
before  any  of  his  friends  could  interfere  to  save  liim. 

This  murder  created  so  much  rage  and  confusion  in  France,  and  ail  i 
parties,  though  from  widely  different  mo'ives,  were  so  inueli  excited  cy  j 
it,  that  all  thought  or  care  for  ])reserviiig  the  nation  from  foreign  dMii,'. 
nation  was  lost  sight  of;  the  views  of  Henry  were  thus  most  import  wijv 
forwarded,  through  an  accident  arising  out  of  that  very  interview  by  \vii,n  | 
It  was  intended  wholly  to  destroy  his  chances  of  success. 

Besidss  the  advantage  which  Henry  denxcd  from  the  new  state  ufcor.. 
fusion  and  turmoil  into  wliicli  France  was  tliruwn  by  this  event,  he  g:ii:iej| 
from  it  an  extremely  powerful  ally  in  the  person  of  the  new  duke  of  IJiir- 
gundy,  who,  stipulating  only  for  vengeance  '*pon  the  murderers  of  iiis  I 
father,  and  the  marriage  of  his  sister  with  the  duke  of  Bedford,  a:,"-eciltoj 
#cnd  Henry  whatever  aid  he  might  require,  without  iiuiuiry  or  eare  asioj 
the  evil  it  might  eventually  entail  upon  the  nation  Henry  had  aheadyf 
made  immense  progress  in  arms,  liouen,  though  most  gallantly  defeiwei 
by  a  garrison  of  four  thousand  men,  who  were  zealously  aided  l)y  lifttenl 
thousand  of  the  citizens,  had  at  length  been  taken,  as  had  Pontoisc ; 
Gisors  with  less  difficulty ,  and  so  closely  did  he  threaten  Pan.-  iisclf,| 
that  the  court  had  removed  in  alarm  to  Troyes. 

A.  D.  1428. — When  the  negotiations  between  the  Duke  of  Burgiinjtl 
and  Henry  had  arrived  at  this  point,  Henry,  accompanied  by  his  brolliers,| 
the  Duke  of  Clarence  and  Gloucester,  proceeded  to  Troyes  to  fimili  iti* 


irealy,  nomin; 
for  the  unhapi 
ae  was  at  best 
lime  the  charg 
Tlie  chief  pt 
of  the  tiation  v 
marry  the  priii 
of  king  during 
eniriisted  with 
wliicli  ivas  to  p, 
liora  it  «'as  to  bi 
reiaiii  its  own 
p;prs,  coinnunii 
and  in  due  time 
mill  Charles  aiii 
Kiiildom ;  and  n- 
peace  with  him, 
ifaiidaloiis  to  ai 
jarJed  Kiigland, 
teclaiiii  to  Frai 
liylliediike  of  15 
!iis  iircast  by  pas 
But  interest,  an 
.a  litis  very  siiigi 
liiile  scriijile  on  t 
j|)iect  in  view  thi 
\  i"K  (lays  after 
cess  raiharine,  ai; 
eilofllie  capital,  h 
ici  llie  thrre  est; 
iiwofivhieli  theil 
Tlie  dauphin  no 
iHiJto  witness  tin 
and  Henry  proeee 
J  liter  a  very  slight 
I  dued  with  no  less 
I  'Wli  a  stouter  resi 
iSceiiuld  make  for 
e  brave  governo 
Itoesuicoffamlfii 
loWifedto  vi^itEn 
hsl  during  Ins  abs 
hjvernor  of  Paris 
J  Hv  this  time  the 
Jifred  by  the  talent 
iMmething  like  -.;  ci 
iMii  10  their  posteri 
Iparliameiit  voted 
|(!iiileinadei]uate  t 
Iconquered  served  ., 
Ifilli  li.fi  subsidy  th 
ffctiTs,  and  four 
>arhpd  Paris,  wbe 
F  government  of 
But  during  the  •, 
pL'i'^'^kiM  Arijo, 
*fim  the  dauphin 
•' nad  taken  the  yoi 


cc 


Mrflli  1 


THE  TREASUttY  OP  HlSTOaV. 


357 


ireatv,  nominally  with  Charles,  but  in  reality  with  the  duke  of  Burgundy; 
for  the  unhappy  Charles  was  in  so  completely  imbecile  a  condition,  that 
le  was  at  best  but  a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  whoever  had  for  the 
;.„ie  the  charge  of  his  person. 

The  chief  provisions  of  this  treaty,  in  which  the  honour  and  interests 
of  the  nation  were  accounted  as  nothiiicr,  were  as  follows  :  Henry  was  to 
marry  the  princess  Catharine;  Charles  was  to  enjoy  the  title  and  dignity 
of  kmg  during  his  life,  but  Henry  was  to  be  his  heir,  and  was  also  to  be 
entrusted  witii  the  immediate  administration  of  the  alTairsof  the  kingdom, 
which  was  to  pass  to  his  heirs  inconiinon  with  Kiigland,  with  wjiich  king- 
(loni  il  was  to  be  united  under  liim,  thougii  each  kingdom  should  internally 
teiaiii  its  own  customs,  privileges,  and  usages  ;  all  tlic;  French  princes, 
peers,  communities,  and  vassals  were  to  swear  to  obey  Henry  as  regent, 
aiiiiin due  time  adhere  to  his  succession  as  king;  Henry  was  to  unite 
«ith  Charles  and  the  duke  of  Ihirgundy  in  chasing  the  dau|)liin  from  tlie 
Ki;!i»Joiii;  and  no  one  of  the  members  of  this  tri|iartite  league  was  to  make 
peace  wilii  inni,  except  with  the  consent  of  the  (itiicr  two.  A  treaty  more 
icamlaloiis  to  all  parties  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine.  Even  as  re- 
fardcd  Kngland,  Henry  was  king  only  by  succession  to  an  usurper ;  and 
!ii<  claim  to  Franco,  even  on  that  groimd  alone  would  have  been  scowti^d 
inthednke  of  Hurgundy,  had  patriotism  ntU  lieen  entirely  banished  lioni 
I'lslircast  liy  passion  and  personal  interest. 

But  interest,  and  interest  aloni;,  was  attended  to  i)y  the  parties  coniierned 
ill  thi*  very  singular  treaty,  which  was  drawn,  signed,  and  ruiilied  with  as 
tiiile  fcrnple  on  the  side  of  Uurgundy,  as  thougn  there  hau  l)eeii  no  other 
jliicci  III  view  than  the  mere  gratification  and  aggramiizement  f)f  Henry. 
^1  w(hus  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty,  this  prince  espoused  th<^  pnn- 
c(s?  I'atiiarinp,  and  with  herand  iier  father  proceeded  to  l*nii>t.  Possess- 
tJof  the  capital,  lie  had  but  littln  diniculty  in  procuring  from  the  parliament 
<r,l  the  fiirce  estates  a  full  and  formal  ratification  of  llial  treaty,  in  every 
iii'iMif  uhieli  their  degradation  was  visililv  written. 

Tiie  dauphin  now  assumed  tlie  style  of  ngentof  the  kingdom,  appealed  to 
(iiiiliowitiiess  the  justice  of  his  cause,  and  prcparc'd  to  defend  it  in  arms, 
mil  Henry  proceeded  to  oppose;  him.  He  first  laid  sicgi;  to  Sei»»,  wttfi< 
m  a  very  slight  resistance  surrendered  to  '  'n.  and  iMoiitt;reau  wh«  sub- 
dned  with  no  less  ease.  Henry  now  proceei.i  ■.  to  Melun.but  liere  he  aiet 
'iilh  a  stouter  resistance,  the  governor,  Harl)asan,  repelling  every  effort 
iieiwild  make  for  above  four  months;  and  eviii  at  the  end  of  that  time 
inehravc  governor  was  only  induced  to  tnat  for  surrreiKhr  by  the  auso- 
liiii- slate  of  faiii'i'c  to  which  the  garrison  was  reduced.  Henry  was  nov 
oWiteJ  tc  vi'^it  England  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  both  men  and  money, 
"ling his  absence  he  left  his  uncle  tike  duke  lA  Exeter  in  the  post  of 
rnor  of  Paris 
"liv  this  time  tlie  English,  however  much  they  weri»  rtazzled  and  Hat- 
Kreii  by  the  talents  and  success  of  tlieir  king,  seem  to  have  begun  to  take 
fomplhing  like  ■■  correct  view  of  the  possible  ultimate  consequence  to  them 
an!  Id  their  posterity,  of  the  proposed  union  of  tin-  two  crowns  ;  and  the 
parliament  voted  him  a  subsidy  of  only  a  fifteenth,  winch  would  have  been 
(juile  inadequate  to  his  necessities,  but  that  the  Frcncii  territory  Iw;  haa 
.conquered  served  for  the  maintenance  of  his  troops.  Having  got  together, 
|»ilhtLe  subsidy  thus  voted  to  him,  a  new  army  of  twenty-four  thousand 
irchers,  and  four  thousand  cavalry,  he   embarked  at  Dover  and  safely 

arhed  Paris,  where  everything  had  remained  in  pcrfec  t  trampiillity  under 
liip  government  of  his  uncle. 

ill!  during  the  absence  of  Henry  the  F'nglish  had  received  a  very  se- 
WL'.M'k  in  Aiijou.     A  Scotch  brigade  of  seven  thousand  men  had  long 

li  in  the  dauphin's  service,  sent  thitli«rl»jrtlie  regent  of  Scotland,  Hen- 
^' had  taken  the  young  king  of  Scutland,  vrlMhad  so  long  been  in  captivity. 


^J'U;'.!.,^l^^-r 


n 


>y^  0' 

"1 

,1 

!     -     ■'  ~-      '-     4.5i;    •      [f 

358 


THE  THEA3U11Y  OF  HISTORY. 


to  France,  and  caused  him  to  issue  orders  for  all  Scots  to  leave  the  di  < 
phin's  service.  But  the  earl  of  Duclian,  who  commanded  the  Scots  r"^ 
plied,  that  his  king  wliilc  in  captivity  could  not  issue  orders— at  all  ev'cnr 
could  not  expect  him  to  obey  them.  This  gallant  and  wcll-disciplin ! 
body  of  troops  now  encountered  the  English  detachment  under  the  coi' 
mand  of  the  duke  of  Clarence.  That  prince  was  slain  in  the  action  by " 
Scottisii  knight  name  i  Allan  Swinlon  ;  the  earl.s  of  Somerset,  Mimtimriio,," 
and  Dorset  were  taken  prisoners,  and  the  English  were  complelcly  roiiicj 
to  the  great  joy  of  tlie  dauphin,  who  rewarded  the  earl  of  iJuclmn  withiht 
office  of  constable. 

Henry's  return,  however,  soon  damped  the  new-born  py  nf  the  dan, 
phin,  who  was  besieging  Chartrcs,  whither  Henry  marchei'.,  aiul  comiil 
led  him  to  raise  the  siege  without  a  struggle.  From  Cliai;'fs  Ilonn' 
marched  to  Drcux,  which  also  surrendered  without  resistani'e,  and  ihci. 
proceeded  to  lay  siege  to  Meaux,  the  garrison  of  which  liad  grem.y  m,. 
noyed  the  Parisians.  Here  the  Englisii  were  resisted  wilh°gicai  sk]|; 
and  courage  for  eight  months,  by  the  governor  Vaurus.  At  thu  end  ofthiit 
time  the  pla(;e  was  taken  and  it  was  probably  in  reality  on  account  of  il'e 
obstinate  resistance  that  he  had  met  with,  but  professedly  for  the  crmliv 
whicrii  Vaurus  had  undoubtedly  shown  to  his  prisoners,  KnglishaswcHas 
IJurgiiiidi:;;!,  iliat  Henry  ordered  him  to  be  hanged  upon  the  same  (niibei 
nj);/a  wiiich  he  had  cau^^e(i  so  many  brave  men  to  be  executed. 

The  capture  of  Meaux  led  to  the  surrender  of  otlier  places  in  il,c 
neighbourhood  that  until  then  had  oboiinately  held  out ;  and  the  daiipln:). 
unable  to  resist  the  united  power  of  the  Knglish  and  Iiurj;imiliaiis,  wa. 
driven  beyond  the  Loire,  and  compelled  to  abandon  nearly  all  ihe  north- 
em  |)rovinces  ;  while  the  son  of  whom  Henry's  queen  was  just  now  df. 
livered  was  as  enthusiastically  hailed  at  Paris  as  at  London,  as  the  fiitun 
king  of  both  nations. 

Singularly  handsome  and  vigorous  in  person,  and  having  not  yet  ne;ir!\ 
reached  midtlle  age,  Henry  might  have  been  expected  to  have  very  iiimv 
years  of  glory  and  tniimpli  yet  before  him.  Hut  Ik;  was  afllicied  with; 
fistula,  a  disease  with  winch  the  rude  surgery  of  that  age  knew  not  liou  j 
to  deal ;  am!  he,  tlic;  p<y\verful  and  ambitious,  the  envied  and  succcssfi;;, 
king  found  iiiinself  hurrying  to  the  grave  by  the  rapid  progress  of  a  i.i 
case,  from  which  in  our  own  time  the  poor(!st  peasant  would  be  relieve! 

Conscious  of  his  approaching  end,  he  gave  a  new  proof  of "  the  riiliii!,- 
passion  strong  in  death."     Seiuling  for  his  brother,  the  duke  of  BedlUri 
the  earl  of  Warwick,  and  some  other  noblemen  who  stood  hifjli  in  h- 
esteem,  he   with   great  calmness  delivered  to  them  his  last  will  as 
aflectecl  both  the  kingdom  and  his  family.     Professing  to  view  Ins ..; 
proacliing  death  without  any  other  regret  than  that  which  arose  from!; 
leaving  liis  great  object  incomplete,  he   assunnl  them  that  they  couiiiiKiil 
fail  of  success  by  the  exertion  of  their  known  prudence  and  valour.  Hi 
appoint(.'d  Bedford  regent  of  France,  his  younger  l)rother,  the  duke  offijc 
cester,  regent  of  England,  and  to  tlie  earl  of  Warwick  he  coiuniitKdihtj 
governnuuit  and  protection  of  his  infant  son.     He  at  the  same  uineiiiO!i| 
urgently  enjoined  these  friends  on  no  consideration  to  give  freedom  tol 
the  Fieneh  princes  taken  at  Agincourt,  until  his  son  should  be  of  ana^'cioj 
govern  for  himself;  carefully  to  preserve  the  friendsliip  of  tlie  dule  oil 
Burgundy;  to  exert  every  means  to  secure  the  throne  of  France  to  ilioirl 
infant  king;  and,  tailing  success  in  that  particular,  never  to  inakepeacfl 
with  France  unless  on  condition  of  the  permanent  annexation  of  Norman^ 
dy  to  the  crown  of  F.ngland. 

Apart  Irom  his  ambition,  and  the  violent  injustice  which  necessarilyrtl 
suited  from  it,  this  prince  was  in  very  many  respects  deserving  of  tlietii?! 
popularity  which  throughout  his  life  he  enjoyed  in  England,  and  wtiirtitj 
no  less  enjoyed  in  France  subsequent  to  his  marriage  with  the  princesi 


'3     i  ,1  "iii!''   '>' 


•fS 


THE  TEEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


359 


tatharine.  His  civil  rule  was  firm  and  productive  ol"  excellent  order 
iviihout  being  harshly  severe  ;  and  in  the  unil'orni  iiindness  and  confidence 
tthiclilie  bestowed  upon  the  earl  of  Marche,  who  beyond  all  question  had 
the  preferable  title  to  the  crown,  betol;ened  no  common  magnanimity. 
Henry,  who  died  in  1422,  aged  only  thirty-four,  left  but  one  child,  young 
Henry,  then  0"ly  "'"^  months  old ;  and  the  qneen  Catharine,  rather  soon- 
er after  the  death  of  her  husband  than  was  strictly  becoming,  gave  her 
liaiidiii  second  marriage  to  Sir  Owen  Tudor,  a  private  gentleman  who, 
however,  claimed  to  be  descended  from  the  ancient  Welsh  princts;  to 
liiniflie  bore  two  sons,  the  elder  of  whom  was  created  (!arl  of  Richmond, 
ihe  voiinger  earl  of  Pembroke  ;  and  the  earl  of  Richmond  subsequentlv 
lieca'me  king  of  Kngland,  as  we  shall  hereafter  have  to  relate. 


'  im 


CHAPTKK  XXX. 


THE    REIGN    OK    HKNUY    VI. 


A,  D.  1122, — We  had  occasion  to  remark,  under  the  head  of  Henry  IV., 

ilul  the  usurpation  of  that  prince  g?.ve  a  great  and  manifest  impetus  to  the 
power  (if  the  parliament.  Anew  proof  was  now  atTordid  of  the  extent 
10  which  tliai  power  had  increased.  Scarcely  any  attention  was  paid  to 
ihe  instriK'tioiis  given  by  Henry  V.  on  his  death  bc^l;  and  the  parliannMit 
nroceedcil  to  make  arrangements  in  accordance  rather  w  i'h  its  own  views 
ihaii  with  tlio^o  of  the  deceased  monarch,  with  respect  to  both  the  king- 
lioiii  and  tlic  young  king. 

They  iiitogether  set  aside,  as  to  the  former,  tl.c  title  jf  regent,  and  ap 
noinU'il  the  duke  of  Uedfonl,  and,  during  any  absence  of  his,  the  duke  of 
illouccstcr,  to  act  as  jirotector  or  guardian  of  the  kingdom;  evnleiitly 
placinif  a  peculiar  value  on  this  distinction  of  terms,  though  to  all  practi- 
cal purposes  it  necessarily  was  a  mere  distinction  without  a  difTcreiice. 
Tlipy  showed,  howevc^r,  a  more  practical  judgment  in  preventing,  or, 
aiilio  least,  in  anticipating,  any  undue  stretch  of  authority  on  the  part  of 
iiihirof  the  royal  personages,  by  appointing  a  council  whose  advice  and 
ijiprubatioii  were  necessary  to  tlu-  legalising  of  all  important  measures. 

Thry  next  proceeded  to  show  an  equal  disregard  to  the  wishes  of  the 
('cccased  monarch,  as  related  to  the  custody  and  government  of  his  infant 
?nn,  when  they  committed  him  to  the  care  of  Henry  Heanfort,  bishop  Oi 
Winchester,  a  natural  but  legitimate  son  of  John  of  Guant,  duke  of  Lan- 
casiiT;  an  arrangement  which  at  least  had  this  recoinmendalion,  that  the 
prelate  in  question  could  set  up  no  famdy  pretension  to  the  crown,  and 
haJ.  therefore,  no  indueemeut  to  n-t  unfairly  by  his  infant  charge. 

The  duke  of  Bedford,  long  renowned  for  equal  iirudeuee  and  valour, 
immediately  turned  his  attention  to  France,  witiioiit  making  the  sligiitest 
ailempt  to  alter  the  determination  of  parliament,  which  a  less  disinterest- 
ed and  noble-spirited  man  would  very  probably  have  interpreted  as  a  per- 
sonal affront. 

Chades,  the  late  dauphin,  had  now  assumed,  as  he  was  justly  entitled 
10,  the  title  of  king  of  France;  and,  being  shut  out  by  the  Fnglish 
from  Rheims,  the  ancient  and  especial  place  of  coronation  of  the  kings  of 
France,  he  caused  himself  to  be  crov/iied  at  I'oitiers.  This  prince,  though 
only  twenty  years  of  age,  was  very  popular  with  multitudes  of  the  French 
as  well  for  the  many  virtues  of  his  private  character,  as  for  the  great  and 
precocious  abilities  he  had  shown  in  most  difficult  phase-  of  his  public 
affairs. 

No  one  knew  better  than  the  duke  of  Bedford  that,  excluded  though  ih.r 
dauphin  was  from  his  rightful  succession,  by  the  unnatural  and  unpatriotic 
act  of  his  imbecile  father,  liis  own  abilities  would  be  strongly  aided  by 


■^  ^',.^■^:•tl 


360 


THE  TRBASUaV  OF  HISTOllY. 


a  natjral  ana  inevitable  revulsion  of  feeling  on  the  part  of  those  Frenchm 
who  had  hitherto  shown  themselves  fast  friends  to  England.    Me  i|,T" 
fore  strictly  obeyed  the  dying  injnnction  of  Henry  as  to  a  sudulous  eul'r 
vation  of  the  friendship  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  whose  personal  qu  ir  i 
with  Oliarkis  had  so  mainly  aided  the  success  of  the  Knghsh  cause  tl 
far,  and  whose  support  would  hcncefortii  be  s-o  vitally  iui'portaii't  to  th'^ 
maintaining  their  ground  in  Fran'je.     Bedford,  therefore,  liastcned  to  \\\ 
fil  his  part  in  the  treaty  of  Troyes,  by  espousing  Philip's  sister,  the  nnli' 
cess  of  Arras ;  and  he  even  olfered  Ins  new  brother-in-law  tlio  rencn  • 
of  France,  which  Philip,  for  not  very  obvious  reasons,  declined,  tlmijir? 
as  he  was  far  from  being  unambitious,  he  could  scarcely  have  oveiinui ' 
ed  that  ilio  regency,  during  the  minority  of  young  Henry  and  ihecoinnui. 
ed  success  of  llie  Knglish,  would  be  nearly  equivalent  to  liie  actual  sov 
ereignty,  and  might  by  some  very  sliglil  circumstance,  actually  knui  u, ,; 

Tlie  duke  of  Bedford  next  turned  his  attention  to  i-.ecuring  the  friiiii'^ 
ship  of  lilt!  duke  of  Brittany,  who,  wiicther  as  friciid  or  foe,  was  next  lii 
importance,  as  regarded  the  Knglisli  power,  to  Burgundy  himself,  ''\\. 
duke  of  Brittany  liad  already  given  in  liis  adiiesion  totiie  treaty  of 'rio\(,s. 
but  as  Bedford  knew  how  much  that  prince  was  governed  by  In  1  niiiiur' 
the  count  of  Richemont,  he  skilfully  sought  to  fix  the  "fri(!,,|.^,lii|,  q 
that  hi'.ughly  and  not  very  strictly  honourable  person,  -luclieinont  wj* 
among  the  high  personages  wiio  were  mad(!  prisoners  at  Agincnuti  bla 
had  been  treated  with  great  k'udnuss  in  Kngland.  and  even  allowed  la 
Henry  V.  to  visit  Brittany,  on  bis  |)arol(!  of  honour,  to  riUurn  at  a  (Jivcii 
lime.  Before  the  time  arrived  the  deatii  of  Henry  occurred,  and  iinhc. 
mont,  contrary  to  all  the  usages  and  iriaxims  of  chivalry,  aflcctetl  to  be- 
lieve that  as  his  parole  had  been  given  personally  to  Henry  V.,  his  Iioudu; 
was  in  nowise  engaged  to  maintain  it  towards  that  prince's  sui'ce>sor, 
His  plea  was  as  irregular  as  it  was  meanly  false;  but  as  Bedford  liml  ob- 
viously no  means  of  compelling  Richemont  to  a  more  honoinaMc  (.uuisf 
of  conduct,  without  involving  himself  in  a  vi^ry  mischievous  (lisajfn.'CMiiin; 
with  the  duke  of  Britta:iy,  he  very  wisely  made  a  virtue  of  necessity,  ani 
not  only  overlooked  thecoinu's  misconduct,  but  even  obtained  for  liiiiiii;t 
hand  of  the  widow  of  the  deceased  dauphin  Louis,  the  sister  of  Pliilip  of 
Burgundy. 

Having  thus  both  politically  and  personally  allied  himself  witluhopo 
tent  dukes  of  ]3urgundy  and  JJrittany,  Bedford  now  directed  his  allciuioii 
to  Scotland.  The  duke  of  Albany,  who,  as  regent  of  Scotlaml,  limi  so 
considerably  aided  the  dauphin,  now  lung  Charles,  by  sending  hiiii  hirje 
bodies  of  veteran  Scotch  troops,  was  (lead,  and  his  otlice  ami  powli 
had  been  assumed  l)y  his  son  Murdac.  This  nobleman  hadneitluiMli.!!:!,. 
ents  nor  the  energy  of  his  father,  and  he  was  quite  unable  to  limit,  as  .l:,' 
duke  of  All):iny  hid  done,  any  enterprises  to  wliich  the  tiirbiilciiiiRiblts 
of  Scotland  mit  *  thin'  proper  to  turn  their  attention.  This  instantly 
became!  evident  lioin  the  sudden  ami  vast  increase  of  tin;  mniibcr  of  Slut- 
tish nobles  who  hastened  to  offer  thei.  swords  to  Charles  of  France;  and 
the  piercing  glwiu;c  of  Bedford  discLiiied  the  strong  probability  of  ilic 
Scots,  at  no  distant  day,  doing  Charles  the  still  more  effectual  scrvi  of 
distracting  the  attention  and  dividing  the  force  of  Ins  Fnglish  eiR'usus.by 
making  formidable  and  frequent  incursions  u[)on  the  northern  couiitits  ■/. 
Gngland. 

As  the  readiest  and  surest  way  of  meeting  this  portion  of  his  ilifTuniltie!, 
Bedford  induced  the  Knglish  government  to  restore  to  liberty  the  Scottish 
king,  young  James, on  the  payment  of  a  ransom  of  forty  thoiisaivl  \Mr.'i. 
This  young  prince  who  had  resided  in  Kngland  from  ins  early  hoyliuoi 
and  had  there  received  the  very  best  education  which  the  scholastic  sliie 
of  that  age  would  afford  even  to  princes,  had  imbibed  much  of  thii  Kiiglish 
feelings  and  tastes ;  and  during  the  whole  of  his  short  reign — (he  wasmw- 


l^di: 


~^-~ ^__3:, 


m 


lfO|l;v 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


361 


ictei  m  1137  by  the  e;irl  of  Atliol)— whatever  might  he  tlie  extent  of  the 
leaning  lie  was  alledged  to  have  lowania  France,  Tic  never  once  fjavo  tho 
Kiiolish  cause  to  refjret  their  generosity  or  to  throw  bhinie  on  tlie  policy 
)'f  Bi'Jford,  to  wiiich  the  young  king  owed  his  freedom  and  tiio  enjoyment 
ofhistiirone. 

Even  while  engaged  in  tiiese  wise  polii  cal  precantions,  tlic  duke  of 
lledford  strenuously  exerted  himself  in  llio;e  military  movements  and  op- 
eralions  which  were  indispensable  to  the  ultimate  success  of  the  measure!" 
he  contempliited. 

Kinrr  Charles  in  person,  and  all  tlie  forces  under  his  own  immediate 
leadinn',  had  long  since  been  driven  into  the  southern  provinces  beyond 
the  Loire.  But  there  were  many  of  his  attached  partizans  still  possessed 
of  forirnsses  in  the  northern  ()rovinccs,  and  even  in  the  ncii^hbourhood  ol 
Paris.  Ajrainst  these  fortresses,  therefore,  liie  duke  of  IkHlford  deemed 
it'nci'css^iry  to  exert  himself,  before  proceeding  to  deal  wiiii  the  main 
strciigtli  of  Charles.  Dorsay,  Noyelie,  and  Rue  in  I'ieiirdy,  were  be- 
sicL'Pii  and  taken;  and  Pont  sur  Seine,  Vertus,  and  Moniaigne.  soon  after 
Ml  i:il()  the  lOnglish  power.  These  successes  were  followed  up  by  still 
more  brilliant  and  important  ones  ;  till  at  kuigth  the  constable  of  Scotland, 
with  iiiHiiy  of  the  French  nobles,  w\'re  taken  prisoners,  and  Bedford's 
army  OL'ciijiiod  La  Charite  and  other  towns  upon  the  Lt)ire. 

Kvpry  new  success  of  the  Fuglish  by  which  lliey  were  brought  nearer 
loins  sinilliern  provinces,  made  Charles  the  more  painfully  anxious  for 
ihi?  prcsinvation  of  the  few  strongholds  which  he  still  held  iii  ihosi;  of  the 
north,  ulii'i'c  they  could  so  greatly  annoy  and  impede  their  inimical  neigh- 
bours. One  of  these,  Yvri  in  Nonnandy,  had  for  three  mo'illis  held  out 
aoaiiisl  the  utmost  cfibrts  of  its  besiegers,  under  the  personal  coinmaiid 
oflicilford  himself;  but  the  gallant  governor  at  length  found  liiinself  re- 
duced to  such  straits  that  he  agreiul  to  surrender  unless  relict'  should 
reach  hiin  by  a  certain  day.  Information  of  this  threatened  loss  of  Yvri 
no  sooner  reached  Charles  than  he  sent  ade-lachment  of  fourteen  thousand 
men  to  its  relief,  one  half  of  the  detachment  being  Scots  and  the  other 
liu'if  Krciich.  The  chief  command  of  this  detachment  was  (riven  to  the 
earl  of  liiK'liaii,  the  titular  constable  of  France,  who  made  the  utiniisti'dbrts 
to  perform  his  mission  successfully,  but  had  the  mortilicaiion  to  tind  that 
llie  place  had  been  already  surrendered  vro.  he  could  arrive.  Resolved  iwt 
'.oreliirii  from  so  long  a  marcli  without  having  at  least  atieiiipi  >'!.  some 
iniportiint  enterprise,  and,  •urnliig  to  the  left,  he  inarrtied  rapidly  to  Ver- 
iiciiil  and  prepared  to  besiege  1I...I  ;''■•{(  which  was  delivered  up  to  him 
by  llie  citizens,  in  spite  of  ail  the  opposition  that  could  be  inado  by  the 
garrison. 

It  had  been  well  had  Buchan  contented  hinucdf  w  ith  this  success.  Hut, 
i'liiuuragi'd  by  it,  he  called  a  council  of  war  to  consult  whether  he  should 
now  make  good  his  retreat,  with  the  glory  he  had  so  easily  and  cheaply 
acqnircd,  or  await  the  coming  up  of  the  duke  of  Uedl'ord.  'i'hough  the  for- 
mer iilaii  was  strongly  and  well  urged  by  tho  graver  and  more  politic  of 
his  ollicers,  the  latter  one  was  so  agreeable  to  Uuehan's  own  desire  to  en- 
g;i.'e  the  enemy  at  any  risk,  that  he  finally  adopted  ii,  ami  it  was  not  long 
ere  his  army  was  eoiifronted  with  that  of  Bedford.  The  numbers  were 
tolerably  equal ;  and  Buchan  dniwing  up  h's  men  in  excellent  order  under 
liie  walls  of  Verneuil,  determined  in  that  ;i,lvantageous  position  to  await 
theeli.irje  of  the  enemy.  This  prudent  precaution,  in  a  situation  wiiich 
greater  prudence  would  wholly  have  preserved  him  fnm,  was  defeated  by 
tlrf  impetuous  rashness  01  .he  viscount  of  NailHtnne,  who  led  his  men  so 
furiously  to  the  eharffp,  that  fur  an  instant  the  Knglish  archers  wore  beaten 
I'rointhe  line  of  palisa^oes,  behind  Vkhu-h,  according  to  ineir  usual  cus- 
tom, they  h.iii  -tatione d  tbemsciVci^.  Quickiv  recovering  themselves, 
tiowever,  ana  tormiiig  bekad  aod  lUMOng  their  i»aggage.  ihey  poured  their 


1    '.1 


i    (: 


(j'.^'.p-:' 


r'i 


^<  ! 


362 


THE  T11EA8UKY  OP  HISTORY. 


n|«fl'li'l!r»7  Bra 

^'  irfi 


>1 


arrows  so  tliickly  and  wiih  such  demlly  precision,  that  Narbonnc's  rien 
fell  fast  around  him  and  were  soon  thrown  into  confusion.  The  man 
body  of  the  constable's  army,  animated  out  of  all  sense  of  steady  (iisnj 

?line  by  the  dashing  but  most  imprudent  charjre  of  this  division,  rushed  i^ 
farbonnc's  support,  and  necessardy  partook,  with  his  men  the  simiffhter 
and  the  panic  caused  by  the  English  archers;  wiiile  the  duke  of  Beifford 
perceiving  the  confusion  of  the  enemy,  seized  upon  the  favourable  inomciii' 
and  i-hari^ed  them  at  the  head  of  the  main  body  of  his  men-at-arrns.  Tiic' 
French  ranks  (juickly  broke  under  tliis  vi^'orons  atta(;k,  and  the  rout  in  ;i 
few  minutes  became  general.  Though  Bedford's  victory  was  ccjuuilL'tf' 
it  was  as  he  considered,  so  dearly  purchased  by  the  loss  of  sixtran  im,,.' 
dred  of  the  English  to  about  two  thousand  of  the  French,  that  ho  'vnulfj 
not  allow  any  rejoicings  for  a  victory  whicdi  had  cost  the  Knolish  ;i  loss 
80  nearly  proportioned  to  that  of  the  enemy.  Hut  the  loss  of  the  French 
couM  not  fairly  bo  estimated  by  a  mere  htatement  of  numbers.  I  wns 
unusually  great  among  the  leaders;  Buchan  himself,  the  earl  of  Uomhn 
and  his  son,  the  counts  U'Aumale,  I)c  Tonnere,  and  \)c  Ventinlour,  \viili 
many  oilier  nobles,  were  among  the  slain;  and  the  duke  D'Alciifjuii,  the 
marshal  de  la  Fayette,  and  the  lords  (laucourt  and  Morteniar  auumir  ihe 
prisoners.  On  the  following  day  Verneuil,  having  no  hope  of  relief^ sur- 
rendered to  Bedford. 

Nothing  could  appear  more  desperate  than  the  ease  of  the  French  kjnj. 
He  had  in  tljis  fatal  battle  lost  tlu;  bravest  of  his  h.-aders;  his  nartiz;iii5 
had  no  longer  even  a  chance  of  making  any  heiul  against  the  Ki'iyhsn  m 
the  provinces  north  of  IIk;  Loire ;  and  he  was  so  far  from  posscssinir  the 
necessary  means  of  r'^cruiting  his  army  and  enticing  other  gaiiaut  iii'i'iun 
embrace  his  desperate  cause,  that  he  actually  had  not  even  tlic  means  o( 
paying  for  the  support  of  his  retinue,  though  he  carefully  abstaiuci]  from 
indulging  many  of  the  frivolous  and  expensive  shadows  of  royally,  while 
he  v.as  still  uncertain  of  the  issue  of  his  contest  for  its  snbsiancc.  But 
just  as  he  himself,  as  well  as  both  his  friends  and  his  foes,  besjaii  to  doein 
his  cause  nearly  lost,  a  most  unexpected  incident  occiiriicl  to  save  tim 

Jacqueline,  countess  of  Holland  and  Hainault,  had,  from  the  iioljtic  mo- 
tives which  so  generally  deteritiined  princely  marriages,  espoused  i!ie 
duke  of  Burgundy's  cousin-gcrman,  John,  duke  of  Brabant.  Tiie  bruji. 
groom  was  a  niKre  boy  of  fifteen  ;  the  lady  was  much  older,  and  of  amiis- 
culiiie-  and  ardent  temper.  The;  sickly  and  weak-minded  l)i)y-husli;iii! 
soon  became  the  detestation  of  his  vigorous  and  high-spiritid  wife, 
and  she  applied  to  Rome  to  annul  the  uncfpial  and  unsuitable  niarnn;;i', 
Being  well  aware  that,  venal  as  Rome  was,  nnicli  didicully  uwaiicd  from 
the  powerful  oiiposition  which  would  be  made  to  her  design  by  the  (hike 
of  Burgundy,  and  being  fearful  that  he  woulil  even  go  to  the  extreme  m' 
putting  her  under  personal  restraint,  slie  made  her  esccpc  to  Kiiglaiid,;iii'! 
solicited  the  aid  and  protection  of  the  diik(!  of  (Jloucester.  'I'lie  p.^rsoiiil 
leauty  of  tiic  countess  Jaccpieline,  together  with  the  temptatii.n  of  hcrii!- 
herited  wealth  and  sovereignty,  stimulated  the  love  and  ambition  of  Ghm 
cester  so  far,  that,  without  even  waning  the  result  of  an  applicaiimi  ii< 
Rome,  he  made  a  contract  of  marriage  with  her,  and  commenced  an  at- 
tempt to  wrest  her  territories  from  the  duke  of  Brabant. 

The  duke  of  Bur(  undy  was  doubly  annoyed  and  disgusted  by  tliis  iiro- 
ceedmg  of  (Gloucester ;  for  while  it  very  seriously  Irenelied  upon  ins  fam- 
ily p(jwer  and  wealth,  it  gave  but  an  unpromising  earnest  of  tiio  comhic! 
to  be  expected  from  the  Knglish,  when,  having  fully  established  ihemsehes 
in  France,  they  should  no  longer,  from  not  needing  the  duke's  alliance 
and  support,  have  an  interested  motive  for  putting  any  limits  to  their 
personal  amlDition  or  cupidity.  Actuated  by  these  feelings,  hn  not  only 
•OunseUed  his  cousin  to  resistance,  but  exerted  himself  to  induce  the 


1\$ 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  UlSTORt 


353 


j,ore  powerful  of  Josephine's  subjocts  to  oppose  her,  and  marched  himself 
ivitli  a  considerable  body  of  his  iroops  to  support  tiicni  in  doing  so. 

Too  exclusively  engaged  \vith  hia  perssonal  designs  to  give  their  due 
iveii'lit  to  political  considerations,  Glour.estcr  would  not  be  diverted  from 
his  purpose ;  and  a  quarrel  at  once  political  nnd  poronal  thus  eniiaffod 
liiin  ami  tlie  duke  of  Unrgundy  in  war  in  the  Low  Countries. 

(Jloiicester,  in  the  course  of  the  angry  correspondence  which  accom- 
naiiiPil  die  warlike  contest  between  him  and  the  duke  of  Hurgundy,  iiripu- 
t,.(i  falsehood  to  I'liilip,  in  term!!  so  insultingly  direct,  that  Philip  inMif>ied 
uooii  a  rctruclion,  and  personal  chal!en<res  now  passed  between  them. 

'Tlif  grave  and  [lolitic  Bedford  was  vexed  to  the  soul  at  lheconse(]iienci!s 
of  (iltaccstcr's  im[>n'dence;  consequences  as  disastrous  and  tiireateni.ig 
10  liiP  Eii»iish  jiowcr  in  Krance,  as  they  were  fortunate  and  hopeful  to  the 
oHUSt!  of  ll'e  rijirhlful  kintr  of  France.  For,  in  the  first  place,  Gloucester 
employed  in  his  own  quarrel  the  troops  whiidi  Heford  had  been  so  anx 
imisly  expecting  fnnn  Fngland,  and,  in  the  next  place,  this  occurrence 
could  not  but  weaken,  if  it  did  not  wholly  alienate,  ihe  friendship  of  the 
duke  of  Hurgundy,  to  which  the  English  cause  was  so  much  indebted. 
Having  endeavoured,  hut  in  vain,  to  mediate  between  the  angry  dukes,  Bed- 
ford now  saw  himself  obliged  to  abstain  from  following  up  his  signal  vic- 
tory at  Vcrneuil,  and  to  hasten  to  Kngland,  to  end(;avour  ny  his  presence 
tlicrii  to  repair  the  already  very  miscr.ievous  consequences  of  his  brother's 
hciilstroiig  temper  and  personal  ambition. 

.N'lir  was  it  on  account  of  Gloucester's  folly  alone  that  the  presence  of 
Ik'ilford  wa'--  at  this  jniu'ture  much  needeil  in  Knyl-ful.  'I'lie  bishop  of 
WiiK'liPstpr,  as  we  mentioned  before,  had  been  selci  led  by  |>arliament  as 
cii.sios  of  llie  young  king's  person  not  only  on  accoiinl  of  iiis  great  abili- 
lies,  lint  also  because  liis  family  had  no  claim  to  the  throne  that  could  in- 
duce liiin  to  'oehavi!  unfairly  to  his  young  charge.  Ihit  this  prelate  had 
great  personal  ambition.  He  was  of  an  arbitrary  a!ui  iieremptory  temper 
iiiid  required  from  the  council  a  far  greatrr  share  of  authority  in  the  state 
than  liis  olTice  of  custos  of  the  king's  pirson  could  warrant  him  in  de 
niimilmg,  or  the  council  in  granting. 

lietwecn  the  prelate,  thus  peremptory  and  ambitious,  and  the  eqnail) 
ambitious  and  fiery  GUmcester,  it  was  inevitable  that  an  open  quarre. 
should  take  place  under  such  circumstances ;  and  as  each  of  tiiem  had  his 
partizans  in  the  ministry,  it  was  not  without  some  diiricully  that  even  the 
jreat  authority  of  Bedford  composed  the  existing  difFerences  ;  nor  did  he 
wholly  succeed  in  so  doing  until  he  had  invoked  the  authority  of  parlia- 
nieiil,  before  which  assembly  the  two  disputants  were  c(3nip(dlcd  to  come 
10  an  apparent  reconciliation,  and  to  promise  that  thenceforth  all  their 
differences  should  be  buried  in  oblivion. 

While  Bedford  had  been  busy  in  adjusting  this  untoward  and  unseemly 
quarrel,  the  duke  of  Burgundy  had  so  well  employed  his  credit  at  Rome, 
lis  lo  have  procured  a  bull  which  not  only  annulled  the  marriage  contract 
between  the  countess  Jacqueline  and  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  but  also  for- 
bade their  marriage  even  in  the  fveiit  of  the  dnke  of  Brabant  being  re- 
moved by  death.  The  duke  of  (ilouccster,  who  had  all  along  been  actu- 
aled  in  his  adventurous  suit  far  more  by  ambition  and  cupidity  than  by 
love,  iuiding  so  insuperable  an  obstacle  interposed  between  him  and  even 
his  future  su  ;cess,  very  soon  consoled  himself  for  his  disappointment  by 
ffiving  his  hand  to  a  lady  who  liad  for  a  considerable  time  been  known  as 
his  mistress. 

Soon  after,  the  duke  of  Brabant  died ;  and  his  widow  in  order  to  recover 
tier  territory,  was  obliged  lo  declare  the  duke  of  Burgundy  her  heir  should 
she  die  without  issue,  and  to  engage  not  to  take  a  second  husband  unless 
with  the  duke's  consent. 

Tiiis  termination  of  the  atTair  prevented  the  immediate  liostility  upon 


r?j* 


.^•,',    * 


I 


'}.\;A^    >''  i^'^i 


mm. 


364 


THE  THKABUllV  OP  HISTOllY. 


tlic  part  of  niirgiiiidy,  of  which  Dodford  at  first  had  been  very  iiMtly  an 
preficiisive;  bill  all  ihi;  ciiciiiiistaiici'.s  uf  thcqtiaiTcl  were  calculi;!  'Ji/reailv 
to  weaken  tl)e  diiko  of  IJiirguiidy  in  his  atlachiiKMit  la  the  lOiiulisli,  from 
wlioiii  he  could  no  longer  expert,  in  ihe  event  of  their  eonqdeie  sii'tcess 
to  receive  much  better  treatment  than  that  which  on  the  part  of  KmJ 
Charles  had  aroused  the  duke  to  such  fierce  enmity;  and  ullimatciv  tins 
quarrr'l  did  alienate  the  dnk(!  from  his  unnatural  and,  on  the  whoks  vcrv 
impolitic  alliance  with  the  English. 

The  duke  of  Brittany,  whose  alliance  13cdf')rd  valued  only  second  to  i 
of  Burgundy,  was  very  enTectually  detached  from  the  Kn^lisji  side  by 
gift  to  his  brother,  the  count  of  Kiehemont,  <if  the  olTiei!  of  coiusiaiilt  . 
France,  vacant  by  the  death  of  Buchan;  ami  this  loss  must  have  bfcuthf. 
more  mortifying  to  Bedford,  because  he  could  not  be  unaware  that  u  w;i.» 
mainly  owing  to  the  impolitic  pertinacity  with  which  he  had  refusal!  Id 
gratify  the  passion  of  tlu;  count  of  Uicheinont  for  military  coinniand.  l)ii| 
the  loss,  however  caused  or  however  much  lamented,  was  wliollvirn. 
tricvable ;  for  whatever  tiiero  was  of  (lersonal  and  selfish  in  tlie  llukc's 
motive  for  changing  his  party,  the  (.'liange  was  permanent,  and  he  ever  af- 
ter remained  faithful  to  King  Charles. 

The  cooled  zeal  of  one  ally  and  lln;  total  loss  of  another,  and  tlic  favom 
able  moral  efTect  which  lhes(!  things  anil  I'ii^ht  months  of  comparative  (n,i( ; 
had  produced  upon  the  partizans  of  king  Charles,  were  suflieiciit  to  ciiuse 
anxi'iy  to  the  sagacious  duke  of  Bedford  when  he  returned  to  Fniuc. 

The  French  garrison  of  Montargis  was  besieged  by  the  earl  of  War.vii  ;t 
and  an  army  of  three  thousand  men,  and  was  so  reduced  as  to  be  on  ih;. 
very  point  of  surrendering,  when  the  Bastard  of  Orleans,  aflcrw.inls  su 
famous  under  his  title  of  duke  of  Dunois,  marched  with  only  sixlien  liui\. 
dred  men  U-  ^!(;!ltargis,  and  compelled  Warwick,  in  spite  of  his  superior 
numbers,  v  >  u.ie  the  seige. 

The  fii.  I  -k;:*  'f  the  duke  of  Bedford  was  to  bring  back  to  his  a]ii:eice 
the  dnUc  '>t  l.'iutany.  Sensible  that  that  prince  had  ehiclly  been  nunicii 
in  his  cii.iisgd  ei  alliance  by  the  count  of  llichemont.and  would, thi.rcf;iri\ 
most  proij  u'ly  allow  his  own  obvious  interest  to  induce  him  to  cliiiii^i' 
sides  once  n:.re,  Bedford  secretly  coiucnirated  several  detachinenis  of 
English  upon  the  frontiers  of  Brittany,  and  invaded  that  province  so  sini- 
dcnly,  that,  the  duke  had  no  chance  of  resistance,  but  saw  himself  ohligcj 
to  consent  to  give  up  the  French  alliance  and  adhere  to  the  troaiy  oi 
Troyes,  to  acknowledge  the  duke  of  Bedford  as  regent  of  France  ami  to 
pledge  h'niself  to  do  homage  to  the  young  king  lilmiry  for  his  diii;liy. 

Having  thus  freed  himself  from  a  dangerous  enemy  in  his  rear,  Hcdfonl 
prepared  for  an  enterprise,  the  success  of  whicli  would  jirelty  compleitlv 
insure  the  entire  success  of  the  English  cause — the  siege  of  llie  city  of 
Orleans,  which  was  so  situated  between  the  northern  and  soulheni  piov- 
jnces  as  to  open  a  way  to  the  cp' ranee  of  cither  by  its  possessor.  As 
Bedford,  having  been  so  succes'.-iul  in  expelling  Charles  from  the  norilicrii 
provinces,  was  about  to  attack  him  in  'he  soutli,  the  possession  of  Orleans 
was  evidently  of  the  greatest  importaiue  to  him. 

The  conduct  of  the  attack  upon  Orleans  was  entrusted  to  the  earl  of 
Salisbury,  a  distinguished  soldier,  who  had  just  brought  a  reinforcoiii!  . 
of  six  thousand  men  from  England.  The  earl,  quite  rightly,  no  doubi, 
confined  himself  to  the  task  of  taking  several  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Or- 
■cans,  which,  though  they  were  but  small,  might  prove  of  very  serious  in- 
convenience to  him  wher.i  engaged  in  the  contemplated  siege.  These 
preliminary  measures  of  ttie  carl,  however  conformable  to  the  rules  of 
war,  and  however  indispensable  under  the  pr.rucular  circumstances,  vverc 
lit  the  least  thus  far  unfortunate,  that  tney  at  once  disclosed  to  Kinc 
Charles  the  main  design  of  the  English,  and  gave  him  time  and  opportum- 


THE  TaEA3UIlY  OP  UISTOUY. 


365 


t»  to  throw  ill  such  stores  of  provisions  hiuI  rniiiforcomc:Us  of  men  on 
inijjht  eii;it)ii'  tli''  ;!;irrisoii  to  iiuike  an  f!ll'iM;tii;il  rosislaiu^i!. 

The  iuril  of  (.lUi-oiir,  :tii  ofTicer  of  niual  condiiL't,  valour,  aii'l  oxp(!ri('nc(«, 
OS  miiilc  K'>v«"riior,  unci  many  other  veteran  olliccrs  lluf.w  llvtmselvcs 
jMlolIu  [ilii'^t'  lofiiil  liini  in  us  defonce ;  the  troops  they  bid  to  roniniand 
wci'o  vcicnins  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  even  llie  vory  citizens,  in- 
steail  of  ixiiiis,'  likely  to  distiirl)  their  defenders  by  idle  fears,  wen;  now  so 
accustomed  to  war  that  they  pronnsed  to  he  of  very  important  service. 

li;iuii:j  coini)leted  liis  preliminary  operations,  the  earl  of  Sali--'  •  ap- 
proachml  Oilcans  with  'in  army  of  Jen  thousand  men,  and  ;;  ope 

looked  with  anxiety  for  llio  re.sidt  of  a  siejre  whieh  was  ii' 
completely  decisive  as  to  the  future  fate  of  Franee,  aim  • 
qiiently,  it  hehovod  Charles  to  make  iuii  utmost  and  final  eflVi 

llaviiii,'  too  small  a  foree  for  the  eomplete  investmeiii  of  a 
jparl  from  ii^  f^reat  extent,  had  the  advaiitaire  of  a  bri(ig(;  ovi  i  .,,a, 

lliL-earlof  Salnbnry  proceeded  to  attack  the  southern  side,  towards  S 
logne;  but  as  he  wasattatduntftlie  fortilieations  which  defended  the  hrii|i>e, 
lie'wus  killed  by  a  cannon  shot  while  in  the  very  act  of  reconnoiterinir  the 
enemy.  The  command  of  the  Hngiish  now  fell  upon  th"  carl  of  SnlFolk, 
mil  he,  rneeivinij  at  the  same  time  a  lar;{e  reinforcemeiu  of  both  Knsjrjish 
;ii,(l  Uiir^audians,  dei)arle(.  from  Salis!)ury's  plan  of  partial  opcralions,  led 
his  niiiia  foree  across  the  river,  and  thus  invested  tlie  city  on  the  other 
side.  The  winter  haviiu,'  now  eoniiiieiiced,  liie  severity  of  tlie  weather 
reiiilercd  it  iinpraelieabU!  to  throw  up  intrenebnn  tits  eompleicly  around; 
Ijjtby  c'oiistniciing  redonbls  at  eonvenieiit  distai,  es,  SulTolk  was  at  once 
,ible  to  lodire  his  soldiers  safely,  and  to  ili.'dress  the  enemy  by  prevcniliuif 
;iiiv  supplies  boiiiff  eoiiV('yed  to  tliian  .  leiivm;',  the  task  of  i\onneeiinij  the 
rcioiili'.s  by  a  series  of  Irenehns  unlil  the  arrival  of  fij/ring.  It  thus  aj)- 
prais  tliJit  Suffolk  tn.sted  rather  to  famiiut  than  to  force;  to  coufininif  the 
oiifiiiy  strictly  within  their  walls,  thiiri  to  ha/,ai  iiii'.'  his  eaiise  by  •splendid 
ilormiiijj  feats,  which  were  certain  to  co'^l  him  m;iuy  of  his  bravest,  men, 
iiii)  were  not  likely  to  be  soon  successful;  for  though  ho  iiad  a  train  of 
ariilhry,  the  engineerinij  art  was  as  yet  far  too  imperfect  to  allow  of  its 
nikiii;?  any  speedy  impression  upon  so  stronj,'  a  fortress.  The  att'impl-- 
ifilio  friends  of  the  besio^reil  to  throw  in  siip[)lies,  and  of  llic  Hiiylish  to 
iTOviiit  them.  Rave  rise  to  m;uiy  sphmdid  but  partial  oii:,':igemcnts,  in 
whi'h  both  parlKJS  displ  lyed  gre;\l;;all:intry  and  enterprise.  So  persever- 
ing', iiidci'il,  were  the  r  r  nch,  that  upon  some  occasions  they  succi^edod 
ill  throwing  in  supplies,  111  (lefi;ince  of  all  the  vigilance  and  courage  by 
which  ihcy  were  opposed  ;  but  the  iionvoys  that  were  thus  fortunate  could 
Inilir.  a  very  inconsider;iblc  deivrc^  assist  a  ir;irrison  so  numerous,  and  it 
was  evident  to  all  military  observers  th;U  SnlToIk's  e:uitious  policy  bade 
f;iirlo  be  successful,  and  that,  liowc  -er  slowly,  the  Kuglish  were  steadily 
mill  constantly  advancing  nearer  to  the  aeconipiislimcnt  of  their  important 
desig'is. 

A.  D.  1429. — While  Suffolk  was  thus  engaged  in  starving  flic  enemv 
within  the  walls,  lie  was  himself  in  no  small  danscrof  bein<.f  phiciMl  in  the 
same  predicament.  There  were,  it  is  true,  ncslher  intrenchnients  nor 
redouhts  behind  him,  but  there  were  numerous  and  indefatig;ible  [)articH 
of  French  ravagers,  who  completely  denuded  of  provisions  all  tlu;  neigh- 
bouring districts  from  which  he  might  oti.erwise  have  proce.rcd  supplies; 
and  from  his  small  force  he  could  not,  without  jjreai,  u.mgcr  to  his  main 
design,  detach  any  considerable  number  to  keep  the  Frencli  ravagers  in 
check,  .lust  as  Suffolk's  men  began  to  bn  seriously  distressed  for  provi- 
sions, a  very  great  convoy  of  stores  of  every  description  arrived  to  theii 
relief,  under  the  command  of  Sir  John  FastoUTe,  with  an  escort  of  two 
ihousand  five  hundred  men ;  but  ere  it  could  reach  SufTolk'e  camp  it  was 
suddenly  attacked  by  acarly  double  that  number  of  French  and  Scotcli, 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

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366 


THE  TaEASUttY  OF  HlBTOtt 


ander  the  command  of  Dunois  and  the  count  of  Clermont.  Fastolffe  en. 
deavoiired  to  counterbalance  his  inferiority  in  men  by  drawing  them  ud 
behind  the  wagons,  but  the  enemy  brought  a  small  battery  of  cannon  to 
bear  upon  him,  which  very  effectually  dislodged  and  disordered  the  En. 
glish.  The  affair  now  seemed  to  be  secure  on  the  French  side,  as  a  steady 
perseverance  but  for  a  few  minutes  in  their  first  proceedings  would  have 
made  it.  But  the  fierce  and  undisciplined  impetuosity  of  a  part  of  the 
Scotch  troops  caused  them  to  break  their  line  and  rush  in  upon  the  En- 
glish ;  a  general  action  ensued,  and  ended  in  the  retreat  of  the  French 
who  lost  five  hundred  in  killed,  besides  a  great  number  of  wounded,  and 
among  the  'alter  was  Dunois  himself.  The  convoy  that  was  thus  saved 
to  the  Knglish  was  of  immense  importance,  and  owing  to  a  part  of  it  be- 
ing herrings  for  the  food  of  the  soldiers  during  Lent,  the  affair  commonly 
went  by  the  name  of  the  "  Battle  of  the  Herrings." 

The  relief  thus  afforded  to  the  English  enabled  them  daily  to  press  more 
closely  upon  the  important  city  ;  and  Charles,  now  wholly  despairing  of 
rescuing  it  by  force  of  arms,  caused  the  duke  of  Orleans,  who  was  still  a 
prisoner  in  England,  to  propose  to  Gloucester  and  the  council,  that  this 
city  and  all  its  territory  should  be  allowed  to  remain  neutral  during  the 
whole  remainder  of  the  war,  and,  as  the  best  security  for  neutrality,  be 
placed  in  the  keeping  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy.  Ihat  prince  readily 
grasped  at  the  proposal,  and  went  to  Paris  to  urge  it  upon  the  duke  of 
Bedford,  who,  however,  replied,  that  he  had  no  notion  of  beating  the 
bushes  tliat  others  might  secure  the  game ;  and  Burgundy,  deeply  offended 
both  at  the  refusal  and  the  manner  in  which  it  was  made,  immediately 
departed  and  withdrew  all  those  of  his  men  who  were  concerned  in  the 
investment  of  Orleans.  Foiled  as  well  in  negotiation  as  in  arms,  Charles 
now  wholly  despaired  of  rescuing  Orleans,  when  an  incident  occurred  to 
save  it  and  to  give  new  hopes  to  his  cause,  so  marvellous,  that  it  reads 
more  like  the  invention  of  a  romancer's  fancy  than  the  sober  relation  ol 
the  matter-of-fact  historian. 

Long  as  Orleans  had  been  invested,  and  intimately  connected  as  its  fate 
seemed  with  that  of  the  whole  nation,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the 
siege  was  talked  of  in  all  parts  of  France,  and  speculated  upon  even  by 
persons  little  cognizant  of  public  affairs.  Among  the  thousands  whose 
minds  were  strongly  agitated  by  the  frequent  and  various  news  from 
Orleans,  was  Joan  d'Arc,  the  maid  servant  of  a  country  inn  at  Domremi, 
near  Vaucouleurs.  Though  of  the  lowest  order  of  menial  servants,  this 
young  woman,  now  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  was  of  blameless  life  and 
manners.  Well  formed  and  active,  her  simple  living  and  her  hard  work 
preserved  her  naturally  healthy  constitution ;  and  as  she  was  accustomed 
to  ride  her  master's  horses  to  their  watering  place,  and  to  do  other  wurk 
which  in  most  households  would  fall  to  the  share  of  men,  she  was  unusu- 
ally hardy  and  of  a  somewhat  masculine  habit,  though,  as  has  been  said 
of  perfectly  blameless  life  and  unmarked  by  any  eccentricity  of  manuet 
or  conduct. 

This  young  woman  paid  so  much  attention  to  what  she  heard  respect- 
ing the  siege  of  Orleans  and  the  distress  and  peril  of  her  rightful  sov 
ereign,  that  by  degrees  she  accustomed  herself  to  make  them  the  sole 
subjects  of  her  thoughts ;  and  her  sanguine  and  untutored  mind  at  iengih 
became  so  much  inflamed  by  sympathy  with  the  king,  and  by  a  passionate 
desire  to  aid  him,  that  her  reveries  and  aspirations  seemed  to  assume  the 
aspect  of  actual  visions  from  above,  ana  she  imagined  herself  audibly 
called  upon  by  some  supernatural  power  to  exert  herself  in  her  sovereign's 
behalf.  This  delusion  became  daily  stronger,  and  at  length,  naturally 
courageous,  and  rendered  still  more  so  by  her  imagined  visions,  she  ovc- 
looked  all  the  vast  difficulties  which  must  have  been  evident  to  even  hei 
\nexpenenced  mind,  and  presented  heisolf  to  Daudrtcourt,  the  governor  of 


THE  TEEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


367 


Vaucouleurs,  related  to  him  all  her  fancied  experiences,  and  besought  hiin 
[0  listen  to  the  voice  of  heaven  and  to  aid  her  in  fulfilling  its  decrees. 
After  some  hesitation,  the  governor,  whether  really  believing  all  that  Joan 
jfiirmed  of  her  visions,  or  only  considering  her  a  visionary  of  whose  de 
lusions  a  profitable  use  might  be  made  by  the  king's  friends,  furnished 
her  with  some  attendants  and  sent  her  to  Chinon,  where  Charles  and  his 
scanty  court  then  resided. 

Where  so  much  is  undeniably  true  in  a  tale  of  which  so  much  must  of 
necessity  be  false,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  separate  the  true  from  the  wliolly 
false  or  the  greatly  exaggerated.  We,  therefore,  shall  simply  relate  what 
passed  and  is  said  to  have  passed,  contenting  ourselves  with  this  single 
caiition  to  the  reader — to  conceive  that,  from  very  many  motives,  even 
the  best  men  then  living  about  the  French  king's  court  were  liable  to  be 
seduced  into  credulity  on  the  one  hand  and  exaggeration  on  the  other,  and 
ihat,  consequently,  the  wise  plan  in  reading  what  follows  will  be  to  reject 
altogether  all  that  assumes  to  be  miraculous,  and  to  credit  only  what,  how- 
ever extraordinary,  is  perfectly  natural,  and  especially  under  the  extraor- 
dinary state  of  affairs  at  thai  time. 

When  Joan  was  introduced  to  the  king  she  at  once  singled  him  out  from 
among  the  courtiers  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  although  it  was  at- 
tempted to  baftle  heron  this  point  by  the  king's  assumption  of  a  plain  dress, 
totally  destitute  of  all  marks  or  ornaments  that  could  discover  his  rank  to 
her.  Repeating  to  him  what  she  had  already  told  to  Baudricourt,  she 
assured  him,  in  the  name  of  heaven,  that  she  would  compel  the  English 
to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans,  and  would  safely  conduct  him  to  Rheims, 
that,  like  his  ancestors,  he  might  be  crowned  there.  The  king  expressed 
some  doubts  of  the  genuineness  of  her  mission,  and,  very  pertinently,  de- 
manded some  unequivocal  and  convincing  proof  of  her  supernal  inspira- 
tion; upon  which,  all  the  attendants  save  I  he  king's  confidential  friends 
bem<>  withdrawn,  she  told  him  a  secret  which,  from  its  very  nature,  he 
had  every  reason  to  believe  that  by  natural  means  no  one  in  the  world 
could  know ;  and  she,  at  the  same  time,  described  and  demanded  to  be 
armed  with  a  certain  sword  which  was  deposited  in  the  church  of  St. 
Catharine  of  Pierbois,  and  of  which,  though  it  was  certain  that  she  never 
could  have  seen  it,  she  described  the  various  marks  with  great  exactness. 
Though  greatly  staggered,  the  king  was  even  yet  unconvinced  ;  and  a  con- 
clave of  doctors  and  theologians  was  assembled,  to  inquire  into  and  report 
upon  Jo;iii's  alledged  mission.  The  report  of  these  learned  persons  was 
decidedly  in  favour  of  the  damsel's  truth,  and  she  was  then  closely  inter- 
rogated by  the  parliament  which  was  sitting  at  Poitieri>t  and  here  again  it 
was  decided  that  her  mission  was  genuine. 

If  thb  king  and  his  advisers  first  simulated  doubt  and  scrupulosity,  only 
to  increase  the  effect  upon  the  vulgar  of  their  subsequent  and  seemingly 
reluctant  belief,  the  device  had  all  the  success  they  could  have  desired. 
Ever  prone  to  belief  in  the  marvellous,  the  people  who  had  lately  been  in 
itie  deepest  despair  now  spoke  in  accents  not  merely  of  hope  but  of  con- 
viction, that  heaven  had  miraculously  inspired  a  maiden-champion,  by 
whose  instructions  the  king  would  be  enabled  to  triumph  over  all  hia  diffi- 
culties and  to  expel  all  his  enemies. 

But  it  WHS  nut  mnrely  as  an  adviser  that  Joan  believed  herself  instructed 
to  aid  her  king.  In  her  former  servile  occupation  she  had  learned  to 
manage  a  horse  with  ease,  and  she  was  now  mounted  on  a  war-steed, 
armed,  "  cap  h  pie,"  and  paraded  before  the  people.  Her  animated  coun- 
tenance, her  youth,  and,  above  all,  her  graceful  and  fearless  equitation, 
which  seemed  so  marvellous  and  yet  might  have  been  so  easily  accounted 
for,  confirmed  all  the  favourable  impressions  which  had  been  formed  of 
her;  and  the  multitude  loudly  avered  that  any  enterprise  headed  by  her 
wi«t  needs  be  successful.    With  these  fond  prepossessions  in  her  favour 


i*'^2 


368 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOHl. 


she  set  out  for  Blois  to  head  the  escort  of  a  convoy  abou  to  be  sent  u 
the  relief  of  Orleans,  **' 

The  escort  in  question  consisted  of  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men  unde 
the  commiind  of  St.  Severe,  who  now  had  orders  to  consider  himself 
second  in  command  lo  Joan  d'Arc ;  though  probably  with  a  secret  reser 
vation  not  to  allow  her  supernatural  fancies  to  militate  against  aay  of  the 
precautions  commanded  by  the  laws  of  mortal  warfare.  Joan  ordered 
every  man  in  the  army  to  confess  himself  before  marching,  and  all  women 
of  bad  life  and  character  to  be  prohibited  from  following  the  army,  nhich 
last  order  had  at  least  the  recommendation  of  removing  a  nuisance  which 
sadly  militated  against  good  discipline.  At  the  head  of  the  troops  car- 
rying in  her  hand  a  consecrated  banner,  upon  which  was  embroidered  a 
representation  of  the  Supreme  Being  grasping  the  earth,  Joan  led  the  way 
to  Orleans,  and  on  approaching  it  she  demanded  that  Orleans  should  be 
entered  on  the  side  of  the  Beausse  ;  but  Dunois,  who  well  knew  that  the 
English  were  strongest  there,  so  far  interfered  with  her  prophetic  power 
as  to  cause  the  other  side  of  the  river  to  be  taken  where  the  Knglish  were 
we-.ker.  The  garrison  made  a  sally  on  the  side  of  the  Beausse,  and  Ihe 
convoy  was  safely  taken  across  the  river  in  boats,  and  was  accompanied 
by  the  Maid  of  Orleans,  whose  appearance,  under  such  circumstances 
arrayed  in  knightly  garb  and  solemnly  waving  her  consecrated  banner' 
caused  the  soldiers  and  citizens  to  welcome  her  as  being  indeed  an  in- 
spired and  glorious  prophetess,  under  whose  orders  they  could  not  fail  of 
success  ;  and  as  another  convoy  shortly  afterwards  arrived,  even  Dunois 
was  so  far  converted  lo  the  general  belief,  as  to  allow  it,  in  obedience  to 
Joan's  orders,  to  approach  by  the  side  of  the  Beausse.  This  convoy 
too,  entered  safely,  together  with  its  escort,  not  even  an  attempt  beiiij 
made  on  the  part  of  the  besiegers  to  cut  it  off. 

Yet  a  few  days  before  Joan's  first  arrival  at  Orleans,  when  she  had  sent 
a  letter  to  Bedford,  threatening  him  with  the  divine  anger  should  he  ven- 
ture to  resist  the  cause  which  she  was  sent  to  aid,  the  veteran  duke  treated 
the  matter  as  the  ravings  of  a  maniac,  or  as  a  most  shallow  trick,  the  mere 
resorting  to  which  was  sufficient  to  show  the  complete  desperation  to 
which  Charles  was  driver..  But  the  ago  was  superstitious,  and  the  natural 
success  which  fiad  merely  accompanied  the  pretensions  of  Juan  was  by 
the  ignorant  soldiers  and  their  (as  to  superstition)  scarcely  less  igno- 
rant officers,  taken  to  ha.  'i  caused  by  it,  and  to  be,  thrrefore,  a  sure 
proof  of  her  supernatural  lion  and  an  infallible  augury  of  its  success. 
Gloom  and  terror  were  in  the  hearts  and  upon  th6  countenances  of  the 
English  soldiery,  and  .Suffolk  most  unwisely  allowed  these  feelings  full 
leisure  to  exer.  thomselves  by  having  his  men  unemployed  in  any  military 
attempt ;  thei.  inactivity  thus  serving  lo  augment  their  despondenuy,  while 
it  increased  ihe  confidence  and  exultation  of  the  garrison. 

Whether  merely  obeying  the  promptings  of  a  naturally  brave  and  active 
spirit,  worked  into  a  state  of  high  enthusiasm  by  the  events  in  which  she 
had  takiu  so  conspicuous  a  part,  or  from  the  politic  promptings  of  Dunois 
and  :iie  other  French  commanders,  Joan  now  exclaimed  that  the  garrison 
ought  no  longer  to  be  kept  on  the  defensive ;  that  the  brave  men  who  had 
been  so  long  compnlsorily  idle  and  pent  up  within  thcii*  bclcagured  walls 
should  be  led  forth  to  attack  the  redoubts  of  the  enemy,  and  tliat  slic  wa^ 
commissioned  by  Heaven  to  promise  them  certain  success.  An  attack 
was  accordingly  made  upon  a  redoubt  and  was  completely  successful,  the 
defenders  being  killed  or  taken  prisoners  to  a  man.  This  success  gave 
new  animation  to  the  French,  and  the  forts  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
were  next  attacked.  On  one  occasion  the  French  were  repulsed,  and 
Joan  received  an  arrow  in  her  neck ;  but  she  led  back  the  French  to  the 
charge,  and  they  overcame  the  fort  from  which  for  a  moment  they  had 
tied,  and  the  heroine — for  such  she  was,  apart  from  her  supernatural  pr^ 


THE  TEEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


3(>» 


.^^^gjQns— plucked  the  arrow  from  the  wound  with  her  own  hands,  and 
ic'arcely  stayed  to  have  the  wound  dressed  ere  she  returned  to  the  self. 
imposed  duty  into  which  she  so  zealously  entered. 

Such  was  the  effect  of  Joan's  deeds  and  pretensions,  that  the  English 
lost  redoubt  after  redoubt,  besides  having  upwards  of  six  thousard  men 
either  killed  or  wounded  in  these  most  desperate  though  only  partial  con- 
tests, it  was  in  vain  that  the  English  commanders,  finding  it  completely 
useless  to  endeavour  to  convince  their  men  that  Joan's  deeds  were  natural, 
laboured  to  persuade  them  that  she  was  aided  not  by  Heaven,  but  by  the 
powers  of  darkness ;  for  it  was  impossible  to  persuade  the  men  that  those 


powers 


were  not,  fur  the  time  at  least,  too  strong  to  be  combated  with 


Siiy  possibility  of  success.  Fearing,  therefore,  that  the  most  extensive 
disaster,  even  a  total  destruction  of  his  army,  might  result  from  his  keep- 
iiiir  men  so  thoroughly  and  incurably  disheartened,  before  a  place  defended 
by°meii  whose  natural  courage  was  indescribably  heightened  by  their  be- 
lief ttiHt  they  were  supernaturally  assisted,  the  earl  of  Suffolk  prudently, 
but  most  reluctantly,  resolved  to  raise  the  siege,  and  he  commenced  his 
rclreiit  from  before  Orleans  with  all  the  deliberate  calmness  which  the 
deep-seated  terror  of  his  men  would  allow  him  to  exhibit.  He  himself 
Willi  the  principal  part  of  his  army  retired  to  Jergeau,  whither  Joan  fol- 
lowed him  at  the  head  of  an  army  six  thousand  strong.  For  ten  days  the 
place  was  gallantly  attacked  and  as  gallantly  defended.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  orders  for  the  assault  were  given,  and  Joan  herself  descended 
into  the  fosse  and  led  the  attack.  Here  she  was  struck  to  the  ground  by 
a  stone,  but  almost  immediately  recovered  herself,  and  fought  with  her 
accustomed  courage  until  the  assault  was  completely  successful.  Suffolk 
was  himself  taken  prisoner  by  a  French  olBcer  named  Renaud,  and  on  this 
occasion  a  singular  specimen  was  given  of  the  nice  punctilios  of  chivalry. 
When  Suffolk,  completely  overpowered,  was  about  to  give  up  his  sword, 
lie  demanded  whether  his  successful  opponent  were  a  knight.  Renaud 
was  uhliged  to  c  nfcss  that  he  had  not  yet  attained  to  that  distinction, 
lliougli  he  could  Loast  of  being  a  gentleman.  Then  I  knight  you,  said 
Suffolk,  and  he  bestowed  upon  Kenaud  the  knightly  acxolade  with  the 
very  sword  which  an  instant  afterwards  was  delivered  to  him  as  the  captor 
of  the  man  to  whom  he  owed  his  knighthood! 

While  tliese  things  were  passing  at  Jergeau,  the  remainder  of  the  En- 
glish army  under  Faslolffe,  Talbot,  and  Scales,  was  making  a  somewhat 
disorderly  retreat  before  a  strong  body  of  French  ;  and  the  vanguard  of 
the  latter  overlook  the  rear  of  the  former  near  the  village  of  Patay.  So 
completely  dismayed  were  the  English,  and  so  confident  the  French,  that 
the  battle  had  no  sooner  commenced  than  it  became  converted  into  a 
mere  rout,  in  which  upwards  of  two  thousand  of  the  English  were  killed, 
and  a  vast  number,  including  both  Scales  and  Talbot,  taken  prisoners.  So 
peat  and  so  universal  was  the  panic  of  the  English  at  this  period,  that 
FastoKfe,  who  had  often  been  present  in  the  most  disastrous  scenes  of 
war,  actually  set  the  example  of  flight  to  Ills  astounded  troops,  and  was 
subsequ.'Utly  punished  for  it  by  being  degraded  from  the  order  of  the 
farter,  which  had  been  bestowed  upon  him  as  the  appropriate  reward  of 
a  long  life  and  gallant  conduct.  So  blighting  a  power  has  superstition 
even  upon  minds  accustomed  to  treat  mortal  and  tangible  dangers  with 
indifference ! 

During  this  period  King  Charles  had  kept  remote  from  the  actual  theatre 
of  war,  though  he  had  actively  and  efficiently  busied  himself  in  furnishing 

upplies  and  sending  directions  to  the  actual  commanders  of  his  troops  in 
llie  field.  But  now  that  Joan  had  so  completely  redeemed  her  pledge  as 
lathe  raising  of  the  siege  of  Orleans,  and  now  that  the  prestige  of  her 
Jupernatural  mission  had  so  completely  gained  the  ascendei.cy  over  the 
aiiuds  of  all  conditions  of  mi:  i,  he  felt  neither  surprise  nor  reluctance 
I.— !24 


iiiii'fii 


370 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORf. 


when  she  urgently  solicited  him  to  set  out  for  Rheims,  and  confidently  re- 
peated  her  assurances  that  he  should  without  delay  be  crowned  in  that 
city.  True  it  was  that  Rheims  could  only  be  reached  by  a  very  lono 
march  through  a  country  in  which  the  enemy  was  in  great  force,  and  in 
which,  of  course,  every  advantageous  position  was  carefully  occupied  hv 
them.  But  tiie  army  was  confident  of  success  so  long  as  Joan  marched 
at  its  head ;  and  Charles  could  not  refuse  to  accompany  the  iicroine 
without  tacitly  confessing  that  he  had  less  faith  in  her  mission,  or  was 
himself  possessed  of  less  personal  courage,  than  the  lowest  pikeman  in 
his  army.  Either  of  these  suppositions  would  necessarily  be  fatal  to  hit 
cause  ;  and  he  accordingly  set  out  for  Rheims,  accompanied  by  Joan  and 
an  army  of  twelve  thousand  men. 

Instead  of  meeting  with  the  opposition  he  had  anticipated,  Charlei 
marched  as  peacefully  along  as  though  no  enemy  had  been  in  the  nciirh 
bourhood.  Troyes  and  Chalons  successively  opened  their  gates  to  him- 
and  before  he  reached  Rheims,  where  he  might  reasonably  have  expected 
that  the  English  would  muster  their  utmost  force  to  prevent  a  coronaiion 
of  wliicli  they  could  not  but  judge  the  probable  influence  on  the  minds  o' 
the  French,  ho  was  met  by  a  peaceable  and  humble  deputation  which  pre 
Bcnted  him  with  the  keys. 

And  in  Rheims,  in  the  especial  and  antique  coronation- place  of  his 
fathers,  Charles  was  crowned,  as  the  maid  of  Orleans  had  prophesied  that 
he  would  be ;  and  he  was  anoiiiled  with  the  holy  oil  which  was  said  to 
have  been  brought  from  Heaven  by  a  pigeon  at  the  coronation  of  Clnvis; 
and  the  lately  obscure  and  menial  of  the  village  inn  waved  over  his  he:id 
the  consecrated  banner  before  which  his  foes  had  so  often  fled ;  and  while 
the  glad  multitude  shouted  in  triumphant  joy,  she  to  whom  so  much  of 
this  triumph  was  owing  fell  at  his  feet  and  bathed  them  with  tears  of  joy, 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THB    RKION   OF   HENRY   TI.    (CONTINUED.) 

The  coronation  of  Charles  in  the  city  of  Rheims  was  doubly  calculated 
(0  raise  the  spirits  and  quicken  the  loyal  attachment  of  his  subjects.  For 
while,  as  the  established  coronation-place  of  the  kings  of  France,  Rlieims 
alone  seemed  to  them  to  be  capable  of  giving  sanctity  and  effect  to  the 
solemnity,  the  truly  surprising  difliculties  that  had  been  surmounted  by 
him  in  obtaining  possession  of  that  city,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Maid  n[ 
Orleans,  seemed  to  all  ranks  of  men,  in  that  superstitious  age,  to  be  so 
many  clear  and  undeniable  evidences  that  the  cause  of  Charles  was  in- 
deed  miraculously  espoused  by  heaven.  On  turning  his  attention  to  ob- 
taining possession  of  the  neighbouring  garrisons,  Charles  reaped  the  full 
benefit  of  this  popular  judgment ;  Laon,  Soissons,  Chateau-Thiery,  Pro- 
vins,  and  numerous  other  towns  opening  their  gates  to  him  at  the  first 
summons.  This  feeling  spread  far  and  wide,  and  Charles,  who  so  lately 
sav  himself  upon  the  very  point  of  being  wholly  expelled  from  his  country, 
had  now  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  favour  of  the  whole  nation  rapidly 
and  warmly  inclining  to  his  cause. 

Bedford  in  this  difficult  crisis  showed  himself  calm,  provident,  and  reso- 
lute as  ever  he  had  been  during  the  greatest  prosperity  of  the  English 
arms.  Perceiving  that  the  French,  and  especially  the  fickle  and  ti'rhu. 
lent  populace  of  Paris,  were  wavering,  he  judiciously  mixed  curbing:  and 
indulgence,  at  once  impressing  them  with  a  painful  sense  of  the  danger 
of  insurrection,  and  diminishing  as  far  as  kindness  could  diminish,  their 
evidently  strong  desire  for  one.  Conscious,  too,  that  Burgundy  ua; 
deeply  oflended,  and  that  hia  open  enmity  would  just  at  this  juncture  be 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


371 


absolutely  fatal  to  the  English  cause,  Bedford  skilfully  endeavoured  to 
ivin  him  back  to  good  humour  and  to  confirm  him  in  his  alliance. 

But  there  was  in  Bedford's  situation  another  element  of  trouhle,  agaitist 
which  he  found  it  still  more  difficult  to  contend.  The  conquest  of  France 
hadlost  much  of  its  popularity  in  the  judgment  of  the  English.  As  re- 
garded the  mere  multitude,  this  probably  arose  simply  from  its  havin({ 
lost  its  novelty ;  but  thinking  men  both  in  and  out  of  parliament  had  begun 
10  count  the  cost  against  tlie  profit;  and  not  a  few  of  them  had  even  begun 
to  anticipate  not  profit  but  actual  injury  to  England  from  the  conquest  of 
France.  These  feelings  were  so  general  and  so  strong,  that  while  the 
parliament  steadily  refused  supplies  of  money  to  Bedford,  a  corresponding 
disinclination  was  shown  by  men  to  enlist  in  the  reinforcements  which  he 
so  much  needed.  Brave  as  they  were,  the  English  soldiers  of  that  day 
desired  gold  as  well  as  glory  ;  and  they  got  a  notion  that  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other  was  to  be  obtained  by  warring  against  the  king  of  France, 
wiio,  even  by  the  statements  of  the  English  commanders  themselves, 
owed  far  more  of  his  recent  and  marvellous  successes  lo  the  hellish  arts 
of  the  Maid  of  Orleans  than  to  mortal  skill  and  prowess. 

Just  as  the  duke  of  Bedford  was  in  the  utmost  want  of  reinforcements, 
it  most  opportunely  chanced  that  the  bishop  (now  cardinal)  of  Winchester 
landed  at  Calais  on  his  way  to  Bohemia,  whither  he  was  leading  an  army 
of  five  thousand  men  lo  combat  against  the  Hussites.  This  force  the  car- 
dinal was  induced  to  yield  to  the  more  pressing  need  of  Bedford,  who  was 
thus  enabled  to  follow  the  footsteps  and  thwart  the  designs  of  Charles, 
though  not  to  hazard  a  general  action.  But  in  spite  of  this  aid  to  Bedford, 
and  in  spite  of  all  the  skill  and  firmness  of  that  general,  Charles  made 
himself  master  of  Compeigne,  Beauvais,  Senlis,  Sens,  Laval,  St.  Denis, 
and  numerous  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris.  To  this  amount  of 
success,  however,  the  Fabian  policy  ol  Bedford  confined  the  king  of 
Trance,  whose  forces  being  chiefly  volunteers,  fighting  at  their  own  ex- 
pense, were  now  obliged  to  be  disbanded,  and  Charles  himself  retired  to 
iiourges. 

A.  D.  1430. — Attributing  the  advantage  which  Charles  ad  evidently  de- 
rived from  his  coronation  rather  to  the  splendour  of  the  ceremony  than 
to  the  real  cause  of  its  locality,  Bedford  now  determined  that  his  own 
young  prince  should  be  crowned  king  of  France,  and  he  was  accordingly 
brought  to  Paris,  and  crowned  and  anointed  there  with  all  the  pomp  and 
splendour  that  could  be  commanded.  The  splendid  ceremony  was  much 
admired  by  the  Parisian  populace,  and  all  the  crown  vassals  who  lived 
in  the  territory  that  was  actually  in  the  hands  of  the  English  duly  appeared 
and  did  homage  to  the  young  king  ;  but  to  an  observant  eye  it  was  very 
evident  that  this  ceremony  created  none  of  the  passionate  enthusiasm 
which  !iad  marked  that  of  Charles  at  Rheims. 

Hitherto  we  have  seen  the  maid  of  Orleans  only  in  one  long  brilliant 
md  unbroken  career  of  prosperity;  but  the  time  now  approached  for  that 
sad  and  total  reverse  which  must,  from  the  very  first,  have  been  anticipa- 
ted by  all  men  who  had  sense  enough  lo  discredit  alike  the  representation 
ofher  miraculous  support  that  was  given  by  her  friends,  and  of  her  dia- 
bolical commerce  that  was  given  by  her  enemies.  It  would  seem  that 
shclierself  began  lo  have  misgivings  as  to  the  nature  of  her  inspiration  ; 
as  it  was  quite  natural  that  she  should  have  as  the  novelties  of  military 
splendour  grew  stale  to  her  eye,  and  her  judgment  became  more  and  more 
alive  to  the  real  difficulties  of  the  military  achievements  which  must  be 
performed  by  her  royal  master,  before  he  could  become  king  of  France  in 
Jecd  as  well  as  by  right.  From  such  misgivings  i*.  prob:,bly  arose  that, 
having  now  performed  her  two  great  and  at  first  discredited  promises,  of 
raising  tlie  siege  of  Orleans  and  of  causing  Charles  to  be  crowned  at 
Eheims,  site  now  urgently  desired  to  be  allowed  to  return  io  her  original 


r; . '  I  \ 


tfi!)^. 


iuSj 


■i  >- 


173 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


Obscurity,  and  to  the  occupations  and  apparel  of  her  sex.  But  Dur.ois  w»i 
too  well  aware  of  the  infliicnee  of  her  supposed  sanctity  upon  tlie  soldiers 
not  to  be  very  anxious  to  keep  her  among  liieni ;  and  he  so  strongly  imeA 
her  to  remain,  and  aid  in  the  crowning  of  her  prophetic  and  great  career 
by  the  total  expulsion  of  the  enemies  of  her  sovereign,  that  she,  in  a  most 
evil  hour  for  herself,  was  worked  upon  to  consent.  As  the  host  service 
that  it  was  at  the  instant  in  her  power  to  do,  she  threw  herself  into  Cdm 
peigne,  which  the  duke  of  Burgundy  and  the  earls  of  Arundel  and  Suffolk 
were  at  that  time  holly  besieging.  Her  appearance  was  hailed  by  the  be. 
sieged  with  a  perfect  rapture  of  joy;  she  lud  proved  her  miraculous 
power  by  such  splendid  and  unbroken  success,  that  every  man  ainonir 
them  now  believed  himself  invincible  and  the  victory  secure ;  and  the 
news  of  her  arrival  undoubtedly  imbued  with  very  opposite  feelings  not  a 
few  of  the  brave  hearts  in  the  English  camp.  But  the  joy  of  the  one  party 
and  the  gloom  of  the  other  were  alike  short-lived  and  unfounded.  On  tjie 
very  day  after  that  on  which  she  arrived  in  the  garrison  she  led  forth  a 
sally,  and  twice  drove  the  Burgundians,  under  Jonn  of  Luxembourg,  from 
their  intrenchments.  But  the  Burgundians  were  so  quickly  and  so  numer- 
ously reinforced,  that  Joan  ordered  a  retreat,  and  in  the  disorder  she  was 
separated  from  her  party  and  taken  prisoner,  after  having  defended  her- 
self with  a  valour  and  address  which  would  have  done  no  discredit  to  the 
bravest  knight  among  her  Burgundian  captors. 

This  event  was  so  unexpected,  that  the  popular  humour  nf  the  times 
attributed  it  to  the  treachery  of  the  French  omcers,  who,  said  the  rumour, 
were  so  weary  of  hearing  themselves  depreciated  by  the  attribuling  of 
every  success  to  Joan,  that  they  purposely  abandoned  her  to  the  enemy. 
But  besides  that  there  is  not  a  'shadow  of  proof  of  this  charge  of  treach- 
ery, which  several  historians  have  somewhat  too  hastily  adopted,  tiie  fair 
presumption  is  entirely  against  it.  On  the  one  hand,  we  cannot  imagine 
that  the  private  envy  of  the  French  officers  would  thus  outweigh  alike 
their  ardour  for  the  cause  in  which  they  fought  and  their  sense  of  their 
own  safety,  which  depended  so  mainly  upon  that  triumph  which  the  iu- 
spiring  eflect  of  Joan's  presence  among  their  men  was  more  than  anything 
else  likely  to  insure.  On  the  other  hand,  what  more  likely,  than  thai  a 
woman,  in  spite  of  the  best  efforts  of  her  friends,  should  be  taken  prisoner 
in  such  a  scene  of  confusion?  How  many  thousands  of  men  had  been, 
in  that  very  war,  taken  prisoners  in  similar  scenes,  without  any  surmise 
of  treachery. 

A.  n.  1431. — It  is  always  painful  to  have  to  speak  of  some  one  enormous 
and  indelible  stain  upon  a  character  otherwise  fair  and  admirable.  The 
historian  irresistibly  and  almost  unconsciously  finds  his  sympathies 
awakened  on  behaU  of  the  great  characters  whose  deeds  he  describes.  It 
is  impossible  to  write  about  the  wise  and  valorous  course  of  the  great 
duke  of  Bedford  without  a  feeling  of  intense  admiration;  proportionally 
painful  it  needs  must  be  to  have  to  describe  him  as  being  guilty  of  most 
debased  and  brutal  cruelty.  Aware  how  much  the  success  of  Joan  had 
tended  to  throw  disaster  and  discredit  upon  his  arms,  Bedford  imagined 
-that  to  have  her  in  his  power  was  to  secure  his  future  success,  and  he  paid 
a  considerable  sum  for  her  to  John  of  Luxembourg. 

It  is  difficult  in  our  age,  when  supf^rstition  is  so  completely  deprived  ol 
its  delusive  but  terrible  power,  to  imagine  that  such  a  man  as  Bedford 
could  seriously  and  in  good  faith  give  any  credit  to  the  absurd  stories  that 
were  related  of  the  demoniac  nature  of  Joan's  powers.  But  it  would  lie 
rash  to  deny  the  possibility  of  that  belief,  liowever  absurd ;  for  few  indeed 
were  the  men  who  in  that  age  were  free  from  the  stupefying  and  degrad- 
ing influence  of  superstition.  Apart  from  her  alledged  dealings  with  tlio 
prince  of  the  powers  of  darkness,  there  was  nothing  in  the  career  of  Joan 
which  siiouid  have  excluded  her  from  the  privileges  of  an  honourable priS' 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HI3T0RY. 


973 


oner, 


In  her  interference  in  the  deadly  business  of  war  she,  it  is  true,  de- 
parted from  the  ordinary  usages  of  her  sex  ;  but,  except  in  wearing  armour 
ind  in  daring  the  actual  dangers  of  the  figlit,  she  even  in  this  respect  only 
followed  ihe  example  left  to  her  by  iho  countess  of  Mountfort  and  by  Phi- 
linpa,  queen  of  King  Edward  of  Lngland.  The  gallant  and  tender  feelinff 
towards  the  sex,  which  chivalry  made  so  much  boast  of,  ought  to  have  led 
Bedford  on  this  account  to  have  treated  her  with  even  more  indulgence  than 
he  would  have  shown  to  an  equally  celebrated  prisoner  of  the  other  sex; 
indihe  mo'e  attentively  wo  notice  all  the  rest  of  Bedford's  conduct,  the 
more  difficult  shall  we  find  it  to  believe  that  he  could  have  been  guilty  of 
the  baseness  and  cruelty  of  which  we  have  to  speak,  unless  under  the  in- 
fluence of  a  degrading  and  most  powerful  impression  of  superstition.  It 
is  we  repeat,  very  difficult  for  us,  living  in  an  age  not  only  free  from  su- 
perstition but  tending  very  strongly  and  very  perilously  towards  the  con- 
trary extreme,  to  imagine  such  a  man  as  Bedford  so  much  deluded  ;  but 
(Ijil  more  difficult  is  it  to  suppose  that  any  less  powerful  influence  could 
have  made  so  honourable  a  man  guilty  of  a  vile  and  dastardly  cruelty. 

Joan,  being  delivered  into  the  power  of  Bedford,  was  loaded  with  chains 
and  thrown  into  a  dungeon ;  and  the  bishop  of  Bcauvais,  on  the  plea  that 
the  was  captured  within  his  diocese,  petitioned  Bedford  that  she  might  be 
delivered  over  to  the  ecclesiastic al  power,  to  be  tried  on  the  charges  of 
impiety,  sorcery,  idolatry  and  magic ;  and  his  petition  was  seconded  by  the 
university  of  Paris.  To  the  eternal  infamy  of  Bedford,  this  petition  was 
complied  with ;  and,  loaded  with  irons,  the  high-hearted  and  admirable, 
however  deluded,  woman  was  taken  before  her  judges  at  Rouen,  oidy  one 
of  liiem,  the  cardinal  of  Winchester,  being  an  Englishman.  She  defended 
herself  with  courage  and  with  a  cogeiK^y  of  reply  equal  to  what  might  be 
expected  from  a  man  who,  to  good  early  training,  should  add  the  practice 
and  experience  of  a  long  life.  She  boldly  avowed  the  great  aim  and  end 
of  all  her  public  acts  had  been  to  rid  her  country  of  its  enemies,  the  En- 
glish. When  taunted  with  having  endeavoured  to  escape  by  throwing 
herself  from  a  tower,  she  frankly  confessed  that  she  would  repeal  that  at- 
tempt if  she  had  the  opportunity;  and  when  asked  why  she  put  trust  in  a 
jlamhrd  which  had  been  consecrated  by  magical  incantations,  and  why 
she  carried  it  at  the  coronation  of  Charles,  she  replied  that  she  trusted 
not  ill  tlie  standard  but  in  the  Supreme  Being  whose  image  it  bore,  and 
that  the  person  who  had  shared  the  danger  of  Charles's  cijterprise  had 
a  just  right  also  to  share  its  glory.  The  horrors  of  solit;  confinement, 
and  repeated  exposure  to  the  Uiunts  and  insults  of  her  ^•^.iocutors,  at 
length  broke  down  even  the  fine  proud  spirit  of  Joan ;  and,  in  order  to  put 
an  end  to  so  much  torture,  she  at  length  confessed  that  what  she  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  mistaking  for  visions  from  heaven,  must  needs  be  mere 
illusions,  as  tliey  were  condemned  by  the  church ;  and  she  promised  that 
she  would  no  longer  allow  them  to  influence  her  mind.  This  confession 
temporarily  saved  her  just  as  she  was  about  to  be  delivered  over  to  the 
secular  arm;  and,  instead  of  being  forthwith  sentenced  to  the  stake,  she 
was  sentenced  to  the  comparatively  mild,  though  still  shamefully  unjust, 
punishment  of  perpetual  imprisonment,  with  no  other  diet  than  bread  and 
water. 

Here,  at  all  events,  one  might  have  supposed  that  the  cruel  rage  of 
Joan's  enemies  would  have  stopped  ;  for  while  her  imprisonment  rendered 
it  impossible  that  she  shf  uld  personally  do  any  farther  damage  to  the  En- 
glish cause,  her  very  detention  and  confession  naturally  tended  to  dis- 
abuse  her  warmesi  partizans  of  all  further  belief  in  her  alledged  snpernat 
Ural  inspiration.  But  even  now  that  she  was  a  captive,  and  wholly  pow- 
erless to  injure  them,  her  enemies  were  not  satiated.  Judging,  with  a 
inali§[nant  ingenuity,  that  the  ordmary  habiliments  of  her  sex,  to  which 
Biace  her  capture  she  had  constantly  been  confined,  were  less  agreeable 


m 


■  ?-.■■'  "^;  ,■     ■  i 


'^ 


'  ■ill 


!     mm 


ill 


874 


TliE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


to  licr  than  the  male  and  martial  attire  in  wliich  she  had  achieved  «o  mi. 
ny  wonders  and  exlurtcd  so  much  homnge,  they  caused  a  suit  of  male 
Bttire  and  appropriate  armour  to  be  placed  wiihin  her  reach.  As  had  been 
anticipated,  so  many  associations  were  awakened  in  her  miml  by  lliii 
dress,  that  the  temptation  to  put  it  on  was  quiic  irresistible.  Ae  soon  as 
she  had  donned  the  dress  her  enemies  nisliod  in  upon  her;  tliig  nicre  and 
very  harmless  vanity  was  inlcrpretod  into  a  relapse  into  heresy,  und  shn 
was  delivered  over  to  the  flames  in  the  market-place  of  Houeii,  thou-h 
the  Bo!e  crime  she  had  committed  was  that  she  had  loved  her  country,  and 
served  it. 

1432.— The  brutal  injustice  inflicted  upon  Joan  whom  the  nobler 


A.  D. 


delusions  of  Greece  and  Rome  would  have  deified  and  worshipped,  by  no 
means  produced  the  striking  benefit  to  the  English  cause  thai  had  been 
anticipated.  The  cause  of  Charles  was  from  rational  reflceiions  diijiy 
becoming  more  popular,  and  the  cruelly  of  the  English  served  rHllierto 
confirm  than  to  diminish  that  tendency;  while  a  series  of  successes  on 
the  part  of  the  French  followed  as  a  matter  of  course. 

The  death  of  the  duchess  of  Bedford  very  much  weakened  the  altach- 
ment  of  her  brother,  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  both  to  Bedford  personally 
and  in  general  to  the  English  cause  -.  and  the  coolness  which  followed  this 
event  was  still  farther  increased  when  Bedford  very  shortly  afterwards 
espoused  Jacqueline  of  Luxembourg.     Philip,  not  without  reason,  com- 

Elained  that  there  was  a  want  of  decent  regard  to  his  sister's  memory  ex- 
ibiled  in  so  hasty  a  contract  of  a  new  marriage,  and  that  a  personal 
aflfront  was  ofl'ered  to  himself  by  this  matrimonial  alliance  without  any 
intimation  of  it  being  given  to  him. 

Sensible  how  serious  an  injury  the  continued  coolness  between  these 
princes  must  inflict  upon  the  English  cause,  the  cardinal  of  VVinclicsier 
ofl'ered  himself  as  a  mediator  between  them,  and  a  meeting  was  appoinied 
at  St.  Onier's.  Both  Bedford  and  Burgundy  went  to  that  town,  wliicb  was 
in  the  dominions  of  the  latter ;  and  Bedford  expected  that,  as  he  hud  ilnis 
far  waved  etiquette,  the  duke  of  Burgundy  would  pay  him  the  first  visit, 
Philip  declined  doing  so;  and  upon  this  idle  piece  of  mere  ceremony  they 
both,  without  a  single  inrerview,  left  a  town  lo  which  they  both  professed 
to  have  gone  with  the  sole  intent  of  meeting  and  becoming  reeoncded. 
So  great  is  theeflfect  of  idle  custom  upon  even  the  wise  and  the  powerful! 

This  new  cause  of  discontent  to  the  duke  of  Burgundy  happened  the 
more  untowardly,  because  il  greatly  tended  to  confirm  him  in  his  imliiia- 
tion  to  a  reconciliation  with  King  Charles.  That  prince  and  his  friends 
had  made  all  possible  apology  to  the  duke  on  account  of  the  murder  of '.he 
late  duke  his  father ;  and  as  a  desire  for  the  revenge  of  that  murder  had 
been  Philip's  chief  reason  for  allying  himself  with  England,  the  more  that 
reason  became  diminished,  the  "more  Burgundy  inclined  to  reflect  upon 
the  impolicy  of  his  aiding  to  place  foes  and  fureigners  upon  the  throne 
which,  failing  in  the  elder  French  branches,  might  descend  to  his  own  pos 
tcrity. 

A.  D.  1435. — These  reflections,  and  the  constant  urging  of  the  most  emi- 
nent men  in  Europe,  including  his  brother-in-law,  the  duke  of  Hourhon 
and  the  count  de  Richemont,  so  far  prevailed  with  Burgundy,  that  he  con- 
sented to  attend  a  congress  appointed  to  meet  at  Arras,  at  which  it  was 
proposed  that  deputies  from  tlie  pope  and  the  council  of  Balse  should 
mediate  between  King  Charles  and  the  English.  The  duke  of  Burgundy, 
the  duke  of  Bourbon,  the  count  of  Richemont,  the  cardinal  of  Winelies- 
ter,  the  bishops  of  Norwich  and  St.  David's,  and  the  earls  of  Suffidk  and 
Huntingdon,  with  several  other  eminent  persons,  met  accordingly  al 
Arras  and  had  conferences  in  the  abbey  of  St.  Vaast.  On  the  part  o( 
France  the  ambassadors  oflfered  the  cession  of  Guienne  and  Norman' 
iy.  not  in  free  sovereignty,  but  only  aa  feudal  fiefs ;  on  the  part  of  Fni 


'^^} 


THB  TRBASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


375 


land,  wliosc  prior  claim  was  upon  the  whole  of  Franco  as  rightful  pos- 
lesdioii  lUiJ  free  sovereignty,  this  offer  seemed  so  small  as  to  be  wholly 
unworthy  of  Huy  detailed  counter-offer;  and  though  the  mediators  de- 
cliiri'iillie  o'lg'""'  claim  of  England  preposterously  unjust,  the  cardinal 
of  Winchester  and  the  other  English  autiiorities  departed  without  any  do- 
tailed  expliiuation  of  their  wishes,  but  obviously  dissatisfied  and  inclined  to 
persevere  in  their  original  design.  The  negotiation  as  between  Prance 
and  Eagland  being  thus  abruptly  brought  to  an  end,  the  reconciliation  of 
Charles  and  tiie  duke  of  Burgundy  alone  remained  to  be  attempted  by  the 
mediators.  As  the  provocation  originally  given  to  Burgundy  was  very 
great,  and  as  the  present  importance  of  his  friendsliip  to  Charles  was  coiv- 
fessedly  of  great  value,  so  were  his  demands  numerous  and  weighty. 
Besides  several  other  considerable  territories,  Charles  ceded  all  the 
towns  of  Picardy  situated  between  the  Low  Countries  and  the  Sornrne. 
all  of  which,  as  well  as  the  proper  dominions  of  the  duke,  were  to  be  hela 
by  him  during  his  life,  without  his  either  doing  homage  or  swearing  fealty  to 
Charles,  who,  in  pledge  of  his  sincerity  in  the  makintf  of  this  treaty,  solemiv 
ly  released  his  subjects  from  all  allegiance  to  him  should  he  ever  violate  it. 

Willing  to  break  with  England  with  all  due  regard  to  the  externals  of 
civility,  the  duke  of  Burgundy  nent  a  herald  to  London  to  notify  and 
apologize  for  this  treaty,  which  was  directly  opposed  to  that  of  Troyes, 
of  which  he  liad  so  long  been  the  zealous  and  powerful  defender.  His 
messenger  was  very  coldly  listened  toby  the  English  council,  and  point- 
edly insulted  by  having  lodgings  assigned  to  him  in  the  house  of  a  mean 
tradesman.  The  populace,  too,  were  encouraged  to  insult  the  subjects 
of  Philip  who  chanced  to  be  visiting  or  resident  in  London  ;  and,  with  the 
usual  cruel  willingness  of  the  mob  to  show  their  haired  of  foreigners,  they 
ill  some  cases  carried  their  violence  to  the  extent  of  murder. 

This  conduct  was  as  impolitic  as  it  was  disgraceful,  for  it  not  only 
sharpened  Philip's  new  zeal  for  France,  but  also  furnished  him  with  that 
plea  wliich  he  needed,  not  only  for  the  world  but  also  for  his  own  cor»- 
science,  for  bis  sudden  and  complete  abandonment  of  his  alliance  with  the 
lliiglish.  Almost  at  the  same  time  that  England  was  deprived  of  the  powerful 
support  of  Uurgundv,  she  experienced  two  other  very  heavy  losses,  the  duke 
of  Bedford  dying  of  disease  a  few  days  after  he  had  tidings  of  the  treaty 
of  Arras,  and  the  earl  of  Arundel  dying  of  wounds  received  in  a  battle 
where  he,  with  three  thousand  men,  was  totally  defeated  by  Xaintrailles  at 
the  head  of  only  six  hundred. 

A.  D.  143G. — As  in  private  so  in  public  affairs,  misfortunes  ever  come  in 
shoals.  Just  as  England  required  the  most  active  and  most  disinterested 
exertions  on  the  part  of  those  to  whom  Bedford's  death  had  left  tiie  direc- 
tion of  affairs,  the  disoii.sions  which  had  long  existed  between  the  cardinal 
of  Winchester  and  the  duke  of  Gloucester  grew  so  violent,  that  in  their 
personal  quarrel  the  foreign  interests  of  the  king  and  kingdom  seemed 
to  be  for  the  lime,  at  least,  enlirely  lost  sight  of.  A  regent  of  France  was 
appointed,  indeed,  as  successor  to  Bedford,  in  the  person  of  the  duke  ot 
York,  son  of  that  earl  of  Cambridge  who  was  executed  early  in  the  pre- 
redini;  reign  ;  but  owing  to  the  dissensions  above-mentioned,  his  commis- 
sion was  left  unsealed  for  seven  months  after  his  appointment,  and  Ihp 
English  in  France  were,  of  course,  during  that  long  and  critical  period 
tirtuully  left  without  a  governor.  The  consequence,  as  miyht  have  been 
anticipated,  was,  that  when  he  at  Icnglh  was  enabled  to  procet^d  to  his  post) 
Paris  was  lost ;  the  inhabitants,  who  had  all  along,  even  by  Bedford,  been 
only  with  difficulty  prevented  from  rising  in  favour  of  Charles,  having 
seized  this  favourable  opportunity  to  do  so  ;  and  Lord  Willoughby,  with 
fifteen  hundred  men,  after  a  brave  attempt  first  to  preserve  the  city  and 
then  to  maintain  themselves  in  the  Baslile,  was  at  length  redu(;ed  to  such 
distress,  that  he  was  glad  to  capitulate  on  permission  to  withdraw  his 
troops  iato  Normandy. 


r6 


THE  TUEASI/RY  OF  HIBTOAY. 


England,  raised  an  army  and  sont  a  personal  defiance  to  ilio  duke  of  IJur. 
j[undy,  whom  he  challenged  to  remain  before  Calais  until  the  WLaihci 
would  permit  the  English  tu  face  him  there. 


permit  the  English  I 

Partly  from  the  evident  terror  which  Gloucester's  high  tone  struck  into 
the  Flemings,  and  partly  from  the  decided  ill  success  which  alleiuJiMl  two 
or  three  partial  attempts  which  Burgundy  had  already  made  upon  Calais 
that  princ!',  instead  of  waiting  for  Gloucester's  arrival,  raised  the  siege 
and  retreated. 

A.  D.  14 10. — For  five  years  the  war  was  confined  to  petty  cntorprisns  oi 
•urprising  convoys  and  taking  and  re-taking  towns.  But  thnu;;li  these 
enterprises  had  none  of  the  brilliancy  of  more  regular  and  sustained  war 
they  were  to  the  utmost  degree  mischievous  to  both  the  conleiidinir  pi,..' 
ties  and  the  unfortunate  inhabitants.  More  blood  was  shed  in  these  name- 
less and  indecisive  rencontres  than  would  have  sufficed  for  a  Crusay  or  an 
Agincourt ;  and  the  continual  presence  of  numerous  and  ruthless  .spoilers 
rendered  tlie  husbandman  both  unable  and  unwilling  to  sow  fur  thai  liar- 
vest  which  it  was  so  improbable  that  ho  would  ever  be  permitted  to  reiip, 
To  such  a  warfare  both  the  contending  parties  at  length  showed  tliciiii 
■elves  willing  to  put  an  end,  and  a  treaty  was  commenced  for  that  pur- 
pose.  France,  as  before,  oflTered  to  cede  Normandy,  Guieniic,  and  Calais 
to  England  us  feudal  fiefs ;  England,  on  the  other  hand,  demanded  the 
cession  of  all  the  provinces  which  had  once  been  annexed  to  Knijland,  In- 
cluding the  final  cession  of  Calais,  without  any  feudal  burden  or  ohserv- 
ances  whatever.  The  treaty  was  consequently  broken  off,  and  the  war 
was  still  carried  on  in  the  same  petty  but  destructive  manner;  though  a 
truce  was  made  as  between  England  and  the  duke  of  Burgundy. 

For  a  long  time  after  the  battle  of  Agincourt,  England  had  possessed  a 
great  advantage  in  all  affairs  with  France,  from  the  captivity  of  the  royal 

Erinces,  five  in  number,  who  were  made  prisoners  at  that  battle.  Death 
ad  now  very  materially  diminished  this  advantage ;  only  the  duke  of  Or- 
leans surviving  out  of  the  whole  five.  This  prince  now  offered  the  large 
ransom  of  fifty-four  thousand  nobles,  and  his  proposal— like  all  public  ques. 
tions  at  this  period — was  made  matter  of  factious  dispute  between  the 
parlizans  of  the  cardinal  of  Winchester  and  those  of  the  duke  of  Glouces- 
ter. The  latter  urged  the  rejection  of  the  proposal  of  Orleans,  on  the 
ground  that  the  late  king  had  on  his  death-bed  advised  that  no  one  of  the 
French  princes  should  on  any  account  be  released,  until  his  son  shouldhe 
of  age  to  govern  the  kingdom  in  his  own  person.  The  cardinal,  on  the 
other  hand,  expatiated  on  the  largeness  of  the  offered  ransom,  and  drew 
the  attention  of  the  council  to  the  remarkable  and  uiiquestiuiiablc  fmt, 
that  the  sum  offered  was,  in  truth,  very  nearly  equal  to  two-ihinls  of  all 
the  extraordinary  supplies  which  the  parliament  had  granted  fur  the  pub- 
lic service  during  the  current  seven  years.  To  this  solid  argument  of  pe- 
cuniary matter-of-fact  he  added  the  plausible  argument  or  spcenlation, 
that  the  liberation  of  Orleans,  far  from  being  advantageous  to  the  French 
cause,  would  be  of  direct  and  signal  injury  to  it,  by  giving  to  the  French 
malcontents,  whom  Charles  already  had  much  difficulty  in  keeping  down, 
an  ambitious  and  prominent  as  well  as  capable  leader. 

The  arguments  of  the  cardinal  certainly  seem  to  deserve  more  weight 
than  the  wishes  of  a  deceased  king,  who,  however  politic,  could  when 
giving  his  advice  have  formed  no  notion  of  the  numerous  changes  of  cir- 
cumstances which  had  since  taken  place,  and  which,  most  "probably 
would  have  caused  him  very  considerably  to  modify  his  opinion.    It  was 


THE  TttRASURY  OF  HISTOttV. 


87T 


hoirerct,  nwin^  liss  to  Iho  siiperionly  of  his  ad'u-^  ilinii  of  his  influence, 
Ljilliflcuilmal  gaiiicil  his  point,  and  Hint  tho  dnko  of  Orlcuis  wns  ra- 
leaicd  iificr  a  I'aptiviiy  of  nve-anil-lwcnity  years,  tho  diiko  of  UurKnudy 
jeiicrciii»ly  asisisting  Inin  in  the  payniont  of  his  very  heavy  ransom. 
•^  p  l-tH.— However  acquired,  iho  iiifluonee  of  the  eardinal  was  un- 
qiifstionabiy  well  and  wisely  exerted  in  the  affair  ahove  described  ;  and 
Liiow,  tlimi^h  with  less  perfect  success,  exerted  it  to  a  still  more  iinpor- 
(jutpnd.  He  had  long  encouraged  every  attempt  at  peace-making  bo- 
livera  Frnnce  and  England,  and  he  now  urged  upon  ihe  couiKiil  li:e 
impossiliiliiy  "I"''  complete  conquest  of  France,  and  the  great  dilllculty  ol 
evtii  miiii'l"'"i"8  the  existiiiij  Knglish  power  there  while  Normandy  was 
in  disorder,  tlie  French  king  daily  gaining  some  advantage,  the  English 
narliatncnt  so  incurably  reluctant  l(»  grant  supplies,  llo  urged  that  it 
'vniiMbc  fir  belter  to  make  peaco  now  than  when  sonic  new  udvantago 
ihouiJ  make  tho  French  king  still  more  unyielding  and  cxigeanl  in  his 
liiiinour;  and  his  arguments,  based  alike  upon  humane  motives  and  facta 
^liicli  lay  upon  the  very  surface,  prevailed  with  the  eoiiiicil.  The  duko 
ofGlmiccsler,' indeed,  accustomed  to  consider  Franco  the  natural  batlle- 
miiiiJ  and  certain  conquest  of  Kngland,  opposed  the  pacific  views  of  tho 
cirilinal  with  all  tho  violence  arising  from  such  haughty  prepossessions 
increased  by  his  fixed  hatred  of  wilnessing  the  triumph  of  any  proposal 
mmle  by  the  cardinal.  The  latter,  however,  was  too  completely  in  tho 
mendiiiit  to  allow  Gloucester's  opposition  lo  be  of  any  avail,  and  the  carl 
of  Suffuik  was  sent  lo  Tours  with  proposals  for  peace.  The  pretensions 
ofllie  two  parlies  were  still  too  wide  asunder  to  admit  of  a  permanent 
neaie  being  concluded  ;  but  as  the  earl  of  Suffolk  was  in  earnest,  and  as 
ihcdrcadfiil  state  to  which  most  of  C'harles's  territories  were  redutred  by 
ihe  long-continued  war  made  some  respite  of  great  importance  to  his  siib- 
|Piis,  as  well  as  to  his  more  personal  interests,  it  was  easily  agreed  that 
ilruce  should  take  place  for  twenty-two  months,  each  party  as  to  terri- 
lorv  remaining  as  it  then  was. 

As  Henry  of  Kngland  had  now  reached  the  mature  age  of  twenty-three, 
ikis  truce  a.Torded  the  Knglish  ministers  opportunity  and  leisure  to  look 
around  among  the  neighbouring  princesses  fur  a  suitable  queen  for  him. 
Tonllttic  usual  difliculties  of  such  cases  a  serioii.i  one  was  added  by  the 
extnmely  simple,  weak,  and  passive  nature  of  Henry.  Without  talent 
and  without  energy,  it  was  clear  to  every  one  that  this  prince  would  reign 
itcllorill,  exactly  as  he  fell  under  the  inlluence  of  a  princess  of  good  or 
bad  disposition,  Easily  attached,  he  was  as  easily  governed  through  his 
ailachineiits ;  and  each  faction  was  consequently  possessed  with  the 
Mle  anxiety  of  marrying  him  well,  as  to  itself  in  the  first  place  and  as 
10  ihe  nation  in  the  next.  The  first  princess  proposed  was  n  daughter  of 
thecount  dc  Arinagnac  ;  but  as  she  was  proposed  by  the  duke  of  Glou- 
cester, the  predominant  faction  of  the  cardinal  at  once  rejected  her,  and 
profiosi'd  Margaret  of  Anjou,  daughter  of  Uegnier,  the  titular  king  of  Sicily, 
Naples,  and  Jerusalem,  whose  real  worldly  possessions,  however,  were  in 
eiai'ily  inverse  ratio  to  his  magnificent  and  sounding  titles. 

Margaret  of  Anjou,  notwithstanding  her  poverty,  had  personal  qualities, 
independent  of  mere  beauty,  though  she  excelled  even  in  that,  which  made 
lier  indeed  a  promising  queen  for  a  prince  who,  like  the  weak  and  almost 
cliildish  Henry,  required  not  a  burden  but  a  support  in  the  person  <  f  his 
wife.  She  had  great  and,  for  that  age,  very  highly  cultivated  talents,  and 
hercmiragn,  sagacity,  and  love  of  enterprise  were  such  as  are  seldom  found 
iiuli"ir  highest  perfection  even  in  the  other  sex.  Her  own  high  qualities 
and  the  strong  advocacy  of  the  cardinal  caused  Margaret  to  be  selected,  in 
spile  of  all  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester;  and  Suffolk 
was  entrusted  with  the  important  business  of  negotiating  the  marriage 
In  this  important  negotiation  Suffolk  proved  that  his  party  had  by  nb  nieaus 


1'-    "pAI 


ir^/lll 


S78 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


overrated  either  his  tact  or  his  zeal.  Notwithstanding  the  high  person 
qualities  of  Margaret,  it  could  not  be  concealed  that  she  was  the  dauffhi^' 
of  a  house  far  too  poor  to  offer  any  dowry  to  such  a  monarch  as  the  "kin' 
of  Kngland;  and  yet  Suffolk,  desirous  to  prepossess  the  future  queeii  ii 
the  utmost  in  favour  of  himself  and  his  party,  overlooking  altogether  the 
poverty  from  which  the  princess  was  to  be  raised  by  her  marriane  cnn 
sented  to  the  insertion  of  a  secret  article  in  the  treaty,  by  which  the'nrov! 
ince  of  Maine  was  ceded  to  her  uncle,  Charles  of  Anjou,  prime  iiiimsie[ 
and  favourite  of  the  king  of  France,  who  had  previously  made  Charles  tlie 
grant  of  that  province — only  the  grant  was  conditional  upon  the  wreslinj 
of  the  province  from  the  English  who  at  present  possessed  it. 

Had  any  member  of  the  Gloucester  faction  been  guilty  of  thJR  impu. 
denlly  politic  and  dexterous  sacrifice  of  his  country's  interest,  lie  woulj 
undoubtedly  have  been  impeached  and  ruined  for  his  pains;  but  it  is  most 
probable  that  Suffolk  had  in  secret  the  concurrence  of  the  cardinal,  for  the 
treaty  was  received  in  England  and  ratified  as  though  it  had  secured  some 
vast  territorial  advantage  ;  and  Suffolk  was  not  only  created  first  a  rnr*. 
quis  and  then  a  duke,  but  also  honoured  with  the  formal  thanks  of  parlia. 
ment  for  the  ability  he  had  displayed. 

As  the  cardinal  and  his  party  had  calculated,  Margaret  as  soon  as  she 
came  to  England  fell  into  close  and  cordial  connection  with  them,  and  irnve 
so  much  increase  and  solid  support  to  the  already  overgrown,  though  hiih. 
erto  well  exerted,  authority  of  Winchester  himself,  that  he  now  deemed 
it  safe  to  attempt  what  he  had  long  desired,  the  final  ruin  of  tlie  duke  o( 
Gloucester. 

1447. — The  malignity  with  which  the  cardinal's  party  hated  the 


A.  D. 

duke  of  Gloucester  abundantly  shows  itself  in  the  treatment  which,  to 
wound  iiim  in  his  tenderest  affections,  they  had  already  bestowed  upon  his 
duchess.  She  was  accused  of  the  impossible,  but  at  that  time  iiiiiversally 
credited,  crime  of  witchcraft,  and  of  having,  in  conjunction  with  Sir  Roger 
Bolingbroke  and  Margery  .lordan,  melted  a  figure  of  the  king  before  a  slow 
fire,  with  magical  incantations  intended  to  cause  his  natural  body  to  con- 
sume away  simultaneously  with  his  waxen  effigy.  Upon  tlii.s  preposter- 
ous charge  the  duchess  and  her  allcdged  confederates  were  found  euihy; 
and  stie  was  condemned  publicly  to  do  penance,  her  less  illustrious  fellow. 
sufferers  being  executed. 

The  duke  of  Gloucester,  though  noted  for  his  hasty  temper  and  some- 
what misproud  sentiments,  was  yet  very  popular  on  account  of  his  candoiii 
and  general  humanity;  and  this  shameful  treatment  of  his  duchess,  though 
committed  upon  what  we  may  term  the  popular  charge  of  witchcraft, was 
very  ill  taken  by  the  people,  who  plainly  avowed  their  sympathy  with  the 
sufferer  and  their  indignation  against  her  persecutors. 

The  popui.;r  fcciing  for  once  was  well  founded  as  well  as  humane;  but 
as  the  cardinal's  parly  feared  that  the  sympathy  that  was  expressed  might 
soon  shape  itself  into  deeds,  it  was  now  resolved  to  put  the  imforluiKile 
duke  beyond  the  power  of  doing  or  causing  mischief.  A  parliament  was 
accordingly  summoned  to  meet;  and,  lest  the  popularity  of  the  duke  in 
London  should  cause  any  obstruction  to  the  fell  designs  of  his  oneaiips, 
the  place  of  meeting  wa's  St.  Edmund's  Bury.  The  duke  arrived  Jicre 
without  any  suspicion  of  the  mischief  that  «  as  in  store  for  him.  and  was 
immediately  accused  before  the  parliainent  of  high  treason.  Upon  this 
charge  he  was  committed  to  prison,  and  shortly  afterwards  was  foiiiiJ 
there  dead  in  his  bed.  It  is  true  that  his  body  was  publicly  exposed,  and 
that  no  marks  of  violence  could  be  detected ;  but  the  same  thine;  liad  oc- 
curred in  the  cases  of  Thomas  of  Woodstock,  duke  of  Gloucester,  Richard 
the  Second,  and  Edward  the  Second,  yet  does  any  reader  of  sane  mim! 
doubt  that  they  were  murdered  1  Or  can  any  such  reader  doubt  that  tin! 
unfortunate  prince  was  murdered,  too.  his  enemies  fearing  that  his  puLhc 


THE  TRKASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


379 


's  party  hated  llie 


txecution,  iVaiigh  the  servility  of  the  parliament  would  have  surely  sanc- 
lioned  it,  miglit  be  dangerous  to  tlieir  own  interests?  'I'he  death  of  the 
dulic  did  not  prevent  certain  of  iiis  suite,  who  were  accused  of  beinij  ac- 
complices  of  his  aliedged  treasons,  from  being  tried,  condemned,  and  par- 
tially executed  We  say  partially  executed,  because  these  unfortunate 
men,  who  were  ordered  to  be  hanged  and  quartered,  were  actually  hanged, 
preparatory  to  the  more  brutal  part  of  the  sentence  being  executed  ;  but 
rasl  as  they  were  cut  down  and  the  executioners  preparing  to  perform  ;heir 
more  revolting  task,  orders  arrived  for  that  part  of  the  sentence  to  be  re- 
mitted, and  surgical  means  to  be  taken  for  the  resuscitation  of  the  victims. 
And  this  "'"^  actually  done. 

The  uiitiappy  prince  who  thus  fell  a  victim  to  the  raging  ambition  of  thfc 
cardinal's  party  was  a  scholar  and  a  man  of  intellect,  far  superior  to  the 
rude  age  in  which  he  lived.  Sir  Thomas  More  gives  a  striking  though 
whimsical  instance  of  his  acuteness  of  judgment.  The  duke  while  riding 
oat  one  day  chanced  upon  a  crowd  which  had  gathered  round  an  impostor 
ivhoalledged  that  he,  having  been  b'ini  from  his  birth,  had  just  then  ob- 
laiiied  his  sight  by  touching  the  then  famous  shrine  of  St.  Albans.  The 
duke,  whose  learning  enabled  him  to  see  through  and  to  despise  the  monk- 
ish impostures  which  found  such  ready  acceptance  with  the  multitude, 
high  ail  well  as  low,  condescended  to  ask  this  vagrant  several  questions, 
and,  by  way  of  testing  his  story,  desirtd  him  to  name  the  colours  of  the 
cloaks  of  the  bystanders.  Not  perceiving  the  trap  that  was  laid  for  him, 
the  fellow  answered  with  all  the  readiness  of  a  clothier  commending  his 
narcs,  when  the  duke  replied,  "You  are  a  very  knave,  man;  had  you 
been  born  blind,  though  a  miracle  had  given  you  sight,  it  could  not  thus 
early  have  taught  you  accurately  to  distinguish  between  colours,"  and,  rid- 
iiijaway,  he  gave  orders  that  the  flagrant  impostor  should  be  set  ia  the 
nearest  stocks  as  an  example. 

It  was  generally  considered  that  the  queen,  whose  masculine  nature  had 
ijready  given  her  great  weight  in  the  dominant  party,  had  at  least  tacitly 
consented  to  the  murder  of  the  unfortunate  Gloucester.  This  probable 
supposition  had  caused  her  considerable  unpopularity,  and  a  circumstance 
now  occurred  by  which  the  ill  opinion  of  the  people  was  much  aggravated. 
ll  would  seem  that  that  article  of  Margaret's  marria(fe  settlement  which 
ceded  Maine  to  her  uncle  was  kept  secret  during  the  life  of  tlie  duke  of 
Gloucester,  to  whose  opposition  to  the  cardinal's  party  it  would  of  neces- 
sity have  given  additional  weight.  But  the  court  of  France  now  became 
so  urgent  for  its  immediate  performance,  that  King  Henry  was  induced 
by  Margaret  and  the  ministers  to  despatch  an  autograph  order  to  the  gov- 
ernor of  Mans,  the  capital  of  that  province,  to  give  up  that  place  to  Charles 
cfAnjou.  Tlie  governor.  Sir  Francis  Surienne,  strongly  interested  in 
keeping  his  post,  and  probably  forming  a  shrewd  judgment  of  th«  manner 
in  which  the  king  had  been  induced  to  make  such  an  order,  flatly  refused 
loobey  it,  and  a  French  army  was  forthwith  led  to  the  siege  of  the  place 
by  the  celebrated  Dunois.  Kven  then  Surienne  ventured  to  hold  out,  but 
being  wholly  left  without  succour  from  Normandy,  where  the  duke  of 
Somerset  had  forces,  he  was  at  length  obliged  to  capitulate,  and  to  give 
up  not  only  Minis  but  the  whole  province,  which  thus  ingloriously  was 
transferred  from  England  to  Charles  of  Anjou. 

*.  D.  1448.— The  ill  efl'ects  of  the  disgraceful  secret  article  did  not  stop 
here.  Surieiuie,  on  being  sufi'ered  to  depart  from  Mans,  had  two  thousand 
.Ive  hundred  men  with  lilm,  whom  ho  led  into  Normandy,  naturally  ex- 
pecting to  be  attached  to  the  force  of  the  duke  of  Somerset.  But  the  duke, 
Biraitened  in  means,  and  therefore  unwilling  to  have  so  large  an  addition 
to  ihe  multitude  that  already  depended  upon  him,  and  being,  besides,  of 
llic  cardinal's  faction,  and  therefore  angry  at  the  disobedience  of  Surienne 
'rtlhe  orders  of  the  king,  would  not  receive  him.    Thus  suddenly  and  en- 


380 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


tirely  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  Surienne,  acting  on  the  maxi 
common  to  the  soldiery  of  his  time,  resolved  to  make  war  upon  ]\\s  n"!' 
account ;  uiid  as  cither  the  king  of  England  or  the  king  of  France  wouH 
be  too  potent  and  dangerous  a  foe,  he  resolved  to  attack  the  duke  of  B  t 
tany.  He  accordingly  marched  his  daring  and  destitute  band  inio  tini 
country,  ravaged  it  in  every  direction,  possessed  himself  of  the  town  of 
Fougeres,  and  repaired,  for  his  defence,  the  dilapidated  forlrcoscs  of  Pou 
torson  and  St.  Jacques  de  Beavron.  The  duke  of  Brittany  naturally  an 
pealed  for  redress  to  his  liege  lord,  the  king  of  France;  and  Chailes  gy 
of  an  opportunity  to  fasten  a  plausible  quarrel  upon  England,  paid  no  ji. 
tention  to  SorMcrset's  disavowal  alike  of  connection  wiih  the  adventurer 
Surienne  and  control  over  his  actions,  but  demanded  compensation  for 
the  duke  of  Brittany,  and  put  the  granting  of  that  compensation  wholly  out 
of  the  question  by  (ixing  it  at  the  preposterously  large  amount  of  one  mil. 
lion  six  hundred  crowns. 

A.  D.  H49. — Payment  of  this  sum  was,  m  truth,  the  very  last  tiling  that 
Charles  would  have  desired.  He  had  most  ably  employed  himself  duriiii 
the  truce  for  a  renewal  of  war  at  its  expiration,  or  sooner,  should  fortune 
favour  him  with  an  advantageous  opening.  While  he  had  been  thug  em. 
ployed,  England  had  been  daily  growing  weaker;  faction  dividing  the' 
court  and  government,  and  poverty  and  suffering  rendering  the  people  mora 
and  more  indiflerent  to  foreign  wars  and  conquests,  however  brilhant. 
Under  such  circumstances  Charles  gladly  seized  upon  the  wrong  dune  to 
the  duke  of  Brittany  by  a  private  adventurer  as  an  excuse  for  invading 
Norm.indy,  which  he  suddenly  entered  on  four  different  points  with  as 
many  well-appointed  armies,  under  the  command,  respectively,  of  Charles 
in  person,  the  duke  of  Brittany,  the  duke  of  Alengon,  and  liie  count  of 
Duuois.  So  sudden  was  the  irruption  of  Charles,  and  so  completely  uii- 
prepared  were  the  Norman  garrisons  to  resist  him,  that  the  French  had 
only  to  appear  before  a  place  to  cause  its  surrender;  and  they  at  once 
and  at  the  mere  expense  of  marching,  obtained  possession  of  Verneuili 
Noyent,  Chateau  Gaillard,  Ponteau  de  Mer,  Gisors,  Nantes,  Vernon,  Ar. 
gentau,  Lisieux,  Fecamp,  Coutances,  Belesine,  and  Peurt  de  L'Archc, an 
extent  of  territory  which  had  cost  the  English  incalculable  expense  o( 
both  blood  and  treasure. 

Thus  suddenly  and  formidably  beset,  the  duke  of  Somerset,  governor 
of  Normandy,  found  it  utterly  useless  to  endeavour  to  check  the  enemy 
in  the  field  ;  so  far  from  being  able  to  raise  even  one  numerous  army  for 
that  purpose,  his  force  was  too  scanty  even  to  supply  sufficient  garrisons; 
and  yet,  scanty  as  it  was,  far  too  numerous  for  Ins  still  more  limiied 
means  of  subsisting  it.  He  consequently  threw  himself  with  such  force 
as  he  could  immediately  command  into  Rouen,  hoping  that  he  might 
maintain  himself  there  until  assistance  could  be  sent  to  him  from  Eng- 
land. But  Charles  allowed  no  time  for  the  arrival  of  such  aid,  but  present- 
ed himself  with  an  army  of  fifty  thousand  men  at  the  very  gates  of  Honcn. 
The  inhabilaiils,  already  disaftectcd  to  tlie  English,  now  became  driven 
to  desperation  by  their  dread  of  the  severities  of  the  French,  anu  tumiil- 
tuously  demanded  that  Soiner.«et  should  instantly  capitulate  in  order  lo 
save  tiiem.  Thus  assailed  within  as  well  as  from  without,  Soineiset  led 
his  troops  into  the  castle,  but  finding  it  untenable  he  was  at  leiigih  obliged 
to  yield  it,  and  to  purchase  permission  to  retire  to  Harfleur  by  surnmutr- 
ing  Arques,  Tancarville,  Honileur,  and  several  other  places  in  higher 
Normandy,  agreeing  to  pay  the  sum  of  fifty-six  thousand  crowns,  and  dc. 
livering  hostages  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  articles.  Among 
the  hostages  was  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury,  the  ablest  English  jjencral  in 
France,  who  was  now  condemned  to  detention  and  inactivity  at  the  very 
momen.  alien  his  services  were  the  most  needed,  by  the  positive  refusal 
of  the  governor  of  Honfleur  to  give  up  that  place  at  the  order  of  Sora- 


THE  TEEASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


381 


oi  Honfleur  also  gave  a  refusal,  but,  after  a  smart  defence  by  Sir 
Thomas  Curson,  was  at  length  compelled  to  open  its  gates  to  the  French 
iinHer  Diiiiois. 

Succour  iit  length  arrived  from  England,  but  only  to  the  very  insufficient 

mberof  four  thousand  men,  who  soon  after  they  lauded  were  com- 
Tetclv  defeated  at  Fourmigui  by  the  count  of  Clermont.  Somerset,  who 
?  .  Jtired  to  Oaen  in  hope  of  aid,  had  now  no  choice  but  to  surrender. 
Filaise  was  given  up  in  exchange  for  the  liberty  of  the  earl  of  ShrewB- 

'.,'.  iiiid  just  one  year  after  Charles's  first  irruption  into  Normandy,  the 
jerv'liist  possession  of  the  English  in  that  province,  the  important  town 
3f  Cherbourg  was  surrendered. 

In  Giiieniie  the  like  rapid  progress  was  made  by  the  French  under  Du- 
i,(iis,  who  encountered  but  little  difficulty  even  from  the  strongest  towns, 
hisariilieiy  being  of  a  very  superior  description.  Bourdeaux  and  Ba- 
voiuie  marie  a  brave  attempt  at  holding  out,  but  no  assistance  being  sent 
to  them  from  England,  they  also  were  compelled  to  submit;  and  the 
whole  province  of  Guienne  was  thus  reunited  to  France  after  it  had  been 
lieldami  bal'led  for  by  the  English  for  three  hundred  years.  A  faint 
efortwas  subsequently  made,  indeed,  to  recover  Guienne,  but  it  was  so 
faint  that  it  utterly  failed,  and  war  between  England  and  France  ceased 
as  if  by  mutual  consent,  and  without  any  formal  treaty  of  peace  or  even 
iruce. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE   REIGN  OF    HENRY   VI.    {cOncludcd.) 

A.  D.  1450. — The  affairs  of  England  were  as  threatening  at  home  as 
iky  were  disastrous  abroad.  The  court  and  the  ministerial  factions 
cave  rise  to  a  thousand  disorders  among  the  people,  besides  habituating 
fheiii  10  Ihc  complacent  anticipation  of  disorders  still  more  extreme  and 
general;  and  it  was  now  only  too  well  known  that  the  king,  by  whom 
boih factions  might  otherwise  have  been  kept  in  awe,  wis  the  mere  and 
unresisting  tool  of  those  by  whom  he  chanced  to  be  surrounded.  To 
aJJ  10  the  general  distress,  the  cessation  of  the  war  in  France,  or,  to 
jpeak  more  plainly,  the  ignominious  expulsion  of  the  English  from  that 
country,  had  filled  England  with  hordes  of  able  and  )ieedy  men,  accus- 
tomed to  war,  and  ready,  for  the  mere  sake  of  plunder,  to  follow  any  ban- 
ner and  support  any  cause.  .\  cause  for  the  civil  war  which  these  needy 
desperadoes  so  ardently  desired  soon  appeared  in  the  pretension',  to  the 
crown  put  forward  by  Richard,  duke  of  York.  Descended  by  \vs  mother 
from  the  only  daughter  of  the  duke  of  Clarence,  second  son  of  FJward  III., 
Ilie  duke  claimed  to  stand  before  King  Ilcmry,  who  was  descended  from 
the  duke  of  Lancaster,  the  third  son  of  Edward  III.  His  claim  being 
liius  cogent,  and  he  being  a  brave  and  capable  man,  immensely  rich  and 
coniieeteJ  with  numerous  noble  families,  including  the  most  potent  of 
them  all,  that  of  the  earl  of  Westmoreland,  whose  daughter  he  had  mar- 
ried, he  could  not  fail  to  be  a  most  formidable  opponent  to  so  weak  and 
incapable  a  king  as  Henry  ;  and  thfl  daily  increasing  disorders,  suffierings 
and  discontents  of  the  nation,  promised  ere  long  to  afford  liim  all  the 
opportunity  he  could  require  of  pressing  his  claim  with  advantage. 

Though  parliament  and  the  people  at  large  were  unwilling  to  make  any 
lacrilices  for  the  defence  of  the  foreign  interests  of  the  nation,  and  could 
not  or  would  not  understand  that  mucJi  more  exertion  and  expense  are 
ofiea  necessary  to  preserve  than  to  maKe  conquests,  they  were  not  a  jot 
the  less  enraged  at  the  losses  in  France,  which,  though  they  mainly  orig 
sated  in  the  ceskion  of  Maine  to  Charles  of  Anjou,  were  consummated 


382 


THE  TRBASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


through  the  rigid  parsimony  which  withheld  supplies  and  reinforceme 


w hell  they  were  actually  indispensable.    The  cession  of  Maine  to  Chirf' 
of  Anjou,  coupled  with  his  fast  friendsliip  to  the  king  of  France  and  t 
active  exertions  in  that  prince's  interest,  persuaded  the  English  pen  7 
that  their  queen  was  their  enemy  at  heart,  and  that  her  influence  m  ij, 
Knglish  council  was  a  chief  cause  of  their  disgrace  and  loss.    Alreal 
the  partisans  of  the  duke  of  York  busied  themselves  in  preparing  to  ( 
die  a  civil  war ;  and  already  the  murder  of  Gloucester  began  to  be  avcnj'ed 
upon  its  authors,  not  merely  in  the  bitterness  which  it  gave  to  the  hatred 
of  the  people,  but  by  the  loss  of  the  courageous  authority  of  the  mur 
dered  duke,  now  so  much  needed  successfully  to  oppose  York  and  his 
seditious  partizans. 

As  the  favourite  minister  of  the  unpopular  Margaret,  as  the  dexteroiisli- 
unpatriotic  ambassador,  who,  to  oblige  her  had  robbed  England  of  Maine 
and  as  tlieman  most  strongly  suspected  of  having  brought  about  tiie 


murder  of  Gloucester,  SufTolk  would  under  any  circumstances  have  been 
detested ;  but  this  detestation  was  lashed  into  something  very  lijie  in- 
sanity  by  the  consideration  which  was  constantly  recurring,  that  thij 
noble,  so  powerful  that  he  could  aid  in  murdering  the  nation's  favourite 
ruler,  and  rob  the  nation  to  conciliate  the  favour  of  a  princess  who  sq 
lately  was  a  stranger  to  it,  was  only  a  noble  of  yesterday;  the  great 
grandson,  merely,  of  a  veritable  trader  I  It  was  this  consideration  that 
gave  added  bitterness  to  every  charge  that  was  truly  made  against  him 
and  also  caused  not  a  few  things  to  be  charged  to  him  of  which  he  was 
wholly  innocent. 

Suffolk's  wealth,  always  increasing,  as  well-managed  wealth  needs 
must  be,  was  contrasted  with  the  daily  increasing  penury  of  the  crown 
which  caused  the  people  to  be  subjected  to  a  thousand  extortions.  While 
he  was  continually  growing  more  and  more  dazzling  in  his  prosperity 
the  crown,  indebted  to  the  enormous  extent  of  £372,000  was  virtuallv 
bankrupt,  and  the  very  provisions  for  the  royal  household  were  obtained 
by  arbitrary  purveyance — so  arbitrary,  that  it  fell  little  short  of  open  rob- 
bery  with  violence. 

Aware  of  the  general  detestation  in  which  he  was  held,  SufTolk,  who, 
apart  from  all  the  mere  exaggerations  of  the  mob,  was  a  "  bold,  bad  man," 
endeavoured  to  forestal  any  formal  attack  by  the  commons'  house  of  par- 
liament,  by  rising  in  his  place  in  tlie  lords  and  loudly  complaining  of  the 
calumnies  that  were  permitted  to  be  uttered  against  him,  after  he  had  lost 
his  father  and  three  brothers  in  the  public  service,  and  had  himself  jived 
seventeen  years  wholly  in  service  abroad,  served  the  crown  in  just  double 
that  number  of  campaigns,  been  made  prisoner,  and  paid  his  own  heaw 
ransouj  to  the  enemy.  It  was  scandalous,  he  contended,  that  any  one 
should  dare  to  charge  him  with  treachery  and  collusion  with  foreign  en. 
emies,  after  he  had  thus  long  and  faithfully  served  the  crown,  and  been 
rewarded  by  high  honours  and  important  oflices. 

Though  Suffolk's  apology  for  his  conduct  was  professedly  a  reply  only 
to  the  rumours  that  were  current  against  him  among  the  vulgar,  tl.e  house 
of  commons  well  understood  his  real  object  in  making  it  to  be  a  desire 
to  prevent  them  from  originating  a  formal  charge  against  him;  and  feel- 
ing themselves  in  some  sort  challenged  and  bound  to  do  so,  tliry  sent  up 
to  the  peers  a  charge  of  high  treason  against  Suffolk.  Of  tiiis  ciiarje, 
which  was  very  long  and  divided  into  a  great  number  of  clauses,  Hume 
tlius  gives  a  summary  :  "  They  insisted  that  he  had  persuaded  the  French 
king  to  invade  England  with  an  armed  force,  in  order  to  depose  the  king 
Henry,  and  to  place  on  the  throne  his  own  son,  John  do  Lakole,  whom 
lie  intended  to  inarrj  to  Margaret,  the  only  daughter  of  the  late  duke  o 
Somerset,  and  for  whom,  he  imagined,  he  would  by  that  means  acquirea 
title  to  the  crown ,  that  he  had  contributed  to  the  release  of  the  duke  (f 


THE  TttEASURY  O""  HISTORY 


383 


nrlcans,  i"  tlie  hope  that  that  prince  would  assist  King  Charles  in  expel- 
.."  ll,g'Eiiglish  from  France  luul  recovering  full  possession  of  his  king- 
loir  iliat  he  had  afterwards  encouraged  that  monarch  to  make  open  war 
nil  Normandy  and  Guienne,  and  hail  promoted  his  conquests  by  betraying 
,l(.',ecrpts  I'f  England,  and  obstructing  the  succours  intended  to  be  sent 
0 those  provinces;  and  that  he  had,  without  any  powers  or  permission, 

roniised  by  treaty  to  cede  the  province  of  Maine  to  Charles  of  Anjou, 
L(l  lull!  cnlcd  it  accordingly,  which  proved  in  the  issue  the  chief  cause 
nf  the  loss  of  Normandy." 

These  charges  were  easily  refuted  by  a  resolute  and  self-possessed  man 
like  Suffolk.  As  regards  the  cession  of  Maine,  he  justly  enough  said,  that 
he  had  the  concurrence  of  others  of  the  council ;  but  he  took  care  not  to 
iiiJ  that  though  that  was  an  excellent  reason  why  he  should  not  be  alone 
ill b'e:iriiig'''e  punishment,  it  was  no  reason  why  he  should  escape  punish- 

ii(  ultogelher.  With  respect  to  his  alledged  intentions  as  to  iiis  son  and 
Margaret  of  Somerset,  he  more  completely  answered  that  charge  by  point- 
incrouithat  no  title  to  the  throne  could  possibly  be  derived  from  Margaret, 
who  was  herself  not  included  in  the  parliamentary  act  of  succession,  and 
bv  coafiJeiUly  appealing  to  many  peers  present  to  bear  witness  that  he 
y  intended  to  marry  his  son  to  one  of  the  earl  of  Warwick's  co-heir- 
esjcs,  and  had  only  been  prevented  from  doing  so  by  the  death  of  that 
lidv,  As  if  they  were  themselves  conscious  that  the  particulars  of  their 
frsi  charge  were  too  vague  and  wild  to  be  successful,  the  commons  sent  up 
10  the  lords  a  second  accusation,  in  whicli,  among  many  other  evil  doings, 
Suffolk  was  charged  with  improperly  obtaining  excessive  grants  from  the 
crown,  with  embezzling  the  public  money,  and  with  conferring  offices 
upon  unworthy  persons,  and  improperly  using  his  influence  to  defeat  the 
due  execution  of  the  laws. 

The  court  now  became  alarmed  at  the  evident  determination  of  the 
commons  to  follow  up  the  proceedings  against  Suffolk  with  rigour,  and 
ail  cvtraordinary  expedient  was  adopted  for  the  purpose  of  saving  him 
from  the  worst.  The  peers,  both  spiritual  and  temporal,  were  summoned 
10 the  king's  presence,  and  Suffolk  being  then  produced  denied  the  charges 
made  against  him,  but  submitted  to  the  king's  mercy;  when  the  king  pro- 
nounced that  the  first  charge  was  untrue,  and  that  as  to  the  second,  Suf- 
folk having  submitted  to  mercy,  should  be  banished  for  five  years.  This 
expedient  was  far  too  transparent  to  deceive  the  enemies  of  SufTolk,  who 
clearly  saw  that  it  was  n.ereiy  intended  to  send  him  out  of  the  way  u  itil 
the  danger  was  past,  and  then  to  recall  him  and  restore  him  to  aulhoiity. 
But  their  hatred  was  too  intense  to  allow  of  their  being  thus  easily  baffled 
inlheir  purpose  ;  and  they  hired  the  captain  of  a  vessel  and  some  of  his 
fellows,  who  surprised  Suffolk  near  Dover,  as  he  was  ni;iking  for  France, 
b'hcaded  him,  and  threw  his  body  into  the  sea. 

So  great  a  favourite  as  Suffolk  had  been  of  Queen  Margaret,  it  was, 
however,  not  deemed  expedient  to  take  any  steps  to  bring  his  murderers 
tojustice,  lest  in  the  inquiry  more  should  be  discovered  than  would  con- 
sist with  the  possibility  of  the  queen  and  the  house  of  commons  keeping 
up  any  longer  even  the  simulation  of  civility  and  good  feeling. 

Though  the  duke  of  York  was  in  Ireland  during  the  whole  of  tlie  pro- 
ceedings against  Suffolk,  and  therefore  could  not  be  directly  connected 
with  them,  Margaret  and  her  friends  did  not  the  less  suspect  him  of  evil 
designs  against  them,  and  were  by  no  means  blind  to  his  aspiring  views 
lotlie  crown  ;  nor  did  they  fail  to  connect  him  with  an  insurrection  which 
just  now  broke  out  under  the  direction  of  one  Cade.  This  man,  who  was 
native  of  Ireland,  but  whose  crimes  had  obliged  him  for  a  considerable 
lime  to  find  shelter  in  France,  possessed  great  resolution  and  no  small 
share  of  a  rude  but  showy  ability,  well  calculated  to  impose  upon  the  miil- 
tude.   Returning  to  England  just  as  the  popular  diacoateut  was  at  its  high- 


i.'ii     1 


11 

wiM 

w 

iw^^ 

v*< 

'  vWt^ 

Hi 

\  fiJII^l 

It' 

1 

'•\ 

4*^ 

f1 

t 

|j 

i'''' 

n  tjJC 

i 

384 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


est,  ho  took  the  name 
for  a  son 


k  the  name  of  John  Mortimer,  wishing  himself  to  be  tal 
of  Sir  John  Mortimer,  who  early  in  the  present  reiKn  \vl 
been  sentenced  to  death  by  parliament,  upon  an  indictmnnt  of  Ik 
treason,  wholly  unsupported,  and  most  iniquitously,  on  the  part'  i 
Gloucester  and  Bedford,  allowed  to  bo  executed.  Taking  im  tlJe  n 
Ular  outcry  against  the  queen  and  minister,  this  Cade  sot  liiinseir''^ 
as  a  red resser  of  grievances;  and  partly  from  his  own  plausible  tajeni''^ 
but  chiefly  from  the  charm  of  the  very  popular  name  he  had  assumed 
he  speedily  found  himself  at  the  head  of  upwards  of  twenty  ihyn 
and  men.  Imagining  that  a  very  small  force  would  suffice  to  put  down 
what  was  considered  but  a  vulgar  riot,  the  court  sunt  Sir  Humphrey  Staf 
ford  with  a  mere  handful  of  men  upon  that  errand  ;  but  Sir  Humphrey  was 
attacked  by  Cade  near  Sevenoaks,  his  little  force  cut  up  or  scaiterred  and 
himself  slain.  Kmboldened  by  this  success,  Cade  now  marched  iijsdp 
orderly  band  towards  London  and  encamped  upon  Blackheath,  whenne  he 
sent  a  list  of  obvious  grievances  of  which  he  demanded  the  corn  oir 
but  solemnly  protested  that  he  and  his  followers  would  lay  dou  ;]m, 
arms  and  disperse,  the  moment  those  grievances  should  be  remedied,  and 
Lord  Say,  the  treasurer,  and  Cromer,  the  sheriff  of  Kent,  against  both  of 
whom  he  had  a  malignant  feeling,  should  be  condignly  punished  for  sun- 
dry malversations  with  which  he  strongly  charged  them.  Confinin?  his 
demands  within  these  bounds,  and  taking  care  to  prevent  his  fellows  from 
plundering  London,  whence  he  regularly  withdrew  them  at  nightfall,  ho 
was  looked  upon  with  iw  animosity,  at  least,  by  the  generality  of  men 
who  knew  many  of  the  grievances  he  spoke  of  really  to  exist.  But  when 
the  council,  seeing  that  there  was  at  least  a  passive  feeling  in  favour  ol 
Cade,  withdrew  with  the  king  to  Kenilworth,  in  Warwicksiiire,  Cade  so 
far  lost  sight  of  his  professed  moderation  as  to  put  Lord  Say  and  Cromer 
to  death  without  even  the  form  of  a  trial.  As  soon  as  he  had  thus  set  the 
example  of  illegal  violence  he  lost  al  his  previous  control  over  the  mob, 
who  now  conducted  themselves  so  infamously  towards  the  citizens  of 
London,  that  they,  aided  by  a  party  of  soldiers  sent  by  Lord  Scales,  gov. 
ernor  of  the  Tower,  resisted  them,  and  the  rebels  were  completely  defeated 
with  very  great  slaughter.  This  severe  repulse  so  far  lowered  the  spirits 
of  the  Kentish  mob,  that  they  gladly  rclirud  to  their  homes  on  receiving 
a  pardon  from  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  also  filled  theolTiceol 
chancellor.  As  soon  as  it  could  safely  be  done,  this  pardon  was  pro- 
nounced  to  be  null  and  void,  upon  the  ground  that  it  had  been  extorted  hv 
violence  ;  many  of  the  rebels  were  seized  and  executed,  and  Cade  himself, 
upon  whose  head  a  reward  was  set,  was  killed  by  a  gentleman  named  Ar 
den,  while  endeavouring  to  conceal  himself  in  Sussex. 

Many  circumstances  concurred  to  lead  the  court  to  suspect  that  this 
revolt  had  been  privately  set  on  foot  by  the  duke  of  York,  to  facihtatehis 
own  designs  on  the  crown ;  and  as  he  was  now  returning  from  Iroiaiid  they 
imagined  that  he  was  about  to  follow  up  the  experiment,  and  ai^cordinglv 
issued  an  order  in  the  name  of  the  imbecile  Henry,  to  oppose  iiis  return  lo 
England.  But  the  duke,  who  was  far  too  wary  to  hasten  his  measures  in  the 
way  his  enemies  anticipated,  converted  all  their  fears  and  precautions  into 
ridicule,  by  coolly  landing  with  no  other  attendants  than  his  oniiuaiy  re- 
tinue. But  as  the  fears  of  his  enemies  had  caused  them  to  betray  their 
real  feelings  towards  him,  he  now  resolved  to  proceed  at  least  one  step 
towards  his  ultimate  designs.  Hitherto  his  title  had  been  spokeu  of  by 
his  friends  only  in  whispers  among  themselves,  but  he  now  auliiorizeil 
them  openly  to  urge  it  at  all  times  and  in  all  places. 

The  partizans  of  the  reigning  king  and  of  the  aspiring  iwke  of  York, 
respectfully,  had  each  very  plausible  arguments;  and  though  men's  minds 
were  pretty  equally  divided  as  to  their  respective  claims,  the  superiority 
which  York  had  as  to  the  favour  of  powerful  noblemen  seemed  to  be  more 


THn  T'iM  A8URY  OF  HISTOEY. 


38& 


tnan counterbalanced  by  the  possession,  by  the  royal  party,  not  only  of  all 
authority  of  the  laws,  but  alfo  of  that  "  tower  of  strength,"  "  the  king's 
nanit"  On  the  side  of  the  crown,  besides  the  advantages  to  which  we 
have  already  alluded,  there  were  ranged  the  earl  of  Northmnberliuul  and 
the  earl  of  Westmoreland,  and  these  two  nobles  carried  witii  tlieni  aii  tlu; 
nower  and  influence  of  the  northern  counties  of  England ;  a:id  besides 
tee  two  great  men,  the  crown  could  reckon  upon  the  duke  of  Somerset 
and  his  brother  the  duke  of  Kxeter,  the  duke  of  Buckingliam,  the  earl  of 
Shrewsbury,  the  lords  C'lflTord,  Scales,  governor  of  the  Tower,  Audley 
and  a  long  list  of  nobles  ef  less  note. 

t  D.  1461.— The  party  of  the  duke  of  York  was  scarcely  less  strong* 
but  so  far  had  arts  and  literature  begun  to  show  their  civilizing  effects, 
that  instead  of  instantly  and  fiercely  flying  to  arms,  the  hostile  parties 
seemed  inclined  to  struggle  rather  by  art  than  force.  The  duke  of  York 
\v:3  the  more  inclined  to  this  plan,  because  he  imagined  that  he  had 
power  enough  in  the  parliament  to  deprive  the  weak  Henry  of  the  prcs- 
enie  and  support  of  his  friends  ;  in  which  case  he  would  have  but  little 
difficulty  in  causing  the  succession  to  be  altered  by  law,  or  even  in  induc- 
ing Henry  to  abdicate  a  throne  which  he  was  obviously  and  lamentably 

unfit  10  fill. 
Nor  did  the  parliament  which  now  met  fail  to  confirm  York's  hopes; 
ihe  first  step  taken  '>y  the  house  of  commons  was  to  petition  the  king  to 
dismiss  from  about  his  person  the  duke  of  Somerset,  the  duchess  of  Suf- 
folk, ihc  bisliop  of  Chester,  Lord  Dudley,  and  Sir  John  Sutton,  and  to  for- 
bid them  on  any  pretence  to  approach  within  twelve  miles  of  the  court. 
Tlio  iting  Rgreed  to  banish  all  named,  save  the  lords,  for  a  whole  year, 
unleu,  HI  the  answer  written  for  him  very  significantly  said,  he  should 
neod  their  services  in  the  suppression  of  rebellion.  Still  farther  to  show 
liii  8eu3e  of  the  temper  of  the  lower  house,  the  king — or  rather  his 
ftndti'relused  to  consent  to  a  bill  of  attainder  against  the  late  duke  of 
'ifMk,  though  it  had  passed  through  all  the  parliamentary  stages. 
*,  D.  1452. — The  mere  demonstrations  thus  made  by  the  house  of  com- 
iou5,even  though  it  had  proved  but  partially  successful,  was  sufficie  .:  to 
ncourage  the  duke  to  more  open  advances,  and  ho  issued  a  proclamation 
lemanding  a  thorough  reform  of  the  government,  and  especially  a  removal 
ofthe  duke  of  Somerset  from  all  office  and  autliority ;  and  he  then  march- 
ed upon  London  with  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men.  Greatly  popular  as 
he  liiiew  himself  to  be  in  London,  where  he  counted  upon  an  afTectioiiate 
welcome  and  a  considerable  addition  to  his  force,  he  was  astounded  to  find 
the  gates  fast  closed  against  him.  Scarcely  knowing  how  to  act  under 
such  unexpected  and  untoward  circumstances,  he  retreated  into  Kent, 
whither  he  was  closely  pursued  by  the  king  at  the  head  of  a  far  superior 
army.  In  the  king's  suite  were  Salisbury,  Warwick,  and  many  more  fast 
fiiendsof  the  duke  of  York,  who  probably  thus  attended  the  king  in  hope 
of  serving  York  as  mediators,  or  even,  should  an  action  take  place,  turning 
the  fortune  of  the  day  by  suddenly  leading  their  forces  to  his  side.  A  par- 
j  ley  ensued,  and  Somerset  was  ordered  into  arrest  to  await  a  parliamen- 
tary trial,  and  York,  whom  the  court  did  not  as  yet  dare  to  assail,  was 
ordered  to  confine  himself  to  his  secluded  house  at  VVigmore  in  I!ere- 
I  fordshire. 

Cool  and  circumspect  as  he  was  resolute,  the  duke  of  York  lived  qui- 
lellyinthis  retirement  for  some  time,  but  was  at  length  called  from  it  by 
the  torrent  of  popular  indignation  against  the  ministers,  which  followed  a 
[neiv  and  abortive  attempt  to  reconquer  Gascony ;  in  which  attempt,  be- 
Iddos  a  vast  number  of  men,  the  English  lost  their  deservedly  beloved  gen- 
jeral,  the  earlof  Shrewsbury,  who  fell  in  battle  at  the  age  of  more  than 
jeighly  years.  This  event,  and  the  queen  giving  birth  to  a  son,  which  did 
I  away  with  the  hope  great  numbers  had  entertained  that  York  might  wait 
Vol.  L— 25 


386 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


and  sucL-eed  to  Ilenry  quietly  and  as  next  heir,  urged  tlie  Yorkists  bevomi 
al'  fiirtlier  power  of  ttieir  chief  to  control  them;  and  Henry  beiair  bv  a 
illness,  now  rendered  too  completely  imbecile  even  to  appear  to  rule  ii 
queen  and  her  council  were  obliged  to  yield  to  the  torrent  of  populirLf 
ing,  Mul  they  consented  to  send  Somerset  to  the  Tower— he  beinjf  now 
hated  even  more  than  Suffolk  had  formerly  been— and  to  appoint  thednkn 
of  York  lieutenant  of  the  kingdom.  The  friends  of  the  duke  of  York 
might,  naturally  enough,  desire  to  see  him  in  a  situation  so  favourable  to 
him  and  tlieir  ultimate  views;  but  the  duke's  conduct  wholly  disappoimpj 
any  expectations  they  niight  have  formed  of  decisive  measures  on  bis  part 
as  he  fairly  and  moderately  exerted  the  proper  authority  of  his  oflicc  and 
no  more.  ' 

A.  D.  1 155.— Margaret  and  her  friends,  however  well  pleased  to  profit  bv 
the  duke's  moderation,  showed  no  intention  of  imitating  it.  On  tbe  con- 
trary, the  king  recovering  sufficiently  to  be  again  put  forward  in  public  as 
if  acting  from  his  own  free  will,  was  made  to  annul  the  appoiiuincm  o( 
York,  and  to  release  Somerset  from  the  Tower,  and  give  hiui  back  all  his 
former  power.  Hven  the  moderation  of  York  was  no  longer  able  to  avoid 
open  extremities,  as  it  was  clear  from  the  hasty  annulling  of  his  commis- 
sion, that  he  was  not  safe  from  being,  by  some  artful  device,  brought  iiiio 
difficulty  for  having  even  consented  to  accept  it.  But  even  now,  though 
he  called  his  forces  about  him  and  placed  himself  at  their  head,  he  made 
no  claim  to  the  crown,  but  limited  his  demands  to  a  reformation  of  the 
government  and  dismissal  of  the  obnoxious  ministry. 

The  hostile  forces  met  near  St  Alban's,  and  in  the  battle  •.vhicli  ensued 
the  Yorkists  gained  the  victory,  their  enemies  losing  5000  men,  including 
the  detested  Somerset,  Stafford,  eldest  son  of  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  ihj 
lord  Clifford,  and  many  other  leading  men  of  the  party.  The  prisoiifrs 
too,  were  numerous,  and,  chief  of  all,  the  king  was  among  tliein.  llis 
own  utter  imbecility  and  the  mild  temper  of  the  duke  of  York  saved  the 
unfortunate  Henry  from  all  annoyance.  The  duke  showed  him  every 
possible  respect  and  tenderness;  and  though  he  availed  hiniself  of  jm 
good  fortinie  to  exert  all  the  kingly  authority,  while  still  leaving  undaimed 
the  empty  title  of  king,  Henry  was  little  inclined  to  quarrel  with  an  nr- 
rangeinent  which  saved  him  from  what  he  most  of  all  detested,  cxeriioa 
and  trouble. 

The  moderate  or  timid  policy  of  the  duke  of  York,  and  the  spirit  aiij 
iibility  with  which  Margaret  kept  together  her  weakened  party,  prevciiitd 
farther  bloodshed  for  a  time,  even  alier  this  battle  had  commeiicea  the 
dread  war  of  "  the  roses ;"  in  which,  besides  innumerable  skirmislips, 
twelve  pitched  battles  were  fought  upon  English  ground,  and  which  for 
thirty  long  years  divided  families,  desolated  the  land,  and  caused  a  loss 
of  life  of  which  some  notion  may  be  formed  from  the  simple  faet,  that 
among  t!ie  slain  were  no  fewer  than  eighty  princes  of  the  blood!  The 
parliament,  seeing  the  disinclination  of  the  duke  of  York  to  grasp  the 
sceptre  which  seemed  so  nearly  within  his  reach,  shaped  its  prcceediiigs 
accordingly;  and  while,  by  granting  an  indemnity  to  the  Yoikisis  and  re- 
storing the  duke  to  his  office  of  lieutenant  or  protector  of  the  kingdom, 
they  renewed  their  oaths  of  allegiance  to  the  unconscious  and  imbecile 
king,  and  limited  York's  appointment  to  the  time  when  the  king's  son, . 
who  was  now  made  prince  of  Wales,  should  attain  his  majority.  This 
parliament  also  did  good  service  by  revoking  all  the  impolitic  and  exten- 
sive grants  which  had  been  made  since  the  death  of  the  late  king,  and  | 
which  were  so  extensive  that  they  had  mainly  caused  the  excessive  pov 
erty  into  which  the  crown  had  fallen. 

A.  D.  1 45G. — Margaret  was  of  too  stern  and  eager  a  nature  to  npfilett  any  I 
of  the  opportunities  of  strengthening  her  party  which  were  afforded  by  I 
the  singular  moderation  or  indecision  of  York.    The  king  having  a  teoi 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


387 


porary  lucid  interval— for  his  real  disease  was  a  sort  of  idiotcy— she  took 
advaiitiigfl  of  the  duke's  absence  to  parade  her  unfortunate  and  passive 
husband  before  the  parliament,  and  to  make  him  declare  his  intention  of 
resuming  his  auliiority.  Unexpecied  as  this  proposal  was,  York's  friends 
were  wholly  unpreparjd  with  any  reasonable  argument  against  it;  and, 
indeed,  many  of  them,  being  sufTercrs  from  the  recent  resumption  of  thf 
.•ro«n  grants,  were  greatly  disgusted  with  their  leader  on  that  account. 
The  king  was  accordingly  pronounced  in  possession  of  his  proper  aulhor- 
iiv;  and  York,  constant  to  his  moderate  or  temporising  polity,  laid  down 
his  office  without  a  struggle  or  even  a  complaint. 
A,  D.  Hi57.— The  king,  or  rather  Margaret,  being  thus  agMxi  in  full  iioj- 
lession  of  power,  the  court  went  to  pass  a  season  at  Coventrj',  wiere 
York  and  the  earls  of  Warwick  and  Salisbury  were  invited  to  v-sit  the 
king.  They  were  so  unsuspicious  of  the  real  motive  of  this  invitation, 
ihattiiey  readily  accepted  it,  and  were  actually  on  tho  road  when  they 
were  informed  of  Margaret's  intention  certainly  to  seize  uwn  their  per- 
sons, and,  not  improbably,  to  put  them  to  death.  On  iscc.ving  this  start- 
ling intelligence  the  friends  separated,  to  prepare  for  their  defence 
against  the  open  violence  which,  it  seemed  probable,  Margaret  would 
jesort  to  on  finding  her  treachery  discovered  and  disappointed  ;  York  re- 
tiring to  Wigmore,  Salisbury  to  his  noblo  place  at  Middlehum  in  York- 
shire, and  Warwick  to  Calais,  of  which  he  had  been  made  governor  after 
ihe  bailie  of  St.  Alban's,  and  whi<*h  was  especially  valuable  to  the  York- 
ist cause,  inasmuch  as  it  contained  the  only  regular  military  body  which 
England  than  supported.  Even  now  York  was  not  inclined  to  proceed  to 
eit°remitic» ;  and  as  Margarst  on  her  part  was  doubtful  as  to  the  sufficien- 
cy of  her  military  strength,  and  well  aware  of  the  very  great  extent  to 
which  the  popular  sympathies  were  enlisted  on  the  side  of  York,  a  pause 
ensued,  of  which  Pourchier,  archbishop  of  York,  and  some  other  sincere 
lovers  of  their  country,  availed  themselves,  to  attempt  a  mediation  by 
which  the  people  might  be  spared  the  ruinous  and  revolting  horrors  of 
civil  war. 

A.  D.  1458. — The  humane  endaavour  of  these  personages  so  far  siiceeod- 
edithal  the  leaders  of  both  parties  agreed  to  meet  in  London  for  a  solemn 
and  public  reconciliation  :  but  the  very  manner  of  their  meeting,  notwith- 
standing the  avowed  purpose  of  it,  was  sufficient  to  have  convinced  all 
sccurale  observers  of  the  little  reliance  that  could  be  placed  upon  the 
friendly  feelings  of  either  party.  Both  came  numerously  attended,  and 
both  kept  their  attendants  near  them,  and  in  the  same  close  watch  v  nd 
serried  distribution  as  would  be  observed  in  hostile  armies  encamped  u^on 
the  same  ground  at  evening,  preparatory  for  the  bloodshed  and  the  strug- 
gle of  ihe  morrow. 

Though  this  mutual  jealousy  and  dread  augured  but  ill  for  the  perma- 
nence of  a  friendship  declared  under  such  circumstances,  the  terms  be- 
Hveen  the  opposing  parties  were  arranged  without  much  difficulty  and 
wholly  without  strife;  and  the  hollow  peace  having  been  fully  arranged, 
the  parlies  went  in  solemn  procession  to  St.  Paul's,  that  their  union  might 
be  evident  to  the  people;  York  gallantly  leading  by  the  iiand  his  truculent 
Jnd  implacable  enemy  Margaret,  and  each  of  the  couples  who  followed 
ihemin  the  procession  being  composed  of  a  leading  man  of  the  opposing 
parlies  respectively. 

j  AD.  1459. — The  peace  thus  patched  up  was  of  exactly  the  frail  tenure 
ihal  might  have  been  anticipated.  The  trivial  accident  of  a  retainer  of 
Ihe  earl  of  Warwick  being  insulted  led  to  a  general  brawl,  swords  were 
ilrawn,  ihc  fight  became  serious,  and  the  royal  party  being  the  more  nu- 
iiicrous,  Warwick  only  saved  his  own  life  by  flying  to  Calais.  This  ori 
hiiially  petty  affair  put  an  end  to  peace;  both  parties  took  off  their  masks 
everywhere  the  din  of  preparation  was  heard,  and  it  became  evident  oven 


388 


THK  TRBABtnY  OF  HI8T0EY. 


to  those  who  most  desired  peace  for  their  country,  that  a  civil  war  wai 
now  wholly  inevitable. 

The  carl  of  Salisbury  having  raised  a  considerable  force,  was  maljini 
hasty  marches  to  form  a  Juntuion  wiili  the  duke  of  York,  when  lio  waj 
overtaken  at  Ulore  heath,  in  StafTordshirc,  by  a  much  Inrt^er  party  of  the 
rovnlists  under  the  lord  Audley.  Sulisibury's  numerical  inferiority  was 
fully  compensated  by  his  superiority  of  judgment.  To  reach  liitn  the 
royalists  had  to  descend  a  sleep  bank  and  cross  a  stream.  Salisbury 
caused  his  men  to  retreat,  as  if  alarmed  at  their  enemies'  number;  and 
Audley,  falling  into  the  snare,  gave  his  vanguard  the  word  to  charge  and 
led  them  in  full  pursuit.  As  the  vanguard  reached  the  side  of  the  riv. 
ulet,  Salisbury  suddenly  faced  about,  and  having  only  to  deal  with  a  l)ody 
inferior  to  his  own,  put  it  completely  to  the  rout,  tho  remaining  body  of 
the  royalists,  instead  of  hastening  over  to  support  their  comrades,  be- 
taking Ihcmselvcs  to  flight  in  good  earnest. 

York's  post  was  at  Ludlow,  in  Shropshire,  and  thither  Salisbury  now 
marched  his  troops,  whose  spirits  were  heightened  and  confirmed  by  their 
victory.  Soon  after  his  arrival  York  received  a  new  accession  to  his 
numbers,  the  earl  of  Warwick  joining  him  with  a  body  of  veterans  from 
the  garrison  of  Calais.  York  was  naturally  delighted  with  this  accession 
of  disciplined  men,  who,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  must  necessarily 
have  been  of  immense  importance ;  but  their  commander.  Sir  Andrew 
Trollope,  turned  their  presence  into  a  calamity  instead  of  an  advantage 
to  the  duke's  cause.  The  royal  army  arrived  in  sight  of  the  Yorkists, 
and  a  general  action  was  to  take  place  on  the  morrow,  when  Sir  Andrc«| 
under  cover  of  the  night,  basely  led  his  veterans  over  to  the  king.  The 
mere  loss  of  a  large  and  disciplined  body  of  men  was  the  least  mischici 
this  treachery  did  to  York.  It  spread  a  perfect  panic  of  suspicion  and 
dismay  through  the  camp ;  the  very  leaders  could  no  longer  rely  upon 
each  other's  good  faith;  hope  and  confidence  fled,  and  the  Yorkists  deter- 
mined to  separate  and  await  some  more  favourable  state  of  things  ere  put- 
ting their  cause  to  the  hazard  of  a  pitched  battle.  The  duke  of  York  re 
tired  to  Ireland,  where  he  was  universally  beloved,  and  Warwick  returned 
to  Calais,  were  he  was  from  lime  to  time  joined  by  largo  reinforcement j; 
York's  friends  who  remained  in  England  continuing  to  recruit  for  him  iis 
zealously  as  though  his  cause  had  sustained  no  check  from  the  recent 
treason. 

A.  D.  1460. — Having  completed  his  own  preparations,  and  being  satisfied 
from  the  advices  of  his  friends  in  England  that  he  might  rely  upon  a  con- 
siderable rising  of  the  people  in  his  favour,  Warwick  now  sailed  from 
Calais  with  a  large  and  well-equipped  army,  and,  after  capturing  someoi 
the  royal  vessels  at  sea,  landed  in  safety  on  the  coast  of  Kent,  accom- 
panied by  the  earl  of  Marche,  the  eldest  son  of  the  duke  of  York,  and 
the  earl  of  Salisbury ;  and  on  his  road  to  London  he  was  joined  by  the 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Lord  Cobham,  and  other  powerful  nobles  and 
gentlemen. 

The  city  of  London  eagerly  opened  its  pates  to  Warwick,  whose  numbers 
daily  increased  so  much,  that  he  was  able  with  confidence  to  advance  to 
Northampton  to  meet  the  royal  army.  The  battle  commenced  furiously 
on  both  sides,  but  was  speedily  decided.  The  royalists  who  had  lately 
been  benefited  by  treason  were  now  suflTcrers  from  it;  the  lord  Grey o( 
Ruthin,  who  had  the  command  of  its  vanguard,  leading  the  whole  of  his 
troops  over  to  the  Yorkists.  A  universal  panic  spread  through  the  royal- 
wts  by  this  base  treachery,  and  the  battle  became  a  rout.  The  slaugiitei 
among  the  nobility  was  tremendous,  and  included  the  duke  of  Bucking-  j 
ham,  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury,  Lord  Egremont,  Sir  William  Lucie,  and 
many  other  gallant  oflScers.  The  loss  of  the  common  soldiery  on  tiie  | 
toyal  bide  was  comparatively  trifling;  the  earl  of  Warwick  and  his  col 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTOIW. 


tM 


teaiucs  diroctiiiff  the  Yorkists,  both  in  the  battle  aitd  the  chase,  to  spare 
ihfl  »oldipry,  but  to  give  no  quarlur  «moiig  the  leaders. 

The  uiitmppy  Henry,  who  was  far  more  fit  for  the  quiet  scchision  of 
laiiic  well-ordered  country  abode,  was  by  the  compulsion  of  his  inipcrl- 
'  ^yifo  a  spectator  of  this  battle,  and  was  taken  prisoner ;  but  both  policy 
aiidifood  feeling  led  the  Yorkist  leaders  to  show  every  respect  and  kind- 
ncsjl""""  whose  greatest  misfortune  was  beinjf  a  king,  and  whose  great- 
est fiiult  was  a  disease  of  the  brain  ;  whose  patient  and  simple  bearing; 
moreover,  had  won  him  the  tender  pity  of  his  people. 

Warwick  marched  with  his  royal  cantivo  to  London,  where  the  duke  of 
Yorkahurtly  afterwards  arrived  from  Ireland,  and  a  parliament  was  sum- 
moned in  the  king's  name  to  meet  at  Westminster  on  tlie  7ih  of  Ociober. 
The  real  or  affected  scruples  of  York  were  now  wholly  at  an  end,  and 
he  had  determined  to  bring  forward  for  the  first  time  an  open  and  positive 
claim  to  the  throne.  But  even  now  he  would  only  do  so  through  the 
medium  of  a  farce  which  ono  cannot  read  of  without  feeling  something 
like  contempt  for  him,  in  spite  of  the  remarkable  ability  of  his  general 
conduct.  Though  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  knew  the  intentions  of 
Yori(  fully  as  well  as  the  duke  himself  knew  them,  that  prelate  on  seeing 
him  enter  the  house  of  lords  and  advance  towards  the  throne,  asked  him, 
ina  low  tone,  whether  he  had  as  yet  paid  his  respects  to  the  king;  and 
York  answered — as  the  prelate  well  knew  that  ho  was  to  answer — that  he 
knew  of  no  one  to  whom  he  owed  the  respect  due  to  that  title.  How  two 
urave  men  could  unblushingly  perform  this  scene  of  needless  mockery,  or 
how  tliey  (^o"l^  perform  it  unchecked  by  the  indignant  and  contemptuous 
iauKhter  of  their  fellow-peers,  it  really  is  not  easy  to  imagine. 

Having  by  this  ridiculous  scene  made  all  the  preparations  that  he  could 
desire,  tiie  duke  placed  himself  close  to  the  throne,  and  addressed  a  long 
speech  to  the  peers  in  advocacy  of  his  right  to  the  throne,  and  in  com- 
ment upon  the  treason  and  cruelty  by  which  the  house  of  Lancaster  had 
usurped  and  kept  possession  of  it.  So  unnecessary  was  the  farce  with 
which  the  duke  had  thought  fit  to  preface  the  statement — so  well  prepared 
were  at  least  the  majority  of  the  peers  present  to  hear  it,  that  they  pro- 
ceeded  to  take  the  subject  into  consideration  as  coolly  as  their  descend* 
anis  of  the  present  day  would  resolve  themselves  into  a  committee  for  the 
consideration  of  a  turnpike  bill.  The  duke  probably  was  not  very  well 
pleased  with  the  excess  of  this  coolness ;  for  the  spot  upon  which  he  had 
piacedhimself  and  his  bearing  throughout  the  scene  go  to  show,  that  he 
expected  that  the  peers  would  by  acclamation  place  him  upon  the  throne 
against  which  he  leaned. 

The  lords  having  invited  the  leading  members  of  the  lower  house  to  aid 
them  ill  the  investigation  of  the  claim  of  the  duke  of  York,  objections 
were  made  to  it,  grounded  on  former  parliamentary  settlements  of  the  suc- 
cession, and  upon  the  fact  that  the  duke,  who  had  always  borne  the  arms 
of  York,  now  claimed  through  the  house  of  Clarence;  but  to  both  these 
objections  the  duke*s  friends  replied  by  alledging  the  prevailing  power  and 
^reat  tyranny  of  the  Lancastrians  ;  and  the  peers,  whom  this  reply  satis- 
fied—as,  no  (Joubt,  had  been  didy  agreed  upon  long  before  they  met  in  the 
house— proceeded  to  determine  that  the  title  of  the  duke  of  York  was 
beyond  doubt  just  and  indefeasible,  but  that  in  consideration  of  Henry 
haung  worn  the  crown  thirty-eight  years,  he  should  continue  to  do  so 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  the  duke  acting  during  that  time  as  regent. 
The  lords  further  determined  tha!  the  duke  should  succeed  to  the  throne 
at  Henry's  decease;  that  any  attempts  upon  his  life  should  be  equally 
treason  with  attempts  on  the  life  of  the  king;  and  that  this  new  set- 
tlemrnt  of  the  crown  should  be  final,  and  abrogate  and  annul  ihe 
settlement  maoe  previously.  The  duke  was  well  contented  with  this 
moderate  settlement  of  the  question  ;  the  weak-minded  and  captive  king 


300 


THE  TURA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


Iiad  of  -oiirsf  no  power  lo  oppose  it,  nnd  this  Iransfrr  of  (ho  »ctll(>n\ci,i 
ajf  recti  'o  l)y  tl><;  w  Uo\u  piirljinnoni  wiili  luBs  excitemi'it  man  a  Irivwl  n"?' 
qucHtioii  has  often  caused  smce.  '  •'"'3' 

Invested  willi  llio  rcgeiicy,  and  alao  h"  ing  l!io  I.lng's  person  ii,  i, 
power,  York  was  now  king  in  all  but  name  ;  but  he  too  well  uiiit(.r>,i(  j 
the  audacious  and  able  spirit  of  Queen  Mar^jaret,  to  deem  hiiusi'lf  rierm 
nently  in  possession  as  long  as  she  remained  in  the  kingdom  nt  liticri! 
Anxious  lo  gel  her  into  his  power,  that  he  might  either  injfJrisoiiDrlnni  i' 
her,  he  sent  her,  in  the  name  of  her  husband,  a  summons  to  j(,ir)  iii,, '  ' 
London.     But  iMargaret.  who  was  busy  raising  forces  in  Scoihuid  and  tl"' 
north  of  England,  by  promising  to  tiie  bravest  and  most  turbulent  nior  l" 
those  parts  the  spoiling  of  all  the  country  north  of  the  Treul,  mioy'i  ','| 
complying  with  this  summons,  unfurled   the  royal  standard,  m  '    j, ,,,. 
herself  at  the  head  of  twenty  thousand  men,  ami  prepared  ti  figl,  •'  .^.  ' 
other  battle  against  York  in  despite  of  disadvantageous  foiiii  ,  ,    \\\..iUa 
from  some  unaeeountable  want  of  judgment  on  the  part  cti  iho  '!ii\p  J 
from  the  exceeding  popularity  of  Margaret  among  *\.c  inhal^nai,  ,   /iJ 
north,  causing  him  to  be  wantonly  misled  a?  to  h«  f  ,-■-  ouras,  tlit  luU 
with  only  five  thousand  men  marched  against  Mii    ■       ,  arn)y,  as  ihoiui, 
he  had  merely  to  put  down  an  ordinary  revolt  of  an   indiseiplimd  liamlfui 
of  men.     A  fatal  mistake,  from  whatever  l  luse  it  arose  !    The  u,iki.  haj 
already  led  his  little  army  as  far  as  Wakefield,  in  Yorkshire,  ere  licdjj. 
covered  his  error  just  in  time  to  throu   himself  in  Sandal  Cast!',  in  HiJiJ 
neighbourhood  ;  and  even  now  he  might  have  been  safe  had  lie  nut  bipn 
guilty  of  a  second  error,  for  which  no  one  but  himself  could  nossilily  be 
blamed.     He  was  urged  by  the  carl  of  Salisbury  and  ilie  restofilu;  friends 
who  accompanied  him,  to  keep  close  within  thi;  ciulle  nntd  ins  son,  lln' 
carl  of  March,  could  arrive  from  the  i)orders  of  Wales,  where  he  was  levy 
ing  troops,  and  thus,  when  he  had  something  like  an  equality  as  to  num. 
bers,  to  descend  into  the  plain  and  give  the  queen  battle.     This  prudim 
conn- '1  the  duke  with  nnconceivable  folly  rejected,  upon  the  ridiculDiu 
plea  that  he  should  bo  forever  disgraced  as  a  soldier  were  he  to  nmam 
shut  lip  within  a  fortress  because  threatened  by  a  woman.     Now  the  duke 
must   lull  well  have  known,  that,  spirited  and  sanguinary  as  Marcnnt 
undoubtedly  was,  she  was  in  merely  the  nominal  command  of  her  army 
tliat  she  was  aided  by  commanders  of  whose  talents  it  would  be  no  dis- 
grace to  him  to  show  his  respect;  and  that  finally,  her  force  oulnunibcreil 
his  in  the  overwhelming  proportion  of  four  to  one.     13ut  the  tnilh  was, 
that  the  duke  had  more  courage  as  a  knight  than  judgment  as  a  com- 
inander:  and,  in  spile  of  all  that  could  be  said  by  his  real  and  judiciuiis 
friends,  he  obstinately  persisted  in  descending  to  the  neighbouring  phin 
and  giving  battle  to  the  queen.     As  might  have  been  anticipated,  tlie  ruyid- 
ists  availed  themselves  of  their  vast  numerical  superiority,  and  at  the 
commencement  of  the  action  detached  a  considerable  body  to  fall  npoiithc 
rear  of  the  duke's  force.     This  manojuvre  hastened  the  event,  vvliicli  was 
not  doubtful  even  from  V>     o'TMeneament ;  the  duke's  army  was  com- 
pi'  :i;ly  routed  and  he  himself  \\ai  among  the  number  of  tlu  -  lin. 

That  Margaret  should    \'\sf.  t'.>  <^.  •  ■  the  pri:i  •■        j  natural,  even  apart 
from  any  doubt  she  mig  .c!     is  to  the  buperiority  of  his  claim  to 

that  of  her  husl)and  ;  but  her  conduct  after  the  battle  showed  a  depraved 
and  virulent  feeling,  which  was  at  once  unwomanly  and  of  evil  anijiiryto 
the  people  in  the  event  of  her  ever  being  firmly  fixed  in  power.  The  body 
of  her  illustrious  opponent,  whose  triumph  would  have  been  seenrc  snnie 
years  before  had  he  chosen  to  push  his  power  to  extremity,  was  loiiU 
among  the  slain;  and  this  disgustingly  unfeminme  queen  had  the  lieml 
■truck  off  and  affixed  to  the  gale  of  York  castle,  a  paper  crown  being  first 
placed  upon  the  ghastly  head,  in  bitter  and  cruel  mockery  of  the  duke's 
unsuccessful  endeavours.    Margaret's  cruel  temper  seems  to  have  io 


THK  T11KA8U11Y  OF  UI.htoHY. 


391 


lliirn'"' 


,1  l<or  frieliilM      Tl  t;  vounu 


only  HPvniilciK 


rs  old,  lii'iiiK  ,  ikffi  prisoner  '.iiul  I* 


inJltlCIl  Hilly  Hf"      .-  .        .         -  ■ ■  ■ 

..ffiK'c  of  l.oril  riifTord,  w.i»  by  that  noblei    i  I's  own  liiiihi 


'  i?iiilnn<i,iinn  of  tin.  dukc  of  Vork, 
I  into  the 

'phiH  il:i»tiin)ly  biiicln-'y  of  ii  nwrc  '>oy  is  aci  <nintcd  for  l)y  llii!  Insh  ■  mi 
PI,  itifigrouiufof  ClifViM  'V  own  fiilliff  having  perishml  in  the  hatlhi  .  St. 
Albiin's!  As  though  that  could  have  hcen  aii)  ^  istificalion  of  his  prL's^'nt 
liuirhciy  "f  "i  youiiij  prince  whu  at  lh(!  time  of  th  ('  Hitilo  was  bun 
nvelve  yciirH  old !  Anollicr  illustrious  victim  was  the  earl  of  Sali.snury, 
wliolieiiig  severely  wounded  was  taken  prisoner,  carried  to  Pontufract, 
Biiiiiticre  hnhoaded. 

ihishaUie  was  a  terrible  loss  to  the  Yorkis,  upwards  Ttlireo  tlicusand 
of  whom  perished,  besides  the  duko.  That  pn  "  was  only  fifty  yt^ars  of 
ijfcwlu'ii  he  fell,  and  was  reasonably  looked  u  i  by  his  party  as  heinfl 
lil(,.|y  to  he  Iheir  support  and  ornament  forniany  i  ,irs.  He  was  sueceeded 
111  his  title  and  pretensions  by  his  oldest  son,  Kdward;  be.iidis  whom  he 
lefil«o  other  sons,  (Jeorgo  and  Richard,  and  three  daughters,  Amic,  Kliza. 
bdh,  mid  Margaret. 

A.  D.  1101.— lininediately  after  this  action  the  able  ml  active,  though 
most  hatefully  cruel  Margaret,  marched  with  tlie  main  mdy  if  her  army 
amiiist  llie  carl  of  Warwick,  who  was  left  in  command  of  Hit;  main  body 
of  the  Yorkists  at  Ijondon,  while  she  sent  a  detachment  iiii  Vr  .lasiier  Tu- 
dor, earl  of  Pembroke,  and  half-brother  to  her  unfortuiiale  hi,  band,  against 
Kdward,  tlio  new  duke  of  York,  who  was  still  on  the  Wei  '  'lonler.  The 
earl  of  I'enihroke  and  the  duke  of  York  met  at  Mortimer's  <  ss,  in  Here- 
fordshire, when  the  carl  was  completely  routed  with  the  iss  of  nearly 
fourthousand  men  ;  the  remainder  of  his  force  being  sralten  I  it,  all  di- 
rections, and  he  himself  haviiiij:  no  siniill  ililTiculty  in  miNiiig  i;  >i)tl  his  re- 
treat. Ills  fath(!r,  Sir  Owen  Tudor,  who  accompanied  iiim  ti>  tiis  disas- 
trous bailie,  was  still  less  fortunate  ;  being  taken  prisoner  and  ;  I  into  the 
presence  of  the  duke  of  York,  that  prince  instanily  ordered  hii  to  be  be 
headed. 

Mar;;arct  was  more  fortunate  than  Pembroke.  She  encoutiti  d  War- 
wiik  at  St.  Alban's,  whit.,<  r  ho  had  marched  from  London  to  n  et  her 
\V,iruii:k's  own  force  was  large,  and  he  was  strongly  reiiifoi(M-il  i)  volun- 
teers, llie  Louiloners  being  for  the  most  part  staunch  Yorkists.  At  the 
loiiiint'iiceinent  of  the  battle  Warwick  even  had  tiic  advanliige,  lUt  he 
Has  sudileiily  desertiMl  by  Lovelace,  who  commanded  under  him,  ;i  d  who 
li'J  the  whole  of  his  men  over  to  the  enemy.  The  consetiucnce  w  is  the 
coiiiplcU!  rout  of  the  Yorkists,  two  thousaiiil  three  hundred  of  whom  per- 
ished on  the  field.  Many  Yorkists  also  were  taken  prisoners,  as  w;is  the 
unhappy  king,  who  had  been  taken  to  the  battle  by  Warwick,  and  wl.o,  ia 
f.ilhng  again  into  the  "power  of  his  queen,  could  scarcely  so  proper!  v  oe 
said  lo  be res(!ued  as  tube  taken  prisoner.  Uiilia[)py  prince  !  liitow  jse 
hiu.ls  soever  he  might  pass,  the  weakness  of  his  mind  rendend  him  but 
l!i  mere  tool  and  pretext  of  his  possessors,  who  hurried  him  hitlier  and 
I    her,  MOW  vexing  his  dull  intellect  with  the  suiitlo  stilicmes  of  [lariy,  ind 

'.V  slariliiig  his  tame  and  timorous  sjiirit  with  the  bloody  scenes  and  rude 

irms  of  the  tented  field.     Unhappy,  thrice  unhappy  prince! 

Margaret  here  gave  a  new  proof  of  her  sanguinary  tempi'r.  Lord  Bon- 
ville.  who  iiad  been  entrusted  with  the  care  of  the  king's  person  during  the 
bilile,  was  rather  agreeable  to  the  weak  prince,  who,  on  the  d(!f(  it  of  the 
Yorkists,  begoed  this  nobleman  to  remain,  and  assured  him  of  par. Ion  and 
arDicriion.  liut  Margaret,  as  soon  as  the  confusion  of  battle  allowed  ',er 
i.)  I!:  erfcre.  ordered  him  to  be  beheaded  ;  and  a  similar  doom  was  •'.iiiieted 
'.7  .Sir  Thomas  Kyriel,  who  had  greatly  distinguished  hiir..elf  during 
iii<  nar-i  ill  l''raiice. 

Ilefore  Miigaret  could  turn  the  victory  she  thus  ab'.scd  to  any  practical 
ikivautage,  the  young  duke  of  York  rapidly  approached  her ;  aud  as  she 


iag^^'op' 


S9S 


TIIK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


'."ll^l 


"T 


XI- 

f'1 

1 

'MK.  t  4         1  ^   ^ 

In 

m-[. 

K'' 

m 

■k 

1 

lKHHif.7  *i 

y. 

9 

wpi 

i 

1 

was  sensible  of  Imr  disarlvanfagps  in  hriiiff  between  his  army  anri  T.nnrlnn 
where  he  was  so  popuUir,  she  liaslily  rptreuted  northward ;  while  Kdwirrf' 
whom  "t"-  i"'^  narrowly  avoided,  and  who^^e  army  was  far  more  niimemn 
thnn  hers,  entered  London  m  triumph,  and  to  the  great  delight  oi  his  pan  • 
Finding  his  cause  so  numerously  supported  by  the  Londoners,  and  greatf 
elated  by  the  cordial  gratulations  which  they  bestowed  upon  him  whirl 
he  doubtless  owed  fully  as  much  to  his  youth,  the  elegance  of  his  persoi 
and  his  kindly  though  courtly  address,  he  determined  to  cast  aside  all  the 
hesitation  and  delay  wliich  had  proved  so  fatal  to  his  father,  to  assume  ihn 
throne  in  despite  of  Henry's  existence,  and  to  maintain  his  assumption 
by  treating'  as  traitors  and  rebels  all  who  should  venture  to  oppose  it.  As 
however,  lie  was  desirous  of  having  at  least  the  appearance  of  the  national 
consent  to  his  claims,  and  as  the  appealing  to  parliament  would  be  infin. 
itely  too  tedious  for  his  impatience,  and  might  even  give  time  for  some 
fatal  bar  to  arise  to  his  success,  he  assembled  his  army  and  a  great  mul. 
titude  of  the  Londoners  in  St.  John's  Fields,  where  an  artful  and  yet  pas. 
sionate  harangue  was  pronounced  in  vituperation  of  the  other  faction,  and 
in  support  of  the  claims  and  in  praise  of  the  high  qualities  of  Edward  him- 
self.  Such  an  harangue  as  this,  delivered  before  a  meeting  composed 
exclusively  of  the  friends  and  partizans  of  Edward,  could  not  fail  to  elicit 
applause;  and  when  it  was  followed  up  by  the  question  "which  kiniftjiey 
would  have,  Henry  of  Lancaster  or  Kdward  of  York  1"  who  can  be  iii'doubt 
&8  to  the  reply  with  which  the  multitude  made  the  very  welkin  ring,  Ed- 
ward duke  of  York  having  thus  been  hailed  by  "the  people"  as  theii  king 
under  the  style  of  Kdward  IV.,  certain  peers,  prelates,  and  other  influen- 
tial personages  were  next  assembled  at  Haynard's  castle,  wlio  confirmed 
what  they  obstinately  affected  to  call  'the  people's  decision ;"  and  Edward 
IV.  was  duly  proclaimed  king  on  the  5th  of  March,  thus  putting  a  formal 
end  to  the  reign  of  the  unfortunate  Henry,  whose  infancy  was  graced  wiih 
two  crowns,  and  hailed  by  the  loyal  shouts  of  two  nations,  and  whose 
manhood  had  been  only  one  long  series  of  servitude  in  the  hands  ol 
avowed  enemies,  or  of  friends  whose  yoke  was  quite  as  heavy,  and  per 
haps  even  more  painful. 


CHAPTPJR  XXXIIL 

THE    REIGN    or    EDWARD    IV. 

Though  Fid  ward  was  now  only  in  his  twentieth  year,  he  had  alreaaj 
griven  proofs  of  activity,  courage  and  avcry  determined  purpose;  lowhicji 
we  must  add.  that  almost  the  very  first  act  of  his  reign  showed  that  if  he 
wet"  more  prompt  and  resolute  than  his  father,  he  was  also  by  far  more 
vioh  It  and  sanguinary.  A  citizen  of  London  had  the  sign  of  the  crown 
above  his  shop,  and  jocularly  said  that  his  son  should  bn  "heir  to  the 
crown."  Anything  more  harmless  than  this  jocular  speech,  or  more  ob- 
vious than  the  tradesman's  real  meaning,  it  would  not  be  ea.syto  imagine 
But  Edward,  jealous  of  his  title  and  feeling  himself  insecure  upon  tlio 
throne,  iravc  a  treasonable  interpretation  to  a  merry  joke,  insisted  that  it 
had  a  derisive  allusion  to  himself,  and  actually  had  the  unfortunate  man 
condemned  for  treason — and  executed  ! 

This  brutal  murder  was  a  fitting  prelude  to  the  scenes  of  slaughter  with 
which  the  kingdom  was  soon  filled ;  and  plainly  proclaimed  that  Margaret 
had  now  to  deal  with  an  opponent  to  the  full  as  truculent  ,iiul  unsparini! 
as  herself.  The  nation  was  divided  into  Lancastrians  and  Yorkists,  thi 
former  bearing  the  symbol  of  the  red,  the  latter  of  the  white  rose ;  and  si 
though  the  blood  shed  in  actual  fight  were  insufficient  to  allay  the  tii;er- 
.ike  desire  of  the  principal  opponents,  the  scaffolds  were  dyed  deeply  wi'li 
the  blood  of  the  prisoners  taken  by  either  parlv. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


3&3 


H,rgore»'a  populiuity  In  tfac  northem  counties  had  enabled  her  to  get 
tojether  an  army  of  sixty  iliousand  men,  with  which  she  tool;  post  in 
V'oriishire,  whither  Edward  and  the  earl  of  Warwicic  hastened  to  meet 
lier.  On  arriviii"'  at  Pontefract,  Edward  despatched  Lord  Fitzwalter  with 
a  detachment  to  secure  the  passage  over  the  river  Ayre,  at  Ferrybridge. 
Fitzwalter  obtained  possession  of  the  important  post  in  question,  but  was 
speedily  attacked  there  by  very  superior  numbers  of  the  Lancastrians  un- 
der Lord  Clifford,  who  drove  the  Yorkists  from  their  position  with  great 
slaughter,  Fitzwalter  himself  beings  among  the  slain.  When  the  remains 
of  the  beaten  detachment  carried  these  disastrous  tidings  to  the  earl  of 
Warwick,  that  nobleman,  fearing  that  the  misfortune  would  destroy  the 
spirits  of  his  troops,  had  his  horse  brought  to  him,  stabbed  it  to  the  heart 
in  presence  of  the  whole  army,  and  solemnly  swore  that  he  would  share 
the  fatigues  and  the  fate  of  the  meanest  of  his  soldiers.  He  at  the  same 
time  caused  public  proclamation  to  be  made,  giving  permission  to  any  sol- 
dier who  feared  the  approaching  struggle  immediately  to  depart  from  the 
army;  and  in  a  similar  spirit  denounced  the  most  severe  punishment  upon 
any  who  on  the  actual  day  of  battle  should  show  any  symptoms  of  cow- 
ardice while  before  the  enemy.  As  the  post  which  had  been  so  disas- 
trously lost  by  Fitzwalter  was  of  great  importance,  Lord  Falconberg  was 
sent  with  a  new  detachment  to  recover  it ;  and,  crossing  the  river  at  some 
miles  above  Ferrybridge,  he  fell  suddenly  upon  Lord  Clifford's  detachment 
and  routed  it,  Clifford  himself  being  among  the  very  considerable  number 
of  the  killed. 

The  opposing  armies  at  length  met  at  Towton.  The  Yorkists  charged 
under  favour  of  a  severe  snow-storm  which  tlie  wind  drove  into  the  faces 
of  the  enemy,  whose  half  blinded  condition  was  still  further  turned  to  ad- 
vantage by  Lord  Falconberg,  who  caused  a  party  of  his  archers,  while  yet 
at  more  than  ordinary  arrow-shot  from  the  opposite  army,  to  discharge  a 
volley  of  the  light,  far  flying,  but  nearly  harmless  arrows  called  flight  ar- 
rows, and  immediately  to  shift  their  position.  The  Lancastrians,  quite 
iiihuspicious  of  the  stratagem,  and  prevented  by  the  snow  from  noticing 
:ii(  ir  opponents'  change  of  position,  sent  volley  after  volley  of  their  arrows 
111  the  direction  whence  they  had  been  assailed,  and  when  they  had  thus 
booilessly  emptied  their  quivers  the  main  body  of  the  Yorkists,  led  on  by 
Edward  himself,  made  a  grand  and  terribly  destructive  charge ;  the  bow 
was  kid  aside  on  both  sides  for  the  sword  and  battle-axe,  and  the  Lancas- 
trians were  routed  and  pursued  all  the  way  to  Tadcaster  by  their  enemy. 
The  Lancastrian  loss,  in  the  battle  and  the  scarcely  less  murderous  pur- 
suit, was  calculated  at  six  and  thirty  thousand  men ;  among  whom  were 
Ihe  earl  of  Westmoreland  and  his  brother  Sir  John  Nevil,  the  earl  of  Nor- 
ihumberland,  the  lords  Dacres  and  Welles,  and  Sir  Andrew  Trollope, 
whose  treachery  had  formerly  been  so  disastrous  to  the  cause  of  the  York- 
ists. The  e»rl  of  Devonshire,  who  was  among  the  prisoners,  was  carried 
before  Kdward,  who  sternly  ordered  him  to  be  beheaded  and  his  head  to 
be  stuck  upon  the  gatj  of  York  castle  ;  whence  the  heads  of  the  late  duke 
of  York  and  Ihe  earl  of  Salisbury  were  now  taken  down.  Margaret  and 
her  unhappy  husband  were  fortunate  enough  to  escape  to  Scotland,  whither 
they  were  accompanied  by  the  duke  of  Somerset  and  by  the  duke  of  Exe- 
ter, who  had  sided  against  Edward,  although  he  had  married  his  sister. 
Scotland  was  so  much  torn  by  faction  that  the  Scottish  council  afforded 
but  little  encouragement  to  Margaret  to  even  hope  for  assistance,  until  she 
promised  to  give  up  Berwick  and  to  contract  for  a  marriage  of  her  son 
and  the  sister  of  King  James.  Even  then  the  friendship  of  the  Scots  did 
not  assume  an  aspect  very  threatening  to  P^dward,  who  tranquilly  returned 
to  London  and  summoned  a  parliament. 

Edward's  success  rendered  this  parliament  very  rexdy  to  recognise  his 
i''e  to  tlie  throne  by  descent  from  the  family  of  Mor'iioe'"    it  exoressed 


I'.l     (.1 


1  i''!': 


ii.i...   'lii 


1  Hi 


3Si 


THE  TREASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


KlWwW 

■fljB      ,   '  f  «S  H '     ^  * 

\mm 

P      '    ^1' 

i^l^n 

mt          '  ,  j 

t^^m 

W^    -  ,--j!,|j.,„  J. 

.s 

fi  |-i| 

(^ffii 

^tt ""  r  O"* ' "' 

mSSm 

SM  mm       , 

the  utmost  dotestation  of  wliat  it  now  called  the  liitrubhm  or  iicnrviv 
annulled  all  grants  made  by  the  Lancastrians,  and  declared  Edward's  fan  ' 
rightly  seized  of  the  crown,  and  himself  the  rightful  king  from  the  vp" 
day  that  he  was  hailed  so  by  acclamation  of  the  soldiery  and  rabble  wlij"! 
it  complacently  termed  "the  people."  '    ' 

A.  E.  1462. — Tliough  Edward  found  his  parliament  thus  accomniodaliii.r 
he  soon  perceived  that  he  had  very  great  difllculties  to  contend  against  ere 
he  could  consider  himself  secure  in  his  possession  of  the  crown.  Not 
only  were  tiiere  numerous  disorders  at  home,  the  necessary  result  of  civjl 
war,  but  there  were  enemies  abroad.  France,  especially,  seemed  to 
threaten  Edward  with  annoyance  and  injury.  The  throne  of  that  couiitrv 
was  now  filled  by  Louis  XL,  a  wily,  resolute,  and  unsparing  despot.  For. 
tunatcly  for  Edward,  however,  the  tortuous  policy  of  Louis  had  placed  hini 
in  circumstances  which  rendered  his  power  to  injure  the  reigning  kiiiff  of 
England  very  unequal  indeed  to  his  will  to  do  so.  He  at  first  sent  o°ilv 
a  very  small  body  to  the  assistance  of  Margaret,  and  even  when  ttminuceri 
subsequently  paid  liini  a  personal  visit  to  solicit  a  more  decided  and  effi- 
cient  aid,  his  own  quarrels  with  the  independent  vassals  of  France  only 
allowed  Iiim  to  spare  her  two  thousand  men-at-arms,  a  considcmble 
force,  no  doui)t,  but  very  unequal  to  the  task  of  opposing  such  a  prince 
as  Edward. 

With  ihis  force,  augmented  by  numerous  Scottish  adventurers.  Margaret 
made  an  irruption  into  the  northern  counties  of  England,  but  she  was  de- 
feated by  Lord  INIontaguo,  warder  of  the  eastern  marches  between  Eno. 
land  and  Scotland,  fir>t  at  Hedgcley  Inver,  and  then  at  Hcxliam.  In  the 
latter  action  Margaret's  force  was  completely  destroyed.  Anions  the 
prisoners  were  Sir  Humphrey  Neville,  the  duke  of  Somerset,  and  the 
lords  Ilungcrford  and  De  Roos,  all  of  whom,  with  many  gentleman  of  less 
note,  were  summarily  executed  as  traitors.  Henry,  who  had  been  as 
usual,  forced  to  the  battle-field,  was  for  a  time  concealed  by  some  uf  his 
friends  in  Lancashire,  but  at  the  end  of  about  a  year  was  given  up  to  Ed- 
ward, who  held  him  in  too  much  contempt  to  injure  him  beyond  commit- 
ting him  to  close  custody  in  the  Tower  of  London. 

Margaret  after  her  escape  from  the  fatal  field  of  Hexham  went  lliruush 
adventures  which  read  almost  like  the  inventions  of  romance.  She  was 
passing  through  a  forest  with  her  son  when  she  was  attacked  by  robber?, 
who,  treating  with  contempt  her  royal  rank,  robbed  her  of  her  valiinhle 
jewels  and  also  personally  ill  treated  her.  The  division  of  their  rich  bouiy 
caused  a  general  quarrel,  which  so  much  engaged  their  attention  that  Mar- 
garet and  her  son  were  enabled  to  escape.  She  was  again  stopped  in  the 
forest  by  a  single  robber,  to  whom — deriving  fearlessness  from  the  very 
desperation  of  her  circumstances — she  courageously  said,  "Mere,  my 
friend,  is  the  son  of  your  king ;  to  your  honour  I  entrust  his  safety."'  The 
bold  demeanour  of  the  queen  chanced  to  chime  in  with  the  robber's  hu- 
mour;  he  vowed  himself  to  her  service,  and  protected  her  lhroii;;h  the 
forest  to  the  sea  coast,  whence  she  escaped  to  her  father's  court,  where 
for  several  years  she  lived  in  a  slate  of  ease  and  quietude  sl-ancrelyia 
contrast  with  the  stormy  life  she  so  long  had  been  accustomed  to  lead. 

Margaret  powerless,  Henry  imprisoned,  and  Louis  of  France  fully  en- 
gaged with  quarrels  nearer  home,  Edward  now  thought  hiniseif  suffi- 
ciently secured  upon  his  throne  to  be  warranted  in  indulging  in  the  gay- 
eties  and  amours  which  were  so  well  suited  to  his  youth  and  tempir- 
aiiicnt.  But  though  his  gallantries  were  by  no  means  ill  taken  by  his 
good  citizens  of  London,  and  perhaps  even  made  him  more  popular  than 
a  prince  of  graver  life  would  have  been  at  that  time,  his  susceptihiliiylo 
the  charms  of  the  fa;r  at  length  involved  him  in  a  serious  quarrel. 

The  earl  of  Warwii.-k  and  other  powerful  friends  of  Edward  a<lv,sfl 
him  to  marry,  and  thus,  by  his  matriitionial  alliance,  still  farther  stangilun  i 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY.  395 

iliroiie.  Thn  advie^e  talliPfl  wpU  witli  KfUvarrl's  own  judgment,  and 
ihe  earl  of  Warwick  was  dispatched  to  Paris  to  treat  for  the  hand  of 
Bona  of  S.ivoy,  sister  of  the  queen  of  France,  and  Warwicit  succeeded 
80  well  tliiil  he  returned  to  Knffiand  with  the  wliole  affair  ready  for  for- 
mal riitilicatioii.  But  during  Warwick's  absence  his  fickle  and  amorous 
master  hail  been  engaged  in  rendering  the  earl's  mission  not  meredy  use- 
less, but  as  mischievous  as  anything  could  be  that  was  calculated  to  ex- 
ciic'tlie  hatred  and  rage  of  such  a  prince  as  Louis  XI. 

The  laJy  Klizabeth,  widow  of  Sir  John  Grey,  of  Groby,  who  was  killed 
at  the  second  battle  of  St.  Albans,  was,  by  the  confiscation  of  her  hus- 
band's estates,  for  his  siding  with  the  Lancastrians,  S"  reduced  in  her 
worldly  circumstances,  that  she  and  her  chiU'ren  were  dependant  on  her 
father,  in  whose  house,  at  Grafton  in  Norlhamptonsliire,  they  all  resided. 
She  was  still  young,  and  her  remarkable  beauty  was  little  impaired  by 
the  sorrows  she  hid  endured;  and  the  king,  while  hunting,  chr.ncing  to 
visit  Grafton,  the  lady  Hlizabelh  took  the  opportunity  to  throw  herself  at 
his  feet  and  entreat  the  restoration  of  her  husband's  estates,  for  the  sake 
of  her  unfortunate  children.  At  sight  of  her  beauty,  heightened  by  her 
suppliant  attitude,  the  inflammable  king  fell  suddenly  and  deeply  in  love 
with  her.  He  in  his  turn  became  a  suitor,  and  as  her  prudence  or  her 
virtue  would  not  allow  i>er  to  listen  to  dishonourable  proposals,  the  in- 
fatuated monarch  privately  married  her. 

When  Warwick  returned  from  France  with  the  consent  of  Louis  to  the 
marriage  with  Bona  of  Savoy,  the  imprudent  marriage  of  the  king,  hith- 
erto kept  quite  secret,  was  of  necessity  divulged  ;  and  Warwick,  indig- 
nant and  disgusted  with  the  ridiculous  part  he  had  been  made  to  play  ia 
wooing  a  bride  for  a  prince  who  was  already  married,  left  the  court  with 
110 aniieable  feelings  towards  his  wayward  master. 

A.  D.  1-1G5. — The  mischief  of  Edward's  hasty  and  inconsiderate  al- 
liance did  not  end  here.  Like  all  persons  who  are  raised  much  above 
their  original  rank,  the  queen  was  exceedingly  presuming,  and  the  chief 
iiusiness  of  her  life  was  to  use  her  influence  over  her  still  enamoured 
hushand  to  heap  titles  and  wealth  upon  her  family  and  friends,  and  to 
rum  those  who  were,  or  were  suspected  to  be,  hostile  to  her  grasping  and 
jnibilious  views.  Her  father,  a  mere  private  genlleinan,  was  created 
earlof  Uivers,  made  treasurer  in  the  room  of  the  lord  Mountjoy,  and  con- 
stable fur  life,  with  succession  to  his  son,  who,  marrying  the  daughter  of 
Lord  Seak's,  had  the  title  as  well  as  the  vast  estates  of  tliat  nobleman 
conferred  upon  him.  The  queen's  sisters  were  provided  with  proportion- 
ahy  splendid  marriages,  and  the  queen's  son  by  her  first  marriage,  young 
Sir  Thomas  Grey,  was  contracted  to  the  heiress  of  the  duke  of  Kxeter, 
a  niece  of  tiie  king,  whose  hand  had  been  promised  to  Lord  Montague, 
who,  with  the  whole  powerful  Neville  family,  was  consequently  very 
deeply  offended. 

The  exorbitant  and  insatiable  craving  of  the  queen's  family  disgusted 
everyone;  but  to  no  one  did  it  give  such  bitter  feelings  as  to  the  earl  of 
Warwick,  who,  tliougii  from  his  favour  with  the  crown  he  had  made  up 
hisfoitui'.e  to  the  enormous  amount  of  eighty  thousand  crowns  per  an- 
num, as  we  learn  from  Philip  de  Comines,  was  himself  of  so  grasping  a 
nature  th:>.t  ho  wa.s  still  greedy  for  more  gain,  and,  perhaps,  still  more  dis- 
inclined to  see  others  in  possession  of  the  favour  and  inlluen(!e  which  lie 
formerly  had  ainvost  exclusively  enjoyed.  This  powerful  noble,  having 
vexptioiis  of  th's  kind  to  imbiiter  his  anger  at  the  way  in  which  lie  had 
been  treated  as  regarded  the  marriage,  was  urged  to  wishes  and  projects 
most  ho&iile  to  F^-lward's  throne;  and  as  many  of  the  nobility  were  much 
disgi'iled  witli  Kdward  on  account  of  his  resumption  of  grants,  Warwick 
li^d  '10  difficulty  in  findms  sympathy  in  his  anger  and  association  in  hia 
dfsipus. 


>^§'\-'\.  '■■ 


ii>^'"M 


396 


THE  TRKASUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


JS 


§9>> 


Among:. all  the  high  personngps  of  the  kingdom  to  whom  Edward's  irr, 
prudent  marriage  and  uxorious  folly  gave  offenne,  none  felt  more  deeni 
perhaps  none  more  reasonably,  oflTended  than  Edward's  second  broti 
the  duke  of  Clarence.     From  his  near  relationship  to  the  kins  he  T'S 
every  right  to  expect  the  most  liberal  treatment  at  his  hands ;  but  so  f 
was  he  from  receiving  it,  that  while  the  queen  and  her  recently  obscu 
relations  were  overwhelmed  with  favours  of  the  most  costly  kind  h'* 
fortunes  were  still  left  precarious  and  scanty.    Warwick,  a  shrewd  jud " 
of  men's  tempers,  easily  descried  the  wounded  and  indignant  feelines  o^ 
Clarence,  and  offered  him  the  hand  of  his  eldest  daughter,  who  beins 
Warwick's  co-heiress,  could  bring  the  duke  a  much  larger  fortune  than 
the  king  could  bestow  upon  him,  even  had  he  been  better  inclined  than 
he  had  hitherto  appeared,  to  mend  the  slender  fortunes  of  his  brother 
Having  thus  united  the  influence  of  the  duke  of  Clarence  to  his  own 
and  engaged  him  inextricably  in  his  projects,  Warwick  had  no  difRcultv 
in  forming  an  extensive  and  very  powerful  confederacy  against  the  kin? 

A.  D.  1469. — The  unsettled  and  turbulent  temper  of  the  kingdom,  and 
the  preparatory  measures  of  such  a  confederacy,  so  headed,  could  nol 
fail  to  produce  a  stale  of  things  in  which  the  slightest  accidental  occur 
rence  might  lead  to  the  most  extensive  and  dangerous  public  disorders 
especially  as  in  spite  of  all  Edward's  success,  and  the  stern  severity  with 
which  he  had  used  it,  there  was  still  remaining  throughout  the  country  a 
strong  though  a  concealed  attachment  to  the  ruined  house  of  Lancaster, 
A  grievance  which  at  first  sight  appeared  little  connected  with  state 
quarrels,  and  of  a  nature  to  be  easily  settled  by  so  arbitrary  a  monarch 
as  Edward,  caused  the  brooding  discontents  to  burst  forth  into  open  vjo. 
lence. 

St.  Leonard's  hospital,  in  Yorkshire,  like  many  similar  establishments 
had  from  a  very  early  age  possessed  the  right  of  receiving  a  thrave  o[ 
corn  from  every  ploughland  in  the  district ;  and  the  poor  complained 
most  likely  with  great  reason,  that  this  tax,  which  was  instituted  for  their 
relief,  was  altogether,  or  nearly  so,  perverted  to  the  personal  emolument 
of  the  managers  of  tlie  charity.  From  complaints,  wholly  treated  with 
contempt  or  neglect,  the  peasantry  in  the  neighbourhood  proceeded  to  re- 
fusal to  pay  the  tax ;  and  when  their  goods  and  persons  were  molested  for 
their  contumacy,  they  fairly  took  up  arms,  and  having  put  to  death  the 
whole  of  the  hospital  oflicials,  they  marched,  full  fifteen  thousand  stron", 
to  the  gales  of  the  city  of  York.  Here  they  were  opposed  by  some 
troops  unde.  .he  lord  Montague,  and  he  having  taken  prisoner  their  leader, 
by  name  Robert  Hulderne,  instantly  caused  him  to  be  e.Yecuted,  after  the 
common  and  disgraceful  practice  of  those  violent  times. 

The  loss  of  their  leader  did  not  in  the  least  intimidate  the  rebels;  they 
still  kept  ill  arms,  and  were  now  joined  and  headed  by  friends  of  the  earl 
of  Warwick,  who  saw  in  this  revolt  of  the  peasantry  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity for  aiding  their  own  more  extensive  and  ambitious  views. 

Sir  Henry  Neville  and  Sir  John  Coiiyers  having  placed  themselves  at 
the  head  of  the  rebels,  drew  them  off  from  their  merely  local  ai.d  loosely 
contrived  plans  and  marched  them  southward,  their  numbers  increasing 
60  greatly  during  their  progress  as  to  cause  grca^  and  by  no  means  ill. 
founded  alarm  to  the  government.  Herbert,  who  had  obtained  the  earl- 
dom of  Pembroke  on  the  forfeiture  of  Jasper  Tudor,  was  ordered  to 
march  against  the  rebels  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  Welshmen,  reinforced 
by  five  thousand  well-appointed  archers  commanded  by  Stafford,  earl  ol 
Devonshire,  who  had  obtained  that  title  on  the  forfeiture  of  the  great 
Courtney  family.  Scarcely  had  these  two  noblemen,  however,  joined 
their  forces,  when  a  quarrel  broke  out  between  ihem  upon  some  Um\ 
question  about  priority  of  right  ta  quarters,  and  so  utterly  forgetful  diJ 
the  angei  of  Devonshire  render  him  of  the  great  and  important  object  ol 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


307 


. ,  command,  that  he  sullenly  drew  off  his  valuable  force  of  archers,  and 
left  the  earl  of  Pembroke  to  stand  the  brunt  of  the  approaching;  encounter 
l»ilh  the  rebels  with  his  own  unaided  and  inferior  force. 

Undismayed  by  this  defection  of  his  colleague,  Pembroke  continued  to 
anproacii  the  reliels,  when  the  hostile  forces  met  near  Banbury.  At  the 
first  encounter  Pembroke  gained  the  advantage,  and  Sir  Henry  Neville 
bein"  aring  his  prisoners,  he  had  that  popular  gentleman  immediately 
executed.  If  this  severity  was  intended  to  strike  terror  into  the  rebels 
il  wholly  fiiiled  of  its  purpose.  The  rebels,  so  far  from  being  intimidated, 
were  incited  by  their  rage  to  a  carnage  more  desperate  than,  probably, 
any  other  means  could  have  inspired  them  with,  and  they  attacked  the 
Welsh  so  furiously  that  the  latter  were  completely  routed,  and  vast  num- 
bers perished  in  the  pursuit,  the  Welsh  sternly  refusing  quarter.  Pem- 
broke being  unfortunately  taken  prisoner  by  the  rebels,  was  by  them  con- 
siirned  to  the  same  fate  which  he  had  inflicted  upon  their  leader.  The 
ti°)(r  was  very  naturally  excited  to  the  utmost  indignation  by  the  fatal 
resulta  of  the  obstinacy  and  insubordination  of  the  earl  of  Devonshire, 
whom  he  caused  to  be  executed. 

Even  here  the  cold  butcheries  which  either  party  dignified  with  the 
name  of  e.\ecutions  did  not  terminate.  Some  of  the  rebels,  dispatched 
10  Grafton  by  Sir  John  Conyers,  succeeded  in  capturing  the  queen's 
mother,  the  earl  of  Rivers,  and  his  son,  Sir  John  Grey ;  and,  their  sole 
crime  being  that  they  were  related  to  the  queen  and  that  they  were  not 
philosophers  enough  to  refuse  to  profit  by  that  relationship,  they,  too, 
were "  executed"  by  the  rebels. 

Though  there  is  no  reasonable  ground  for  doubting  that  the  earl  of 
Warwick,  and  his  son-in-law,  the  duke  of  Clarence,  were  the  real  direct- 
ors of  the  revolt,  they  deemed  it  politic  to  leave  its  public  management 
to  Neville  and  Conyers — doubtless  to  be  tolerably  sure  of  the  result  be- 
fore they  would  too  far  commit  their  personal  safety.  Accordingly  all 
the  while  that  so  much  bloodsiied  had  been  going  on  in  England,  Warwick 
and  Clarence  lived  in  great  apparent  unconcern  at  Calais,  of  which  the 
former  was  governor,  and,  still  farther  to  conceal  their  ultimate  intentions 
from  the  king,  Warwick's  brother,  the  lord  Montague,  was  among  the 
bravest  and  most  active  of  tlie  opponents  of  the  rebels.  So  confident 
was  Warwick  that  the  suspicions  of  the  king  couM  not  fall  upon  him, 
though  the  murder  of  the  earl  Rivers  was  surely  a  circumstance  to  have 
jjoiiited  to  the  guilt  of  that  nobleman's  bitterest  rival,  that  he  and  Clar- 
ence, when  the  languid  rate  at  which  the  rebellion  progressed  seemed  to 
promise  a  disastrous  issue  to  it,  came  over  to  England,  and  were  entrust- 
ed by  Edward  with  very  considerable  commands,  which,  probably  from 
want  of  opportunity,  they  made  no  ill  use  of.  The  rebellion  having 
been  already  vnry  considerably  quelled,  Warwick,  probably  anxious  to 
save  as  many  malcontents  as  possible  for  a  future  and  more  favourable 
opportunity,  persuaded  Edward  to  grant  a  general  pardon,  which  had  the 
effectof  completely  dispersing  the  already  wearied  and  discouraged  rebels. 

Though  Warwick  and  Montague  gave  so  much  outward  show  of  loy- 
alty, and  though  the  king  heaped  favours  and  honours  upon  the  family,  lie 
yet  seems  to  have  been  by  no  means  unaware  of  the  secret  feelings  of  both 
these  restless  noblemen ;  for  on  one  occasion  when  he  accompanied  them 
to  a  banquet  given  by  their  brother,  the  archbishop  of  York,  he  was  so 
impressed  with  the  feeling  that  he  intended  to  take  that  opportunity  of 
dispatching  him  by  poison  or  otherwise,  that  he  suddenly  rushed  from  the 
banqueting  room  and  hastily  returned  to  his  palace. 

A,  D.  1470. — A  new  rebellion  now  broke  out.     At  the  outset  tliere  were 
no  signs  to  connect  either  Clarence  or  the  earl  of  Warwick  with  it;  ye 
as  we  know  how  inveterately  disloyal  both  the  duke  and  the  earl  were 
from  the  moment  that  Edward  married,  and  also  that  as  soon  as  they  had 


% 
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I 


lfe?l!tjlil':> 


k. 


898 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


'iK 


Hfe' 


n 

mr'  " 

m 

1 

an  opportunity,  and  had  reason  to  believe  that  the  rebellion  would  be  sue 
cessfiil,  they  prepared,  as  will  be  seen,  to  add  open  revolt  to  the  foulesi 
treachery.  This  rebellion  commenced  in  Lincolnshire,  and  in  a  v"r 
short  time  the  lej'.derol  it,  SirRobert  Welles,  was  at  the  head  of  notfe\m 
than  thirty  thousand  men.  Sir  Robert's  father,  the  Lord  Welles,  notonl 
took  no  part  in  the  proceedings  of  his  son,  but  showed  his  sense  of  botH 
their  danger  and  impropriety  by  taking  shelter  in  a  sanctuary.  But  iliig 
prudent  conduct  did  not  save  him  from  the  vengeance  of  tlie  king.  The 
unfortunate  nobleman  was  by  plausible  arguments  allured  from  the  sanc- 
tuary, and,  in  company  of  Sir  Thomas  Dymoke,  beheaded  by  ihe  kinc's 
orders.  Edward  soon  after  gave  battle  to  the  rebels  and  defeated  them 
and  Sir  Robert  Welles  and  Sir  Thomas  Launde  being  taken  prisoners' 
were  immediately  beheaded.  So  little  did  the  king  suspect  Clarence  and 
Warwick  of  any  concealed  influence  in  these  disturbances,  that  he  gave 
them  commissions  of  array  to  raise  troops  to  oppose  the  rebels.  The  op. 
porluniiy  thus  afforded  them  of  forwarding  their  treasonable  views  was 
too  tempting  to  he  resisted,  and  they  at  once  removed  all  doubts  as  to  their 
real  feelings  by  levying  forces  against  the  king,  and  issuing  remonstrances 
against  the  public  measures  and  the  king's  ministers.  The  defeat  of  Sir 
Robert  Welles  was  a  sad  discouragement  to  them,  but  they  had  now  pro- 
ceeded too  far  to  be  able  to  witlidraw,  and  they  marched  their  army  into 
Lancashire.  Here  they  fully  expected  the  countenance  and  aid  of  Sir 
Thomas  Stanley,  who  was  the  earl  of  Warwick's  brother-in-law,  but  find- 
ing that  neither  that  nobleman  nor  the  lord  Montague  would  join  them 
they  dismissed  their  army  and  hastened  to  Calais  (the  government  ol 
Warwick)  where  they  confidently  calculated  upon  finding  a  sure  and  safe 
refuge.  Here  again,  however,  they  were  doomed  to  be  disappointed.  On 
leaving  Calais  the  last  time,  Warwick  had  left  there,  as  his  deputy  gov 
ernor,  a  Gascon  named  Vaucler.  This  gentleman,  who  was  no  stran- 
ger to  Warwick's  disloyally,  readily  judged  by  the  foriorn  and  ill-attended 
style  in  which  that  nobleman  and  the  duke  of  Clarence  now  made  their 
appearance  before  Calais,  that  they  had  been  unsuccessfully  engaged  in 
some  illegal  proceeding ;  he  therefore  refused  them  admittance,  and  would 
not  even  allow  the  duchess  of  Clarence  to  land,  though  she  had  been  do- 
livered  of  a  child  while  at  sea,  and  was  in  a  most  pitiable  state  of  ill  health. 
As,  however,  he  by  no  means  wished  to  break  irremediably  with  men 
wliom  some  chance  might  speedily  render  as  powerful  as  ever,  Vaucler 
sent  wine  and  olner  stores  for  the  use  of  the  duchess,  and  secretly  ussiircd 
Warwick  that  he  only  seemed  to  side  against  him,  in  order  that  he  might, 
by  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  king,  be  able  to  give  the  fortress  up  to 
the  earl  at  the  first  opportunity ;  and  he  dilated  upon  those  cirnumslancs 
of  the  place  which  rendered  it  very  improbable  that  the  garrison  and  in- 
habitants would  just  at  that  time  suffer  it  to  be  held  by  \Varwick  against 
l!ie  established  government  of  England.  Whatever  might  be  Warwick's 
real  opinion  of  the  sincerity  of  Vaucler,  he  feigned  to  be  quite  satisfied 
with  his  conduci,  and  having  seized  some  Flemish  vessels  which  layoflT 
the  coast,  he  forthwith  departed  to  try  his  fortune  at  the  court  of  France. 
Here  he  was  well  received,  for  the  French  king  had  formerly  held  a  close 
correspondence  with  the  earl,  and  was  just  now  exceedingly  hostile  to 
Edward  on  account  of  the  friendship  which  existed  between  th;it  monarch 
and  the  most  turbulent  as  well  as  the  most  powerful  vassal  of  France, 
the  duke  of  Burgundy.  Though  the  earl  of  Warwick  had  so  much  reason 
to  hate  tlie  house  of  Lancaster,  the  king  so  urgently  pressed  him  to  a  re- 
conciliation, and  to  attempt  to  restore  that  house  to  the  throne  of  Eng- 
land, that  at  an  interview  with  Queen  Margaret  the  earl  con.scnted  to  a 
reconciliation,  and  to  doing  his  utmost  to  restore  Henry  to  his  throne  on 
rertain  conditions.  The  chief  of  these  conditions  were,  that  the  earl  ol 
'.V'arwick  and  the  duke  of  Clarence  should  administer  in  England  during 


THE  TREASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


399 


I  ,vh()lc  minority  of  Prince  Edward,  son  and  lieir  of  Henry ;  that  that 
voiMig  priiife  should  marry  the  lady  Anne,  Warwicit's  second  daughter, 
y  ihiii,  failing  issue  to  them,  the  crown  should  be  entailed  on  the  duke 
of  Clarence,  to  the  absolute  exclusion  of  the  issue  of  the  reigning  king. 
Byway  of  showing  the  sincerity  of  this  uiuiatural  confederacy,  Prince 
Edward  and  the  lady  Anne  were  married  immediately. 

Edward,  who  well  knew  the  innate  and  ineradicable  hostility  of  War- 
wick's real  feelings  towards  the  house  of  Lancaster,  caused  a  lady  of 
ffeat  talent  to  avail  herself  of  her  situation  about  the  person  of  the  duke 
of  Clarence,  to  influence  the  duke's  mind.especialy  with  a  view  to  making 
him  donlitfiil  of  the  sincerity  of  Warwick,  and  of  the  probability  of  his 
Ion"  continuing  faithful  to  this  new  alliance ;  and  so  well  did  the  fair  envoy 
cxc°rt  her  powers,  that  the  duke,  on  a  solemn  assurance  of  ^3dward's  for- 
jiveiiess  and  future  favour,  consented  to  take  the  earliest  favourable  op- 
portunity to  desert  his  father-in-law.  But  while  Kdward  was  intent  upon 
delacli'"?  the  duke  of  Clarence  from  Warwick,  this  latter  nobleman  was 
no  les3  successful  in  gaining  over  to  his  side  his  brother,  the  marquis  of 
Montfigiiei  whose  adhesion  to  Warwick  was  the  more  dangerous  to  Ed- 
ward because  Montague  was  entirely  in  his  confidence. 

When  Warwick  had  completed  his  preparations,  Louis  supplied  him 
Willi  men,  money,  and  a  fleet;  while  the  duke  of  burgundy,  on  the  other 
told,  closely  united  with  Edward,  and  having  a  personal  quarrel  with 
\V;invick,  cruised  in  the  chaimel  in  the  hope  of  intercepting  that  nobleman 
ore  he  could  land  in  England.  The  duke  of  Burgundy,  while  thus  actively 
exerting  himself  for  Edward's  safety,  also  sent  him  the  most  urgent  and 
wiseadvine;  but  Edward  was  so  over  confident  in  his  own  strength,  that 
he  professed  to  wish  that  Warwick  nii>!;ht  make  good  his  landing. 

Ill  this  respect  his  wish  was  soon  granted.  A  violent  storm  dispersed 
lie  duke  of  Burgundy's  fleet,  and  Warwick  was  thus  enabled  to  land  with- 
out opposition  on  the  coast  of  Devon,  accompanied  by  the  duke  of  Cla- 
rence aiid  the  earls  of  Oxford  and  Pembroke.  'I'he  king  was  at  this  time 
in  the  north  of  England  engaged  in  putt-ng  down  a  revolt  caused  by  War- 
wick's brother-in-law,  the  lord  Fitzhugi;  and  Warwick's  popularity  being 
itius  left  unopposed,  he,  who  had  lande  1  with  a  force  far  too  small  for  his 
iesiifns,  saw  himself  in  a  very  few  days  at  the  head  of  upwards  of  sixty 
ihoiisund  men. 

The  king  on  hearing  of  Warwick's  landing  hastened  southward  to  meet 
(inn, and  the  two  armies  came  in  sight  of  each  other  at  Nottingham.  An 
anion  was  almost  hourly  expected,  and  Edward  was  still  confident  in  his 
good  fortune;  but  he  was  now  to  feel  the  ill  elTects  of  the  overweening 
irust  he  had  put  in  the  marquis  of  Montague.  That  nobleman  suddenly 
cot  his  adherents  underarms  during  the  darkness  of  the  night  hours,  and 
made  their  way  to  the  quarter  occupied  by  the  king,  shouting  the  war-cry 
ofihe  hostile  army.  Edward,  who  was  awakened  by  this  sudden  tumult, 
was  informed  by  Lord  Hastings  of  the  real  cause  of  it,  and  urged  to  save 
tiiiiiself  by  flight  while  there  was  still  time  for  him  to  do  so.  So  well  had 
the  marquis  of  iMontague  timed  his  treacherous  iiKiasure,  that  Edward  had 
barely  time  to  make  his  escape  on  horseback  to  Lynn,  in  Norfolk,  where 
he  got  on  board  ship  and  sailed  from  England,  leaving  Warwick  so  sud- 
denly and  rapidly  master  of  the  kingdom,  that  the  fickle  and  hesitating 
(.'lareiiee  had  not  had  time  for  the  change  of  sides  he  had  contemplated, 
and  which  would  now  have  been  fatal  to  him. 

So  sudden  had  been  Edward's  forced  depurtiire  from  his  kingdom,  that 
lie  had  not  time  to  take  money,  jewels,  or  any  other  valuables  with  him; 
and  when,  after  narrowly  escaping  from  the  Haiise  towns,  then  at  war 
«iih  both  England  and  France,  he  landi.'d  at  Alcmaer,  in  Holland,  he  had 
noihuig  with  which  to  recompense  the  master  of  the  ship  save  a  robe  richlv 


tuo 


THB  TBEASURY  07  HISTORT. 


mmi: 


ilsf 


U^^ 


lined  with  sable  fur,  which  he  accompanied  with  assurances  of  amoM 
substantial  recompense  should  more  prosperous  times  return. 

The  duke  of  Burgundy  was  greatly  annoyed  at  the  misfortune  of  Ed 
ward.  Personally  and  in  sincerity  the  duke  really  preferred  the  Laiicas 
trian  to  the  Yorkist  house  ;  he  had  allied  hi  ^<>elf  with  ihe  latter  solely 
from  the  politic  motive  of  being  allied  to  the  reigning  house  of  EiiJland  • 
and  now  that  the  Lancastrians  were  so  triumphant  that  even  the  cpfmioug 
Vaucicr,  who  had  been  confirmed  by  Edward  in  his  government  of  Calais 
did  not  scruple  to  give  that  important  place  up  to  Warwicii— a  prct(« 
certain  proof  that  the  Lancastrians  were  secure  for  some  time  at  least--. 
the  duke  was  greatly  perplexed  by  the  necessity  he  was  under  of  imij! 
iously  giving  a  cold  reception  to  a  near  connection  who  was  siifferinj 
from  misfortune,  or  of  being  at  the  expense  and  discredit  of  supporting  | 

Cenniless  fugitive  whose  very  misfortunes  were  '-.  no  slight  degree  atiri. 
utable  to  his  own  want  of  judgment. 

The  flight  of  Edward  from  the  kingdom  was  the  signal  for  Warwick  to 
give  liberty  to  the  unhappy  Henry,  whose  confinement  in  the  Tower  had 
been  chiefly  the  earl's  own  work.  Henry  was  once  more  proclaimed  kin» 
with  all  due  solemnity,  and  a  parliament  was  summoned  to  meet  him  al 
Westminster,  whose  votes  v/ere,  of  course,  the  mere  echoes  of  the  in. 
sructions  of  the  more  dominant  faction  of  Warwick.  As  had  formerly 
been  agreed  between  Warwick  and  Queen  Margaret,  it  was  now  enacted 
by  the  parliament  that  Henry  was  the  rightful  and  only  king  of  England 
but  that  his  imbecility  of  mind  rendered  it  requisite  to  have  a  regency,  the 
powers  of  which  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  duke  of  Clarence  and  the 
earl  of  Warwick  during  the  minority  of  Prince  Edward,  and  the  diikeof 
Clarence  was  declared  heir  to  the  throne  failing  the  issue  of  that  yomw 
prince.  As  usual,  very  much  of  the  time  of  the  parliament  was  occupied 
m  reversing  the  attainders  vt'hich  had  been  passed  against  Lancastrians 
during  the  prosperity  of  the  house  of  York.  In  one  respect,  however,  this 
parliament  and  its  dictator  Warwick  deserve  considerable  praise— their 
power  was  used  without  that  wholesale  and  unsparing  resort  to  bloodshed 
by  which  such  triumphs  are  but  too  generally  disgraced.  Many  of  th» 
leading  Yorkists,  it  is  true,  fled  beyond  the  sea,  but  still  more  of  then 
were  allowed  to  remain  undisturbed  in  the  sanctuaries  in  which  thpytool 
refuge ;  and  among  these  was  even  Edward's  queen,  who  was  deliverec 
of  a  son  whom  she  had  christened  by  the  name  of  his  absent  father. 

A.  D.  1471. — Queen  Margaret,  who  was  perhaps,  somewhat  less  active 
than  she  had  been  in  earlier  life,  was  just  preparing  to  return  to  England 
with  Prince  Edward  and  the  duke  of  Somerset,  son  to  the  duke  of  that 
title  who  was  beheaded  after  the  battle  of  Hexham,  when  their  jpurnev 
was  rendered  useless  by  a  new  turn  in  the  aff'airfi  of  England ;  a  tur<  most 
lamentable  to  those  Lancastrians  who,  as  Philip  de  Comines  tells  us  oi 
the  dukes  of  Somerset  and  Exeter,  were  reduced  to  absolute  beggary. 
The  turn  of  afl"airs  to  which  we  allude  was  mainly  caused  by  the  impru- 
dence of  the  earl  of  Warwick,  who  acted  towards  the  duke  of  Burgundy 
in  such  wise  as  to  compel  that  prince  in  sheer  self-defence  ti  aid  the 
exiled  Edward.  The  duke's  personal  predilections  being  really  on  the 
side  of  the  Lancastrians,  it  required  only  a  timely  and  prudent  policy  on 
the  part  of  the  earl  of  Warwick  to  have  secured,  at  the  least,  the  diike's 
neutrality.  But  the  earl,  laying  too  much  stress  upon  the  reliilionship  be- 
tween Edward  and  Burgundy,  took  it  for  granted  tliat  the  latter  must  he  a 
determined  enemy  to  the  Lancastrians,  and  caused  him  to  hecompsoby 
sendmg  a  body  of  four  thousand  men  to  Calais,  whence  they  made  very 
mischievous  irruptions  into  the  Low  Countries.  Burgundy,  fearing  the 
epnsequences  of  being  attacked  at  once  jy  France  and  by  iMigland,  de- 
termined to  divert  the  attention  and  power  of  the  latter  by  assisting  hi» 
nrother-in-law.     But  while  determined  so  to  aid  Edward  as  to  enable  hiih 


Lffl;»<sif 


THK  TEEASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


401 


VVarwick's  parly  abundant  ar.xicty  and  trouble,  the  duke  was  not 


|]  0  less  careful  to  do  po  with  the  utmost  attention  to  the  preservation  of 
frieiidly  ii|)|)"arauees  towards  the  Knglish  government.  With  this  view 
l,e  furiiislieil  Kdward  with  eighteen  vessels,  large  and  small,  together  with 
asiimofnioiioyi  '    "--•--■"  ■    • 


but  ho  hired  the  vessels  in  the  name  of  some  merchants 


and  slill  furllier  to  mislead  Warwick,  or  to  give  him  a  plausible  reason  foi 
nreleiidiiis  '"  '"^  misled,  no  sooner  had  Edward  sailed  than  the  duke  pub- 
Lly  forbade  liis  subjects  from  affording  any  aid  or  countenance  to  that 
iiriiice  eillier  by  land  or  water. 

Edward  in  the  meantmie,  with  a  force  of  two  thousand  men,  attempted 
lolami  upon  the  coast  of  Norfolk,  but  was  driven  off,  and  he  then  landed 
at  Riiveiispiir,  in  Yorkshire.  Perceiving  that  here,  too,  from  tiie  care 
^liifh  Warwick  had  taken  to  fill  the  magistracy  with  his  own  pariizans, 
the  Lancas'ric'.n  party  was  far  the  most  popular  and  powerful,  Edward 
adopted  tilt  policy  which  had  formerly  so  well  served  the  duke  of  Lan- 
caster, and  issued  a  proidamalion  in  which  he  solemnly  averred  that  ho  had 
landed  without  any  intention  of  challenging  the  crown  or  of  disturbing  the 
utioiial  peace,  but  had  come  solely  for  the  purpose  of  demanding  the 
family  pussRSsions  of  the  house  of  Vork,  to  which  he  was  incontestibly 
entitled.  This  affected  moderation  cau.sed  great  numbers  to  join  his 
standard  who  would  not  have  done  so  had  he  openly  avowed  his  iniention 

of loavourinif  to  recover  the  crown;  and  ho  speedily  found  himself 

pos,  d  of  liie  city  of  York  and  at  the  head  of  an  army  sufficiently 
niiinci  us  to  promise  him  success  in  all  his  designs;  while  his  chance 
Jsuccfss  was  still  further  increased  by  the  unaccoimttiblo  apatiiy  of  the 
iiwrquis  of  Montague,  who  had  the  command  of  all  the  forces  in  the 
north,  but  took  no  steps  to  check  the  movements  of  Edward,  though  he 
surely  could  not  have  been  unaware  how  important  and  dangerous  they 
were.  Warwick  was  more  alert,  and  having  assembled  a  force  at  Lei- 
cester lie  piapared  to  give  battle  to  Edward,  who,  however,  contrived  to 
Mssliiin  ami  to  make  his  way  to  London.  Had  Edward  been  refused  ad- 
iiiiltimcp  here,  nothing  could  have  saved  his  cause  from  comjilcte  ruin  ; 
[lilt  he  h;id  not  taken  so  bold  a  step  without  carefully  and,  as  it  proved, 
ciirreclly  calculating  all  his  chances.  In  the  first  place,  the  sanciuariea 
of  London  were  filled  with  his  friends,  who  he  well  knew  would  join  him; 
ill  the  next  place,  he  was  c.vtrcmely  popular  with  the  ladies  of  London 
ami  indebted  to  their  iiusbands  for  sums  of  money  which  they  could  ncvci 
hope  in  recfiive  unless  he  should  succeed  in  recovering  the  crown  ;  and  in 
the  third  place,  Warwick's  brother,  llic  archbishop  of  York,  to  whom  the 
government  of  the  ';ity  was  entrusted,  gave  a  new  instance  of  tlie  facile 
iiid  shameless  treachery  which  disgraced  that  ''me,  by  entering  into  a 
correspondence  with  Edward,  and  agreeing  to  betray  his  own  brother. 

Being  admitted  into  the  city  of  London,  Edward  made  himself  master 
of  the  person  of  ilie  unfortunate  Henry,  who  was  thus  once  more  passed 
fromllie  throne  to  the  dungeon. 

Though  many  circumstances  gave  advantage  to  Edward,  the  earl  ot 
Wiirwick  was  by  no  means  inclined  to  yield  without  a  fairly  stricken  field, 
and  having  collected  all  the  force  he  could  raise  he  stationed  himself  at 
Bar.iet.  Here  he  was  doomed  to  the  deep  mortification  of  fully  exneri- 
oiicinj  the  ingratitude  and  treachery  of  Clarence,  wlio  suddenly  broke 
from  his  quarters  during  the  night,  and  made  his  way  over  to  Edward 
ivifh  twelve  thousand  of  Warwick's  best  troops.  Had  Warwicjk  listened 
lothe  dictates  of  prudence  he  would  now  have  closed  with  the  offers  of  a 
peaceful  settlement  which  were  made  to  him  by  both  Edward  and  Cla- 
rence; but  he  was  thoroughly  aroused  and  enraged,  and  he  resolved  to 
put  all  consequences  upon  the  issue  of  a  general  action.  It  commenced 
iccordiiigly,  and  both  leaders  and  soldiers  on  each  side  displayed  extraor 
I'itiarv  valour.  A  mere  accident  gave  a  decisive  turn  to  the  long  uncer 
Vol.  I.— 26 


I  ill  i?v  (i*^ 


403 


TUB  TREASUttY  OP  IIISTOttY. 


■Ml 


I  >'  -m 


tnin  foriune  of  llio  day.    The  cognizance  of  the  kinjr  was  a  sun  thai 

Wnrwir'k   :i  al:ir  with  r:ivn  rlivorfriiiir  rrnin  it  ■    •inil  in  ilm  .1.... .    '  '.  ''I 


Warwick  a  star  with  rays  diverging  from  it ;  and  in  ihcdcnso 

firevai 
eadcr, 
filaught 


mist  which 


led  during  the  baliln  the  carl  of  Oxford  was  mistaken  for  a  Yurk  h 
•,  and  he  and  his  troops  were  beaten  from  the  fitdd  with  very  nr'. 
Iter  by  his  own  fricmis.    This  disaster  was  followed  by  the  ,ioai|' 
of  Warwick,  who  was  slain  while  fighting  on  foot,  as  was  his  briui 
Montague.    The  Lancastrians  were  now  completely  routed,  and  Kdwi"^! 
giving  orders  to  deny  quirter,  a  vast  number  were  slain  in  llin  piirsnit 
well  as  in  the  bailie.     Nor  was  ihc  victory  wholly  wilhoul  cost  to  i|" 
conquerors,  who  lost  upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  men  of  all  ranks.        "' 

As  Warwick  had  determined  not  to  make  terms  with  Kdward,  his  bcsi 
policy  would  have  been  to  await  the  arrival  of  Queen  Margari  l,  wiio  v,  ,i 
daily  expected  from  France,  and  whose  influence  would  have  nnitcilai 
Lancaslrians  and  probably  have  ensured  victory.  Uul  WarwiLk,  inisu.' 
picious  of  (Clarence's  trcacliery,  felt  so  confident  of  victory,  that  he  wis 
above  rll  things  anxious  that  Margaret  should  not  arrive  in  linio  to  share 
his  anticipated  glory;  but  though  he  had  on  that  account  hurried  on  ll,. 
action,  Margaret  and  her  son,  attended  by  a  small  body  of  Frcncli,  hnidH 
in  Dorsetshire  on  the  very  day  after  Oc  fatal  battle  of  H.nnct.  Ilcreis 
•oon  as  she  landed  she  learned  Warwick's  defeat  and  death,  nnd  the  iie-.v 
captivity  of  her  invelerately  nnforluii.it;'  husband;  and  she  was  so  much 
depressed  by  llic  information  (liat  she  took  sanctuary  at  Heaulicu  abhi'v, 
She  was  here  visited  and  encouraged  by  Tudor,  earl  of  Peiiil)roke,  Coiir' 
tenay,  earl  of  Devonshire,  and  other  men  of  rank  and  inllucnco,  imd  in! 
duced  to  make  a  progress  through  Devon,  Somerset,  and  (Jlouccslcrshire. 
In  this  neighbourhood  her  cause  appeared  to  be  exceedingly  pofinlar,  for 
every  day's  march  made  a  considerable  addition  to  her  foire.  She  uas 
at  length  overtaken  at  Tewkesbury,  in  (jlloucestersliire,  by  ICduani's  annv 
and  in  the  battle  which  ensued  she  was  completely  defeated,  with  the  loss 
of  about  three  thou-,aii,i  men,  among  whom  were  the  earl  of  Devonshire 
nnd  Lord  Wciilock,  ■  •  .o  were  killed  in  the  field,  and  the  duke  of  Soniersii 
and  about  a  score  more  persons  of  distinction  who,  having  taken  siuutiiary 
in  a  church,  were  dragged  out  and  beheaded. 

Ammig  the  prisoners  were  Queen  Margaret  and  her  son.  They  were 
taken  into  the  presence  of  Kdward,  who  sternly  deniandcd  of  thiMdinii; 
prince  on  what  ground  he  had  ventured  to  invade  Knglaiid.  Thi'hisli- 
spirited  boy,  regarding  rather  the  fortune  to  which  he  was  born  lliamhe 
powerless  and  perilous  situation  in  which  the  adverse  foriune  of  wnr  hal 
placed  him,  boldly  and  imprudently  replied  that  he  had  come  to  Kn!,'lsiil 
for  the  rightful  purpose  of  claiming  his  just  inheritance.  This  answt  rso 
much  enraged  Kdward,  that  he,  forgetful  alike  of  deceniiy  iiiid  mercy, 
struck  the  youth  in  the  face  svilh  his  gauntleted  hand.  As  '.hoiij;h  ilm 
violent  act  had  been  a  preconcerted  signal,  the  dukes  of  Cioncestcr  mu 
Clarence,  with  Lord  Hastings  and  Sir  Thomas  <Jray,  dragsP'l  t'le  yi'Uiij 
prince  into  an  adjoining  room  and  there  dispatched  him  with  their da^crs. 
The  unhappy  Margaret  was  committed  to  close  conilnemeiitiii  i!ie  Timer, 
in  which  sad  priso>'  Henry  had  expired  a  few  days  after  the  haiile  u\ 
Tewkesbury.  As  Henry's  health  had  long  been  infirm,  it  seems  qmie 
likely  that  his  d(  ath  was  natural,  but  as  the  temper  of  the  iin:ts  iid 
violence  at  the  le  ist  probable,  Edward  caused  the  body  to  be  txposeil  lo 
public  view,  and  i'  certainly  showed  no  signs  of  unfair  means. 

The  cause  of  the  liancastrians  was  now  extinguished.    The  princes oi  1 
that  house  were  dead,  the  best  and  most  devoted  of  its  friends  were  either  | 
fugitive  or  dead,  and  Tudor,  earl  of  Pembroke,  who  had  been  raisiiij 
forces  in  Wales,  now  disbanded  them  in  despair,  and  sought  safety,  uiit 
his  nephew,  the  earl  of  Richmond,  in  Brittany.    The  last  effort  was  mnilt  { 
liy  the  bustard  of  Falconherg,  who  levied  forces  and  advanced  toLondoa 
but  he  was  deserted  by  his  troops,  taken  prisoner,  and  executed 


THE  TllBABUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


403 


Edward,  now  wholly  triumphant,  summoned  a  parliament,  which  com- 
Ijjiitly  sniiclioiKMl  his  (lopcls;  and  all  dangers  being  now  at  an  end,  he 
resumed  llii-'  jovial  and  dissipated  life  to  which  he  owed  no  small  portion 
ofihal  popularity  which  would,  most  probably,  have  been  refused  to  a 
piime  of  a  liiiiher  cast  of  character  and  of  more  manly  and  dicnififid 


bearing 


Kdward,  however,  was  soon  rcealled  from  his  indulgence  in  pleasure, 
byihc  lu'fossiiy  for  attending  to  his  foreign  interests.  Ho  was  by  no 
iMiistiiii'onscious  of  the  cold  am" 


menus  uiu'onsci 


ind  constrained  reception  that  had  been 


jivfii  to  liini  in  his  adversity  by  the  duke  of  Burgundy  ;  but  considerations 
of  intorrsl  "ow  led  Kdward  to  make  a  league  with  the  duke  against  the 
king  of  France.  My  this  league  it  was  provided  that  Kdward  should  cross 
ihcseu  Willi  not  fewer  than  ten  thousand  men  for  the  invasion  of  Fiance, 
jiiwliiili  he  was  to  be  joined  by  the  duke  of  Uurgundy  with  all  the  force 
Ik  (.(iiilii  command.  'I'he  objects  proposed  by  the  allies  were  to  acquire 
furlliiglaiul  the  provinces  of  Normandy  and  Guienno,  at  least,  and  if  pos 
siblc  llm  crown  of  France,  to  which  Fdward  was  formally  to  challenge 
ilip right;  while  the  duke  of  Uurgundy  was  to  obt.iin  Champagne,  with 
joinc  fiirilicr  territory,  and  the  frccilom  for  his  hereditary  territories  from 
all iViidil  superiority  on  the  [)art  of  France.  Their  league  seemed  the 
more  likely  to  be  successful,  because  they  had  g(»<Hl  reason  to  hope  for 
ihe  coopcV.ition  of  the  duke  of  Uritlaiiy,  and  they  had  the  secret  assur- 
ance (if  tlie  count  of  St.  I'ol,  who  was  constable  of  France,  and  held  St. 
Qufiiiiii  and  other  important  places  on  the  Sommc,  that  lie  would  join 
ilu'in  when  they  sliould  enter  France. 

A  Freiicli  war  was  always  sure  to  excite  the  pecuniary  liberality  of  the 
i'A\»M\  pailiament,  which  now  granted  the  king  two  shillings  in  ths 
p,)iiiiil  on  all  rents,  and  a  fifteeiuh  and  three  quarters  of  a  fifteenlh;  but 
this  iiwiicy  was  to  be  kept  in  reliijious  houses,  and  returned  to  the  con- 
inliiitiirs  in  the  event  of  the  e.xpedilion  against  France  not  taking  place, 
^^  Frwniliis  siiingcnt  care  of  the  money  wo  may  perceive  how  much  the 
takiMi  saucUmy  ^^  cnmamiis  of  Kiigland  had  increased,  both  in  power  and  in  the  knowledge 
bv  lu  make  eflicient  and  prudent  use  of  it. 

A. D.I  17.5 —So  popular  was  the  king's  project  against  France,  that  all 
the  powerful  nobles  of  Fiiglaiid  ofTered  him  their  aid  and  attendance  ;  and 
ill  lead  of  llie  f,tipulated  ten  thousand  men,  he  was  enabled  to  land  at 
Cliis  witli  fiflcen  thousand  archers  and  fifteen  hundred  men-at-arms. 
Bd'  to  Kiiward's  great  annoyance,  when  he  entered  France  he  was  dis<»p- 
luMMied  liy  the  count  of  St.  Pol,  who  refused  to  open  his  gates  to  him,  and 
bv  iliu  diikc  of  Uurgundy,  who,  instead  of  joining  Kdward  with  all  his 
forces,  had  employed  them  against  the  duke  of  Lorraine  and  on  the  frontiers 
nf(iiTiiiiny.  'I'liM  circumstance,  so  fatal  to  Kd ward's  views,  arose  out  of 
thefarv  temper  of  Burgundy,  who  personally  apologized,  but  at  the  same 
lime  confessed  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  hun  to  make  his  troops 
aviihible  to  Kdward  for  that  campaign.  Louis  XL,  that  profound  politi- 
cian who  thought  nothing  mean  or  degrading  which  could  aid  him  in  his 
views,  tin  sooner  learned  ihe  disappoiiitmeut  which  had  befallen  Kdward, 
lli:iii  lie  sent  liim  proposals  ofpoace;  and  a  truce  was  easily  (;oncludcd 
bttwien  iht'in,  Louis  paying  seventy-five  thousand  crowns  down,  and 
jifreeiii^'  to  pay  two-thirds  of  that  sum  annually  for  their  joint  lives,  and 
Id  marry  llie  dauphin,  when  of  age,  to  Kdward's  daughter.  The  two 
mnnirchs  met  at  Pecquigin  to  ratify  this  treaty ;  and  the  precautions 
which  were  taken  to  prevent  the  possibililj  '^f  assassination  on  either 
liilc  give  us  hut  a  low  notion  of  ihe  honour  by  wi^-h  °ither  prince  was  ac- 
luiipd  himself  or  supposed  the  other  to  be. 

There  was  one  clause  of  this  treaty — otherwise  so  disgiarcful  to  Louis 
-which  was  highly  creditable  to  the  French  king.  By  it  he  .♦ipulated 
fertile  bff'"  release  of  the  unfortunate  Margaret,  for  whose  ransom  Louia 


i 


I. 


404 


THE  TRKABUnt  OB-  IIIBTORT. 


eoiiscnlod  to  pay  fifty  tliousiiiid  crowns.    Slie  ran  released  accordin 
and  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  14H'J,  she  lived  in  complete      i'^ 
sioii  from  that  world  in  which  she  hud  formerly  played  so  cousn*'^'^ 
and  so  unfortunate  a  part.  I'cuuuj 

There  was  in  the  character  of  Kdward  a  certain  cold  and  stubhn 
severity  which  made  it  no  easy  matter  to  recover  his  favoui  iifterlie  h 
once  been  offended.     His  brother  Clarence,  nuich  as  he  had  'jone  m  iJ!' 
way  of  treachery  towards  his  unfortunate  faihor-in-law,  was  farcim  !h 
from  being   really  restored   io   Kdward's  confidence  and  favour    T* 
broodinjj  dislike  of  the  king  was  tlie  more  fatal  to  Clarence  from  that    ' 
fortunate  prince  having  imprudently  giveii  deep  offence  to  the  queen  ""i 
to  his  brother  tiie  duke  of  (Jloster,  a  prince  who  knew  not  ir.i'cli  of  tn'ii! 
or  of  remorse  when  he  had  any  scheme  of  ambition  or  violence  to  cJJ 
Well  knowing  tiio   rasli  and  open  temper  of  Clarence,  his  formij,,!,}! 
enemies  determined  to  act  upon  it  by  attacking  his  friends,  which  tip*^ 
rightly  judged  would  be  sure  to  sting  him  into  language  that  would  ru ' 
him  with  his  already  sus[)icious  and  offended  king  and  brother.  " 

It  chanced  that  as  the  king  was  hunting  at  \rrow,  in  Warwickshire 
\i".  killed  a  white  buck  which  was  a  great  favourite  of  tlieowncr.awciihhv 
gentleman  named  liurdelt.  Provoked  by  the  loss  of  his  fav'onritc  i| . 
gentleman  passionately  exclaimed  that  he  wished  the  buck's  horns  were 
stuck  in  the  belly  of  whoever  at'vised  the  king  to  kill  it.  In  our  settled 
and  reasonable  times  it  really  is  no  easy  matter  to  understand  how—eye,, 
had  the  speech  related,  as  it  did  not,  to  the  king  hiriiself— such  a  speech 
could  by  the  utmost  torturing  of  language  be  called  treason.  iJui  so  it 
was.  Burdett  had  the  misfortune  to  be  on  terms  of  familiar  frieiidsliip 
i,„  A.,ha  «f  rM.iKo.„.n  .  and  he  was  tried,  condemned,  ami  Ixlieaded 


with  the  duke  of  Clarence 


at  Tyburn  for  no  allcdged  offence  beyond  these  few  idle  and  iiitcnvieniic; 
words.  That  Clarence  might  have  no  shadow  of  doubt  that  he  was  Imn 
self  aimed  at  in  the  persons  of  his  friends,  this  infamous  nnirdcr  wm  f,i|! 
lowed  by  that  of  another  friend  of  the  duke,  a  clergyman  named  SJtaccy 
He  was  a  learned  man,  and  far  more  proficient  than  was  commuii  m' 
that  half  barbarous  age  in  astronomy  and  mathematical  studies  in  m- 
eral.  The  rabble  got  a  notion  that  such  learning  must  needs  imply  sor 
eery;  the  popular  rumour  was  adopted  by  Clarence's  enemies,  and  ih? 
unfortunate  Staccy  was  tried,  tortured,  and  executed,  some  of  the  mos; 
eminent  peers  not  scrupling  to  sanction  these  atrocious  proceedin''3  bv 
their  presence.  As  the  enemies  of  Clarence  had  anticipated,  the  perse- 
cution of  his  friends  aroused  him  to  an  imprudent  though  generous  India- 
nation.  Instead  of  endeavouring  to  secure  himself  by  a  close  reserve,  he 
loudly  and  boldly  inveighed  against  the  injustice  of  which  his  friends  W 
been  the  victims,  and  bore  testimony  to  their  innocence  and  honour. 
This  was  precisely  what  the  enemies  of  the  duke  desired;  the  king  was 
insidiously  urged  to  deem  the  complaints  of  Clarence  insulting  and  in- 
jurious to  him,  as  implying  his  participation  in  the  alledged  injustice dow 
to  the  duke's  friends. 

A.  D.  1478. — The  unfortunate  duke  was  now  fairly  in  the  .oils  whicli 
had  been  set  for  him  by  his  enemies.     He  was  committed  to  the  Tower, 
and  a  parliament  was  specially  summoned  to  try  him  for  treason.  The  I 
treasons   alledged    against    him,  even  had  they   been   proved  by  d,e 
most    trustworthy   evidence,    were  less  treasons   tlian   mere  pcuihnt 
speeches.     Not  a  single  overt  act  was  even  alledged,  far  less  proved 
against  him.    But  the  king  in  person  prosecuted  him,  and  the  slavish 
parliament  shamelessly  pronounced  him  guilty;  the  commons  addini;lo| 
their  vileness  by  both  petitioning  for  the  duke's  execution  and  passing  a  j 
bill  of  attainder'agamst  him.    The  dreadfully  severe  temper  of  Edwdl 
required  no  such  vile  prompting.    There  was  little  danger  of  liis  showin; I 
raorcy  even  to  a  brother  whom  he  had  once  fairly  learned  to  hate!  TIm| 


Tlli  T»EA8UR1  OF  HISTORY. 


406 

allow- 


„ln  favour  that  ho  would  grant  the  unhap[)y  diiko  was  that  of  beinff  al 
'llnctioose  the  mode  of  Lis  death;  and  ho  made  choii;o  of  the  strange 
nduiilicard-of  one  of  being  drowned  in  a  butt  of  MalinHcy  wiiio,  which 
ihii! "".'"''y  tragic  death  waa  accordingly  inflicted  upon  him  in  the  Tower 

I  B  1482.— Louis  XI.  of  France  having  broken  his  agreement  to  marry 
he  (liuiphin  to  the  daughter  of  Kdward,  this  kiii^  conte.uplatcd  the  inva- 
iioii  of  trance  for  the  purpose  of  avenging  the  aftront.  Hut  while  he  was 
busily  eiigiiged  Willi  the  necessary  preparations  he  was  suddenly  seized 
»ith  a  inorial  sickness,  of  which  he  expired  in  the  twenty-third  year  of 
hisrcigii  and  the  forty-second  of  iiis  ago. 

Though  undoubtedly  possessed  of  both  abilities  and  couriigo,  Edward 
w;is disgriicefuliy  sensual  and  hatefully  cruel.  His  vigour  and  courage 
niiiiht  eurn  him  admiration  in  times  of  ditTiculty,  but  his  love  of  efl'eminate 
ptoures  must  always  preclude  him  from  receiving  the  anprobalion  of  the 
Me,  as  his  unsparing  cruelly  must  always  insure  him  the  abhorrence  of 
iho  good. 


CHAPTKR  XXXIV. 

TUB    RKION    or    KUWAUD    V. 

A.D.  1433.— From  the  time  of  the  marriage  of  Kdward  IV.  wilii  iho  lady 
i;iizabetti  Gray  the  court  had  been  divided  into  two  fierce  factions,  wiiieh 
were  none  the  less  dangerous  now  because  during  the  life  of  Kdward  the 
jiern  cliaractcr  of  that  king  had  compelled  liic  concealment  of  tlieir  enmi- 
ties from  him.  The  queen  herself,  with  her  brother  the  earl  of  lliver^  and 
her  soil  llie  marquis  of  Dorset,  were  at  thi  head  of  the  one  faction,  while 
ihe  other  iiii'lndcd  nearly  th(!  whole  of  the  ancient  and  po\\erfnl  nobility 
jflhi' kintfiloin,  who  naturally  were  indignant  at  the  sudden  rise  and  ex- 
cci'iJiiig  iinil'iiion  of  the  queen's  family.  The  duke  of  Huckinghani,  though 
tiehiid  married  the  queen's  sister,  was  at  the  head  of  the  party  opposed 
10 iior  family  inlluence,  and  he  was  zealously  and  strongly  supported  by 
ihe  lords  Hastings,  Stanley,  and  Howard. 

When  Edward  IV.  felt  that  his  end  was  approaching  he  sent  for  these 
noblemen  and  entreated  Ihein  to  support  the  authority  of  his  youthful  son; 
but  no  sooner  was  Edward  dead  than  the  leaders  of  both  factions  en- 
deavoured to  secure  the  chief  interest  with  the  heartless  and  ambitious 
duke  of  Oloster,  whom  Edward  IV.  most  fatally  had  named  regent  during 
ihe  minority  of  Edward  the  Fifth. 

Though  Gloster  was  entrusted  with  the  regency  of  the  kingdom,  the 
careof  the  young  prince  was  confided  to  his  uncle  the  earl  of  Rivera,  a 
nobleman  remarkable  in  that  rude  age  for  his  literary  taste  and  talents. 
The  queen,  who  was  very  anxious  to  preserve  over  her  son  the  same 
peal  influence  she  had  exerted  over  his  father,  advised  Rivers  to  levy  troops 
toescortthe  king  to  London  to  be  crowned,  and  to  protect  him  from  any 
undue  coercion  on  the  part  of  the  enemies  of  his  family.  To  this  step, 
however,  Lord  Hastings  and  his  friends  made  the  strongest  and  most 
open  opposition ;  Hastings  even  going  so  far  as  to  declare  tiiat  if  such  a 
force  were  levied  he  should  think  it  high  time  to  depart  for  his  govern- 
ment of  Calais,  and  his  friends  adding  that  the  levying  such  a  force  would 
be  the  actual  recommencement  of  a  civil  war.  Gloster,  who  had  deeper 
motives  than  any  of  the  other  of  the  parties  concerned,  afTected  to  think 
iuch  force  needless  at  least,  and  his  artful  professions  of  determination 
lo^fTnrd  the  young  king  all  needful  protection  so  completely  deceived  the 
queen,  that  she  altered  her  opinion  and  requested  her  brother  to  accom- 
fiiny  his  nephew  to  London  with  only  such  equipage  as  was  befittiiiu 
b  high  rank. 


fir-  ■-''' 


I 


::.  >>"ii-i'H'iti 


;•'   "!! 


t-. 


106 


THE  TREASUaV  OF  HISTORY. 


When  the  young  king  was  understood  to  be  on  his  road,  Gloster  set  ou; 
with  a  numerous  retinue,  under  pretence  of  desiring  to  cscurt  hini  hoi 
Durably  to  London,  and  was  joined  at  Northampton  by  Lord  Hasiinsg 
who  also  had  a  numerous  retinue.  Rivers,  fancying  Ihatliig  ownreiinue 
added  to  tiie  numerous  company  already  assembled  at  Noithampioii  would 
cause  a  want  of  accommodation,  sent  Edward  to  Stony  Siratford,  and 
went  hinrself  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  regent  Gloster  at  Northampton 
Rivers  was  cordially  received  by  the  duke  of  Gloster,  with  whom  and 
Buckingham  he  spent  the  whole  evening.  Not  a  word  passed  whence  he 
could  infer  enmity  or  danger,  yet  on  the  following  morning  as  he  wasonter- 
ing  Stony  Stratford  to  join  his  royal  ward,  he  was  arrested  by  order  of 
the  duke  of  Gloster.  Sir  Richard  Gray,  a  son  of  the  queen  by  her  first 
marriage,  and  Sir  Thomas  Vaughan,  were  at  the  same  time  arrested,  and 
all  three  were  immediately  sent  under  a  strong  escort  to  Poiilefract  casile. 

Having  thus  deprived  the  young  king  of  his  wisest  and  most  zealous 
protector,  (iloster  waited  upon  him  with  every  outward  show  of  kindness 
and  respect,  but  could  not  with  all  his  art  quiet  tlie  regrets  and  fears 
excited  in  the  prince's  mind  by  the  sudden  and  ominous  arrest  ofhis  kind 
and  good  relative.  The  queen  was  still  more  alarmed.  In  the  arrest  of 
her  brother  she  saw  but  the  first  step  made  towards  the  ruin  of  herself 
and  her  whole  family;  and  she  immediately  retired  to  tiic  sanctuary  oi 
Westminster,  together  with  the  young  duke  of  York  and  the  five  prin- 
cesses, trusting  (hat  (Jloster  would  scarcely  dare  to  violate  the  sanctuary 
which  had  proved  her  efficient  defence  against  all  the  fury  of  liio  Laii- 
castrian  faction  during  the  worst  times  of  her  husband's  misfortunes.  Her 
confidence  in  the  siielter  she  had  chosen  was  naturally  increased  by  the 
consideration,  that  whereas  formerly  even  a  family  opposed  to  hers  by 
the  most  deadly  and  immitigable  hostility  was  not  templed  to  violate  tht 
sanctuary,  she  h:i(l  now  to  dread  only  her  own  brother-in-law,  whde  hci 
son,  fast  approaching  the  years  which  would  enable  him  to  terminate  his 
uncle's  protectorate,  was  the  king. 

But  m  rcasonmg  thus  the  queen  wholly  overlooked  the  deep  and  dim. 
gerous  nature  of  lier  brother-in-law,  whose  dark  mind  was  daring  cuoiiih 
for  the  most  desperate  deeds,  and  subtle  enougli  to  suggest  excuses  lit 'in 
impose  even  upon  the  shrewdest  and  most  cautious.  Gloster  saw  liiai 
tho  continuance  of  his  nephew  in  sanctuary  would  oppose  an  insurmnuiu- 
able  obstacle  to  his  abominable  designs ;  and  he  at  once  devoted  hi! 
powers  of  subtlety  to  the  task  of  getting  the  young  prince  from  that  se- 
cure shelter  without  allowing  the  true  motive  to  appear.  Making  fiiii  al- 
lowance for  the  power  of  the  church,  he  represented  to  tlie  archbishops 
of  Canterbury  and  York,  that  the  queen  in  some  sort  insulted  the  church 
by  abusing,  to  the  protection  of  herself  and  children  against  tlie  dangers 
which  existed  only  in  her  imagination,  a  privilege  wliich  was  intcnJd 
only  for  persons  of  mature  years  having  reason  to  fear  grievous  injury  on 
account  of  either  crime  or  debt.  Now,  he  argued,  could  a  mere  i;li;lii 
like  the  brother  of  their  young  king  be  in  anywise  obnoxious  to  the 
king,  of  dangers  for  which  alone  the  right  of  sanctuary  was  instituted' 
Was  not  the  church  as  well  as  the  government  concerned  in  putting  a 
Btop,  even  by  force  if  necessary,  to  a  course  of  conduct  on  the  part  of 
the  queen  which  was  calculated  to  possess  mankind  with  the  most  horri- 
ble suspicions  of  those  persons  who  were  the  most  concerned  in  the  king's 
happiness  and  safety  ?  The  prelates,  ignorant  of  the  dark  desisjiis  ol 
Gloster,  and  even  of  his  real  nature,  which  hitherto  he  had  carefully  and 
most  dexterously  disguised,  could  scarcely  fail  to  agree  with  him  as  to 
tho  folly  of  the  queen's  conduct,  and  its  entire  Heedlessness  for  securing 
her  son's  safety.  But,  careful  of  the  privileges  of  the  church,  they  woiiW  i 
BOt  hear  of  the  sanctuary  being  forcibly  assailed,  but  readily  agreed  to 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HiaiORY. 


497 


loster  set  out 
corl  him  liou- 
lOrd  Hasiings, 
is  ownretinut 
lamplon  would 
Slralford,  and 
Norllvdmiilon. 
'itli  whom  and 
sed  whence  lie 
ishe  wasoiiler- 
d  by  order  of 
en  liy  her  firsl 
ic  arresled,  and 
)nlofract  casilc. 
d  most  zealoiiii 
low  of  kindl\cs^ 
jjrets  and  fuars 
rrest  of  liis  knul 
In  ihe  arresl  ol 
)  ruin  of  lierstK 
he  sani:tiiary  ol 
d  the  five  prni- 
lie  llic  saiiciuary 
"ury  of  the  Lau- 
misforluncs.  Hti 
increased  by  llie 
)oscd  to  hers  by 
led  lo  violate  llib 
ill-law,  while  liei 
n  to  lerminale  Ins 

he  deep  and  J;m- 
fas  daring  euwi;h 
rest  excuses  lit  lu 
'g loster  saw  tli:ii 
ise  an  insurmouiU- 
once  devoted  liu 
nee  frour  that  se- 
•.    Making  full  al- 
to the  archbishops 
iisuUed  Ihe  church 
gainst  the  dangers 
liich  was  iutemy 
grievous  injury  on 
;ould  a  mere  ch,k 

obnoxious  to  Hie 
iry  was  instituted' 
•erncd  in  pulling  a 
iduct  on  the  part  ol 
uilh  the  most  liorri- 
ccrncdinihckiiiji 
lie  dark  desisius  o 
,c  had  carefully  and 

fee  with  him  as  to 
■ssness  for  securin? 

church,  they  wouW 

m  readily  agreed  lo 


ugj  their  personal  influence  with  the  queen  to  induce  her  voluntarily  to 
abandon  alike  licr  retreat  and  her  fears. 

The  prelates  had  much  difficulty  in  inducing  the  queen  to  allow  the 
young  duke  of  York  to  leave  her  and  the  protection  of  the  sanctuary. 
llis  continuance  there  she  again  and  again  alhrmcd  to  be  important,  not 
only  to  llis  own  safety,  but  lo  that  of  the  young  king,  against  whose  life 
it  would  appear  to  be  both  useless  and  unsafe  to  strike  while  his  brother 
and  successor  remained  in  safety.  In  reply  to  tiiis,  the  prelates,  sin- 
cerely thougii  most  mistakenly,  assured  her  that  she  did  but  deiieivo  her- 
self in  her  fears  for  cither  of  the  royal  brothers.  Hut  periinps  their 
s:ron''est  argument  was  their  frank  declaration  that  the  seclusion  of  the 
vomig  prince  was  so  ofl'ensive  both  to  the  duko  of  York  and  the  council, 
•Jiat  U  was  more  than  possible  that  even  force  miglit  be  resorted  to  should 
iiie  queen  refuse  to  yield  the  point.  Dreading  lest  further  opposition 
should  but  accelerate  the  evil  that  she  wished  lo  avert,  the  unhappy  queen 
atlcujjili,  witii  abundance  of  tears  and  witli  lanienlalions  which  were  but 
too  prophetic,  delivered  tiie  young  prince  up,  bidding  him,  as  she  did  so, 
farewell  for  ever. 

Possessed  of  the  protectorate,  wiiich  the  council,  on  account  of  his 
near  relation  to  the  throne,  had  at  once  conferred  U[)on  him  without  wail- 
iiirrfiir  tlic  consent  of  parliament,  and  now  possessed  of  the  persons  of 
ihc  youiijf  princes,  Glostor  seems  to  have  deemed  all  obstacles  removed 
to  llis  bloody  and  treacherous  purpose,  though  to  any  less  uncomprom- 
ising and  daring  schemer  there  might  have  seemed  to  bo  a  formidable  one 
ill  ilie  existence  of  numerous  other  children  of  Edward,  and  two  of  the 
duke  of  Clarence. 

The  first  step  of  Qlostcr  in  his  infamous  course  was  lo  cause  Sir  Ri- 
;harJ  Katclitfe,  a  tool  well  worthy  of  so  heartless  and  unsparing  an  em- 
iiloycr,  to  put  to  death  the  earl  of  Rivers  and  the  other  prisoners  whom 
lie  had  sent  lo  I'onlefract  castle,  as  before  named;  and  to  this  measure 
ihe  tyrant  had  the  art  to  obtain  the  sanction  of  the  duke  of  Buckingham 
and  Lord  Hastings,  whom  subsequently  he  most  fittingly  repaid  for  their 
pirlicipation  in  this  monstrous  guilt. 

Gloster  now  quite  literally  imitated  the  great  enemy  of  mankind — he 
i;;ade  this  first  crime  of  Buckingham's,  this  participation  in  one  murder 
the  cause  and  the  justification  of  farther  crime.  He  pointed  out  to  Buck- 
ingham that  the  death — however  justifiably  inflicted,  as  he  afTected  to  con- 
Bidcr  it— at  their  suggestion  and  command,  of  the  queen's  brother  and  son, 
was  an  offence  which  a  woman  of  her  temper  would  by  no  means  for- 
get; and  that  however  impotent  she  might  be  during  the  minority  of  her 
son,  the  years  would  soon  pass  by  which  would  bring  his  majority  ;  she 
would  then  have  both  access  to  and  influence  over  him ;  and  would  not 
that  influence  be  most  surely  used  to  their  dcslriiclion  1  Would  it  not  be 
safer  for  Buckingham,  aye,  and  better  for  all  the  real  and  antique  nobility 
of  the  kingdom,  that  the  offspring  of  the  comparatively  plebeian  Elizabeth 
Gray  should  he  excluded  from  the  throne,  and  that  llic  sceptre  sliouM 
pass  into  the  hands  of  Gloster  himself — he,  who  was  so  indissolubly  the 
friend  of  Buckingham,  and  so  well  affected  to  the  true  nobility  of  the 
kingdom  1  Safety  from  the  consequences  of  a  crime  already  coinmilled 
and  irrevocable,  with  great  and  glowing  prospect  of  rich  benefits  to  arise 
frfiin  being  the  personal  friend,  the  very  right  hand  of  the  king,  albeit  a 
uswping  king,  were  arguments  precisely  adapted  lo  the  comprehension 
and  favour  of  Buckingham,  who  with  but  small  hcsilalion  agreed  to  lend 
his  aid  and  sanction  to  the  measures  necessary  to  convert  the  duke  of 
Gloster  into  King  Richard  III. 

Having  thus  secured  Buckingham,  Gloster  now  turned  his  attention  lo 
Lord  Hastings,  whose  influence  was  so  extensive  as  to  be  of  vast  impor 

nice.   Through  the  medium  of  Calesby,  a  lawyer  much  employed  b 


Uipmj! 


Srti'^i  I 


.  ^P^i 


(08 


THE  TUEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


mi: 


^mm 


G  oster  wneti  chicane  seemed  ihe  preferable  weapon  to  actual  violenc 
G  ester  sounded  Hastings;  but  that  nobleman,  weak  and  wicked  ash 
had  pioved  himself,  was  far  too  sincerely  attached  to  the  chihlron  of  l 
late  sovereign  and  friend  to  consent  to  their  injnry.     Ho  not  only  refueH 
to  aid  !n  the  transfer  of  the  crown  from  them,  but  so  refused  as  lo  jeive 
but  little  room  for  doubt  that  he  would  be  active  in  his  opposition,    'i'lip 
mere  suspicion  was  sufficient  to  produce  his  ruin,  which  Glosterset  about 
instantly  and  almost  without  the  trouble  of  disguise. 

A  council  was  summoned  to  meet  Gloster  at  the  Tower,  and  Hastinir. 
attended  with  as  little  fear  or  suspicion  as  any  other  member.  cJlostc'r 
whose  mood  seems  ever  to  have  been  the  most  dangerous  wlien  his  bear-' 
ing  was  the  most  jocund,  chatted  familiarly  with  the  members  of  the 
council  as  they  assembled.  Not  a  frown  darkened  his  terrible  brow,  not 
a  word  fell  from  his  lips  tliat  could  excite  doubt  or  fear;  who  could  i'lave 
supposed  that  he  was  about  to  commit  a  foul  murder  who  was  siinicieiitiv 
at  case  to  compliment  Bishop  Morton  upon  the  size  and  Ciiiiness  of  ilio 
strawberries  in  his  garden  at  Holborn,  and  to  beg  that  a  dish  of  Hiep, 
might  be  sent  to  him  1  Yet  it  was  in  the  midst  of  such  light  talk  tliatlie 
left  the  council-board  to  ascertain  that  all  his  villainous  arrangemoius 
were  exactly  made.  This  done,  ho  entered  tlio  room  again  with  a  dis 
lurbed  and  angry  countenance,  and  startled  all  present  by  sternly  andab 
ruptly  demanding  what  pimishment  was  deserved  by  those  who  should 
dare  to  plot  against  the  life  of  the  uncle  of  the  king  and  the  appoiutrd 
protector  of  the  realm.  Hastings,  really  attached  to  Gloster,  though  siiU 
more  so  to  the  royal  children,  warmly  replied  that  whoever  should  do  so 
would  merit  the  punishment  of  traitors. 

"  Traitors,  aye  traitors !"  said  the  duke,  "  and  those  traitors  are  the 
sorceress,  my  brother's  widow,  and  his  mistress,  Jane  Shore,  and  others 
who  are  associated  with  them."  And  then  laying  bare  his  arm,  which  all 
present  knew  to  have  been  shriveled  and  deformed  from  his  earliest 
years,  he  continued,  "  See  to  what  a  condition  they  have  reduced  niebv 
their  abominable  withcraft  and  incantations!" 

The  mention  of  Jane  Siiore  excited  the  first  suspicion  or  foar  in  the 
mind  of  Hastings,  who,  subsequent  to  the  death  of  the  late  kini[,  had  been 
intimate  with  the  beautiful  though  guilty  woman  of  that  name. 

"  If,"  said  Hastings,  doubtfully,"  they  have  done  this,  my  lord,  they  de- 
serve the  severest  punishment." 

"  If!"  shouted  Gloster,  "  and  do  yon  prate  to  me  of  your  ifs  and  ands! 
You  are  the  chief  abettor  of  the  sorceress  Shore ;  you  are  a  traitor,  and 
by  St.  Paul  I  swear  that  I  will  not  dine  until  your  head  shall  be  brotigli! 
to  me." 

Thus  speaking,  he  struck  the  table  with  his  hand,  and  in  an  instant  the 
room  was  filled  with  armed  men  who  had  already  received  his  (ndcrs 
how  to  act;  Hastings  was  dragged  from  the  room  and  beheaded  on  a  log 
of  wood  which  chanced  to  be  lying  in  the  court-yard  of  the  Tower.  In 
two  hours  after  this  savage  murder,  a  proclamation  was  niiidc  to  thei'it- 
izens  of  London,  apologising  for  ihn  sudden  execution  of  Ilastii^s  on  the 
score  of  the  equally  sudden  discovery  of  numerous  ofTences  which  the 
proclamation  charged  upon  him.  Though  Gloster  had  but  little  reason  to 
fear  any  actual  outbreak  in  the  city,  the  lord  Hastings  was  very  populai 
there;  and  not  a  few  of  the  citizens,  even  including  those  who  werettio 
most  favourable  to  Gloster,  seemed  to  agree  with  a  merchant  who,  nolic 
ing  the  elaborate  composition  of  the  fairly  written  proclamation,  and  con 
trasting  it  with  the  shortness  of  the  lime  which  had  elapsed  from  Hastings 
iPurder,  shrewdly  remarked  that  "the  proclamation  might  safely  be  relieo 
on,  '^or  it  was  quite  plain  that  it  had  been  drawn  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

l^hough  the  Bxtreme  violence  of  Gloster  was  for  the  present  confined  lo 
Hastings,  as  if  in  retributive  justice  upon  his  crime  towards  the  victimnol 


THE  TttEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


409 


ing. 
with 


Pontcfriict,  the  other  councillors  were  by  no  means  allowed  to  escape  scot 
free  Lor''  Stanley  was  actually  wounded  by  the  poll-axe  of  one  of  the 
oldiers  summoned  by  the  treacherous  protector,  and  only,  perhaps,  es- 
raocii  \ic\ns  murdered  in  the  very  presence  of  that  tyrant  by  the  more 
dexterous  than  dignified  expedient  of  falling  under  the  table,  and  rem-iin- 
•  „  i|,gre  till  the  confusion  attendant  upon  the  arrest  of  Hastings  had  sub- 
il.  He  was  then,  together  with  the  archbishop  of  York,  the  bishop  of 
Flv  and  sof"^  other  councillors  whom  Glosler  hated  for  their  sincere  at- 
tachment to  the  family  of  the  late  king,  conveyed  from  the  council  room 
of  tiie  Tower  to  its  too  ominous  dungeons. 
Anew  and  a  meaner  victim  was  now  essential  to  the  da>'k  and  unspar- 

purposes  of  tlic  protector.     His  connection  of  the  murdered  Hastings 

ithe  allcdged  sorceries  of  the  late  king's  mistress,  Jane  Shore,  render- 
ed it  necessary  that  he  should  appear  to  be  fully  convinced  that  she  was 
juiltvof  the  crimes  which  he  had  laid  to  her  charge.  The  charge  of 
wiiciicnil'i,  that  upon  which  he  laid  the  most  stress,  was  so  >v holly  unsup- 
norteJ  by  evidence,  that  even  the  ignorance  ol  ilic  age  and  the  power  of 
Gloster  could  not  get  her  convicted  upon  it ;  but  as  it  was  notorious  that 
she,  a  married  woman,  had  lived  in  a  doubly  adulterous  intercourse  with 
the  liite  king,  the  spiritual  court  was  easily  induced  to  sentence  her  to  do 
peiiiinee  publicly,  and  altiredi  n  a  white  sheet,  at  St.  Paul's.  Her  subse- 
quent fate  was  just  what  might  be  expected  from  her  form-^r  life.  Though 
ill  her  guilty  prosperity  she  showed  many  signs  of  a  humane  and  kindly 
icmper,  lil'crally  succouring  the  distressed  and  disinterestedly  using  her 
iiilliienee  with  the  king  for  the  benefit  of  deserving  but  friendly  court  suit 
ors  she  passed  unheeded  and  unaided  from  her  public  degradation  to  a 
privacy  of  miserable  indigence. 

Glostcr's  impunity  thus  far  very  naturally  increased  both  his  propen- 
sionlo  crime  and  his  audacity  in  its  commission,  and  he  now  no  longer 
iiiaile  a  secret  of  his  desire  to  exclude  the  present  king  and  his  brother 
from  the  throne.  Reckless  of  woman's  fame  as  of  man's  life,  Gloster 
lookiiilvantage  oi'the  known  luxuriousness  of  the  late  king's  life  to  affirm, 
that  previous  to  that  prince  marrying  the  lady  lOlizabctli  Gray  ho  had 
been  married  to  the  lady  Klcanor  Talbot,  the  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
Shrewsbury ;  that  this  marriage,  though  secret,  was  legal  and  binding, 
anil  had  been  solemnized  by  Millington,  bishop  of  Bath ;  and  that,  con- 
seqnentiy  and  necessarily,  Kdward's  children  by  the  lady  Klizabeth  Gray 
«erc  illegitimate.  The  children  of  Kdward  being  thus  pronounced  ille- 
^ilimate,  Gloster,  by  his  partisans,  maintained  that  the  attainder  of  the 
Juke  of  Clarence  necessarily  dispossessed  his  children  of  all  right.  Hut 
as  assertion  in  the  former  case  could  hardly  pass  for  proof,  and  as  attaint 
hid  never  been  ruled  to  exclude  from  the  crown  as  from  mere  private  suc- 
cession, Gloster  soared  to  a  higher  and  more  damning  pitch  of  infamy  ; 
hitherto  ho  had  impugned  the  chastity  of  his  sister-in-law — now  he  passed 
bovdml  all  the  ordinary  vlUany  of  the  world  and  imputed  frequent  and 
famihar  harlotry  to  his  own  mother!  To  make  his  right  to  the  throne 
ivliolly  independent  either  of  the  alledged  secret  marriage  of  the  late  king 
loihe  lady  Eleanor,  or  of  the  elTect  upon  Clarence's  children  of  the  at- 
tiiiiJer  of  their  father,  Gloster  now  taught  his  numerous  and  zealous  tools 
io  maintain  that  his  mother,  the  duchess  of  York,  who  was  still  alive,  had 
been  repeatedly  false  to  her  marriage  vows,  that  both  Kdward  IV.  and  the 
duke  of  Clarence  had  been  illegitimate  and  the  sons  of  diflferent  fathers, 
and  that  the  duke  of  Gloster  was  alone  tho  legitimate  son  of  the  duke  an(i 
duchess  of  York. 

As  if  this  horrible  charge  of  a  son  against  his  mother,  who  had  lived 
mdwas  still  living  in  the  highest  credit  of  tho  most  irreproachable  virtue, 
were  not  suincicntly  revolting  to  all  good  and  manly  feelings,  tho  subject 
was  first  brought  forward  i»  church ;  on  the  occasion  of  Dr.  Shaw  preaching 


"<  \Vi 


-  T 


iio 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


M! 


a  sermon  before  the  protector.    The  preacher,  well  worthy  of  the  paiin 
took  the  sigiiificiiiit  text,  '^  Bastard  slips  shall  not  thrive;^'  upon  wtiich  ih"* 
preacher  enlarged  witii  great  zeal  in  the  endenvour  to  throw  the  slain  f 
bastardy  upon  l']dward  IV.  and  his  brother  Clarence.     Thouijh  Gloste 
was  far  loo  free  from  shamefacedness,  as  well  as  from  everyihiiu  in  ii  ^ 
shape  of  "compunctious  visiting,"  to  have  any  objection  to  beinir'preseri 
during  the  delivery  of  tlie  whole  of  the  tirade  against  !iis  own  nioiiier' 
chastity,  yjt  from  a  politic  motive  it  was  arranged  liiat  lie  should  no' 
enter  the  church  until  the  preacher  should  finish  pronouncing  the  fo|i()\v 
ing  passage.     Contrasting  the  duke  of  Glostcr  with  the  alledged  iUpgitj 
mate  sons  of  his  mother,  the  preacher  exclaimed,  "  Behold  ilijs  nxcelleni 
prince,  the  express  image  of  his  noble  father,  the  genuine  descenJaiit  ol 
the  house  of  York ;  bearing,  no  less  in  the  virtues  of  his  mind  than  in  the 
features  of  his  countenance  the  character  of  the  gallant  lliciiard,  once  ynur 
hero  and  favourite.     He  alone  is  entitled  to  your  allegiance;  ho  miistdc 
liver  you  from  the  dominion  of  all  intruders;  Ire  alone  can  restore  Uie  lost 
glory  and  honour  of  the  nation." 

It  was  intended  that  this  glowing  panegyric  on  the  duke  of  Glostcr 
should  be  pronounced  at  the  very  moment  of  the  object  of  it  making  his 
appearance  in  the  church,  in  the  Ik  pe  that,  taken  by  surprise  and  nr^ed 
into  enthusiastic  feeling,  the  congregation  might  be  induced  to  hail  "he 
wily  and  heartless  tyrant  with  the  cry  of  "  God  save  King  Richard."  Dm 
jy  one  of  tliose  mistakes  which  very  often  occur  to  throw  ridicule  u^in 
.he  deepest  sciicmcs,  the  duke  did  not  make  his  appearance  umjl  'the 
whole  of  this  precioua  passage  had  already  been  delivered.  Rather  limn 
his  eloquence  and  the  chance  of  its  success  should  be  lost  by  this  aecident 
the  preacher  actually  repeated  it;  but  the  audience,  either  from  the  repi'.' 
tition  seeming  ridiculous,  or  its  impressing  them  the  more  strongly  \\% 
the  falsehood  and  villany  of  the  charges  insinuated  against  the  ducliess  of 
Vork,  witnessed  the  performance  of  the  disgusting  farce  with  an  iiidiffir- 
ence  which  probably  was  more  severely  felt  by  Glostcr  than  any  other 
punishment  would  have  been. 

The  preaching  of  Dr.  Shaw  having  thus  failed  to  eflfect  the  purpose  ol 
Glostcr,  recourse  was  now  had  to  the  management  of  Dr.  Shaw's  brother, 
who  at  this  time  was  mayor  of  London.  He  called  a  meeting  of  tlie  ciiii 
zens,  to  whom  he  introduced  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  who  exerted  to  the 
utmost  his  powers  of  eloquence  upon  the  subject  of  Glosler's  great  and 
numerous  virtues,  and  upon  the  superiority  of  his  unquestionable  chum 
to  the  ilirone.  Though  Buckingham  was  as  earnest  as  he  was  cluiinem, 
he  could  by  no  means  communicate  his  own  feelings  to  the  bosoms  of  the 
good  citizens,  who,  with  most  unmoved  countenances  and  lack  lusirt' 
eyes  heard  him  in  all  gravity,  and  heard  the  very  conclusion  of  his  address 
with  all  silence.  At  once  annoyed  by  this  repulsive  silence,  and  as  much 
abashed  by  it  as  so  experienced  a  courtier  well  could  be  by  anything,  the 
duke  angrily  demanded  of  the  mayor  what  the  silence  of  the  citizens 
might  mean.  The  mayor  replied,  tiiat  probably  the  citizens  had  not  fully 
understood  the  duke,  who  then  repealed  the  former  speech,  but  .till  failed 
to  elicit  any  reply  from  his  auditors.  The  mayor,  in  his  desire  lu  irruiify 
the  duke,  pretended  that  the  citizens,  who  were  always  accustomed  to  be 
harangued  by  their  own  recorder,  could  only  comprehend  the  duke's  speech 
if  delivered  to  them  through  the  medium  of  that  olTicer. 

The  recorder,  Fitzwilliam,  was  accordingly  desired  to  repeat  thf  iuke's 
speech,  which,  being  no  friend  to  Gloster'a  projects,  he  took  care  to  do  in 
such  wise  that  the  people  could  by  no  means  take  the  words,  though  de- 
livered by  him,  to  leave  any  echo  in  his  wishes  ;  and  he,  like  the  duke, 
was  heard  to  the  -ery  last  word  without  any  one  giving  him  a  word  of 
reply. 

The  duke  now  became  too  much  enragec'  to  refrain  from  speaking  nui, 


■rom  speaking  oui, 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


«11 


ip.'  he  said,  "  This  is  wondprful  obstinacy ;  express  your  meaning,  my 
trieii'ls,  \n  one  way  or  the  oilier.  When  we  apply  to  you  on  this  occa- 
fiun  it  is  merely  from  the  regard  which  we  bear  to  you.  The  lords  and 
conimoi'S  have  sufficient  authority  without  your  consent  to  appoint  a  king-; 
but  I  require  you  here  to  declare,  in  plain  terms,  whether  or  not  you  will 
l,3vc  Hie  duke  of  Gloster  for  your  sovereign  ]"  The  earnestness  and 
ai,(ier  of  the  duke,  and  the  example  set  by  some  of  his  and  the  duke  of 
Foster's  servants,  caused  this  address,  more  fortunate  than  the  former 
ones,  to  be  received  with  a  cry  of  God  save  King  Richard!  The  cry  was 
ficblc,  and  raised  by  people  few  in  numbers  and  of  the  humblest  rank ; 
bill  it  served  the  purpose  of  Buckingham,  who  now,  as  had  been  con- 
cerled,  hurried  off  to  Uaynard's  castle  lo  inform  Gloster  that  the  voice  of 
"the  people"  called  him  to  the  throne  ! 

BuLkiiighani  was  attended  to  Baynard's  castle  by  the  mayor  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  citizens ;  and  though  the  wily  protector  was  most 
anxiously  expecting  this  visit,  he  aHected  to  be  surprised  and  even  alarm- 
ed at  so  many  persons  m  company  demanding  to  speak  to  him ;  which 
nreieiidcd  surprise  and  alarm  of  the  protector,  Buckingham  took  care  to 
Lntoiittothe  especial  notice  of  the  thick-witted  ritizens.  When  tlio 
protector  at  length  suffered  himself  to  be  persuaded  to  speak  to  the  duke 
uI'Lluckiiigham  and  the  citizens,  Jie  affected  astonishment  on  hearing  that 
he  was  desired  to  be  king,  and  roundly  declared  his  own  intention  of  ro- 
nwiiiiiig  loyal  to  I'dward  V.,  a  course  of  conduct  which  he  also  recom 
mended  to  Duckingham  and  his  other  auditors.  Buckingham  now  atiocled 
to  lake  a  higher  tone  with  the  protector.  That  prince,  argued  Bucking- 
liani,  could  undoubtedly  refuse  to  accept  the  crown,  but  he  could  not 
cuiiipe!  the  people  to  endure  their  present  sovereign.  A  new  one  they 
would  iiave,  and  if  the  duke  of  Gloster  would  not  comply  with  their  lov- 
ing wishes  on  his  behalf,  it  would  only  behove  them  to  offer  the  crown 
elsewhere.  Having  now  sufTuiently  kept  up  the  disgusting  farce  of  re- 
fusing that  crown  for  the  sake  of  which  he  had  already  waded  through  so 
much  innocent  blood,  and  was  so  perfectly  prepared  and  determined  to 
:ommit  even  more  startling  crimes  still,  Gloster  now  gave  a  seemingly 
reluctant  consent  to  accept  it ;  and  without  waiting  for  further  repetition 
of  this  offer  from  "the  peonlc,"  he  thenceforth  threw  aside  even  the  af- 
fectation of  acting  on  behalf  of  any  other  sovereign  than  his  own  will 
and  pleasure. 

The  farcical  portion  of  the  usurpation,  however,  was  but  too  oon  after- 
ward followed  by  a  most  tragical  completion  of  Richard's  vile  crime. 
Tortured  by  the  true  bane  of  tyrants,  suspicion  and  fear,  Kichard  felt  that 
so  long  as  iiis  young  nephews  survived,  his  usurped  cown  would  ever 
be  insecure,  as  an  opponent  would  always  be  at  hand  to  be  set  up  against 
Inmby  any  noble  to  whom  he  migiit  chance  to  give  offence.  This  con- 
sideration was  quite  enough  to  insure  the  death  of  the  unfortunate  young 
|irinces,  and  Richard  sent  orders  for  their  murder  to  the  constable  of  the 
lower,  Sir  Robert  Brackcnbnry.  But  this  gentleman  was  a  man  of 
honour,  and  he  wiin  a  man  of  honour's  spirit  and  feeling  refused  to  have 
aught  to  do  with  a  design  so  atrocious.  The  tvraut  was,  however,  not  to 
!)e  baffled  by  the  refusal  of  one  good  man  to  bend  to  his  infamous  designs, 
and  liav'i.?  found  a  more  compliant  tool  in  Uic  person  of  Sir  James  Tyrrel, 
It  was  01 '  -ed  that  for  one  night  Brackenbury  should  surrender  lo  that 
person  the  keys  of  the  Tower.  On  that  fatal  night  three  wretches,  named 
Slater,  Digliton,  and  Forrest,  were  introduced  to  the  chamber  in  which  the 
two  young  princes  were  buried  in  sinless  and  peaceful  sleep.  In  that 
uleep  the  young  victims  were  smothered  by  the  three  assassins  jtist  named, 
Tyrrel  waiting  outside  the  door  while  the  horrid  deed  was  being  perpe- 
trated, and,  on  its  completion,  ordering  the  burial  of  the  bodies  at  the  fool 
of  the  staircase  leading  to  the  chamber. 


I  ''-i.lJ 


412 


THR  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


It  may  not  be  quite  unnecessary  to  mention  here  that  douhtu,  froa 
liich  man's  ingenuity  allows  few  truths,  however  plain,  wholly  to  euchm 
,ve  been  thrown  upon  this  portion  of  Richard's  guilt;  but  the  most  in. 


which 
have 


genious  reasoning  and  the  utmost  felicity  at  guessing  are  but  idle  wheii 
opposed  to  plain  fact,  as  in  the  present  case ;  something  more  is  requisite 
in  opposition  to  the  actual  confession  made  by  the  murderers  themseivej 
in  the  following  reign. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


THE    REION    OF    RICHARD    III. 


I 


A,  D.  1483. — Having  not  only  grasped  the  crown,  but  also  put  to  deaiti 
the  two  claimants  "rom  whom  ho  had  the  most  reason  to  feur  future  an- 
noyance, Richard  now  turned  his  attention  to  securing  as  strong  a  body 
of  supporters  as  he  could,  by  the  distribution  of  favours.  And  so'auxious 
was  he  upon  this  point,  so  ready  to  forget  all  other  considerations  in  the 
present  usefulness  of  those  of  whose  services  he  stood  in  need,  that  he 
cast  his  shrewd  eye  upon  powerful  enemies  to  be  conciliated  as  well  uS 
devoted  friends  to  be  rewarded  for  the  past  and  retained  for  the  future, 

Among  those  whom  Richard  the  most  carefully  sought  to  keep  firm  to 
his  interests  was  the  duke  of  Buckingham.  Descended  from  Thomas  oi 
Woodstock,  duke  of  Gloster,  and  uncle  of  Richard  U.  this  nobleman  was 
allied  to  the  royal  family,  and  from  the  same  cause  he  had  a  claim  upon 
a  moiety  of  the  vast  property  of  Bohun,  earl  of  Hereford,  which  moiety 
had  long  been  held  by  the  crown  under  escheat.  Buckingham,  though 
his  wealth  and  honours  were  already  ( normons,  deemed  that  the  servic°es 
he  had  recently  rendered  to  Richard  gave  him  good  ground  to  claim  this 
roperty,  and  also  the  office  of  constable  of  England,  which  had  long  been 
ereditary  in  the  Hereford  family.  In  the  first  exultation  caused  by  his 
own  success,  so  much  of  which  was  owing  to  Buckingham,  Richard 
granted  all  that  nobleman  asked.  Bnt  on  cooler  reflection  Richard  seems 
to  have  imagined  that  Buckingham  was  already  as  wealthy  and  powerful 
as  a  subject  could  be  consintentiy  with  the-  safety  of  the  crown,  and  though 
he  virtually  made  a  formal  grant  of  the  Hereford  property,  he  tooiicare 
to  oppose  insuperable  difficulties  to  its  actual  fulfilment.  Buckinghiim 
was  far  too  shrewd  to  fail  to  perceive  the  real  cause  of  the  property  beiii; 
withheld  from  him  ;  and  he  who  had  so  unscrupulously  exerted  himsell 
to  set  up  the  usurper,  now  felt  fully  as  anxious  and  resolute  to  aid  in  pul- 
ling him  down.  The  flagrancy  of  Richard's  usurpation  was  such  as  to 
promise  every  facility  to  an  attempt  to  dethrone  him,  if  that  attempt  were 
but  headed  by  a  man  of  adequate  power  and  consequence.  In  truth,  the 
very  success  of  his  usurpation  was  scarcely  more  attributable  to  his  own 
daring  and  unprincipled  wickedness  than  to  the  absence  of  any  powerful 
opponent.  Even  the  lowest  and  meanest  citizens  of  London  had  rather 
been  coerced  into  a  passive  admission  of  his  right  to  the  crown  than  into 
an  active  support  of  it ;  and  now  that  the  duke  of  Buckingham  was  con- 
verted into  an  enemy  of  the  usurper,  the  long  dormant  claims  of  the  Lan- 
castrians were  pressed  upon  his  attention,  and  not  unfavourably  looked 
upjn  by  him.  Morton,  bishop  of  Ely,  whom  Richard  committed  to  t' 
Tower  on  the  day  of  Lord  Hastings'  murder,  had  recently  been  commiti 
to  the  less  rigorous  custody  of  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  and,  perceiving  I 
the  duke's  discontent,  turned  his  attention  to  a  fitting  rival  to  oppose  the 
tyrant,  in  the  person  of  Henry,  the  young  earl  of  Richmond.  Through  hii  [ 
mother  the  young  '!arl  was  heir  of  the  elder  branch  of  the  house  of  Som- 
erset ;  and  though  tliat  claim  to  the  crown  would  formerly  have  been  look' 
ed  upon  as  very  slight,  the  failure  of  the  legitimate  branches  of  the  houa  I 


>  I'  itkiiSrii 


>ubtv,  (roa 

I  to  eucape, 
,l\e  niosl  in- 
il  idle  when 
is  requisite 
\  ihemseivei 


I  put  to  dcalti 

ear  future  an- 

strong  a  body 

aid  so  anxious 

eraiions  in  ihe 

\  need,  that  he 

ted  as  well  uS 

r  the  future. 

10  keep  firm  to 

fom  Thomas  oi 

i  nobleman  was 

id  a  claim  upon 

,,  which  moiety 

ingham,  though 

that  the  services 

jnd  to  claim  this 

;h  had  long  been 

n  caused  by  his 

ingham,  Richard 

ji\  Richard  seems 

lliy  and  powerful 

,rown,  and  though 
fly,  he  took  cave 
lit.  Buckingham 
lie  property  beiii; 
'  exerted  nimsell 
tluto  to  aid  in  p"l- 
jn  was  such  as  to 
thai  attempt  ^ve^e 
Ice.  1«  truth,  the 
mtabletohisown 
■  of  anypowerlul 
^ondon  hadraihet 
fe  crown  than  into 

Linfham  was  con- 
rclannsoftheLan- 
favourably  looW 
commilled  to  ibe 
wbeencommiUeJ 
U,and.perceivin3 
:ivaUo  oppose  to 
lond.  Throughhii 
the  house  of  Som- 1 
irW  have  beenlooi^ 
ShcsofAehn»» 


— .3>5i.^.3^ 


i 


*4 


H 


'     ^  Ml  > 


•  '  kit-''  "'t'rfl     *       |(i 
4'  *  te'".   1- Pi'r* 


U,ri 


THij!  TllEAaUllY  OF  lIIriTOItY. 


413 


(,[  Laneastcf  now  gavu  it  considerable  importance  in  tlie  eyes  of  the  adhe- 
rents of  tlmt  iioiree.  Even  I'Jdwiird  IV.  had  hocn  so  jealous  of  the  earl  of 
RichmoMil's  claim  upon  the  throne,  that  after  vainly  endeavourinjj  to  get 
him  into  h  ^  power,  he  had  agreed  to  pay  a  considerable  yearly  sum  to  the 
ilukc  of  Brittany  to  keep  the  dangerous  young  noble  at  his  court,  nomi- 
nally as  a  b'uesl,  but  really  as  a  prisoner.  The  very  jealousy  thus  shown 
lowiirds  tlni  young  earl  naturally  increased  the  attention  and  favour  of  the 
Laiicastrimis ;  and  it  now  occurred  to  the  bishop  Morton,  and,  from  his  rea- 
sonings to  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  that  Richard  might  bo  dethroned  in 
fivour  of  young  Henry.  Hut  as  the  long  depression  of  the  house  of  Lan- 
caster had  diminished  both  the  zeal  and  tlia  number  of  its  adherents,  iMoi 
ton,  with  profound  policy  suggested  the  wisdom  of  strengthening  the  bonds 
of  Henry,  and  at  the  same  time  weakening  those  of  Richard,  by  the  mar- 
riage of  the  former  to  King  Edward's  eldest  daughter,  the  princess  Eliz- 
abeth, and  thus  uniting  the  party  claims  of  both  families  against  the  mere 
personal  usurpation  of  Richard,  who  was  deeply  detested  by  the  nation 
for  his  cruelty,  and  would  consequently  meet  with  no  hearty  support 
slionid  he  be  openly  opposed  witii  even  a  probability  of  success. 

Young  Henry's  moilier,  the  countess  of  Richmond,  was  informed  by 
Morton  and  Ihickingham  of  their  views  in  favour  of  her  son  ;  and  the  hon- 
our intended  for  him  was  too  great  to  allow  of  any  hesitation  on  her  part. 
Dr.  Lewis,  a  physician  who  had,  professionally,  the  means  of  communi- 
cating with  tlie  queen  dowager,  who  still  found  shelter  in  the  sanctuary 
of  Westminster,  knew  that  whatever  might  have  been  her  former  prdu- 
dices  against  the  Lancastrians,  they  instantly  yielded  to  the  hate  and  dis- 
jusi  with  which  she  thought  of  the  successful  usurper  who  had  murdered 
lier  brother  and  three  sons.  She  not  only  gave  her  consent  to  the  pro- 
posed marriage,  but  also  borrowed  a  sum  of  money  which  she  sent  to  aid 
Henry  in  raising  troops,  and  she  at  the  same  time  required  him  to  swear 
lomarry  her  daughter  as  soon  as  he  could  safely  reach  England. 

Morton  and  Buckingham  having  thus  far  met  with  success,  began  to 
exert  themselves  among  their  influential  friends  in  the  various  counties, 
toprcpare  them  for  a  general  and  simultaneous  rising  in  favour  of  the  earl 
of  Richmond  when  he  should  land ;  and  in  this  resp.-;ct,  too,  their  efTorts 
met  with  an  uncommon  success,  the  tyranny  of  Richard  becoming  every 
day  more  hateful  to  all  orders  of  his  trampled  subjects. 

But  guilt  such  as  that  of  Richard  is  ever  suspicious,  evon  where  there 
IS  no  real  cause  for  suspicion ;  and  the  sudden  activity  cf  various  men  of 
influence  could  neither  escape  the  siiarpened  observation  of  the  tyrant, 
nor  seem  explicable  to  him  on  any  other  ground  than  that  of  treason 
ajainst  him.  Well  knowing  that  Buckingham  was  greatly  addicted  to 
political  plotting,  Richard  with  many  friendly  expressions  invited  the  duke 
to  court,  where  for  some  time  he  had  been  a  stranger.  Whether  the  king 
really  soiighl  a  reconciliation  with  the  duke  or  merely  wished  to  obtain 
possession  of  his  person  does  not  clearly  appear.  The  duke,  however, 
flliowell  knew  with  whom  he  had  to  deal,  interpreted  the  king's  message 
ill  the  latter  sense,  and  only  replied  to  it  by  unfurling  the  standard  of  re- 
volt in  Wales  at  the  moment  when  Richard  was  levying  troops  in  the 
north. 

It  happened  most  unfortunately  for  Buckingham,  that  just  as  he  had 
marched  his  troops  to  the  Severn,  that  river  was  so  swoilen  in  conse- 
luence  of  rains  of  almost  unexampled  copiousness  and  duration,  as  to  bt 
luitc  impassable.  This  unlooked-for  check  cast  a  damp  upon  the  spirits 
'f  Buckingham's  followers,  who  were  still  farther  dispiiited  by  great  dis- 
fess  from  want  of  provisions.  Desertions  amrng  then  daily  became 
lore  numerous,  and  Buckingham  at  length  finding  himself  wholly  aban- 
oned,  disguised  himself  in  a  mean  habit  and  made  his  way  to  the  house 
'f  an  old  servant  of  his  family.    Even  in  this  obscure  retreat,  however 


■  -'.vl 


%  >■• 


,  Vu  ■.JiM   W\ 


» 


414 


THE  TIlEASUaV  OP  HISTORY. 


ho  was  discovered  and  carried  as  a  prisoner  to  the  king,  who  wa»  ihen 
posted  at  Salisbury.  Ail  tiic  formtir  services  rendered  by  the  duke  were 
forgotten  in  the  fact  of  his  more  recent  appearance  in  arms  as  the  avowed 
enemy  of  the  king,  and  he  was  mimediately  sent  to  execiilion.  Several 
other  though  less  eminent  prisoners  fell  into  the  hands  of  Rieliard,  aiij 
were  by  him  transferred  to  the  executioner ;  and  one  of  these,  a  geiiijc. 
man  named  Collingbourne,  is  said  to  have  sufTercd  not  for  his  direct  and 
open  opposition  to  Richard,  but  for  some  miserable  doggrei  in  which  he 
made  it  a  comolaint  that 

"  Tlio  cnt,  the  rat,  nnd  Lovel  tlio  dog, 
Uulo  all  Knjiland  under  tho  lioj;." 

Stupid  as  this  dnggrel  production  was,  its  stupidity  nnd  the  heinous  of. 
fence  of  playing  upon  the  names  of  Catesby  and  Ratcliffe,  upon  that  ol 
Lovel  and  upon  the  cognizance  of  the  king,  seem  to  have  merited  a  some- 
what less  severe  punishment  than  death !  The  bishop  of  Ely  and  the 
marquis  of  Dorset,  to  neiiher  of  whom  would  Richard  have  shown  any 
mercy,  were  fortunate  enough  to  escape  from  the  kingdom.  In  the  me;ui. 
time  the  yoimg  carl  of  Richmond  with  a  levy  of  five  thousand  men  had 
sailed  from  .St.  Malocs,  in  iguonnce  of  the  misfortune  that  had  oecurred 
to  his  cause  in  Kngland ;  and  on  arriving  there  he  found  that,  for  tiie pres- 
ent at  least,  all  hope  was  at  an  end,  and  he  sailed  back  to  llriilany, 

A.  D.  1484. — The  politic  Richard  easily  saw  that  the  recent  attempt  lode- 
throne  hiin  had,  by  its  ill  success,  and  the  severity  with  which  he  had  pun- 
ished some  of  the  chief  actors  in  it,  very  considerably  tended  to  strenjiilicn 
his  cause  not  in  the  affections,  indeed,  but  in  the  terrors  of  the  people. 
Hitherto,  being  seiisil)le  of  the  flagrant  impudence  as  well  as  deep  gmlt 
of  his  usurpation,  he  had  been  well  content  to  rest  his  right  to  tim  throne 
upon  tilt;  lyraut'y  right,  superior  strength.  But  he  judged  that  he  m\y 
miglit  safely  e.ill  a  parliament  without  any  doubt  of  its  recognising' his 
title.  His  an'icipation  proved  to  be  quite  correct;  the  parliament  mti] 
just  as  he  wished,  echoed  his  words,  granted  him  the  usual  loiin-ii,'e  and 
poundage  for  life,  and  passed  a  few  poputarlaws.  With  ihesami;  piirpnse 
m  view  he  now  addressed  himself  to  the  seemingly  dilRcult  task  of  con. 
vertiiig'tlic  queen  dowager  from  a  foe  into  a  friend.  He  saw  that  iJie  chief 
source  of  Richmond's  popularity  was  his  projected  espousal  of  the  prin- 
cess lOlizabelh,  and  he  knew  enough  of  human  nature  to  feel  sure  that  a 
woman  of  tl;e  queen  dowager's  temper  would  be  far  from  unlikely  to  prefer 
the  union  of  her  daughter  with  a  king  in  fact,  to  her  union  with  an  earl 
who  might  URver  be  a  king  at  all.  True  it  was  that  the  princess  Kiizabtih 
was  f-olemnly  betrothed  to  hia  rival  and  foe,  the  earl  of  Richmond,  and  Has 
related  to  Richard  within  the  prohibited  degrees ;  but  then  Rome  could  grant 
a  dispensaliou,  and  Rome  was  venal.  Thus  reasoning,  Richard  applied 
himself  to  the  queen  dowager,  and  met  with  all  the  success  lie  had  ami- 
cipated.  Wearied  with  her  long  seclusion  from  all  pleasure  and  all  au- 
thority, she  at  once  consented  to  give  her  daughter  to  the  wretch  who  had 
deprived  her  of  three  sons  and  a  brother,  and  wa?  so  completely  coiiveiU'l 
to  his  interests  that  she  wrote  to  her  son,  :he  marquis  of  Dorset,  and  all 
the  rest  of  her  connections  to  withdraw  ,rom  supporting  Richmond, a 
piece  of  complaisance  for  which  she  paid  ful  dearly  in  the  next  rei^n. 

Flattering  iiiinself  that  no  material  danger  could  assail  his  thronediiriii? 
the  interval  necessary  for  procuring  the  dispensation  from  Rome,  Rii  hard : 
now  began  to  consider  himself  securely  settled  on  the  throne.  But  dan- 
ger accrued  to  him  even  out  of  the  very  measure  on  which  he  niainl) 
rested  for  safety.  The  friends  of  the  earl  of  Richmond  now  more  ihan  | 
ever  pressed  him  to  try  his  fortune  in  invading  England,  lest  the  dispen 
nation  from  Rome  should  enable  Richard  to  complete  his  project  uf  mar 


THE  TRKASUIIY  OP  HISTORY. 


413 


pnnfftlin  princess  Elizabeth,  which  marriage  would  do  so  much  to  injure 
jlltlie  future  hopes  of  the  earl,  as  fur  as  the  sympathies  of  the  people  were 
conceriiL'd,  in  a  union  of  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster.  Henry  ac- 
cordingly escaped  from  Hriltaiiy,  where  he  deemed  himself  in  danger  from 
the  ireacliery  of  the  duke's  confidential  minister,  and  proceeded  to  the 
court  of  I'rance.  Hero  he  was  greatly  aided  by  Charles  VIII.,  who  had 
siiirei'ilcd  the  tyrant  Louis  XI.,  and  hern,  too,  he  was  joined  by  the  earl 
jf  Oxford,  who  had  escaped  from  the  gaol  into  which  Richard's  suspicions 
had  throw  11  him,  and  who  now  bp^ujjht  Henry  most  flattering  aceoiiiits  of 
Ihef'xceiienl  chance  he  had  from  tiie  popular  disposition  in  Kn!,'laiid. 

Richard  in  the  meantime,  unconscious  or  cureless  of  the  efl'cct  produ 
cfduiithe  conduct  of  Richmond  by  tho  expectation  of  the  dispensation 
wtiiih  was  to  allow  Richard  to  depr've  him  of  his  promised  bride,  tri- 
umpheil  in  his  fortune  of  having  become  a  widower  at  only  a  short  time 
before  by  the  sudden  death — so  sudden  that  poison  was  suspected,  but 
r,rher  from  the  suddenness  and  from  the  general  eiiaracter  of  Ricliard 
than  from  anything  like  proof — of  his  wife  Anne,  widow  of  tiiat  Kdward, 
priiire  of  Wales,  of  whom  Richard  was  the  murderer.  His  actual  andhis 
proxiniiitc  marriage  must,  in  truth,  have  led  him  to  believe  that  the  murder 
ctahily's  nule  relatives  was  anything  rather  than  a  bar  to  her  favour! 

A.  D.  14B5, — Uut  while  Richard  was  exulting  in  triumph  as  to  the  past 
and  iiiliope  as  to  the  future,  Richmond  with  an  army  of  two  thousand 
men  had  sillied  from  the  Njrman  port  of  IlarHenr,  and  landed,  without 
experiLMieiiig  opposition,  at  Milford  FLiven,  in  Wales.  Here,  as  he  cx- 
pecied.lhe  zealous  though  unfortunate  exertions  of  the  duke  of  Bucking- 
liain  had  preposscbsed  the  jicoplc  in  his  favour,  and  his  little  army  was 
increased  by  voliiiileers  at  every  mile  he  marched.  Among  those  who 
joined  him  was  Sir  Rice  ap  Thomas  with  a  force  with  which  he  had  been 
enlrusU'd  by  Richard;  and  even  the  other  commander  of  the  tyrant.  Sir 
Waiter  ilcrl-ert,  made  but  a  faint  and  ineflicient  show  of  defence  for 
Richard.  Ti.iis  strengthened  by  actual  volunteers,  and  encouraged  by 
the  evident  lukcwarmiiess  of  Richard's  parlizaiis,  Richmond  marched  to 
Slirowshiiry,  where  ho  was  joined  by  the  whole  strength  of  the  great 
Slircwshiiry  family  under  Sir  (Gilbert  Talbot,  and  by  another  numerous 
reinforcement  under  Sir  Thomas  Hourchier  and  Sir  Walter  Hnngerford. 

Richard,  who  had  taken  post  at  Nottingham,  as  being  so  central  as  to  ad- 
mit nf  his  liiisleiiiiig  to  whichever  part  of  the  kingdom  might  earliest  need 
his  aid,  was  not  nearly  so  much  annoyed  by  the  utmost  force  of  hi.s  known 
enemies  as  he  was  |)erpl(;xed  about  Ihe  real  extent  to  which  he  could 
ii'peiid  upon  the  good  faith  of  his  seeming  friends.  The  duke  of  Norfolk 
[iiiliard  had  reason  to  believe  that  he  could  securely  rely  upon;  but  Lord 
and  Sir  William  Sl.mley,  who  had  vast  power  and  influence  in  the  north, 
wecl()N(dy  connected  with  Richmond's  family.  Yet  while  the  usurper 
felt  the  danger  of  trusting  to  their  professions  of  friendship  and  good 
fnith,  he  dared  not  break  with  them.  Compelled  by  his  situation  to  au- 
ihiTO  them  to  raise  forces  on  his  behalf  in  Cheshire  and  Lancashire,  hw 
eiiileavoiircd  to  deter  iheiii  from  arraying  those  forces  against  him,  by 
ilelaining  as  a  hostage  Lord  Stanley's  son,  Lord  Strange. 

Tlioiigh  ill  his  heart  Lord  Stanley  wa.s  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Richmond, 
IHc  peril  ill  which  his  son  Lord  Strange  was  [)laced  induced  him  to  forbear 
fronideclariiig  hiinsidf,  and  he  posted  his  numerous  levies  at  Athcrstone, 
iositmiltid  that  he  could  at  will  join  either  party.  Richard  in  this  coii- 
iuctuf  Lord  Stanley  saw  a  convincing  proof  that  the  hostility  of  that  no- 
Wcmiinwas  mdy  kept  in  check  by  the  situation  of  his  son;  and  judging 
tliaithe  destruction  :.f  the  yonnjif  man  would  be  a  spell  of  very  diflfereni 
I  sITcct  from  his  coniinued  peril,  the  politic  tyrant  for  once  refused  to  shed 
Wood  when  ailvist;d  to  do  so  by  those  of  his  friends  who  discerned  ths 
Bcaiuiig  of  LordSiaulev's  delay.     Trusting  that  Lord  Stanley's  hesitation 


'"• 


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«;•  y 


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■J*  ^'  ■ 


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*> ;     ■<  .;  -;.  'i     '    "      t 


I 


116 


THK  TaEASUIiy  OF  I1I8T0RY. 


'V'Mii 


would  last  long  enough  to  allow  of  the  royiil  troops  doaling  only  w!    o 
call  of  llifhmoml,  Hicluiril  iipproiichcd  the  iinny  of  the  latter  iiobUn 
at  Boswurtli,  in  Leicestershire.     Tlie  army  of  Richmond  was  onlv 
thousand,  ih;it  of  Kichard  di)ni)lo  the  numhcr,    Uoth  Uiuliard  antl  ilnf p"1 
fought  in  the  main  guards  of  their  respective  armies,  wliieli  had  scire  I 
charged  each  oilier  ere  Lord  Stanley  led  up  his  forces  to  the  aid  of  R,  h'' 
inond.     The  ellect  of  this  dcnionstratioii  was  tronicndoiis,  both  in 
couraging  the  soldiers  of  the  carl  and  of  striking  dismay  into  iho  airciT 
dispirited  troops  of  Richard.  Murderous  and  tyrannous  usurper  :im  iio  «•' '' 
Kichard  was  as  brave  as  a  lion  in  the  field.     I'erceiving  ibiu  such  iiowc'' 
ful  aid  had  declared  for  his  rival,  notiiing  but  the  death  of  tliat  rivajcoun 
give  him  any  hope  of  safety  for  life  or  throne;  Richard  intrepidly  rusliM 
towards  the  spot  where  Kiclmiond  was  ordering  his  troops,  and  (ni|(.;,v 
ourcd  to  engage  with  him  in  personal  combat,  but  while  (iyhlinu  with 
murderous  vigour  he  was  slain,  after  having  dismounted  Sir  John  clieyne 
and  killed  Sir  VViiliani  Uraiidon,  Richmond's  standard  bearer. 

The  battle  ended  with  the  life  of  Richard,  of  whom  it  nuiy  with  the 
utmost  truth  he  said,  tliat  "nothing  in  his  life  became  him  like  iho  liMvinir 
of  it."  JCveii  while  under  his  dreaded  eye  his  soldiers  had  foiii'ht  wiiil 
no  good  will ;  and  when  he  fell  they  immediately  took  to  lliglit."  Omji,. 
side  of  Richard,  besides  the  tyrant  himself,  there  fell  about  foiirthousaiK] 
Including  the  duke  of  Norl'olk,  the  lord  Ferrars  of  Chnrtley,  .Sir  liidmrd 
Ratclirte,  .Sir  Robert  Piercy,  and  Sir  Robert  Hrnckenbury ;  and  Calcsby 
the  chief  confidant  and  most  willing  tool  of  Ricii  ird's  crimes,  being  lake.I 
prisoner,  was,  with  some  minor  accomplices,  beheaded  at  Leicester. 

The  body  of  Richard  bcdiig  found  upon  the  field,  was  thrown  across  a 
miserable  horse,  and  carried,  amid  the  hooting  and  jeers  of  the  people 
who  so  lately  trembled  at  him,  to  the  Grey  Friar's  church  at  Leicester, 
where  it  was  interred. 

The  courage  and  ability  of  this  prince  were  unquestionable;  but  all  his 
courage  and  ability,  misdirected  as  the)  were,  served  only  to  roiidiT  him 
anew  proof,  if  such  wi^e  needed,  of  the  inferiority  of  the  most  brilliant 
gifts  of  intellect  without  honour  and  religion,  to  comparatively  inferior 
talents  with  them.  Low  in  stature,  deformed,  and  of  a  harsh  couiitoMiiiiee, 
Richard  might  yet  have  commanded  admiration  by  his  talents,  hut  for  his 
excessive  and  ineradicable  propensity  to  tho  wicked  as  regards  projects 
and  the  bloody  as  regards  action. 


m 


*.;.  If 


CIIAPTFR  XXXVL 


THE    REIGN    OF    IIENIIY    VU. 


A.D.  1485. — Tub  joy  of  Richmond's  troops  at  the  defeat  of  Richard  «m 
proportioned  to  the  hatred  with  which  that  tyrant  had  contrived  to  inspit?! 
every  bosom.  Long  live  King  Henry  the  Seventh!  was  the  exulting ''ry j 
which  now  everywhere  sainted  the  lately  exiled  and  distrc.scd  (■«■  ofj 
Richmond  ;  and  his  victorious  brow  was  bound  with  a  plain  {jnld  i  ij;  ;ial[ 
winch  had  been  worn  by  Richard,  and  had  been  torn  from  th"tyrai:;'s| 
foreliead  by  Sir  William  Stanley  in  personal  combat  willi  him  whenheft^ 

Though  Henry,  late  earl  of  Richmond,  and  now,  ly  possession,  Iv:: 
Ilcnry  VIL,  had  more  than  one  ground  upon  which  to  rest  his  claiiB 
there  was  not  one  of  those  grounds  which  was  not  open  to  objcciioid 
The  Lancastrian  claim  had  never  been  'dearly  e.slabli-iied  by  Henry IV.. 
and  if  the  parliament  had  often  support!  '  the  bouse  of  Lancaster,  so  llj 
oarliament  had  not  less  frequently — and  with  just  as  much  apparent suJ 
centy — paid  a  like  compliment  to  the  housr  of  York.  Then  as'ain,  allowj 
io    the  Lancastrian  claim  to  be  good  ex  fonct,  yet  Richmond  claimeJonlif 


THH  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


41T 


from  llic  illtpitifnato  branch  of  Somerset ;  aii<3  agiiin,  it  in  reality  wan 
Lv  vtsted  not  in  him  but  in  his  still  living  motiier,  the  countess  o."  llicii- 

""oii  the  other  hand,  it  was  open  to  Henry  to  fix  npon  himself,  by  virtue 
f  l,ij  niiirriiigo  with  the  princess  Elizabeth,  tlie  superior  and  more  popu- 
lar title  of  llie  house  of  York;  but  in  this,  so  far  as  the  York  title  was 
concerned  Henry  could  look  upon  himself  only  as  a  king  consort,  with 
llielossof  his  authority  should  hid  queen  die  wiiiiout  issue. 

The  riglii  of  conquest  he  could  scarcely  claim,  seeing  that  conquest 
nas  riiievi'l  by  Kngli.shmen.  On  the  whole  review  of  his  case,  there- 
fore, Henry's  obvious  policy  was  to  set  forward  no  one  of  his  grounds  ol 
claim  with  such  distinctiveness  as  to  challenge  scrutiny  :  nd  provoke  op- 
pdsiljon,  but  10  rely  chiefly  upon  the  strongest  of  all  rights,  that  of  pos- 
session, slieiigthened  still  farther  by  hiscoiKrurrent  circumstances  of  right 
and  mainiiiiiied  by  a  judicious  policy  at  once  firm  and  popular,  watchful 
vet  seeniiiijjly  undoubling.  In  heart  Henry  was  not  the  less  a  Lancas- 
insnfrom  liis  delerniinalion  to  link  himself  to  the  house  of  York,  and 
strcngllieii  liiinself  by  its  means  in  the  popular  love.  Of  the  Yorkish 
support  lie  was  sure  wiiile  connected  with  the  house  of  York  by  marriage, 
bill  this  fiirsighled  and  suspicious  temper  taught  him  to  provide  against 
liispossiblo  disconnection  from  that  house,  and  to  give  every  •' coign  of 
vantage"  to  the  Lancastrians,  whoso  friendship  was,  so  to  speak,  more 
nrmane  to  Ins  identity. 

Only  two  (lays  after  the  victory  of  Ilosworth  field  Henry  gave  a  proof 
of  the  feelings  we  have  thus  attributed  to  him,  by  sending  Sir  Robert 
Willoiighby  to  convey  the  young  earl  of  Warwick  from  .SherilT  VVatton, 
inVorksliire,  wiiero  Richard  had  detained  him  in  honourable  and  easy 
captivity,  to  the  close  custody  of  the  Tower  of  London.  Yet  this  un- 
fiiriuniite  son  of  the  duke  of  Clarence,  inasmuch  as  his  title,  however 
superior  to  iliat  of  Richard,  was  not  hostile  to  the  succession  of  cither 
ilenry  or  his  destined  bride,  might  have  reasonably  expected  a  more  in- 
iliil^ent  treatment. 

Having  thus  made  every  arrangement,  present  and  prospective,  which 
even  his  jcalons  '<v>\n.y  fnild  suggest,  Henry  gave  orders  for  the  princess 
Itobetli  U''  iinveycd  to  London  preparatory  to  hiT  marriage.  He 
:  iiisell  :it  tilt-  -line  tunc  approached  the  metropolis  by  easy  journies. 
Everyw'  •  '  ^viis  received  with  the  most  rapturous  applause;  which 
wasihi  "I  uccrc  and  hearty,  because  ..idle  his  personal  triumph  was 
sharh  '  ;tii  Lancastrians,  his  approaching  marriage  to  Elizabeth  gave 
jv!  ,1  i|  Ui.it  triumph  to  the  Yorkists,  and  seemed  to  put  an  end  for 
«  0  ihose  contests  i)etween  the  rival  houses  which  had  cost  them  both 
»)  mui'h  suffering  during  so  long  a  time.  But  even  amidst  all  the  excite- 
isdit  attoiiiliuit  upon  the  joy  with  which  men  of  all  ranks  hailed  their  new 
Knjreign,  the  cold,  stern,  and  suspicious  temper  of  Henry  displayed  itself 
ii'diipeofloiisively  and  unnecessarily.  On  his  arrival  at  London  the  mayor 
and  the  civic  companies  met  him  in  public  procession;  but  as  though  he 
disdained  their  gratulations,  or  suspected  their  sincerity,  he  passed  through 
ikera  in  a  close  carriage,  and  without  showing  the  slightest  sympathy 
with  their  evident  joy. 

Though  Henry  well  knew  the  importance  which  a  great  portion  of  his 
ppnple  attached  to  his  union  with  the  princess  Elizabeth,  and,  with  his 
customiiry  poUlic  carefulness,  hastened  to  assure  them  of  his  unaltered 
determination  to  complete  that  marriage,  and  to  contradict  a  report— 
foimded  upon  an  artful  hint  dropped  by  himself  while  he  was  yet  uncer- 
tai3  of  the  issue  of  his  contest  with  Richard — of  his  having  promised  to 
espouse  the  princess  Anne,  the  heiress  of  Brittany,  yet  he  delayed  his 
marriage  for  the  present;  being  anxious,  tacitly  at  the  least,  to  affirm  hi** 
own  claim  to  the  crown  by  having  his  coronation  performed  previous  to 
Vol.  I.— 27 


^r^' 


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% 


\  •  ^ 


11 


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P.b  ll'4  ''     i 


1 


mh    \Lr^A 


i^J 


m 


:•: 


116 


THE  TllEASURY  OP  UISTOKY. 


(lis  marriage.  Even  the  former  ceremony,  however,  was  for  a  time  is 
ferred  by  the  raging  of  an  awful  plague,  long  afterwards  spoken  of  \vii> 
shuddering,  under  the  name  of  the  sweating  sickness.  The  sickness  in 
queHliou,  was  endemic,  and  so  swift  in  its  operation,  that  the  person  at 
tacked  almost  invariably  died  or  became  convalescent  within  fouraiid 
twenty  hours.  Either  by  the  skill  of  the  medical  men  or  by  sonifi  sana. 
tory  alteration  in  the  condition  of  the  atmosphere,  this  very  terrible  visi" 
tation  at  length  ceased,  and  Henry  was  crowned  with  the  utmost  ponin 
Twelve  knights  banneret  were  made  on  occasion  of  this  ceremony ;  illc 
king's  uncle,  Jasper,  earl  of  Pembroke,  was  created  dukn  of  Uedford' 
Lord  Stanley,  the  king's  father-in-law,  earl  of  Derby;  and  Edward  C'our- 
tenay,  earl  of  Devonshire.  The  ceremony  was  performed  oy  Cardnial 
Bourchier,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  had  been  so  much  aiding  in 
Henry's  good  fortune. 

Even  in  the  matter  of  his  coronation  Henry  could  not  refrain  from  cvi. 
dencing  that  constant  and  haunting  suspicion  which  coiitrasiud  so 
strangely  with  his  unqueblionablo  personal  courage,  by  creatinir  h  body- 
guard of  fifty-five  men,  under  the  title  of  yeomen  of  the  guard. "  But  lest 
the  duty  of  itiis  guard,  that  of  personal  watch  and  ward  over  tlie  sover- 
eign, should  imply  any  of  the  suspicion  he  really  felt,  Henry  adcetwl  to 
contradict  any  such  motive  by  publicly  and  pointedly  declaring  this  guard 
a  permanent  and  not  a  personal  or  leniporary  appointment. 

Henry  now  summoned  a  parliament,  and  his  partisans  so  well  exerted 
themselves  that  a  majority  of  the  members  were  de(;ided  Lancastrians. 
Some  of  them,  indeed,  had  been  outlawed  and  attainted  while  tiio  house  ul 
York  was  in  the  ascendant,  and  a  question  was  raised  whether  persons 
who  had  been  thus  situated  could  rightfully  claim  to  sit  in  pariianient. 
Tlie  judges  who  were  consulted  upon  this  point  had  but  little  diflieuUy;ii 
was  easily  to  be  dealt  with  as  a  simple  matter  of  expediency.  Aeeord- 
ingly  they  recommended  that  the  elected  members  who  were  iliiis  situated 
should  not  be  allowed  to  take  their  seats  until  their  former  sciUeiicps 
should  be  reversed  by  parliament,  and  there  was  of  course  neillier  Mi- 
culty  nor  delay  experienced  in  passing  a  short  act  to  that  especial  elTeci, 
This  doubt  as  to  the  members  of  parliament,  however,  led  to  a  still  mow 
important  one.  Henry  had  been  himself  attainteil.  But  the  judges  vny 
soon  solved  this  difliculty  by  a  decision,  evidently  founded  uikjii  a  liinit;i- 
tion  of  the  power  of  a  court  of  judicature  from  interfering  with  tliesu'- 
cession ;  a  power  which,  if  such  court  possessed  it,  inlglit  so  (jfnii  be 
shamefully  perverted  by  a  bad  king  to  the  injury  of  an  ohiioxiinisiieirio 
the  throne.  The  judges  therefore  put  end  to  tliis  question  l)y  decidiii; 
"  that  the  crown  takes  away  all  defects  and  stops  in  blood ;  anil  that  from 
the  time  that  the  king  assumed  the  royal  authority,  the  fountain  wasilti,-. 
ed,  and  all  attaints  and  corruptions  of  blood  did  cease."  A  dtcisimijieil 
remarked,  far  more  remarkable  for  its  particular  justice  than  for  its  logical 
correctness. 

Finding  the  parliament  so  dutifully  inclined  to  obey  his  will,  llie  km? 
in  his  opening  speech  insisted  upon  both  his  iiereditary  right  and  upon  Ins 
"victory  over  his  enemies."  The  entail  and  the  crown  was  drawn  in 
equal  accordance  with  the  king's  anxiety  to  avoid  such  special  asseriim: 
on  any  one  of  his  grounds  of  claim  as  should  be  calculated  to  i)reed  dispii  I 
tation;  no  mention  was  made  of  the  princess  Elizabeth,  and  the  erown 
was  settled  absolutely  and  in  general  terms  upon  the  king  and  the  \mu  il 
his  body. 

It  forms  a  remarkable  contrast  to  tlie  general  reserve  and  astuteness  of 

the  king,  that  he,  as  if  not  content  with  all  the  sanctions  by  which  he  had  I 

already  fortified  his  possession  of  the  crown,  now  applied  to  the  pope  for  j 

ft  confirming  bull.     This  application,  besides  being  liable  to  objection  asau  j 

mpolitic  concession  to  the  mischievous  and  undying  anxiety  of  Rorael> 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


•1J9 


interfere  in  the  tnmponil  affairs  of  nations,  was  still  farther  im|)0.i'.tc  a.s 
ihowing,  wliat  Henry  oiialit  of  all  things  the  most  caiiiiously  to  have  con- 
cealed.liis  own  missiivinsfs  as  to  his  title.  Innocent  VIII.,  the  then  pope, 
was  delighted  to  gratify  Henry  and  to  interfere  in  his  temporal  concerns, 
jnd  he  iininedialely  obliged  him  with  a  bull  in  which  all  Henry's  titles  to 
the  crown  were  enumerated  and  sanctioned,  and  in  which  excommunica- 
lioii  was  denounced  against  all  who  should  disturb  Henry  in  his  possession, 
or  his  heirs  in  their  succession. 

li  consisted  at  once  with  justice  and  with  sonnd  policy  that  Henry  should 
reverse  the  numerous  attainders  which  had  been  passed  against  the  Laiicas- 
iriaiis.  But  he  went  still  farther,  and  caused  his  obsequious  parliament 
10  pass  attainders  against  the  deceased  llichard,  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  the 
earl  of  Surrey,  the  viscount  Lovel,  the  lords  F(!rrard  of  Chartles,  and  up- 
wards of  iwenty  other  gentlemen  of  note.  There  was  a  something  of  the 
absurd  ndded  to  very  much  of  the  tyrannical  in  these  sweeping  attainders. 
Richard,  usurper  tliough  he  was,  nevertheless  was  king  de  facto,  and  those 
waiiist  wiiom  these  attainders  were  passed  thus  fought  for  the  king,  and 
ajaiiist  the  carl  of  Richmond,  who  had  not  then  assumed  the  title  of  king. 
The  altaiiulers  were  farther  im[)olitic  because  they  greatly  tended  to 
ivtaiten  the  confidence  of  the  people  in  the  total  oblivion  of  the  qiiarrels 
of  the  roses;  to  which  confidence  Henry  ought  to  have  been  mindful  that 
he  owed  no  small  portion  of  security  and  popularity. 

Thoii6;h  Henry  did  not  deem  it  (expedient  to  ad<l  to  the  numerous  de- 
mands lie  had  so  successfully  made  upon  this  obsequious  parliament,  it 
lohiiitarily  conferred  upon  him  the  perpetuity  of  tonnage  and  poundage, 
»li!ch  liad  been  just  as  complacently  coiifernul  u[)on  the  deceased  Richard. 
Dyway  of  eompensatioii  for  the  spiteful  severity  with  which  he  had  treat- 
(jihi:  leading  friends  of  the  deceased  kinij,  Henry  now  prociiiimed  grace 
iiiil  pardon  to  all  who  should  by  a  ccsrtain  d.iy  take  the  oaths  of  fealty  and 
jlifgiancc  to  him.  But  when  the  earl  of  Surrey,  among  the  multitude 
whuai  this  proclamation  drew  from  their  sanctuaries,  presented  himself  to 
ihekini,',  lie  was,  instead  of  being  received  to  grace,  immediately  commit- 
i.eil  III  tlie  Tower.  Itesidea  rewarding  his  immediate  supporters  by  cre- 
aling Chaiulos  of  Brittany,  earl  of  Bath;  Sir  (Jilrs  Daubeny,  Lord  Dau- 
Miiy;  and  Sir  Robert  Willoughby,  Lord  Broke;  the  king  bestowed  upon 
ihcilukc  of  Buckingham,  who  so  fatally  to  himself  had  embraced  Henry's 
cause,  a  sort  of  (losthumous  reward  in  making  restitution  of  the  family 
lioiKiiirs  and  great  wealth  to  Kdward  Stafford,  tlic  duke's  eldest  son. 

Morion,  who  had  so  ably  and  .  'uicr  such  perilous  circumstances  proved 
!iis  friendship  to  Henry,  was  restoii'd  t(»  the  bishopric  of  Kly,  and  he  and 
aiiHilier  clergyman,  Fox,  novi  math;  bishop  of  Kxeter,  were  the  ministers 
h»ho,n  Henry  gave  his  chief  confidence.  Hume  thinks  that  Henry's 
pfereiice  of  clerics  to  laics,  as  his  confidential  advisers,  arose  from  his 
iiarrmv  and  calculating  turn,  their  promotion  from  poorer  to  richer  bish- 
3;irics  affording  him  the  means  of  stimulating  and  rewarding  their  zeal  less 
jwoiisly  to  himself  than  could  have  been  the  case  with  laymen  of  rank. 
Bill  flume  seems  here  to  have  laid  a  somewhat  undue  weight  upon  Hen- 
y's  gonenil  cliaructer,  and  so  to  have  mistaken  his  motives  to  a  particular 
Taiisaclioa:  Henry,  though  personally  brave,  was  emphatically  a  lover  of 
;«3ce;  he  preferred  the  conquest  of  the  intellect  to  the  conquest  of  the 
iwunl,  He  was  himself,  so  to  speak,  intellectually  of  a  clerical  mould. 
I'liilearnirgand  the  intellectual  mastery  of  the  day  were  chi(!lly  in  pos- 
rsinn  of  the  clergy ;  and  we  need  look  no  deeper  than  that  fact  to  ac- 
Joiiiil  for  his  preference  of  them,  that  fact  sufficiently  proving  thai  they 
«cre  hcst  adapted  to  the  cautious,  tortuous,  thoughtful,  and  deep  polity 
«liicli  he  from  the  first  determined  to  follow. 

i.  D,  148G. — Henry's  emphatic  declaration  of  his  unaltered  intention  to 
j  •spouse  the  princess  Klizabcth  did  not  wholly  quiet  the  anpreheusions  of 


f'i  h\ 


,-|«|j|Wl|f        A 


490 


THE  TRteASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


i^m 

Bvj^MB  m 

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BMHW 

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|s  SI  .ilj,'^ 

9 

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^31j 

the  people  upon  that  head.    The  parliament,  even  when  showiuiT  iigt,„ 
fulness  of  him  and  its  zeal  for  his  pleasure  in  granting  him  the  ionn 
and  poundage,  expressed  strong  wishes  upon  the  subjecf;  and  tbough  ih^" 
concealed  their  real  motives  under  a  general  declaration  of  their  des'^'^ 
that  ihey  should  have  heirs  to  succeed  him,  his  own  comparative  vou't? 
must  have  sulP.ccd  to  convince  so  astute  a  person  that  the  parhamciit  h.  1 
other  and  stronger  reasons  for  its  anxiety.     This  very  conviction  lio« 
ever,  was  but  an  additional  reason  for  his  hastening  to  comply ;  and  n  ' 
nuptials  were  now  celebrated  with  a  pomp  and  luxury  surpassing  evtf 
those  which  had  marked  his  coronation.    The  joy  of  the  people  was  con' 
spicHously  greater  in  the  former  than  it  had  been  in  the  latter  case ;  and  to 
the  brooding  and  anxiously  suspicious  mind  of  Henry  this  new  and  plain  in. 
dicalion  of  the  warmth  of  aflection  with  which  the  house  of  Yorlt  was  stili 
looked  upon  by  a  great  portion  of  his  subjects,  was  to  the  hiijhest  decree 
painful  and  offensive.     Publicly  his  policy  prevented  this  from  appearing 
but  in  his  domestic  life  it  caused  him  to  treat  the  queen  with  a  harshness 
and  coldness  which  her  amiable  temper  and  the  extreme  submissiveness 
of  her  bearing  towards  her  husband  by  no  means  appear  to  have  deserved 
Soon  after  his  marriage  Henry  determined  to  make  a  progress  thmufli 
the  northern  counties,  in  the  view  of  awing  some  and  conciliating  the  a'st 
of  the  partizans  of  the  late  king  and  his  house,  who  were  more  iminorous 
in  that  part  of  the  kingdom  than  elsewhere.    He  had  already  reached  Noi. 
tingham  when  he  received  information  that  Sir  Humplirey  StafTor  i, 
brother,  and  the  viscount  Lovel  had  left  the  sanctuary  at  Colchesu 
which  they  had  found  shelter  since  the  battle  of  Bosworth  field.    Un' 
ing,  or  at  any  rate  not  fearing  the  consequences  of  this  movement,  he    ,.. 
tinned  his  progress  to  York,  where  he  learned  that  Viscount  Level,  wiiha 
force  three  or  four  thousand  strong,  was  marching  to  York,  while  aiKitiiiu 
army,  under  Sir  Humphrey  Stafford  and  his  brother,  was  hastening  to  be 
siege  Worcester.     Tiie   uprising  of  such  enemies  at  the  very  nioinei' 
when  he  was  in  the  centre  of  precisely  that  part  of  England  which  was 
the  most  disaffected  to  him  might  have  paralysed  an  ordinary  mind;  In; 
the  resources  of  Henry's  intellect  and  courage  rose  in  accordance  v\\\\ 
the  demands  on  them.     The  mere  retinue  with  which  he  travelled  forinco 
no  mean  nucleus  of  an  army,  and  he  actively  and  successfully  enga;;';ii 
himself  in  adding  to  their  numbers.     The  force  thus  raised  was  of  news 
sity  ill  found  in  either  arms  ortlic  munitions  of  war  ;  and  Henry  therefore 
charged  the  duke  Bedford,  to  whom  he  entrusted  the  cliicf  command,  lo 
rtvoid  any  instant  general  engagement,  and  to  devote  iiis  chief  e.xortioiin 
to  weakening  Lovel  by  seducing  his  adlicrcnts  l)y  promises  of  pardon, 
This  policy  was  even  more  successful  than  Henry  could  have  anticipated. 
Conscious  of  the  great  effect  which  the  king's  offers  wore  likely  to  pro- 
duce upon  rude  minds,  already  by  no  means  zealous  in  tlie  cause  which 
they  had  embraced,  Lovel  was  so  terrified  with  tiio  tliought  of  i)eing  aban- 
doned, and  perhaps  even  made  prisoner  by  his  motley  levy,  that  ho  fairly 
ran  away  from  his  troops,  and  after  some  difficulty  escaped  to  Flanders,  I 
where  he  was  sheltered  by  the  duchess  of  Uurgundy.     Abandoned  by  their 
leader,  Lovcl's  troops  gladly  submitted  to  the  king  in  accordance  wiihliis 
offers  of  mercy ;  and  the  utter  failure  of  this  branch  of  the  revolt  so  terri- 
fied the  revolted  who  were  before  Worcester,  that  they  hastily  raised  tin 
siege  of  that  place  and  dispersed.     The  Staffords,  thus  deserted  by  their  | 
troops  and  unable  to  find  instant  means  of  escaping  beyond  sea,  took  sh 
ter  in  the  church  of  Colnham,  near  Abingdon.    It  turned  out,  however,  I 
that  this  church  was  one  which  did  not  possess  the  rightof  sanctuary,  ami  j 
the  unfortunate  Staffords  were  dragged  forth.    The  elder  was  cxceutoJJ 
as  a  traitor  and  rebel  at  Tyburn  ;  the  younger  was  pardoned  on  thegrouiiil 
of  his  having  been  misled  by  his  elder  brother,  who  was  presumed  tohavf  I 
a  ifuast  paternal  influence  over  his  mind. 


THB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


421 


To  the  joy  which  the  dissipation  of  this  threatening  revo.t  difTused 
among  the  friends  of  Henry  was  now  added  that  excited  by  the  delivery 
if  the  queen  of  a  son  and  heir,  on  whom  was  conferred  the  name  of  Ar 
ilmr,  both  in  compliment  to  the  infant's  principality  of  Wales,  and  in  allu 
sioii'to  the  pretended  descent  of  the  Tudors  from  the  far-famed  Prince 

Uihur 

■  The  success  of  the  king  m  putting  an  end  to  the  late  revolt  had  arisen 
chiefly  ffom  Ihe  incapacity  of  Lovel  for  the  tisk  he  had  ventured  to  iinder- 
uke;  aii'^  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ^'''^  *  strong  under-current  of  ill-feeling  towards  tlio 
king' to  which  he  was  daily,  though,  perhaps,  unconsciously,  adding 
5lren''th.  To  the  vexation  caused  by  Henry's  evident  Lancastrian  feeling, 
as  manifested  by  his  severities  to  men  of  the  opposite  party,  and  espe- 
cially by  his  stern  and  harsh  treatment  of  the  queen,  much  more  vexation 
was  caused  by  the  sufferings  of  many  piincipal  Yorkists  from  the  res  ump- 
iioiiby  the  crown  of  all  grants  made  by  princes  of  the  house  of  York. 
This  resumption  was  made  by  Henry  upon  what  appears  really  to  have 
been  tiio  just  plea  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  remedy  of  the 
ircal  and  mischievous  impoverishment  of  the  crown.  This  plea  has  all 
"lie  more  appearance  of  sincerity  from  the  fact  that  by  the  very  same  law 
allthe grants  made  during  the  later  years  of  Henry" VI.  were  resumed; 
3  resumption  which  injured  not  Yorkists  but  Lancastrians.  But  losing 
men  lire  rarely  reasonable  men ;  and  as  the  balance  and  injury  was  hoavi- 
est  on  the  side  of  the  Yorkists,  they  saw  ir,  this  a  new  proof  of  tlie  Lan- 
casirian  prejudice  of  Henry,  which  had  caused  him  to  imprison  in"  Ju- 
lias'bloody  tower,"  in  the  very  place  where  his  unfortunate  cousin  had 
been  butchered,  the  young  earl  of  Warwick.  Taction  is  deprived  of  none 
of  its  virulence  or  activity  by  the  admixture  Oi"  pecuniary  interesis;  and 
ihose  who  were  injured  by  the  resumption  of  g'  ants  were  not  ill  disposed, 
iS  events  soon  proved,  to  countenance,  at  the  least,  aught  that  promised 
10  injure  the  gaoler  of  the  earl  of  Warwick,  ".nd  the  harsh  spouse  of  the 
princess  of  the  house  of  York,  who,  merely  because  she  was  such,  was 
siill  uncrowned,  though  the  mother  of  a  prince  of  Wales,  and  wholly  irre- 
proaehiible  whether  as  queen,  wife,  or  mother. 

The  great  and  growing  unpopularity  of  Henry's  government  combined 
ffith  other  circumstances  to  suggest  to  a  priest  of  Oxford  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  and  audacious  impostures  recorded  in  our  history.  The  priest 
ia question,  Richard  Simon,  well  knowing  how  strong  the  Yorkist  feeling 
iinnnj  the  people  was  rendered  by  the  king's  unpopular  manners  and 
measures,  formed  a  plan  for  disturbing  Henry  by  bringing  forward,  as  a 
preiender  to  the  crown,  a  very  handsome  and  graceful  youth  named  Lam- 
bert Simnel.  This  youth,  though  he  was  only  the  son  of  a  baker,  added 
great  shrewdness  and  address  to  his  external  advantages ;  and  Simon 
doubted  not,  by  careful  instruction,  of  being  able  to  form  this  youth  to 
j  personate  Richard,  duke  of  York,  the  young(!r  of  the  murdered  princes, 
whose  escape  from  the  Tower  and  from  the  fate  of  his  elder  brotlier  had 
tecome  a  matter  of  rather  extensive  belief.     But  while  Simon  was  care- 

y  giving  young  Simnel  the  necessary  instrucrtions  and  information  to 
enable  him  to  support  the  part  of  the  duke  of  York,  a  now  rumour  pre- 
I  wiled  that  the  earl  of  Warwick  had  escaped  from  the  Tower.    "On  this 

t  spake  the  priest ;"  the  name  of  the  e»fl  of  Warwick  would  be  as  good 

lioconjure  with  as  that  of  Richard,  duke  of  York;  and  Simnel  was  now 

instructed  in  all  such  particulars  of  the  life  and  family  of  young  Warwick 

IS  would  be  necessary  to  enable  him  to  bear  the  questioning  of  the  friends 

of  that  fiunily.    So  excellently  was  the  young  impostor  "crammed,"  for 

his  task,  so  well  informed  did  he  afterwards  appear  to  bo  upon  certain 

jpointsof  the  private  history  of  the  royal  family,  that  'jo'-'d  by  no  ir.cans 

jkawcome  within  the  observation  of  an  obscure  priest  l;k°  his  instrtcior, 

'  t  shrewd  suspicions  were  entertained  that  certain  of  the  royal  f;:inily  of 


H 

11 

iaa 

I 

m 

w 

1 

e^T 

|W 

»*'/ 

I  '    '  *t^  .  t    .      V 


F    '4'  ''I        '  * 


I  1 


m4 


122 


THE  TRKAbURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 


I;'    t 


'\m 


York  must  tliemselves  have  aided  in  preparing  the  youth  for  his  missin 
of  imposture.  The  queen  dowager  was  among  the  personages  tims  sn 
pectcd.  She  and  her  daughter  were  both  very  unkindly  treated  by  Henrv* 
and  the  dowager  was  precisely  of  that  busy  and  aspiring  turn  of  niiiid 
which  would  render  neglect  and  forced  maction  sufficiently  offensive  to 
prompt  the  utmost  ang  »■  and  injury;  and  she  might  safely  promoie  the 
views  of  ths  impostor  in  the  first  place,  in  the  full  confidence  of  beinn  able 
to  crush  him  whensoever  he  should  hrve  sufficiently  served  the  views  of 
herself  and  of  her  party. 

Aware  that,  after  all  the  pains  he  had  taken  to  prepare  tne  int  mind  of 
his  promising  young  pupil,  many  chances  of  discovery  would  exisi  in  Kns. 
land  which  would  be  avoided  by  commencing  their  nefarious  proceeding" 
at  a  distance,  Simon  determined  to  lay  the  opening  scene  c  f  his  fraudulent 
drama  in  Ireland.  In  that  island  Warwick's  father,  the  laia  duke  of  Clar- 
ence, was  remembered  with  the  utmost  affection  on  accr/i'i  t  of  hjs  per- 
soiial  character,  as  well  as  of  his  many  public  acts  of  justice  and  wisdop 
while  he  had  been  governor.  The  same  public  officers  now  held  their  sit 
nations  there  who  had  done  so  under  Clarence,  and  unde;  so  many  favour- 
able circumstances  Simon,  probably,  could  not  better  have  clioscn  the 
scene  of  th-^  first  act  of  his  elaborate  and  vjry  impudent  imposture. 

Henry,  on  getting  the  alarming  intelligence  from  Dublin,  consulted  with 
his  ministers,  and  among  the  first  measures  taken  was  that  of  seizing 'ipon 
all  the  property  of  the  queen  dowager,  and  closely  confining  her  m  tlii> 
nunnery  of  Bermondsey.     This  rigorous  treatment  of  the  queen  dowacer, 
occurring,  too,  at  this  particular  time,  seems  to  leave  no  doubt  that  °slie 
had  been  discovered  to  have  materially  aided  the  imposture  of  Simon  ani 
Simnel.     The  alledged  reason  of  the  king  for  thus  severely  dealing  wi;h 
one  with  whom  he  was  so  closely  connected,  was  her  having  shown  so 
much  favour  to  the  deceased  tyrant  Richard,  as  to  place  herself  and  her 
daughters  in  his  power  when  she  was  safe  within  her  sanctuary,  and  to 
consent  to  his  marriage  with  the  princess  Elizabeth.     But  it  was  quite 
clear  to  every  man  of  discernment,  that  the  king's  subsequent  marriage  to 
the  princess  was  a  complete  condonation  of  all  that  had  previously  passed 
between  him  and  the  dowager  which  could  materially  offend  hint;  nor 
was  he  of  a  temper  so  long  to  have  suffered  his  avarice  and  his  vengeance 
to  remain  in  abeyance,  had  that  really  been  the  ground  of  his  olTcnce. 
That  he  disliked,  not  to  say  hated,  his  mother-in-law,  had  long  been  cer- 
tain ;  and  it  seems  no  less  so,  from  his  present  proceeding  with  respeci 
to  her,  thst  he  now  had  discovered  reason  to  fear  her,  as  being  importaiii- 
ly  aiding  and  abetting  iik  an  imposture,  which  had  been  eminently  success- 
ful in  Ireland,  and  which  he  was  by  no  means  sure  would  not  be  equally 
so  in  England.     Having  securely  guarded  against  any  future  mischief  froiii  I 
the  queen  dowager,  by  thus  consigning  her  to  a  poverty  and  seclusion  | 
which  terminated  only  with  her  life,  the  king  now  gave  his  English  sub- 
jects the  very  best  possible  proof  of  the  imprudence  and  falseiioodofSim- 
nel's  assumption  of  the  title  and  character  of  the  earl  of  Warwick,  by  pro 
ducing  that  unfortunate  young  nobleman  himself  at  St.  Paul's,  and  caus- 
ing many  persons  of  rank  who  had  intimately  known  him  to  have  free] 
conversation  with  him;  and  thus  not  only  demonstrate  that  the  preten-j 
sions  of  Simnel  were  false,  but  also  that  they  were  even  founded  upon  a  j 
false  report,  the  earl's  escape  from  the  Tower,  which  Simon  and  hisabci-j 
tors  had  too  hastily  believed  on  the  strength  of  popular  rumour,  never  hav. 
ing  actually  taken  place. 

In  London  and  in  England  generally  this  judicious  measure  was  cora-l 
pletely  decisive  of  the  popular  belief;  and  all  who  were  acquainted  wiitj 
the  king's  tortuous  mind,  easily  understood  that  he  Iiimself  had  caused  thfj 
rumour  of  the  young  earl's  escape,  for  the  purpose  of  saving  himself  froil 


'nr"* 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY, 


433 


•icine  importuned  to  release  him,  and  also  to  prevent  any  plots  being 
formed  for  that  purpose.       ,,..,,  ^  ^  ^. 

Henry's  bold  temper  wo"!d  probably  have  prompted  him  to  go  over  to 
Ireland,  carrying  with  him  the  real  Warwick.  But,  in  tiie  first  place,  he 
Itncw  that  the  consummate  assurance  of  Simon  and  his  friends  had  led 
ihem,  even  after  the  imposture  had  become  a  mere  mockery  in  England, 
to  protest  that  the  real  Warwick  was  ihe  youth  in  their  company,  and  that 
the  Warwick  whom  Henry  had  so  ostentatiously  produced  was  the  only 
inipo3ior.  And,  in  the  next  place,  Henry  from  day  to  day  had  information 
which  mtide  it  quite  certain  that  too  many  powerful  people  in  England 
were  liis  enemies,  and  inclined  to  aid  the  impostor,  to  render  it  safe  for 
him  to  be  absent  from  the  kingdom  for  even  a  brief  space  of  time.  He 
therefore  resolved  to  await  the  farther  proceedings  of  the  impostor,  and 
contented  himself  with  levying  troops,  which  he  placed  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  (iuke  of  Bedford  and  the  earl  of  Oxford,  and  throwing  into 
confinement  the  marquis  of  Dorset,  not  on  account  of  any  autual  overt  act, 
ijut  lest  he  should  be  inclined  to  treason  by  the  hard  measure  which  had 
been  dealt  out  to  his  mother,  the  queen  dowager. 

Having  pretty  nearly  worn  out  their  welcome  in  Ireland,  and  having,  be- 
sides numerous  Irish  adventurers,  been  supplied  by  the  dowager  duchess 
of  Burgundy  with  about  two  thousand  veteran  Germans  headed  by  a  vet- 
eran emu  mandcr,  Martin  Schwartz,  Simon  and  Simnel  made  a  landing  at 
Foiidrey,  in  Lancashire,  not  doubting  tiiat  the  Yorkists,  whom  they  knew 
to  be  so  numerous  in  the  northern  counties,  would  join  them  in  great  num- 
bers. In  this  respect  they  were  grievously  disappointed.  The  well  kii<  " 
courage  and  conduct  of  the  king,  the  general  impression  even  among  tiic 
Vorkistaof  Engkind  that  Simnel  was  a  mere  impostor,  and  the  evcellent 
mihiary  arrangements  and  large  military  force  of  the  king,  caused  the  in- 
lubiunts  of  the  northern  counties  either  to  look  on  passively  or  to  mani- 
fest their  loyalty  by  joining  or  supplying  the  royal  army. 

John,  carl  of  Lincoln,  son  of  John  de  la  Pole,  duke  of  Suffolk,  and  ol 
Klizabcth,  eldest  sister  of  Edward  IV.,  had  for  some  time  past  been  resid- 
1115  with  the  king's  bitter  enemy,  the  dowager  di";hess  of  Burgundy ;  and 
liiMiow  appeared  at  the  head  of  tlie  mingled  crew  of  impostors,  rebels,  and 
iheir  foreign  and  hireling  mercenaries.  This  nobleman  perceiving  thai 
iwlhinn;  was  to  be  hoped  from  any  general  rising  of  tiie  people  in  favour 
of  the  pseudo  earl  of  Warwick,  resolved  to  put  the  fate  of  the  cause  upon 
the  issue  of  a  general  action.  The  king  was  equally  ready  to  give  battle, 
and  the  hostile  forces  at  length  met  at  Stoke,  in  Nottinghamshire.  The 
rebels,  conscious  that  they  fought  with  haU<!rs  around  their  necks,  fought 
with  proportionate  desperation.  The  action  was  long  and  sanguinary  ; 
and  though  it  at  length  terminated  in  favour  of  the  king,  his  loss  was  far 
more  extensive  than  could  have  been  expected,  considering  his  advantage 
of  numbers  and  the  ability  of  his  olHcers.  The  loss  on  the  side  of  the  reb- 
sis,  also,  was  very  great.  The  carl  of  Lincoln,  Uroughton,  and  the  Ger- 
man, Scinvarlz,  were  among  four  thousand  slain  on  that  side ;  and  as  the 
viscount  Lovel,  the  runaway  of  the  former  and  less  sanguinary  revolt,  who 
also  took  a  part  in  this,  was  missing  and  never  afterwards  heard  of,  it  was 
supposed  that  he,  too,  was  among  the  slain.  Both  the  impostor  Simnel 
and  his  tutor  Simon  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  king.  The  priest  owed  his 
life  to  his  clerical  character,  but  was  sentenced  to  pass  the  whole  remain- 
der of  it  in  confinement;  and  Henry,  both  mercifully  and  wisely, signified 
his  contempt  of  the  boy  Simnel,  by  making  him  a  scullion  in  the  royal 
kitchen.  In  this  capacity,  better  suited  to  his  origin  liian  the  part  the 
priest  had  so  uselessly  taught  him  to  play,  Simnel  conducted  himself  so 
numbly  and  satisfactorily,  that  he  was  afterwards  pdvanced  to  the  rankuf 
falconer,  &  rank  at  th  it  time  very  far  iiigher  than  could  ordinarily  be  at> 
lained  by  one  so  humbly  born. 


I  .. 


^nf"*^. 


i    1 


■M': 


124 


THE  TREASUttY  OF  HIJkrOttY. 


Having  freed  himself  from  a  danger  whLcli  had  at  one  time  been  nr- 
little  alarming,  Henry  now  turned  his  attention  towards  maiiino  it  ^,/ 
loved  to  make  everything,  a  source  of  profit.     Few  perished  ou  ih'e  s-'f* 
fold  for  this  revolt,  but  vast  numbers  wore  heavily  fined  for  hiiviiKr  [.if' 
part  in  it.     And  lest  the  mulcture  of  actual  combatants  should  not  siiil'' 
ciently  enrich  the  royal  treasury,  Henry  caused  all  to  bn  fined  who  w ' 
proved  to  have  given  circulation  to  a  rumour,  which  had  somehow  m 
mto  circulation  before  the  battle  of  Stoke,  that  the  rebels  were  victorion 
and  that  Henry  himself,  after  seeing  his  friends  cut  to  pieces,  had  univ 
secured  his  safety  by  flight.     To  our  modern  notions,  the  mere  crediijnn 
and  reporting  of  such  a  statement  seems  to  be  somewhat  severely  nuir 
ished  by  heavy  pecuniary  fine ;  but  Henry  perhaps,  thought  timt  in  most 
of  the  cases  "tlic  wish  was  father  to  the  thought,"  and  f^^i  many  who 
had  given  circulation  to  the  report  would  not  have  been  violently  "rieved 
had  it  turned  out  to  be  '  prophetic,  though  not  true."  " 

Warned  by  much  thai  Had  reached  his  cars  during  the  absurd  and  mis. 
chievous  career  of  Simnel,  Henry  now  determined  to  remove  at  least  one 
cause  of  dissatisfaction,  by  having  the  queen  crowned.  This  was  accord- 
ingly done  ;  and  to  render  the  ceremony  the  more  acceptable  to  the  pro." 
pie  in  general,  but  especially  to  the  Yorkists,  Henry  graced  it  by  givini' 
iibertv  to  the  young  marquis  of  Dorset,  sou  of  the  queen  dowaoer. 


CHAPTER  XXXVH. 

THE    BKICN  OF  HENRY    VII.    (CONTINUED.) 

A.  D.  1488. — Henry's  steadfast  style  of  admir  loring  the  affairs  of  nis 
kingdom,  and  the  courage,  conduct,  and  facility,  .,  ith  which  he  had  ce- 
ll vcred  himself  from  the  dangerous  plots  and  revolts  by  which  he  had  been 
hreatened, acquired  him  much  consideration,  out  of  his  own  dominions 
as  well  as  in  them.  Of  this  fact  he  was  well  aware,  and  internal  peace 
now  seeming  to  be  permanently  secured  to  him,  he  prepared  to  exert  In? 
influence  abroad. 

The  geographical  circumstances  of  Scotland  rendered  it  inevitable,  that 
so  long  as  that  kingdom  remained  politically  independent  of  Kngland  the 
former  must  always  remain  either  an  open  and  troublt^some  enemy,  or  an 
unsafe,  because  insincere,  friend  to  the  latter.  The  character  of  James 
HI.  who  now  filled  the  Scottish  throne,  was  precisely  of  that  easy  and 
indolent  cast  which,  while  it  encouraged  a  turbulent  nobility  to  waste 
the  country  and  vex  the  people,  would  have  encouraged  a  king  of  KnglanJ 
addicted  to  warand  conquest  merely  for  their  own  sake,  to  prosecute  war 
with  Scotland  in  the  assured  trust  of  making  a  final  and  complete  conquest. 
But  Henry,  though  he  could  look  with  unblenched  cheek  up(;n  the  most 
sanguinary  battle-field,  was  profoundly  sensible  of  the  blessings  of  peace. 
He  therefore  now  sent  ambassadors  to  Scotland  to  propose  a  permanent 
and  honorable  peace  between  the  two  countries.  James  on  his  uart  would 
jave  well  liked  to  conclude  such  a  peace,  but  his  nobility  had  other  vews, 
md  all  that  came  of  this  embassy  was  a  somewhat  sullen  agreen^enthr  a 
*even-year's  truce ;  but  if  must  have  been  evident  to  a  far  less  keen  ob- 
server than  Henry,  that  even  that  truce  would  be  very  likely  to  be  broken, 
ahould  the  breach  be  invited  by  any  peculiarly  unfavourable  circumstances 
ai  the  situation  of  England.  With  this  truce,  however,  sullen  aiid  insin- 
cere as  the  Scottish  temper  very  evidently  was,  Henry  determineJ  to  con- 
tent himself;  and  from  Scotland  he  now  turned  his  attention  to  France. 

Louis  XI.  was  some  time  dead,  and  his  son  and  heir  was  too  young  for  j 
;  ule,  especially  in  a  kingdom  more  than  any  other  in  Kurope  obnoxious  to 
disturbance  from  the  turbulence  and  ambition  of  powerful  vassals.    E' 


,4, 


THE  TEBA8URY  OF  HISTOttY. 


426 


.  inevitable,  M 
of  England  ihe 
ne  enemy,  or  an 
racier  of  James 
of  that  easy  and 
lobilily  to  waste 
king  of  Knglanil 
to  prosecute  war 
mplcle  coiiiiucst. 
k  uiM.-n  itie  most 
essingb  of  peace. 
ose  u  permanent 
on  his  iwrl  would 
had  other  vews, 
agreement  IK  a 
fiir'^less  keen  eb- 
cely  to  ^^  broken, 
ble  circumstances 
sullen  ami  insin- 
etermiuP  J  to  con- 
ition  to  France. 
,vas  too  young  (oi 
rope  obnoxious  10 
rful  vassals.    W 


a 


iMis,  a  profound  judge  of  human  dispositions  and  talents,  ba,l  well  provided 
ff, he  juvenile  incapacity  of  his  son,  by  committing  the  care  of  the  king- 
dom (iunng  his  minority,  to  his  daughter  Anne,  lady  of  Boaujeu,  aprin- 
ccss'of  masculine  talents  and  courasje.  This  lady  became  involved  in 
many  and  serious  disputes  with  Brittany,  which  disputes  were  greatly 
fomented  by  the  duke  of  Orleans,  and  so  far  involved  France  with  other 
,iiiccs,  that  at  this  tir>-.e  the  lady  of  Unaujeu  felt  that  the  issue  of  the 


prov 


which  she  was  engaged,  greatly,  almost  entirely,  depended 


jjflicrgle  HI  _     _  _  _ 

iinoii  the  part  which  might  be  taken  by  the  powerful,  prosperous,  and  sa- 
iracious  king  of  England.  The  subjection  of  Urittany  by  France  seemed 
quite  certain  did  not  England  interfere;  and  Anne  of  Boaujeu  sent  am- 
bassadors to  England,  ostensibly  with  the  chief  purpose  of  congratulat- 
ing Henry  on  his  success  over  Simnel  and  the  partizans  of  that  inisguii- 
ed'youth.  The  real  purpose  of  this  embassy  was,  in  fact,  to  engage 
Henry  to  look  on  without  interfering,  while  his  benefactor,  the  duke  of 
Brittany,  should  be  plundered  of  his  territory.  Henry,  who  well  under- 
wood that,  and  who  really  wished  to  serve  the  duke  of  Brittany,  but  who 
mortally  hated  the  expense  of  war,  endeavoured  by  polity  and  mediation 
10  put  an  end  to  the  strife.  As  will  be  seen  in  the  history  of  France,  both 
mediation  and  warfare  were  tried  in  vain  until  the  year  1491,  when  the 
vouii' duchess  of  Rennes  being  besieged  in  Reniies  by  the  French,  was 
lompelled  to  surrender,  and  restored  the  duchy  to  peace  by  giving  her 
hand  to  the  French  monarch. 

This  termination  of  an  affair  in  which  he  had  lost  the  benefit  of  much 
ihoughl  and  money,  by  not  being  more  liberal  both  of  money  and  vigour, 
vexed  Henry  exceedingly ;  but,  with  a  most  philosophic  creed,  he  resolv- 
ed to  turn  even  his  failure  to  profit.  The  loss  of  independence  to  Brit- 
tany really  affected  Henry  very  deeply,  and  the  more  so  as  he  had  been 
in  some  sort  outgcneralled  by  "Charles  VHI.  of  France.  But  it  was 
Henry's  care  to  appear  more  deeply  hurt  than  he  really  was,  and  he  loud- 
!v  and  passionately  declared  his  intention  to  go  to  war.  He  well  knew 
tiiatthe  acquisition  of  Brittany  to  France  was  to  the  last  degree  offensive 
io  the  people  of  England,  and  a  war  with  France  proportionally  popular, 
and  lie  took  his  measures  accordingly.  He  issued  a  commission  for  the 
raising  of  a  benevolence,  which  species  of  tax  had,  however,  been  formal- 
ly and  positively  abolished  by  a  law  of  the  tyrant  Richard,  though  now 
so  coolly  laid  on  by  a  king  who  wolud  have  deemed  it  strange  had  he 
been  called  a  tyrant.  Of  the  extent  of  the  extortion — ft)r  it  was  no  bet- 
ter-practised upon  this  occasion,  some  notion  may  be  formed  from  the 
fact,  that  London  alone  contributed  upwards  of  10,000/.  Morton,  the 
chancellor,  and  now  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  disgracefully  pleasant 
m  the  occasion,  directing  the  commissioners  to  take  no  excuse  ;  if  men 
lived  handsomely  and  at  ey  ,.cnse  it  was  only  fair  to  conclude  that  they 
niiistbe  wealthy,  and  if  they  lived  after  a  mean  and  miserable  fashion,  it 
was  equally  sure  that  their  means  must  be  hoarded  !  The  dilemma  is  not 
shvays  a  figure  of  logic  even  for  a  chancellor ;  the  archbishop's  dilemma 
iidone  horn  very  faulty,  for  it  is  quite  certain  that  badness  of  trade  and 
oppressiveness  of  taxation  might  make  many  a  man  live  meanly,  from 
sheer  necessity,  who,  nevertheless,  would  far  rather  have  furnished  his 
table  with  viands  than  his  strongbox  with  gold.  Having  raised  all  that 
he  could  by  way  of  benevolence,  that  is  to  say,  by  a  violence  expressly 
forbidden  by  a  law  made  even  during  the  reign  of  a  bad  king,  Henry  now 
proceeded  to  summon  his  parliament  together,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing 
how  much  more  money  could  be  extracted  in  a  more  regular  way.  Still 
keeping  in  view  the  warlike  character  of  his  people,  and  their  recent  and 
lecp  vexation  with  France,  Henry  now  appealed  to  the  national  feelings 
ma  speech  to  parliament,  which  is  so  curious  a  specimen  of  the  art  of 
King  Kiuquently  insincere,  that  we  transcribe  Hume's  summary  of  the 


W-liij 


f 


lit' 


2J|':is 


B 


:-m 


I    1 


430 


THE  TIIEA8UHY  OF  HISTORY. 


speech.    He  told  them  th;it  "  Franco,  elated  with  her  late  succcxseg  1 
even  proceeded  to  a  contempt  to  Kiigland,  and  had  refused  to  nav  ti 
tribute  which  Louis  XI.  had  stipulated  to  Kdward  IV, ;  that  it  jecam 
warlike  a  nation  as  the  English  to  bo  roused  by  this  iudignjiy,  and  1101?" 
limit  their  pretensions  merely  to  repelling  the  present  injury.'  Tint  f 
his  part,  he  was  delermiiied  to  lay  claim  to  the  crown  itself  of  Frat    '^ 
and  to  maintain  by  force  of  arms  so  just  a  title  transmitted  to  hitn  by  his  T\ 
lant  ancestors.     That  Crcssy,  Poitiers,  and  Agincourt  were  siitficiont  in 
struct  them  in  their  superiority  over  the  enemy,  nor  did  he  despnirof  ■III 
ding  new  names  to  the  glorious  catalogue.     That  a  king  of  Friimie  liid 
been  prisoner  in  London,  and  a  king  of  England  had  been  crowned  in 
Paris;  events  which  should  animate  them  to  an  emulation  of  like  elor! 
with  that  which  had  been  enjoyed  by  their  forefathers.    That  ihe  domes 
tic  dissensions  of  England  had  been  the  solo  cause  of  her  losin?  ihcsp 
foreign  dominions,  and  that  her  present  internal  union  would  bethecffof 
tual  me:.ns  of  recovering  them;  that  where  such  lasting  honour  was  iii 
view,  and  such  an  important  acquisition,  it  became  not  bravo  men  to  re. 
pine  at  the  advance  of  a  little  treasure ;  and  that,  for  his  part,  he  was 
determined  to  make  the  war  maintain  itself,  and  hoped  by  the  invasion  of 
80  opulent  A  kingdom  as  France,  to  increase  rather  than  to  diminish  the 
riches  of  the  nation." 

How  profoundly  Henry  seems  to  have  known  human  nature !  How 
skilfully  docs  ho  appeal  to  the  vanity,  the  fierceness,  the  hi'li 
courage,  and  the  cupidity  so  inherent  in  man's  heart!  "  Warlike  n'l. 
tion,"  "just  title,"  "gallant  ancestors,"  "Crcssy,  Poitiers,  and  Aoiii! 
court," "lasting  honour,"  and  "important  acquisition,"  how  admirably'arc 
they  all  pressed  into  service,  in  the  precise  jjlaces  where  best  calculated  lo 
act  at  once  upon  the  good  and  the  evil  feelings  of  those  whom  he  addres- 
ses !  And  then,  with  what  a  sublime  contempt  of  all  filthy  lucre  docs  lie 
not  dehort  "  brave  men "  from  caring  about  "  the  advance  of  a  Utile 
treasure !" 

If  all  men  were  gifted  with  the  far  sight  of  La  Rocliefoucault  into  the 
human  heart,  perhaps  such  a  speech  as  this  of  Henry  would  defeat  itself 
by  the  very  excess  and  exquisitness  of  its  art.  But  all  men  are  iwt  sd 
gifted,  and  never  was  man  better  aware  of  that  fact  than  Henry  was.  lie 
knew  the  instruments  he  had  to  work  with,  and  he  worked  accordiiijilv, 
Though  there  were  many  circumstances  in  the  state  of  Europe  wlm'li 
ought  to  have  made  the  parliament  chary  of  advancing  hard  cash  fur  a 
war  with  France ;  though  that  country  was  strengthened  by  the  very  feu- 
dal fiefs  which  had  so  fatally  weakened  it  when  the  gallant  i.iicesto:s  of 
Henry  had  deeply  dyed  with  French  blood  those  fatal  fields,  to  which 
Henry  so  proudly  and  so  eflTectually  alluded  ;  though  even  on  the  very 
edge  of  England,  to  wit,  in  Scotland,  a  new  and  warlike  monarch,  James 
IV,  had  succeeded  to  tho  indolent  James  HI.  and  was  so  much  attaehci! 
to  the  interests  of  France,  that  he  was  nearly  sure  to  evince  his  attach. 
ment  by  making  war  on  England  whenever  Henry  should  lead  the  flower 
of  England's  forces  to  the  shores  of  France,  the  parliament  liaied  Henry's 
boastful  promises  with  delight.  Two  fifteenths  were  readily  voted  to 
him,  and  an  act  was  passed  to  enable  the  nobility  to  sell  their  estates;  by 
which  Henry  accomplished  the  double  purposeofhavingwealthy  volunteers 
defray  many  unavoidable  expenses,  and  of  greatly  diminishing  tliat  baro- 
nial power  which  even  yet  trod  closely  upon  the  kibes  of  English  royally, 

A,  D,  1492. — As  Henry  had  anticipated,  many  powerful  nobles,  innamcii , 
with  a  desire  of  making  in  France  rich   territorial  acquisitions,  such  as 
their  Norman  an''estors  had  made  in  England,  availed  themselves  of  his  j 
politic  act,  and  sold  or  pawned  their  broad  lands  to  raise  troops  for  the  in- 
vasion of  the  Gallic  Dorado.    So  well,  in  short,  were  Henry's  well-feigneil  j 
desires  seconded  that  on  the  6th  of  October  in  this  year,  he  was  ( 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


497 


in  land  at  Calais,  with  a  splendidly  equipped  ii 
infiiitry  ami  sixteen  hundred  cavnlry,  the  \vl 


army  of  t wcnty-fivo  thousand 
infmitry  aim  sixieeu  iiunuren  uiiviiiry,  mo  wliole  commanded,  under  tlie 
lijilg  liiinself,  by  the  carl  of  Oxford  and  tlie  duke  of  Bedford,  and  officered 
iiy  some  of  the  very  first  men  in  England.  Many  a  brii,'ht  vision  of 
avarice  and  of  nobler  ambition  was  dreamed  among  that  mighty  host ;  but 
like  other  splendid  dreams,  they  were  as  fallacious  and  short-lived 
J,  they  were  brilliant.  The  truth  is,  that,  nobly  as  the  king  had  do- 
iiouiiced  wrath  to  France  and  promised  wealth  to  Knghuul,  he  had  from 
ilie  very  first  not  the  slightest  intention  of  firing  a  gun  or  drawing  a 
gwnrd.  His  object  was,  simply,  to  obtain  money  ;  the  only  sincere  part 
of  ills  speech  was  that  in  which  he  professed  his  hope  of  making  the  war 
inaiiitaiii  itself;  and  he  so  managed  tlie  affair,  with  both  friend  and  foe,  that 
he  really  did  make  the  war  not  only  pay  its  own  expenses,  but  contribute 
a  very  hnndsome  surplus  to  the  royal  treasury. 

li  was  wiiispered  among  shrewd  men,  that  October  was  a  singular  sea- 
son lU  which  to  invade  France,  if  a  real  war  of  conquest  was  intended. 
lleiiry  heard  or  guessed  this  rumour,  and  he  hastened  to  (;ontradict  it,  by 
professing  liis  conviction  that  to  conquer  the  whole  of  France  would  not 
cost  him  a  whole  summer,  and  that  as  he  had  Calais  for  winter-quarters 
ihe  season  of  his  arrival  was  a  mailer  of  perfect  indilTerence. 

Yet  at  tlie  very  lime  that  Henry  made  this  boast,  which  would  have 
been  marvellously  silly  and  vain-glorious  had  it  not  been  entirely  insincere, 
and  made  only  for  an  especial  and  temporary  purpose,  a  secret  correspon 
dencc  fofn  peace  had  for  some  time  been  carried  on  by  Henry  and  the 
kiiijof  France.  The  landing  of  llenry  in  France,  with  a  numerous  and 
well-appointed  army,  had,  as  he  had  foreseen,  greatly  strengthened  the 
Jcsire  for  peace  on  the  jiart  of  the  king  of  France,  and  commissioner!* 
were  now  very  speedily  appointed  to  settle  the  terms. 

Any  other  man  but  Henry  would  have  been  much  puzzled  for  even 
plausible  reasons  by  which  to  account  to  his  subjects  for  so  early  and  sud- 
denly agreeing  to  treat  for  peace,  after  making  such  magnificent  promises 
ofawar  of  actual  conquest;  promises,  too,  which  had  caused  so  many  of 
hissubjects  very  largely  to  invest  their  fortunes  in  his  service.  Uut  to 
Henry  this  was  no  difficult  matter.  He  had  represented  himself  as  sure 
oflarge  aid  from  the  Low  Countries  ;  he  now  caused  Maximilian,  king  of 
Ihe  Romans,  lo  send  to  inform  him  that  such  aid  could  not  then  be  fur- 
nished. Spain,  too,  was  at  war  with  France,  and  Spain  suddenly  received 
the  eounlies  of  Rousillon  and  Cordagne,  and  concluded  peace  with  France ! 
These  alterations  in  the  slate  of  affairs  would  naturally  suggest  some  al- 
teration in  the  proceedings  and  hopes  of  Henry !  He  gave  full  time  for 
thecireulaiion  of  the  news  through  his  ramp,  and  then  he  caused  the  mar- 
quis of  Dorset,  and  numerous  other  nobles  in  his  confidence,  to  petition 
linn  to  do  precisely  what  he  had  from  the  first  intended  to  do — lo  make  a 
ireaty  with  France!  Strangely  enough,  too,  they  were  made  to  alledge 
in  their  petition,  that  very  lateness  of  the  season  which  the  king  had  so 
recently  affected  to  bo  entirely  without  importance,  and  the  difTicultics 
attendant  upon  the  seige  of  Boulogne,  which  he  had  only  just  commenced, 
and  which  no  one  with  a  particle  of  common-sense  could  ever  have  sup- 
posed lo  be  an  undertaking  without  its  difficulties!  Henry,  with  well- 
feigned  reluctance,  suffered  himself  lo  be  persuaded ;  and  Franco  bought 
peace  by  Ihe  payment  of  seven  hundred  and  forty-fivo  thousand  crowns 
down,  and  a  pension  of  twenty-five  thousand  crowns  yearly.  Well  indeed 
might  the  money-loving  Henry  consider,  now,  that  between  the  contribu- 
tions of  his  subjects  and  those  of  France,  the  war  had  indilTerenlly  well 
maintained  itself. 

Scarcely  had  Henry  concluded  this  singularly  cool  and  as  singularly  suc- 
cessful endeavour  to  convert  a  glaring  political  blunder  into  a  means  of 


nPi 


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.(1 


las 


THB  THEAflUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


r^-^' 


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fli'  ■ 

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(• 

h^'  U.'i 

■',  ,  :,  fiV  .• 

■■.•.I,. 

:i|f*' 

g{^    f.-^'t    .-v  '   -■ 

'^'  "%•*«'  ■  »■' 

isirfri^*-  * 

*i:ii^:4kMiuta 

1^1 

Fiiyii'i  1'-  ^?  ■ 

iK^rtli 

t1l 

t  »;ii»n 

'    M 

raising  a  large  sum  of  money,  tlian  bo  was  once  more  called  upon  to  I 
rend  his  throne  afriinst  a  daring  and  impudent  pretender. 

The  ducliess  of  Durgundy,  whose  hatred  of  flenry  was  by  no  mcs 
decreased  by  the  ease  and  perfect  success  with  which  he  had  badled  il" 
designs  of  Simnel,  once  more  endeavoured  to  ilisturb  Henry's  ihroi 
Slie  caused  it  to  be  given  out,  that  Richard,  tlic  young  duke  of  York  o^' 
capcd  from  the  Tower  v-len  his  young  brother  and  sovereign  was  mur" 
dered  by  Richard,  duko  of  Gloslcr,  who  afterwards  usurped  the  thrunp 
Improbable  as  it  was  that  the  younger  of  tiie  two  brothers  should  hay . 
escaped  from  the  monstrous  and  unsparing  murderer  of  the  eider,  the  tai! 
was  eagerly  and  credulously  listened  to  by  the  people,  who  seeni  to  have 
received  no  warning  from  the  former  impudent  imposture  of  SiuniH 
Perceiving  that  the  fund  of  public  credulity  was  far  from  being  exhausted 
tlip  duchess  eagerly  looked  around  her  for  some  youth  qualified  to  sustain 
the  part  of  that  young  duke,  of  whose  approaching  re-appearanco  tmissa. 
ries  were  now  instructed  to  hold  out  expectations.  The  youth  she  desircj 
soon  presented  himself  in  the  person  of  Perkin  Warbeck,  the  son  of  a 
christianizi'd  Jew.  Young  Perkin  was  born  during  the  reign  of  tlic  amor- 
ous monarch,  Edward  IV.,  who  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  house  of  the 
wealthy  Jew.  This  circumstance,  and  tlie  singular  likeness  of  youim 
Perkin  to  the  king,  had  occasioned  not  a  little  scandalous  remark  aslotlie 
actual  parentage  of  the  boy.  Tiie  youth,  who  had  removed  with  his  faihei 
to  Tournay,  the  native  country  of  the  latter,  was  subsequently  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources,  and  caused  by  (he  change  of  fortune  to  visit  a 
variety  of  places  ;  and  travel  had  thus  added  its  benefits  to  those  of  naiure 
and  the  advantages  of  a  good  education.  The  youth  was  naturally  very 
quick-witted  and  of  graceful  manners,  and  the  singular  likeness  he  bore  to 
Kdward  IV.  was  tlms  rendered  the  more  remarkable,  especially  wtitn, 
having  been  introduced  to  the  duchess  of  Burgundy,  and  by  her  insiructtii 
in  the  part  it  was  desired  that  he  should  play,  he  d(?signedly  made  the  ut- 
most display  of  those  qualities  which  hitherto  he  had  enjoyed  almost  un- 
consciously. The  rapidity  and  completeness  with  which  he  mastertdall 
that  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  teach  him  delighted  the  duchess,  who, 
however,  in  order  to  give  time  to  the  reports  of  her  cmiosaries  to  spreiid 
among  the  populace  in  England,  sent  the  pseudo  duke  of  York  tu  Portu- 
gal under  the  care  of  Lady  Urampton.  FromPortugal  he  was  recalled  nn 
the  breaking  out  of  what  Henry  had  called  the  "  war"  with  France;  and, 
as  his  predecessor  in  imposture  had  formerly  been,  he  was  sent  to  make 
the  first  public  essay  of  his  powers  of  impudence  in  Ireland.  His  success 
there  was  sufficient  to  cause  a  great  interest  and  curiosity  not  only  in 
England  but  also  in  France,  to  which  country  he  was  invited  by  Charles 
VIII.,  who  received  him  with  all  the  honours  due  to  distressed  royalty, 
assigning  him  splendid  apartments,  and  giving  him  a  personal  guard  of 
honour,  of  which  the  lord  Congresal  was  made  the  captain. 

The  personal  resemblance  of  young  Warbeck  to  Edward  IV.,  his  grace- 
ful exterior  and  really  remarkable  accomplishments,  added  to  the  air  of 
entire  sincerity  which  Charles — with  the  politic  design  of  cmbarrassinj 
Henry — afTected  in  his  treatment  of  the  impostor  as  the  genuine  dukoof 
York,  rendered  the  imposition  so  far  successful,  that  upwards  of  a  hun- 
dred gentlemen,  some  of  them  (as  Sir  George  Nevil  and  Sir  Jotni  Taylor), 
of  considerable  eminence,  actually  travelled  from  England  to  Paristooffei 
their  swords  and  purses  to  the  duke  of  York. 

in  the  midst  of  a  tide  of  good  success,  which  must  have  astonistiea 
himself  more  than  any  one  else,  Warbeck  met  with  an  unexpected  checli 
m  consequence  of  the  peace  that  was  so  suddenly  concluded  between 
Franco  and  England.  Ilenry,  indeed,  on  this  occasion  tried  to  induce  the 
kin^  of  France  to  give  Warbeck  up  to  him  ;  but  Charles,  with  a  degree  of 
mint  which  did  him  grca*  honour,  replied,  that  no  matter  what  was  the 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


429 


fpal  cliaracler  of  the  young  man,  li(>  ought  to  go  free  from  Friinnc,  to  wliieh 
Charlo"*  had  himself  invite,!  him.  Wnrhock  acconlingly,  to  the  great  vex- 
ation of  his  friends,  was  dismissed  from  the  court  and  kingdom  of  Charles  ; 

J  he  new  made  his  first  public  appearance  before  the  duchess  of  Hur- 
ouiidy,  whoso  instructions  lie  had  hitherto  so  well  c-bcyed.  With  a  gravity 
which  did  infinite  credit  to  her  talents  as  an  actress,  the  duchess,  adecting 
10  have  been  but  too  well  instructed  by  Simnel's  affair  ever  to  give  credit 
auain  to  mere  plausible  stories,  received  VVarbeck  with  a  coolness  which 
would  speedily  have  terminated  his  suit  had  ho  been  other  than  an  impos- 
tor and  not  quite  as  well  aware  as  the  duchess  herself  was  of  its  motive. 
Wfll  knowing  that  her  ultimate  countenance  of  his  pretensions  would  be 
diiable  precisely  in  proporti«i\  to  her  seeming  unwillingness,  at  the  out- 
setiio  grant  it,  the  duchess  pul>licly  and  with  much  seeming  severity  cpies- 
tioi'ied  W arbeck  upon  his  pretensions  to  the  title  of  York.  As  iiiiestion 
after  question  was  answered  with  a  correctness  far  beyond  the  power  of 
any  mere  impostor — of  any  impostor  unless  assisted,  as  VVarbeck  was, 
bvtlic  duchess  or  some  other  member  of  the  royal  family — the  duchess, 
by  admirably  regulated  gradations,  passed  from  scornful  doiii)t  and  iiidig- 
nalioiilo  wonder,  and  from  wonder  to  conviction  and  a  rapture  of  delight, 
as  all  her  doubts  removed,  she  embraced  him  as  the  marvellously  pre- 
se'rvcd  son  of  Edward,  the  true  scion  of  the  Plantagenetf?,  tiie  only  right- 
ful heir  to  the  tlirone  o;"  Kngland,  her  own  long  lost  and  miraculously  re- 
stored nephew !  The  scene,  in  short,  was  excellently  performed,  and  was 
aspalhctic  to  those  who  were  not  in  the  secret,  as  it  assuredly  inu-l  have 
been  wearisome  to  those  who  were. 

Till'  duchess  of  Uurgundy,  having  thus  with  dilTieulty  and  reluctance 
salistied  herself  of  the  truth  of  her  sni  disant  nephew's  pretensiims,  as- 
signed him  a  guard  of  honour,  and  not  only  intimated  her  desire  that  he 
gliould  be  treated  with  the  utmost  respect  by  all  her  court,  but  herself  set 
the  example,  never  mentioning  him  but  with  the  honourable  and  endear- 
ing lille  of  the  white  ro.ir  of  fCii:;land. 

A.  D.  1493.— The  Knglish  of  high  rank  were  not  behind  the  Flemish 
nopulaee  in  giving  credence  to  VVarbeck's  pretensions.  Men  easily  be- 
lieve that  which  they  have  learned  to  desire;  and  the  firm  rule  of  Henry, 
and  the  great  and  obvious  pains  ho  took  to  depress  the  nobility,  and  to 
flcvite,  at  their  expense,  the  middle  ami  trading  (dasses,  disposed  very 
many  men  of  power  and  conse(pieiiee  to  assi.st  VVarbeck  in  the  struggle 
he  meditated  for  the  P^nglisli  tlimiie.  Kven  Sir  William  Stanley  who  liad 
done  so  much  to  secure  Henry's  elevation,  now  began  to  look  with 
complacency  upon  his  possible  dethronement  by  the  pseiido  duke  of  York* 
and  Sir  Robert  Clifford  actually  went  to  Flanders  to  jdui  the  j)nteuder, 
ami  wrote  thence  that  he  could  person,illy  vouch  that  the  youth  in  ques- 
tion was  really  that  Riciiard,  (hike  of  York,  who  had  so  long  been  sn[)- 
[ii-id  ti>  have  been  murdered  li\  his  uncle,  the  latn  king.  The  high  rank 
anJ  respectable  character  of  C  lifford  made  this  assurance  of  his  cxttMi- 
sivcly  and  mischievously  inlluential;  causing  many,  who  would  have  dis- 
dained to  assail  Henry's  throne  for  the  sake  of  an  impostor,  to  join  in  the 
wiJcsprea  ing  conspiracy  in  favour  of  the  supposed  duke  of  York. 

In  these  circumstances  the  king's  best  safeguard  was  his  own  politic 
jnd  vigilant  temper.  Well  served  by  his  numerous  spies,  both  in  Fnglantf 
and  on  the  continent,  he  was  thoronglily  informed  of  every  important  step 
that  was  taken  by  his  enemies.  Being  morally  certain  that  the  duke  of 
York  had  been  murdered  by  the  late  king,  he  took  the  necessary  steps  for 
making  that  fact  appear  from  the  statement  of  those  who  were  still  living 
ivho  had  personal  cognizance  of  it.  These  persons  were  two  in  number  ; 
Sir  James  Tyrrel,  who  had  superintended  the  murder  and  seen  the  dead 
bodies  of  the  murdered  youths,  and  Dighton,  who  had  been  one  of  the 
iclual  murderers ;  both  of  whom  slated  the  murder  to  have  been  com* 


»' 


I         "  1 


130 


THE  TREASiniY  OP  HISTORY. 


I 


W'M'"- 


milled  on  bolh  llie  princes ;  and  their  scimraU!  stutcmenls  agree  J  wiihii 
utmost  aeenriicy  in  every  piirtieular. 

The  next  poinl  iliul  Henry  was  anxious  to  clear  up,  was  the  identitv 
the  pretended  duke  of  York.  That  he  was  an  impostor  wis  beyoiid' in 
doubt ;  but  it  was  very  important  that  Henry  should  be  able  to  sav  n 
only  who  he  was  not,  but  who  he  was  and  wliencc  he  had  sprung,  to  aiip 
by  a  daring  nnposturc,  at  the  I'luKlish  throne.  With  tliis  view  he  »pr,i 
spies  into  Flanders,  and  instructed  some  of  them  to  pretend  the  utmost 
zeal  against  him,  and  to  join  the  oimosite  party.  Uy  tiiis  plan  he  lieraiiif 
aware  of  the  number  and  rank  of  VVarbeck's  adherents  ;  and  upon  ihesp 
new  spies  were  set,  until  Henry,  by  slow  degrees,  and  through  the  inslru. 
mentality  of  men  against  whom  he  feigned  the  most  un({ov<;rnable  indicr! 
nation,  possessed  himself  of  every  passage  in  the  history  of  young  War 
beck  from  his  very  childhood.  The  tiding.s  thus  obtained  Henry  took 
great  pains  to  cirrulate  throughout  England  ;  and  the  (dearness  with  whiih 
every  step  in  the  impostor's  career  was  traced  greatly  tended  to  ijinilnish 
the  popidarity  of  bis  cause,  and  to  weaken  the  zeal  of  his  parlizans,  upon 
whom  Henry  determined  to  take  ample  vengeance  at  his  own  leisure  and 
convenience. 

A.  II.  1401. — Having  taken  all  prudent  measures  for  disabusing  the 
minds  of  his  own  subjects  as  to  the  real  history  of  the  pretended  dukeof 
York,  Henry  made  a  formal  complaint  to  the  archduke  Philip  of  the  en- 
couragement and  shelter  which  so  notorious  an  impostor  as  VVarbeck  had 
met  with  in  Klanders;  and  as  I'hilip,  at  llie  instigation  of  the  duchms 
dowager  of  liurgundy,  coldly  replied  that  he  had  no  authority  over  the 
demesne  of  thai  (irincess,  Henry  banished  all  Flemings  from  Kiigland,  and 
recalled  all  bis  own  subjects  from  the  I,ow  ('ountries;  fee'ing  satisiied 
that  tile  injury  thus  done  to  Ihe  trade  of  so  commercial  a  people  as  the 
Flemings,  would  soon  urge  them  into  such  revolt  as  would  abundantly 
revengi'  him  upon  their  sovertngn. 

In  the  iiicanlimc  Henry  suddenly  and  simultaneously  seized  upon  those 
of  his  own  subjects  who  bad  been  the  most  zealous  in  conspiring  ajjiiinst 
him,  and  some  were  speedily  tried  and  executiHl.  Others,  anions:  whuni 
was  William  Worsely,  the  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  escaped  with  short"jnipris- 
oninent.  Hut  a  more  im|)ortant  viciiin  was  yet  to  be  sacrificed,  Siaiilcv 
the  lord  (diamberlain,  was  accused  by  riifford,  who  was  directed  to  conic 
to  Kiigland,  kneed  to  the  king  for  [lardon,  and  ac(!use  Stanley.  Tiie  im- 
mense wealiii  of  the  latter,  who  Innl  forty  thousand  marks  in  ready  money 
and  valuables,  and  a  yearly  revenue  of  three  thousand  pounds,  hy  no 
means  tended  to  diminish  the  king's  desire  to  convict  him.  But  Henry 
feigned  the  utmost  astonishment  and  incredulity,  expatiated  upon  liic  very 
great  improbability  that  Stanley,  connected  with  Henry  and  holdins  th'o 
important  odice  ol  chamberlain,  should  be  guilty  of  treason,  and  even  sol- 
emnly exhorted  Clifford  to  beware  that  he  did  not  wrongfully  aituse  an 
innocent  man.  Clifford,  in  spite  of  all  this  pretended  anxiety  on  the  part 
of  the  king,  persisted  in  his  statements  of  Stanley's  guilt,  and  the  accused 
was  confroiiled  with  him.  Fither  from  a  high  sense  of  honour  which 
deemed  every  suffering  and  danger  preferable  to  the  baseness  ol  falsehood, 
or  fnmi  a  weak  notion  that  his  great  services  to  the  king  in  former  dayi 
would  prove  his  safeguard  now,  Stanley  did  not  affect  to  deny  his  guilt. 

A.  D.  1495.— Kven  now,  though  Henry  could  not  have  a  doubt  of  Stan- 
ley's guilt,  and  was  fully  resolved  iu)t  to  spare  him,  six  weeks  were  suf- 
fered to  elapse  before  the  prisoner  was  brought  to  trial;  a  delay  by  whifh 
it  pndiably  was  intended  to  give  the  public  a  iiciion,  that  the  king  was 
unwilliim  to  proceed  to  extremities  against  a  man  who  had  formerly  been 
so  serviceable  to  him.  At  length  he  was  tried,  and  the  part  of  hisroiiducl 
which  gav(!  the  most  offence  was  his  having  said  to  Clifford,  that  if  lie 
were  quite  sure  that  the  young  man  who  claimed  to  be  the  duke  of  Yori 


really  w.is  a 

in?  a  prc'fen 

ju.l;'meiit  of 

te.ider,  and  | 

assistanc'i;  w 

As  he  ihd  no 

cunrse  re  Inn 

preli'iided  so 

much  lime  to 

iiilluenci'J,  it 

crown. 

Thecxcciili 
liaving  until  s 
and  ci)iifi(leiic( 
as  Henry  inloi 
llicni  that  nier 
llie  mi're  appc; 
10  iilrikfi  terror 
no  longer  any 
whom  they  lia( 
learned  to  look 
ilius  impelled  i 
tlieysiilj  had  ai 
cuniinucd  to  dn 
formed  of  ilu; 
fcwlule  (Jelernii 
Kieii  while  pi 
ncreasiiig  his  w 
jpim  coiiciliaiiM; 
ii'fence  of  his  t' 
secret  conspirati 
.'ilcss ;  the  very 
■ill'.  Mere  inadt 
Uilliam  Capid, 
ivliich  involved' 
levcn  liinidred  .. 
IM  ihiMisaiid  by 
layiiifufinalioiis 
panics  .seeuis  to 

ability  to  enrich 
0!  imaginary. 
"Iiose  iiiiscriipiil 
in  lliis  way  fle^c- 
furivarded  his  do, 
"'■''"■great,  and 
'''"'iigh  the  ki 


"!  ""•  people 
l™'y  be  sa.d  of 
««;pt  himself. 
Pression,  the  kin 
Psupli-'  at  large  • 
;  "fasH  the  di,ji(.„] 

upon  Knglaiid. 
,  '^'ifi  men.  consis 
means,  Warbeck 
making  a  state 
Prarance  off  the 
"posed  the  real 


:ia( 


THIB  TREASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


431 


really  was  80,  lie  never  would  bear  arms  against  him.  Tiiis  spcccli,  as  show- 
jnea |irtfi'i'<'iiie  to  the  house  of  York,  was  far  more  unpardniiabif,  in  the 
Jj,i„eiii  of  lloiiry,  tiian  the  oflTcnco  of  siding  with  a  mere  nameless  pre- 
teniicr.  and  probably  was  more  eonehisivo  against  Stanley  than  the  aetual 
assislaiifu  winidi  he  gave  to  VVarbeck  in  the  way  of  money  and  advice. 
jis  he  did  in>'  <'ven  attempt  to  show  himself  innoeent,  a  verdict  was  of 
cuiirsf  returned  against  him  ;  and  the  king,  who  previous  to  the  trial  had 
nretiMiilLvl  so  much  reluctanec  to  believe  aught  against  him,  did  not  allow 
iiiucli  lime  to  elapse  between  the  sentence  and  execution,  being  chielly 
iiitliiciiccd,  it  would  seem,  by  the  large  forfeiture  which  accrued  to  the 

The  execution  of  Stanley,  higli  in  rank,  holding  an  important  ofTice,  and 
havini'  until  so  late  a  date  enjoyed  so  large  a  sliare  of  the  king's  favour 
and  cimliileiice,  naturally  struck  terror  into  the  confederates  of  Warbcck, 
asHi'iiry  intended  that  it  should.  And  not  only  did  this  ex|)e(:tation  warn 
them  liiat  mercy  was  out  of  the;  question,  slu  Id  any  be  convicted,  but 
ihcini're  appearance  ofClitTord  as  the  king's  informer  was  well  calculated 
10  >lnke  terror  into  the  guilty,  who  must  now  be  aware  thnt  they  had 
noloiii,'cr  any  secrets  from  the  cold-bloodel  and  re!>oiv(d  k.ng,  against 
whomlliey  had  plotted  so  much  mischief.  Kach  '  f  the  eon.  •■.iralors  nr-f 
learned  Id  look  wilii  dread  and  suspicion  uprui  his  neighboiu".  Many  w  I'e 
ilius  impelled  into  withdrawing  from  tiie  support  of  the  pretender  w' :,.< 
iheysUli  had  an  opportunity  to  do  so  ;  and  tliou'di  rumors  and  libe  .  sill 
coniinued  to  dismay  the  king,  a  very  general  anil  wholesome  opinion  was 
foriiiPil  of  llie  great  extent  of  the  king's  secret  informa..  .>.  and  of  his 
resolute  dcterniiiiation  to  crush  the  guilty. 

Kvcii  while  punishing  conspirators,  the  king  seemed  far  non;  bent  upon 
iicreasiiig  his  wealth,  by  whatever  arts  and  schemes  of  extortion,  than 
jpiMiciiiieiliating  the  alTeetions  of  his  people,  and  thus  arraying  them  in 
itfencc  of  his  throne  against  the  arts  and  cflTorls  of  open  pr(!lenders  or 
ieiret  conspirators.  His  extortions  were  perpetual,  shameless,  and  mer- 
rik'.ss ;  liic  very  laws  wtiieh  ought  to  have  been  the  siifeguard  of  the  peo- 
)le,  were  made  the  means  of  extorting  money  from  the  wealthy.  Sir 
Williain  Capcl,  a  London  alderman,  had  information  hud  against  him 
ivliich  nivolved  him  in  penalties  to  the  enorinous  amount  of  two  thousand 
levea  hundred  and  forty-three  pounds,  and  he  actually  had  to  pay  near 
two  ihoiisand  by  way  of  compromise.  The  L^vvyers  were  encouraged  to 
layiafumiations  against  wealthy  men,  and  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the 
panics  seems  to  have  been  far  less  considered  than  their  willingness  and 
ability  to  enrich  the  king,  by  compounding  with  him  for  their  offences,  real 
or  imaginary.  Aided  by  his  financial  agents,  Kmpsoii  and  Dudley,  to 
whose  unscrupulous  misconduct  we  shall  I  _  iv'  by  have  to  recur,  ilenry 
in  this  way  fleeced  the  great  and  the  weal'.!  .  <■.,  enormous  sums,  and  thus 
tavarded  his  double  design  of  depressing  tin  iMunewhat  dangerous  power 
of ihe  great,  and  of  increasing  his  own  vast  treasure. 

Though  the  king  oppressed  the  wealthy  beyond  measure,  the  main  body 
of  till!  people  had  but  little  cause  to  cinplain  of  him,  for  it  might  most 
truly  be  said  of  him  that  he  would  allow  no  oppressor  in  his  kingdom 
except  himself.  In  spite,  thernfo  e,  of  numerous  acts  of  particular  op- 
pression, the  king's  authority  was  daily  more  and  more  respected  by  the 
people  at  large  ;  and  Warbeck,  fearing  that  a  longer  delay  would  but  in- 
creiisi'  ilie  dilficuUies  of  his  design,  at  length  determined  to  make  a  descent 
upou  I'lngland.  Having  collected  an  army  of  somewhat  less  than  a  thou- 
sand men.  consisting  chiefly  of  men  equally  bankrupt  in  character  and  in 
means,  Warbeck  took  advantage  of  the  absence  of  the  king,  who  was 
making  a  state  progress  through  the  north  of  Kngland,  and  made  his  ap- 
>araiiceoir  the  coast  of  Kent.  But  the  care  with  which  the  king  had 
wposed  the  real  character  and  connections  of  Warbeck,  and  the  sad  fate 


||"i'Hl  r'/^ 

i     ■  iH:|f# 


43!i 


THE  TREASURY  Off  HISTORY. 


of  Sir  William  Stunley,  caused  the  Kentish  gentry  to  be  on  the  alert 
to  join  the  impostor,  but  to  oppose  him.  Wishing,  however,  to  make  l""* 
prisoner,  thjy  toKI  the  messenger  whom  he  sent  ashore  that  thev  wp'"' 
actua.ly  in  arms  for  him,  and  invited  him  to  land  and  place  hiinself  ! 
their  head.  VVarbeck  was  too  suspicions  to  fall  into  tlie  snare;  and  ih 
Kentish  men  fiiiding  that  they  could  not  induce  him  to  trust  himself  asliorT 
fell  upon  thosfc  of  iiis  retainers  who  had  landed,  and  took  a  hundred  aiiH 
fifty  prisoners,  oosides  putting  a  considerable  number  to  death.  This  a' 
tion  drove  Warbcck  from  the  coast;  and  the  king,  who  was  thorounhli 
determined  to  put  down  the  revolt  with  a  strong  and  unsparing  liaad°or 
dcred  the  himdred  and  fifty  prisoners  to  be  put  to  deatii,  without  an  ex 
caption ! 

A  singular  and  very  important  law  was  just  now  enacted,  by  wliich  ii 
was  provided  liiat  no  man  siiould  be  attainted  for  aiding  the  kina  jg  f^^d 
whetlier  by  arms  or  otherwise.  Honry  probably  instituted  this  hw  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  increased  confidence  and  zeal  to  his  own  partizans  bv 
making  it  impossible  that  even  his  fall  could  involve  them  in  ruin.  As'th° 
first  and  most  important  end  of  all  law;?  is  to  secure  the  peace  of  the  com 
munily,  and  as  the  defenders  of  the  dc  facto  king  are  usually  sucli  by  their 
attachment  to  public  order,  the  law  was  a  very  propc;  one  in  spirit ;  but^l 
was  one  wiiich  in  the  case  of  any  violent  revolution  was  but  Uttle'hkely 
to  be  respected  in  practice,  especially  as  nothing  could  be  easier  tiumfor 
tho  dominant  party  to  cause  it  to  be  repealed. 

Of  the  invasion  of  Italy  by  France,  and  tlie  league  formed  to  eiicck  the 
French  king's  ambitious  schemes,  we  iieedoidy  barely  make  tneiitiunhere- 
forthougii  Henry  was  a  member  of  that  league,  he  was  a  mere  honorary 
member  of  it,  neither  the  expenses  nor  the  trouble  of  warfare  on  so  dis- 
tant a  scene  suiting  with  his  peace-loving  and  rigidly  economical  tempei 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE    KEION  OF    UENRY    VII.    {concluded.) 

A.  D.  1405. — Wauheck,  on  perceiving  the  treatment  that  was  bestowed 
by  the  Kentish  people  upon  those  of  his  adh!'<-ciits  who  had  been  so  mifor. 
tunate  as  to  land,  sincerely  congrattdati. j  himself  upon  the  suspicion 
which  had  arisen  in  his  mind  at  the  regular  and  disciplined  appearance oi 
the  men  who  pretended  to  be  newly  levied,  and  with  an  especial  view  to 
his  service.  He  had,  however,  gone  too  far  to  recede,  and  was,  hesiJcs, 
without  the  funds  necessary  to  support  his  numerous  followers  in  idleness. 
Ireland  had  ever  been  ready  to  war  against  the  king  of  Kngland  on  any  or 
on  no  pretc.vt,  and  to  Ireland  ho  accordingly  steero.J  his  course.  Dm,  as 
we  have  more  particularly  mentioned  under  the  history  of  that  eoinitry 
Poyning's  law  and  other  good  measures  had  so  far  strength(MR'd  the  roynl 
authority,  that  even  in  the  usually  turbulent  Ireland  the  advenluroreouW 
obtain  no  support.  Certain  hospitalities,  indeed,  he  experie'iecd  at  the 
hands  of  some  of  the  chieftains,  but  their  coarse  fare  and  rude  Iiahilswere 
but  little  to  his  taste,  and  he  left  them  to  try  liis  fortune  in  Scothind.  The 
king  of  France,  in  revenge  for  llic  jimctien  of  Henry  with  theoihirop- 
ponents  of  the  nmbitious  schemes  of  France,  and  tlie  king  of  tlie  Komaiis, 
in  revenge  for  Henry's  prohibition  of  idl  commerce  with  llie  Low  Coun- 
tries, secretly  furnished  Warbeck  with  strong  recommendations  to  the 
king  of  Scotland,  James  IV.  Tiiat  cliivalric  prince  seems  at  first  to  have  j 
suspected  the  truth  of  Warbeck's  story  ;  for  wiiilc  he  received  him  other- 
wise kindly,  he  somewhat  pointedly  told  him  that  be  whoever  orwhatevei  j 
he  might  he  should  never  repent  having  trusted  to  a  king  of  Scotland,,! 
remark  wliich  ho  would  scarcely  have  made  had  he  felt  any  confldciicp 


II 


THE  TaEASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


435 


i„,t  lie  was  really  the  duke  of  York.  Uut  the  king's  suspicions  did  not 
ijiiirlio!d  out  against  the  fascinating  manners  and  numerous  iicconipiish- 
iiienta  of  tiie  young  adventurer.  So  completely  did  James  become  the 
aine,  :iihI  so  far  was  that  kind-hearted  monarch  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  the  young  impostor  who  practised  upon  liis  credulity,  tlial  he  actually 
.-ave  liiiii  "1  marriage  the  lady  Catherine  (Jordon,  daughter  of  ihe  earl  of 
lluntlev,  and  not  very  distantly  related  to  the  king  himself. 

^  P  j.li)C. — That  James  of  Scotland  really  did  give  credence  to  the  ela- 

horale  falsehoods  whicli  were  told  him  by  young  Warbeck  seems  certain, 

or  he  would  scarcely  have  given  him,  in  marriage,  a  young  and  heaulifiil 

',ulv  of  11  noble  family  and  even  related  to  the  crown.     But  policy  had, 

■irobably.  still  more  to  do  in  producing  James'  kindness  to  the  adventurer, 

llun  any  considerations  of  a  merely  humane  and  personal  nature.    Injury 

toKni'land,  at  any  rate  and  under  any  circumstances,  seems  to  have  been 

i!ie  invariable  maxim  of  the  Scottish  kings  and  of  the  Scottish  people  ;  and 

Junes,  (leeiniiig  it  probable  that  the  people  of  the  northern  counties  of 

Eiiclaml  would  rise  in  favour  of  Warbeck,  led  him  ihitiier  at  the  head  of  a 

NtiVanil  well  appointed  army.    As  soon  as  they  had  crossed  the  border, 

Wiirbeck  issued  a  proclamation  in  which  he  formally  stated  himself  to  be 

iliatdiikeof  York  who  had  so  long  been  su|)i)osed  dead,  claimed  to  be  the 

ii'hlful  sovereign  of  Kngland,  and  called  upon  all  his  good  and  loyal  sub- 

ectsiorise  and  aid  him  in  expelling  tlie  usurper  who  laid  heavy  burdens 

inoii  lliciii,  and  whose  oppressions  of  men  of  all  ranks,  and  especially  his 

<!U(lieJ  degradation  of  the  nobility,  had,  said  the   proclamation,  justly 

laiiscd  him  to  be  odious  to  all  men.    Ikit  besides  that  the  men  of  the  north 

jf  Kngiaiid  were  but  little  likely  to  look  upon  a  Scottish  arm^  as  a  re- 

conmieiiilalion  of  the  new  comer,  there  were   two  circumstances  which 

prevented  this  proclamation  from  being  much  attended  to ;  every  day  taught 

afiiu)  look  with  increased  dread  upon  the  calm,  unsparing  and  unfaltering 

yiiipi'rof  the  king;  and  Warbeck's  Scottish  friends,  by  their  taste  for 

1   pliiiiJer,  made  it  somewhat  more  than  dillicult  for  tlie  English  borderers 

■1  look  tipon  them  in  any  other  li^ht  than  that  of  plundering   foemeu. 

Warbeck  was  conscious  how  greatly  this  practice  of  the  Scots  tended  to 

;;ijiire  his  cause  among  the  Knglish,  and  he  remonstrated  with  James  upon 

;he  subject.    Hut  James,  who  now  cli'arly  saw  the  little  chance  there  was 

sf any  rising  in  favour  of  Warbeck,  jilainly  told  him  that  all  his  sym|)aihy 

was  thrown  away  upon  enemies,  am!  all  his  anxiety  for  the  prcs('rvation 

lit  the  country  equally  wasted,  inasmuch  as  it  seemed  but  too  certain  thai 

that  country  would  never  own  his  sway.    In  fact,  but  for  their  plundering, 

ihe  Scots  would  literally  have  crossed  the  border  to  no  earthly  purpose, 

scirceiv  an  Knglishman  being  by  their  coming  induced  to  join  tlit;  stand 

idI  of  Warbeck.     Henry  was  so  coniideiit  that  the  marauding  propensi 

'.R'sof  the  Scots  would  make  Warbeck's  cause  unpopular  in  the  northern 

'Diiatics  ratiier  than  the  contrary,  that  lu;  was  by  no  means  sorry  for  the 

Scottish  irruption.    Nevertheless,  true  to  Ids  constant  maxim  of  making 

iprofit  of  everything,  he  affectt^d  to  be  very  indignant  at  this  violation  of 

his  territory,  and  h(!  summoned  n  parliament  to  listen  to  his  con)plaints 

onlhis  head,  and  to  aid  him  in  obtaining  redress  for  so  great  and  alTront- 

i!igan  injury.    The  pathetic  style  in  whwdi  Henry  so  well  knew  how  to 

i  oouch  iiis  complaints,  80  far  prevailcii  with  the  parliament  as  to  induce 

ihem  to  vote  him  a  subsidy  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pounds,  and 

I  iliey  were  then  dismissed. 

AD.  1497.- The  people,  always  shrewd  judges  of  character,  had  by  this 
I  lime  learned  to  understand  'hat  of  Henty.  Comparing  the  frequency  and 
I i!ic  hirgencss  of  the  grants  made  to  him  by  the  pailiament  with  his  own 
I  legal  economy  and  personal  stinginess,  they  easily  calculated  that  he  had 
jbyhim  a  treasure  of  sufficient  extent  to  spare  his  subjects  this  new  impo- 
JMion.  It  followed  that,  though  the  parliament  liad  so  willingly  granted 
Vol.  I.— 28 


434 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


I 


m 


'    ■■  1?"..  ,.i.Ii-ll^(.i 


{he  subsidy  in  the  mass,  the  people  were  by  no  means  so  willine  to  n 
it  to  the  tax  collectors  in  detail.     This  was  more  espeoiuliy  the  casf 
Far  removed  from  any  inroads  of  the  Scots,  the  peonjo  of    '" 


Cornwall. 


ihat 


part  could  not  or  would  not  understand  why  tliey  should  be  ta.xcd  to  re    i 
an  enemy  whom  they  had  never  seen.    The  popular  discoiueiu  in  C'ci'"^ 
wall  was  still  farther  increased  by  two  demagogues,  Joseph  and  Finn! 
mock.     Tlie  latter  especially,  who  was  a  lawyer,  was  much  trusted  hv  il 
populace,  whom  he  assured  that  the  tax  laid  upon  them  on  tliis  op(  "^ 
sion  was  v;holly  illegal,  inasmuch  as  the  nobility  of  the  northern  coimtiM 
held  their  lands  on  the  express  condition  of  defending  them  a<rainstall 
inroads  of  the  Scot;? .  and  that  it  behoved  the  people  promptly  and  firmlv 
but  peaceably,  to  petition  against  the  system  under   which  their  burdens 
bade  fair  to  become  quite  intolerable.     It  is  scarcely  worth  while  to  in. 
quire    how   far  the  demagogues  were  sincere  in  their  exhortations  in 
peaceable  agitation ;  the  event  showed  how  much  easier  it  is  to  set  a  niiil. 
titude  in  motion  than  to  control  it  afterwards.     The  country  people  \a\'. 
ing  their  own  opinions  of  the  illegality  and  injustice  of  the  tax  confirmed 
by  men  of  whose  talents  and  information  they  had  a  very  high  opinion 
gathered  together  in  great  numbers,  most  of  them  being  armed  with  ilie 
implements  of  their  rural  labour.    This  numerous  and  tumultuous  gatlitr- 
ing  chose  Flammock  and  Joseph  for  their  leaders,  and  passing  from  Com. 
wall  through  Devonshire,  they  reached  Taunton,  in  Somcrsctsliire,  where 
they  killed  one  of  the  collectors  of  the  subsidy,  whose  activity  and,  per- 
haps, severity  had  given  them  much  offence.    From  Taunton  ihoy  marched 
to  Wells,  in  the  same  county,  where  they  got  a  distinguished  leader  in  the 
person  of  the  lord  Audley,  a  nobleman  of  ancient  family,  but  very  prune 
to  popularity-hunting.    FIcaded  by  this  silly  nobleman,  the  rebels  marched 
towards  London,  breathing  vengeance  against  the  principal  ministers  of 
the  king,  though  upon  the  whole  tolerably  innocent  of  actual  wrong  or  vj. 
olence  (luring  the  latter  part  of  their  march.     Though  the  Keniish-nicn 
had  so  lately  shown  by  the  course  they  had  adopted  towards  Warheck 
how  little  they  were  inclined  to  involve  themselves  in  a  quarrel  with  the 
king,  Flammock  had  persuaded  the  rebels  that  they  were  sure  to  bejonnd 
by  the  Kentish  people,  because  these  latter  had  ever  maintained  their  lib. 
erty  even  against  the  iS'orman  invaders.    The  nnn  sequitur  was  either  iiut 
lerceived  by  the  multitude  or  not  considered  of  much  importance,  fur  in;o 
Kent  they  marched  in  pursuance  of  Flammock's  advice,  and  took  upthur 
position  on  a  hill  at  Kltliam,  a  very  few  miles  from  London.    So  far  wis 
the  advice  of  Flammock  from  being  well  founded,  that  there  probaldyHits 
not  at  that  moment  a  single  spot  in  the  whole  kingdom  where  the  rebels 
were  less  likely  to  meet  with  support  than  in  Kent.    Kverywlierc  throiinli. 
out  the  kingdom  there  was  considerable  discontent  arising  out  of  the  ex- 
tortionate measures  of  the  king,  but  everywhere  there  was  alsoaorent 
respect  for  the  king's  power,  to   which  was  added  in  Kent  considerable 
kindly  feeling  springing  out  of  the  favour  and  consideration  with  whirh 
he  had  acknowledged  the  service  done  to  him  when  Warbcck  appeapi 
off  the  coast.     Of  this  feeling  the  earl  of  Kent,  Lord  Abergavenny,  and 
Lord  Cobham  so  well  availed  themselves,  that,  though  the  lebcls  iiiaJe 
every  peaceful  endeavour  to  recruit  their  ranks,  none  of  the  KciUishmen 
would  join  them. 

On  this,  as  indeed  on  all  other  emergencies,  Henry  showed  hiinsolfequal 
to  the  occasion.  lie  detaciied  the  earl  of  Surrey  to  hold  in  cheek  or  beat 
back  the  Scots;  and  having  posted  himself  in  St.  (Jeorge's  fields  at  ihe 
head  of  one  body  of  troops,  he  despatched  ihe  earls  of  Oxford.  SutTolk,.™! 
Essex,  at  the  head  of  another,  to  take  the  rebels  in  the  rear;  whileathirJ 
under  Lord  Daubeny  charged  them  in  front.  The  more  completely  lo 
take  the  rebels  by  surprise,  Henry  had  carefully  spread  a  report  thai  ke 
rihould  not  attack  them  for  several  days  ;  nor  did  he  give  the  word  to  Dj 


I 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


43& 


^   ;:-|Vl 


ling  to  \l■^y 

he  casp  in 

oplo  of  that 

ned  to  repel 

enl  in  Cotn- 

1  and  Fhm- 

usled  liy  llie 

u  this  oce;i- 

icrn  counties 

n  agauistall 

.y  and  fitmly, 

Iheir  burdens 

ii  whilft  U)  in- 

Lhortations  to 

s  to  set  a  mill- 

y  people  liav- 
tax  confirmed 
high  opinion, 

irmcd  with  the 

ultuous  galher- 

iing  from  Cum- 

rscishirc,  where 

clivily  and,  per- 

)n  they  marched 

led  leader  in  the 

J,  but  very  prone 

B  rebels  marched 

ipal  ministers  o! 

tua\  wrong  or  vi- 

Ihc  Kcnt\sl\-mi'n 

owards  Warbcek 
quarrel  with  the 
sure  to  be  joimd 

.iniaincd  their  lib- 
was  eithcrvul 
iporlance,  for  in!o 
and  took  up  ihcir 
,1011.    So  (ar  was 
hero  probaWy  was 
wliere  the  rebels 
jrywhero  throuch- 
iin'^  out  ol  the  n- 
■,  was  also  a  srcat 
kcnl  considcralile 
ration  with  whi^'h 
Warbcck  apptai"! 
Micrgaveniiy,  aiw  ] 
■h  the  lebels  m\i  • 
,(  lire  Kentish  men 


DPnv's  division  to  advance  until  so  late  an  hour  in  the  day  that  the  rebels 
could  have  no  idea  of  being  attacked.    They  had  a  small  advance  at  Dept- 
ford  bridge,  which  Daubeny  easily  put  to  flight,  and  pursued  them  so 
closely  that  he  ciiarged  upon  their  main  body  at  the  same  time  that  Ihey  re- 
ioinedil-   Daubeny  charged  the  rebels  gallantly,  but  allowed  his  contempt 
of  their  want  of  discipline  to  cause  him  to  undervalue  their  number,  in 
which  respect  they  were  far  from  despicable,  being  above  sixteen  thous- 
and.  The  rash  gallantry  of  Daubeny  actually  caused  him  to  be  for  a  few 
moments  taken  prisoner,  but  he  was  speedily  rescued  by  his  troops,  whose 
discipline  soon  prevailed  over  the  raw  numbers  of  the  rebels,  and  the  lat- 
ter were  ptit  to  flight  with  the  loss  of  two  thousand  killed,  and  many 
thousands  prisoners;  the  first  division  of  the  king's  troops  having  aided 
Daubeny  so  that  the  rebels  were  completely  surrounded,  but  a  compara- 
tjvelv  small  number  of  them  succeeded  in  cutting  their  way  through. 
Among  the  numerous  prisoners,  were  the  lord  Audley,  Flammock,  and 
l^iseph,  all  of  whom  the  king  sent  to  immediate  execution.    Josepli  actu- 
ally exulted  in  his  fate,  which,  he  said,  would  insure  him  a  place  in  the 
liistory  of  his  country.     To  the  other  prisoners  the  king  gave  their  liber- 
tv;  partly,  perhaps,  because  he  deemed  them  to  have  been  mere  dupes  in 
liie  hands  of  their  leaders,  and  partly  because,  however  much  they  had 
exclaimed  against  the  oppressions  of  his  ministers,  they  had  in  nowis« 
ilirou^hout  the  whole  revolt  called  in  question  his  title,  or  showed  any  dis- 
position to  mix  up  with  their  own  causes  of  complaint  the  pretensions  of 
ihepseiuO  duke  of  York.     Lord  Surrey  and  the  king  of  Scotland,  mean- 
while, had  made  some  few  and  inefficient  demonstrations  which  led  to  no 
important  result,  and  Henry  took  an  early  opportunity  to  get  Hialas,  the 
Spanish  ambassador,  to  propose  himself — as  if  without  the  knowledge  of 
Hfofy—to  mediate  between  the  two  kings.    When  Hialas  was  agreed 
10  as  mediator,  the  first  and  most  important  demand  of  Henry  was  that 
Warbeck  should  be  delivered  up  to  him,  a  demand  to  which,  to  his  eternal 
honour,  James  IV.  replied  that  he  could  not  pretend  to  decide  upon  tlifi 
youngman's  pretensions  ;  but  that  having  received  him  and  promised  him 
tiis  protection,  no  imaginable  consideration  should  ever  induce  him  to  be- 
tray him.    Subsequently  a  truce  of  a  few  months  having  been  agreed  to 
beiVcen  England  and  Scotland,  James  privately  begged  Warbeck  to  seek 
some  safe  asylum,  as  it  was  very  evident  that  while  he  remained  in  Scol- 
hnd  Henry  would  never  allow  that  country  to  have  any  permanent  peace. 
The  measures  of  Henry,  .neantime,  as  regarded  the  I"  lemings  had  pro- 
duced exactly  the  result  which  he  expected  from  them;  the  Flemish  mer- 
rhintsand  artificers  had  suffered  so  much  from  his  system  of  non-inter- 
course, that  they  had  in  a  manner  forced  their  arcluhike  to  make  a  treaty 
ty  which  all  English  rebels  were  excluded  from  the  Low  Countries,  and 
iae  demesnes  of  the  dowager  duchess  of  Burgundy  were  especially  and 
pointedly  included  in  this  treaty.    Warbeck,  therefore,  on  being  requested 
10  leave  Scotland,  found  himself  by  this  treaty  completely  shut  out  of  the 
Low  Countries,  too,  and  he  was  fain  once  more  to  take  refuge  amo.ig  the 
bo's  and  mountains  of  Ireland. 

Even  here,  such  were  the  known  vigilance,  art,  and  power  of  Henry, 
the  unfortunate  impostor  did  not  feel  himself  secure.  His  fear  on  that 
head,  and  his  dislike  of  the  rude  ways  and  scanty  fare  of  his  entertainers, 
induced  him  to  follow  the  advice  of  three  needy  and  desperate  adherents, 
Astley,  Heme,  and  Skelton  ;  and  he  landed  in  Cornwall,  where  he  eiulca- 
tourcd  to  profit  by  the  still  prevalent  disposition  to  discontent  and  riot 
in  that  neighbourhood  of  hardy,  turbulent,  and  ignorimt  men.  On  his 
landing  at  Bodmin,  Warbeck  was  joined  by  upwards  of  three  thousand 
men;  and  so  much  was  he  encouraged  by  even  this  equivocai  appearance 
ofpnpuUrity,  that  he  now,  for  the  first  time,  assumed  the  title  of  king  of 
England  by  the  name  if  Richard  IV.    He  next  marched  his  courageoiii 


'%  i-j  Mi/i 


436 


THB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


m 

Bir'Kl -■^ 

E-  1 

U'   *4  '   ■' 

T  ■,, ;, 

'r^'l'  .'■"■• 

f 'C 

pll"': 

'i  ''ii 

1]  ■'■;.'  5;  ■ 

t$ 

III; 

but  wholly  undisciplined  men  to  Exeter,  where  the  inhabitants  wudiv 
well  as  loyally,  shut  their  gates  against  him,  dispatched  messengers  to'ih' 
king,  and  made  all  preparations  for  sustaining  such  a  siege  as  Wark  if 
destitute  of  artillery  and  even  of  ammunition,  might  be  expected  to  tar 
on  against  them.  '^ 

Henry  rejoiced  to  hear  that  the  pretender  who  had  so  long  eluJed  a'll 
amazed  him,  had,  at  length,  resolved  to  take  the  field.  The  lords  Daulip 
ny  and  Broke,  with  the  earl  of  Devonshire,  the  duke  of  Buckiiighani  aiii 
many  other  considerable  nobles,  hastily  raised  troops  and  marclied  a"ains 
the  rebels;  the  king,  at  the  same  time,  actively  preparing  to  follow  wit] 
a  numerous  army. 

Warbeck  had  shown  himself  unfit  for  rule,  by  the  mere  elation  of  spirit 
into  which  he  was  betrayed  by  the  adhesion  of  three  thousand  ill-armd 
and  undibciplined  men ;  he  now  showed  himself  still  furtl.i  •  unfit  by  uticr 
want  of  that  desperate  courage  which,  if  it  often  betrays  iti;  possessor  into 
situations  of  peril,  no  less  frequently  enables  him,  as  if  by  miracle,  totv 
tricate  himself  with  advantage  even  where  his  ruin  appears  inevitable 
The  zeal  of  the  king's  friends  wafi  so  far  from  destroying  the  hopes  of 
Warbeck's  supporters,  that  in  a  very  few  days  their  number  inereascd 
from  three  to  ahont  seven  thousand.  But  the  encouragement  afforded  bv 
this  enthusiasm  of  his  friends  couid  not  counterbalance  in  the  mind  of  this 
unworthy  pretender  to  empire,  the  terror  excited  by  the  number  and  rapid 
approach  of  his  foes.  He  hastily  raibed  the  siege  of  Kxetcraiid  retired  to 
Taunton ;  and  thence,  while  numbers  were  joining  him  from  tiic  surround. 
ing  neiglibourhood,  he  made  a  stealthy  and  solitary  llight  to  the  sanetiiHrv 
of  Boaulicu,  in  Hampshire.  Deserted  by  their  leader  the  Cornish  iiieii 
submitted  to  the  king,  who  used  his  triumph  nobly.  A  few  loading  mj 
particularly  obnoxious  offenders  were  executed,  but  the  niajoiity  wire 
dismissed  uninjured.  In  the  case  of  Warbeck's  wife,  Catherine  Uordo:i 
Henry  behaved  admirably.  That  lady  being  among  his  prisoners,  he  not 
only  received  and  pardoned  her,  as  being  far  more  worthy  of  pity  tliaiiof 
blame,  but  even  gave  her  a  highly  reputable  post  at  court. 

A.  D.  1498. — The  long  annoyance  caused  by  Warbeck  induced  Heim's 
advisers  to  urge  him  to  seize  that  impostor  even  in  defiance  of  the  church. 
But  Henry,  who  ever  loved  the  tortuous  and  the  subtle  better  than  the 
openly  violent,  caused  his  emissaries  to  persuade  Warbeck  voliinlani\  lo 
leave  his  shelter  and  throw  himself  upon  the  king's  mercy.  This  lu'ac 
cordingly  did,  and  after  having  been  led  in  a  mockery  of  regal  state  to 
London,  he  was  compelled  to  make  a  formal  and  detailed  coiifessiwioi 
the  whole  of  his  i^trange  and  hypocritical  life,  and  was  then  coniniitied : 
close  cu.stody. 

A.  I).  1109. — He  might  now  have  lived  securely,  if  irksomely ;  but  Ic  i 
had  so  long  been  accustomed  to  intrigue  and  the  activity  of  impositirc, 
tliat  he  speedily  took  an  opportunity  to  elude  the  vigilance  of  liis  keppi-rs  I 
and  escape  to  a  sanctuary.     Here  the  prior  of  the  monastery  mediaKd  for 
him,  and  the  king  consented  once  more  to  spare  his  life;  but  set  hiiiiial 
the  stocks,  at  Westminster  and  at  Cheapsidc ;  compelled  hii  i  in  thatdis 
graceful  situation,  to  read  aloud  his  confession,  and  then  connnitted  liira 
to  close  custody  in  the  Tower  of  London.    Even  now,  this  restles-spersoal 
could  not  submit  lo  his  fate.     He  contrived  to  seduce  some  of  theffr-I 
vants  of  the  governor,  and  to  associate  with  himself  in  the  jjrojeut  of  (.<■ 
cape  the  unfortunate  young  carl  of  Warwick,  whose  long  imprisoumeiiij 
had  so  weakened  his  mind,  that  no  artifice  was  too  gross  lo  impose  iipoti 
him.     It  would  almost  seem  that  this  hopeless  scheme  must,  indiredivj 
have  been  suggested  to  the  adventurers  by  the  king  himself,  that  he  migfetl 
have  a  sufficiently  plausible  reason  for  putting  Warbeck  to  death.   i\ori!| 
it  any  answer  to  this  opinion  to  say,  that  two  of  the  conniving  servaiitsoll 
till  governor  were  put  to  death  for  their  share  in  the  project ;  fur  Hen7| 


li^ 


THE  THEASUaV  of  HlSTOEY, 


43" 


j5  not  of  a  charariter  to  allow  liis  scheme  to  fail  for  want  of  even  such  a 
sacrifice  as  that.  Both  Warbcck  and  Warwick  were  exeeuted  ;  the  latter 
on  tlifi  ground  of  his  intention,  which  he  did  not  deny,  to  disturb  the  king's 
ooveniinent. 

The  fate  of  the  unfortunate  Warwick  excited  universal  indignatioa 
acainst  Henry,  who  certainly  sinned  no  less  against  policy  than  against 
huiiiaiiity  in  tliis  gratuitous  violence  upon  so  inoffensive  a  charactor. 

A,  D.  1501' — Henry  had  always  been  anxious  for  a  friendly  and  closo 
connection  with  Ferdinand  of  Arragon,  whose  profound  and  successful 
nolitVi  ia  niany  respects,  resembled  his  own.  He  now,  accordingly,  ex- 
erted hinisflf,  and  with  success,  to  unite  Ferdinand's  daughter,  the  prin- 
cess Catherine,  to  his  own  eldest  son,  Arthur,  prince  of  Wales,  the  for- 
mer being  eighteen,  the  latter  sixteen  years  of  age. 

A,  p.  1502. — Scarcely,  however,  had  the  king  and  people  ceased  their 
rejoicings  at  this  marriage,  when  it  was  fatally  dissolved  by  the  deatli  of 
(he  young  prince.  The  sordid  monarch  was  much  affected  by  tiie  loss  of 
his  son,  for  it  seemed  to  place  him  under  the  necessity  of  returning  the 
lari'e  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  ducats  wiiich  had  been  received  as  the 
dowry  of  the  princess.  Henry  exerted  himself  to  bring  about  a  marriiige 
beHveen  the  princess  and  his  second  son,  Henry,  who  was  only  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  whom  he  now  created  prince  of  Wales.  The  young 
prince  was  as  averse  to  this  match  as  so  young  a  prince  could  be  ;  but  iiis 
father  was  resolute  in  the  cause  of  his  beloved  ducats,  and  that  marriage 
ra  celebrated  wliich  was  afterwards  liie  cause  of  so  much  crime  and 
fuiTeniijj;  the  prime  cause,  probably,  why  Henry  VIII.  is  not  by  far  the 
most  admired  of  all  the  monarchs  of  Fngland. 

The  latter  years  of  the  king  were  chielly  spent  in  the  indulgence  of  that 
detestable  vice,  avarice,  which  seems  not  only  to  increase  by  enjoyment, 
but  also  to  grow  more  and  more  craving  in  exact  proportion  to  the  ap- 
proach of  that  hour  in  which  the  wealth  of  the  world  is  vain.  His  excel- 
lent but  far  from  well  treated  queen  having  died  in  child-bed  in  1503,  Hen- 
ry, from  that  time,  seems  to  have  been  haunted  with  a  notion  that  no  trea- 
sure could  be  too  immense  to  guard  hiin  against  the  rivalship  of  his  son, 
the  prince  of  Wales.  Cons(!ious  that  tiie  late  queen's  title  was  better 
tiiaii  his  own,  Henry  probably  thought  that  if  the  prince  were  to  aim  at  the 
crown  in  right  of  his  motiier  he  would  not  be  without  support,  and  that,  in 
such  case,  the  successful  side  would  be  that  which  had  the  best  supply 
of  money.  Upon  no  other  principle  can  we  account  for  the  shameless 
and  eao[er  rapacity  with  which,  by  means  of  benevolences  extorted  from 
parliament,  and  oppressive  fines  wrung  from  individuals  through  the  arts 
of  the  infamous  Dudley  and  Empson,  the  now  enormously  wealthy  mon- 
arch continued  to  add  to  his  stores,  which,  in  ready  money  ah)ne,  are  said 
to  have  approached  the  large  sum  of  two  millions.  Fven  .vhcn  he  was 
rapidly  sinking  under  a  consumption,  he  still  upheld  and  employed  his 
merciless  satellites  in  their  vile  attaciks  upon  the  property  of  imiocent 
men.  The  heaping  up  of  gold,  however,  could  not  slay  the  ravages  of  his 
fearful  disease,  and  he  expired  at  his  palace  at  Richmond  at  the  compar- 
atively early  age  of  fifty-two  years,  and  after  a  prosperous  reign  ol  tweu- 
lythree  years  und  eight  months,  on  the  twenty-second  of  April,  1509. 

Cold,  eiutious,  resolute  and  stern,  Henry  was  an  tirbitrary  and  unjust 
niuiiircti ;  yet  for  the  mass  of  the  people  his  reign  was  a  good  one.  To 
the  w;'aliliy  his  avarice  was  a  scourge;  to  the  haughty  and  to  the  high- 
liorn  his  firm  and  vigilant  rule  must  have  been  terrible.  Hut  lit;  allowed 
nooiie  to  plunder  but  for  him ;  no  one  to  tyrannize  but  in  obedience  to  his 
orders.  The  barbarous  tyranny  of  the  feudal  nobles  was  forever  stricken 
down;  the  middle  classes  were  raised  to  an  importance  and  influence  pre- 
Tioiisly  uaheard  of  in  Fngland  ;  and,  apart  from  his  arbitrary  and  really 
impolitic,  because  needless,  extortions  of  money,  the  general  strain  of  hifl 


HVi 


!  ' 


I         J    '•.HlfiJ  "-i 


1>  ak  n 


f*f  % 


438 


THE  TEEASiJaY  OF  HISTORY. 


laws  tended  not  only  to  the  making  of  a  despotic  monarch,  but  also  of 
well  regulated  nobility  and  ius  cau-t/insinfr,  prosperous  people,  whose  nn* 
terprise  and  whose  prosperity,  hitving  no  ihi^ck  except  the  despotic  powe 
of  the  monarch,  could  not  fail  t.o'^>'«er  or  i,i!i.i-  to  uiirb  that  one  (iespotism 
which  had  so  far  been  usefil  ihv.i  <t  li«d  frtt;d  them  from  the  maiiy^headoU 
despotism  of  the  nobility. 


CHvPTER  XXXIX. 

iilE    REION    or    HKNRY    VIII. 

A.  D.  1500. — It  is  a  sad  but  a  certain  truth  that  the  mass  of  mankJiKi 
have  but  a  loose  Hud  deceptive  morality  ;  i.)w<.  look  rather  to  the  iimmei 
tlian  to  the  tJj  teni  of  rri/iie  when  forming  tlu'ir  judgments.  The  spiundu] 
tyrannies  of  an  K  twani  werr  rather  adiniit  i  l!ian  deplored ;  even  the 
gifted  ferocity  of  tliC  i  ssirping  Itiird  '  iiard  was  thought  to  be  in  some 
sort  redeemed  by  l!ie  viTy  exci  .=  ■)  of  5i.'>'.iety  in  liie  plan,  and  of  niercaii^ 
iiual  daring  iii  the  excfotion,  by  'iiat  nation  which  now  scarcely  eiiikav 
cured  to  conceal  its  joy  at.  the  decease  of  the  cold,  avaricious  Ilcnry, 
Yet,  bad  as  much  of  llcnry's  conduct  was,  and  very  contemptible  as  wcli 
as  hateful  as  excessive  avarice  nnquestionably  is,  Uichard,  nay  even  KJ. 
ward,  would  not  for  an  instant  bear  comparison  with  Henry  if  the  public 
judgment  were  not  warped.  It  was  not  so  much  the  vices  of  ileiiry  Vll, 
that  tlie  people  hated  him  for,  as  his  cold  and  wearisome  firmness  of 
rule;  could  he  soinetiox-'s  have  been  with  impunity  sinned  agiiiiisi,  he 
might  have  sinned  leu  'imes  as  much  as  he  did,  without  being  nearly  so 
much  hated  as  he  was. 

The  cautious  policy  of  Henry  VII.,  the  severity  of  his  punishments, and 
his  incurable  cupidity,  gavT  no  sinall  advantage  to  the  conimencemcntol 
the  reipn  of  his  sucressof,  who  ascended  the  throne  with  probiihly  as 
many  prepossessions  in  th(!  iiearts  and  minds  of  his  people  as  any  moiutdi 
in  our  history. 

Young,  handsome,  gay,  skilled  in  all  manly  exercises,  and  far  belter  eJ. 
ucated,  schoiasticaljy  speaking,  than  was  usual  even  among  primes  at 
that  time,  Henry  VHI.  had  the  still  farther  and  inestimable  advantages  uf 
having  never  been  in  any  degree  associated  in  men's  minds  with  tin;  ciu 
cities  or  the  extortions  of  his  father,  whose  jealousy  had  always  kept  the 
young  prince  unconnected  with  the  management  of  public  affnirH.  Wiih 
all  these  advantages,  and  uniting  in  his  own  person  the  claims  of  boih 
York  and  Lancaster,  Henry  VII!.  may  most  truly  be  said  to  have  com- 
menced his  reign  with  the  universal  love  and  admiration  of  his  ppuplp, 
His  grandmother,  the  dowager  countess  of  Richmond  and  Derhy,  was 
still  alive,  and  Henry  had  the  good  sense  and  fortune  to  be  guided  by 
her  shrewdness  and  experience  in  the  important  matter  of  forming  his 
first  ministry.  The  ability  of  the  ministers  of  the  late  king  was  beyond 
all  cavil,  and  it  was  Henry's  obvious  policy  to  retain  asnuichof  theiiileni 
which  had  aided  his  father,  with  as  little  as  possible  of  either  the  wicked- 
ness or  the  unpopularity.  The  numberless  and  severe  suffcrinifs  which 
had  been  inflicted  upon  men  of  wealth  during  the  last  reign,  cnii.sed  a  pro- 
portionate!)' loud  and  general  cry  to  be  now  raised  against  the  inf(irmcr>, 
particularly  against  the  noted  Dudley  and  Kmpson,  who  had  so  successyv 
and  unscrupulously  served  the  late  king;  and  though  the  justice  ofiliiiry  I 
VHI.  did  not  induce  him  to  part  with  any  portion  of  the  treasure  whitk 
his  father  had  so  iniquitously  obtained,  so  neither  did  it  prompt  him  toile- 
fend  his  father's  tools.  Both  Dudley  and  Einpson  were  seized  iiinl  com- 
mitted to  the  Tower,  amid  the  joy  and  execrations  of  the  people ;  iilllioiigh,  I 
as  we  shall  in  a  few  words  be  able  to  show,  the  very  criminalilv  o' 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


439 


fliich  these  men  were  accused,  was  not  more  flagrant  or  liateful  than 
that  which  was  now  commiticd  against  tlieui.  VViieii  they  wore  sinnmon- 
ed  before  the  council,  and  called  upon  to  show  why  they  should  not 
be  punished  for  their  conduct  during  the  late  reign,  Kmpson,  who  was  a 
fiuciil  speaker  and  a  really  able  lawyer,  made  a  defence  of  his  own  and 
tiis  colleague's  conduct,  which,  had  the  king  been  just  and  the  people  rea- 
sonable, would  have  led  to  such  alterations  in  the  laws  as  would  forever 
jfier  hiivc  rendered  it  impossible  for  unprincipled  informers  to  ruin  the 
wealthy  subject,  while  pandering  to  the  greediness  of  a  grasping  and  un- 
jiisi  king.  He  very  truly  argued  that  he  and  his  colleague  had  acted  in 
obedience  to  il.o  king,  and  in  accordance  with  laws  which,  however 
ancient,  were  unrepealed  and  therefore  as  authoritative  as  over ;  that  it 
^as  not  at  all  to  be  marvelled  at  if  those  who  were  punished  by  law 
should  rail  at  those  who  put  the  law  in  force  ;  that  all  well-regulated  states 
ahvaysmade  the  impartial  and  strict  enforcenient  of  the  laws  their  chief 
boast,  and  that  that  state  would,  inevitably,  fall  into  utter  ruin,  where  a 
contrary  practice  should  be  allowed  to  obtain. 

This  defence,  which  clearly  threw  the  blame  upon  the  state  of  the  Uiw? 
jndupon  the  evil  inclinations  of  the  late  king,  did  not  prevent  Dudley  and 
Enipsiin  from  being  sent  to  the  Tower.  Tliey  were  soon  afterwards  con- 
rictcd  by  ajury,  and  this  conviction  was  followed  up  by  an  act  of  attainder. 
which  was  passed  by  parliament,  and  Knipson  and  Dudley  weri.'  executed 
jniid  the  savage  rejoicings  of  the  people,  whose  demeanour  on  this  occa- 
sion showed  them  to  be  truly  unworthy  the  liberty  they  so  highly  valued. 
We  do  not  palliate  the  moral  feelings  of  Emp.son  and  Dudley,  but,  legally 
speaking,  tliey  were  murdered ;  they  were  put  to  death  dn  doing  that 
which  the  law  directly  authorised,  and  indirectly  commanded  them  to  do. 

Ill  conipliant^e  with  the  advice  of  his  council,  and  of  the  countess  of 
Richmond  and  Derby,  Henry  completed  his  marriage  with  the  princess 
Catherine,  the  widow  of  his  brother  Arthur;  though  it  seems  certain,  nort 
only  that  Henry  had  himself  no  preference  for  that  princess,  who  was 
plain  in  person  and  his  senior  by  six  years,  but  no  less  certain  that  his 
father  on  liis  death-bed  conjured  him  to  take  the  earliest  possible  oppor- 
tunity to  break  the  engagement. 

Though  Henry  VIII.  had  received  a  good  education,  and  might  deserve 
the  praise  of  learning  and  ability,  even  without  reference  to  his  high  rank, 
he  was  far  loo  impetuous,  and  too  nuudi  the  creature  of  impulse,  to  de- 
serve the  title  of  a  great  politician.  At  his  coming  to  the  thrope,  the  state 
ofl'lurope  was  such  that  laissez  aller  would  have  iwm  the  best  maxim  for 
all  the  sovereigns;  and  England,  blest  with  domestic  peace,  and  little  con- 
cerned in  the  affairs  of  the  continent,  ought  especially  to  have  kept  aloof 
from  interference.  Italy  was  the  theatre  of  strife  between  the  powers  of 
Spain  and  France;  Henry's  best  polit^y  clearly  would  have  been  to  let  these 
gnat  powers  waste  their  time  and  strength  against  each  other ;  y(!t,  at  the 
very  coniniencement  of  his  reign,  he  allowed  Pope  .lulius  11.  to  seduce 
him  into  the  grossly  impolitic  step  of  allying  himself  with  that  pontiff, 
the  emperor  Maximilian,  and  Henry's  father-in  law,  Ferdinand,  to  crush 
nnd  trample  upon  the  commonwealth  of  Venice. 

A.  D,  1510. — Having  succeeded  in  engaging  Henry  in  this  lengue,  to 
which  neither  his  own  honour  nor  the  interests  of  his  people  obliged  the 
young  moiian^h,  Julius  was  encouraged  to  engage  him  in  the  m()r(?  am- 
bitious project  of  freeing  Italy  from  foreigners.  The  pontiff  accordingly 
sent  a  flattering  message  to  Henry,  with  a  perfumed  and  anointed  rose, 
and  lie  lieij  out  to  Henry's  ambassador  at  Rome,  Bainbridge,  archbishop 
of  Yoik,  a  cardinal's  hat  as  the  reward  of  his  exertions  in  his  interest. 
This  done,  he  persuaded  Ferdinand  and  the  Swiss  cantons  to  join  liiu'. 
and  declared  war  against  the  duke  of  Ferrara,  the  ally  and  friend  of  tl,»- 
French 


H  \'i  i'V 


\ 


I 


flPP  ft;; 

f       i  '   'li    ^  ¥V    if'      U 


140 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


A.  D  1511 — The  emperor  Maximilian  still  linld  to  his  alliimnc  wti 
Louis,  and  they,  with  some  miilcoiileiit  cardinals,  now  eiiildnvouroil  i 
check  the  ambition  of  Julius,  by  calling  a  Kcneral  council  for  ilie  punm  ? 
of  reforming  tlie  church.     With  the  exception  of  some  Freni.-li  bishoDs  il 
cardinals  had  scarcely  any  supporters,  and  lley  were  so  ill  nceivccl  m 
Pisa,  where  they  first   met,  that  they  were  »  ^liged  to  adjourn  to  Mij,! 
Even  here,  though  under  the  dominion   and  protection  of  Frunre  ihev 
were  so  much  insulted,  that  they  again  adjourned  to  Lyons  j  ihh)  jJ  ,v 
evident  that  they  had  but  little  chance  of  success  against  ihu  potu',  «iili* 
besides  being  extremely  popular,  did  not  fail  to  exercise  his  power  of  ex 
communicating  the  clerical  attendants  of  the  council,  and  fibsoUiiKr  f|-|j,„ 
their  allegiance  the  subjects  of  liie  monarchs  who  protected  tlitni." 

A.  D.  ITiia.— Henry,  who  at  this  period  of  his  life  was  far  too  inipct. 
U0U8  to  be  otherwise  than  sincere,  was  really  anxious  to  protect  tlic  soy. 
ereign  pontifl"  from  insult  and  oppression,  and  he  was  strcnirtlieiud  iii 
this  inclination  by  the  interested  counsel  of  his  father-iii-law,'iiiiil  hy  j'^ 
own  hope  of  being  honoured  with  the  title  of  Most  Christinn  King,  whii^f, 
heretofore  had  belonged  to  the  king  of  France.  Fie  conseqiinnUy  allnl 
himself  with  Spain,  Venice,  and  the  pope,  against  the  king  orFraiu:e,  imd 
not  merely  sent  an  embassy  to  dehort  Louis  from  warring  ai;;iiiis'i  tt,(. 
pope,  but  also  demanded  the  restoration  to  Kngland  of  Anjou,  .M;iinl> 
Guienne,  and  Normandy.  This  demand  was  considered  tanlamoiim  to  a 
declaration  of  war,  and  was  supported  by  piirliament,  wliicli  granitj 
Henry  a  very  liberal  supply. 

Ferdinand,  .vho  had  his  own  ends  to  serve,  affected  to  be  exlrcmih 
anxious  to  serve  Henry,  and  sent  a  fleet  to  convey  the  English  troops,  to 
the  number  of  ten  thousand,  to  Fontarabia.  The  marquis  of  Dorset,  w. 
companied  by  the  lords  Uroke  and  Howard,  and  niaiiy  otiier  young  imU, 
men  ambitious  of  warlike  fame,  commanded  this  force,  wliiiii  was  ex- 
tremely well  appointed,  tiioiigh  it  chiefly  consisted  of  iiifamrv.  Din 
Dorset  very  soon  found  that  Henry's  interests  were  not  coiisiilicdly  Fm- 
dinand  and  his  generals ;  and,  after  much  idle  disputation,  the  KngliMi 
troops  broke  out  into  mutiny,  and  the  expedition  returned  wiiluim 
achievin/f  anything.  Henry  was  much  annoyed  by  this  egregious  fdii. 
ure,  and  Dorset  had  great  difficulty  in  convincing  him  of  the  exclusive- 
ly selfish  nature  of  Ferdinand's  designs. 

By  sea  the  Knglish  were  not  much  more  ])rosperous  than  by  lam!.  A 
fleet  of  forty-five  sail  was  e;\i'ounlered  off  Brest  by  tliiity-ni'iie  siiil  ol 
the  French;  the  French  a<!iiirars  ship  caviglit  fire,  and  Priin;uii;i't,  tlir 
commander,  resolutely  grappled  with  the  Knglish  admiral,  ;oid  both  vm- 
sels  blew  up  together,  the  enraged  crews  combating  to  the  last-  The 
French,  notwithstanding  the  loss  of  their  admiral,  made  goodllieir  escape 
with  all  the  rest  of  their  ships. 

But  ihcHigh  Henry  acquired  no  glory  or  advantage  by  these  operations 
against  France,  he  did  Louis  serious  miscliief  by  compulliiighiin  to  retiiin 
in  France  troops  whose  presence  was  absolutely  necessary  to  his  iiitcrtsls 
in  Italy.  Bu  Tor  this  circumstance  Louis  woi;ld  probably  have  prospire'i 
tiicre.  His  \oung  and  heroic  nephew,  Gaston  de  Foix,  evtii  wiili  llie 
slender  forces  that  could  be  spared  to  him,  during  a  few  moiitlisofa 
career  which  a  great  modern  poet  most  truly  calls  '  biicf,  brave,  aiii! 
glorious,"  obiained  signal  advantages  ;  but  he  fell  in  the  very  iiionitiiioi 
victory  over  the  army  of  the  pope  am!  Ferdinand,  at  Ravenna.  His  iieiin! 
had,  in  a  great  degree,  compensated  for  the  numerical  inferiority  of  ilc 
French  ;  but  directly  after  his  death  Genoa  and  Milan  revolted,  ami  Lo.is 
was  speedily  deprived  of  every  foot  of  his  newly-acquired  Italian  en;, 
quests,  except  some  isolated  and  comparatively  unimportant  fortresses, 

A.  D,  1.513.— Pope  Julius  11.  had  si-aicely  time  to  exult  over  his  si* 
•icsaes  against  the  arms  of  Louis  when  that  pontiff  died,  and  was  siif' 


iiroii!r!it  a  reini 


iinrc  with 
voiircd  to 

lie  ()Uv;iiis(: 
iisliopit,th(! 
■t'ct;iv('(l  ai 
I  to  ViiVm. 
ranrc,  iliey 

iuul  it  \V,H 
popl',  will) 

owcr  of  i)x- 
(ilvinj;  fruin 
llicm. 

•  too  impel- 
led  llic  sov- 
■iiijtlitiu'd  in 
V,  iiuil  by  Ins 
/I'ln^',  whith 
^luniily  allii'il 
f  t'raiu'.e,  mid 
;  iii;;\iiisl  ll.c 
\nj"u,  Mi\inc, 
iHimuuul  U)  ;i 
•hicli  gruiinJ 

lie  (ixlromtly 

;lish  troops,  to 

of  Dorset,  w- 

r  young  iioUi' 

,liicl\  was  ex- 

linl'.intry.  l!u'. 
sulti'il'liy  Fer- 
tile Knslisii 

unu'd  wiiiioui 
grcgious  fail' 
\v  exciubivc- 

111  tiy  \wm\.  a 
ty-i\ine  s;ul  ol 
"riiuaUi."''.  tliP 
iiiul  both  vi's- 
the  Vast  T'k 
K)J  llieir  escape 

se  operations 
cT  liiiu  to  rt'i;>.i 
to  his  inteti'S'.* 
have  prosptrt'i 

evf.ii  willi  llif 
\v  mou'ihs  of  ;i 
iicf,  brave,  3iv! 
verv  nio'iitui  ui 
niui'  Hisuena.! 
nferiority  of  i!'' 
oiled,  ami  bo"S 
ir«d  Ualiaa  en;. 
l;uil  forlicssi's. 
nil  over  liis  Si!'' 
d,  and  was  sr 


THE  TRRASURY  OF  HI8T0IIY. 


441 


ceeded  by  John  de  Medicis.  who,  under  the  title  of  Leo  X.,  is  famed  in 
h'story  no  less  for  his  patroiuifrc  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  than  for  his 
nrufoui'.d  political  talents.  Leo  X.  had  no  sooner  ascended  ti.e  papal 
lliroiie  than  he  dexterously  withdrew  tlie  emperor  Maxinnlian  from  the 
Frciii;h  interests;  and,  by  cheap  but  Haltering  compliments  to  Henry  and 
his  Icadini;  courtiers,  greatly  inc  ased  the  popularity  of  tiie  pa[)al  cause 
in  Engliindf  where  the  parliami  imposed  a  poll-tax  to  assist  the  king  in 
his  desitnis  against  France.  \V  hilc  Henry  was  eagerly  making  his  ;/-e- 
naralions,  ho  did  not  neglect  his  dangerous  enemy,  James  of  Scotland. 
Thiit  prinec  was  much  attached  to  the  French  cause,  and  sent  a  squadron 
,if  vessels  to  aid  it;  and,  though  to  Henry's  envoy  he  now  professed  the 
imisl  peaceable  inclinations,  the  earl  of  Surrey  was  ordered  to  watch  the 
borders  with  a  strong  force,  lest  Kngland  should  be  assailed  in  that  direc- 
tion diirinK  the  king's  absence  in  France. 

Wjiile  Henry  was  busied  in  preparing  a  large  land  force  for  the  invasion 
of  Franee,  his  fleet,  under  Sir  Edward  Howard,  cruised  in  the  channel, 
and  at  length  drew  up  in  order  of  battle  off  IJrest  and  chalhMiged  the 
Frpiicli  force  which  lay  there;  but  the  French  commander  being  in  daily 
expei^tatioii  of  a  reinforcement  of  galleys  under  the  command  of  Prejeant 
(if  Bidoiix,  would  not  allow  any  taunts  to  draw  him  from  his  security. 
The  galleys  at  length  arrived  at  Conquet,  near  Hrest,  and  Hidoux  placed 
himself  beneath  a  battery.  There  he  was  attacrked  by  Sir  Kdward,  who, 
nilha  Spuiish  cavalier  and  seventeen  Knglish,  boldly  boarded  Uidoux's 
own  vessel,  but  was  killed  and  thrust  into  the  sea.  The  loss  of  their  ad- 
miral so  discouragi^d  the  P'nglish  that  they  raised  their  bloi-kade  of  Urcst 
harbour,  and  llio  French  fleet  soon  after  made  a  descent  upon  the  coast 
of  Sussex,  but  was  beaten  off. 

Y.vM  thousand  men  tnider  the  command  of  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury, 
ami  SIX  thousand  under  that  of  Lord  Herbert  of  Cherbiiry,  having  em- 
barked for  France,  the  king  now  prepared  to  follow  with  tlie  main  army. 
He  had  already  made  the  queen  regent  during  his  absence  ;  and  that  she 
mijht  be  in  the  less  danger  of  beiig  disturbed  by  any  revolt,  he  now 
caused  Edmund  do  la  Pole,  earl  of  Suffolk,  who  had  been  attainted  during 
the  last  reign,  to  be  beheaded  in  the  Tower  of  London. 

On  arriving  at  Calais  Henry  found  that  the  aid  afl\)rded  him  fell  very 
far  short  of  what  he  had  been  promised.  Maximilian,  who  was  to  have 
l)rou!;hia  reinforcement  of  eight  thousand  men  in  return  for  a  hundred 
aiid  twenty  thousand  crowns  wliich  Henry  had  advanced  him,  was  unable 
to  fulfil  his  engagement.  He  however  made  the  best  amends  in  his  power 
by  joining  with  such  scanty  force  as  he  could  command;  and  he  enlisted 
hiiiisfdf  under  Henry  as  his  ofllcer,  with  a  salary  of  one  hundred  crowns 
per  dav- 

Tlie  carl  of  Shrewsbury  and  the  lord  Herbert  immediately  on  their 
arrival  in  France  had  laid  siege  to  Terouane,  a  town  on  the  borders  of 
Picardy,  which  was  gallantly  defended  by  two  thousand  men  under  the 
coinmand  of  Crcqui  and  Teligni.  The  strength  of  the  place  and  the  gal- 
lantry of  the  garrison  bade  defiance  to  the  besiegers ;  but  a  dreadful  want 
cfboih  provisions  and  ammunition  was  soon  felt  in  the  place.  Fontrailles 
was  detached  by  Louis  from  the  army  at  Amiens  to  carry  some  relief  to 
Ihis  place.  He  took  eiglU  hundred  horsemen,  each  of  whom  carried 
behind  him  a  sack  of  gunpowder  and  two  quarters  of  bacon,  and.  though 
thus  encumbered,  this  gallant  cavalry  cut  their  way  though  the  Knglish, 
deposited  their  burdens  in  the  fosse  of  the  tcwn,  and  returned  to  their 
quarters  with  scarcely  any  loss 

The  same  gallant  Fontrailles  was  shortly  afterwards  again  about  to 
throw  some  relief  into  Terouane ;  and  as  it  was  judged  that  the  Knglish 
wtuld  now  be  on  the  alert,  a  strong  body  of  French  cavalry  was  ordered 
up  to  protect  him.    Henry  s«,nt  out  a  body  of  cavalry  to  hold   hom  in 


'■i'iv;  *w: 


-mm 


f 


p'-  r 


ll    i '  ll 


f 


1^  I     >'JBi?    !,' 


■I  I' 


1*  '*  i 


1^  rm 


1       !      r 


442 


THB  TREASUilY  OF  H18T0UY. 


check,  and,  mrango  to  relate,  though  the  Frt-nch  were  picked  troops  coi 
Bitting  cliielly  of  genlleincii  who  had  for.ijht   gullaiitly  ami  oftJii'tt, 
were  seized  with  a  sudden  panic  at  the  approach  of  the  Kiigljsh,  aiid  il'n 
in  spits  of  tLe  attempts  to  rally  them  wliieh  were  made  by  surli  hum 
the  ehevalier  Dayiird,  the  duke  of  Longueville,  and  otli'T  distiimuis'hel 
oJlicers  whd  were  among  the  number  taken  iirisouerrt.    This  Imitle,  from 
tiie  panic  flight  of  tlie   French,  is  known  as  the  Battle  of  Spurs.'  ]{■,] 
Henry  irnrnediutely  after  this  pushed  liis  advantages,  he  might  easily  liav'c 
marched  to  Paris,  wliere  both  friends  and  foes  fully  expected  to  see  hnn 
but  he  allowed  Maximilian  to  persuade  him  into  the  besieging  of  Touniav 
which,  after  much  delay,  was  taken.     Henry  then  returned  to  Kniriiinl)' 
having  gained  some  reputation  as  a  chivalrous  soldier,  but  certainly  wiih 
no  increase  of  his  reputation  as  a  politician  or  a  general. 

Durinn  Henry's  r.d*scnc(!  the  Scots  acted  precisely  as  had  been  aiilici. 
pated,  James,  with  an  army  of  fifty  thousand  men,  had  crossed  the  Ijor^ci 
and  taken  several  castU's,  ravaging  and  plundering  the  country  in  cv,  ry 
direction  around  them.  Having  taken  the  lady  Forde  prisoner  in  h,' 
cas'.le,  James  was  po  much  charmed  with  her  society  that  he  lost  niudi 
prerious  tim<s  and  his  disorderly  troops  took  advantage  of  his  ncKliucii,, 
and  nlrealed  to  their  iioines  in  great  numbers  with  the  plunder  they  Im,) 
obtained  from  the  Southrons.  The  earl  of  Surrey,  after  much  (lifliiuitv 
came  up  with  the  Scots,  who  by  these  desertions  were  reduccil  to  some- 
what  nearer  his  own  force  of  twenty-six  thousand  men.  James  in  pirMin 
commanded  the  centre  division  of  the  Scots,  the  carl  of  Huntley  ami  Lord 
Hume  the  right,  the  earls  of  Lennox  and  Argyle  the  left,  while  the  (  irl 
of  Bolhuell  had  charge  of  the  reserve.  The  Knglish  centre  was  cuni- 
nianded  by  Lord  Howard  in  the  first  line,  and  by  the  gallant  earl  of  Sum  v 
himself  in  the  second  ;  (.he  wings  l)y  Sir  Fidmund  Howard,  Sir  Marniaduke 
Constable,  Lord  Dacre,  and  Sir  Kdward  Stanley,  The  right  wing  of  the 
Scots  et)mmence(l  the  action,  and  fairly  drove  the  English  left  wmiriifntn. 
field;  but  the  Scottish  left,  in  the  meantime,  broke  from  all  (iiscipjiiu., 
and  attacked  so  impetuously,  but  in  such  disorder,  that  Sir  Kdward  Honari 
and  the  lord  Dacre,  who  profited  by  their  confusion  and  received  them 
coolly,  cut  them  to  pieces  ere  they  could  be  rescued  by  James's  oh  n  dm. 
sion  and  the  reserve  under  Uothwcll.  Though  the  Scots  sustained  thi> 
great  loss,  the  presence  of  the  sovi  reign  so  much  animated  their  coiii;ii>(', 
that  they  kept  up  the  engagement  until  night  put  an  end  to  it.  Kven  lii:: 
it  was  uncertain  which  side  had,  in  reality,  sustained  the  greater  1'  m, 
But,  on  the  following  day,  it  was  discovered  that  the  English,  as  well  ,.s 
the  Scots,  had  lost  about  five  thousand  men;  the  former  had  suflVnl 
almost  exclusively  in  the  ranks,  while  the  latter  had  lost  many  of  tlicir 
bravest  nobles.  The  king  of  Scotland  was  himself  among  the  inissiiiT 
from  this  fatal  "Flodden  Field."  A  body,  indeed,  was  found  amonsr  llie 
slain,  which  from  the  royal  attire  was  supposed  to  be  the  king's,  and  it 
was  even  royally  interred^,  Henry  generously  pretending  that  James,  wlali! 
dying,  expressed  his  coniritiim  for  that  misconduct  towanli-  the  pupe 
which  had  placed  him  under  the  terrible  sentence  of  (ixcoii'minnriiiKH!, 
But  though  Henry  was  evidently  convinced  that  ho  was  thus  (luingliniiiiur 
to  the  body  of  his  brother-in-law,  the  Scots  were  equally  c  iinviiKi'l  t!i;it 
lie  was  not,  and  that  James  did  not  fall  in  the  battle.  Hy  some  it  whs  as. 
Belted  that  the  monarch,  escaping  from  the  field,  was  put  to  death  hy  onli-r 
of  Lord  Hume;  while  others  no  less  believed  tliat  he  escaped  to  the  lljly 
Land,  whence  they  long  subsequently  continued  to  exf)ect  him  to  reiiini. 

The  event  of  the  battle  of  Flodden  having  released  Ilenry  from  all  fi, it 
of  his  northern  border,  at  least  for  that  time,  he  made  no  difiiculty  idwi,: 
granting  peace  to  his  sister  Margaret,  who  was  now  made  regent  of  Sco:- 
land  during  the  minority  of  her  son- 

A.  D.  1514. — Henry  rewarded  the  chief  instruments  in  obtaining  liimiliii 


^•'.  anjrry  i 


As Ilenry 
nionarchs,  h' 
fead  of  thi 
i'.nnae  (](., 

•''''Playmg, 
education, 
elusion  of 
"le  tnarqui! 
commendef, 
ublic  servai 


ie( 


w 


TIIK  TIIEASUHY  OF  HISTORY.  443 

jplcndid  victory,  by  confcrrinn;  on  the  carl  of  Surrey  tlio  liilo  of  duke  oi 
SoriDlk,  which  had  hciii  forluiled  hy  that  nohldiiitiii's  fatlier,  who  Hideci 
iviili  Hiciiard  111-  at  Uosworth  Field;  upon  Lord  Uowanl  the  title  of  the 
earl  of  Surrey ;  ou  Lord  llerherl  that  of  earl  of  Woreester;  upon  Sir  Kd- 
ivard  Stanley  iliat  of  lord  Muntuagle ;  and  upon  Charles  Urundon,  earl  of 
Ljjle,  that  of  duke  of  Suffolk. 

At  the  same  lime  the  bishopric  of  Liueolii  was  bestowed  upon  the  kinix's 
(liief  favourili!  and  prime  minister,  Thomas  VVolsey,  whose  part  in  this 
reign  was  so  important  aa  to  demand  that  we  should  presently  speak  of 
him  111  some  length. 

The  war  with  Scotland  being  fortunately  terminated,  Henry  aijain  turned 
(lis  whole  attention  to  Kraiice.  There,  however,  he  found  little  i-anse  of 
jraiulation.  His  father-in-law,  Ferdinand  of  Arrajfon,  having  obtained 
possession  of  the  petty  frontier  kiii^nlom  of  Navarre,  had  caj^erly  made 
pence  with  France,  and  induced  the  emperor  Maximilian  to  do  the  same  ; 
and  the  pope,  m  whose  cause  Henry  had  sav,..iiced  .so  much,  hud  also  ae- 
ceplnd  of  the  submission  of  Louis. 

The  truth  was  now  more  than  ever  apparent,  that,  liowcver  great  Henry's 
o'Jier  (|iiahties,  he  was  by  no  means  skilled  in  the  wiles  of  politics;  and 
his  present  ex|)erience  of  liiat  truth  was  the  more  embittered,  because  he 
found  that  Maximilian  had  been  inducc'd  to  abandon  him  by  an  offer  of  the 
6iigliler  of  France  to  tlie  son  of  that  prince;  tiiongh  that  son  (Charles 
hiiJ  already  been  afllanced  to  Henry's  own  younger  sister,  the  prin(;ess 
.Mary,  who  was  now  fust  approaching  the  age  for  the  completion  of  tho 
contruct. 

Thus  doubly  duped  and  injured,  Henry  would,  most  likely,  have  re-m- 
vadcd  France,  no  matter  at  what  sacrifice,  but  lliat  the  duke  of  Longue- 
villo,  will)  had  remained  a  prisoner  ever  since  the  memorable  "  battle  of 
jjiiirs,"  sujjgested  a  match  between  the  deserted  princess  Mary  and  Louis 
of  France  luinself.  It  is  true  that  monarch  was  upwards  of  fifty  years  of 
age,  ami  tiie  princess  not  quite  sixteen;  but  so  many  advantages  were 
olTered  to  Henry,  that  the  marriage  was  eoiieluded  at  Abbeville,  whither 
I*uis  proceeded  to  meet  his  young  bride.  Tlieir  happiness  and  the  re- 
joicings of  tlie  French  people  were  of  but  short  duration,  the  king  sur- 
\iving  the  marriage  only  about  three  months. 

The  young  (jueen  dowager  of  France  had,  before  htT  marriage,  shown 
some  partiality  for  the  duke  of  Suffolk,  the  most  accomplished  cavalier  of 
Ihcage,  and  an  especial  favourite  of  Henry  ;  and  he  now  easily  persuaded 
her  to  shorten  the  period  of  her  widowhood.  Henry  was,  or  feigned  to 
V,  angry  at  their  precipitate  union  ;  but  his  anger,  if  real,  was  only  of 
short  duration,  and  the  accomplishi'd  duke  and  his  lovely  bride  were  soon 
invited  to  return  to  the  English  court. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


n  obtaining  liiiii I"'" 


THE    RKIO.V    OK    IIKNRV    Vlll.    (conri ?../). 

As  Henry  VIH.  was,  in  many  respects,  the  moal  extraordinary  ot  ou 
monarchs,  his  favourite  and  minister,  the  cardinal  VVolsey,  was  at  tlio  very 
head  of  the  extraordinary  men,  even  in  that  age  of  strange  men  and 
strange  deeds.  He  was  the  son  of  a  butcher  in  the  town  of  Ipswich,  and 
displaying,  while  young,  great  quickness  and  intelligence!,  he  had  a  learned 
cduralion,  with  a  view  to  his  entering  the  church.  Having,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  his  own  education,  been  employed  in  leaching  the  ciiildren  of 
the  marquis  of  Dorset,  he  gave  so  much  sal'isfaelion  thai  that  nobleman  re- 
commended   him  to  Henry  VHL,  as  his  chaplain.     As  the  private  and 

ublic  servant  of  that  monarch,  Wolsey  gave  equal  satisfaction  ;  and  when 


i;     I 


1  fb 
ft    1  r^ 


444 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HI'TORt. 


^h' 


Bm 


Henry  VIII.,  a  gay,  youii;?,  iiml  extravagant  monarch,  showed  a  verycv. 
dent  r»rcl'(:i(MU'(!  oi  the  carl  of  Surrey  to  the  soinewliat  severe  ami  „„^ 

_ ;_    L'....    1....1 r  \\r...,.\ •..-    •!..,.  i_...    :..•....  i.  .     ■  ...    .'      ''  '•'•'i 


P 


I.I 
rcnrjc 


nomic  Fox,  bishop  of  Windiester,  tins  prelato  iiilroihieed  Wolsey  toih. 
king,  hoping  that,  while  his  aceonipliMlinients  and  pliability  would  eiiaMn 
him  to  eclipse  the  carl  of  Surrey,  he  would,  from  his  own  luve  of  plcusnti. 
if  not  from  the  motives  of  gratitude,  be  subordinate  in  all  niinii. 
olitics  to  the  prelate  to  whom  he  owed  his  introduction.  Tlie  dilTf 
)etweeii  the  actual  conduct  of  Wolsey,  and  the  expectations  of  Uk.  „f,, 
late,  furiiislies  n  striking  iUu.siraiion  of  the  aptitude  of  oliierwiHe  iilijn  imii 
to  fall  into  error  when  they  substitute  their  own  wishes  for  the  principl,.. 
inherent  to  human  nature.  Wolbcy  fully  warranted  Ko.\'s  expirialmni 
in  making  himself  even  more  agreeable  to  the  gay  humour  of  the  kino 
than  the  earl  of  Surrey.  IJul  VVolsey  took  advantage  of  his  poMtion  tu 
persuade  the  king  that  both  the  earl  and  the  prelate,  tried  counsellors  oj 
the  late  king,  fidl  themselves  appointed  by  him  r.ither  than  by  thnr  prtscni 
royal  master,  to  whom  they  considered  themselves  less  servants  ihan 
authoritative  guardians  and  tutors,  lie  so  widl.  at  the  same  time,  showij 
his  own  capacity  c<|ually  for  pleasure  and  for  business,  and  his  own  reaili- 
ness  to  relieve  the  king  from  the  weight  of  all  irksome  details,  and  yot'tn 
he  his  very  and  docile  creature,  that  llenry  soon  found  it  impos.Hihle  todo 
without  him,  in  either  his  gaieties  or  in  his  more  serious  pursuits'  am] 
W'olsey  ecpially  snpplaiU«'d  alike  the  courtier  and  the  graver  man  ofbiisi. 
ness,  who,  in  endeavouring  to  make  him  his  tool,  enabled  him  to  ImcDinc 
his  superior,  (.'onfident  in  his  own  talents,  and  in  tiie  favour  of  Ilinry, 
this  son  of  a  very  humble  tradesman  carried  liimself  with  an  all  Iml  rogai 
pomp  and  iiaughliness ;  and  left  men  in  .some  (lilTiculty  to  proiiDinni; 
whether  he  were  more  grasping  in  obtaining  wealth,  or  more  niagniiiccnt 
in  expending  it.  Supercilious  to  those  who  afTecied  equably  wuh  him, 
lie  was  liberal  to  the  utmost  towards  those  beneatli  him;  and,  with  a  sin- 
gular inconsistency,  though  he  could  be  ungrateful,  as  we  have  seen  in 
the  ease  of  the  unsuspecting  bislioj)  of  Winchester,  no  man  was  more 
prone  to  an  cvceeding  generosity  towards  those  who  were  not  his  patrons 
but  his  tools. 

A.  D.  1.015. — A  favourite  and  minister  of  this  teii.ner  could  not  fail  to 
make  many  enemies;  but  Wolsey  relaxed  neither  i.i  haugliliiicss  nor  in 
ambition.  Well  knowing  the  temper  of  llenry,  li'O  politic  niinustirevtr 
afTeeted  to  be  the  mere  tool  of  his  master,  though  the  exact  conirary 
really  was  the  case;  and  by  thus  making  all  Ai.»  acts  seem  to  emanate 
from  Henry's  will,  he  piipied  his  vanity  and  wilfulness  into  su(iportiiie 
them  and  liiin  against  ail  shadow  of  opposition  or  complaint.  .Made 
bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  then  archbishop  of  York,  Wolsey  held  in  fm- 
mcndain  the  bishopric  of  Winchester,  the  abbey  of  St.  Albaii's,  mid  had 
the  revenues  at  very  easy  leases  of  the  bishoprics  of  Hath,  WnrciMltr, 
and  Hereford.  His  inlluence  over  the  king  made;  the  pope  aiixioiiMo  ac- 
quire a  hold  upon  him;  Wolsey,  accordingly,  was  made  a  cardinal,  and 
thenceforth  his  whole  energies  and  ambition  were  devoted  to  the  ciKlcavour 
to  will  till!  papal  throne  itself.  Contrary  to  the  custom  of  priests,ilicpnci(nis 
metals  ornamented  not  only  his  own  attire,  but  even  the  saddles  and  furiii 
tureofhis  horses;  his  cardinal's  hat  was  carried  before  him  by  ainanofiaiik 
and  laid  upon  the  altar  when  he  entered  chapel ;  one  [iricst,  of  noble  stat- 
ure and  handsome  countenance,  carried  before  him  a  massive  silver  cross, 
and  another  the  cross  of  York.  Warliam,  archbishop  of  Oanicrbury, 
also  held  the  olTiee  of  chancellor,  and  was  but  ill  fitted  to  contend  with  so 
resolute  a  person  as  VVolsey,  who  sjieedily  worried  him  into  a  rcsigiiatiun 
of  the  chancellorship,  which  dignity  he  himself  grasped.  His  eiiioliimeiils 
were  vast,  so  was  his  expenditure  magnificent;  and,  if  he  grasped  at 
many  ofTices,  it  is  but  fair  to  add  that  he  fulfilled  his  various  duta's  witti 
rare  energy,  judgment,  and  justice.    Wolsey  might  now  be  said  to  k 


could  not  fail  10 
iui;litiiit''^s  'wr  "1 
lie  luiiuslcr  ever 
a  cxiict  comnry 
srcin  lo  emaiwte 
into  suiiportiiie 
onipliiiiil.    Made 
scy  lirlil  ii  cmi- 
Milan's,  iind  had 
15;iUi,  Wnrci's'ccr, 
u:  iiiixiiiiis  lu  y- 
..;  a  i-arillnil,  sn'l 
il  lo  llic  ciulcavour 
riests,ilu'pn'('i(ius 
saddles  aiiJ  funii 

•icst',  of  iiobli-  atat- 
issivo  silver  cross, 
,p  of  Canterbury, 
10  contciul  Willi  50 
into  a  resigiialwn 
UistniiiliimPiHs 
if  be  crasped  ai 
,iiriousiUHies  Willi 
now  be  said  to  M 


THE  TREASUllY  OP  IIIflTOUY. 


441 


fjcnry's  only  ininislrr;  (''ox,  hisliop  of  Wiiiclicstcr,  thi;  duke  of  Norfolk, 
jnihlie  duke  of  Sulfolk  Ic'iiijj,  like  llu;  iirchliinliop  of  ("imti'rimry,  iiniiblo 
taniake  head  atrainst  liis  ivrhitriiry  tompcr,  and  driven  from  tin;  conrt  by 
iJisire  to  avoid  a  nseli'ss  and  irritatinjj  contlict.  Fox,  bishop  of  Win- 
chester, «'lio  sooins  to  have  been  K"'ally  altaciu'd  to  Henry,  wiirncd  liiin 
ajainst  Wolsey's  ambition,  and  l)isoni,Mit  him  lo  beware  lest  ihe  servant 
shiiiiM  become  the  master.  Unl  Henry  had  no  fear  (tf  the  kind  ;  lie  was 
firtoo  ilcspuliu  and  pussiunate  a  persun  to  four  that  any  miniuter  could 

govern  liiiu. 

The  suei.'ess  whieh  Francis  of  Franco  met  with  in  Italy  It'tided  to  ex- 
cite  the  jealousy  and  fearn  of  Kngland,  as  every  new  accpiisiiion  made  by 
France  encroached  upon  the  balanei!  of  power,  upon  whn;h  iIk;  safely  of 
Knglisli  ii'terests  so  greatly  depended.  Francis,  moreover  had  given  of- 
fi'iice,  not  only  to  Henry,  but  also  to  Wolsey,  who  took  eare  not  to  allow 
bniHsler's  anger  to  subside  for  want  of  a  prompter.  Uiit  thouijh  Henry 
8i)(iit  a  lar),'e  sum  of  money  in  siirrin^r  up  emnilies  against  France,  ho 
Jul  so  lo  liille  practical  eO'eet,  and  was  easily  induced  to  peace. 

j.D,  IJIO'.— Ferdinand  the  (.'atholic,  the  father-in-law  of  Henry,  died  in 
ihc  miilst  of  a  profound  peace  in  Fnro|)e,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  grand- 
son Cliarles.  This  r'vent  c;iused  l''r;uicis  lo  see  the  necessity  of  bestirring 
himself  to  insure  the  friendslii|)  of  l''<nt;lan(l,  as  a  support  against  the  cx- 
ifiijuo  [lower  of  iSj)ain.  As  the  best  means  of  doing  so,  he  caused  his 
ambassador  to  mnke  his  peace  with  VVidsey,  and  atVeeted  lo  ask  that 
haug'ily  minister's  advice  on  the  most  confidential  and  imjiortanl  siii)- 
;eet5.  'hie  of  the  ndvanlages  obtained  by  Francis  from  this  servile  (lal- 
urvof  the  puwerful  minister,  was  the  rcsior.ition  of  the  important  town 
of tournay,  a  frontier  fortress  of  France  and  tlie  Netherlands;  Francis 
ajreeiiig  to  pay  six  hundred  ihonsaiid  crowns,  at  twelve  eipial  annual  in- 
(talinents,  to  reimburse  Henry  for  his  expenditure  on  the  eiladel  of  Tour- 
lav.  At  tiie  same  lime  that  Francis  gave  eight  men  of  rank  as  hostages 
f'jrlhe  payment  (jf  the  above  large  sum  to  Hc'iiry,  he  agreed  to  [)ay  twelve 
ihmisand  livres  per  annum  lo  Wolsey  as  an  ('(piivalent  for  the  bishopric 
ofToiiriiay,  to  which  he  had  a  claim.  I'lcased  with  this  success,  Francis 
now  lieeanie  bolder  in  his  tlatleries,  terming  Wolsey  governor,  tutor,  and 
evcii/a//".r,  and  so  wimiiiig  ufion  tlii!  mind  of  Wolsey  by  fulsome  atR.'cla- 
t;oiis  of  iniinility  and  admiration,  that  I'olydorc  Virgil,  who  was  Wo'sey's 
contemporary,  speaks  of  it  as  being  cpiile  certain  that  Wolsey  was  willing 
lo  have  sold  him  Calais,  ami  was  only  prevented  from  doing  so  by  the 
general  sense  he  found  to  be  entertained  of  its  value  to  Fngland,  and  by 
his  forming  closer  connections  with  Sjiain,  which  somewhat  cooled  hi.^ 
aliachmmt  to  France.  The  pope's  legate,  (^ainpeggio,  being  recalled  on 
his  failure  to  procure  a  lithe  demaiulcil  by  the  pope  IVom  the  Fnglish  cler- 
gy, oii  liie  old  and  worn-out  pretext  of  war  wi'li  the  Infidels,  Henry  pro- 
cured the  legatiiie  power  lo  be  eonferied  'Si  vVolsey.  With  this  new  dig- 
nity, Wolsey  increased  the  loftiness  o*"  iiis  pn  tensions,  and  the  magnili- 
cciice  of  his  liabils ;  like  the  pope,  iie  had  bi.sliops  and  mitred  abbots  to 
serve  him  wlien  he  said  mass,  anil  ho  farther  had  nobles  of  the  best  fam- 
ilies lo  hand  him  the  water  and  towid. 

So  haughty  had  he  now  become  that  he  even  eomplained  of  Warham, 
archbishop  of  ('antcrbnry,  as  being  guilty  of  undue  familiarily  in  signing 
himself "  Your  luviii<r  brotlur ;"  which  caused  even  the  meek-spirited  War- 
ham  to  make  the  bitter  remark,  "this  man  is  drunk  with  too  much  pros- 
pfrity."  Hut  Wolsey  did  not  treat  his  legatine  appownment  as  being  a 
mere  matter  of  dignity  and  i)onip,  but  foithwith  opened  what  he  calh^d  the 
legatinc  court;  a  court  as  oppressive  and  as  expensive  in  its  authority  as 
Ihe  Inquisition  itself.  It  was  to  inquire  into  all  matters  of  morality  and 
joiiscienec,  and,  as  il  was  supplementary  to  the  law  of  the  land,  its  aulhor- 

ly  was,  ill  reality,  only  limited  by  the  conscience  of  the  judge     The  first 


•1*   1 


\^ 

.t  ,,5  ' 

1  :  -m 

;|ir' 

,- 

I    ^'i'Mmi'" 


1% 


y» 


■M^'^'^- 


44l> 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


I<  ')J 


11'" 


t^^ 


; 

^  : 


6 


iudge  appointed  to  this  anomalous  and  dangerous  court  was  John  Allen  a 
man  whose  life  was  but  ill  spoken  of,  and  who  was  even  said  to  luive  beep 
convicted  by  Wolsey  himself  of  perjury.  In  the  hands  of  such  ;i  man  as 
this,  the  extensive  powers  of  the  legatine  court  were  but  too  likely  to  be 
made  mere  instruments  of  extortion;  and  it  was  publicly  reported  that  \1. 
len  was  in  the  habit  of  convicting  or  acquitting  a'  lo  was  unbribed  or 
bribed.  Wolsey  was  thought  to  receive  no  small  poi  uon  of  ilie  sums  ihus 
obtained  by  Allen  from  the  wickedness  or  the  fears  of  the  suitors  of  his 
court.  Much  clamour  was  raised  against  Wolsey,  too,  by  the  almost 
papal  extent  of  power  he  claimed  for  himself  in  all  matters  concernimr 
wills  and  benefices,  the  latter  of  which  he  conferred  upon  his  creature" 
without  the  slightest  regard  to  the  monks'  right  of  election,  or  the  lay  gen- 
ti-y  and  nobility's  right  of  patronage.  This  iniquity  of  Allen  at  length 
caused  him  to  be  prosecuted  and  convicted ;  and  the  king,  on  tluu  occa. 
sion.  expressed  so  much  indignation,  that  Wolsey  was  ever  after  more 
cautious  and  guarded  in  the  use  of  his  authority. 

A.  p.  1519. — Immersed  in  pleasures,  Henry  contrived  to  expend  all  the 
huge  treasures  which  accrued  lo  him  on  the  death  of  his  fallier;  and  he 
was  now  poor,  just  when  a  circumstance  occurred  to  render  his  posses- 
siuu  of  treasure  more  than  usually  important.  Maximilian,  the  em- 
peror, who  had  long  been  declining,  died;  and  Henry  and  the  kiufs  oi 
France  and  Spain  were  candidates  for  that  chief  place  among  tlie  prtnccs 
of  Christendom.  Money  was  profusely  lavished  upon  the  electors  by  both 
Cliarles  and  Francis;  but  Henry's  minister.  Pace,  having  scarcely  any 
cornniand  of  cash,  found  his  efforts  everywhere  useless,  anil  Cliarles 
gained  the  day. 

A.  D.  1520. — In  reality  Henry  was  formidable  to  either  France  or  the 
emperor,  and  he  could  at  a  moment's  warning,  throw  his  weight  into  tiie 
one  or  the  other  scale.  Aware  of  this  fact,  Francis  was  anxious  for  an 
o])portuiiity  of  personally  practising  upon  the  generosity  and  want  of  cool 
judgment,  which  he  quite  correctly  imputed  to  Henry.  He,  therefore, 
proposed  that  they  should  meet  in  a  field  within  the  English  pale,  near 
Calais;  the  proposal  was  warmly  seconded  by  W'olsey,  who  was  as  eager 
as  a  court  beauty  of  the  other  sex  for  every  occasion  of  personal  splendour 
and  cos'.liness.  Each  of  the  monarchs  was  young,  gay,  tasteful,  and  m:ij- 
nificent;  and  so  well  did  their  courtiers  enter  into  their  feeling  of  yor- 
geous  rivalry,  that  some  nobles  of  both  nations  expended  on  the  cerenioiiT 
and  shew  of  a  few  brief  days,  sums  which  involved  their  families  in  strait- 
ened circumstances  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

The  emperor  Cliarles  no  sooner  iieard  of  tlie  proposed  interview  between 
tJie  kings,  than  he,  being  on  his  way  from  Spain  to  the  Nellierlaiids,  p;iid 
Henry  the  compliment  of  landing  at  Dover,  whither  Henry  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  him.  Charles  not  only  endeavoured  in  every  possible 
way  to  please  and  flatter  Henry,  but  ho  also  paid  assidious  co'irt  to  Wol- 
sey, and  bound  that  aspiring  personage  to  his  interests  by  [)romisin|;  lo 
aid  him  in  reaching  the  papacy ;  a  promise  which  Charles  felt  the  less  dif- 
ficulty about  making,  because  the  reigning  pope  LeoX.  was  junior  to  Wol- 
sey by  some  years,  and  very  likely  to  outlive  him.  Henry  was  perfectly 
well  aware  of  the  pains  Charles  took  to  conciliate  Wolsey,  but,  strange 
to  say,  felt  rather  flattered  than  hurt,  as  though  the  compliment  were  ulti- 
mately paid  to  his  own  person  and  will. 

When  the  emperor  had  taken  his  departure  Henry  proceeded  to  France, 
where  the  meeting  took  place  between  him  and  Francis.  Woisey,  «iio 
had  the  regulation  of  the  ceremonial,  so  well  indulged  his  own  and  his 
master's  love  of  magnificence,  that  the  place  of  meeting  was  by  the  com- 
mon consent  of  the  delighted  spectators  hailed  by  the  gorgeous  title  ol 
The  field  of  the  cloth  of  gold.  Gold  and  jewels  abounded;  and  both  tin 
monarchs  and  their  numerous  courts  were  apparelled  in  the  must  gor> 


THE  TREASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


447 


»eous  and  picturesque  style.  The  duke  of  Buckingham,  who,  though  very 
weiilthyi  was  not  fond  of  parting  with  his  money,  found  the  expenses  to 
which  he  was  put  on  this  occasion  so  intolerable,  that  he  expressed  him- 
self so  angrily  towards  Wolsey  as  led  to  his  execution  some  time  after, 
llioiigh  nominally  for  a  different  offence. 

The  meetings  between  the  monarchs  were  for  some  time  regulated  with 
the  most  jealous  and  wearisome  attention  to  strict  etiquette.  At  length 
Francis,  attended  by  only  two  of  his  gentlemen  and  a  page,  rode  into 
Henry's  quarters.  Henry  was  delighted  at  this  proof  of  his  brothei  -mon- 
arch's confidence,  and  threw  upon  his  neck  a  pearl  collar  worth  five  or  six 
thousand  pounds,  which  Francis  repaid  by  the  present  of  an  armlet  worth 
iwice  as  much.    So  profuse  and  gorgeous  were  these  young  kings. 

While  Henry  remained  at  Calais  he  received  another  visit  from  the  em 
peror  Charles.  That  artful  monarch  had  now  completed  the  good  impres 
sion  he  had  already  made  upon  both  Henry  and  Cardinal  Wolsey,  by  of- 
feriiii'  to  leave  all  dispute  between  himself  and  France  to  the  arbitration 
of  Henry,  as  well  as  by  assuring  Wolsey  of  the  papacy  at  some  future 
day,  and  putting  him  into  instant  possession  of  the  revenues  of  tiie  bish- 
oprics of  Badajos  and  Placencia.  The  result  was,  that  the  emperor  made 
demands  of  the  most  extravagant  nature,  well  knowing  that  France  would 
not  comply  with  them ;  and  when  the  negotiations  were  thus  broken  off, 
a  treaty  was  made  between  the  emperor  and  Henry,  by  which  the  daughter 
of  the  latter,  the  princess  Mary,  was  betrothed  to  the  former,  and  England 
was  bound  to  invade  France  with  an  army  of  forty  thousand  men.  This 
treaty  alone,  by  the  very  exorbitancy  of  its  injuricusness  to  England, 
would  sufficiently  show  at  onco  the  power  of  Wolsey  over  his  king  and 
ih?  extent  to  which  he  was  ready  to  exert  that  power. 

The  duke  of  Buckingham,  who  had  imprudently  given  offence  to  tho 
allpowerfnl  cardinal,  was  a  man  of  turbulent  temper,  and  very  imprudent 
in  expressing  himself,  by  which  means  he  afforded  abundant  evidence  for 
his  own  ruin.  It  was  proved  that  he  had  provided  arms  with  the  intent 
to  disturb  the  government,  and  that  he  had  even  threatened  the  life  of  the 
king',  to  'vhom  he  thought  himself,  as  being  descended  in  the  female  line 
from  the  youngest  son  of  Edward  the  Third,  to  be  the  rightful  successor 
should  the  king  die  without  issue.  Far  less  real  guilt  than  this,  aided  by 
the  enmity  of  such  a  man  as  Wolsey,  would  have  sufficed  lo  ruin  Buck- 
ingham, who  was  condemned,  and,  to  the  great  discontent  of  the  people, 
executed. 

A.  D.  1521.— We  have  already  mentioned  that  Henry  in  his  youth  had 
been  jealously  secluded  from  all  share  in  public  business.  He  derived 
from  this  circumstance  the  advantage  of  far  more  scholastic  learning  than 
commonly  fell  to  the  lot  of  princes,  and  circumstances  now  occurred  to 
set  his  literary  attainments  and  propensities  in  a  striking  light.  Leo  X. 
having  published  a  general  indulgence,  circumstances  of  a  merely  per- 
loual  interest  caused  Arcemboldi,  a  Genoese,  then  a  bishop  but  originally 
n  merchant,  who  farmed  the  collection  of  the  money  in  Saxony  and  the 
countries  on  the  Baltic,  to  cause  the  preaching  for  the  irdulgences  to  b« 
given  to  the  r)ominicans,insteadof  to  the  Augustines  who  had  usually  en- 
joyed that  privilege.  Martin  Luther,  un  Augustine  friar,  feeling  iiimself 
and  his  whole  order  affronted  by  this  change,  preached  against  it,  and  in- 
veighed against  certain  vices  of  life,  of  which,  probably,  the  Dominicans 
really  were  guilty,  though  not  more  so  than  the  Augustines.  His  spirited 
and  coarse  censures  provoked  the  censured  order  to  reply,  and  as  they 
dwelt  much  upon  the  papal  authority,  as  an  all-sufficient  answer  to  Lu- 
llier,  he  was  induced  to  question  that  authority;  and  as  he  extended  his 
reading  he  found  cause  for  more  and  more  extended  complaint ;  so  that 
he  who  at  first  had  merely  complaiued  of  a  wrong  done  to  a  particular  or- 
der of  churchmen,  speedily  declared  himself  against  much  of  the  doctriiv« 


448 


THE  TaEASlJUY  OF  HISTORY 


m 


\M 


rs 


-i^  -, 


and  discipline  of  llio  church  itself,  as  being  corrupt  and  ol  merely  human 
invention  for  evil  human  purposes.  From  Germany  the  new  doctrines  uf 
Luther  quickly  spread  to  tlie  rest  of  Kurope,  and  found  many  proselvtPs 
in  England.  Henry,  however,  was  the  last  man  in  his  dominions  who 
was  likely  to  assent  to  Luther's  arguments ;  as  a  scholar,  and  as  an  ex. 
tremely  despotic  monarch,  he  was  alike  shocked  by  them.  He  not  oniv 
exerted  himself  to  prevent  the  Lutheran  heresies,  as  he  termed  and  im 
doubt  thought  tliem,  from  taking  root  in  England,  but  also  wrote  a  bool- 
in  Latin  against  ihem.vTiiis  book,  which  would  have  been  by  no  means 
discreditable  to  an  older  and  more  professional  polemic,  Henry  senttoihe 
pope,  who,  charmed  by  the  ability  displayed  by  so  illustrious  an  advocaleof 
the  papal  cause,  conferred  upon  him  the  proud  title  of  Defender  of  the  Faith 
which  has  ever  since  been  borne  by  our  monarchs.  Luther,  wl:o  was  not 
of  a  temper  to  quail  before  rank,  replied  to  Henry  with  great  force  and 
with  but  little  decency,  and  Henry  was  thus  made  personally  as  well'  as 
scholastically  an  opponent  of  the  new  doctrines.  But  those  duclrincs  in- 
volved so  many  consequences  favourable  to  human  liberty  and  llaUeiiim 
to  human  pride  that  neither  scholastic  nor  kingly  power  could  prtveiii 
their  spread,  wliich  was  much  facilitated  by  the  recent  invention  of  print- 
ing.  The  progress  of  the  new  opinions  was  still  farther  favoured  by  the 
death  of  the  vigorous  and  gifted  Leo  X.,  and  by  the  succession  to  tlie  papal 
throne  of  Adrian,  who  was  so  far  from  being  inclined  to  go  too  far  in  the 
support  of  liie  establishment,  that  he  candidly  admitted  the  necessity  for 
much  reformation. 

A.  D.  15-,>'.'. — The  emperor,  fearing  lest  Wolsoy's  disappoiiniient  of  the 

f)apal  throne  should  injure  the  imperial  interests  in  England,  again  came 
lithcr,  professedly  only  on  a  visit  of  compliment,  but  really  to  furwaplhis 
political  intercuts.  He  paid  assiduous  court,  not  only  to  Henry,  but  al^o 
to  Wolsoy,  to  whom  he  pointed  out  that  the  age  and  infirmities  of  Adrian 
rendered  another  vacancy  likely  .soon  to  occur  on  tlie  [)aprd  tliioiic;  and 
Wolsey  saw  it  to  be  his  interest  to  dissemble  the  indignant  vexation  his 
disappointment  had  really  caused  him.  The  emperor  in  consequence  suc- 
ceeded in  his  wishes  of  retaining  Henry's  alliance,  and  of  causing  him  to 
declare  war  against  France.  Lord  Surrey  entered  France  with  an  army 
which,  with  reinforcements  from  the  Low  Countries,  numbe.-ed  eijjhlfcii 
thousand  men.  15ut  the  operations  by  no  means  corresponded  in  imp  r- 
tancc  to  the  force  assembled  ;  and,  after  losing  a  great  miniber  of  nan  by 
sickness,  Surrey  went  into  winter  (jiKirters  in  tlie  in)nth  of  October  with- 
out having  made  himself  master  of  a  single  place  in  France. 

When  France  was  at  war  with  England,  there;  was  but  little  pnibabihly 
of  Scotland  remaining  quiet.  Albany,  wiio  had  arrived  from  France  is- 
pecially  with  a  view  to  vexing  the  northern  frontier  of  England,  suiinnonpl 
all  the  Scottish  force  that  coidd  be  raised,  intirciied  into  Annandale,  ami 
prepared  to  <toss  into  England  at  S(dway  Frith,  liut  the  storm  was 
averted  from  England  by  the  discontents  of  the  Scottish  nobles,  whocoai 
plained  that  thf^  interests  of  Scotlainl  siionld  be  exposed  to  all  the  danger 
of  a  contest  witii  so  superior  a  [)ower  as  ICngland,  merely  for  the  advan- 
ago  of  a  foreign  power.  So  strongly,  indeed,  did  the  Gordons  and  other 
powerful  clansmen  express  their  discontents  on  this  head,  that  .Mbiniy 
made  a  truce  with  the  English  warden,  the  lord  Uacre,  and  retiirnrd  to 
France,  taking  the  precaution  of  sending  thither  before  iiim  the  carl  o' 
Angus,  husband  of  the  queen  dowager. 

A.  D.  1523. — With  only  an  infant  king,  and  with  their  regent  ahsc.i 
from  the  kingdom,  the  Scots  laboured  under  the  additional  disadvani;ii,i' 
of  being  divliled  into  almost  as  many  factions  as  they  lunnhcrfd  pidcit 
and  noble  families.  Taking  advantage  of  this  melancholy  state  of  thiiij' 
in  Scotland,  Henry  sent  to  that  country  a  powerful  force  under  the  caii ",' 
Surrey,  who  marched  without  opposition  into  the  Morse  and  Tcvioldan', 


THE  TRKASUttY  OP  HISTORY. 


449 


Mfficd  the  town  of  Jedburgh,  and  ravaged  the  whole  country  round. 

Henry  eiideiivoured  to  improve  his  present  superiority  over  the  Scots,  by 

briiii'inil  ii"^"'''  '^  marriage  between  his  only  daughter,  tlie  young  princess 

^[jf'.^  ;ni(|  the  infant  king  of  Scotland  ;  a  measure  wliich  would  at  once 

jiavi'iiulan  end  to  all  contrariety  of  interests  as  to  the  two  countries,  by 

jjiliiicr  them,  as  nature  evidently  intended  them  to    be,  into  one  state. 

Bultlie  frieiiils  of  France  opposed  this  measure  so  warmly,  that  the  queen 

(joHaffer,  who  had  every  possible  motive  for  wishing  to  comply  with  it, 

both  as  favouring  her  brother,  and  promising  an  otherwise  unattainable 

nrosperity  to  the  future  reign  of  her  son,  was  unable  to  bring  it  about. 

'fht  P'-ti/aiis  of  England  and  France  were  nearly  equal  in  power,  if  not 

iiiiiuinbpr ;  and  while  they  still  debated  the  question,  it  was  decided  against 

Eiii'laiul  hy  the  arrival  of  Albany.    He  raised  troops  and  made  some  show 

ofbaith',  but  there  was  little  a  ;tual  fighting.    Disgusted  with  the  factions 

ifllo  wliich  the  people  were  divided,  Albany  at  length  retired  again  to 

FHiice;  and  H(Miry  having  enough  to  do  in  his  war  with  that  country,  waa 

well  content  to  j;ivo  uj)  his  notion  of  a  .Sconish  alliance,  and  to  rely  upon 

ihe  Scots  being  busy  with  their  own  fttils,  as  his  best  security  against 

their  heiiecforlli  attempting  any  serious  diversion  in  favour  of  France. 

Ill  truth,  Henry,  as  wealthy  as  hf  iiad  been  at  the  commencement  of 

hsrci"!!,  hiiil  been  s«:»  profuse  in  Ins  pursuit  of  pleasure,  that  he  had  now 

hdiihmms  of  proseeuting  war  with  any  considerable  vigour  even  against 

France  iilone-    Though,  in  many  respecti.  pt>**essed  of  actual  despotic 

)\ver,  Henry  had  to  sufTcr  the  usual  inconvenience  of  poverty.     At  one 

anie  he  issned  privy  seals  demanding  loans  of  certain  awma  from  vveallhy 

men;  at  another  he  demanii'-d   a   loan  of  five  shillings   in  the  pound 

from  the  clergy,  and   of    two  shillings   in  the   pound  from  the   laiiy. 

Thoujli  nonimally  loans,  these  sums  were  really  to  be  considered  as 

pfis;  iniposiiioiis   at   once    so   large,   so   arbitrary,   and   so   liable    to 

te  repeated  at  any  perio<l,  necessarily  caused  mu(;h  discontent.     Soon 

afifrihis  last  expedient  for  raisiiifj  money  without  the  onsent  of  parlia-- 

ment,  he  siininioiied  a  convocatinii  ■ind  a  p.irli  'iient.     From  the  forincf, 

Wolsey,  relying  upon  his  high  px/wfr  ^\^  ^'■\<-  ;  :e  as  cardinal  and  arch- 

Bhiip,'(lciiiaiided  ten  shillings  in  t\w  pom-ii**!  <*.     '.e  ecrlcsiastical  leveiiue, 

loliokvicil  in  five  years.     'I'he  elergy  mtw<«nv»'d,  bur,  as  Wolsey  had  an- 

;;ipai('(l,a  few  sharp  words  from  him  sileiict^*  4!  objections,  and  wiiat  ho 

fcraaniled  was  granted.     Having  thus  far  si/^ftceded.   VVidsey  now,  at- 

[  Ifiidi'J  by  several  lords,  spiritual   and  temparaf'    addir-sed  the  house  of 

coiiinions ;  dilating  upon  the  wants  o*"  'he  king,  mA  upon  the  disadvan- 

iJieoiis  position  m  whieli  those  waiii-  ,,laeed  liirw  •A-ith  respect  to  both 

:  France  and  Scotland,  he  deinaiuled  a  grant  of  two  hundred  thoivsand 

nds  per  annnm  fur  four  years.     After  much  hesitation  and  murimwi^ig, 

lili?coiniiii)iis  granted  oily  one  half  the  required  sum;  and  here  occi>r«i<1 

lasirikmjr  proof  of  the  spiiit  of  nidepeiirlnnce,  which,  though  it  was  very 

iki,Mn  growing  to  its  present  lieighl,  ii^d  already  been  produced  in  tl'.<^ 

iiseuf  eoiniiKdis  by  its  possession  of  ilx-  power  of  the  purse.     Wolsey, 

|on learning  how  litth'  the  commons  had  voted  towards  what  he  had  de- 

;:.  riJf'd.  required  to  be   allov/ed  to  ''reason"  with  the  1'  (Use,  but   was 

leUfly,  and  with  real  dignity,  iiiforinfi,  that  the  house  of  conirnons  could 

Ireafffl  only  among  its  own  memtiers,     Hu'-  Henry  sent  for  Ldward  Mon- 

|ta»iie  an  iiifliienii  d  member,  and  ciwrsely  threatened  him  that  if  tlie  com- 

wisdid  not  vote  hi-iusr  on  the  followitiif  d«y,  Montague  should  lose  his 

M.   Thi.s  threat  cutis< '!  the  commoiin  Ut  n/fvaiice  somewt-at  on  their 

(foraier  olTers,  though  tin  y  -       f'll  far  sliorl  (i(  Ihe  sum  originally  asked. 

'inuybe  presumed  thy*  Henry  was  partly  goaded  fro  iiis  violent  and 

jpralal  threat  to  Montague  by  very  urgent  nccosMy  ;  anrvf^n?  the  items  of 

p  amount  granted,  was  a  levy  of  three  »ltilling«  m  the  pound  on  all  who 

T«(:8?p(i  fifiy  pounds  per  annum,  and  tl^/ugh  Om«  was  to  be  levied  io 

Vol.  1.-29 


4ft0 


THE  TttSASUay  OP  HISTOUY. 


Ml 

!i^HH 

^^KBtixs*  '< 

":.iH 

i^lviv  '^'^ 

four  years,  Henry  levied  the  whole  of  it  in  the  very  year  in  whicli  it  «■ 
granted.  '^^ 

While  Wolsey— for  to  him  the  people  attributed  every  act  of  the  kinir 
was  thus  powerful  in  Knghind,  either  very  great  treachery  on  tlie  p  iri  i 
the  emperor,  or  a  most  invincible  misfortune,  rendered  him  constaiulv  " 
successful  as  to  the  great  object  of  his  ambition,  the  papal  throne.'  h V,"' 
again  became  vacant  by  the  death  of  Adrian,  but  this  new  awakeninir  *f 
his  hope  was  merely  the  prelude  to  anew  and  bitter  disappointment  H 
was  ay;ain  passed  over,  and  one  of  the  Do  Medicis  ascended  the  nana! 
throne  under  the  title  of  Citment  Vll.  Wolsey  was  well  i>.\vare  tliiittlii' 
election  took  place  witii  the  concurrence  of  the  imperial  party,  and  lip" 
therefore,  determined  to  turn  Ilcry  from  the  alliance  of  tlie  cinpcrur  to 
that  of  France,  When  we  consider  t.  iw  mucli  more  preferable  the  French 
alliance  was,  as  regarded  the  interests  and  happiness  of  millions  ufliuunn 
beings,  it  is  at  once  a  subject  of  indignation  and  of  self-distrust  to  reikct 
that  the  really  profound  and  far-seeinj;  cardinal  was  determined  toil, onlJ 
by  the  same  paltry  personal  feeling  that  might  animate  a  couple  ui  smail 
squires  in  a  hunting  field,  or  their  wives  at  an  assize  ball.  But  he  untr 
really  conipre/tcnds  the  leaching.'!  of  histury,  who  is  not  well  infurmcd  um,  lie 
personal  feelings,  and  very  capable  of  making  alluicance  fur  the  personal  mot] 
of  the  great  actors  in  the  drama  of  nations. 

Disappointed  in  the  great  object  of  his  ambition,  Wolsey  affected  the 
utmost  approval  of  the  election  which  liad  so  much  mortified  him,  and  he 
applied  to  Clement  fo,  a  continuation  of  that  legatine  power  whicli  iiaj 
now  been  entrusted  to  him  by  two  popes,  and  Clement  granted  it  tu  hiin 
for  life,  a  great  and  most  unusual  compliment. 

A.  n.  lo'Jo. — Though  Henry's  war  with  France  was  productive  of  much 
expense  of  both  blood  and  treasure,  the  English  share  in  it  was  mi  Imie 
brilliant,  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  our  entering  here  into  details,  whidi 
must,  of  necessity,  be  given  in  another  place.  We  need  only  runwk 
that  liie  defeat  and  captivity  of  Francis  at  the  great  battle  of  I'avia.in  the 
previous  year,  would  have  been  improved  by  Wolsey,  to  tlie  i)iolialile 
conquest  of  France,  but  for  the  deep  oflTence  he  had  receivml  iruiiiihe 
emperor,  which  caused  iiini  to  represent  to  Henry  the  importance  in  Imn 
of  France  as  a  counterbalancing  power  lo  ilie  emperor.  He  suciesisfuliy 
appealed  to  the  powerful  passions  of  Henry,  by  pointing  out  pniDt'sol 
coldness  and  of  increased  assumption  in  the  style  of  tlieen  peror'slcUtrs 
subsequent  to  the  battle  of  Pavia  ;  and  Henry  was  still  more  ilcternnnid 
by  tins  merely  personal  argument,  tlian  he  had  been  by  even  the  coirciii 
political  one.  Tlie  result  was  that  Henry  made  a  treaty  with  tlic  niu'iicr 
of  Francis,  who  had  been  left  by  him  as  regent,  in  which  he  niuliiidoklo 
procure  the  liberty  of  Francis  on  reasonable  terms  ;  while  slic  aikniml- 
edged  Henry  creditor  of  France  to  the  amount  of  nearly  two  inilliuiis  ui 
crowns,  which  she  undertook  to  pay  at  the  rate  of  fifty  thousaiul  incviry  j 
six  montlis.  Wolsey,  besides  gratifying  his  spleen  against  llic  emperor 
in  brmging  about  this  treaty  with  France,  procured  tlie  more  solid  ;;r,iii. 
fication  of  a  hundred  thousand  pounds,  paid  to  him  under  the  name  ol  | 
arrears  of  a  pension  granted  to  him  on  the  giving  up  cf  Tournay,  as  men- 
tioned in  its  proper  place  in  this  history. 

As  it  W03  very  probable  that  this  treaty  with  France  would  lead  to  ai 
war  with  the  emperor,  Henry  issued  a  commission  for  levying  a  tax  ol 
four  shillings  in  the  pound  upon  tha  clergy,  and  threc-and-fourpeiieenpon 
the  laity.     As  this  heavy  demand  caused  great  murmuring,  he  took  carej 
to  have  it  m.ade  known  that  he  desired  this  money  only  in  the  way  ol'if- 
nevolence.     Hut  people,  by  this  time,  understood  that  loan,benevohic(.mi\ 
tax  were  only  different  names  for  the  one  solid  matter  of  readymyncy.aii' 
the  murmuring  did  not  cease.    In  some  parts  of  tiie  country,  the  people,! 
indeed,  broke  out  into  open  revolt ;  but  as  they  had  no  wtaliliy  or  iii' 


THE  1  REASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


451 


(ul  leader,  the  king's  officers  and  friends  put  them  down,  and  Henry 
njrdoiied  the  ringleaders  on  the  politic  pretence  that  povcily,  and  not 
Llfiil  disloyalty,  had  led  them  astray. 

J  p,  1527'.— Though  Henry  had  now  so  many  yt-riis  lived  with  his  queen 
i^j'll  apparent  cordiality  and  contentment,  several  circumstances  had  oc- 

urred  to  give  him  doubts  as  to  the  legality  of  tiieir  sriarriage.     ""       ■■ 


When  the 
emperor  Charles  had  proposed  to  espouse'  Henry's  daughter,  the  young 
nnicess  Marj',  the  states  of  Castile  objected  to  her  as  being  illegitimate  ; 
jii'd  the  same  objection  was  subsequently  made  by  France,  when  it  was 
proposed  to  ally  her  to  the  prince  of  that  country. 
1;  IS,  wc  think,  usual  too  readily  to  take  it  for  granted  that  Henry  was, 
from  the  first,  prompted  to  seek  the  dissolution  of  this  marriage,  merely 
bv  a  libertine  and  sensual  disposition.  It  is  quite  truo  that  the  queen  was 
considerably  older  than  he,  and  that  her  beauty  was  not  remarkable  ;  and 
ii  imv  be  quite  true  that  those  circumstances  were  among  his  motives. 
Bui  it  sliuii'.il  iK't  be  forgotten  that  he  had  studied  dee[)ly,  and  that  his  fa- 
vourite author,  Thomas  Aquinas,  spuke  in  utter  reprobation  of  the  marry- 
iiiitliy  a  man  of  his  brother's,  widow,  as  denounced  in  the  book  of  Leviti- 
ai.  Tlie  energetic  reprobation  of  an  author  of  whom  ho  was  accustomed 
10 think  so  reverently  was,  jf  course,  not  weakened  by  the  rejection  of 
his  daughter  by  botii  Spain  tind  France,  on  the  ground  of  the  incestuous 
marriage  of  her  parents,  and  Henry  at  length  beciame  so  desirous  to  tiave 
some  aiithoritative  sottlcme  it  of  his  doubts,  that  he  caused  the  question  to 
beiiKKitid  before  the  prclat^-s  of  iMiglaiid,  who,  with  the  single  exception 
ofKisher,  bislioi)  of  Rochester,  subscribed  to  the  opinion  that  the  mar- 
riaje  was  ab  xnceplo  illegiil  and  null.  While  Henry's  conscientious  scru- 
ple w;is  tiuis  strongly  cunfrmcd,  his  desire  to  get  his  marriage  formally 
and effeeltially  annulled  was  greatly  increased  by  his  falling  in  love  with 
Aiiiie  Biilcyn,  a  young  lady  of  great  beauty  and  accomplishments.  Her 
parents  were  coniieeted  with  some  of  the  best  families  in  the  nation,  her 
father 'lad  several  times  been  honourably  employed  abroad  by  the  king, 
aiiJihc  young  lady  herself,  to  her  very  great  misfortune,  was,  at  this  time, 
oiicoftlie  maids  of  honour  to  the  qiKfCii.  That  we  are  correct  in  believ- 
iii;  Henry  to  be  less  the  mere  and  willing  slave  of  passion  than  he  has 
generally  beun  represented,  seems  to  bo  clear  from  the  single  fact,  that 
tliere  is  no  instance  of  his  showing  that  contempt  for  the  virtue  of 
Ihecmirt  females  so  common  in  the  ctise  of  monarehs.  Ho  no  sooner  saw 
Anne  liideyn  than  he  desired  her,  not  as  a  mistress,  but  as  :i  wife,  and 
iit  desire  made  him  more  than  ever  anxious  to  dissolve  his  marriage  with 
Caiiierine.  He  now,  therefore,  applied  to  the  pope  for  ;i  divorce,  upon  the 
^.ound,  not  merely  of  the  incestuous  nature  of  the  nuirriagc — as  that  might 
live  scenied  to  question  or  to  limit  tlio  dispensing  power  of  Rome — but 
oiilliegronnd  that  the  bull  which  had  authorised  it  had  been  obtained  un- 
ilir  false  pretences,  which  wore  clearly  proven ;  a  ground  which  had  al- 
ways been  held  by  Roiue  to  be  suiTieieiit  to  authorise  the  liullifying  of  a 
bull.  Clement,  the  pope,  was,  at  this  tiiue,  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the 
eaipror,  and  iiis  chief  hope  of  obtaining  his  release  on  such  terms  as 
'laild  render  it  desirable  or  honourable  rested  on  the  exertions  of  ileiiry, 
i'rinqs,  and  the  states  with  which  they  were  in  alliance.  The  pope, 
llimfure,  was  desirous  to  conciliate  Henry's  favour  ;  but  ho  was  timid, 
I  vvihating,  an  Italian,  and  an  adept  in  that  dissimulation  whicli  is  so  char- 
I  amrisiic  of  men  who  add  constitutional  timidity  to  intelloctiia!  power. 
Aiixioiis  to  conciliate  Henry  by  granting  the  divorce,  he  was  fearful  lest 
I  lit  siiuuld  enrage  the  emperor — Queen  Catherine's  nephew — by  doing  s,"; , 
I llie consequence  was,  a  long  scries  of  expedients,  delays,  promises,  and 
|iiisa|ipunUments,  tedious  to  read  of  in  (won  the  most  elaborate  hiaiorics,  and 

'!i,  to  relate  here,  would  be  an  injurious  waste  of  space  and  time. 

lieeardinid  Campoggio  was  at  length  joined  with  Wolsey  in  a  com- 


inlh  %,:,'' ,'^rii 


^*< 


452 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


rrM 


^1 


mission  to  try  the  affair  in  England.  Tlie  two  legates  opened  their  court 
in  London;  both  the  queen  and  Henry  were  summoned  to  appear  and  a 
most  painful  scene  look  place.  When  their  majesties  were  called  by  rame 
in  the  court,  Catherine  left  her  seat  and  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  the 
king,  recalled  to  his  memory  how  she  had  entered  his  dominions,  leavins 
all  friends  and  support  to  depend  upon  him  alone ;  how  for  twenty  year* 
she  had  been  a  faithful,  loving,  and  obedient  wife.  She  impressed  upon 
him  the  fact  that  the  marriage  between  her  and  his  elder  brother  had  in 
truth,  been  but  such  a  mere  formal  betrothal  as  in  innumerable  other  cases 
had  been  held  no  bar  to  subsequent  marriage  ;  that  both  their  fathers  cs 
teemed  the  wisest  princes  in  Christendom,  had  consented  to  their  marriase 
which  they  would  I'Ot  have  done  unless  well  advised  of  its  propriety;  and 
she  concluded  by  s.i>  ing,  that  being  well  assured  that  she  had  no  reason 
to  expect  justice  from  a  court  at  the  disposal  of  her  enemies,  so  never 
more  would  she  appear  before  it. 

After  the  departure  of  the  queen  the  trial  proceeded.    It  was  prolonged 
from  week  to  week,  and  friMii  month  to  month,  by  the  arts  of  Campeggio 
acting  by  the  instructions  of  Clement,  who  employed  the  time  in  makin? 
his  arrangements  with  tht3  emperor  for  his  own  benefit,  and  that  of  the 
De  Medicis  in  general.     Having  succeeded  in  doing  this,  he,  to  Henry's 
great  astonishment,  evoked  the  cause  to  Rome  on  the  queen's  appeal,  jus, 
as  every  one  expected  the  legates  to  pronounce  for  the  divorce.    Henry 
was  greatly  enraged  at  Wolsey  on  account  of  this  result.    He  had  so  long 
been  accustomed  to  see  the  cardinal  successful  in  whatever  he  attempted. 
that  he  attributed  his  present  failure  rather  to  treachery  than  to  want  oi 
judgment.    The  great  seal  was  shortly  taken  from  him  and  given  to  Sir 
Thomas  More,  and  he  was  ordered  to  give  up  to  the  king  his  stately  and 
gorgeously  furnished  palace  called  York-House,  which  was  converted  into 
A  royal  residence,  under  the  name  of  Whitehall.     The  wealth  seized  in 
this  one  residence  of  the  cardinal  was  immense  ;  his  plate  was  of  regal 
splendour,  and  included  what  indeed  not  every  king  could  boast,  one  per- 
fect cupboard  of  massive  gold.    His  furniture  and  other  effects  were  nu- 
merous and  costly  in  proportion,  as  may  be  judged  from  the  single  item 
of  one  thousand  pieces  of  fine  Holland  cloth !    The  possessor  of  all  this 
wealth,  however,  was  a  ruined  man  now  ;  in  the  privacy  of  his  compara- 
tively mean  country  house  at  Esher,  in  Surrey,  he  was  unvisited  andun- 1 
noticed  by  those  courtiers  who  had  so  eagerly  crowded  around  him  while  I 
he  was  yet  distinguished  by  the  king's  favour.    But  if  the  ingratitude  of  | 
his  friends  left  him  undisturbed  in  his  solitude,  the  activity  of  his  foes  did 
not  let  him  rest  even  there.    The  king  had  not  as  yet  deprived  him  ol  j 
his   sees,  and  had,  moreover,  sent   him  a  ring  and   a  kind  message. 
His  enemies,  therefore,  fearful  lest  he  should  even  yet  recover  his  lost  fa 
voui,  and  so  acquire  the  power  to  repay  their  ill  services,  took  every 
mc  .lod  to  prejudice  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  king,  who  at  len^'ih abandoned  j 
him  to  the  power  of  parliament.    The  lords  passed  forty-four  articles 
against  him,  of  which  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  there  was  not  or.e 
which  might  not  have  been  explained  away,  had  anything  like  iogalforin] 
or  proof  been  called  for  or  considered.    Amid  the  general  and  shameful  [ 
abandonments  of  Wolsey  by  those  who  had  so  lately  fawned  upon  ti 
it  is  delightful  to  have  to  record,  that  when  these  articles  were  sent  down  I 
to  the  house   of  commons,  the  oppressed  and  abandoned  cardinal  was 
warrnly  and  ably  defended  by  Thomas  Cromwell,  whom  his  pat.'ra;e 
had  raised  from  a  ver-  low  origin.    All  defence,  however,  was  vaui;  ihtj 
parliament  pronounced  "That  he  was  out  of  the  king's  prote-n-,n;  'Ml 
Ills  lands  and  goods  were  forfeited  ;  and  that  his  perso.;  might  Ire  cujsu:  ^ 
ted  to  custody." 

From  Esher,  Wolsey  removed  to  Richmond,  but  his  enemies  hsi 
ewdered  to  Yorkshire,  where  he  lived  in  great  modesty  at  Cawood. 


^^-1 


;^- 


1)1  . 


^^^^ 


%/ 


\  was  prolonged 
i  of  Campeggio, 
time  in  making 
iiid  that  of  the 
,  he,  to  HenryN 
en's  appeal,  jus, 
iivorce.    Henry 
He  had  so  long 
rer  he  attempted, 
than  to  want  o! 
and  given  to  Sii 
I  his  stately  and 
'as  converted  into 
wealth  seized  in 
late  was  of  regal 
Id  boast,  one  per- 
■  effects  were  nu- 
,.  the  single  item 
,sessor  of  all  this ' 
of  his  compan- 
unvisitedaudun- 
around  him  while 
ihe  ingratitude  ol 
ity  of  his  foes  d" 
deprived  him  ol  j 
..  kind  message. 
•ecover  his  lost  (a 
■vices,  took  everj 
lenfih  abandoned  I 
forty-four  articles  j 
liere  was  not  one  1 
inghkeMf"™ 
eral  and  shamcfur 
fawned  upon  him, 
es  were  sent  down  I 
jued  cardinal  va 
lom  his  palrmasel 
ver,  was  vam ;  IM 
1  prote-n.a;  ™ 
might  Iwcoaui 

s  enemies  tai  m 
V  at  Cawood. 


1,  :i 


f^t. 


tS.£^ 


iHlAL   ur     U.tJKI£^    CaTHKKINX. 


/"■'I 


^.M 


.:e  king's 
ind  he  cas 
ill  comiecl 
Ironi  the  c; 
Irt'ason,  an 

JClll  :!il(lpd 

frame  of  th 

ted  joun 

ihf  Tower. 

ilial  he  (.'ou! 

aficr  lie  ha 

ing  caiilioii 

"I  pray  y  I 

tecech  him 

have  passed 

teiiicss  wil 

I  have  offem 

pniireiy  hem 

k  will  e.'idai 

liave  ofleii  k 

iuade  him  fn 

s^^led  (iod  a 

jiunmeove 

receive  for  iti 

l'«  only  to  in 

ilii'  privy  coui 

inlo  Ihe  king'j 

pregnant  tcstii 

ness  with  wjiji 


ilie  votary  o 
''"jliier  a'lid 


f 


-Vm'RALLY 

,  I'ckc  of  Rome 
ifrofhisdivo, 
agement  to  tl 
*rgy;  indoi, 
and  in  paving 
J  fliich  every  d 
I  ready  to  deprc 
I '"make  the  la 
I  ""if,  passed  a, 
tee  exactionf 
While  Henr 
I  l"e  opposing  II 
IN  advanced 
Imderofthe 
Ifojlfge.Cambi 
I « suggested 
1 10  the  legality 
lie  king's  quai 
I  «f  learning  an 
I '"9  hesitation  > 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORV. 


453 


■e  king's  differences  with  Romo  were  now  every  d;iy  Rrowing  greater, 
liiilhe  easily  lisieneJ  to  tliose  who  assured  him  thut  in  finally  shaking  oflf 
ill  toniieciiiin  with  the  holy  see,  lie  would  encounter  powerful  opposition 
from  tlie  cardinal.  An  order  was  issued  for  his  arrest  on  a,  charge  of  high 
Irtasoii,  ami  it  is  very  probable  that  his  fieath  on  the  scaffold  would  have 
jciii  ilded  to  the  stains  upon  Henry's  memory,  but  that  the  harrasscd 
frame  of  the  cardinal  sunk  under  the  alarm  and  falivrne  of  his  arrest  and 
todjuurney.  He  was  conveyed  by  Sir  William  ivingston,  constable  of 
ihe'i'uwer.  as  far  as  Leieester  abbey.  Hci-e  his  ilhi'-ss  became  so  extreme 
ihathfi(.'Ou!d  be  got  no  farther,  and  here  he  yielded  uji  his  breath  soon 
■/,'xt  lie  had  spoken  to  Sir  William  Kingston  ttiis  memorable  and  touch- 
inn'aiiliou  against  an  undue  worldly  ambition  : 

°'I  pray  you  have  me  heartily  recommended  unto  his  royal  majesty,  and 
beseech  him,  on  my  behalf,  to  call  to  his  remembrance  all  matters  that 
li;.vc  passed  between  us  from  the  beginning,  especially  with  regard  to  his 
lii-iiiess  with  the  queen,  and  then  he  will  know  in  his  coi..  -if  nee  wiiether 
I  hive  niTeiidcd  him.  He  is  a  prince  of  a  most  royal  carriage,  a.  '  h.ith  a 
pniifely  heart;  and  rather  than  he  will  miss  or  want  any  part  of  his  will, 
kniU'endanger  the  one  half  of  his  kingdom.  I  do  assure  you  that  1 
have  ofleu  kneeled  before  him,  sometimes  three  hours  together,  to  per 
mie  him  from  his  will  and  appetite,  but  could  not  prevail.  Had  1  but 
senedtiodas  diligently  as  1  have  served  the  king,  he  would  not  have 
mdiiiieovcr  in  my  [""y  hairs.  But  this  is  the  just  reward  that  I  must 
receive  for  my  indulgtut  pains  and  study,  not  regarding  my  duty  to  God, 
bii  only  to  my  prince.  Therefore,  let  me  advise  you,  if  you  be  one  of 
ik  privy  council,  as  by  your  wisdom  you  are  fit,  take  care  what  you  put 
inlo  the  king's  head,  for  you  can  never  put  it  out  again."  Touching  and 
pregnant  testimony  of  a  dying  man,  of  no  ordinary  wisdom,  to  the  hoUow- 
nesswith  which  all  the  unrighteous  ends  of  ambition  appear  clad,  when 
itie  votary  of  this  world  receives  the  final  and  irrevocable  summons  to  the 
kighier  and  purer  world  beyond ! 


CHAPTER  XU. 

THE    REIGN  Of  HENRY  VIU.    (CONTINUED.) 

Natcrally  too  fond  of  authority  to  feel  without  impatience  the  neavy 
yoke  of  Rome,  the  opposition  he  had  so  signally  experienced  in  the  mat- 
ter of  liis  divorce  had  enraged  Henry  so  much,  that  he  gave  every  eiiccur- 
ajement  to  the  parliament  to  abridge  the  exorbitant  privileges  of  the 
clergy;  in  doing  which,  he  equally  pleased  himself  in  mortifying  Uome, 
and  in  paving  the  way  for  that  entire  independence  of  the  papal  power,  of 
1  which  every  day  made  him  more  desirous.    Tlie  parliament  was  equally 
I  ready  to  depress  the  clergy,  and  several  bills  were  passed  which  tended 
[  to  make  the  laity  more  independent  of  them      The  parliament,  about  this 
I  lime,  passed  another  bill  to  acquit  the  king  of  all  claims  on  account  of 
hose  exactions  which  he  had  speciously  called  loans. 
While  Henry  was  agitated  between  the  wish  to  brr.i,k  with  Home,  and 
I  Ihe  opposing  unwillingness  to  give  so  plain  a  contradictioix  to  all  that  ho 
d  advanced  in  the  book  which  had  procured  him  the  flatteiing  title  of 
\Otfnder  of  the  Faith,\\e.  was  informed  that  Dr.  Cranmer,  a  fellow  of  Jesus' 
College,  Cambridge,  and  a  man  of  good  repute,  both  as  to  life  and  learning, 
had  suggested  that  all  the  universities  of  Europe  should  be  consulted  as 
I  to  the  legality  of  Henry's  marriage;  if  the  decision  were  in  favour  o'  u, 
jthe  king's  qualms  of  conscience  must  needs  disappear  before  such  a  host 
jofleariiing  and  judgment;   if  the  opinion  were  against  it,  equally  must 
I  Ihe  hesitation  of  Rome  as  to  granting  the  divorce  be  shamed  awav.    On 


It': 


1    *  L.    'i 


■^:m 


454 


TK«  VIltiASUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


hearing  this  opinion  Henry,  in  his  bhitT  way.excluiined  that  Cranmer  had 
taken  the  right  sow  by  the  ear,  sent  for  him  to  court,  and  was  so  well 
pleased  with  him  as  to  employ  him  to  write  in  favour  of  the  divorce  and 
to  superintend  the  course  h«;  had  himself  suprtjeaied.  '' 

A.  D.  li)3-!.— The  measure  s  tak  by  parliament,  with  the  evident  goo'i. 
will  of  the  king,  were  so  obvioi  /  tending  towards  a  total  separation 
from  Home,  that  Sir  Ttiomas  W  ,  the  chancellor,  resigned  the  gnal 
seal;  that  able  man  being  devott  .y  atti;ched  to  the  papal  auilionty, and 
clearly  seeing  that  he  could  no  longer  retain  otlleo  but  at  the  risk  of  bcm 
called  upon  to  act  against  the  pope. 

At  Rome  the  measures  of  Henry  were  not  witnessed  without  nnxietv; 
and  while  the  empcMor's  agents  did  all  in  their  power  to  detormiiie  tli.  puJ 
against  Henry,  the  more  cautious  members  of  tiie  conclave  advised  tli  it  ,1 
favour  often  granted  to  meaner  prmces,  should  not  be  denied  to  liim  who 
had  heretofore  been  so  good  a  son  of  the  church,  and  who,  if  drivcuiodis- 
pcration,  might  wholly  alienate  from  llu  pa[)acy  the  most  precious  of  all 
the  states  over  wiiich  it  held  sway. 

But  the  lime  for  conciliating  Htinry  was  now  gone  by.    He  iiad  m 
interview  with  the  king  of  France,  in  which  tiicy  renewed  their  perso:: 
friendsiiip,  and  agreed  upon  the  measures  of  mutual  defence,  ami  Ilenr 
privately  married  Anne  Ijolcyn,  wliom  he  liau  previously crealeJcoimtess 
of  Pembroke. 

A.  D.  1533. — The  new  vvifu  of  Henry  proving  pregnant,  Craniiifir,  noi? 
archbishop  of  Canterl)ury,  was  directed  to  hold  a  court  at  Duiislabk-  n 
decide  on  the  invalidity  of  the  marriage  of  Catherine,  who  lived  at  Anipt- 
hill  in  that  neiglibourlu)od.  If  this  court  were  anytiiing  but  a  mere  moi  v 
cry,  reasonable  men  argued,  its  decision  shoidd  surely  have  preceded,.::! 
not  followed  the  second  marriage.  But  the  king's  wdl  was  absolute, an! 
the  opinions  of  the  universities  and  the  judgment  of  the  convoeaiion.s  hav- 
ing been  formally  read,  and  both  opinions  and  jiKlgmcnt  being  again.-; 
Catherine's  marriage,  it  was  now  solemnly  annulled.  Soon  after,  tlieiirw 
queen  was  delivered  of  a  daughter,  the  afterwards  wise  and  powerft! 
Queen  I'^lizabeth. 

Notwithstanding  all  tlie  formalities  that  had  be-Mi  brought  to  bear .;,";, 
her  rights,  Queen  Catherine,  who  was  as  resohUe  as  she  was  otii  r\:,<i 
amiable,  refused  to  l)e  styled  aught  but  queen  of  Knglaud,  and  to  ii; '  ilay 
of  her  death,  compelled  her  servants,  and  all  whi)  had  the  privilege  of  ap- 
proaching her,  to  address  and  treat  her  as  their  (ji  een. 

The  enemies  of  Henry  at  Rome  urged  tiic  pope  anew  to  pronounce  sea- 
tence  of  excommunication  against  him.  But  Clement's  niece  was  now 
married  to  the  second  son  of  the  king  of  France,  who  spoke  to  the  pope  in 
Henry's  favour.  Clement,  therefore,  for  the  present,  confined  his  severity 
o)  issui'ig  a  sentence  nullifying  Cranmcr's  sentence,  and  the  marriage ol 
Henry  to  Anne  Boleyn,  and  threatening  to  excommunicate  him  shuulJ 
he  not  restore  his  aflTairs  to  their  former  footing  by  a  certain  day. 

A.  D.  ITiSO. — As  Henry  had  sti  ;  some  strong  leanings  to  the  clmrcli, auJ 
as  it  was  obviously  much  to  the  interest  of  Rome  not  wholly  to  lose  its 
influence  over  »o  wealthy  a  nation  as  England,  there  even  yet  sei'iiiiJ 
to  be  some  chance  of  an  amicable  termination  of  this  quarrel.  By  the 
good  offlces  of  the  king  of  France,  the  pope  was  induced  to  promise  to 
pronounce  in  favour  of  the  divorce,  on  the  receipt  of  a  certain  promise  of  ilie 
king  to  submit  his  cause  to  Rome.  The  king  agreed  to  make  tliis  promise 
and  actually  dispatched  a  courier  with  it.  Somedelays  of  the  road  preveiitel 
the  arrival  of  the  important  document  at  Rome  until  two  days  after  the 
proper  time.  In  the  interim  it  was  reported  at  Rome,  probably  by  snM 
of  the  imperial  agents,  that  the  pope  and  cardinals  had  been  ridiculed  in  3 
farce  that  had  been  performed  before  Henry  and  his  court.  Enraged  a' 
Ihis  intelligence,  the  pope  and  cardinals  viewed  it  as  sure  proof  tiiat  Hen 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


455 


r»s  promise  was  not  intended  to  be  kopt,  and  a  sontencn  was  immndiately 
pronminced  in  favour  of  Catherine's  nianiajrc,  while  Henry  was  threat- 
ened with  excommunication  in  the  event  of  tliut  Bcntence  not  being  sub- 
mitted to. 

liisdistomary  to  speak  of  the  final  breacli  of  Henry  with  Roinn  ag 
navinu  been  solely  caused  by  this  ''isputc  with  Home  ahout  the  divoi-o  ; 
sil  fact,  however,  is  asjainst  that  ■  of  the  case.  The  opinions  of  Lu- 
ilier  had  spread  far  and  wide,  nn  :nk  'ieep  into  men's  llearts  ;  and  the 


uers  were  licntle  wliencom- 

ly  her  own  venality  and  her 

c»ul(|  the  validity  of  Cathe- 

ly  alledged  pcrformaiKM?  of  a 

a  seore  of  years  after  it  1   The 


biitm'st  things  said  against  I? 
|nrcd  to  tlie  testimony  boriu 
general  cnrrnption.     In  this  vi 
rule's  marriage  he  afTeeiod  by  i 
rib,ild  farce  before  the  Knoiiah  c    .a  .ibo. 

very  reaiiiiiess  with  which  the  nation  j  iiied  the  king  in  secediii!?  from 
Rome,  shows  very  clearly  that  under  any  possiiile  circumslaiices  that  se- 
vssioii  must  have  shortly  taken  place.  We  merely  ghuure  at  this  fact, 
[iccausn  it  will  be  put  beyond  all  doubt  when  we  come  to  spc  uk  of  tiie  ac- 
cession of  Queen  Klizabcth  ;  for  notwithstaiidiiiq;  all  that  Mary  had  done, 
by  ilip  zealous  support  she  gave  to  the  church  of  Iioin(,'  and  by  her  fiirions 
nerspciilion  of  the  Reformers,  to  render  the  subserviency  of  Kuglaiid  to 
li);ii('hotii  pennanent  ;ind  perfect,  the  peo[)le  of  this  country  were  re- 
'  1  ■.  •!  at  the  oppiv  'unity  it  afforded  them  of  throwing  olTtl  c  pa[)fd  authority. 

Tlie  houses  of  convocation — with  only  four  opposin  ;  votes  and  one 
li 'nfiil  voter— declared  that  "the  bishop  of  Itome  had  by  tip;  law  of  (Jod 
i;,)  more  jurisdiction  in  Kngland  than  any  other  foreign  bishop ;  and  the 
3;illinrity  wiiieh  lie  and  his  predecessors  have  here  exercised  was  only  by 
usurpation  and  hy  the  sutfcrancc  of  the  Knglish  princes.'  The  convoca- 
lioaa'sn  ordered  that  the  act  now  passed  by  the  parliament  against  all  ap- 
poah  to  Homo,  and  the  appeal  of  the  kinij  from  the  pope  to  a  general 
■liiincil  sliould  be  affixed  to  all  church  door>,  throughout  the  kingdom. 
i'iiat  iiothinaj  might  be  left  undone  to  convince  Home  of  Henry's  resolve 
MiKi  an  entire  separation  from  the  church  of  which  he  had  been  so  ex- 
:i!l''i!i  defender,  the  parliiiuient  passed  an  act  confirming  the  invalidity 
it  Henry's  marriage  with  (Catherine,  and  the  validity  of  that  with  Anne 
Boleyii.  All  persons  were  required  to  take  the  oath  to  support  the  suc- 
h'ssinn  tims  fixed,  ami  the  only  persons  of  consequence  who  refused  were 
Sir  Thomas  More  and  bishop  Fisher,  who  were  both  indicted  and  com- 
mitted to  the  Tower.  The  parliament  having  thus  completely,  and  we 
may  add  servilely,  complied  with  all  tlie  wishes  of  the  king,  was  for  a 
short  time  prorogued. 

The  parliament  had  already  given  to  Henry  tlie  reality,  and  it  now  pro- 
ceeded to  give  him  the  title  of  supreme  head  of  the  church ;  and  that  Home 
miglithave  no  doubt  that  the  very  exorbitancy  with  which  stie  hud  pres- 
led  her  pretensions  to  authority  in  Kngland  had  wholly  transferred  tliat 
tuthority  to  the  crown,  the  parliament  accompanied  this  new  and  signi- 
licant  title  with  a  grant  of  all  the  annates  and  tithes  of  be"eQces  which 
W hitherto  been  paid  to  Rome.  A  forcible  and  practical  illustration  of 
the  sort  of  supremacy  which  Henry  intended  that  hiiiiRclf  anil  liis  sucoes- 
sors'nould  exercise,  and  one  which  showed  Home  tiiat  not  merely  in  su- 
pers! tious  ob°ci'V2r!'''>5  'out  also  in  solid  matters  of  pecuniary  tribute,  it 
«'as  hcMry's  determination  that  his  people  should  be  free  from  papal  dom 
mation 

Both  in  Ireland  and  Scotland  the  king's  affairs  were  ins^l  at  this  moment, 
when  hfi  was  carrying  matters  with  so  high  a  hand  with  Home,  such  as  to 
eanse  him  some  anxiety,  but  his  main  care  was  wisely  bestowed  upon  his 
own  kingdom.  The  mere  secession  of  that  kingdom  from  an  authority 
80  time-honoured  and  hitherto  so  dreaded  and  so  arbitrary  as  Rome,  was, 
"en  to  so  powerful  and  resolute  a  monarch  as  Henry,  an  experiment  of 


^>. 


^> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


^  us, 


2.0 


IS. 


1.25 

1.4 

J4 

-^ 6"     

► 

Hiotographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  US80 

(716)«72-4S03 


0 


L6> 


-. 


456 


THB  TRBASUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


«ome  nicety  and  danger.  Might  not  they  who  had  been  taught  to  rebel 
against  the  church  of  Rome  be  induced  to  rebel  against  the  crown  itself! 
The  conduct  of  the  anabaptists  of  Germany  added  an  affirmative  of  expe- 
rience to  the  answer  which  reason  could  not  fail  to  suggest  to  ihis 
Juestion.  But  besides  that  there  were  many  circumstances  which  ren- 
ered  it  unliicely  that  the  frantic  republican  principles  which  a  few  re- 
forming zealots  had  preached  in  Germany,  would  taiie  a  hold  upon  ihe 
hardy  and  practical  intellect  of  Englishmen  long  and  deeply  attached  to 
monarchy,  there  was  little  fear  of  the  public  mind,  while  Henry  reigned, 
having  too  much  spculative  liberty  of  any  sort.  Ho  had  shaken  off  the 
pope,  indeed,  but  hr  had,  as  far  as  the  nation  was  concerned,  only  dune 
so  to  substitute  himself;  and  though  the  right  of  private  judgmcut  wasune 
of  the  most  important  principles  of  the  Reformation,  it  very  soon  became 
evident  that  the  private  judgment  of  the  English  subject  would  be  an  ex- 
tremely dangerous  thing  except  when  it  very  accurately  tallied  with  that 
of  his  prince.  Opposed  to  the  discipline  of  Rome,  as  a  i(ing,  he  was  no 
less  opposed  to  the  leading  doctrines  of  Luther,  as  a  theologian.  His 
conduct  and  language  perpetually  betrayed  the  struggle  between  these 
antagonistic  feelings,  and  among  the  ministers  and  frequenters  of  the 
court,  as  a  natural  consequence,  "  motley  was  the  only  wear."  Thus  the 
queen,  Cromwell,  now  secretary  of  state,  and  Cranmer,  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  were  attached  to  the  reformation,  and  availed  themselves  of 
every  opportunity  to  forward  it,  but  they  ever  found  it  safer  to  impugn  the 
papacy  than  to  criticise  any  of  the  doctrines  of  Catholicism.  On  the  other 
side  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  and  Gardiner,  bishop  of  Winchester,  both  of 
whom  were  high  in  authority  and  favour,  were  strongly  attached  to 
the  ancient  faith.  The  king,  flattered  by  each  of  the  parties  upon  a  portion 
of  his  principles,  was  able  to  play  the  pope  over  both  his  catholic  and  his 
protestant  subjects,  and  his  stern  and  headstrong  style  of  botii  speech  and 
action  greatly  added  to  the  advantage  given  him  by  the  anxiety  of  each 
party  to  have  him  for  its  ally  against  the  other. 

In  the  meantime  it  was  no  longer  in  the  power  of  either  king  orministei 
to  prevent  the  purer  principles  of  the  Reformation  from  making  their  way 
to  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  people.  Tindal,  Joyce,  and  other  learned 
men  who  had  sought  in  the  Low  Countries  for  safety  from  the  king's 
arbitrary  temper,  found  means  to  smuggle  over  vast  numbers  of  tracts 
and  a  translation  of  the  scriptures.  These  got  extensively  circulated  and 
were  greedily  perused,  although  the  catholic  portion  of  the  ministry  aided 
— however  singular  Ihe'phrase  may  sound — by  the  catholic  portion  of  the 
king's  will,  made  great  endeavours  to  keep  them,  but  especially  the  bible, 
from  the  eyes  of  the  people. 

A  singular  anecdote  is  related  of  one  of  the  attempts  made  to  suppress 
the  bible.  Tonstal,  bishop  of  London,  a  zealous  catholic,  but  humane 
man,  was  very  anxious  to  prevent  the  circulation  of  Tindal's  bible,  and 
Tindal  was  himself  but  little  less  anxious  for  a  new  and  more  accurate 
edition.  Tonstal,  preferring  the  prevention  of  what  he  deemed  crime  to 
the  punishment  of  offenders,  devoted  a  large  sum  of  money  to  purchasing 
all  the  copies  that  could  be  met  with  of  Tindal's  bible,  and  all  the  copies 
thus  obtamed  were  solemnly  burned  at  the  Cross  of  Cheap.  Both  the 
bishop  and  Tindal  were  gratified  on  this  occasion  ;  the  former,  it  is  true, 
destroyed  the  first  and  incorrect  edition  of  the  bible  by  Tindal,  but  he  al 
the  same  time  supplied  that  zealous  scholar  with  the  pecuniary  means,  ol 
which  he  was  otherwise  destitute,  of  bringing  out  a  second  and  more  per 
feet  as  well  as  more  extensive  edition. 

Others  were  less  humane  in  their  desire  to  repress  what  they  deemed 
heresy,  and  few  were  more  severe  than  Sir  Thomas  More,  who  succeeded 
Wolsey  as  chancellor,  and  of  whose  own  imprisonment  we  have  already 
spoken,  as  presently  we  shall  have  to  speak  of  his  death.    Though  t 


THE  TREA8UEY  OP  HISTORY. 


4&7 


taught  to  rebel 
e  crown  itself  1 
•tnalive  of  expe- 
suggest  to  ihis 
noes  which  rcn- 
vhich  a  few  re- 
i  hold  upon  the 
eply  attached  to 
3  Henry  reigned, 
d  shaken  off  the 
jrned,  only  done 
jdgmeni  was  one 
ery  soon  became 
would  be  an  ex- 
tallied  with  that 
king,  he  was  no 
theologian.    His 
lO  between  these 
•equenters  of  the 
wear."    Thus  the 
er,  archbishop  of 
iled  themselves  of 
ifer  to  impugn  the 
sm.    On  the  other 
inchester,  both  of 
jngly  altaclied  to 
lies  upon  a  portion 
lis  catholic  and  his 
af  both  speech  and 
le  anxiety  of  each 

lerkingorministei 
making  their  way 
and  other  learned 
y  from  the  king's 
numbers  of  tracts 
vily  circulated  and 
the  ministry  aided 
lolic  portion  of  the 
ispecially  the  bible, 

p  made  to  suppress 
holic,  but  humane 
'Tindal's  bible,  and 
and  more  accurate 
e  deemed  crime  to 
loney  to  purchasing 
and  all  the  copies 
r  Cheap.    Both  the 
e  former,  it  is  true, 
)y  Tindal,  but  he  al 
lecuniary  means,  ol 
cond  and  more  per 


man  of  elegant  learning  and  great  wit,  and  though  in  speculative  opin- 
ions he  advanced  much  which  the  least  rigid  protcstant  might  justly  con- 
demn as  impious,  yet,  so  true  a  type  was  he  of  the  motley  age  in  which 
he  lived,  his  enmity  to  all  opposition  to  papacy  in  practice  could  lead  hint? 
to  the  most  dastardly  and  hateful  cruelty.  To  speak,  in  detail,  of  the 
errors  of  a  great  man  is  at  all  times  unpleasant;  we  merely  mention, 
therefore,  his  treatment  of  James  Bainham.  This  gentleman,  a  student 
ofthe  Temple,  was  during  More's  chancellorship  accused  of  being  con 
cerned  with  others  in  aiding  in  the  propagation  of  the  reforr.if'd  doctrines 
It  appears  that  the  unfortunate  gentleman  did  not  deny  his  own  part  ir 
the  acts  attributed  to  him,  but  honourably  refused  to  give  any  testi- 
mony against  others.  His  first  examination  took  place  inthechuncellor'a 
own  house,  and  there,  to  his  great  disgrace,  he  actually  had  the  high- 
minded  gentleman  stripped  and  brutally  whipped,  the  chancellor  in  person 
witnessing  and  superintending  the  disgusting  exhibition.  But  the  mis- 
taken and  maddening  zeal  of  More  did  not  stop  even  here.  Enraged  at 
the  constancy  of  his  victim,  he  had  him  conveyed  to  the  tower,  and  there 
saw  him  put  to  the  torture.  Under  this  new  and  most  terrible  trial  the 
firmnessof  the  unhappy  gentleman  for  a  time  gave  way  and  he  abjured 
his  principles ;  but  in  a  very  short  time  afterwards  he  openly  returned  to 
them,  and  was  burned  to  death  in  Smithfield  as  a  relapsed  and  confirmed 
heretic. 

It  will  easily  be  supposed  that  while  so  intellectual  a  catholic  as  More 
was  thus  furious  on  behalf  of  Rome,  the  mean  herd  of  persecutors  were 
not  idle.  To  teach  children  the  Lord's  prayer  in  English,  to  read  the 
scriptures,  or  at  least  the  New  Testament  in  that  language,  to  speak 
against  pilgrimages,  to  neglect  the  fasts  of  the  church,  to  attribute  vice  to 
the  old  clergy,  or  to  give  shelter  or  encouragement  to  the  new,  all  these 
were  offences  punishable  in  the  bishop's  courts,  some  of  thein  even  capi- 
tally. Thus,  Thomas  Bilney,  a  priest,  who  had  embraced  and,  under 
threats,  renounced  the  new  doctrines,  embraced  them  once  again,  and  went 
through  Norfolk  zealously  preaching  against  the  absurdity  of  relying  for 
salvation  upon  pilgrimages  and  images.  He  was  seized,  tried,  and  burn- 
ed. Thus  far  the  royal  severity  had  chiefly  fallen  upon  the  reformed ; 
but  the  monks  and  friars  of  the  old  faith,  intimately  dependant  upon  Uome, 
detested  Henry's  separation  and  assumption  of  supremacy  far  too  much 
than  to  be  otherwise  than  inimical  to  him.  In  their  public  preachings  they 
more  than  once  gave  w  ay  to  libellous  scurrillily,  which  Henry  bore  with  a 
moderation  by  no  means  usual  with  him,  but  at  length  the  tiger  of  his 
temper  was  thoroughly  aroused  by  an  extensive  and  impudent  conspiracy. 

At  Aldington,  in  Kent,  there  was  a  woman  named  Elizabeth  Barton,  com- 
monly known  as  the  holy  maid  of  Kent,  who  was  subject  to  fits,  under  the 
influence  of  which  she  unconsciously  said  odd  and  incoherent  things,  which 
her  ignorant  neighbours  imagined  to  be  the  result  not  of  epilepsy  but  ot 
inspiration.  The  vicar  of  the  parish,  Richard  Masters,  instead  of  re- 
proving and  enlightening  his  ignorant  flock,  took  their  ignorant  fancy  as  a 
hint  for  a  deep  scheme.  He  lent  his  authority  to  the  report  that  the  maid 
ofKent  spoke  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  he  had  not  any 
great  difficulty  in  acquiring  the  most  entire  authority  over  the  maid  her- 
self, who  thenceforth  spoke  whatever  he  deemed  fit  to  dictate.  Having  a 
chapel  in  which  stood  an  image  of  the  Virgin,  to  which,  for  his  own 
profit  g  sake,  he  was  anxious  to  withdraw  as  many  pilgrims  as  possible 
from  other  shrines,  he  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  Dr.  Booking,  one 
ofthe  canons  of  Canterbury  cathedral,  and  under  their  direction  Elizabeth 
liarton  pretended  to  receive  a  supernatural  direction  to  proceed  to  the 
'inage  in  question  and  pray  there  for  her  cure. 

At  first,  it  seems  quite  clear,  the  unfortunate  woman  was  truly  and 
merely  an  epileptic ;  but  ignorance,  poverty,  and  perhaps  some  natural 


WKi 


458 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


cunning,  made  her  a  ready  and  unscrupulous  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  plot- 
ting ecclesiastics,  and  after  a  series  of  affected  distortions,  wliich  would 
have  been  merely  ludicrous  had  their  purpose  not  added  something  of  the 
impious,  she  pretended  that  her  prostrations  before  the  image  had  entire. 
ly  freed  her  from  her  disease. 

Thus  far  the  priests  and  their  unfottunate  tool  had  proceeded  without 
any  interference,  the  severity  with  which  the  king  and  the  powerful  oath- 
olics  treated  all  enmity  to  pilgrimages  and  disrespect  to  shrines,  bein?  of 
itself  sufficient  to  insure  their  impunity  thus  far.  But  impunity  as  usual 
produced  want  of  caution,  and  the  priests,  seeing  that  the  wondering 
multitude  urged  no  objection  to  the  new  miracle  which  they  ailedaed  to 
have  been  wrought,  were  now,  most  lucklessly  for  themselves,  emiouraTed 
to  extend  their  views  and  to  make  the  unfortunate  Elizabeth  Burtoirof 
use  in  opposing  the  progress  of  the  reformed  doctrine,  and  against  Henry's 
divorce  from  Catherine.  Hence  the  ravings  of  the  maid  of  Kent  were 
directed  against  heresy,  with  ar  occasional  prophesy  of  evil  to  the  king 
on  account  of  the  divorce ;  and  the  nonsense  thus  uttered  was  not  only 
repeated  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom  by  monks  and  friars  who,  must 
probably,  were  in  concert  with  Masters  and  BocKing,  but  were  even  coj. 
,;?cted  into  a  book  by  a  friar  named  Deering.  The  very  industry  with 
which  the  original  inventors  of  this  grossly  impudent  imposture  caused  it 
to  be  noised  abroad  compelled  the  king  to  notice  it.  The  maid  of  Kent 
with  her  priestly  abettors  and  several  others  were  arrested,  and  without 
being  subjected  to  torture  made  full  confession  of  their  imposture,  and 
were  executed.  From  circumstances  which  were  discovered  during  the 
investigation  of  this  most  impudent  cheat,  it  but  foo  clearly  appeared  that 
the  so  called  holy  maid  of  Kent  was  a  woman  of  most  lewd  life,  and  that 
imposture  was  by  no  means  the  only  sin  in  which  Masters  and  Bockin<r 
had  been  her  accomplices. 

A.  D.  1535. — The  discoveries  of  gross  immorality  and  elaborate  cheating 
which  Jwere  made  during  the  investigation  of  the  affair  of  the  maid 
of  Kent  seems  to  us  to  have  been,  if  not  the  very  first,  at  all  events  the 
most  influential  of  the  king's  motives  to  his  subsequont  sweeping  and 
cruel  suppression  of  the  monasteries.  Having  on  thi^  ision  suppress- 
ed three  belonging  to  the  Observantine  friars,  the  •,  ttle  sensation 
their  loss  seemed  to  caust  among  the  common  peopU  ...y  naturally  led 
him  to  extend  his  views  still  farther  iu  a  course  so  productive  of  pecu- 
niary profit. 

But  at  present  he  required  some  farthe-  -satisfaction  of  a  more  terrible 
nature  for  the  wrong  and  insult  that  had  lately  been  done  to  him.  Fisher, 
bishop  of  Rochester,  in  common  with  Sii  Thomas  More,  had  been,  as  we 
already  mentioned,  committed  to  prison  for  objecting  to  take  the  oalh  of 
succession  as  settled  by  the  arbitrary  king  and  the  no  less  obsequious  par- 
liament. Unhappily  for  the  prelate,  though  a  good  and  even  a  learned 
man,  he  was  very  credulous,  and  he  had  been  among  the  believers  and, 
to  a  certain  extent,  among  the  supporters  of  the  impudent  Elizabeth  Bar- 
ton. Still  more  unhappily  for  the  aged  prelate,  while  he  already  lay  so 
deeply  in  the  king's  displeasure,  and  after  he  had  for  a  whole  year  been 
confined  with  such  severity  that  he  was  often  in  want  of  common  iieees. 
Baries,  the  pope  created  him  a  cardinal.  This  decided  the  fate  of  the  un- 
fortunate prelate,  who  was  at  once  indicted  under  the  act  of  supremacy 
and  beheaded. 

The  death  of  Fisher  was  almost  instantly  followed  by  that  of  the  learn- 
ed, though,  as  we  have  seen,  bigoted  and  sometimes  cruel  Sir  Thomas 
More.  His  objections  to  taking  the  new  oath  of  succession  seem  to  have 
been  perfectly  sincere  and  were  perfectly  insuperable.  We  learn  from 
himself  that  it  was  intimated  to  h>m  by  Cromwell,  now  in  high  favour, 
that  unless  he  could  show  him  reasons  for  his  determined  refusal,  it  would 


THE  TREAflDRY  OP  HISTORY. 


459 


jeded  without 
lowerful  calh- 
rincs,  being  oi 
mity  as  usual 
he  wondering 
3y  alledged  to 
es,  encouraged 
jeth  Biirion  of 
igainsl  Henry's 
,  of  Kent  were 
3vil  to  tlie  king 
1  was  not  only 
riars  who,  most 
were  even  col- 
y  industry  with 
josture  caused  it 
e  maid  of  Kent 
;ed,  and  without 
f  imposture,  and 
vered  during  the 
rly  appeared  that 
3wd  life,  and  that 
ers  and  Booking 

elaborate  cheating 
■air  of  the  maid 
It  all  events  the 
nt  sweeping  and 
\3ioii  suppress- 
ttle  sensation 
...y  naturally  led 
Dductive  of  pecu- 

f  a  more  terrible 
„  to  him.    Fisher, 
!,  had  been,  as  we 
J  take  the  oath  ol 
ss  obsequious  par- 
d  even  a  learned 
the  believers  and, 
eiit  Elizabeth  Bar- 
bs already  lay  ^ 
whole  year  been 
f  common  neees- 
he  fate  of  the  un- 
act  of  supremacy 


most  probably  be  set  down  to  the  account  of  obstinacy.  His  own  version 
of  the  dialogue  between  himself  and  Cromwell  is  so  curious  that  we  ex- 
tract  the  following  from  it. 

MoRB  said  (in  reply  to  the  above  argument  of  Cromwell)  "  it  is  no  ob- 
stinacy, but  only  the  fear  of  giving  offence.  Let  me  have  sufficient  war- 
rant from  the  king  that  he  will  not  be  offended  and  I  will  give  my 
reasons." 

Cromwell. — "The  king's  warrant  would  not  save  you  from  the  penal- 
lies  enacted  by  the  statute." 

More.—"  In  this  case  I  will  trust  to  his  majesty's  honour ;  but  yet  it 
thinkcth  me,  that  if  I  cannot  declare  the  causes  without  peril,  then  to 
leave  them  undeclared  is  no  obstinacy." 

Cromwell. — "  You  say  that  you  do  not  blame  any  man  for  taking  the 
oatii,  it  is  then  evident  that  you  are  not  convinced  that  it  is  blameable 
to  take  it ;  but  you  must  be  convinced  that  it  is  your  duty  to  obey  the 
idng.  In  refusing,  therefore,  to  take  it,  you  prefer  that  which  is  uncertain 
to  that  which  is  certain." 

More.—"  I  do  not  blame  men  for  taking  the  oath,  because  I  know  not 
tiieir  reasons  and  motives ;  but  I  should  blame  myself  because  I  know 
that  I  should  act  against  my  conscience.  And' truly  such  reasoning 
would  ease  us  of  all  perplexity.  Whenever  doctors  disagree  we  have 
only  to  obtain  the  king's  commandment  for  either  side  of  the  question  and 
we  must  be  right." 

Abbot  of  Westminster. — "  But  you  ought  to  think  your  own  conscience 
jroneous  when  you  have  the  whole  council  of  the  nation  against  you." 

More.—"  And  so  I  should,  had  I  not  for  me  a  still  greater  council,  the 
whole  council  of  Christendom." 

More's  talents  and  character  made  him  to  >  potent  an  opponent  of  the 
king's  arbitrary  will  to  allow  of  his  being  spared.  To  condemn  him  was 
not  difncult ;  the  king  willed  his  condemnation,  and  he  was  condemned 
accordingly.  If  in  his  day  of  power  More,  unfortunately,  showed  that  he 
knew  how  to  inflict  evil,  so  now  in  his  fail  he  sfcowed  the  far  nobler  pow- 
er of  bearing  it.  In  his  happier  days  he  had  been  noted  for  a  certain  jocu- 
lar phraseology,  and  this  did  not  desert  him  even  in  the  last  dreadful 
scene  of  all.  Being  somewhat  infirm,  he  craved  the  assistance  of  a  by- 
slander  as  he  mounted  the  scaffold  ;  saying,  •'  Friend,  help  me  up,  when 
I  come  down  again  you  may  e'en  let  me  shift  for  myself."  When  the 
ceremonies  were  at  an  end  the  executioner  in  the  customary  terms  begged 
ills  forgiveness  ;  "  I  forgive  you,"  he  replied,  "  but  you  will  surely  get  no 
credit  by  the  job  of  beheading  me,  my  neck  is  so  'short."  Even  as  he 
laid  his  head  upon  the  block  he  said,  putting  aside  the  long  beard  he  wore, 
"Do  not  hurt  my  beard,  that  at  least  has  committed  no  treason."  These 
words  uttered,  the  executioner  proceeded  with  his  revolting  task,  and 
Sir  Thomas  More,  learned,  though  a  bigot,  and  a  good  man,  though  at  times 
a  persecutor,  perished  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age. 

A.  D.  I53G. — While  the  court  of  Rome  was  exerting  itself  to  the  utmost 
to  show  its  deep  sense  of  the  indignation  it  felt  at  the  execution  of  two 
such  men  as  Fisher  and  More,  an  event  took  place  in  England  which,  in 
Christian  charity,  we  are  bound  to  believe  gave  a  severe  shock  even  to 
the  hard  heart  of  Henry.  Though  the  divorced  Catherine  had  resolutely 
persisted  in  being  treated  as  a  queen  by  all  who  approached  her,  she 
had  suffered  with  so  dignified  a  patience  that  she  was  the  more  deeply 
sympathized  with.  But  the  stern  effort  with  which  she  bore  her  wrongs 
was  too  much  for  her  already  broken  constitution.  Perceiving  that 
her  days  on  earth  were  numbered,  she  besought  Henry  that  she  might 
once  more  look  upon  her  child,  the  princess  Mary  ;  to  the  disgrace  of  our 
common  nature,  even  this  request  was  sternly  denied.  She  then  wrote 
m  a  letter,  so  affecting,  that  even  he  shed  tears  over  it,  in  which  she, 


I  ^ 


r'^i 


mm 


460 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY, 


gentle  and  submissive  to  the  last  in  all  save  the  one  great  point  of  her 
wrongs,  called  him  her  "dear  lord,  king,  and  husband,"  besought  his  affec. 
tion  for  their  child,  and  reconunended  her  servants  to  his  goodness.  Her 
letter  so  moved  him  that  he  sent  her  a  kind  message,  but  ere  the  bearer 
of  it  could  arrive  she  was  released  from  her  suffering  and  wronged  life. 
Henry  caused  his  servants  to  go  into  deep  mournirg  on  the  day  of  her 
funeral,  which  was  celebrated  with  great  pomp  at  Peterborough  cathedral. 

Whatever  pity  we  may  feel  for  the  subsequent  sufferings  of  Quceti 
Anne  Boleyn,  it  is  impossible  to  withhold  our  disgust  from  her  conduct  on 
this  occasion.  Though  the  very  menials  of  her  husband  wore  at  least 
the  ouiwHrd  show  of  sorrow  for  the  departed  Catherine,  Anne  Boleyn  on 
that  day  dressed  herself  more  showily  than  usual,  and  expressed  a  per- 
fectly savage  exultation  that  now  she  might  consider  herself  a  quAn  in- 
deed, as  her  rival  was  dead. 

Her  exultation  was  as  short  lived  as  it  was  unwomanly.  In  the  very 
midst  of  her  joy  she  saw  Henry  paying  very  unequivocal  court  to  one  of 
her  ladies,  by  name  Jane  Seymour,  and  she  was  so  much  enraged  and  as- 
tonished that,  being  far  advanced  in  pregnancy,  she  was  prematurely  de- 
livered of  a  still-born  prince.  Henry,  notoriously  anxious  for  legitimate 
male  issue,  was  cruel  enough  to  reproach  her  with  this  occurrence,  wlien 
she  spiritedly  replied,  that  he  had  only  himself  to  blame,  the  miscliief  be 
ing  entirely  caused  by  his  conduct  with  her  maid. 

This  answer  completed  the  king's  anger,  and  that  feeling,  with  his  new- 
passion  for  Jane  Seymour,  caused  ruin  to  Anne  Boleyn  even  ere  she  had 
ceased  to  exult  over  the  departed  Catherine. 

Her  levity  of  manner  had  already  enabled  her  foes  to  poison  the  ready 
ear  of  the  king,  and  his  open  anger  necessarily  caused  those  foes  to  be 
still  more  busy  and  precise  in  their  whisperings.  Being  present  at  a  tiU- 
ing  match,  she,  whether  by  accident  or  design,  let  fall  her  handkerchief 
exactly  at  the  feet  of  Sir  Henry  Norris  and  her  brother,  Lord  lloohford 
who  at  that  moment  were  the  combatants.  At  any  other  time  it  is  liiicly 
that  Henry  would  have  let  so  trivial  an  accident  pass  unnoticed.  But  his 
jealousy  was  already  aroused,  his  love,  such  as  it  was,  had  already  burnt 
out,  and,  above  all,  he  had  already  cast  his  eyes  on  Jane  Seymour,  and 
was  glad  of  any  excuse,  good  or  bad,  upon  which  to  rid  himself  of  Anne. 
Sir  Henry  Norris,  who  was  a  reputed  favourite  of  the  queen,  not  only 
raised  the  handkerchief  from  the  ground,  but  used  it  to  wipe  his  face,  be 
ing  heated  with  the  sport.  The  king's  dark  looks  lowered  upon  all  pres- 
ent, and  he  instantly  withdrew  in  one  of  those  moods  in  which  few  caret' 
to  meet  him  and  none  dared  to  oppose  his  will.  On  the  next  morning 
Lord  Rochford  and  Sir  Henry  Norris  were  arrested  ?nd  thrown  into  the 
Tower,  and  Anne  herself,  while  on  her  way  from  Greenwich  to  London, 
was  met  by  Cromwell  and  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  and  by  them  informed 
that  she  was  accused  of  infidelity  to  the  king ;  and  she,  too,  vvi\s  taken  to 
the  Tower,  as,  charged  with  being  her  accomplices,  were  Brerelon,  Wes- 
ton, and  Smeaton,  three  gentlemen  of  the  court. 

Well  knowing  the  dangler  she  was  in  when  once  charged  with  such  an 
offence  against  such  a  husband,  she  instantly  became  hysterical ;  nowde- 
daring  her  innocence  with  the  bitterest  tears,  and  anon  relying  upon  the 
impossibility  of  any  one  proving  her  guilty.  "  If  any  man  accuse  me," 
said  she  to  the  lieutenant  of  the  Tower,  "  I  can  but  say  nay,  and  they  can 
bring  no  witnesses." 

Anne  now  had  to  experience  some  of  that  heartless  indifference  which 
Bhe  had  so  needlessly  and  disgracefully  exhibited  in  the  case  of  the  unfor- 
tunate and  blameless  Catherine.  At  the  head  of  the  comtnission  ol 
twenty-six  peers  who  were  appointed  to  try  her,  on  the  revolting  charge 
of  gross  infidelity  with  no  fewer  than  five  men,  including  her  own  hall 
brother,  this  unfortunate  lady  had  the  misery  to  see  her  own  uncle,  the 


THE  THEASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


4» 


tm  of  N'orMk,  and  to  see,  ton,  that  in  him  she  had  a  judge  who  was  far 
enough  from  being  prejudiced  in  her  favour.  She  was,  as  a  matter  of 
jourse,  found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  death,  the  mode  by  fire  or  by  the 
ue  being  left  to  the  king's  pleasure. 

We  have  seen  that  Anne  had  in  her  prosperity  been  favourable  to  the 
reformed;  and  as  Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  well  known 
loliave  great  influence  over  Henry,  the  unhappy  Anno  probably  hoped 
that  he  would  exert  it,  at  the  least,  to  save  her  life.  If  she  entertained 
such  hope,  she  was  bitterly  disappointed.  Henry,  who  seems  to  have 
feared  some  such  humanity  on  the  part  of  Cranmer,  sent  to  him  to  pro- 
nounce sentence  against — as  formerly  he  had  pronounced  it  for — the 
original  validity  of  Anne's  marriage  with  Henry.  Cranmer,  learned  and 
pious,  wanted  only  moral  courage  to  have  been  a  thoroughly  great  and 
good  man;  but  of  moral  courage  he  seems,  save  in  the  closing  act  of  his 
life,  to  have  been  thoroughly  destitute.  Upon  whatever  proofs  the  king 
chose  to  furnish  for  his  guidance,  he,  after  a  mere  mockery  of  trial,  and 
with  an  affectation  of  solenniity  and  sincerity  which  was  actually  impious, 
pronounced  the  desired  sentence;  and  thus  declared  against  the  legitimacy 
of  the  princess  Elizabeth,  as  he  had  already  done  in  the  case  of  the  prin^ 
cess  Mary. 

Anne  was  not  allowed  to  suffer  long  suspense  after  her  iniquitous  con 
demnation ;  iniquitous,  even  if  she  really  was  guilty,  inasmuch  as  her  trial 
was  a  mere  mockery.  She  was  kept  for  a  few  days  in  the  Tower,  where, 
with  a  better  spirit  than  she  had  formerly  shown,  she  besought  the  for- 
giveness of  the  princess  Mary  for  the  numerous  injuries  she  had  done  her 
through  her  deceased  mother ;  and  was  then  publicly  beheaded  on  the 
Tower  green,  the  executioner  severing  her  head  at  one  stroke. 

OfHenry's  feelings  on  the  occasion  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  than 
that  he  put  on  no  mourning  for  the  deceased  Anne,  but  on  the  very  morn- 
ing after  her  execution  was  married  to  Jane  Seymour. 

As  to  Anne's  guilt,  we  think  it  most  likely  that  both  friends  and  foes 
judged  amiss.  Her  general  levity  and  many  circumstances  which  would 
beoutof  place  here,  forbid  us  to  believe  her  wholly  innocent;  and  we 
are  the  more  likely  to  err  in  doing  so,  because  our  chief  argument  in  her 
favour  must  be  drawn  from  the  character  of  her  husband,  of  whom  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  once  at  least  he  certainly  was  wronged  by  a  wife. 
On  the  other  hand,  to  believe  her  as  guilty  as  she  has  been  represented, 
islo  throw  aside  all  considerations  of  the  utter  impossibility  of  her  hav- 
ing thus  long  hcen  so,  without  being  detected  by  the  numerous  enemies 
with  whom  her  supplanting  Catherine  and  her  patronage  of  the  reformed 
faith  must  needs  have  caused  to  surround  her  during  the  whole  of  her  ill- 
fated  elevation. 

A  new  parliament  was  now  called  to  pass  a  new  act  of  succession,  by 
which  the  crown  was  settled  on  such  children  as  he  might  have  by  his 
present  queen,  Jane  Seymour ;  and  failing  such,  the  disposal  of  the  crown 
was  left  to  Henry's  last  will  signed  by  his  own  hand.  It  was  thought 
from  this  last  named  clause  that  Henry,  fearing  to  leave  no  legitimate 
male  successor,  wished  in  that  case  to  have  tlie  power  of  leaving  the 
crown  to  his  illegitimate  son,  young  Fitzroy,  who,  however,  to  He'iry'a 
freat  sorrow,  died  shortly  afterward. 

Henry  seems  to  have  been  much  grieved  by  the  death  of  Fitzrov,but  ha 
was  prevented  from  long  indulging  in  that  grief  by  a  very  formidable  in- 
surrection which  broke  out  in  the  October  of  this  year.  The  apathy  with 
whieh  the  people  had  witnessed  the  dissolution  and  forfeiture  of  three 
monasteries  on  occasion  of  the  detection  of  the  fraud  of  Elizabeth  Darton, 
jiad  naturally  encouraged  Henry  to  look  forward  to  that  sort  of  summary 
justice  as  a  sure  and  abundant  source  of  revenue.  So  extended  was  his 
influence  that  he  had  even  found  members  of  convocation  to  propose  the 


ii 


MM 


m 


'l  fk 


,  V  n 


i 


1G3 


THE  TftEASimY  OP  HISTORY. 


BurrenJer  of  the  lesser  monasteries  into  his  hands.  It  was  probably  one 
of  the  chief  causes  of  his  determined  enmity  to  his  old  tutor  and  council 
lor,  Fishtr,  bishop  of  Rochester,  that  that  excellent  prelate  made  a  very 
pithy,  though  quaint  opposition  to  this  proposal,  on  the  ground  that  it 
would  infallibly  throw  the  greater  monasteries  also  into  the  king's  hands 
Subsequently  to  the  affair  of  the  maid  of  Kent,  tlie  king  and  his  ministei 
Cromwell  had  proceeded  to  great  lengths  in  dissolving  the  lesser  monas. 
teries,  ami  confiscating  their  property.  The  residents,  the  poor  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  receive  doles  of  food  at  the  gates  of  these  houses 
and  the  nobility  and  gentry  by  whom  the  monasteries  had  been  founded 
and  endowed,  were  all  greatly  offended  by  the  sweeping  and  arbitrary 
measures  of  the  blacksmith's  son,  as  they  termed  (Jroniwell,  and  the  re- 
trenchment of  several  holidays,  and  the  abolition  of  several  superstitious 
practices  which  had  been  very  gainful  to  the  clergy,  at  length  caused  an 
open  manifestation  of  discontent  in  Lincolnshire.  Twenty  thousand  men 
headed  by  Prior  Mackrel,  of  Barlings,  rose  in  arms  to  demand  the  putting 
down  of "  persons  meanly  born  and  raised  to  dignity,"  evidently  aiming  at 
Cromwell,  and  the  redress  of  divers  grievances  under  which  they  staled 
the  church  to  be  labouring.  Henry  sent  the  duke  of  Suffolk  against  this 
tumultuous  multitude,  and  by  a  judicious  mixture  of  force  and  fair  words 
the  leaders  were  taken,  and  forthwith  executed,  and  the  multitude,  of 
course,  dispersed. 

But  in  the  counties  further  north  than  Lincolnshire  the  discoi  tents 
were  equally  great,  and  were  the  more  dangerous  becjause  more  distance 
from  the  chief  seat  of  the  king's  power  rendered  the  revolted  bolder, 
Under  a  gentleman  named  Aske,  aided  by  some  of  the  better  sort  of  those 
who  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  escape  the  breaking  up  of  the  Lincoln- 
ssliue  confederacy,  upwards  of  forty  thousand  men  assembled  from  the 
counties  of  York,  Durham,  and  Lancaster,  for  what  they  nailed  thepilgnm' 
aae  of  grace.  For  their  banner  they  had  an  embroidery  of  a  crucifix,  a 
chalice,  and  the  five  wounds  of  the  Saviour,  and  each  man  who  ranged 
himself  under  this  banner  was  required  to  swear  that  he  had  "entered 
into  the  pilgrimage  of  grace  from  no  other  motive  than  his  love  of  God, 
care  of  the  king's  person  and  issue,  desire  of  purifying  the  nobility,  of 
driving  base  persons  from  about  the  king,  of  restoring  the  church,  and  of 
supprcssin<f  heresy." 

But  the  absence  of  all  other  motive  may,  in  the  case  of  not  a  few  of 
these  rcvolters  be  very  reasonably  doubted,  when  with  the  oath  taken  by 
each  recruit  who  joined  the  disorderly  ranks  we  take  into  coinparison  the 
style  of  circular  by  which  recruits  were  invited,  which  ran  thus:— "We 
command  you  and  every  of  you  to  be  at  (here  the  particular  place  was 
named)  on  Saturday  next  by  eleven  of  the  clock,  in  your  best  array,  aj 
you  will  ansirer  before  the  hj^rh  judge  at  the  great  day  of  doom,  and  in  the 
pain  of  puiling  down  your  houses  and  the  losing  of  your  goods,  and  your 
bodies  to  he  at  the  captain's  will." 

Confident  in  their  numbers,  the  concealed,  but  real  leaders  of  the  en- 
terprise caused  Aske  to  send  delegates  to  the  king  to  hy  their  demands 
before  hini.  The  king's  written  answer  bears  several  marks  of  the  an- 
noyance he  felt  that  a  body  of  low  peasants  shoidd  venture  to  trench  upon 
subjects  upon  which  he  flattered  himself  that  he  was  not  unequal  to  the 
most  learned  clerks.  Fie  told  them  that  he  greatly  marvelled  how  such 
ignorant  churls  should  speak  of  theological  subjects  to  him  who  something  had 
been  noted  to  be  learned,  or  oppose  the  suppression  of  monasteries,  as  if  it 
were  not  bciter  to  relieve  the  head  of  the  church  in  his  necessity,  than  to 
Bupport  the  shtth  and  wickedness  of  monks."  As  it  was  very  requisite, 
however,  to  break  up  as  peaceably  as  possible,  an  assemblage  which  its 
mere  nnnibers  would  render  it  somewhat  difl[icult  as  well  as  dangerous  to 
disperse  by  main  force,  Henry  at  the  same  time  promised  that  he  wouk' 


THE  TRBABUaY  OP  HI3T0IIY 


463 


remedy  such  of  their  ^'rievances  as  might  seem  to  need  remedy.  This 
promise  being  unfulfilled,  the  same  counties  m  the  following  year  (1537) 
again  assembled  their  armed  masses.  The  duke  of  Norfolk,  ns  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  king's  forces,  posted  himself  so  advantageously 
that  when  the  insurgents  endeavoured  to  surprise  Hull,  and,  subsequently, 
Carlisle,  he  was  able  to  beat  them  easily.  Nearly  all  the  le-idiiig  men 
were taktn  prisoners  and  sent  to  London,  where  they  were  shortly  after- 
wards executed  as  traitors.  With  the  common  sort,  of  whom  vast  num- 
bers were  taken  prisoners,  there  was  less  ceremony  used ;  they  were 
hanged  ip  "by  scores,"  says  Lingard,  in  all  the  principal  towns  of  the 
chief  scene  of  revolt.  When  by  this  wholesale  shedding  of  human  blood 
tlie  i(ing  bad  at  length  appeased  his  wrath  and  that  appetite  fur  cruelty 
whicli  every  year  grew  more  and  more  fierce,  tiie  proclamation  of  a  gen- 
eral pardon  restored  peace  to  the  nation. 

The  chief  plea  for  the  late  insurrection  had  been  the  suppression  of  the 
lesser  monasteries.  That  Henry  had  from  the  very  first,  according  to 
the  shrewd  prophecy  of  Fisher,  bishop  of  Rochester,  intended  to  go  from 
the  lesser  up  to  the  greater,  there  is  no  doubt ;  and  the  part  which  the 
monasteries  had  taken  in  encouraging  the  pilgrimage  of  grace,  only  made 
him  the  more  determined  in  that  course.  The  ever  obsequious  parlia- 
ment showed  the  same  willingness  to  pass  an  act  for  the  suppression  of 
the  remaiiiinff  and  greater  monasteries  that  had  so  often  been  shown  in 
far  less  creditable  affairs;  and  of  twenty-eight  mitred  abbots — exclusive 
of  the  priors  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem  and  Coventry — who  had  seats  in 
the  house  of  lords,  not  one  dared  to  raise  his  voice  against  a  measure 
which  must  have  been  so  distasteful  to  them  all. 

Commissioners  were  appointed  to  visit  the  monasteries.  That  there 
were  great  disorders  in  many  of  them,  that  the  burden  they  inflicted  upon 
the  capital  and  the  industry  of  the  country  far  outweighed  the  good  done 
to  the  poor  of  tlie  country — a  class,  be  it  remembered,  which  the  monastic 
doles  had  a  most  evil  tendency  to  increase — and  that  they  ought  to  have 
been  suppressed,  no  reasonable  rnan  in  the  present  state  of  political 
silence  will  venture  to  deny.  It  may  be,  nay  it  is  but  too  certain,  that  the 
innoeenl  and  the  guilty  in  some  cases  were  confounded;  that  numbers  of 
people  were  thrown  out  of  employment,  and  that  with  a  vast  amount  of 
goiid some  evil  was  done;  that  Henry  even  in  doing  good  could  not  re- 
frain from  a  tyrannous  strain  of  conduct;  and  that  much  of  tiic  property 
thus  wrested  from  superstition  was  lavished  upon  needy  or  upon  profligate 
courtiers,  instead  of  being,  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  made  a  permanent 
Uiitiuiial  property  in  aid  of  the  religious  and  civil  expenses  of  the  nation. 
Bat  after  admitting  all  this,  it  is  quite  certain  that,  however  prompted  or 
however  enacted,  this  suppression  of  the  monasteries  by  Henry  VHI.  was 
the  most  important  measure  since  the  Norman  conquest,  and  was  the 
measure  which  gave  the  first  impulse  to  England  in  that  march  of  reso- 
lute industry  whicli  has  long  since  left  her  with  scarcely  a  rival  upon  the 
earth,  whether  in  wealth  or  in  power. 

While,  however,  we  for  the  sake  of  argument  admit  that  Henry  was 
arhiirary  lit  his  conduct  towards  the  monasteries,  and  that  his  commis- 
sioners were  infinitely  less  anxious  for  truth  than  for  finding  out  or  invent- 
ing causes  of  confiscation,  we  are  not  the  less  bound  to  assert  that,  even 
for  the  single  sin  of  imposture,  the  monasteries  required  the  full  weight  of 
■he  iron  hand  of  Henry.  OT  the  gross  frauds  which  were  committed  for 
Ihe  purpose  of  attracting  the  attention  and  the  money  of  the  credulous  to 
particular  monusterics,  our  space  will  only  allow  of  our  mentioning  two, 
which,  indeed,  will  sufficiently  speak  for  the  rest. 

At  the  monastery  of  Hales,  in  Gloucestershire,  the  relic  upon  "'hich  the 
monks  relied  for  profit— every  monastery  liaving  relics,  some  of  which 
must  have  had  the  power  of  ubiquity,  it  being  a  fact  that  many  monasteries 


4M 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


at  home  nnd  abroiid  liavo  prrtciidcd  to  possess  tlio  same  especial  toe  oi 
finger  of  this,  that,  or  the  other  samt !— was  said  to  bo  some  of  the  til  ,o\ 
of  our  Saviour  whicii  had  been  prc>ervcd  at  tiic  lime  of  the  crufifixion 
In  proportion  to  the  enthusiasm  wliich  such  a  pretence  was  calcuhtpf]  to 
awaken  amonjj  people  who  were  as  warmly  and  sincerely  pious  as  thoy 
were  ieuoraiit,  was  the  abominable  guilt  of  this  imposture.  Hut  tlip  nure 
and  naked  lie,  bad  as  it  was,  formed  only  u  part  of  the  awful  guilt  of  these 
monks.  They  pretended  that  this  blood,  though  held  before  the  eyvs  o| 
a  man  in  mortal  sin,  would  be  invisible  to  him,  and  would  eontiaue  lobe 
BO  until  he  should  have  performed  good  works  sufficient  for  his  iib.solution 
Such  a  talc  was  abundantly  sunicieni  to  enrich  the  monastery,  but  when 
the  "visitors"  were  sent  thitlier  by  the  king,  the  whole  secret  of  the  im- 
pudent fraud  at  once  became  apparent.  The  phial  in  which  the  blood  wa.i 
exhibited  to  ihe  credulous  was  transparent  on  one  side,  but  complelely 
opaque  on  the  other.  Into  this  phial  tlic  senior  monks,  who  aloiio  wery 
in  the  secret,  every  week  put  some  fresh  blood  of  a  duck.  When  the  nil. 
grim  desired  to  be  shown  the  blood  of  the  Saviour  the  opaque  side  of  ihe 
phial  was  turned  towards  him ;  he  was  thus  convinced  that  he  was  in 
mortal  sin,  and  induced  to  "perform  good  works,"  i.  e.,  to  be  fooled  out 
of  his  money,  until  the  monks,  finding:  that  ho  could  or  would  give  no 
more  at  that  time  turned  the  transparent  side  of  the  phial  to  him,  and  sent 
him  on  his  way  rejoicing  and  eager  to  send  other  dupes  to  the  monks  of 
Elalcs. 

At  Boxley,  near  Maidstone,  in  Kent,  there  was  kept  a  crucifix  called  the 
rood  of  grace,  the  lips,  eyes,  and  head  of  which  were  seen  to  move  when 
Ihe  pilgrim  approached  it  with  such  gifts  as  were  satisfactory ;  at  tlie  desire 
of  Hilsey,  bishop  of  Rochester,  this  miraculous  crucifix  was  taken  to  Lon- 
don and  publicly  pulled  to  pieces  at  Paul's  cross,  when  it  was  made  clear 
that  the  image  was  filled  with  wheels  and  springs  by  which  the  so-called 
miraculous  motions  were  regulated  by  the  olRciating  priests,liturally  as  the 
temper  of  tluMr  customers  required. 

How  serious  a  tax  the  pretended  miraculous  images  and  genuine  relics 
levied  upon  the  peojile  of  the  whole  kingdom,  we  may  judge  from  the  fact, 
that  of  upwards  of  six  hundred  monasteries  and  two  thousand  chantries  and 
chapels  which  Henry  at  various  times  demolished,  comparatively  few  were 
wholly  free  from  this  worst  of  impostures,  while  the  sums  received  by 
some  of  them  individually  may  be  called  enormous.    For  instance,  the 
pilgrims  to  the  tomb  of  St.  Thomas  fi  Deckct  paid  upwards  of  nine  luiii. 
dred  pounds  in  one  year— or  something  very  like  three  thousand  pouiidj 
of  our  present  money  !     The  knowledge  of  such  a  disgraceful  fact  as  this 
would  of  itself  have  justified  Henry  in  adopting  moderately  stroii;;  mea- 
sures to  put  an  end  to  the  "  Pilgrimage  to  Canterbury."    Hut  moderalimi 
was  not  Henry's  characteristic,  and  liecket  was  a  saint  especially  hateful 
to  him  as  having  fought  the  battle  of  the  triple  crown  of  Rome  ajr ainst  the 
king  of  England.     Not  content,  therefore,  with  taking  the  proper  measures 
of  mere  policy  that  were  required^o  put  an  end  to  a  sortof  plundc.  so  dis- 
graceful, Henry  ordered  the  saint  who  had  reposed  for  centuries  in  the 
tomb  to  be  formally  cited  to  appear  in  court  to  answer  to  an  information 
laid  against  him  by  the  king's  attorney  I    "  It  had  been  suggested,"  says 
Dr.  Lingard,  "  that  as  long  as  the  name  of  St.  Thomas  of  Canterbury 
should  remain  in  the  calendar  men  would  be  stimulated  by  his  example  to 
brave  the  ecclesiastical  authority  of  their  sovereign.    The  king's  attorney 
was  therefore  instructed  to  exhibit  an  information  against  him,  and  Tho- 
iims  ?i  Becket,  sometime  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  formally  cited  to 
appear  in  court  and  answer  to  the  charge.    The  interval  of  thirty  days 
allowed  by  the  canon  law  was  sufTered  to  elapse,  and  still  the  saint 
neglected  to  quit  the  tomb  in  which  he  had  reposed  for  two  centuries  and 
ft  half,  and  judgment  would  have  been  given  against  him  by  default,  had 


TUB  TllKA8i;ilY  O'S  IIIMTOIIY. 


4fi5 


not  l!ic  king  of  his  special  grace  assiKricd  him  counsel.  Tho  court  sat  at 
Westminster,  llie  atlorney-geiieral  and  llio  udvorato  of  the  accused  \ver« 
l.farJ,  and  sentence  was  finally  pronounced  that  Thomas,  sometirno  arch- 
(iishopof  Canterbury,  had  been  guilty  of  rebellion,  contumacy,  and  treason, 
ihat  his  boiica  should  be  publicly  burned  to  admonish  tho  living  of  their 
July  by  til'!  punishment  of  the  dead,  and  that  the  otreriiigs  which  had  been 
ilwdc  iit  his  siirinc,  tho  personal  property  of  the  reputed  saint  should  be 
forfti'cdto  the  crown.  A  commission  was  accordingly  issued,  tho  sen- 
tfiice  was  executed  in  due  form,  and  the  gold,  silver  and  jewels,  the  spoils 
obtaimd  by  the  demolition  of  the  shrine  were  conveyed  in  two  ponderous 
foiffrs,  to  ilie  royal  treasury.  The  people  were  soon  afterwards  informed 
by  a  royal  proclamation  that  Thomas  a  Uecket  was  no  saint,  but  rather  a 
ribii  aiul  a  traitor,  and  it  was  ordered  to  erase  his  name  out  of  all  books, 
under  pain  of  his  majesty's  indignation,  and  imprisonment  at  his  grace's 
plciisure." 

Wc  iiiive  selected  Lingard's  account  of  this  matter  because  that  histo- 
[i;in  lias  a  very  evident  leaning  to  the  catholic  side  of  every  question  of 
Kiigiisti  history,  and  yet  he,  unconsciously,  perhaps,  in  the  words  of  (he 
above  passage  which  we  have  printed  in  italics,  goes  far  towards  justifying 
lienry'ii  measures  against  tho  monkish  superstitions  and  impostures,  no 
mmr  what  his  motives  may  have  been.  What!  gold,  silver,  and  jewels 
ilius  abstracted  from  the  wealth  of  the  nation  and  made  perpetually  incon- 
vertible and  unproductive,  and  yet  the  keepers  of  the  shrine  of  tlie  pro- 
leiided  saint  and  miracle-worker  still  so  insatiate  that  they  drew  nearly 
ailiousand  poinids  of  the  money  of  that  time  in  a  single  year!  The  paf- 
iriest  smattering  of  true  political  economy  would  tell  us  that  such  a  state 
of  iliin!,'8,  existing  as  it  did  all  over  the  kingdom,  if  unchecked  for  but  a 
few  years  by  the  sovereign,  would  have  been  terminated  by  a  most  san- 
ciiiiiary  revolt  of  the  ruined  people,  whose  hunger  would  have  been  too 
siroiig  for  both  their  own  ignorance  and  the  villainy  and  ingenuity  of  their 
(ieluders.  And  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  although  Henry  was  unwisely, 
nay,  wickedly  profuse  of  the  property  which  he  recovered  from  a  set  of 
vili' corporations  which  had  obtained  possession  of  it  by  false  pretences, 
itwasof  only  a  part  of  this  property  that  he  thus  improperly  disposed. 
Kvery  monk  who  was  dispossessed  of  an  idle  ease  which  he  ought  never 
10  have  had,  received  a  yearly  allowance  of  eight  marks,  and  every  abbot 
and  prior  had  a  yearly  allowance  proportioned  to  his  character  and  the  in- 
come of  his  abbacy  or  priory.  Making  these  provisions  must  have  con- 
!iinicd  a  large  portion  of  the  money  realized  by  the  seizures  of  monastic 
property;  but,  besides  these,  the  king  made  and  endowed,  from  the  same 
source,  six  new  bishopricks,  Westminister,  Oxford,  Peterborough,  Bristol, 
Chester,  and  Gloucester.  When  these  facts  are  taken  into  the  account, 
llie  "profit"  derived  by  the  king,  that  the  vulgar  and  more  violently  pa- 
pistical writers  are  fond  of  talking  about,  will  be  found  to  amount  to  little 
indeed. 

Cardinal  Pole,  a  near  kinsman  of  Henry,  and  eminent  alike  for  talents 
and  virtue,  had  long  resided  on  the  continent,  and  to  his  powerful  and  ele- 
piit  pen  Henry  attributed  many  of  the  forcible,  eloquent — and  sometimes 
we  may  add,  scurrilous — declamations  which  the  papists  of  Italy  contin- 
ually sent  forth  against  him  whom  the  popedom  had  once  hailed  and  flat- 
lered  as  the  defender  of  the  faith,  but  whom  it  now  denounced  as  another 
Julian  alike  in  talents  and  in  apostacy.  Henry,  unable  to  decoy  the  as- 
tute cardinal  into  his  power,  arrested  and  put  to  death  first  the  brotherr 
and  then  the  mother  of  that  eminent  person,  the  venerable  countess  of  Sal 
isbury.  Real  charge  against  this  lady,  then  upwards  of  seventy  years  ol 
age,  there  was  none ;  but  the  ever  obsequious  parliament  passed  an  act 
ailainting  her  in  the  absence  of  any  trial  or  confession.  After  two  yean 
of  rigorous  confinement  in  the  Tower  of  London  the  countess  was  brougo 
Vol.  1.-30 


''hi 


I M 


'J 


466 


THB  TRBABURT  07  HISTORY. 


out  for  cxeculion ;  and  as  she  rerused  to  lay  her  head  upon  the  Mock,  the 
executioner's  assistant  had  to  place  her  and  keep  her  there  by  muin  force, 
and  oven  as  the  axe  descended  on  her  neck  she  cried  out  "  Ulcgged  are 
they  who  suffer  persecution  Tor  rigliteousnens  sake." 

At  the  dictation  of  Henry  the  parliament  now  passed  a  bill  which  dg 
clared  "  That  in  the  cucharist  is  really  presented  the  natural  body  of  Chrii 
under  the  forma  and  without  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine;  that  coq 
munion  in  both  kinds  is  not  necessary  to  the  soul's  health;  thut  priciu 
may  not  marry  by  the  laws  of  Uod;  that  vows  of  chastity  arc  to  bi;  ub. 
served;   that  private  masses  ought  to  be  retained;  and  that  tlic  ii>tc  of 
auricular  confession  is  expedient  and  necessary."    Heavy  penaliicg  were 
denounced  on  any  who  should  act  contrary  to  the  above  articles ;  and 
Cranmer,  who  had  for  many  years  been  married,  could  only  save  himself 
from  the  efTects  of  this  act — to  the  passing;  of  which  he  had  rnadfi  n  sioui 
but  ineflTcctual  opposition — by  sending  his  wife,  with  their  numerouu  chil- 
dren, to  Uerinany,  of  which  country  she  was  a  native. 

The  frequent  changes  which  had,  durin^^  a  quarter  of  a  century,  taken 
place  in  the  theological  opinions  of  the  king  himself,  did  not  by  any  means 
inspire  him  with  any  merciful  feeling  towards  those  whochanced  to  differ 
from  his  temporary  opinion ;  he  had  thrown  off  the  clerical  pope  of  Rome 
only  to  set  up  quite  as  "infallible"  a  pope  in  the  person  of  the  kin;  ol 
England.  A  London  schoolmaster,  named  Lambert,  was  unfortunate 
enough  to  contradict  a  sermon  of  Dr.  Taylor,  afterward  bishop  of  Lincoln, 
in  which  sermon  the  doctor  had  defended  the  prevalent  Catholic  doctrine 
of  the  "real  presence."  Lambert  had  already  been  imprisoned  for  his 
unsound  opinions,  but  having  learned  nothing  by  the  peril  he  had  so  nar- 
rowly escaped,  he  now  drew  up  formal  objections,  under  ten  heads. 
These  objections  he  made  known  to  Dr.  Barnes,  who  was  a  Liulicraii  and 
who  consequently  was  as  obnoxious  to  the  existing  law  as  Lambert,  whom 
he  caused  to  be  cited  before  Cranmer  and  Latimer.  They,  however  much 
they  might  agree  with  him  in  their  hearts,  did  not  dare  publicly  to  oppose 
themselves  to  the  standard  of  opinion  which  the  arbitrary  Henry  had  set 
up  under  the  protection  of  shocking  penalties,  but  they  took  a  middle 
course,  and  endeavoured  to  prevail  upon  Lambert  to  save  his  life  by  a 
timely  recantation;  but  he  appealed  from  their  judgment  to  that  of  the 
king  himself.  Henry,  ever  well  pleased  to  exercise  his  controversial 
powers,  caused  it  to  be  made  as  public  as  possible  that  he  would  in  pcr.iim 
try  the  soundness  of  Master  Lambert's  opinions.  Westminster  Hall  whs 
fitted  up  for  the  occasion  with  scaffoldings  and  seats  for  such  as  chose  to 
be  present,  and  the  king  took  his  seat  upon  the  throne,  clad  in  white  silk 
robes,  and  surrounded  by  the  bishops,  the  judges,  and  the  chief  officers  ol 
state.  Lambert's  articles  being  read,  the  king  in  a  set  speech  replied  '.o 
tlie  first ;  Cranmer,  Gardiner,  and  others  following  in  refutation  of  oiht;^ 
articles,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  arguments  which  lasted  fiv?  hours,  nnd 
in  which  the  king  was  as  grossly  flattered  as  the  poor  vain  schoolmaster 
was  unfairly  brow-beaten,  Henry  asked  the  poor  man  whether  the  argu- 
ments had  cleared  his  mind  of  doubts,  to  which  question  he  added  the  no 
less  interesting  one,  "Will  you  live  or  die  !"  Lambert,  unconvinced  by 
all  that  he  had  heard,  noticed  only  the  last  part  of  the  king's  speech,  and 
replied,  that  for  his  life  he  would  hold  it  at  his  majesty's  gracious  mercy; 
to  which  Henry  ungraciously,  not  to  say  cruelly,  assured  him,  that  he  was 
not  minded  to  show  himself  the  patron  of  heretics,  and  Cromwell  was 
ordered  to  pass  sentence  on  the  prisoner,  whose  chief  offence  seems  to 
have  been  his  folly  in  craving  the  notice  of  the  king  by  a  most  gratnitous 
and  useless  display  of  opinions  which  no  earthly  power  could  have  pre 
vented  him  from  enjoying  in  safety,  had  he  consented  to  do  so  in  secrecy 
The  unfortunate  man  was  burned  to  death,  and  as  he  was  supposed  to  be 
peraonally  obnoxious  to  Henry  from  having  ventured  publicly  to  dispuit 


Trul  or  Lambmit  bbfoiu  Hbnrt  VIII.  m  Wbitminitbb  Hall,. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


467 


with  him,  the  cruel  executioners  purposely  made  the  fire  so  slow  mat  hia 
legs  and  thighs  were  gradually  consumed  before  the  flames  even  ap- 
proaelied  any  vital  part.  The  long  tortures  to  which  this  poor  man  was 
subjected  at  length  so  greatly  disgusted  some  of  the  guards,  that  with  their 
halberts  they  threw  him  farther  into  the  flames,  and  he  there  perished, 
exclaiming  with  his  last  breath,  "  None  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ !" 
Many  other  cruel  executions  took  place  about  this  time. 

Ill  August,  1537,  Henry's  third  queen,  the  lady  Jane  Seymour,  gave 
birth  to  a  prince,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  king,  whose  joy,  however,  was 
much  dimmished,  when,  in  a  few  days,  this  best  beloved  and  most  amiable 
of  all  his  wives  died.  He  soon  after  commenced  negotiations  for  a  new 
marriage,  but  being  disappointed  in  his  views  on  the  duchess  dowager  of 
Longueville,  and  being  then  refused  by  Francis  permission  to  choose  be- 
tween the  tvfo  sisters  of  that  lady  precisely  as  he  would  have  chosen  sheep 
or  oxen,  he  was  persudded  by  Cromwell  to  demand  the  hand  of  Anne  oi 
Cleves,  sister  of  the  reigning  duke.  Her  portrait,  of  course  a  flattering 
one,  from  the  pencil  of  the  celebrated  Hans  Holbein,  caused  Henry  to 
fancy  himself  very  much  enamoured  of  her,  and  when  he  learned  that  she 
had  landed  at  Dover,  he  actually  rode  as  far  as  Rochester  in  disguise,  that 
he  might  unseen,  or  at  least  unknown,  have  a  glance  at  her  to,  in  his  own 
phrase,  "  nourisii  his  love."  This  glance,  however,  "  nursed"  a  very  dif- 
ferent feeling.  The  difference  between  the  delicate  limning  of  Hans  Hoi- 
bein,  and  the  especially  vast  person  and  coarse  complexion  of  the  lady, 
60  disgusted  and  surprised  Henry,  that  he  passionately  swore  that  they 
had  chcsen  him  not  a  woman  and  a  princess,  but  a  Flanders  mare  ;  and 
he  would  have  fain  sent  her  back  without  a  word  said  to  her,  but  that  he 
was  afraid  of  offending  the  German  princes  connected  with  her  brother, 
and  thus  raising  against  himself  a  too  powerful  coalition.  Detesting  the 
very  sight  of  Anne,  and  yet  feeling  obliged  to  marry  her,  the  king  was  not 
long  ere  he  made  the  full  weight  of  his  indignation  fall  upon  the  head  oi 
Cromwell.  That  too  servilely  obedient  minister  now  had  to  feel  in  per- 
son the  very  same  injustice  which,  at  his  instigation,  the  detestably  syco- 
phantic parliament  had  so  recently  inflicted  upon  the  venerable  countess 
of  Salisbury.  He  was  accused  of  high  treason,  denied  a  public  trial,  and 
a  bill  of  attainder  passed  both  houses,  without  even  one  of  the  many  whom 
he  had  befriended  having  the  generous  courage  to  show  that  gratitude  to 
him  which  he,  under  similar  circumstances,  had  shown  to  Cardinal  Wol- 
scy.  Having  got  judgment  passed  against  Cromwell,  Henry  now  turned 
his  attention  to  obtaining  a  divorce  from  Anne  of  Cleves.  Even  he  could 
scarcely  make  it  a  capital  offence  to  have  coarse  features  and  an  awkward 
figure ;  moreover,  the  influence  of  Anne's  brother  was  such  as  to  make  it 
unsafe  for  Henry  to  proceed  to  any  thing  like  violent  steps  against  her. 
Fortunately,  however,  for  the  comfort  of  both  parties,  if  he  viewed  her 
with  disgust,  she  viewed  him  with  the  most  entire  indifference;  and  she 
readily  consented  to  be  divorced  on  Henry  giving  her  three  thousand 
pounds  per  annum,  the  royal  palace  of  Richmond  for  a  residence,  and  such 
precedence  at  court  as  she  would  have  enjoyed  had  she  been  his  sister 
instead  of  being  his  divorced  wife. 

Six  days  after  the  passing  of  the  bill  of  attainder  against  Cromwell,  that 
minister  was  executed,  no  one  seeming  to  feel  sorrow  for  him  ;  tlie  poor 
haling  him  for  the  share  he  had  taken  in  the  suppression  of  the  monnste- 
fies,and  the  rich  detesting  him  for  having  risen  from  a  mere  peasant  birth 
to  rank  so  high  and  power  so  great. 

As  if  to  show  that  he  really  cared  less  for  either  protestantism  or  popery 
llianhe  did  for  his  own  will  and  pleasure,  tiie  king  ordered  just  now  the 
execution  of  Powel,  Abel,  and  Featherstone,  catholics  who  ventured  to 
deny  the  king's  supremacy,  and  of  Barnes,  Garret,  and  .lerome,  for  the 
apposite  offence  of  being  more  protestant  than  it  pleased  the  king  that 


06 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


they  should  be !  And  to  render  this  impartiality  in  despotism  the  mora 
awfully  impressive,  the  protestant  and  catholic  ofTcnders  were  drawn  to 
the  stake  in  Smithfield  on  the  same  huidle ! 

A.  n.  1541.— Though  the  king  had  now  been  married  four  times,  and 
certainly,  with  no  such  happiness  as  would  have  made  marriage  seem  so 
very  desirable,  the  divorce  from  Anne  of  Cleves  was  scarcely  accom- 
plished ere  his  council  me  moralised  him  to  take  another  wife,  and  lie 
complied  by  espousing  the  niece  of  the  dukf  of  Norfolk.  This  lady,  by 
name  Catherine  Howard,  was  said  to  have  v  an  the  heart  of  the  king  "  by 
her  notable  appearance  of  honour,  cleanliness,  and  maidenly  behav- 
iour," and  so  well  was  the  king  at  first  satisfied  with  this  his  fifih  wife, 
that  he  not  only  behaved  to  her  with  remarkable  tenderness  and  respect, 
but  even  caused  the  bishop  of  London  to  compose  a  form  of  thanksgivintr 
for  the  felicity  his  majesty  enjoyed.  But  the  new  queen,  being  a  catholic', 
had  many  enemies  among  the  reformers ;  and  mtelligence  was  soon 
brought  to  Cranmer  of  such  conduct  on  the  part  of  Catherine  before  mar- 
riage as  he  dared  not  conceal  from  the  king,  though  it  was  by  no  means  a 
safe  thing  to  speak  upon  so  delicate  a  matter.  In  fact,  so  much  did  Cran- 
mer dread  the  violent  temper  of  the  king,  that  he  committed  the  painful 
intelligence  to  writing.  Henry  was  at  first  perfectly  incredulous  as  to  ii  e 
guilt  of  a  woman  whose  manners  and  appearance  had  so  greatly  imposed 
upon  him.  He  ordered  her  arrest,  and  while  in  durance,  she  was  visited 
by  a  deputation  from  Henry  and  exhorted  to  speak  the  truth,  in  the  assu- 
rance that  her  husband  would  rejoice  at  her  innocence,  and  that  the  laws 
were  both  just  and  strong  enough  to  protect  her.  As  she  hesitated  to 
answer,  a  bill  of  attainder  was  passed  against  her,  and  then  she  confessed 
that  her  past  life  had  been  debauched,  to  an  extent  that  cannot  with  de- 
cency be  particularised.  It  must  suffice  to  say,  that  the  revolting  and 
gross  shamelessness  of  her  conduct  before  marriage,  as  deposed  by  oth- 
ers, and  in  general  terms  confessed  by  herself,  render  it  scarcely  possible 
for  any  one  acquainted  with  human  nature,  and  the  laws  of  evidence,  to 
place  the  slightest  reliance  upon  her  assertions  of  the  innocence  of  lier 

tiost-nuptial  conduct ;  though,  as  she  belonged  to  the  catholic  party,  the 
listorians  of  that  party  have  taken  some  pains  to  justify  her.  The  niosl 
abandoned  of  her  sex  might  blush  for  the  shameless  guilt  of  which  she 
had,  by  her  own  confession  been  guilty ;  and  the  historian  of  any  parly 
must  have  a  strange  notion  of  the  tenets  of  his  party,  and  of  the  true  na- 
ture of  his  own  vocation,  who  seeks  for  party -sake  to  prop  up  a  character 
80  loathsome. 

A.  D.  1342. — Having  put  the  shameless  wanton  to  death,  by  thetyran 
nous  mode  of  attainder,  together  with  her  paramours  and  her  confidante, 
that  unprincipled  lady  Rochfort,  who  had  taken  so  principal  a  part  in  the 
de  h  of  Anne  Boleyn,  Henry  caused  a  law  to  be  passed,  that  any  woman 
who  should  marry  him,  or  any  of  his  successors,  should,  if  incontinent 
before  marriage,  reveal  that  disgrace  on  pain  of  death  ;  on  the  passing  of 
which  law  the  people  jocosely  remarked  that  the  king's  best  plan  would 
bo  to  take  a  widow  for  his  next  wife. 

Henry  now  employed  some  time  in  mitigating  the  severe  six  articles 
80  far  as  regarded  the  marriage  of  priests  ;  but  he  made,  at  the  same  time, 
considerable  inroads  upon  the  property  of  both  the  regular  and  secular 
clcr^'y*  Still  brnt  upon  upholding  and  exerting  his  supremacy,  he  also 
encouraged  appeals  from  the  spiritual  to  the  civil  courts,  of  whicli  Hume 
as  pithily  as  justly  says  that  it  was  "a  happy  innovation,  though  at  first 
invented  for  arbitrary  purposes."  He  now  also  issued  a  small  volume  en- 
titled "The  Institution  of  a  Christian  Man,"  in  which  in  his  usual  arbi 
trary  style,  and  without  the  least  apparent  consciousness  of  the  inconsist' 
ent  veering  he  had  displayed  on  theological  subjects,  he  prescribed  to  hiJ 
people  how  they  should  believe  and  think  upon  the  delicate  matters  ol 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


460 


U»<tificatio'i,  free-will,  good-works,  and  grace,  with  as  much  coolness  as 
though  his  ordinances  hud  concerned  merely  the  fashion  of  a  jerk  in,  or  the 
length  of  a  cross-bow  bolt.  Having  made  some  very  inefficient  alterations 
in  i\tp  mass-book,  Henry  presently  sent  forth  another  little  volume,  called 
the  "  Erudition  of  a  Christian  Man."  in  tliis  he  flatly  contradicted  the  "  In- 
stitution of  a  Ciiristian  Man,"  and  that,  too,  upon  matters  of  by  no  means 
secondary  importance;  but  he  just  as  peremptorily  and  self-complacently 
called  upon  his  subjects  to  follow  him  now  as  he  had  when  just  before  he 
pointed  a  directly  opposite  path  ! 

The  successful  rivalsliip  of  his  nephew,  James  of  Scotland,  in  the  aflec- 
lions  of  Marie,  dowager  duchess  of  Longueville,  gave  deep  offence  to 
Henry,  which  was  still  farther  irritated  into  hatred  by  James'  adhesion 
to  the  ancient  faith,  and  his  close  correspondence  with  the  pope,  the  em- 
peror Charles,  and  Francis,  of  which  Henry  was  perfectly  well  informed 
by  the  assiduity  of  his  ambassador.  Sir  Ralph  Sadler.  These  personal 
feelings,  fully  as  much  as  any  political  considerations,  caused  Henry  to 
commence  a  war  which  almost  at  the  outset  caused  James  to  die  of  over- 
excited anxiety  ;  but  of  this  war  we  shall  hereafter  have  to  speak. 

The  king  in  his  sixth  marriage  made  good  the  jesting  prophecy  of  the 
people  by  taking  to  wife  Catherine  Parr,  widow  of  Nevil,  Lord  Latimer. 
She  was  a  friend  to  the  reformed,  but  a  woman  of  too  much  prudence  to 
peril  herself  injudiciously.  He  treated  her  with  great  respect,  and  in  1544, 
when  he  led  a  large  and  expensive  expedition,  with  considerably  more 
edal  than  advantage,  he  left  her  regent  during  his  absence  from  England. 
Subsequently,  however,  the  queen,  in  spite  of  her  prudence,  was  more 
than  unce  in  imminent  danger.  Anne  \skcw,  a  lady  whom  she  had 
jpenly  and  greatly  favoured,  imprudently  provoked  the  king  by  opposi- 
iion  upon  the  capital  point  of  the  real  presence,  and  chancellor  Wriottes- 
ley,  who  had  to  interrogate  the  unhappy  lady,  being  a  bigoted  catholic,  it 
was  greatly  feared  that  his  extreme  severity  might  induce  her  to  confess 
iiow  far  Catherine  and  the  chief  court  ladies  were  implicated  in  her  obnox- 
ious opinions.  Young,  lovely,  and  delicate,  the  poor  girl  was  laid  upon 
the  rack  and  questioned,  but  torture  itself  failed  to  extort  an  answer  to 
the  questions  by  which  the  chancellor  endeavoured  to  come  at  the  queen. 
So  enraged  was  that  most  brutal  ofli(;er,  that  he  ordered  the  lieutenant  of 
the  Tower  to  stretch  the  rack  still  farther,  and  on  his  refusing  to  do  so, 
^Haidliis  own  hand  to  the  rack  and  drew  it  so  violently  that  he  almost  tore  her 
body  asunder.^^  This  diabolical  cruelty  served  no  other  purpose  than  to 
make  his  own  name  infamous  while  the  annals  of  England  shall  remain. 
The  heroic  girl  bore  her  horrible  torture  with  unflinching  fortitude,  and 
was  carried  to  the  stake  in  a  chair,  her  body  being  so  maimed  and  dislo- 
cated that  she  could  not  walk.  She  suffered  at  the  same  time  with  John 
Lascelles,  of  the  king's  household,  John  Adams,  tailor,  and  Nicholas  Ble- 
nun,  a  priest. 

Subsequently  the  queen  was  again  much  endangered.  Though  she  had 
never  pretended  to  interfere  with  his  conduct,  she  would  occasionally 
argue  with  him  in  private.  He  had  by  this  time  become  fearfully  bloated, 
and  an  ulcer  in  his  leg  caused  him  so  much  agony  that  "  he  was  as  furious 
as  a  chained  tiger."  His  natural  venemence  and  intolerance  of  opposition 
were  consequently  much  increased  under  such  circumstances  ;  and  Cath- 
erine's arguments  at  length  so  oftcnded  him,  that  he  complained  of  her 
conduct  to  Gardiner  and  Wriotlesley.  They,  bigoted  friends  to  the  cath- 
olic parly,  were  proportionally  inimical  to  Catherine  as  a  friend  of  the 
reformed ;  and  they  encouraged  his  ill  temper,  and  so  dexterously  argued 
upon  the  peculiar  necesbity  of  putting  down  heresy  in  the  high  places, 
that  he  actually  gave  orders  for  her  being  sent  to  the  Tower  on  the  fol- 
lowing day.  She  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  information  of  what  was 
in  store  for  her,  and  her  cool  temper  and  shrewd  woman's  wit  sufficed  to 


"'.•*H(r.'K>  I, 


«ti 


fj 


•'  '  M'-  I        I 


170 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


save  her  from  her  enemies.  She  well  knew  that  as  lust  had  been  the 
crime  of  Henry's  manhood,  so  vanity — that  vanity  which  cannot  endure 
even  the  pettiest  opposition — was  the  great  spring  of  his  actions  now  tliat 
his  eye  was  growing  dim  and  his  natural  force  abated.  She  paid  him  her 
usual  visit  that  diiy,  and  when  he  tried  to  draw  her  into  their  common 
course  of  argument,  she  said  that  arguments  in  divinity  were  not  proper 
for  women;  that  women  should  follow  the  principles  of  their  husbands,  ag 
she  made  a  point  of  following  his ;  and  that  though,  in  the  belief  that  k 
something  alleviated  his  physical  sufferings,  she  sometimes  pretended  to 
oppose  him,  she  never  did  so  until  she  had  exhausted  all  her  poor  means 
of  otherwise  amusing  him."  The  bail  to  his  inordinate  vanity  was  easily 
taken.  "  Is  it  so,  sweetheart  V  he  exclaimed,  "  then  we  are  perfect  friends 
again,"  and  he  embraced  her  affectionately.  On  the  following  day  the 
chancellor  and  his  far  more  respectable  myrmidons  the  pursuivanl-i  went 
to  apprehend  the  queen,  when  the  sanguinary  man  was  sent  away  with  a 
volley  of  downright  abuse,  such  as  Henry  could  bestow  as  well  as  the 
meanest  of  his  subjects  when  once  his  temper  was  fully  aroused. 

A.  D.  1547. — In  almost  all  Henry's  persecutions  of  persons  of  any  emi- 
nence, careful  observation  will  generally  serve  to  discover  soniothing  o( 
that  personal  ill-feeling  which  in  a  man  of  lower  rank  would  be  callei 
personal  spite.  Thus  the  duke  of  Norfolk  and  his  son,  tlie  earl  of  Surrey, 
were  now  arrested  and  charged  with  various  overt  acts  which  canscd 
them — as  the  charges  ran — to  be  suspected  of  high  treason.  Their  real,  and 
their  only  real  crime  was  their  relationship  to  Catherine  Howard,  his  fifth 
queen.  The  very  frivolous  nature  of  the  charges  proves  that  this  was  the 
case,  but  the  despicably  servile  parliament,  as  usual,  attended  only  to  the 
king's  wishes,  and  both  Norfolk  and  his  son  were  condemned.  The  pro- 
ceedings in  the  case  of  the  latter,  from  his  being  a  commoner,  were  more 
speedy  than  that  of  his  father,  and  the  gallant  young  Surrey  was  execu- 
ted. Orders  wcire  also  given  for  the  execution  of  Norfolk  on  the  inorninj 
of  the  09th  of  January,  1547 ;  but  on  (he  night  of  the  28th  the  furious  king 
himself  died,  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  arbitrary  reign  and  in  the 
fifiy-sixth  of  his  age ;  and  the  council  of  the  infant  prince  Edward  VI. 
wisely  respited  the  duke's  sentence,  from  which  he  was  released  at  the 
accession  of  Queen  Mary. 

That  the  character  of  Henry  was  per  se  bad,  few  can  doubt  tliat  have 
read  his  reign  attentively  ;  but  neither  will  any  just  man  deny,  that  hn,  sd 
gay  and  generous,  so  frank  and  so  great  a  lover  of  literature  in  youth, 
owed  not  a  little  of  his  subsequent  wickedness  to  the  grossly  servile  adu- 
lation of  the  great,  and  to  the  dastardly  submis?ion  of  the  parliament. 
What  could  be  expected  from  a  man,  naturally  vain,  to  whom  the  able 
Cromwell  could  say,  that  "  he  was  unabhs  and  he  believed  all  men  were 
unable,  to  describe  the  unutterable  qualities  of  the  royal  mind,  tiie  sub- 
lime virtues  of  the  royal  heart ;"  to  whom  Rich  could  say,  that  "  in  wis- 
dom he  was  equal  to  Solomon,  in  strength  and  courage  to  Sampson,  iu 
beauty  and  address  to  Absalom  ;"  and  whatcouhl  be  expected  from  a  nisu, 
naturally  violent  and  contemptuous  of  human  life,  who  found  both  houses 
of  parliament  vile  enough  to  slay  whoever  he  pleased  to  denounce  ?  An 
arbitrary  reign  was  that  of  Henry,  but  it  wrought  as  much  for  tiie  pernia' 
neni,  religious,  and  moral  good  of  the  nation,  as  the  storms  and  tempests, 
beneath  which  we  cower  while  they  last,  work  for  the  physical  atmosphere. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  REIGN  OK  EDWARD  VI. 

4.  D.  1547. — Hknuy's  will  fixed  the  majority  of  his  son  and  successor 
Edward  VI.,  at  the  ago  of  eighteen.    The  young  prince  at  the  time  of  hi« 


Cliancel 
paled 
verv  pos 

Ifavi 
in  llei 
ofihe 
hall,  wl 
Hrre 
iiHiurne, 
I'oinnieM 
voice, 
our  late 
body  w; 
(!ay,  an( 
vault  nei 
funned 
llie  coflii 
tiiui  dust 
office  int 
'oflin. 
■it  arms, 
liiim,  \)K 
The  c- 
I'lony  an 
lioalih. 
departed 
very  v\:\ 
"J  make 


THE  TREAaURY  OF  HISTORY. 


411 


falhor'8  death  was  but  a  few  month's  more  tliiiii  nine,  and  the  government 
wa»  during  his  minority  vested  in  sixteen  executors,  viz.,  Cranmer,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury ;  Lord  Wriottesley,  elianeellor ;  Lord  St.  John,  great 
master;  Lord  Russell,  privy  seal ;  the  earl  of  Hertford,  chamberhun  ;  Vis- 
count Lishs  admiral ;  Tonsiall,  bishop  of  Durham  ;  Sir  Anthony  Browne, 
master  of  the  horse  ;  Sir  Wdiiam  Paget,  secretary  of  state  ;  Sir  Kdward 
Forth,  chancellor  of  the  court  of  augmentations;  Sir  Edward  Montague, 
chief  justice  of  the  common  pleas  ;  Judge  Bromley,  Sir  Anthony  Denny, 
and  Sir  William  Herbert,  chief  gentlemen  of  the  privy  chamber;  Sir  Ed 
ward  Wotton,  treasurer  of  Calais  ;  and  Dr.  Wotton,  dean  of  Ciinterbury. 
Not  only  did  Henry  VIIL  name  these  councillors,  some  of  whom  were 
in  station  at  least,  far  below  so  important  a  trust,  but  he  laid  down  a  course 
of  conduct  for  them  with  a  degree  of  minuteness,  which  shows  that  to  the 
very  close  of  his  career  his  unbounded  vanity  maintained  its  old  ascend- 
ancy over  his  naturally  shrewd  judgment,  and  that  he  expected  that  his 
political  and  religious  supremacy  would  be  respected  even  when  the  earth- 
worms and  llie  damps  of  the  charnel-house  should  be  busy  with  his  inani- 
mate body.     The  very  first  meeting  of  the  councillors  showt^d  the  r.-llacy 
of  the  late  king's  anticipations.     He  evidently  intended  that  the  co-ordinate 
distribution  of  the  state  authority  should  render  it  impracticable  for  the 
ambition  of  any  one  great  subject  to  trouble  or  endanger  the  succession  of 
Ihcyoiiiig  F'idward  ;  and  this  very  precaution  was  done  away  with  by  the 
first  act  of  tiie  conn<*illors,  who  agreed  that  it  was  necessary  that  some 
one  niinisl(;r  should  have  prominent  and  separate  authority,  under  the 
title  of  protector,  to  sign  all  orders  and  proclamations,  and  to  cominnni- 
cate  with  foreign  powers.     Li  a  word,  they  determined  to  place  one  of 
their  number  in  precisely  that  tempting  propinquity  to  the  throiio,  to  guurd 
against  which  had  been  a  main  object  of  Henry's  care  and  study.     The 
earl  of  Hertford,  maternal  uncle  to  the  king,  seemed  best  entitled  to  thin 
high  office,  and  he  was  accordingly  chosen,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of 
Chancellor  Wriottesley,  who  from  his  talents  and  experience  had  antici- 
pated tiiat  he  himself,  in  reality  though  not  formally,  would  occupy  this 
very  position. 

Having  made  this  most  important  and  plainly  unauthorised  alteration 
in  Henry's  arrangement,  the  council  now  gave  orders  for  tiie  interment 
of  the  deceased  monarch.  The  body  lay  in  state  in  the  chapel  of  White- 
hall, which  was  luing  with  fine  black  cloth.  Eighty  large  black  tapers 
were  kept  constantly  burning;  twelve  lords  sat  round  within  a  rail  as 
nuHirners ;  and  every  day  masses  and  dirges  were  performed.  At  the 
I'flininenceinent  of  eacli  service  Norroy,  king-at-arms,  cried  in  a  loud 
voice,  "Of  your  charity  pray  for  the  soul  of  the  high  and  mighty  prince, 
our  late  sovereign  lord,  Henry  the  Eighth."  On  the  Mth  of  February  the 
body  was  removed  to  Sion  house,  and  thence  to  Windsor  on  the  following 
(lay,  and  on  the  Ifith  it  was  interred  near  that  of  Lady  Jane  Seymour  in  a 
vault  near  the  centre  of  the  choir.  {Jardincr,  bishop  of  Winchester,  per- 
formed the  service  and  preached  a  sermon.  As  he  scattered  eailh  upon 
the  coffin  and  pronounced,  in  Latin,  the  solemn  words,  "  Ashes  to  ashes 
and  (lust  to  dust,"  certain  of  the  principal  attendants  broke  their  wands  of 
olTice  into  three  parts,  above  their  heads,  and  threw  the  pieces  upon  the 
"oftiii.  The  solemn  psalm  de  profundis  was  then  recited,  and  gaiter  king 
at  arms,  attended  by  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  bisliop  of  Dur- 
ham, proclaimed  the  style  and  titles  of  Edward  VI. 

The  coronation  next  followed,  but  was  much  abridged  of  the  usual  cere 
mony  and  splendour,  chiefly  on  account  of  the  delicate  slate  of  the  king's 
health.  The  executors  of  the  late  king,  though  they  had  so  importantly 
departed  from  the  express  directions  of  the  will  upon  some  points,  were 
very  exact  in  f(dlowing  it  upon  others.  Thus,  Henry  had  charged  them 
'0  make  certain  creations  or  promotions  in  the  peerage  ;  and  Hertford 


172 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


was  now  made  duke  of  Somerset,  marshal  and  lord  treasurer;  his  oppo. 
nent,  the  chancellor  Wriottesloy,  earl  of  Southaniplon  ;  tlie  carl  of  Kssex 
marquis  of  Northampton;  Viscount  Lisle,  earl  of  Warwick;  Sir  Tliumas 
Seymour,  Lord  Seymour  of  Sudloy  and  a(hniral  of  Kni,Mand;  and  Sirs 
Richard  Rich,  William  Willougiihy,  and  Kduiuud  Slu'fReld,  hurons.  Sum 
erset  and  some  of  the  other  peers  wore  at  the  same  time,  to  enable  ilwm 
to  support  their  dignity,  gratified  with  deaneries,  prebends,  and  other  spir- 
itual benefices  ;  a  most  pernicious  precedent,  and  one  which  has  tausod 
and  enabled  so  much  church  property  and  influence  to  be  placed  in  ilie 
hands  of  laymen,  many  of  whom  are  avowedly  and  flagrantly  dissenters 
from  the  doctrine  of  tiie  church,  and  foes  to  her  establishment. 

Wriottesley,  earl  of  Southampton,  was  greatly  disappointed  that  he,  in. 
stead  of  Somerset,  had  not  been  chosen  protector ;  and  this  feeling  teiuiod 
greatly  to  exasperate  the  political  opposition  which  had  ever  rxisied 
between  them.  Wriottesley,  with  a  want  of  judgment  strangely  in  con 
trast  with  his  usual  conduct,  gave  to  Somerset  an  opportunity  to  distress 
an''  •  rtify  him,  of  which  that  proud  noble  was  not  slow  toavnil  liinisiif. 
Dcsiiiiig  to  give  the  utmost  possible  amount  of  time  to  public  business, 
and  as  far  as  possible  to  share  and  check  the  authority  of  the  proioetor' 
Southampton,  merely  upon  his  own  authority,  put  the  great  seal  into  com- 
mission, empowering  four  lawyers  to  execute  the  otlice  of  clianccllor  lur 
him  ;  and  two  of  the  four  lawyers  thus  named  were  canonists,  wliicli  g-we 
some  appearance  to  his  conduct  of  a  desire  to  show  disrespect  to  the  com. 
mon  law.  Somerset  and  his  party  eagerly  caught  at  tiiis  indiserctidn  df 
their  noble  and  resolute  opponent,  and  easily  obtained  from  tlie  judges  an 
opinion  to  the  effect  that  Southampton's  course  was  illegal  and  inijusii- 
fiable.  and  that  he  had  forfeited  his  oflicc  and  even  laid  himself  onen  lo 
still  farther  punishment.  Southampton  was  accordingly  sumnionod  hefore 
the  council ;  and,  though  he  defended  himself  acutely,  lie  was  condennied 
to  lose  the  great  seal,  to  pay  a  pecuniary  fine,  and  to  be  confined  to  liis 
own  house  during  pleasure. 

Having  thus  opportunely  removed  his  most  powerful  and  perscvcrini; 
opponent,  Somerset  immediately  set  about  enlarging  his  own  power  and 
altering  its  foundation.  Professing  to  fuel  a  delicacy  in  exercising  the 
extensive  powers  of  protector  while  holding  that  office  only  under  tlie  au- 
thority of  the  executors  of  the  late  king's  will,  he  obtained  from  the  youn^f 
king  Edward  a  patent  which  gave  him  the  protectorate  with  full  regal 
powers,  and  which,  though  it  re-appointed  all  the  councillors  and  execu- 
tors named  in  Henry's  will,  with  the  sole  exception  of  Soutliainptou,  ex- 
empted the  protector  from  his  former  obligations  to  consult  them  or  to  bo 
bound  by  their  opinion. 

Aided  by  Cranmer,  the  protector,  in  spite  of  the  strong  and  able  opposi- 
tion of  Gardiner,  made  considerable  advances  in  religious  reformaiii)ii; 
yet  made  them  with  a  most  prudent  and  praiseworthy  tendtrness  lo  the 
existing  prejudices  of  the  mass  of  that  generation.  Thus,  he  appointed 
visitors,  lay  and  clerical,  to  repress,  as  far  as  might  bo  obvious,  impostures 
and  flagrant  immoralities  on  the  part  of  the  catholic  clergy;  but  he  at  the 
same  time  instructed  those  visitors  to  deal  respectfully  with  such  ceremo- 
nials as  were  yet  unabolished,  and  with  siudi  images  and  slirincs  as  were 
miabused  to  the  purpose  of  idolatry.  While  thus  prudent,  in  tenderness 
to  the  inveterate  and  ineradicable  prejudices  of  the  ignorant,  ho  witli  a 
very  sound  policy  took  measures  for  weakening  the  miscdiievous  elTeets 
of  the  preaching  of  the  monks.  Many  of  these  men  were  placeu  in  vacant 
chnrclifs,  that  so  the  exchequer  miglit  be  relieved,  pro  tantn,  of  the  pay- 
ment of  the  annuities  settled  upon  them  at  tlie  suppression  of  religious 
houses.  As  it  was  found  that  they  took  advantage  of  their  position  io  in- 
stil into  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  the  worst  of  the  old  su|)eistitions  and  a 
fierce  hatred  of  the  reformation  Somerset  now  compelled  tiiem  to  avoid 


THE  T11BA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


473 


that  coiuliict,  by  enjoining  upon  them  the  rcadingf  of  certain  homilies  hav- 
ing precisely  the  opposite  tendency  and  by  strieily  forbidding  them  to 
preach,  unless  by  speeial  nidulsence,  anywiierc  save  in  their  own  parish 
cluirc'iies.  'I"he  monks  being  thus  strictly  confined  in  their  own  parish 
churciies,  and  limited  \q  their  liberty  of  preaching  even  there,  while  the 
protestuit  clergymen  could  always  insure  a  special  license  for  peripatetic 
prcaeiiing,  was  a  system  loo  obviously  favourable  to  the  reformation  to 
pass  imcensured  by  the  principal  catholic  champions.  Bonner  at  the  out- 
set gave  the  protector's  measures  open  and  strong  opposition,  but  subs  - 
quciiily  agreed  to  them.  Gardiner,  a  less  violent  but  far  firmer  and  more 
coiiJiisteiit  man,  because,  probably,  a  far  more  sincere  man,  was  staunch 
in  iiis  opposition.  He  was  of  opinion  that  the  reformation  could  not  be 
carried  aay  farther  but  with  real  and  great  danger.  "  It  is,"  said  he,  "a 
dangerous  thing  to  use  too  much  freedom  in  researches  of  this  kind.  If 
you  cut  the  old  canal,  the  water  is  apt  to  run  farther  than  you  have  a  mind 
to ;  if  you  indulge  the  humour  of  novelty,  you  cannot  put  a  stop  to  people's 
demands,  nor  govern  their  indiscretions  at  pleasure.  For  my  part  my  sole 
concern  is  to  manage  the  third  and  last  act  of  my  life  with  decency,  and 
to  make  a  handsome  exit  off  the  stage.  Provided  this  point  is  secured  I 
am  not  solicitous  about  the  rest.  I  am  already  by  nature  condemned  to 
death :  no  man  can  give  me  a  pardon  from  this  sentence,  nor  so  much  as 
procure  ine  a  reprieve.  To  speak  my  mind,  and  to  act  as  my  conscience 
directs,  are  two  branches  of  liberty  which  I  can  never  part  witli.  Sincerity 
in  speech  and  integrity  in  action  are  enduring  qualities;  they  will  slick  by 
a  man  when  everything  else  takes  its  leave,  and  I  must  not  resign  them 
upon  any  consideration.  The  best  of  it  is,  if  I  do  not  throw  these  away 
myself,  no  man  can  force  them  from  me  ;  but  if  I  give  them  up,  then  am 
1  ruined  by  myself,  and  deserve  to  lose  all  my  preferments."  Besid  s 
liie  obvious  danger  of  going  loo  far  and  making  the  people  mischievously 
familiar  with  change,  Gardiner  charged  his  opponents  with  an  unnecessary 
ami  presumptuous  assumption  of  metaphysical  exactitude  upon  the  doc- 
trines of  grace  and  justification  by  faith,  points  not  vitally  necessary  to 
any  man,  and  beyond  the  real  (umiprehension  of  the  multitude.  The 
ability  and  the  firmness  with  which  he  f tressed  these  and  other  grounds  of 
opposition  so  highly  enraged  the  protCv-tor,  that  Gardiner  was  committed 
to  the  Fleet,  and  there  irfated  with  a  i-cverity  which,  his  age  and  his 
talents  bring  considered,  reflected  no  litll''  discredit  upon  the  protcstunt 
party.  Tonstal,  bishop  of  Durham,  who  sn.od  with  Gardiner,  was  expelled 
the  eouiicil,  but  allowed  to  live  without  farther  molestation. 

The  active  measures  of  Somerset  for  promoting  the  reformation  in 
Kngland  gave  force  and  liveliness  to  the  antagonist  parties  in  Stv  Jand 
also.  The  cardinal  Beaton,  or  Belhune,  was  resolute  to  put  do«n  the 
preaching,  even,  of  the  reformers ;  while  these  latter,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  daily  becoming  more  and  more  inflamed  with  a  zeal  to  which  mar- 
lyrdom  itself  had  no  tenors.  Among  the  most  zealous  and  active  of  the 
reformed  preachers  was  a  well-born  gentleman  named  VVishart,  a  man  ol 
great  learning,  high  moral  character,  and  a  rich  store  of  that  passionaie 
iud  forcible,  though  rude,  eloquence  which  is  so  powerful  over  the  minds 
Dfenthiisiastie  but  uneducated  men.  The  principal  scene  of  his  preach- 
uig  was  Dundee,  where  his  eloquence  had  so  visible  and  stirring  an  effect 
upon  the  multitude,  that  the  inagislrates,  as  a  simple  matter  of  civil  po- 
lice, felt  bound  to  forbid  him  to  preach  within  their  jurisdiction.  Unable 
lo  avoid  retiring,  Wishart,  however,  in  doing  so,  solemnly  invoked  and 
prophesied  a  heavy  and  speedy  calamity  u()on  the  town  in  which  his 
preaching  had  tiius  been  stopped.  Singularly  enough,  he  had  not  long 
been  banished  from  Dundee  when  the  plague  burst  out  with  great  violence. 
Post  hoc,  ergo  propter  Iwc  is  ever  the  popular  maxim  :  men  loudly  declared 
Ihatlhe  plague  was  evidently  the  conseaaei;ce  of  Wisharl's  banishment 


474 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


and  that  the  hand  of  the  destroying  angel  would  never  be  stayed  until  Iho 
preacher  should  be  recalled.  VVisharl  was  recalled  accordingly;  and 
taking  advantage  of  the  popular  feelings  of  dismay,  he  so  boldly  mid  pas- 
sionately  ndvocated  innovations,  that  Cardinal  Beaton  caused  him  tube 
arrested  and  condemned  to  the  stake  aa  a  heretic. 

Arran,  the  governor,  showing  some  fear  and  unwillingness  to  procet-a 
to  the  extremity  of  burning,  the  cardinal  carried  the  sentence  into  cxccii- 
tion  on  his  own  authority,  and  even  stationed  himself  at  a  window  from 
which  he  could  behold  the  dismal  spectacle.  This  indecent  and  cruel 
triumph  was  noted  by  the  suffeier,  who  solemnly  warned  Ueaton  that  ere 
many  days  he  should  be  laid  upon  that  very  spot  where  then  hetriuniplied. 
Agitated  as  the  multitude  were  by  the  exhortations  of  their  numerous 
preachers  of  the  reformed  doctrine,  such  a  prophecy  was  not  likely  to 
fall  unheeded  from  such  a  man  under  such  circumstances.  His  followers 
in  great  numbers  associated  to  revenge  his  death.  Sixteen  of  the  most 
courageous  of  them  went  well  armed  to  the  cardinal's  palace  at  an  early 
hour  in  the  morning,  and  having  thrust  all  his  servants  and  tradesmen  out 
proceeded  to  the  cardinal's  apartment.  For  n  short  time  the  fasleniup' 
defied  their  power,  hut  a  cry  arising  to  bring  fire  to  their  aid,  the  unfortu- 
nate old  man  opened  the  doer  to  them,  entreating  to  spare  his  life  and  rt- 
niinding  them  of  his  priesthood.  The  foremost  of  his  assailants.  Janic 
Melville,  called  to  tiie  others  'o  execute  with  becoming  gravity  and  do- 
liberation  a  work  which  was  only  to  be  looked  upon  as  the  judgment  of 
God. 

"Repent  thee,"  said  this  sanguinary  but  conscientious  enthusiaat,  "re- 
pent thee,  thou  wicked  cardinal,  of  all  thy  sins  and  iniquities,,  especially  of 
the  murder  of  VVishart,  that  instrument  of  God  for  the  conversion  of  llicsn 
lands.  It  is  his  death  which  now  cries  vengeance  U|)on  thee ;  we  arc 
sent  by  God  to  inflict  the  deserved  punishment.  For  here,  before  the  A|. 
mighty,  I  protest  that  it  is  neither  hatred  of  thy  person,  nor  love  of  thy 
riches,  nor  fear  of  thy  power,  which  moves  me  to  seek  thy  death,  but  only 
because  thou  hast  been  and  still  remainest  an  obstinate  enemy  to  Christ 
Jesus  and  his  holy  gospel." 

With  these  words  Melville  stabbed  the  cardinal,  who  fell  dead  at  his 
feet.  This  mnrder  took  place  the  year  before  the  deathof  Henry  Vlll,,to 
whom  the  assassins,  who  fortified  themselves  and  friends,  to  the  number 
of  a  hundred  and  forty,  in  the  castle,  dispatched  a  messenger  foi  iiid. 
Henry,  always  jealous  of  Scotland  and  glad  to  cripple  its  turbulent  iiobili- 
ty,  promised  his  support,  and  Somerset  now,  in  obedience  to  the  dying  in- 
junction  of  the  king,  prepared  to  march  an  army  into  Scotland,  for  the 
purpose  of  compelling  a  union  of  the  two  countries,  by  marrying  liie  minor 
queen  of  Scotland  to  the  minor  king  of  Kngland.  With  a  fleet  of  sixty 
sail  and  a  force  of  eighteen  thousand  men,  he  set  out  with  the  avowed 
purpose  of  not  listening  to  any  negotiation,  unless  based  upor.  the  condi- 
tion of  the  marriage  of  the  young  queen  of  Scotland  to  Edward  of  Kng- 
land; a  measjre  which  he  urged  ai  d  justified  at  great  length  in  a  p;im- 
phlet  published  by  him  before  opening  the  campaign. 

Except  as  a  means  of  justifying  his  own  conduct  in  commencing  the 
war,  it  would  seem  that  so  well  informed  a  statesman  as  Somerset  eould 
surely  have  expected  little  effect  from  this  manifesto.  The  queen  dowa- 
ger of  Scotland  was  wholly  influenced  by  France,  which  could  not  but  be 
to  the  utmost  degree  opposed  to  the  union  of  Scotland  and  England ;  and 
she  was  also  far  too  much  attached  to  the  catholic  religion  to  look  with 
any  complacent  feeling  upon  a  transfer  of  Scotland  into  the  hands  of  Ihe 
known  and  persevering  enemy  of  that  religion.  From  Berwick  to  Kdin- 
burgh  Somerset  experienced  but  little  resistance.  Arran,  however,  had 
taken  up  his  position  on  the  banks  of  the  Eske  at  about  four  miles  from 
Edinburgh,  with  an  army  double  in  number  to  that  of  the  English.    In  a 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


47b 


cavalry  affiiir  of  outposts  tlin  Scots  were  worsted,  and  Lord  Hume 
severely  wounded,  but  Somerset  and  the  eiirl  of  Warwick  having  recon- 
noitreiltho  Scottish  camp,  found  tliat  it  was  tO(  well  posted  to  be  assailed 
witii  any  rcas(uiable  chance  of  success.  Somerset  now  tried  negotiation, 
offeriiisf  to  evacuate  tlie  country  and  even  to  make  compensation  for  such 
iiiiscliier  as  had  already  been  done,  on  condition  that  the  Scots  should  en- 
gage to  keep  llieir  young  queen  at  home  and  uncontractcd  in  marriage 
un"il  slie  siiould  reach  an  age  to  choose  for  herself.  Tliis  ofTer,  so  much 
intonirast  with  the  determination  with  which  the  protector  had  set  out, 
caused  the  Scots  to  suppose  that,  intimidated  by  their  numbers  or  moved 
by  some  secret  and  distressing  information,  he  was  anxious  to  get  away 
upon  any  terms,  and  the  very  moderation  of  the  terms  offered  by  him  was 
the  cause  of  their  being  rejected.  Whoever  will  carefully  and  in  detail 
siudy  the  great  campaigns  and  battles,  whether  of  ancient  or  of  modern 
times,  will  find  that  at  once  the  rarest  and  the  most  precious  gift  of  a  (t-"!- 
eral-iii-chicf  is  to  know  how  lo  refrain  from  action.  The  Fabian  policy  u 
suitable  only  to  the  very  loftiest  and  most  admirable  military  genius  ;  nol 
because  of  the  physicaldifliculty  of  remaining  tranquil,  but  simply  because 
to  do  so  in  spite  alike  of  the  entreaties  of  friends  and  the  taunts  of  foes, 
requires  thai  self-conquest  which  is  to  be  achieved  only  by  a  Fabius  or  a 
Wtllingioii.  On  the  present  occasion  the  Scot's  leaders  had  to  contend 
not  only  against  their  own  mistake  as  to  Somerset's  circunislaiiccs  and 
molivei,  but  also  against  the  frantic  eagerness  of  their  men,  wlio  were 
wound  up  lo  the  most  intense  rage  by  the  preaching  of  certain  priests  in 
their  camp,  who  assured  them  that  the  detestable  heresy  of  the  English 
made  victory  to  their  arms  altogether  out  of  the  question. 

Findiny  his  moderate  and  peaceable  proposal  rejected,  Somerset  saw 
itial  it  was  necessary  to  draw  the  enemy  from  their  sheltered  and  strong 
position,  tu  a  more  open  one  in  which  he  could  advantageously  avail  him- 
self ofliis  superiority  in  cavalry.  He  accordingly  moved  towards  the 
Eca;  and  as  his  ships  at  the  same  moment  stood  in  shore,  as  if  to  re- 
ceive him,  the  S('0ts  fell  into  the  snare  and  moved  from  their  strong  posi- 
lion  to  intercept  him.  They  entered  the  plain  in  three  bodies,  the  van- 
guard eommanded  l)y  Angus,  the  main  body  commanded  by  Arran,  and 
some  light  horse  and  Irish  archers  on  the  left  (lank  under  Argyle. 

As  the  S(!0ls  advanced  into  the  plain,  they  were  severely  galled  by  the 
artillery  of  the  Knglish  ships,  and  among  the  killed  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Lord  Graham.  Tlie  Irish  auxiliaries  were  thrown  into  the  utmost  disor- 
der, and  the  whole  main  body  began  to  fall  back  upon  the  rear-guard, 
whieli  was  under  the  command  of  Huntley.  Lord  Grey,  who  liad  the 
command  of  the  English  cavalry,  had  orders  not  to  attack  the  Scottish 
vau  till  it  should  be  closely  engaged  with  the  English  van,  when  he  was 
lotake  it  in  flank.  Tempted  by  the  disorder  of  the  enemy,  he  neglected 
this  order,  and  led  the  English  cavalry  on  at  full  gallop.  A  heavy  slough 
and  broad  ditch  threw  them  into  confusion,  and  they  were  easily  repulsed 
by  the  long  spears  of  the  Scotch  ;  Lord  (Jroy  himself  was  severely  wound- 
ed, tlie  protector's  son,  Lord  Edward  Seymour,  had  his  horse  killed 
under  him,  and  the  cavalry  was  only  rallied  by  the  utmost  exertion  and 
presence  of  mind  on  the  part  of  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  Sir  Ralph  Vane,  and 
the  protector  in  person.  The  English  archers  and  the  English  ships 
galled  the  van  of  the  Scots  so  severely  that  it  at  length  gave  way,  and 
tlie  English  van  being,  at  that  critical  moment,  led  on  in  good  order,  the 
Scots  and  their  Irish  auxiliaries  took  to  flight.  How  short  and  unequal 
the  flijjht  was,  and  how  persevering  and  murderous  the  pursuit,  may  be 
judtfcd  from  the  fact,  that  the  English  loss  was  short  of  two  hundred,  and 
that  of  the  Scots  above  ten  thousand!  F'ull  fifteen  hundred  were  also 
made  prisoners  at  this  disastrous  battle  of  Pinkcy. 

Somerset  now  took  several  castles,  received  the  submission  of  the  coun- 


mmr, 


47» 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HIHTORY. 


ties  Oil  the  border,  dcitroycd  Ihe  filiippiiiR  on  the  coast,  and  was  in  a  sit 
nation  to  iiave  imposed  the  most  onerous  terms  on  llie  Scots,  could  hi 
havo  followed  up  his  advantages;  but  information  readied  him  of  in. 
trit'ucs  {foing  on  in  Knjfland,  which  ohliqred  him  to  return,  after  liavin^  an! 
pointed  Uerwiek  for  the  plaec  of  conferenco  of  the  commissioners,  wlioin 
the  Scots,  in  order  to  gam  time  und  procure  aid  from  France,  alTectcd  tc 
wish  to  send  to  treat  for  peace. 

On  Somerset's  return  to  England  he  assumed  more  stale  than  ever 
being  elated  with  his  success  in  Scotland.  Ho  caused  his  nr,|)hcw  to  dia.' 
penso  with  the  statute  of  precedency  passed  in  the  late  reign,  and  to  grant 
to  him,  the  protector,  a  patent  allowing  him  to  sit  on  the  throne,  upon  a 
slool  or  bench  on  the  right  liand  of  the  king,  and  to  enjoy  all  honours  uiid 
privileges  usually  enjoyed  by  any  uncle  of  a  king  of  Kngland. 

Wliiie  thus  intent  upon  his  own  aggrandizement,  Somerset  wa<i,  never* 
thcless,  attentive  also  to  the  ameliorating  of  the  law.  The  statuto  of  the 
six  articles  was  repealed,  as  were  all  laws  against  LoUardy  and  heresy— 
thougii  the  latter  was  still  an  undeilned  crime  ut  common  law— all  laws 
extending  the  crime  of  treason  beyond  the  twenty-fifth  of  Edward  111. 
and  all  tiie  laws  of  Henry  VIII.  extending  the  crime  of  felony;  aud no 
accusation  founded  upon  words  spoken  was  to  be  made  after  the  expint- 
lion  of  a  month  from  the  allcdged  speaking. 

A-  D.  1548. — The  extensive  re[)eals  of  which  we  have  made  mention  are 
well  described  by  Hume  as  liaving  been  the  cause  of  "some  dawaofboih 
civil  and  religious  liberty"  to  tiie  people.  For  them  great  praise  was  due 
to  Somerset,  who,  however,  was  now  guilty  of  a  singular  inconsistency; 
one  which  shows  how  dithcuU  it  is  for  unqualified  respect  to  the  rights 
of  the  multitude  to  co-exist  with  such  extensive  iwwer  as  that  of  the  pro- 
tector. What  Hume,  with  terse  and  sigmficant  emphasis,  calls  "  tliat  m; 
the  destruction  of  all  laws,  by  which  the  king's  proclamation  wa.  iniideof 
equid  force  with  a  statutes"  was  repetiled;  and  yet  the  protector  continued 
to  use  and  uphold  liic  proclamation  whensoever  the  occtision  seemed  to 
demand  it;  as,  for  instance,  forbidding  the  harmless  and  time-hallowed 
superstitions  or  absurdities  of  carrying  about  candles  on  Candlemas  day, 
ashes  on  Ash  Wednesday,  and  palm  branches  on  Palm  Sunday. 

Aided  by  the  French,  the  Scots  made  many  attempts  to  recover  the 
towns  and  castles  which  had  been  taken  from  them  by  Somerset,  and  willt 
very  general  success.  The  English  were  reduced  to  so  much  distress, 
and  so  closely  kept  witiiin  Haddington  by  the  number  and  vigilance  of 
their  enemies,  thnt  Somerset  sent  over  h  reinforcement  of  eighteen  thou- 
sand English  troops  and  three  thousand  German  auxiliaries.  This  large 
force  was  commanded  by  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury,  who  relieved  Hadding- 
ton, indeed,  but  could  not  get  up  with  the  enemy's  troops  until  they  were 
so  advantageously  posted  near  Edingburgh,  that  he  thought  it  imprudent 
to  attack  them,  and  marched  back  into  England. 

We  must  now  refer  to  those  intrigues  of  the  English  court  to  which  the 
Scots  owed  not  a  little  of  their  comparative  security.  Between  the  pro- 
tector and  his  brother,  the  lord  Seymour,  a  nun  of  great  talent  and  still 
greater  arrogance  and  ambition,  mere  was  a  feeling  of  rivalry,  which 
was  greatly  increased  and  imbitlered  by  the  feminine  rivalry  and  spile 
of  their  wives.  The  queen  dowager,  the  widow  of  Henry  VIM.,  mirrid 
Lord  Seymour  at  a  scarcely  decent  interval  after  her  royal  husband's 
death;  the  queen  dowager,  though  married  to  a  younger  brother  of  the 
duke,  took  precedence  of  the  duchess  of  Somerset,  and  the  latter  used  all 
her  great  power  and  influence  over  her  liusband  to  irritate  him  against  hi? 
brother.  When  Somerset  led  the  English  army  into  Scotland,  Lord  Scy 
ntour  took  the  opportunity  to  endeavour  to  strengthen  his  own  cabal,  H' 
distributing  his  liberalities  among  the  king's  councillors  and  serviius, 
and  bv  improper  indulgence  to  the  young  king  himself.    Secretary  Paget, 


m..-,^' 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


it7 


who  well  knew  llio  bitter  ami  restlf  »s  rivalry  of  the  two  brolhnrs,  warned 
Lord  Seymour  to  beware,  tiiat,  by  eiiooiiraj(ing  cabals,  lie  did  not  bring 
jnwii  ruin  upon  lliat  lofty  slate  to  whicli  both  liimscir  and  llie  protector 
liiid  risen,  and  whicli  had  made  thorn  not  a  few  powerful  foes,  who  would 
biiiiiillu  hesitate  to  side  with  either  for  a  time  for  the  sake  of  crushing 
both  i»  the  end.  Lord  Seymour  treated  the  remonstrances  ol  Paget  with 
net'lect;  and  the  secretary  perceivinn  tiio  evil  and  danger  daily  to  grow 
Bioreiiiunii'P'i'tS*'"'  '''C  protector  such  information  as  caused  him  to  give 
up  ail  probable  advantage,  and  hasten  to  protect  his  authority  and  iiiter- 
eji!  ill  home.  The  subsequent  departure  of  the  young  queen  of  Scotland 
for  Friiiice,  where  she  arrived  in  safety  and  was  betrothed  to  the  dauphin, 
made  Somerset's  Scottish  projects  comparatively  hopeless  and  of  little 
coiiscqiienee,  and  he  subsequently  gave  his  undivided  attention  to  the 
uiainleiiaiice  of  his  authority  in  England. 

Not  contented  with  the  degree  of  wealth  and  authority  he  possessed,  as 
admiral  of  Kngland  and  husband  of  the  queen  dowager,  Lord  Seymour, 
whose  artful  complaisance  seems  to  have  imposed  upon  his  nephew, 
caused  the  young  monarch  to  write  a  letter  to  parliament  to  request  that 
Lord  Seymour  might  be  made  governor  of  tlic  king's  person,  which  office 
Ills  lordship  argued  ought  to  be  kcj)!  di.-itinct  from  that  of  protector  of  the 
realm,  lleforc  he  could  bring  the  affair  before  parliament,  and  while  ho 
was  busily  engaged  in  endeavouring  to  streni{then  his  party,  Lord  Sey- 
mour was  warned  by  his  brother  to  desist.  The  council,  too,  threatened 
ihat  it  would  use  the  letter  he  had  obt  lined  from  the  affection  or  weak- 
ness of  the  young  king,  not  as  a  justifu  ation  of  his  factious  opposition  to 
the  protector's  legal  authority,  but  as  aproof  of  a  criminal  tampering  with 
a  minor  and  a  mere  child,  witli  intent  to  disturb  the  legal  and  .seated  gov- 
crnmeai  of  the  realm.  It  was  further  pointed  out  to  him,  that  the  council 
now  knew  quite  enough  to  justify  it  in  sending  him  to  the  Tower;  and 
the  admiral,  however  unwillingly,  abandoned  his  designs,  at  least  for  the 
lime. 

Somerset  easily  forgave  his  brother,  but  the  ambition  and  aching  envy 
of  tliat  turbulent  and  restless  man  was  speedily  called  into  evil  activity 
again,  by  a  circumstance  which  to  an  ordinary  man  would  have  scemtd 
a suilicient  reason  for  lowering  its  tone.  His  wife,  the  queen  dowager, 
died  in  givins;  birth  to  a  child,  and  Lord  Seymour  then  paid  his  addresses 
to  the  lady  P21izabeth,  as  yet  only  sixteen  years  of  age.  As  Mary  was 
the  eldest  daughter,  and  as  Henry  had  very  distinctly  excluded  both  Mary 
and  Elizabeth  from  the  throne  in  the  event  of  their  marrying  without  the 
consent  of  his  executors,  which  consent  Lord  Seymour  could  have  no 
chance  of  getting,  it  was  clear  that  Seymour  could  only  hope  to  derive 
benefit  from  such  an  alliance  by  resorting  to  absolute  usurpation  and  vio- 
lence. That  such  was  his  intention  is  furllier  rendered  probable  by  the 
fact,  that  besides  redoubling  his  efforts  to  obtain  influence  over  all  who 
had  access  to  the  king  or  power  in  the  state,  he  had  so  distributed  his  fa- 
vours even  among  persons  of  comparatively  low  rank,  that  he  calculated 
on  beiuff  able,  if  it  were  necessary,  to  muster  an  army  of  ten  thousand 
men.  For  this  number,  it  seems,  he  had  actually  provided  arms  ;  he  had 
farther  strengthened  himself  by  protecting  pirates,  whom,  as  admiral  of 
England,  it  was  his  especial  duty  to  suppress  ;  and  he  had  corrupted  Sir 
John  Spurington,  the  master  of  the  mint  at  I3ristol,  who  was  to  supply 
him  with  money. 

Well  informed  as  to  his  brother's  criminal  projects,  the  protector,  both 
by  intreaties  and  by  favours  conferred,  endeavoured  to  induce  him  to 
abandon  his  mad  ambition.  But  the  natural  wrong-headediiess  of  Lord 
Seymour,  and  the  ill  advice  of  Dudley,  earl  of  Warwick,  a  man  of  great 
lalent  and  courage,  but  of  just  such  principles  as  might  be  expected  from 
the  son  of  that  Dudley,  the  extortioner,  who  was  colleague  of  Empson 


N^V    V  ''V 


1^8 


THE  TREA8UIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


in  the  rrigti  of  Iloiiry  VII.,  rendered  the  humane  efTnrts  of  the  protecloj 
vain.  IlatinfT  both  the  brothers,  Warwick  dreaded  tlie  Lord  Suymour  ilio 
more  for  hia  aspiring  temper  and  superior  talents;  and  sccin^r  |„in  only 
too  well  inclined  to  seditious  practices,  the  treacherous  Warwick  urBfiJ 
him  (111  ill  his  guilty  and  foolish  career,  and  at  the  same  lime  secretly  ad- 
vised  the  protector  to  take  stem  means  of  pulling  a  stop  to  llm  priiciuics 
of  a  brollicr  upon  whom  kindness  and  good  counsel  were  coinplctclv 
thrown  away.  Uy  Warwick's  advice  the  protector  first  deprived  lnj 
brother  of  the  office  of  admiral,  and  then  committed  him,  with  sunieofhis 
alledged  accomplices,  to  the  Tower.  Three  privy  councillors,  who  wcro 
•ent  lo  examine  the  prisoners,  reported  that  tliero  was  imporlant  evidence 
ajjainst  them ;  and  even  now  the  protector  off'ered  liberty  and  jiardoa  to 
his  brother,  on  condition  of  his  retiring  lo  his  country  Iiouiips,  and  con- 
fining himself  striclly  to  private  life.  IJiidaunted  by  all  the  appearancs 
against  him,  Lord  Seymour  replied  only  by  threats  and  sarcasms;  and 
urged  by  his  personal  and  political  friends,  real  and  pretended,  the  pro- 
tector consented  not  only  that  his  brother  should  be  proceeded  ajiaiiist,  but 
also  that  he  should  bo  refused  a  free  and  open  trial  which  he  iiuliRnantly 
demanded,  and  be  proceeded  against  before  that  ready  instruinnnt  of  sovp. 
reign  vengeance,  the  parliament. 

A.  D.  151!), — On  the  meeting  of  parliament  a  bill  of  attainder  was  origi. 
natcd  in  the  upper  house.  Uy  way  of  evidence,  several  peers  rose  ani] 
staled  what  they  knew  or  professed  to  know  of  the  criminal  desisrns  anj 
practices  of  the  admiral ;  and  upon  this  evidcniM;  given,  be  it  observed,  by 
judges  in  the  case,  that  house  of  peers  in  which  the  deluded  man  had  sup. 
posed  himself  to  have  so  many  fast  friends,  passed  the  bill  with  searciiy 
a  dissenting  voice,  and,  as  Huino  observes  "  without  any  one  h  ivingeiihet 
the  courage  or  equity  to  move  that  'n)  might  bo  hoard  in  his  defence ;  that 
the  testimony  against  him  should  w  delivered  in  a  Irgal  manner,  and  th;it  he 
should  be  coiifronled  with  the  v.  .messes."  Contrary  to  what  niighliiave 
been  anticipated,  a  bcller  spirit  w?i  •  exhibited  in  the  lower  house,  wheru 
it  was  moved  that  the  proceeding  by  bill  of  attainder  was  bad,  ami  that 
every  man  should  be  present  and  formally  tried  previous  locondemnaiion. 
A  message,  nominally  from  the  king,  but  really  from  the  council,  how- 
ever, terminated  this  show  of  spirit  and  equity,  and  the  bill  was  passed  by 
a  majority  of  four  hundred  to  some  nine  or  ten.  Shortly  afterwards  the 
admiral  was  beheaded  on  Tower-hill,  the  warrant  of  his  execution  bciii:; 
signed  by  his  brother  Somerset!  or  rather  tlie  condemnation.  After  the 
trial  of  Lord  Seymour  the  most  important  business  of  this  session  was 
ec(desiasli(!al ;  one  act  allowing  priests  to  marry,  but  saying  in  the  pre- 
amble that  "  it  were  better  for  priests  and  the  ministers  of  the  church  to 
live  chastely  and  without  marriage,  and  it  were  much  to  he  wished  that 
they  would  of  themselves  abstain ;"  another  prohibiting'  I'e'i'^e  of  %h 
m  at  in  Lent ;  and  a  third  perm 'ting  and  providing  fora  uiinti  li  'Micsin 
the  city  of  York.  Many  of  these  cures,  it  was  stated  in  '  r  r"  M'  ' '  ere 
too  much  impoverished  singly  to  support  an  incuinb  '    :  i,      iish- 

menl  which  no  doubt  arose  from  the  transfer  of  the  eccksiastieal  reven- 
ues into  the  hands  of  laymen  and  absentees.  There  was  now  a  v"ry  gen- 
eral outward  conformity,  at  leasr,  wilh  the  doctrine  and  liturgy  of  the  re- 
'brii  ation.  But  both  Bonner  and  Gardiner  were  imprisoned  for  niaintaiii- 
i;)g  lib  catholic  doctrine  of  the  real  presence,  the  princess  Mary  was 
liii  ''.ened  by  the  council  for  persisting  lo  hear  mass,  and  obtained  an 
indv.ificncp  hrough  ihe  influence  of  the  emperor.  A  still  farther  and 
v'orse  r  ^^i  vas  give  that  the  duty  of  toleration  was  as  yet  but  very  im- 
pel I'cciiy  understoo  1  by  the  reformers,  by  the  prosecution  of  a  woman 
tianifl'l  .^'oan  Bocliei .  or  Joan  of  Kent,  for  heresy.  The  council  condem- 
ned the  poor  creature  to  the  flames.  For  some  lime  the  young  kingwouk' 
not  sign  the  warrant  for  her  execution.     Cranmcr — alas !  that  Cranme' 


THE  TIIEASURY  OP  HI8T0HV 


479 


jlioulil  hive  ie«s  of  Christian  charity  than  his  n  fniit  king  !-  ii||li«ll  hiro 
iiiloi'diiipiiaru'c :  but  ii  compliaiico  nccompaiiicMl  i.y  (oars  and  by  tflP  T^ 
ii;irk  tliiit  iip'ni  Cranmor's  hoad  would  ihe  vlt^nd  iio  for  good  or  evil.  The 
oxeciilifm  •>!  this  woman  was  followed  hy  that  of  a  Dutch  ariati,  namod 
Voii  I'aris,  who  suflcred  his  horrihlo  death  witii  apparent  delight— so  ill 
idiipted  is  persecution  to  make  converts ! 


CHAPTKR  XLIII. 
\    I    iiKian  or  EDWARD  VI.  (rontinued) 

To  A<"'y  tint  a  great  u'formation  was  much  needed  hi  the  church  nt  tne 
amo  wlitii  ii  »  is  commenced  hy  Henry  VIII.  would  bo  utterly  and  ob- 
•tcly  1)  ciijsi'  oiio'h  eyes  to  the  most  unquestionable  evidence.  \ev- 
;il('ss  it  is  no  less  certain  that  the  wealth  which  was  justly  taken  from 
ilie  iiiMiks  was  ipiitc  as  unjustly  bestowed  upon  laymen.  It  was  not  be- 
i-iiiiic  coiiiip  m.n  had  insinuated  or  forced  themselves  into  the  church, 
lliat  llien^fore  the  church  should  he  plundered ;  it  was  not  because  the 
iiKinks  had  diverted  a  part  of  the  lar(je  revenues  of  the  church  from  the 
pMpcr  purpose,  that  therefore  the  kiiifj  sliould  wronp/ully  bestow  a  still 
iir^'cr  i^rt.  The  laymen  U[)on  whom  Henry  bestowed  the  spoils  of  the 
•re;iicr  and  lesser  houses  had  in  few  cases,  if  any,  a  single  (daiin  upon 
ihrtso  spoils  save  favouritism,  not  always  too  honourable  to  themselveo 
'irlo  the  king ;  yet  to  them  was  given,  without  tiie  charge  of  the  poor,  that 
nropcrly  upon  which  the  poor  had  been  bountifully  fed.  The  baron  or  iho 
tiiight,  llie  mere  courtier  or  the  still  worse  character  upon  whom  this 
properly  was  bestowed  might  live  a  hundred  or  even  a  thousand  miles 
friMiilht!  land  producing  his  revenue — from  that  land  upon  which  its  for- 
mer possessors,  its  r'sident  landlords  the  monks,  I'mployed  the  toiling 
iiiiin,  and  fed  the  infirm,  the  htdpless,  and  tlie  sulTering.  Nor  was  it 
nierily  by  the  hind  who  laboured,  or  by  the  needy  man  who  was  fed  in 
cliarily,  that  the  monks  were  now  missed  ;  the  monks  were  not  only  res- 
ident l.imllords,  they  were  also  liberal  and  indulgent  landlords.  They  for 
n great  portion  of  their  low  rents  took  produce;  the  lay  landlords  de- 
niiiiulcd  higher  rents  and  would  be  paid  in  money ;  the  monks  lived  among 
ilieir  tenants  and  were  their  best  customers  ;  the  lay  landlord  drew  hi.s 
iiiuiipy  rents  from  Lincoln  or  Devt)n,  to  spend  them  in  the  court  revels  at 
London  or  in  the  wars  of  France  or  Scotland.  Many  other  differences 
might  be  pointed  out  whiidi  were  very  injurious  to  the  middle  and  lowei 
I'hiss  of  men ;  but  enough  has  l>een  said  to  show  that  however  necessary 
llie  change,  it  was  not  made  wiih  due  precautions  against  the  impoverish 
meiit.ind  sufTering  of  great  in  lies  of  men,  and  great  consequent  daiigei 
ofttate  distnbances.  Kveii  he  iron  hand  of  Henry  VIII.  would  not  have 
'  n  able  to  prevent  both  sulTering  and  nmrmuruig  ;  and  when  under  the 
milder  rule  of  the  protector  Somerset  the  people  were  still  farther  distress- 
ed by  the  rage  for  grazing,  which  caused  the  peasantry  to  be  driven  in 
herds  not  only  from  the  ewlales  upon  which  they  had  laboured,  but  eves 
frmn  their  cottages  and  from  the  commons  upon  which  they  had  fed  their 
eiiws  or  sheep,  the  cry  "f  distress  became  loud,  general,  and  appalling. 
The  protector  issued  a  .  ^niniis^inn  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  the  rural 
people,  and  to  find  out  aiij  rt-.tiedy  all  evils  connected  with  enclosures. 
Cm  ihe  poor  in  various  parts  of  the  country  rose  in  arms  before  the  com- 
mission had  time  even  to  make  inquiries  ;  Wiltshire,  Oxford,  Gloucester, 
ilaiils,  Sussex,  and  Krnnrose  simuiianeiMisly,  but  were  speedily  put  down, 
rhiefly  by  Sir  William  IIU  tbert  iiid  Lord  ».rav  of  Wilton,  But  the  most 
furmidable  rioters  made  their  appeal uiiee  m  Norfolk  and  Devonshire. 

In  Norfolk  above  twenty  thousand  a»s4<mblcd,  and  from  their  original 


%       ^V 


480 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


11 


I 


demand  for  Joinjj  away  willi  the  enclosures,  they  passed  to  demanding 
the  restoration  ol  the  old  relitjion,  the  placing  of  new  eounciilors  about 
the  king,  and  the  utter  abolition  of  all  gentry !  A  bold  and  ruffianly  fel. 
low,  one  Ket,  a  tanner,  took  the  command  of  this  assemblage,  and  cxer. 
cised  his  authority  over  such  of  the  gentry  as  were  unlucky  enough  to  lie 
witiiin  his  reach,  in  the  arbitrary  and  insolent  style  that  might  tx';  anlicj. 
pated,  holding  his  court  beneath  a  great  oak  on  Mousnliold  IMl,  wliidi 
overlooks  tiie  city  of  Norwicii.  Against  this  demagogue  and  hjs  de- 
luded  followers  the  marquis  of  Northampton  was  at  first  sent,  but  lie  w.is 
completely  repulsed,  and  Lord  Shenield,  one  of  his  oincers,  was  kiUcil. 
The  earl  of  Warwick  was  then  sent  against  Kci  with  an  army  of  six 
thousand,  which  had  been  levied  to  go  to  Scotland.  Warwick,  witli  jijs 
usual  courage  and  conduct,  beat  the  rebels  ;  killed  two  thousaiul  of  ihtm, 
hanged  up  Ket  at  the  castle  of  Norwich,  and  nine  of  the  otiier  ringlead- 
ers on  the  boughs  of  the  oak  tree  on  Mousehold  hill. 

In  Devonshire  as  in  Norfolk,  though  the  complaints  made  i)y  the  people 
originated  in  tiie  injustice  of  the  enclosures  and  in  very  real  and  widely- 
spread  misery,  demagogues,  among  whom  were  some  priests  of  Sainpford 
Cdurtcnay,  artfully  caused  them  to  make  a  return  to  the  old  rohgion  a 
chief  article  of  their  demand ;  and  the  insurrection  here  was  tiie  mure 
formidable,  because  many  of  tlie  gentry,  on  account  of  the  religious  de- 
mands, joined  the  rebels.  Among  the  gentlemen  who  did  so  was  Hum- 
phrey Arundel,  governor  of  St.  Michael's  Mount,  chiefly  by  whose 
means  it  was  that  the  rebels,  though  ten  thousand  in  number,  were  brought 
into  something  of  the  regular  order  of  disciplined  troops.  Lord  Russell, 
who  had  been  sent  against  them  with  but  a  weak  force,  fiuduig  them  so 
numerous  and  determined,  and  in  such  good  order,  endeavored  to  gel 
them  to  disperse  by  alTecting  to  negotiate  with  them.  He  forwarded 
their  extravagant  demands  to  tlio  council,  who  returned  for  answer  that 
they  should  be  pardoned  on  their  immediate  submission.  Tliis  answer  so 
much  enraged  the  rebels  that  they  endeavoured  to  storm  Exeter,  but 
were  repulsed  by  the  citizens.  They  then  sat  down  before  Exeter  mid 
endeavored  to  mine  it.  Uy  tiiis  time  Lord  Russell  was  reinforced  by 
some  German  horse  under  Sir  William  Herbert  and  Lord  (jray,  and  suiiic 
Italian  infantry  under  IJallista  Spinola,  and  he  now  marched  from  liii 
quarters  at  Honiton  to  the  relief  of  Exoter.  The  rebels  sufl'ered  dreml 
fully  both  in  the  battle  and  subsequent  to  the  retreat.  IlumpliiRy  .Vniii- 
del  and  other  leading  men  were  seized,  carried  to  London,  and  there  ex- 
ecuted ;  many  of  the  rabble  were  executed  on  the  spot  by  martial  law, 
and  the  vicar  of  St.  Thomas  was  hanged  on  the  top  of  his  own  steepli! 
in  the  garb  of  a  popish  priest. 

The  stern  and  successful  severity  with  which  the  more  foriuiilable  re- 
bellions of  Norfolk  and  Devonshire  had  been  put  down,  caused  weaker 
parlies  in  Yorkshire  and  elsewhere  to  take  the  alarm  and  di^|ieise;  and 
the  protector  both  wisely  and  humanely  fostered  this  spirit  oi'  reluriiiiig 
obedience  by  [)n)elainiing  a  general  indenmity.  Itut  besides  [\n:  urriblo 
loss  of  life  which  these  insurrections  cost  on  the  spot,  they  eau.sed  ijicat 
josses  both  in  Scotland  and  in  France.  In  the  former  country  liie  waul 
of  the  force  of  six  thousand  men,  which  Warwick  led  to  put  down  the 
Norfolk  men,  enabled  the  French  and  Scotch  to  capture  tiie  fortress  u( 
Droughty  and  put  the  ,'iarrison  to  the  sword,  and  so  to  waste  the  country 
for  miles  round  Haddington,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  disiuantle  aiiJ 
abandon  that  important  fortress  and  carry  the  stores  to  Uerwiek. 

The  king  of  Fruice  was  at  the  same  time  tempted  by  the  depluiaUe 
domestic  disturbances  in  England  to  make  an  effort  to  recover  IjoulDgiic, 
which  had  been  taken  during  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  He  took  several 
fortresses  in  the  neighbourhood,  but  whil(;  preparing  to  attack  I)oii!i)i;iie 
itself,  a  pestilential  distemper  broke  out  in  his  camp.    The  autunniul  rams 


Ifi:^.^ 


THE  TREA8IJUY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


481 


falling  with  great  violence,  Ilniiry  of  France  lost  all  instant  hope  of  tak- 
ing B()ii!n;riie,  and  returned  to  Paris,  leaving  Caspar  de  Coligny,  so  well 
jjnown  as  the  admiral  ColiKiiy.  to  command  the  troops  and  to  form  ths 
jicge  as  early  as  possible  in  tlie  followinif  spring,     ('oliiiny  oven  went  be- 
yond tli(!se  orders  by  niaiiinjj  some  dasliing  attempts  during  the  winter, 
but  they  were  all  unsuccessful.     The  protector  having  in  vain  allemptcd 
to  procure  the  alliance  of  the  emperor,  he  tunKsd  liis  tlioughts  to  making 
peace  with  both  France  and  Scotland.    The  young  queen  of  Scotland, 
for  wliosc  hand  he  had  chiefly  gone  to  war,  could  not  now  be  married  to 
Edwanl  of  Kngland,  however  much  even  tlie  Scots  might  desire  it;  and 
,isrr;;arf]s  the   French  quarrel,  Henry  VIII.  having  agreed  to  give  up 
iioulosiiie  in  1554,  it  was  little  worth  while  to  keep  up  an  exjjensive  war- 
fari!  for  retaining  the  place  for  so  few  years  as  had  to  elapse  to  that  date. 
But  Somerset,  thougli  a  man  of  unquestionable  ability,  seems  to  havo 
been  siiisiilarly  ignorant  or  iniobservant  as  to  tlic  real  light  in  which  ho 
was  rcg;iriled  l)y  the  council,  and  still  more  so  of  the  real  character  and 
vic'.vs  of  Warwick.     He  gave  his  reasons,  as  we  have  given  them  above; 
and  soiiinl  reasons  they  were,  and  as  humane  as  sound;  but  he  did  not 
sufricicntly  take  into  calculation  the  pleasure  wliich  his  enemies  derived 
from  tliR  enil)arrassment  caused  to  him,  aiKJ  the  disconlenl  likely  to  arise 
in  the  public  mind  on  account  of  the  state  of  our  affairs,  at  once  inglo- 
rious ami  expensive,  in  France  and  Scotland. 

Besides  liaving  the  personal  enmity  of  Warwick,  Southampton,  whom 
the  protector  had  restored  to  his  place  in  tiie  (council,  and  otluir  council- 
lors, Somerset  was  detested  by  a  great  i)art  of  the  nobility  and  gentry, 
who  accused  him,  perhaps  not  altogether  unjustly,  of  purchasing  popular 
iiyat  the  expense  of  their  tafety,  by  showing  such  an  excessive  and  un- 
fair preferciici!  of  the  poo:'  as  encouraged  tliem  in  riot  and  robbery.  As 
aiiiiislauce  of  this,  it  was  objectcni  that  he  had  erect(Hl  a  court  of  re- 
quosls  in  his  own  house  for  the  professed  nslief  of  the  poor,  and  even  in- 
'■"rfercd  witii  the  judges  on  their  behalf.  The  princjiples  of  (constitutional 
hbcrty  such  as  we  now  enjoy  were  at  that  time  so  little  undc'rstood,  that 
It  was  not  the  mere  interference  with  the  judges,  which  we  should  now 
vory justly  consider  so  indecent  and  detestable,  that  caused  any  disgust; 
but  Souiersei  had  interfered  against  the  very  persons,  the  nobles  anil  gen- 
try, upon  whom  alone  he  couid  rely  for  support,  and  he  was  now  to  en- 
sure ilie  e()nse(|ueiices  of  so  im[)olitic  a  course.  Ills  execution  of  his 
own  brother,  however  guilty  that  brother,  his  enormous  acquisitions  of 
ilmreh  property,  and  iibove  all,  the  magnificence  of  the  i)alace  he  was 
binlding  ill  the  Strand,  for  which  a  pari^sh  church  and  the  houses  of  three 
bishops  were  pulled  down,  and  the  materials  of  which  he  chiefly  got  by 
•lisinaiilling  a  chapel,  with  cloister  and  (diarnel-house,  in  St.  Paul's 
cliurchyard,  after  his  labourers  had  been  l)y  force  of  arms  driven  from  an 
attempt  to  tear  down  St.  Margaret's,  Westminster,  for  that  purpose ! — 
tbcse  ihiiiirs,  and  the  overweening  pride  which  was  generally  attributed 
to  him,  w(!rc  skilfully  taken  advantage  of  by  his  enemies,  and  he  was 
everywhere  described  as  the  mtiin  cause  of  all  the  recent  public  calamities 
at  home  and  abroad.  Warwick,  with  Southampton,  Artmdel,  and  five  of 
tlic  councillors,  headed  by  Lord  St.  John,  president  of  the  council,  formed 
tliomselves  into  a  sort  of  independent  council.  Taking  upon  themselves 
the  style  and  authority  of  the  whole  coinicil,  they  wrote  letters  to  all  the 
chief  nobility  and  gentry,  asking  for  their  support  and  aid  in  remeilying 
the  public  evils,  which  they  afl'ected  to  charge  entirely  upon  Somerset's 
iiiahidministration.  Having  determined  on  their  own  scheme  of  reme- 
ilial  measures,  they  stmt  for  the  mayor  and  aldermen  of  London  and  the 
hcutenant  of  the  Tower,  and  informing  them  of  the  plans  which  they 
imposed  to  adopt,  strictly  enjoined  them  to  aid  and  obey  them,  in  despite 
'f  aun;lit  iiiat  Somerset  might  think  fit  to  order  to  the  contrary.  Soiner 
ViiL.  1.— ai 


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182 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTOR\. 


;<^-; 


if: 


set  was  now  so  unpopular,  that  obedience  was  readily  promised  to  tliig 
command,  in  ihe  face  at  once  of  the  king's  patent  and  of  the  fact  that 
these  very  councillors,  who  now  complained  of  the  protector's  nets  as 
Illegal,  liad  aided  and  encouraged  him  in  wliatever  had  been  illcirniiy 
done— his  original  departure  from  the  will  of  the  late  king!  No  fariher 
argument  can  be  requisite  to  show  that  personal  and  selfish  fcehiiff,  aiirl 
not  loyalty  to  the  young  king  or  tenderness  to  his  suffering  peoi)?e,  ac- 
tuated these  factious  councillors.  But  faction  has  an  eagle  eye  where- 
with  to  gaze  unblinkingly  upon  the  proudest  and  most  brilUant  light  of 
trutli;  and  tlie  self-appointed  junto  was  on  the  following  day  joiiuid  |iv 
the  lord  chancellor  Itich,  by  the  marquis  of  Northampton,  tlin  eail  of 
Shrewsbury,  Sir  Thomas  (:;heney,  Sir  John  Gage,  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  and 
the  chief  justice  Montague.  And  wlien  the  protector,  seeing  the  immi. 
nent  peril  in  which  lie  was  placed,  sent  Secretary  Petre  to  treat  wilh  ilio 
councillors  at  Kly-houso,  that  craven  personage,  instead  of  pcrformJiK' 
his  duty,  took  his  seat  and  sided  with  tiie  junto.  " 

Consulting  with  Cranmer  and  Paget,  who  were  the  only  men  of  mark 
and  power  that  still  abided  l)y  his  fortunes,  the  protector  removed  the 
young  king  to  Windsor  castle,  and  galliered  his  friends  and  retainers  in 
arms  around  liim.  Buttiie  adhesion  to  the  junto  of  the  lieutenant  of  the 
Tower,  and  the  unanimity  with  which  the  common  council  of  London 
joined  the  mayor  in  promising  support  to  the  new  measures,  caused  iho 
speaker  of  tiie  house  of  commons  and  tiio  two  or  three  other  couneillors 
who  had  hitherto  remained  neuter  to  join  the  ascendant  party  of  War- 
wick ;  and  Somerset  so  completely  lost  all  hope  and  confidence,  that  he 
now  began  to  apply  to  his  foes  for  pardon.  This  manifestation  of  his 
despair,  wliich  would  iiavc  been  inexcusable  had  it  not,  unhappily,  been 
unavoidable,  was  decisive.  Warwick  and  iiis  friends  addressed  the  khi!r, 
and  with  many  protestations  of  their  exceeding  loyalty  and  the  niischicv. 
ousness  of  tiie  protector's  measures,  solicited  tiiat  they  might  be  adniiticd 
to  iiis  majesty's  presence  and  conrKlence,  and  tliat  Somerset  be  disinissed 
from  Ins  high  office.  The  fallen  statesman  was  accordingly,  with  several 
of  his  friends,  including  Cecil,  the  afterwards  renowned  and  adniirable 
Lord  Burleigh,  sent  to  the  Tower.  But  though  the  junto  thus  prononiieed 
all  that  Somerset  had  done  to  be  illegal,  they  appointed  us  council  of  re- 
gcncy,  not  the  persons  named  in  th(!  late  king's  will,  but,  for  the  most 
part,  llio  same  men  wiio  had  been  appointed  by  Somerset,  and  whose  ads 
under  his  appointment,  supposing  it  to  be  illegal,  ought  clearly  to  have 
disqualified  them  now.     Such  is  faction!  •■^ 

When  ttie  government  iiad  thus  been,  virtually,  vested  in  the  aniliiiioiis 
and  unprincipled  Warwick  ;  when  he  had  snatched  the  office  of  earl  ni:ir- 
slial,  Lord  St.  .lohn  that  of  treasurer,  the  manpiis  of  Northampton  that  of 
great  chamberlain,  Lord  Wentworth  that  of  chamberlain  of  the  lumsehnld, 
besides  the  manors  of  Stepiuiy  and  Hackney  which  were  pluidered  fmai 
the  bishopric  of  London,  and  Lord  Russell  the  earldom  of  Uedford,  ilie  hut 
patriotism  of  Warwick  was  satisfied.  The  humbled  Somerset  Iiavinir  thus 
made  way  for  liis  enemies,  and  having  stooped  to  the  degradation  of  nuk- 
ing to  them  apologies  and  submissions  which  his  admirers  nuist  cvei 
lament,  he  was  restored  to  liberty  and  forgiven  a  fine  of  jC-'OOO  a  year  iii 
land  which  had  been  inflicted  upon  iiim.  As  though  even  this  lininiliatiiin 
were  not  enough,  Warwick  not  only  re-admitted  him  to  the  couneil.  bui 

fave  his  son.  Lord  Dudley,  in  marriage  to  Somerset's  daughter,  the  lady 
ane  Seymour. 

A.  D.  1550. — The  new  governors  of  England,  thougli  they  had  insidiously 
refused  to  aid  Somerset  in  his  wise  and  reasonable  proposals  for  niakiii? 
peace  with  France  and  Scotland  when  he  was  desirous  to  do  so,  now 
eagerly  exerted  themselves  for  the  same  end.  Having,  to  colour  ovei 
llieir  factioua  opposition  to  Somerset,  made  proposals  for  the  warlike  aii 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


489 


0f  the  emperor,  which  aid  they  well  knew  would  be  refused,  they  agreed 
to  restore  Boulogne  for  four  thousand  crowns,  to  restore  Lnuder  and 
i)ouglass  to  Scotland,  and  to  demolish  the  fortresses  of  Roxburgh  and 
Evinoulh.  This  done,  they  contracted  the  king  to  Elizabeth,  a  daughle> 
nf'llit!  king  of  France,  the  most  violent  persecutor  of  the  protestants;  but 
tliough  uU  the  articles  were  settled,  this  most  shameful  marriage  treaty 
came  to  nothing. 

Ill  the  history  of  public  affairs  there  is  scarcely  anything  that  is  more 
startling,  or  that  gives  one  a  lower  opinion  of  the  morality  of  those  public 
men  w!io  most  loudly  vaunt  their  own  integrity  and  decry  that  of  their 
opponents,  than  the  coolness  with  which  they  will  at  the  same  instant  of 
lime  propose  two  measures  diametrically  opposed  to  one  and  the  same 
principle-  Wc  have  seen  that  Warwick  an',  his  friends  had  agreed  to 
iii;irry  the  protestant  Kdward,  their  sovereign,  to  the  daughter  of  Henry  of 
I'rKiii'c,  the  fiercest  persecutor  of  the  protestants.  Hut  even  while  they 
were  thus  proclaiming  their  friendship  with  the  chief  upholder  of  the  right 
ofcathulicisni  to  persecute,  they  visited  several  of  the  most  eminent  of 
their  own  catholics  with  severe  punishment,  not  for  persecuting  protest- 
ants, but  merely  for  a  natural  unwillingness  to  be  more  speedy  than  was 
unavoidable  in  forwarding  tiie  protestant  measures.  Gardiner,  as  the 
most  eminent,  was  the  first  to  be  attacked.  For  two  long  years  he  was 
(Iciained  in  prison,  and  then  Somerset  condescended  to  join  himself  with 
Soni'tary  Petre,  by  whom  he  had  himself  formerly  been  so  shamefully 
deserted,  as  a  deputation  to  endeavour  to  persuade  or  cajole  the  high- 
iniiuled  and  learned,  however  mistaken  prelate,  info  a  compliant  mood. 
More  tliiiii  one  attempt  was  made;  but  tliougb  (Jardiner  showed  himself 
very  ready  to  comply  to  a  certain  and  becoming  extent,  he  would  not 
conlVss  tiiat  his  conduct  had  been  wrong  ;  a  confession  of  which  he 
clearly  saw  that  his  enemies  would  make  use  to  ruin  him  in  character  as 
well  as  foitniic;  and  a  commission,  c  jnsisting  of  Cranmer,  the  bishops  of 
l.niidoii,  Kly,  and  Lincoln,  Secretary  Petre,  and  some  lawyers,  sentenced 
liim  to  he  deprived  of  his  bisho[)ric  and  committed  to  close  custody;  and 
'omakc  tliis  iniquitous  sentence  the  more  severe,  he  was  deprived  of  all 
looks  and  papers,  and  was  not  only  denied  the  comfort  of  the  visits  of  two 
fueiids,  hut  even  of  their  letters  or  messages. 

A.  II.  1551. — Several  other  prelates  were  now  marked  out  for  persecu- 
tion; some  beciuise  they  were  actually  disobedient,  others  because  they 
were  suspected  to  be  not  cordial  in  their  obedience.  Large  sums  of  money 
were  thus  wruua  front  them  ;  and,  under  the  pretence  of  purging  the  libra- 
e's of  Westminster  and  Oxford  of  superstitious  books,  the  dominant  poli- 
iieal  party— for  religion  really  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  motives  of  War- 
"iekaiid  his  lay  friends— destroyed  inestimable  literary  treasures  for  the 
nil  re  sake  of  the  comparatively  small  i^inns  to  be  obtained  by  the  gold  and 
«:lver\viih  wliicli,  unfortunately,  the  books  and  manuscripts  were  adorned. 

Much  as  we  shall  have  occasion  to  blame  the  Queen  Mary  for  her  mer- 
ciless abuse  of  power,  it  is  not  easy  to  help  admiring  the  cold,  stern,  uii- 
;ileiicliiii;r  mien  with  which  the  princess  i^Liry  at  this  time  of  peril  defied 
sll  alicinpts  at  making  her  bow  to  the  dominaiit  party.  Deprived  of  her 
iliaplaius,  and  ordered  to  read  protestant  books,  she  calmly  professed  her 
rcaJiiicss  to  endure  martyrdom  rather  than  prove  false  to  her  faith  ;  and 
ijiis  conduct  she  steadfastly  maintained,  although  it  was  only  from  fear  of 
the  walike  interference  of  the  emperor  that  her  persecutors  were  with 
held  from  offering  her  personal  violence. 

Kveii  in  the  midst  of  these  ijuasi  religious  vexations,  some  very  useful 
measures  were  taken  for  promoting  industry,  especially  by  revoking 
sunihy  most  impolitic  patents,  by  which  the" trade  in  cloth,  wool,  and 
many  other  commodities  bad  been  almost  entirely  thrown  into  the  hands 
'>•  foreigners.     The  merchants  of  tho  Hanse  towns  loudlv  exclaitued 


1!     Hip   j',.- 


h.     i 


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I  i'^« 
1  #* 


484 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


I 


!i?'.t 


against  this  "new  measure;"  but  Warwick  and  his  friends — this  at  leag\ 
is  to  their  credit — were  firm,  and  a  very  sensible  improvement  in  the  Kn". 
lish  spirit  of  industry  was  the  immediate  consequence.  Is  it  to  looii  too 
curiously  into  public  cause  and  effect  to  asic  whether  our  present  high 
commercial  fortune  may  not  be  greatly  owing  to  this  very  measure,  tliouoh 
nearly  three  centuries  have  since  elapsed  1  " 

But  Warwick  could  not  long  confine  his  turbulent  and  eager  spirit  to 
the  noble  and  peaceable  triumphs  of  the  patriot.  Self  was  his  earthly 
deity.  Tiie  title  and  tiie  vast  estate  of  the  earldom  of  Northunibcrlaiul 
were  at  this  time  in  abeyance,  owing  to  the  last  earl  dying  witiiout  issue, 
and  his  brother,  Sir  Thomas  Percy,  having  been  attainted  of  treason.  Of 
these  vast  estates,  together  with  the  title  of  duke  of  Northumberhuid,  War 
wick  now  possessed  himself,  and  he  procured  for  his  friend.  Lord  St.  John, 
the  title  of  marquis  of  Winchester,  and  for  Sir  William  Herbert  tliatnf 
earl  of  Pembroke. 

Northumberland's  complete  triumph  and  vast  acquisitions  could  not  but 
be  very  distasteful  to  Somerset,  wlio  not  only  cherished  the  most  violent 
intentions  towards  him,  but  was  even  stung  into  the  imprudence  of  avow- 
ing them  in  tlie  presence  of  some  of  his  intimate  attendants,  among  whom 
was  Sir  Thomas  Palmer,  who  appeared  to  have  been  placed  in  his  service 
as  a  mere  spy  of  Northumberland's.  Somerset,  his  duchess,  and  several 
of  their  friends  and  attendants,  were  suddenly  arrested ;  and  Somerset 
was  accused  of  high  treason  and  felony ;  the  former  crime  as  iiaving  pre- 
pared  for  insurrection,  the  latter  as  having  intended  to  assassinate  Norlii- 
umberland,  Northampton,  and  Pembroke. 

The  marquis  of  Winchester,  tlie  friend,  almost  the  mere  follower  of 
Northumberland,  was  appointed  high  steward,  and  presided  at  tlie  trial  of 
Somerset;  and  of  the  twenty-seven  peers  who  made  the  jury,  three  were 
Northumberland,  Northampton,  and  Pembroke,  tiie  very  men  wliom  he 
had  threatened  !  He  was  acquitted  of  treason,  but  found  guilty  of  felony, 
to  the  great  grief  of  the  people,  among  whom  Somerset  was  now  popular. 

A.  D.  1552. — As  it  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  a  mild  and  toward  youii;,' 
prince  like  Edward  VI.  would  easily,  if  at  all,  be  brougl/.  to  turn  a  deaf 
ear  to  his  uncle's  solicitation  for  mercy,  great  care  was  takiMi  by  Xorlh- 
umberland  to  prevent  all  access  to  the  king  of  the  friends  of  Somerset,  and 
that  unhappy  nobleman  after  all  his  services  as  regent,  and  after  liis  almost 
paternal  goodness  as  guardian  cf  tlie  king's  person,  was  executed  on 
Tower-hill ;  the  grieved  people  dipping  their  handkerchiefs  in  his  blood 
as  mementos  of  his  martyrdom.  His  friends.  Sirs  Tliomas  Arundel, 
Michael  Stanhope,  Miles  Partridge,  and  Ralph  Vane  were  also  executed; 
Paget,  chancellor  of  the  duchy  of  Lancaster,  was  deprived  of  ills  office 
and  of  the  garter,  and  fined  jCG.OOO  :  and  Lord  Rich,  the  ciiaiicellor,  was 
also  deprived  of  office  for  the  crime  of  being  tlie  friend  of  Somerset,  whose 
chief  faults  seem  to  have  been  an  overweening  ambition,  to-existing  with 
rather  less  than  more  than  tiie  average  sagacit-;  and  firmness  of  ihose  who 
take  tiie  lead  in  troublous  and  unsettled  time*. 

A.  D.  1553. — A  new  session  of  parliamo''  was  held  immediately  after  the 
execution  of  Somerset,  in  which  sever?'  regulations  were  made  that  were 
calculated  to  advance  tiie  cause  of  t*e  reformation.  But  the  coniinuns 
having  refused  to  pass  a  bill  of  deprivation  against  the  universally  respect 
ed  Tonstal,  bishop  of  Durham,  a  new  parliament  was  summoned  ;  and  to 
secure  one  favourable  to  his  views  Northumberland  caused  the  kinfj,  eer 
tainly,  and  most  probalily  the  majority  of  the  councillors  and  peers,  to 
recommend  particular  gentlemen  to  be  sent  up  for  particular  counties. 
The  parliament,  thus  conveniently  composed,  readily  confirmed  the  depri- 
vation arbitrarily  pronounced  upon  Tonstal,  and  two  bishoprics  were  cre- 
ated out  of  that  of  Durham — the  rich  regalities  of  that  see  beiug  conferred 
npon  Northumberland  himself.    Insatiable,  wholly  insatiable,  Norlhinii- 


i 


THE  TEBA8URY  OP  HI8T0IIY. 


486 


S 


berland  induced  the  king  to  bestow  the  dukedom  of  Suffolk  upon  the  mar- 
quis of  Dorset;  and  having  persuaded  tlie  new  duke  to  give  his  daughter, 
(he  Indy  Jane  Grey,  in  marriage  to  Northumberhmd's  fourth  son.liie  Lord 
Guildford  Dudley,  next  proceeded  to  persuade  Edward,  who  was  in  an  in- 
firm condition,  to  pass  by  his  sisters  Mary  and  Klizabeth,  both  of  whom 
had  been  pronounced  illegitimate,  an  '  the  former  of  whom,  as  well  as  the 
young  queen  of  Sects,  was  a  papist,  and  to  settle  the  crown  on  the  mar- 
chioness of  Dorset  ^duchess  of  Suffolk)  whose  heiress  was  the  lady  Jane 
Grey.  By  a  variety  of  arguments,  some  of  which  were  both  specious  and 
solid,  but  all  of  which,  as  proceeding  from  so  ambitious  a  man,  ought  to 
have  been  looked  upon  with  suspicion,  Northumberland  prevailed  upon 
Ihe  youns;  king.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  judges  and  the  most  eminent  law 
officers  protested  against  being  compelled  to  draw  out  a  patent ;  it  was  in 
vain  they  urged  that  they  would  subject  themselves  to  the  pains  and  pen- 
alties of  treason  should  they  do  so;  Northumberland  gave  Montague, 
chief  justice  of  common  pleas,  the  lie  ;  swore  he  would  fight  any  man  in 
his  shirt  who  should  deny  the  justice  of  lady  Jane's  succession  ;  and  was 
so  successful  that  the  crown  was  accordingly  settled  upon  lady  Jane  ;  her 
mother,  the  duchess  of  Suffolk,  very  willingly  allowing  heiself  to  be 
passed  by. 

This  patent  was  by  many  looked  upon  as  the  death-warrant  of  Edward 
VI.  signed  by  himself.  His  health  daily  grew  worse,  and  his  physicians 
being  dismissed  in  favour  of  some  ignorant  woman,  her  quack  medicines 
bronijht  on  symptoms  at  once  fatal  and  very  symptomatic  of  poison,  and 
he  died  in  the  ICth  year  of  his  age  and  the  seventh  of  his  reign. 

Tile  whole  life  and  reign  of  this  prince  was  spent  literally  in  statu  pupil- 
/ari;  bill  so  far  as  he  could  in  such  a  state  manifest  his  disposition,  he 
seems  fully  to  have  deserved  the  affection  with  which  even  to  this  day 
he  is  spoken  of. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 


THE    REIGN    OF    MARY. 


A.  D.  1553. — The  artful  precautions  taken  by  Northumberland  to  secure 
the  throne  to  his  young  and  accomplished  daughter-in-law,  by  no  means 
rendered  the  success  of  the  project — for  which  he  had  certainly  toiled 
much,  and  for  which,  we  fear,  he  had  sinned  no  little — so  secure  as  at  first 
eiglit  it  might  seem.  In  the  first  place,  young  Edward's  reign  had  been  so 
short  and  completely  a  reign  of  tutelage,  that  his  will  had  none  of  that 
force  with  the  multitude  which  was  possessed  by  the  will  of  his  bluff  and 
Tou-handcd  father.  Henry  Vlll.  had,  it  is  true,  bastardized  both  his 
laugliters,  but  ho  had  subsequently  restored  them  to  the  succession  ;  and 
the  people  were  too  much  accustomed  to  regarding  Mary  as  the  rightful 
Bucressor  to  Edward,  in  the  event  of  his  dying  without  issue,  to  allo^r 
ifthe  almost  dying  act  of  the  young  king  speedily  changing  their  opin- 
ion and  directing  their  loyalty  to  the  lady  Jane.  Again,  the  catholics, 
far  more  numerous  secretly  than  might  be  imagined,  were  to  a  man 
partizans  of  Mary;  and  if  tlic  protestants  had  some  misgivings,  founded 
on  her  known  bigotry  in  favour  of  her  own  faith,  they  yet  feared  even 
the  bigot  far  less  than  the  lady  Jane,  who,  as  they  well  knew,  could 
be  and  would  be  a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  Northumberland,  who 
by  this  time  had  contrived  to  render  himself  at  once  the  most  powerful, 
the  most  dreaded,  and  the  most  detested  man  in  the  whole  nation.  And 
It  is  worthy  of  observation  also,  that  so  nearly  balanced  were  the  par 
fens  of  the  respective  religions,  that  each  stood  in  dread  of  the  other 

Rut  Northumberland  was  far  too  wily  a  personage  to  be  ignorant  '.' 


*il*»i{  ;   ,    j; 


'/I   .  :,;•«:• 


r 


tfm 


486 


THE  TIlEASUaY  OF  IIISTOllY. 


•Mii 


I 


the  weight  which,  with  the  majority  of  the  people,  detestation  of  hitn 
self  and  respect  for  the  memory  of  Henry  VIII.  would  have  in  deciding 
between  the  princess  Mary  and  the  lady  Jane.  When,  therefore,  ij 
perceived  that  tiie  speedy  death  of  Edward  was  inevitable,  Norlhuniberland 
caused  the  princesses  Mary  and  Elizabeth  to  be  sent  for,  as  thougli  tlin 
young  king  had  been  desirous  of  seeing  them.  Mary  had  reaclieil  Hod^ 
desden  in  Hertfordshire,  only  about  seventeen  miles  from  London,  wlieii 
the  king  died.  Northumberland,  anxious  to  get  her  into  his  power 
gave  orders  that  the  melancholy  event  should  be  kept  a  secn.'t ;  but  the 
earl  of  Arundel  sent  her  warning  of  Northumberland's  deceit  and  pro. 
bablo  designs,  and  she  hastily  retreated  to  the  retired  fishing  town  oi 
Framlingham,  in  Suffolk,  whence  she  sent  letters  to  ihe  council  x.ul  to 
the  principal  nobility,  informing  them  of  her  knowledge  of  her  brotlier':! 
death,  promising  indemnity  to  all  who  had  thus  far  aided  in  conccalinn 
it,  but  calling  upon  them  forthwith  to  proclaim  her  as  queen.  While 
thus  active  in  asserting  her  right,  she  carefully  provided,  also,  for  lier 
flight  into  Flanders,  in  the  event  of  her  eflbrts  proving  unsuccessful. 

When  Northumberland  found  that  Edward's  death  was  known  to  the 
rightful  queen,  ho  at  once  threw  oflfall  disguise.  Lord  and  the  lady  .lane 
Dudley  were  at  this  time  residing  at  Sion  House ;  and  Northumhcriaiid. 
Willi  James'  father,  the  carl  of  Pembroke,  and  other  noblemen,  appioaeliei' 
her  with  all  the  form  and  respect  due  from  subjects  to  their  sovcreiirn. 
Young,  gifted  with  singular  talents  for  literature,  and  whh  a  scarcely  less 
singular  propension  towards  literary  pursuits,  Jane  viewed  the  throne  in 
its  true  light  as  a  dangerous  and  uneasy  eminence.  Even  now  when  he: 
father,  her  still  more  powerful  and  dreaded  father-in-law,  and  the  verv 
chiefest  mer.  in  the  kingdom,  with  all  the  emblems  of  state,  pressed  her  to 
assume  the  authority  of  queen,  she  recoiled  from  it  as  an  evil  of  the  first 
magnitude.  Her  husband,  though,  like  herself,  but  little  more  tiian  si.\- 
tecii  years  of  age,  had  been  but  too  skilfully  tutored  by  his  wily  father. 
and  he  seconded  that  ambitious  man's  entreaties  so  well  that,  overcome 
though  not  coiivinecd,  the  unfortunate  Jane  consented.  She  was  imme- 
diately escorted  to  the  Tower,  the  usual  residence  of  the  I'nglish  sove- 
reigns on  their  first  accession ;  and  Northumberland  took  care  that  she 
should  be  accompanied  thither,  not  only  by  his  known  and  fast  friemlj, 
but  also  by  the  whole  of  the  councillors,  whom  he  thus,  in  effect,  made 
prisoners  and  hostages  for  the  adhesion  of  thcii  absent  friends.  Orders 
were  now  issued  to  proclaim  Queer  Jane  throughout  the  kingdom,  but  it  was 
only  in  London,  where  Northumberland's  authority  was  as  yet  loo  firm  to 
be  openly  resisted,  that  the  orders  were  obeyed.  And  even  in  London  tho 
majority  listened  to  the  proclamation  in  a  sullen  and  ominous  silence.  Some 
openly  scofTed  at  Jane's  pretensions,  and  one  unfortunate  boy,  who  was  a 
vintner's  servant,  was  severely  punished  for  even  this  verbal,  and  perhaps 
unreasoning  opposition  to  the  will  of  the  haughty  Northumberland. 

While  the  people  of  London  were  thus  cool  towards  their  nominal 
(jueen,  and  even  the  protestants  listened  without  conviction  to  tiie  preach- 
ings of  Ridley  and  other  eminent  protestant  churchmen  in  her  favour,  Mary 
in  her  retreat  in  Suffolk  was  actively  and  ably  exerting  herself  for  the  pro- 
tection of  her  birthright.  She  was  surrounded  by  eminent  and  infl'icnti^l 
men  with  their  levies  of  tenants  or  hired  adherents  ;  and  as  she  stronjly 
and  repeatedly  professed  her  determination  not  to  infringe  the  laws  of  her 
brother  with  respect  to  religion,  even  the  protestants  throughout  Suffolk, 
equall"  with  the  catholics,  were  enthusiastic  in  her  cause.  Nor  was  (he 
feeling  in  favour  of  Mary  exhibited  merely  in  her  own  neighbourhood,  or 
among  those  who  might  be  called  her  personal  friends.  Northumberland 
commissioned  Sir  Edward  Hastings,  brother  of  the  earl  of  Huntingdon,  to 
levy  men  in  Buckinghamshire  on  behalf  of  Jane.  Sir  Edward  executed 
the  commission  with  great  readiness  and  success  as  far  as  related  to  levy- 


THE  TREASURY  Of  HISTORY. 


87 


jngthemen;  but  he  no  sooner  found  himself  at  the  liead  of  a  force  o/ 
nearly  four  thousand  strong  than  he  marched  in  to  llic  aid  of  Mary.  With 
ths  marine  the  dui^e  was  not  more  fortunate  than  with  the  land  forces ;  a 
fleet  was  sent  by  him  to  cruise  off  the  Suffolk  coast,  to  cut  Mary  off  from 
her  retreat  to  Flanders,  should  she  attempt  it,  and  was  driven  by  stress  of 
Heather  into  Yarmouth,  where  it  immediately  declared  in  favour  of  Mary. 

Perplexed  and  alarmed,  Northumberland  yet  determined  not  to  give  up 
the  gfMid  prize  without  a  stout  effort  for  its  preservation-  He  determined 
lo  remain  with  Jane  at  the  Tower,  and  to  commit  the  command  of  the 
troops  he  had  levied  to  her  ffther.  Hut  the  imprisoned  councillors,  clear- 
ly luulerslanding  both  their  own  position  and  his,  astutely  persuaded  him 
that  he  alone  was  fit  to  head  the  forces  upon  wluL'h  so  much  depended, 
and  tliey,  at  the  same  time,  successfully  worked  ujion  the  fears  of  Jane  on 
behalf  of  her  father.  The  councillors  were  the  more  successful  in  per- 
suading Northumberland  to  the  almost  suicidal  act  of  taking  the  command 
of  the  troops,  because,  while  he  naturally  felt  great  confidence  in  hi<^  own 
well-tried  valour  and  ability,  he  was  well  aware  of  the  inferiority  of  Suf- 
folk in  the  latter  respect  at  least. 

Northumberland  accordingly  set  out  to  combat  the  forces  of  the  enemy, 
and  was  taken  leave  of  by  the  councillors  with  every  expression  of  at- 
tnciiineiit  and  confidence  of  his  success ;  and  Arundel,  his  bitterest  enemy, 
H7.S  by  no  means  tiie  least  profuse  of  these  expressions.  Scarcely,  how- 
ever, had  Northumberland  marched  out  of  London  ere  he  perceived  a  bo- 
ding and  chilling  suUenness  among  all  ranks  of  men;  and  he  remarked  to 
Lord  Grey,  who  accompanied  him,  "  Many  come  out  to  look  at  our  array, 
indeed,  but  I  find  not  one  who  cries  '  God  speed  your  enterprise.'' " 

Arrived  at  Bury  St.  Kdmund's,  the  duke  found  that  his  army  did  not 
greatly  exceed  six  thousand  men,  while  the  lowest  reports  of  the  opposite 
foice  gave  double  that  number.  Aware  of  the  immense  importance  of  the 
first  encounter,  Northumberland  resolved  to  delay  his  proposed  attp.;k,  ard 
sent  aa  express  to  the  councillors  to  send  him  a  large  and  inst mt  rein- 
forcement. But  the  councillors  had  no  sooner  received  the  duke'n  express 
th;ui  they  left  the  Tower,  on  the  pretext  of  obeying  his  order ;  and  a;  semblcd 
at  HayiKird's  castle,  the  house  of  Pembroke,  to  deliberaie,  not  i  pon  the 
means  of  aiding  Northumberland,  but  upon  the  best  mrans  of  thrc  wing  otf 
his  yoke,  and  of  dethroning  the  puppet  queen  he  had  set  over  thci;i.  Arun- 
del, whom  Northumberland  had  with  a  most  unaccountable  weakness  left 
beiiind,  expatiated  warmly  and  eloquently  upon  all  Northumberland's 
vices  and  evil  deeds,  and-exhorted  the  others,  as  the  only  just  or  even 
prudent  course,  to  join  him  in  at  once  throwing  their  weight  into  the  scale 
of  Mary,  and  thus  insuring  not  merely  her  pardon  for  their  past  involun- 
tary oliences,  but  also  her  favour  for  their  present  and  prompt  loyalty. 
Pembroke  loudly  applauded  the  advice  of  Arundel,  and,  laying  his  hand 
upon  his  sword,  expressed  his  readiness  to  fight  on  the  instant  any  man 
who  should  pretend  to  oppose  it.  The  mayor  and  aldermen  of  London 
Leing  sent  for  to  attend  this  conference,  showed  tlie  utmost  alacrity  to 
proclaim  Mary,  and  the  proclamation  was  accordingly  made  amid  the 
most  rapturous  applauses  of  the  populace.  The  reign  of  Jane,  if  a  lonely 
and  anxious  confinement  in  the  Tower  for  ten  days  could  be  called  a 
reign,  was  now  at  an  end ;  and  she  retired  to  her  private  residence  and 
private  station,  with  a  readiness  as  great  as  the  reluctance  she  had  shown 
to  leave  them. 

The  councillors  having  thus  completely  beaten  Northumberland  in 
his  chief  or  only  stronghold,  sent  messengers  to  demand  that  he  should 
lay  down  his  arms,  disband  his  troops,  and  submit  himself  to  the  mercy 
of  his  rightful  sovereign.  Queen  Mary.  The  message  was  needless ; 
Northumberland,  receiving  no  reinforcement  from  London,  saw  tliu  im- 
nossibility  of  resisting  the  hourly  increasing  force  of  Mary,  and  finding 


1  M 


r>'^^> 


488 


THE  TUEASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


'1    m 

'>v*-^' 

'    V:-^      ^..^v, 

lim 

■  ."^f|■' 

.•       -?'f 

-■ 

'     ,1-. 

.  I'.^i".'" 

himself  Aist  deserted  by  his  handful  of  foreigners,  had  already  proclaim, 
ed  Queen  Mary  wilii  as  mueii  apparent  heartiness  and  zeal  as  Ihouyli  ha 
had  not  aimed  at  her  crown — and  prohably  her  life. 

Mary,  on  receiving  the  submission  and  hypocritical  adliesion  of  Nor- 
thumberland, set  out  I'or  London.  Her  progress  was  one  eoulinucd  and  im. 
broken  triumpli.  Kvery  where  she  was  met  by  multitudes  of  llic  people 
invokin;,'  blessings  upon  her  ;  her  sister,  llie  lady  Klizabelli,  met  her  ;it  ilic 
headof  a  thousand  well-appointed  horse,  and  wlien  she  reaelied  tlie  Tower 
ahe  found  that  even  SulTolk  had  thrown  open  its  gates  and  declined  lum- 
self  in  her  favour.  All  eireumslances  considered,  there  is  scarcely  ;iii 
instance  in  history  to  equal  this  in  the  fa(;ility  with  wliicii  a  rifjhtful 
princess  of  no  amiable  (.'haraeter,  and  opposed  to  a  large  portion  oY  her 
subjects  in  religion,  vampushed  the  opposition  of  so  wily,  so  daring,  and 
so  accomplished  a  pre-usurper  as  Norlhumberland. 

ISIercy  was  assunuHy  not  the  characteristic  of  Mary,  but  the  utmost 
infatuation  of  men^y  could  not  have  allowed  ofTenees  so  gross  a.s  those 
of  Nortlnnnl)erland  to  pass  unpunislied.  Mary  gave  orders  for  his  arrest, 
and,  whether  from  being  broken-spirited  by  his  ill  success,  or  from  sheer 
cowardice  aiid  a  lingering  hope  of  saving  at  least  his  life,  he  fell  on  ji.s 
knees  to  his  hitter  enemy,  Arundel,  who  arrested  him,  and  implored  his 
mercy.  His  sons,  the  earl  of  \\'arwi(!k  and  lords  Ambrose  and  Henry 
Dudley,  and  his  brotiu-r  vSir  Andrew  Dudley,  were  at  the  same  time  com. 
milled  to  custody ;  as  were  the  marquis  of  Northampton,  tiie  curl  of 
Huntingdon,  Sir  Tiiomas  Palmer,  and  Sir  John  (iates.  On  farther 
inquiry  and  consideration,  Uie  queen's  advisers  found  it  necessary  to  eon- 
fine  the  duke  of  Siitfolk,  Lord  Guildford  Dudley,  and  his  innocent  and 
unfortunate  wife.  Die  lady  .Jane.  At  this  early  period  of  her  reign  pol- 
icy  overcame  Mary's  natutal  propensity  lo  cruelty  and  sternness.  The 
councillors,  pleading  th"ir  constraint  by  Norlhumberland,  were  spceihly 
liberated,  and  even  Suflblk  himself  was  not  excluded  from  tiiis  act  of 
mingled  justice  and  mercy.  Northumberland,  Sir  Thomas  Palmer,  ami 
Sir  John  Gates  were  brought  lo  trial.  The  duko's  otTence  was  too  clear 
and  llagrant  to  admit  of  any  elaborate  defence  ;  but  he  asked  the  peers 
v'helher  they  could  possibly  pronounce  a  man  guilty  of  treason  wiio  had 
OL'eyed  orders  under  the  great  seal,  and  whether  persons  who  had  heeii  in- 
volved in  his  alledged  guilt  could  be  allowed  lo  sit  in  judgment  upon 
him?  The  answer  to  each  question  was  obvious,  hi  reply  to  the  first, 
tie  was  told  that  the  great  seal  of  a  usurper  could  have  no  authority;  to 
the  Su'cond,  that  persons  not  having  any  sentence  of  attaint  against  them 
were  clearly  qualified  to  sit  on  any  jury.  Northumberland  then  pleaded 
guilty,  and  he,  with  Sir  Thomas  Palmer  and  Sir  John  Gates  were  execu- 
ted. At  the  scaffold  Norlhumberland  professed  lo  die  in  the  catholic 
faith,  and  assured  the  bystanders  that  they  woidd  never  prosper  until  the 
catholic  religion  should  be  restored  to  all  its  authority  among  them.  Con- 
sidering the  whole  character  of  Norlhumberlaad  and  the  indifference  he 
had  always  shown  to  disputes  of  faith,  it  is  but  too  probable  liiat  even  in 
these  his  dying  words  he  was  insincere,  and  used  them  to  emiagc  the 
mercy  of  the  queen,  wh(}se  bigotry  they  might  Hatter,  towards  his  unfor- 
tunate family.  Upon  the  people  his  advice  wrought  no  cfTect.  Many 
looked  upon  the  preparations  for  his  death  merely  with  a  cold,  unpilyiiig 
sternness,  still  more  shouted  lo  him  to  remember  Somerset,  and  some 
even  held  up  to  him  handkerchiefs  incrusled  with  the  blood  of  that  noble- 
man, and  exulted,  rather  like  fiends  than  men,  that  his  hour  of  a  liko 
bloody  doom  was  at  length  arrived. 

Lord  Guildford  Dudley  and  the  lady  Jane  were  also  condemned  to  death, 
but  their  youth  and,  perhaps,  Mary's  feeling  of  the  impolicy  of  cxlieine 
severity  to  criminals  who  had  so  evidently  olTended  under  the  constraint 
and  tutelage  of  Northumberland,  saved  them  for  the  present— alas  I  on/i 
for  the  present! 


THE  TREASUllY  OP  HISTOIIY 


4B'J 


Thb  reign  of  Mary  contains  so  littlo  upon  wliicii  t'lo  historinn  can  be- 
itoff  even  npifiitivo  praise,  that  it  is  i)leasino  to  l)c  alilc  to  ri-inark  that  tiie 
fcrynnrliest  portion  of  hei  rnifrn,  if  stained  with  the  hlodJshcii  of  a  ne- 
cessary justice,  was  also  marked  hy  some  acts  of  justice  and  gratitude. 
iViirii  she  arrived  at  the  Tower  of  fiondon  and  made  her  tnuinphant  en- 
Iry  into  that  fortress,  tiit;  duke  of  Norfolk,  who  iiad  l)cen  in  pn.^on  from 
(lie  close  of  the  reicrn  of  Henry  VIII.,  Courtney,  son  of  the  marquis  of 
KxcUT,  who  ever  since  his  father's  attainder  had  bi^en  iu  the  same  con- 
linempiit,  thoiiijh  wiien  he  entered  it  he  was  a  mere  child  and  tliere  was 
no  simdow  of  a  <'harge  against  him,  with  bishops  (Jardincr,  Honni  r,  and 
TonsUii,  were  allowed  to  meet  her  on  tho  Tower  green,  where  they  fell 
upon  tlieir  knees  before  her,  and  imph^red  her  grace  and  protection. 
They  were  restored  to  liberty  immediately;  Norfolk's  attainder  was  re- 
mov'cii  iis  having  been  ah  origme  mill  and  invalid,  and  Courtney  was  made 
e;irhil'I)cv<Mishire.  Gardiner,  Honner,  and  Toiistal  were  reappointed  to 
tlitir  sees  by  a  commission  which  was  appointed  to  review  their  trial  and 
condemnation;  and  Day,  Heath,  and  Vesy  recovered  their  sees  by  the 
same  means. 

Tho  queen's  zoal  for  tho  catholic  religion  now  began  to  show  itself. 
llolgiilc,  arcabishop  of  York,  (^overdale,  to  whom  tin;  reform:ition  owed 
so  much,  Uidley,  Hooper,  and  Latin  •  were  speedily  thrown  into  prison  ; 
and  the  bishops  and  priests  were  ex.  ted  and  encouraged  to  revive  the 
mass,  though  the  laws  against  it  we. e  still  in  unrepealed  force.  Judge 
Hales,  who  had  so  well  and  zealously  defended  the  right  of  the  princess 
Mary  when  her  brother  desired  him  to  draw  the  patent  which  was  to  ex- 
clude her  from  the  throne,  opposed  the  illegal  practices  wiiich  Queen 
Mary  now  sanctioned.  All  his  former  merits  were  forgotten  in  this  new 
proof  of  his  genuine  and  uncompromising;  honesty ;  he  was  thrown  into 
prison,  ami  tiicre  treated  with  such  merciless  cruelty  and  insult,  that  he 
lost  his  senses  and  committed  suicide. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  zeal  of  the  men  of  Suffolk,  during  Mary's 
retreat  at  Kramlingham,  was  stimulated  by  her  pointed  and  repeated  as- 
suran''es  that  she  would  in  no  wise  alter  the  laws  of  her  brother  Kdward, 
as  to  religion.  These  simple  and  honest  men,  seeing  the  gross  partiality 
and  tyranny  by  which  tho  queen  now  sought  to  depress  the  protestants, 
ventured  to  remind  her  of  her  former  promises.  Their  remonstrance  was 
received  as  though  it  had  been  some  monstrous  and  seditious  matter,  and 
one  of  them  continuing  his  address  with  a  somewhat  uncourtly  pertiua- 
city  was  placed  in  the  pillory  for  his  pains. 

Craiimer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  by  the  change  of  sovereigns 
placed  ia  a  most  perilous  position.  It  is  true  that  during  the  life  of  Henry 
vni.  Craniner  had  often  and  zealously  exerted  himself  to  prevent  that 
monarcli's  rage  from  being  felt  by  the  princess  Mary.  Hut  Mary's  grati- 
tude as  a  woman  was  but  little  security  against  her  bigotry  as  a  religion- 
ist; and  any  services  that  Cranmer  had  rendered  her  were  likely  enough 
to  be  forgotten,  in  consideration  of  tho  discouragements  he  had  dealt  to 
her  religion  in  his  character  of  champion  as  well  as  child  of  the  reforma- 
tion. .Nothing,  probably,  could  have  saved  Cranmer  but  entire  silence  and 
resignation  of  his  see,  or  immediate  emigration.  But  Cranmer  was  too 
hearty  and  sincere  in  his  love  of  the  reformed  religion,  and,  perhaps,  was 
also  too  confident  of  its  success,  even  now  that  Rome  was  backed  by  the 
queen,  to  be  in  anywise  minded  for  craven  silence  or  retreat.  His  ene- 
mies, perceiving  that  as  yet  he  had  met  with  no  signal  atfronl  or  injury 
from  the  queen,  spread  a  report  that  he  owed  his  safety  and  probable  favour 
to  his  having  promised  to  say  mass  before  Mary.  Situated  as  Cranmer 
was,  it  would  have  been  his  wisest  plan  to  have  listened  to  this  insulting 
report  with  contemptuous  silence,  anil  to  have  relied  upon  his  well-earned 
character  to  refute  the  calumny  to  all  whose  judgment  was  of  any  real 


i  i 

i     4 


;  ;      I     -fi  1 


1,1    1 » 
I 


^,.'^.V 


A 


'XM^^^'^*'''^'--'- ' 


\^ 


'  JP: 


111  M 


490 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


'-I 

I,    K 


consequence.  But  the  archbishop  thought  otiicrwiae,  and  he  Imslpno!  in 
publish  a  manifesto  in  whiclilio  gave  the  most  unqualified  contnidiciioiUi 
thr,  report.  Nay,  he  did  not  stop  even  here;  not  content  with  viiirlicHtin! 
himself  he  entered  more  generally  into  the  matter,  and  thus  pave  Ins  tiic 
mies  that  very  handle  against  him  which  they  so  eagerly  wished  for,  ]\'p 
said,  afier  contradicting;  the  charge,  that,  "  asthe  devil  was  a  liar  frimi  tho 
beginning,  and  the  father  of  lies,  he  had  at  this  tiuio  stirred  ii|)  his  si  r 
vants  to  persecute  Christ  and  his  true  religion ;  that  this  iiiferiiiij  spirit 
was  now  endeavouring  to  restore  the  Latin  satisfactory  masses,  a  tliiiia 
of  his  own  invention  and  device  ;  and,  in  order  to  elTe(;t  his  purpose,  liaij 
falsely  made  use  of  his,  Cranmcr's,  name  and  authority  ;"  aid  tJrai'uncr 
added,  that  "the  mass  is  not  only  without  foundation  in  either  the  serin. 
tures  or  the  practice  of  the  jirimili  ve  church,  but  likewise  discovers  a  philn 
contradiction  to  auti(iuity  and  the  inspir(!d  writings,  and  is,  besides,  re- 
plete with  many  horrid  blasphemies." 

However  much  wo  may  admire  the  general  character  of  Craiiincr— 
though  it  was  by  no  means  without  its  blemishes — it  is  impossible  funhc 
most  zealous  and  sincere  protestants  to  deny  that,  inider  tlic  circimisU'  • 
cea  of  the  nation,  many  of  the  passages  we  have  (pioted  were  arosA, 
oHensive;  and  ecpially  impossible  is  it  to  deny  that  under  Craiimer's  m/^ 

fersonal  circumsiaiuies  tliey  were  as  grossly  and  gratuitously  iiuiiiiliiic. 
lis  eiuMiiies  eagerly  iivailed  themselves  of  his  want  of  temper  or  pi:li,v, 
and  usetl  this  really  coarse  and  inllammatory  paper  as  a  means  by  wuu'lj 
to  induce  the  queen  to  throw  him  into  prison  for  the  sliare  he  iiad  Imd  in 
the  usurpation  of  the  lady  Jane,  about  which  he  otherwise  would  prohiljly 
have  remained  unquestioned.  Merely  as  the  prolestant  archbishop,  ('run. 
mer  had  more  than  enough  of  enemies  in  the  house  of  pec^rs  to  iiisinc  hs 
being  found  guilty,  and  he  was  sentenced  to  death  on  the  cliarj.'e  of  hi.;!, 
treason.  He  was  not,  however,  as  might  have  bC' n  '.wpcctcd,  iiiiiiicji. 
ately  and  upon  this  sentence  put  to  death,  bi't  con  it  '.tted  back  to  r\i)<o 
custody,  where  he  was  kept,  as  will  soon  be  seen,  ;"or  a  still  more  ori!.! 
doom. 

Kvery  day  made  it  more  and  more  evident  that  the  protestants  had  iimh- 
ing  to  expect  but  the  utmost  severity  of  persecution,  and  many  even  d 
the  most  eminent  of  their  preachers  began  to  look  abroad  and  to  cxilu  !it 
safety.  Peter  Martyr,  who  in  the  late  prosperity  of  the  reforiiinrs  hi! 
been  formally  and  with  much  pressing  invited  to  Kugland,  now  applicilu) 
the  council  for  permission  to  return  to  his  own  coinitry.  At  first  the 
council  seemed  much  inclined  to  refuse  compliance  with  this  reasonaWc 
request,  lint  Gardiner,  with  a  spirit  which  makes  us  the  more  rpurft 
that  bigotry  ever  induced  him  to  act  less  generously,  represented  th;it  m 
Peter  liad  been  invited  to  England  by  the  government,  his  dcpaiiurpcoull 
not  be  opposed  without  the  utmost  national  disgrace.  Nor  did  (iardimr'i 
generosity  end  here;  having  obtained  Peter  permission  to  leavn  thi' 
realm,  he  supplied  him  with  money  to  travel  with.  The  bones  of  I'di  r 
Martyr's  wife  were  shortly  afterwards  torn  from  tli'^  grave  at  O.xford,  ai;! 
buried  in  a  dunghill;  and  the  university  of  Can.oridge  about  Uw  siimt 
time  disgraced  itself  by  exhuming  the  bones  of  Ducer  and  Fnijius,  iwn 
eminent  foreign  reformers  who  had  been  buriet  there  in  the  hite  rei:n. 
John  a  Lasco  and  his  congregation  were  now  ot'lered  to  depart  thu  kin;; 
dom,  and  most  of  the  foreign  protestants  took  so  significant  a  hint  aiiJ 
followed  them ;  by  which  the  country  was  deprived  of  its  most  skilful  miJ 
industrious  artizans  just  as  they  were  giving  a  useful  and  extensive  im- 
pulse to  its  manufactures.  The  temper  manifested  by  the  court,  aiidihc 
sudden  departure  of  the  foreign  protestants,  greatly  alarmed  the  protes- 
tants in  general ;  and  many  of  the  English  of  that  communion  fuUowcil 
the  example  set  them  by  their  foreign  brethren,  and  fled  from  a  lanl 
which  everything  seemed  to  threaten  with  the  most  terrible  and  speeJj 
troubles. 


TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


404 


The  mectinff  of  parliament  by  no  means  improved  the  prospects  of  the 
proiestaiils.  It  has  already  been  remarkeil  that,  however  complulely  tho 
reformalion  miglit  have  seemed  to  he  triiimpliant,  there  was  something 
like !» iiioi^'y'  ^^  ioasu  of  the  nation  tliat  was  still  in  heart  attached  to  tlio 
ul,l  fiiitli.  'I'o  these  the  court  could  add  as  practical  friends  that  large 
!,oJy  which  in  all  times  and  in  all  countries  is  ready  to  side  with  the  dom- 
liuiil  parly  ;  there  was  consequently  no  difllcully  experienced  in  getting 
such  nioii  returned  to  parliament  as  would  be  pliant  tools  in  the  hands  of 
\|;iry  and  her  ministers.  To  the  dismay  of  the  protestaiits,  though  it 
woulil  !)C  to  imiieach  their  sagacity  should  we  say  that  it  was  to  their 
surprise  also,  parliament  was  opened  not  by  prayer  after  the  reformed 
urdiiianci.',  but  by  tiie  celebration  of  mass  in  the  Latin  tongue.  Taylor, 
bishop  of  Lincoln,  more  sincere,  or  at  all  events  more  courageous  than 
suiue  of  his  brethren,  honestly  refused  to  kneel  at  this  mass,  and  was  in 
loiisoqueiice  very  rudely  assailed  by  some  of  the  catholic  zealots,  and  at 
Icnt'tli  actually  thrust  from  the  house. 

Alter  following  the  good  example  of  the  parliament  of  the  last  reign  in 
fi.smi!  an  act  by  which  all  law  of  treason  was  limited  to  the  statute  of 
KIward  111.,  and  all  law  of  felony  to  the  law  as  it  stood  before  (1  Henry 
Vlll.)  llie  parliament  pronounced  the  queen  legitimate,  annulled  the  di 
vtiriT  pronounced  by  Cranmer  bcitwccn  Catherine  of  Arragon  and  Henry 
Vlll,,  iiiiil  severely  censured  Cranmer  on  account  of  that  divorce.  It  is  a 
hull' sinijular  that  even  the  acute  Hume  has  not  noticed  the  inconsistency 
wiih  whicii  Mary  had  by  the  vote  of  her  parliament,  which  in  reality  was 
/icrvoleas  the  membeis  were  her  mere  creatures,  denied  the  infallibility 
and  upset  the  decision  of  that  holy  sec,  the  infallibility  of  which  she  pre- 
bcnbed  to  her  sul)jects  on  p;iin  of  the  stake  and  the  tar  barrel ! 

Continuing  in  the  same  hopeful  course,  the  parliament  now  at  one  fell 
swoop,  and  by  a  single  vote,  repealed  all  those  statutes  of  King  Edmard  with 
nipcct  to  religion,  which  Mary  had  again  and  again,  and  sometimes  even 
(dunianly,  said  that  nothing  should  induce  her  to  disturb !  Dicers'  oaths 
aiKJlovcrs'  vows  are  not  more  frail  than  the  promises  of  a  bigot! 

Mary,  viio  even  in  her  first  youth  had  no  feminine  beauty  to  boast,  was 
cnnsiilerably  above  thirty  years  of  age,  indeed  fast  approaching  to  forty — 
iliat  decline  of  life  to  even  the  most  brilliant  personal  charms — when  she 
ascended  the  throne ;  and  when  her  parliament  showed  its  anxiety  as  to 
her  marriage  she  herself  appeared  to  be  fully  as  anxious.  Courtney,  son 
of  the  marquis  of  Exeter,  whom  she  liberated  from  the  Tower  at  her  ac- 
cession and  created  earl  of  Devon,  was  at  that  time  a  very  young  man, 
and  possessed  not  only  great  perfection  of  mauly  beauty,  but  also,  despite 
niilong  and  dreary  imprisonment,  all  those  graces  and  accomplishments 
which  are  so  rarely  to  bo  acquired  elsewhere  than  at  court.  The  queen 
was  so  favourably  impressed  by  his  manners  and  appearance,  that  she 
formed  the  idea  of  raising  him  to  the  dignity  of  her  husband  ;  and  as  her 
Eiiualion  would  have  rendered  any  advances  on  his  part  presumptuous, 
she  not  only  showed  him  all  possible  personal  distinction,  but  even  caused 
official  hints  to  be  given  to  him  of  the  favour  with  which  he  might  hope 
for  his  highest  aspirations  being  received.  Hut  Courtney  was  young  and 
romantic,  and  Mary  was  not  only  disagreeable  in  face  and  figure,  and  re- 
pulsive in  manner,  but  was  also  very  nearly  old  enough  to  be  his  mother, 
and  lie  showed  not  the  slightest  intention  of  profiting  by  the  amorous  con- 
descension of  his  sovereign.  Enraged  that  he  should  neglect  her,  she 
WHS  still  more  enraged  when  she  discovered  that  he  was  a  close  attendant 
upon  her  sister  Elizabeth,  then  in  her  first  flush  of  youth.  The  parliament, 
by  annulling  the  divorce  of  Mary's  mother,  had  virtually  pronounced  Eliz- 
abeth's illegitimacy  ;  and  as  Mary  on  discovering  Courtney's  partiality  to 
.hat  princess  exhibited  extreme  annoyance  and  laid  her  under  great  re- 
striction, Elizabeth's  friends  began  to  be  seriously  alarmed  for  even  hei 


Mi 

1 

F 

n 

1 

■  '■'     y'* 

W  i,'. 

J 

' 

[i 

?: 

;  :* 

^r 

\ 

■■». 

«(,.,,        ^:i,?!' 
S****^"^'^^-. 


;^,iH; 


'■"■'  l.':::"i 


!    >    I  , 


,!      'i 


(93 


THB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


^imi 


<•'* 

if' 

7 

'  i'v^ 

■sh 

■-n;.-- 

'< 

;.  .11  i  - 

;li 

■■-m~-: 

Zi 

'Hi   : 

.;. 

personal  safely,  especially  as  lier  attaehineiit  to  tiio  reformed  f^liifoi 
could  not  fail  to  increase  tlio  liatred  called  down  upon  her  by  Uu!  alUcli' 
mcnt  of  Courtney  to  herself. 

Despairinir  of  making  any  impression  upon  tho  youthful  fmioy  of  it,. 
earl  of  Devon,  Mary  now  bestowed  a  passing  (glance  at  the  graver  and 
more  elderly  attractions  of  the  Cardinal  I'ole.  It  is  true  ho  was  a  (Mr. 
dinal,  hut  he  had  never  taken  priest's  orders,  lie  was  a  man  of  |||„i| 
character  for  wisdom  and  humanity,  and  yet  had  suffered  mu^h  for  bin 
attacliinent  to  the  catholic  church,  of  which,  on  the  death  of  I'oih;  p;,,,] 
III.,  he  had  nearly  obtained  the  higiicst  honour;  and  his  inoUicr,  thm  i,|,i 
countess  of  Salisbury  who  was  so  brutally  beheaded  by  onle,-  of  ||,,|||.y 
Vlll.,  had  been  a  most  kind  and  beloved  governess  to  Mary  in  her  I'lrl'. 
hood.  IJut  the  cardinal  was  somewhat  too  far  advanced  in  life  to  plriisf 
Mary,  and  it  was,  moreover,  hinted  to  her  by  her  fiiends,  that  he  was  mm 
too  long  haliituated  to  a  quiet  and  studious  life  to  be  able  to  reconcile 
himself  to  the  glitter  and  bustle  of  the  court.  Uut  though  slie  rcjcficd 
Pole  as  a  husband,  she  resolved  to  have  liio  benefit  of  his  abilities  nsa 
Itiinister,  and  she  accordingly  sent  assurances  to  Pope  Julius  III.  of  ln'r 
anxious  desire  to  reconcile  her  kingdom  to  tiie  holy  see,  and  rcquoslcil 
that  Cardinal  Pole  might  be  appointed  legato  to  arrange  that  importani 
business. 

Charles  V.,  the  emperor,  who  but  a  few  years  before  was  master  of  iiH 
Germany,  had   recently  met  with  severe  reverses  both  in  (Jerinany  \m\ 
France,  in  wliich  latter  country  he  was  so  obstinately  resisted  by  the  diikc 
of  Guise,  that  he  was  at  length  obliged  to  retire  with  the  remiiaiil  of  Ins 
dispirited  army  into  the  low  countries.     Far-seeing  and  ambitious,  Clmrles 
no  sooner  heard  of  the  accession  of  Mary  to  the  throne  of  Hn^jlaiid,  tinii 
he  formed  the  design  of  making  the  gain  of  that  kingdom  coiniieiiisalc  for 
the  losses  he  had  sustained  in  Germany.     Mis  son  Philip  was  a  widowir, 
and  flioi  gh  he  was  only  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  and  eleven  ycirj 
Mary's  junior,  the  emperor  determined  to  demand  her  hand  for  In.s  swi. 
and  sent  over  an  agent  for  that  purpose.     If  Mary  had  looked  with  fivinir 
upon  Courtney's  person,  and  had  f(dt  a  passing  attachmiMit  excited  by  ilie 
mental  endowments  of  Cardinal  Pole,  Philip  had  the  double  recoinincnd;!. 
tion  of  being  a  zealous  catholic,  and  of  her  mother's  family.    Thus  aeli:. 
ated  by  bigotry  and  by  family  feeling,  and  being,  moreover,  by  no  means 
disinclined  to  matrimony,  Mary  gladly  entertained  the  proposal,  and  was 
seconded  by  tho  advice  not  only  of  Norfolk,  Arundel,  and  Paget,  but  also 
of  Gardiner,  whose  years,  wisdom,  and  the  persecution  he  had  endiircj 
for  Catholicism  had  given  him   tho  greatest  possible  authority  in  her 
opinion.    Gardiner,  at  the  same  time,  strongly  and  wisely  dissuaded  the 
queen  from  further  proceeding  in  her  enterprise  of  making  innovations  in 
religion.     lie  well  observed  that  an  alliance  with  Spain  was  already  more 
than  sufTicicntly  unpopular;  that  the  parliament,  amidst  all  its  complais- 
ance and  evident  desire  to  make  all  reasonable  concessions  to  the  personal 
wishes  and  feelings  of  the  sovereign,  nevertheless  had  lately  siiown  sironj 
anwillingness  to  make  any  further  concessions  to  Rome.     He  argued, too, 
that  whereas  any  precipitate  measures  in  religion  just  at  that  time  wguU 
greatly,  perhaps  even  fatally,  increase  the  popular  prejudice  against  ihr- 
Spanish  alliance,  that  alliance  when  once  brought  about  would,  contrari- 
wise, enable  the  queen,  unresisted,  to  work  her  own  will  in  the  otiieraih 
far  more  important  measure.    To  the  emperor,  Gardiner  transmitted  the 
same  reasonings,  with  the  additional  hint  that  it  was  ncces.'^ary  thai, 
ostensibly  or  temporarily  at  least,  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  mar- 
riage should  be  such  as  to  secure. the  favour  of  the  Knglish  populace, bv 
appearing  even  more  i,'i.,:m  fairly  favourable  to  English  interests.   The 
emperor,  who  had  a  high  coinion  of  Gardiner's  sagacity  and  judgi.icni, 
not  only  assented  to  all  that  >ie  advised,  but  even  enforced  his  advi  a  w 


d)  reiijious  moc 
Mary.  Me  evei 
eerily  niiil  fervci 
over  Ins  great  n 
riijnuriigiiinst  of 
liiigheii,  on  tlu;  j 
rnci!  should  jirc 
counsels. 

Till'  pariiainen 
niarriot'o  with  a 
orders  lo  press  tl 
h.ad  been  siiMimon 
Willi  a  gene  rill  [ii 
order  of  things  tli 
of  It  boldly  voluiil 
I'jihiiljes,  transub 
lOiild  rarely  be  In 
ivho  finally,  being 
and  deeidciily  iriui 
if  not  of  fair  argiii 
newed  the  dispute 
iheniselvrs  to  lie  o 
ley  to  be  coiiveyt'd 
iviiieh  ended,  as  nn 
ailiolics. 
A,D.  1,551.— The 
'iiif'  oil  religion  tl 
loaiioii,  were  mer 
iiions  111  religion,  w 
ilic  astute  Gardiner 
coiilirms  what  we  h 
i«een  the  apparent 
l«o  previous  reign 
parts  of  Knglaiid  si 
niatioii  ill  the  most  1 
liamfiit,  the  new  nl 
old  abuses,  were  ev(i 
f.\Pailioii.    Mass  \J 
"Ii'  ;itlaehed  to  refj 
rfplaeed  by  zealoiil 
«"''c  again  declare! 
;f  re.    The  oath  (f 
"''"ry  VIII.,  but  it] 
''Jivaiitiiorised  to  .si 
™^«s  and  the  otlieil 
'""lied  from  takiiK'f 

Hliile  Alary  was" 
m  once  more  at 
fills  thus  caused 
founded  and  some  v| 
'"^'  Piii'lic  mind  oil 
™u",  in  complianJ 
»as  taken  to  insert! 
'W  could  at  all  fail 
llius  it  was  stinif 
,  '"P''ilip,the  adm( 
"f^K  whatever  in 
■^"glish  laws,  custJ 


^A,.  » 


THE  TRKASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


493 


ID  religious  niodoration,  at  loast  for  that  liiiio,  in  his  own  private  letters  to 
Mary.  Ho  even  went  still  fnrtlier;  for  heiiig  informed  that  Pole,  the  sin- 
ceniyand  fervonr  of  whose  religiuii-  zeal  not  iinfretiuently  triumphed 
iivir  Ins  great  natural  humanity,  had  f-nt  Mary  ailviee  to  [jroec^ed  with 
riL'our agitiiisl  "PC"  iK'resy,  the  emiuror  detained  I'ole  nt  tin;  town  of  IJil- 
liiialiun,  on  the  Danuhe,  as  he  was  on  his  w.ay  to  Knjjiand,  lest  his  pre«- 
oncc  should  prevent  iMury  from  following  iiis  more  iiacific  and  politic 
counsels. 

Till'  parliament  havmjj  ojienly  expressed  a  dislike  of  Mary's  proposed 
marriage  with  a  son  ol  Sjiaiii,  was  dismissed,  and  Mary's  mim.<tcr!<  had 
orders  to  press  the  match  on  to  a  eonchision.  The  convocation,  which 
y  beuii  siiiinnoned  at  the  same  time  as  the  parliament,  was  not  contented 
Willi  a  general  profession  and  exhiliition  of  its  attachment  to  tiin  new 
Qnltrof  tilings  liiat  Mary  had  so  rapidly  introduced,  hut  the  catholic  part 
ofilboliily  volunteered  to  put  (he  capital  article  hetween  them  and  iho 
ualliolies,  transuhstaiUiatioii,  into  disi)ute.  The  protestants  argued,  hut 
coiilil  rarely  be  heard,  throiiyh  the  clamour  raised  by  their  adversaries, 
who  finally,  being  the  majority,  complacently  voted  that  they  had  clearly 
mil  dceideilly  trunnphed.  This  triumph— at  least  of  voices  and  mimi)ers, 
if  not  of  fair  argument — so  elated  tin;  J^oiminists,  that  they  soon  after  re- 
newed the  dispute  at  Oxford,  and,  as  if  to  show  how  secure  they  held 
ttipm^eives  to  be  of  the  victory,  they  caused  Cramiier,  Fiatimer,  anil  Kid- 
lev  to  be  conveyed  lliiiher  under  a  guard  to  take  their  parts  in  the  debate, 
iviiii  li  ended,  as  may  be  anticipated,  in  the  complete  verbal  triumph  of  the 
catliiihes. 

A. D- 1554. — The  coniplaisanee  of  the  parliament,  and  the  formal  de- 
'iiKS'in  religion  that  had  been  initiated  by  Roiinmist  members  of  con- 
vo'iiuoii,  were  merely  preclusive  to  still  further  and  more  swccpiiiir  alter- 
aiwiis  lu  religion,  which  were  made  in  defiance  of  all  that  the  emperor  and 
'Jie  astute  Gardiner  could  urge  to  the  contrary.  It  is  true — and  the  fact 
confirms  what  we  have  more  than  once  said  as  to  the  wide  diircreiiee  be- 
tween the  apparent  and  the  real  number  of  protestants  existing  during  the 
two  previous  reigns — the  iiiere  eoniiivanee  of  government  had  in  most 
parts  of  Kiigland  sufTiecd  to  eiicouragt!  the  people  to  set  aside  the  refor- 
mation in  the  most  important  particiihirs.  IJut  after  the  dismissal  of  par- 
liaiiipiit,  the  new  regulations  of  Mary,  or  rather  her  new  eiiactmeiits  of 
old  abuses,  were  everywhere,  oneuly,  and  by  formal  authority,  carried  into 
execution.  Mass  was  re-established,  three-fourths  of  the  clergymen,  be- 
ing utiadied  to  reformed  principles,  were  turned  out  of  their  livings,  and 
replaced  by  zealous  or  seemingly  zealous  Romanists,  and  marriage  was 
once  again  declared  to  be  ineonipaiible  with  the  holding  of  any  sacred 
olUcc.  The  oath  of  supremacy  was  enjoined  by  the  unrepealed  law  o( 
Henry  Vlll.,  but  it  was  an  instruction  to  a  commission  whicii  the  ([ueen 
cow  authorised  to  see  to  the  more  perfect  and  speedy  re-establishment  of 
mass  and  the  other  ancient  rites,  that  ('lergyinon  should  strictly  be  pro 
liibiled  from  taking  tlie  oath  of  supremacy  on  entering  benefices. 

While  Mary  was  thus  busied  in  preparing  the  way  for  laying  her  king- 
dom once  more  at  the  feet  of  the  haughty  pontifTs  of  Home,  the  discon- 
tents thus  caused  were  still  further  increased  by  the  fears,  some  well 
founded  and  some  vague,  but  no  less  powerful  on  liiat  account,  excited  in 
ihe  public  mind  on  account  of  the  Spanish  match.  On  the  part  of  the 
court,  in  compliance  with  the  sagacious  advice  of  Gardiner,  great  care 
«as  taken  to  insert  nothing  in  the  marriage  articles,  which  were  published, 
i!ist  could  at  all  fairly  be  deemed  unfavourable  to  Kngland. 

Thus  it  was  stipulated,  tiiat  though  the  title  of  king  should  be  accorded 
I"  Philip,  the  administration  should  be  entirely  in  the  quci  ii ;  that  no 
office  whatever  in  the  kingdom  should  be  tenable  by  a  foreigner ;  that 
English  laws,  customs  and  privileges  should  remain  unalterecl ;  that  the 


am'' 


^^^r 


V 


:■■   >, 


■^i 


t 


494 


THK  TllKAHURY  OF  IIIHTOllY. 


sfnl,  r 


qiK.'nn  Hhould  not  bo  taknti  abroad  by  Philip  wilboiit  hor  own  rori 
any  of  Iut  cbildroii  withoul  lliat  of  tho  nobility;  thai  a  jonitiirc  of  si 
thousand  pounds  should  bo  sccundy  srdtbid  upon  lii(!(|uf'(;n  ;  that  the  i 
iHHUi:,  if  any,  of  ilio  marriayo  should  inherit  not  only  Hci/himl,  hut  „,, 
nurt,nindy  and  iho  I,ow  (JouiilrifH  jri  any  <msc,  and  that  in  Uk;  case  of'il' 
death  of  Don  (Jarlos,  son  of  I'liilip,  such  male  issue  of  I'hilip  ami  M 


or 
xiy 

I'MIKllli 


Bhoulil  also  inherit  Spain,  Sicily,  Milan,  ami  all  the  other  doin 
Phdir 


iry 

IMIOIIS  of 


Kvery  day's  cxperieiiee  serves  to  show  that  it  's  rjuitf?  possible  to  c; 


policy  too  far,  and  to  cause  the  sincerity  of  concftssion  to  Ik 


from  its  very  excess. 


If 


e  may  sui)[)Ose  that  men  so  saj,' 


SIIH 


Try 


cm 


[leror   and  (iardiner  were  rendered  by  their  anxiety  t( 


I'NOIIS  IIS   111 


ni>nr,ui\v  fi 


(jetful  of  this  truth,  the  [)ublic  murmuring  very  s[)eeddy  reminded  ilipn,  uf 
it.     The  pco[)le,  with  that  intiiilivo  sa[faeity  which  secni'*  the  spccMl 


vision  for  the  safety  of  the  uidettered  multitude,  analo(,'ous  to  id 


[ir'j- 

'•  HISti||i;t 

I'i'l  lyniii- 


)f  the  lower  animals,  exclaimed  that  theemi)eror,  in  Ins  i,'re(;'ly 
tious  auxicly  to  ohlam  [lossession  of  so  rich  yet  tiaterl  a  country  as  ii 
tical  llnyland,  would  doubtless  accede  to  any  terms.  As  a  papist  niiii  a 
Spaniard  he  woidd  promise;  anything'  now,  with  the  full  deteruiiiialii.n  of 
revoking'  everythin;^  the  moment  he  should  have  concluded  the  desire] 
match  ;  and  the  more  favourable,  arifiied  the  people,  the  terms  now  pub- 
lished  were,  to  Hn^lanrl,  t!ie  greater  the  probability  that  the  emperor  ;iii(l 
liis  son  would  revoke  them  at  the  very  (irst  opportunity,  if,  iiirli'fid,  t||,.y 
were  hot  already  [)roviderl  with  secrcit  articles  authorizing  them  to  do  "ri, 
To  th(!   fraud  and   ambition  of  the  emperor  the  [)0[)ular  refiort  h;;i'1  thii 


I'hili 


ddei 


llel 


tion  peculiarly  his  nw 


mess,  liaiitriitiiie>s,  criieltv,  and  a  domineeriiiT  ij 


I'll.      That  the  death  of  the  en 


i[)eror  would  put 


l''(:0-; 


in  |)oss(ssi(iii  of  his  fallu'r's  dominions  was  (dear;  the;  people  assiiiiK,]  u 
to  be  eiprilly  so  that  I'liiyland  would  from  that  monieiit  hcconie  ;i  rii(:r<; 
Iiroviiice  n(  Spain;  that  l';ii[>lisliini'n  eijiially  with  the  otlir;r  Kiilijirisof 
S|iaiii  would  then  be  subjected  to  all  the  tender  in(M"cies  of  tlu;  inipiislD.i, 
and  that  the  Sj)anisli  allianc(!  and  the  complete  ruin  of  Kii;,daml  niil  ci- 
slavini»  of  all  l';n{;lisliineii  were  but  difTere.'iit  terms  and  fonmila  la  wln'h 
to  ciuiiiciatc!  the  same  thiii<,'. 

To  a  pco[ile  already  discontentr;d,  as  the  f>rotestaiils  of  Kn^daiiil  wcrf. 
with  the  recent  and  sndilen  ehani,'C3  made  in  rrdigioiis  affairs,  siicinr!,'ii- 
nienis  as  these  could  not  be  addressed  with  any  art  or  induslrv  w 


<Ki 


bein:,'  fuodticiivo  of  {jreat  r'ATett.     Kvery  day  increased  the  (,'ener:il  (ji-l  kc 
of  the  peciple  to  the  S|)anish  match.    'I'lie  more  prudent  amoii^' even  ll,  i-n 
who  III  principle  wer(!  the  mr)st  deejily  and  siiw.-endy  opjiosed  lo  ih'',;! 
tempi. itcd  ininiaije,  diil  not,  indeed,  sec-  that  the  mere  anticipation  of  (Vii 
to  come,  and  an  aiiiicipation,  too,  which  was  (jiiite  o|)|)Osed  to  the  :uoui ! 
pllr|)o^c■;^  (if  th(!  emperor  ati'l  I'hilij),  could  warrant  an  open  rcHoinNci'. 
Hilt  the  reasonable  and  the  just  are  s(fldom  the  majority  where  citlier  tin; 
feelin{js  or  the  interests  ofmankmd  are  very  mmdi  arous(;d  and  ipiK;;!!''] 
to;  and  a  few  men  of  houK!  note  were  soon  found  to  place  th(;mKilv(«  si 
the  h(;.i'l  of  Ihi;  discont<;nl(;d,  with  tlnj  avowed  intention  of  a[i[)eJiiiL".'i 
arms  rallur  tlian  allowing  th''msi;lves  to  become  the  bond-slave-*  of  Ifc 
Sp;"ii;ii-I.     Had  l'"ranc(!  at  tliis  critical  juncture  taken  advanta;;!;  of  Mi.y'? 
diniculiics  and  want  of  popid;iriiy,  it  is  very  probable  that  h(;r  roirjiiwoi/l 
have  eiijeil  here,  and  that  her  memory  would  havo  been  saved  froai  in; 
iiidelibh'  si  lins  of  mii'di  and  loalhsoine  eru'ilty.     Hut  tin!  kiii^' of  Fran''', 
tliou;(h  at  w;ir  with  I'liilip,  would  lend  no  aid  lo  an  Knglish  insiirrrciK'H 
Pcrhafis  he  b  It  that  .Mary,  aided  as  .shr;  was  certain  to  be  by  Spain,  "I'lil 
•undy  put  down  any  att(;iii[)ts  at  insiirr(;ction,  in  which  (Niseshe,  oftoiirv. 
would  ail  the  emperor  against  Krancr; ;  and  to  this  motive  we  riiiiy  i/<l 
unreasonably  bi;  supposed  to  have  added  that  feeling  for  the  riglils  of'i'iV' 
oreiK'ity  over  subieuts,  which  even  the  hostility  of  sovereigns  ci 


111  r r 


>M 


1  ronsonl,  ror 

lUiin;  of  slxiy 
;  tli;ill!i(:iMnl(i 
;l;iii(l,  liiit  :ili') 
Ik;  (v.iHC  (if  ilio 
lilij)  ;uiil  M;iry 
'  (loiniiiiouH  (i( 

)Ssil)l(!  Ic)  (:;irry 
,0  l)(;  siispccti'il 
;it;;i(:ii)iis  ;is  tlic 
(•iii|inr;irily  for- 
minili'il  lli'Mii  III 
llic  sin'c.i.il  [iro- 
n  to  lliii  insliii(:l 
rccily.uiil  lyriiii- 
;()uulry  ;is  intrc- 
H  H  iiii|iisl  anil  ;i 
(Iclcriiiur.itioii  of 
[(\<:i\  Ihi:  ilfsiri'l 
terms  now  [luh- 
Itii!  ciiiiicror  ;iiiil 
f,  if,  iiuli:n(l,llicy 
i»  ttii'in  to  do  s<), 
r  report  k;'.I'I  lli:il 
iiiiicfriii;'  (li'<ii()-i- 
•  wolllil  I'lll  l'l:ili;i 
people  ussiiiiifl  II 
it  liei'oine  :i  mm 
(illier  siiliji'cis')! 
of  the  iiii|iii«iii'):i, 
■   Kii'^l'.iiul  ;iii'l  ':'!• 
forimilii  111  w!ii':h 

of  I'.ii^'liiii'l  wf' 
iifT.iirs,  siii^ii  ;iri^ii- 
•  iiidiisU'V  Wiili'iiil 
the  i,'ei!er:il  'li-l'l^'' 
iiiiioii'^evcnlt.'i.-" 
iposeil  1(1  tlic'.ii 

iilUl(;l|)HllOMI)f':Vii 

„He(ltollie;iv(AVi:! 

n  open  rc:<miwf''' 
y  where  eilli'T  til'; 

.used  1111(1  ■'['!";''W 
l,ic(!  llieinsclvc-  ;it 
.,„  of  iW''.!"!.' I') 
l„„„l.sl;ives  (if  itf 

(lv;iiilii!;«"f^'''l' 
lilt  lier  rciCMWDii'l 

p.cMi  H:ive'l  frdiii  w. 

th.>  kin;,'  of  Fram', 
,„lirth  msirrccti'* 
i;;,  l,y  Sp;»in/v:i'ii1 

;.iise  she,  of  (:"""•■ 
iiotive  w  "wy  '•'' 
,r  ilie  ri'„'lii'*  <^^'<^ 
vcreigiiH  ciiii  rv* 


THE  T11BA8UIIY  OF  IIISTOltY. 


495 


caninh  from  tlieir  hnarts.  From  wliiitevor  motives,  however,  tlie  king  of 
praiicc  (ii'l  refuse  to  aid  the  Imi(,'1isIi  in  their  jiroposed  resistiinee  to  thoii 
RovcrcK^Mi's  iilhaiiee  willi  Philip  of  Sp;iiii.  Hut  this  did  not  daniji  I  hi;  en- 
iliiisi.ism  of  the  leadin)^'  o[)potientH  of  the  Spanish  alliance.  Sir  'J'homas 
\V\"ili  offered  to  raise  and  head  tin;  maleontents  of  Kent,  and  Sir  I'eter 
('arcw  those  of  Devonshire;  and  th(;y  [lersiiaded  the  dnke  of  Suffolk  to 
f;,i<i.  ilie  niiflland  eoiinties,  by  aKsiiriiif,'  him  that  their  'diif'f  olij(fet  was  to 
pMiivcsl  the  lady  Jane  witli  th(!  crown.  A  time  w.is  fixed  for  the  simiil- 
liiic'iiis  .iciioii  of  these  l(!aders  ;  and  had  the  (romj)aet  heen  pinielnally 
kot,  It  IS  more  than  proiiahle  that  the  enterprise  would  have  been  fully 
Miircssfiil.  I5ut  Sir  I'cK'r  Carew,  in  his  exceedinjf  eagerm^ss,  rose  luiloru 
l!,i;  :i[i[i()iiitc(i  tone,  and  heinjf,  in  e(Mise(juenc(.',  nnsupijorted  hy  Wyatl  and 
the  ildke  of  Siill'olk,  was  heaten  at  the  first  onset  hy  the  earl  of  Uedford, 
iiiiil  Willi  (lillieiiity  inad(!  his  (•scape  to  I'ranee.  SiifTolk,  on  \u::irn\ir  of 
Circw's  fiiiliir(!  and  (lis'd.  left  town,  aceon.rianied  hy  his  hrotlu-rs,  l.onl 
■niiiiins  and  Sir  Leonard  <Jray,  and  [iroceedcd  to  the  counties  of  Warwick 
iiiij  Leicester,  when;  his  (drief  ■inllii(;nc(;  lay.  ISut  he  was  holly  {lursued 
bv  a  |i:irly  of  horse;  under  the  earl  of  lluntin:,'(l()n,  and  hein^,'  overtak(;u 
before  he  could  raise  suiricient  force  for  resistaiK^;,  was  oidi^jed  to  dis- 
p(rK;  liis  fi;w  fotlowr;rs  and  conceal  himsidf.  Accident  or  trea(di(!ry  soon 
il;s(;ourcil  his  liidin(f  placi;,  and  hi;  was  sent  under  an  escort  to  London. 
Wyatt,  III  the  meantime,  raised  the  standard  of  revolt  at  AFaidslone,  in 
K(!it,  where  lie  issu<;d  a  |)assionate  proidamation,  inviting  the  p(;o[)le  to 
iiHinii  ill  niiioviiiK  evil  councillors  i'roin  ahoiit  the  fjueen,  and  to  prevfjiit 
the  niiii  of  the  iiaiioii  which  iiiiist  needs  follow  lh(!  completion  of  the 
S|iaiiiili  match.  (;r<;at  num!)<;rs  of  persons  joined  him,  ainl  ainonrr  thern 
somccilholics,  as  lie  had  dexterously  omitted  from  his  [iroclamalion  all 
iiidiiidii  of  reliL'ion.  The;  duke;  of  .Norfolk,  at  the  head  of  tin;  (jiieen's. 
suanls  and  some  other  troo[)S,  reinforced  hy  five  hundred  Londoners  un- 
fertile comiiinnd  of  lirett,  marched  aijainst  the  revolted  and  came  up 
Willi  them  at  Uochcsler.  Hero  Sir  <!(;orK(;  Hariier,  who  had  been  with 
Wyatt,  [iretiinded  to  desert  to  tlif;  duke,  but  (piickly  returned  to  Wyatt, 
(arryiii;^  with  linn  Urelt  and  his  liOiidomrs,  upon  whom  Sir  d'eort^e's 
eluiliicnce  so  wrought,  that  th(;y  [irofessed  their  jireference  of  deatli  to 
ai'liii;'  ill  the  en^lave'iiient  of  their  country.  Norfolk,  f(;arin(f  that  this 
(i(«(rli(in  iiiiijlit  mislead  tin;  rest  of  his  force,  now  retreated,  and  Wyatt 
niarclnM  to  Sontliwark,  whence  he  sent  to  demand  that  the  'I'ower  should 
h"  [ilacc'l  in  Ins  hands,  that  the  (jiieen  should  frei;  the  nation  from  all  ter- 
ror of  ,S|i,inisli  tyranny  by  marrying,'  an  Mnijlisliman,  and  that  four  eoiiii' 
nilorn  shonld  forthwith  In;  [ilaced  in  his  hands  as  hostages  for  the  per- 
f'lriiiaiii'c  of  tlies(;  (;on(litions. 

Willie  Wyatl  was  wastini,'  his  time  in  seiidiiifj  this  demand  and  await- 
iiiL'a  nply,  Norfolk  had  secured  London  bri(lt;(',  and  had  taken  elTeelual 
|i[iS  1(1  over.i\v(;  the  Londoners  and  [)n;vent  lliem  from  joining;  Wyatt. 
f'TKiviiij;  liis  error  when  too  late,  V\  y.itl  iiiar(;lie(l  to  Kiinrslon,  where 
IkmtosmmI  the  river,  and  made  Ins  way  unresisted  into  W(;slminster. 
'I'rc,  Ii(iw(;ver,  his  followers  rapidly  deserted  him,  and  hf!  was  eneoiin- 
'iic'l  and  seized  in  the  Strand,  near  T<;inpl(;  bar,  by  Sir  .^Liuiico  Kerke- 
i'v.  Vast  niiniliers  of  the  deluded  countrymen  wer(;  at  the  same  time 
»';iZ(.'l,  and  as  the  (lueen's  rage  was  proportioned  to  the  fear  and  peril  to 
»^lii(iisli(;  had  heen  «ubjn(;t(;d,  the  executions  that  followed  were  very 
niiijcroiis.  It  is  said  that  not  less  than  four  liiindn;d  of  the  captured 
'uiiches  were;  [nil  to  death  in  cold  blood;  four  )iundr(;d  morn  were  con- 
[i'wiie'l,  Init  being  le(l  before  the  queen  with  halters  on  their  necks,  they 
limit  to  her  and  implored  her  ^race,  which  was  granted.  Wyatt,  Iho 
jriiii"  mover  of  this  revolt,  was  «;xecuted,  as  a  matter  of  course;.  On  the 
'"IfoM  he  took  care  to  exonerati;,  in  the  most  uiiefiiiivocal  terms,  from 
■('i  liarlicipatioii  or  even  knowledge  of  \n»  proceeding's  the  lady  Kli/abcti" 


-i*^-': 


'    *i 


V 

-•Ski    '-' 


Ih 


496 


THE   TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


If 


and  the  eavl  Jl  Devon,  whom  Mary's  jealous  hatred  had  endeavoured  to 
connect  with  lliis  ill-starred  and  ill-managed  revolt.  They  were  both 
seized  and  siriclly  examined  by  the  comicil,  but  Wyult's  manly  and  pre. 
cise  deelaralion  defeated  whatever  ii\tent  there  might  liave  been  to  em- 
ploy false  witnesses  to  conneet  them  with  his  rash  proceedings.  Hut 
though  Mary  was  thus  prevented  from  proceeding  to  the  last  oxtrcmllv 
against  them,  she  sent  Klizabeth  under  strict  surveillance  to  Woudsiocif 
and  the  earl  of  Devon  to  Fotherin<jay  castle.  To  Klizabutli,  iiuleed  im.' 
mediate  release  was  offered,  on  condition  of  her  accepting  the  hand  o'filie 
duke  of  Savoy,  and  thus  relieving  her  sister  from  her  presence  in  tlm 
kingdom  ;  but  Elizabeth  knew  how  to  "  bide  her  time,"  and  she  quietly 
but  positively,  refused  the  proffered  alliance.  ^' 

All  this  time  Lord  Guildford  Dudley  and  tlie  lady  Jane  had  remained  im- 
prisoned, but  unmolested  and  unnoticed.     The  time  which  had  elapsed 
without  any  proceedings  being  taken  against  them,  beyond  tiicir  mere 
confinement,  led  every  one  to  suppose  that  their  youth,  and  the  obvious 
restraint  under  which  they  had  acted,  had  determined  Mary  not  to  piiinsli 
them  beyond  imi)risonmeiit,  and  that  she  would  terminate  even  that  when 
she  safely  could  do  so.      but  the  imprudent,  nay,  the  situation  of  his 
daughter  and  iier  husband  being  considered,  the  wicked  conneciiuu  of  the 
duke   of  Suffolk  with  VVyatt's  revolt,  aroused  in  Mary  that  snspicion 
which  was  no  hjss  fatal  to  its  objects  than  her  I)i<rotry.    Jane  now  anew 
appeared  to  her  in  the  character  of  a  competitor  for  the  thnnio.    That 
she  was  not  wilfully  so,  that  she  was  so  closely  confined  that  slic  could 
not  by  any  po.ssibility  correspond  with  the  disaffected,  were  arguments 
to  which  Mary  attached  no  importance.     To  luir  it  was  enough  that  this 
innocent  creature,  even  now  a  mere  girl  and  wishing  for  notliiiig  somach 
as  the  quiet  and  studious  moral  life  in  which  her  earlier  girllujod  iiadbctn 
passed,  might  possibly  be  made  the  pretext  for  future  revolt.    The  Lord 
Guildford  l)U(lley  and  Lady  Jane  were, consequently,  warned  ihalilicilnv 
was  fixed  for  their  execution.    Subsequenlly  the  queen  bestowed  tiieenid 
mercy  of  a  reprieve  for  three  days,  on  the  plea  that  sin;  did  not  wish, 
while  inflicting  bodily  death  on  Jane,  to  peril  her  eternal  salvation.    The 
unhappy  lady  was.  therefore,  during  the  short  remnant  of  her  life  impor- 
tuned ;ind  annoyed  hy  catholic  priests,  who  were  sent  by  the  (juicn  tocn- 
deavour  to  convert  her  to  their  faith.     Hut  she  skilfully  and  coolly  uscJ 
all  the  arguments  then  in  use  to  defend  the  reformed  faith,  and  even  wriile 
a  Greek  letter  to  her  sister,  adjuring  her  to  persevere  in  the  true  failli, 
whatever  perils  might  environ  her. 

It  was  at  first  intended  to  behead  both  the  prisoners  at  the  same  time 
and  on  tlit;  same  scaffold.  Oit  reflection,  motives  of  policy  caused  the 
queen  to  alter  this  determination  ;  and  it  was  ordered  tliat  liOnl  Guildford 
should  first  lie  exeiruted  on  Towcir-hill,  and  the  lady  Jane  shortly  after- 
wards witliiii  the  precincts  of  the  'i'ower,  where  she  was  conniied. 

On  the  morning  appointed  for  this  double  murder.  Lord  (inildfoi  I  sent  to 
his  young  and  unfortunate  wife,  and  requested  an  intciview  to  take  an 
earthly  farewell ;  but  Jane  with  a  more  masculine  and  sidf-possessed  pru- 
dence, declined  it.  on  the  ground  that  their  approaching  fate  required  the 
full  attention  of  each,  and  that  their  brief  and  bloody  sepaiatioii  on  earth 
would  be  followed  by  an  eternal  union.  From  her  jirisoii  window  tho 
lady  Jane  saw  her  youthful  hnsliand  led  out  to  execution,  and  .sIkuiIv  af- 
terwardn  saw  his  headless  body  brought  back  in  a  coiniiion  cart.  Kveii 
this  sad  spectacle,  instead  of  shaking  lier  firmness,  did  but  the  niorccon' 
firm  and  strengthen  a  constancy  which  was  founded  not  upon  mere  con- 
•titution,  but  upon  long,  serious,  and  healthy  study. 

Her  own  dread  hour  had  at  length  arrived,  and  Sir  John  Sagn,  the  con- 
stable of  the  Tower,  on  summoning  her  to  tin;  scaffold,  begged  her  to  lie- 
«iow  some  gift  upon  him  which  he  might  keep  as  a  perpetual  niemorialol 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  IIISTOIIY. 


497 


ideavourcd  to 
ey  were  both 
lanly  and  pre- 
i  been  to  em- 
feedings.    P)Ut 
\<isl  extremity 
to  Woodstock, 
Ah,  indeed,  im- 
the  hiind  of  tlie 
)reseiu;e  in  the 
,ud  she  quietly, 

ul  remained  im- 
icli  had  ehipscd 
ond  tliclr  mere 
and  the  obvious 
ry  not  to  punish 
;  even  l\u\t  when 
situation  of  his 
lonneetion  of  the 
y  that  suspicion 
June  now  imew 
he  throne.    Tlal 
cd  that  she  could 
,  were  arguments 
s  enough  tliut  this 
r  notliing  so  much 
i;irll\ood  Imdbocn 
revolt.    'I'lie  Lord 
■umed  that  the  il;w 
L)csto\ved  the  cruel 
slu;  did  not  wish, 
il  salvation.    Tlie 
of  \m  life  inipor- 
jy  lh(!  (luccu  tocn- 
Uy  and  eooUy  m>\ 
ith,  and  even  wmte 
in  the  true  f.utli, 

rs  at  the  same  tunc 
policy  caused  the 
that  Lord  GuildforJ 
Jane  shortly  ad"- 
,is  coiilined. 

Uiuildl'oilsentio 
iiterview  to  fake  an 
sflf-possesscdpru- 
ii<r  fate  re(iuircd  the 
enaratiou  on  earth 
,nst)n  window  tho 
on,  and  shortly^  at- 
,,,,1,1011  cart.  I'.vea 
il  |)nt  the  more  con- 
not  upon  mere  con- 

John  Sago,  the  * 
Id,  bogged  her  to  ; 
erpctuulmcmoruiloi 


ber,  She  pave  liim  heMablets  in  which,  on  seeing  the  dead  body  of  her 
husband,  she  had  written  a  sentence  in  Greei<,  Latin,  and  English,  to  the 
elTecl  that  though  human  justice  was  against  her  husband's  body,  the  di- 
vine merey  would  be  favourable  to  his  soul ;  that,  for  herself,  if  her  fault 
deserved  punishment,  her  youth,  at  least,  and  her  imprudence,  were  wor- 
ihy  of  excuse,  and  that  she  trusted  for  favour  to  God  and  to  posterity. 

On  tlie  scaffold  she  blamed  herself  not  for  ever  having  wished  for  the 
crown,  but  for  not  having  firmly  refused  to  act  upon  the  wishes  of  others 
in  reaching  at  it.  She  confessed  herself  worthy  of  death,  and  being  dis- 
robed by  her  female  attendants,  calmly  and  unshrinkingly  submitted  her- 
self to  her  fatal  doom. 

The  duke  of  Suftblk  and  Lord  Thomas  Gray  were  shortly  afterwards 
executed  for  their  share  in  Wyatt's  revolt.  Sir  Nicholas  Throgmorton 
was  tried  in  Guildhall  for  the  same  offence,  but  there  being  little  or  no 
evidence  against  him,  his  eloquent  and  acute  defence  led  the  jury  to  acquit 
him.  With  an  arbitrary  and  insoh  nt  stretch  of  prerogative  that  now 
seems  almost  incredible,  Mary,  enraged  at  the  acquittal,  not  only  recom- 
niiilcd  Sir  Nicholas  to  the  Tower,  where  she  kept  him  for  a  considerable 
lime,  but  she  even  had  the  jury  sent  to  prison,  and  fined  from  one  to  two 
thousand  pounds  each  !  The  "end  she  had  in  view  in  this  abominably  ty- 
rannous conduct,  however,  was  fully  achieved.  Thenceforth  jurors  were 
lii.le  prone  to  acquit  the  unhappy  gentlemen  who,  no  matter  how  loosely, 
were  charged  with  participation  in  the  affair  of  VVyait.  JNIany  were  con- 
demned merely  in  consequence  of  the  terrors  of  their  jurors,  and  among 
ihem  was  Sir  John  Throgmorton,  brother  to  Sir  Nicholas.  Arrests  took 
place  every  day,  the  Tower  and  other  places  of  confinement  were  filled 
with  nobles  and  gentlemen,  whose  offence  was  that  they  chanced  to  be 
popular;  the  pffection  of  the  people  being  a  deadly  offence  to  the  queen, 
who  felt  that  she  was  loathed  by  them,  and  who  felt  so  little  secure 
against  a  new  out-break,  that  she  sent  out  commissioners  to  disarm  them, 
am!  lay  up  the  seized  arms  in  her  strong-holds. 

In  the  midst  of  this  gloomy  state  of  things,  the  parliament  was  called 
upon  to  invest  the  queen  with  the  power  which  had  formerly  been  granted 
to  her  father,  of  disposing  of  the  crown  at  her  decease.  Gardiner  took 
rare  to  dwell  upon  the  precedent  afforded  by  the  power  given  to  Henry 
VIII.,  ami  he  had  litde  fear  of  success,  bec^ausc,  independent  of  the  gen- 
eral terror  caused  by  the  queen's  merciless  and  sanguinary  procuiedings, 
the  good-will  of  numerous  members  of  parliament  had  been  purchased  by 
the  distribution  of  four  hundred  thousand  crowns,  which  the  emperor  had 
sent  over  for  that  purpose. 

liut  neither  terror  nor  purchased  coniplaisanc(!  could  blind  the  house  to 
the  facts,  that  the  queen  detested  Klizabcth,  niul  that  the  legitimacy  of  the 
(jiiceii  must  imply  the  bastardy  of  Elizabeth.  The  manner,  too,  in  which 
Gardiner  in  the  course  of  his  speech  avoided  mentioning  Elizabeth,  ex- 
cepting merely  as  "  tiie  lady  Elizabeth,"  and  without  styling  her  the  queen's 
si.sier,  confirmed  the  suspicion  that,  once  invested  with  the  power  wliich 
she  now  claimed,  the  queen  would  declare  Klizabcth  illegitimate,  and  by 
making  a  will  bequeathing  the  throne  to  Philip,  hand  over  the  nation  to 
all  that  Spanish  tyranny  of  which  such  terrible  anticipations  had  been  and 
slill  were  entertained. 

As  if  to  sliengthen  ail  other  grounds  of  suspicion  of  Mary's  intention, 
ihe  hirelings  and  parasites  of  Piiillp  were  just  now,  as  zealously  as  impru- 
dmlly,  busy  in  dwelling  upon  Philip's  descent  from  the  house  of  Lancas- 
ter, and  representing  him — taking  Elizabeth's  bastardy  as  a  matter  of 
course— as  the  next  heir  to  Mary  by  right  of  descent. 

Oreat,  then,  as,  from  fear  or  favour,  wap  the  desire  of  the  whole  parlia 
nuntto  gratify  the  queen,  the  determination  not  to  throw  the  nation  hound 
and  blindfolded  into  the  hands  of  the  Spaniard  was  still  greater-     The* 
Vol.  I 32 


% 


I  :,fi:,?f>'\,  ■  '"■''' 


'     ( 


mi 


'a    *  i*.i 


"*■  %£ 


i.r'H 


.'^fifsi^l 


498 


THE  TaEASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


t« 


m 


not  only  refused  to  pass  the  bill  to  give  Mary  the  pownr  to  will  away  the 
throne,  but  when  another  bill  was  introduced  to  tnake  it  treasonable  to 
imagine  or  attempt  the  death  of  tlie  queen's  husband  while  she  lived,  thev 
cooKy  laid  it  aside;  and  that  Philip  might  not  be  led  to  complete  the'  mar 
riag^  by  any  lingering  hope  of  possessing  any  authority  in  the  nation 
which  was  unhappy  enough  to  have  Mary  for  its  queen,  the  house  passed 
a  law  enacting,  ''That  her  majesty,  as  their  only  queen,  should  solely  aiu! 
as  a  sole  queen  enjoy  the  crown  and  sovereignty  of  her  realms,  with  all 
the  pre-eminences,  dignities,  and  rights  thereto  belonging,  in  us  large  and 
ample  a  manner  after  her  marriage  as  before,  without  any  title  or  claim 
accruing  to  the  prince  of  Spain,  either  as  tenant  by  courtesy  of  the  realm 
or  by  any  other  means." 

Having  thus,  as  far  as  was  in  their  power,  limited  and  discouraged  the 
dangerous  ambition  of  the  cruel  and  bigoted  Philip,  the  parliainent°passcd 
the  ratification  of  the  articles  of  marriage,  which,  indeed,  were  drawn  so 
favourably  to  England,  that  no  reasonable  objection  could  have  been  luadi 
to  them. 

As  nothing  more  could  be  extorted  or  bribed  from  parliament  with  rn 
spect  to  the  queen's  marriage,  its  attention  was  now  directed  to  malti  i 
connected  with  religion.  The  bishop.ic  of  Durham,  which  had  be>.ii  di- 
vided in  the  reign  of  Edward,  and  which  by  an  arbitrary  edict  of  tlie  qucp.i 
had  already  been  re-conferred  upon  Tonstal,  was  now  re-erected  by  au 
of  parliament.  Some  bills  were  also  introduced  for  revising  the  hms 
against  Lollardy,  erroneous  preaching,  and  heresy  in  gen';ral,  and  for  the 
suppression  of  books  containing  heterodox  opinions.  But  here  again,  to 
its  credit,  the  parliament  was  both  discriminating  and  firm ;  the  bills  wire 
thrown  out;  and  the  queen  perceiving  that  neither  Philip's  gold  nor  the 
terrors  of  her  more  sanguinary  conduct  could  make  this  parliament,  ;it 
least,  sufficiently  pliant  and  slavish  for  her  purposes,  she  suddenly  aiiJ 
sullenly  dissolved  it. 


B** 


ii 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE    REION    OF    MARY  (CONTINUED). 

Mary's  age,  and  some  consciousness,  perhaps,  of  the  addition  made  by 
her  fearful  temper  to  the  natural  homeliness  of  her  features,  held  tended  to 
make  the  acquisition  of  a  young  and  illustrious  husband  all  the  mure 
eagerly  desired,  for  its  very  improbability ;  and  though  she  had  seen  only 
the  portrait  of  her  future  husband,  she  had  contrived  to  become  so  ciiiini' 
oured  of  him,  that  when  the  preliminaries  of  the  marriage  were  all  arraiigeJ, 
and  thi'  arrival  of  the  prince  was  hourly  expected,  every  delay  and  every 
obstacle  irritated  her  almost  to  phrenzy.  Though  as  a  matter  of  ambiiioa 
Philip  was  very  desirous  of  the  match,  as  a  simple  matter  of  love,  he  w;is, 
at  the  very  least,  indifferent;  and  even  the  proverbial  hauteur  an  I  solem- 
nity of  the  Spanish  character  could  not  sufficiently  account  for  the  ooiJ 
neglect  which  caused  him  to  forbear  from  even  favouring  his  futuro  who 
and  queen  with  a  letter,  to  account  for  delays  which,  in  spite  of  her  doling 
fondness,  Mary  could  not  hut  believe  that  the  prince  might  easily  have 

Eut  an  end  to  had  his  impatience  been  at  all  equal  to  her  own-  From 
laming  Philip,  the  impatient  fondness  so  rare  as  well  as  so  unbecoming 
at  her  advancet'.  period  of  life,  caused  her  to  turn  her  resentnirnt  against 
her  subjects,  tc  whose  opposition  she  chose  to  impute  thai  indilTerpmeon 
tho  part  of  the  prince,  which  really  arose  from  dislike  of  her  repulsive  anJ 
prematurely  aged  person.  A  circumstance  now  occurred  which  greatly 
mcreased  the  queen's  anger  against  her  subjects,  and  which  probably, in 
«o  sullen  and  resentful  a  nature  as  hers,  did  much  to  fan  into  a  flame  that 


it 
m 


irill  away  the 
•easonable  to 
i\e  lived,  lliey 
plcle  the  mar 
\i\  t\ie  nalion 
house  passed 
luld  solely  and 
i-.ilms,  with  all 
ii\  as  large  and 
y  title  or  claim 
sy  of  the  realm 

liscouraged  the 
rliaineiU  passed 
were  drawn  so 
have  been  niadt 

liamcnl  with  rn- 
ecled  to  maltr  ,< 
ii:h  had  be.u  di- 
'dict  of  the  queea 
:e-erectcd  by  a'.l 
evising  the  lav.a 
'U'sral,  and  for  ik 
iut  here  again,  to 
rm;  the  bilia  were 
lip's  gold  nor  the 
ihis  parliament,  ;it 
she  suddenly  and 


le  addition  made  by 
itures,  had  tended  w 
sband  all  the  raoio 
11  she  had  seen  only 
Lo  become  so  ci\;mi- 
Ije  were  all  arrangeJ, 
Fery  (h>lay  and  every 
ainatterofambiuoa 

itler  of  love,  he  w;u«, 
hauteur  an  I  solem- 
tccouiU  for  the  eold 
urinif  his  fuwrnwin 
L  spite  of  her  doU"8 

'"  might  «'>«'iy  it 

to  her  own.  tt™ 
.n  as  so  unbecoming 
Ir  resentment  agauisi 

tethatinJiffef''"'''^*"! 
e  of  her  repulsive  ail 

,urred  which  gvea 
d  which  probably 
fan  into  a  flame  llui 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


499 


herce  bigotry  which  subsequently  lighted  the  fires  of  persecution  in  every 
county  ill  Euglaud,  and  left  scarcely  a  village  without  its  martyr  and  its 
mourniiig.  A  squadron  had  been  fitted  out,  and  the  command  was  given 
to  Lord  Kflinghani,  to  convoy  the  prince  to  England;  but  so  unpopular 
was  l!ie  service,  and  such  strong  symptoms  appeared  of  a  determined 
spirit  of  mutiny  among  the  sailors,  that  Lord  Effingham  frankly  informed 
the  queen  that  he  did  not  think  the  prince  would  be  safe  in  their  hands, 
and  liie  squadron  was  at  once  di.sbanded.  But  this  measure,  though  in- 
dispensably necessary  under  the  circumstances,  brought  no  peace  to  the 
mind  of  the  queen,  for  she  now  dreaded  not  merely  the  inevitable  dangers 
of  the  sea,  but  also  that  her  husband  should  be  intercepted  by  the  French 
fleet.  The  slightest  rumour  so  heightened  her  self-torturing,  that  she 
was  frequently  thrown  into  convulsions ;  and  not  merely  was  her  bodily 
health  affected  in  the  most  injurious  degree,  but  even  her  mind  began  to 
be  affected  to  a  very  perceptible  extent.  Hypochondriac  and  pitiably 
nervous,  she  became  painfully  conscious  of  her  want  of  beauty  ;  though, 
with  the  usual  self-flattery,  she  ascribed  the  repulsive  aspect  presented  to 
her  by  her  unflattering  mirror  wholly  to  her  recent  sufferings.  From  be- 
ing frimtically  impatient  for  the  arrival  of  Philip,  the  unhappy  queen  now 
became  desponding,  and  dreaded  lest  on  his  arrival  he  should  find  her  dis- 
pleasing. 

At  length  the  object  of  so  many  hopes  and  fears  arrived  ;  the  marriage 
was  publicly  and  with  great  pomp  performed  at  Winchester;  and  when 
Philip  had  made  a  public  entry  into  London,  and  dazzled  the  eyes  of  the 
gazers  with  the  immense  riches  he  had  brought  over,  Mary  hurried  him 
away  to  the  comparative  seclusion  of  Windsor.  This  seclusion  admirably 
suited  the  prince,  whose  behaviour,  from  the  day  of  his  arrival,  was  as 
well  calculated  as  though  it  had  been  purposely  intended,  to  crnfirm  all 
ihe  unfavourable  opinions  that  had  been  formed  of  him.  In  his  manner 
he  was  distant,  not  with  shyness  but  with  overweening  disdain;  and  the 
bravest  and  wise.ot  of  the  oldest  nobility  of  England  had  the  mortification 
10  see  him  pass  them  without  manifesting  by  glance,  word,  or  gesture, 
liiathe  was  conscious  of  their  respect,  salutations,  or  even  their  presence. 
The  unavoidably  wearisome  etiquette  of  court  was  now  so  much  increased 
by  Spanish  formalities,  that  both  Philip  and  Mary  may  almost  be  said  to 
have  been  inaccessible.  This  circumstance,  however  disgusting  to  sub 
jpcts,  waa  in  the  highest  degree  pleasing  to  the  queen  :  having  at  length 
possessed  herself  of  her  husband,  she  was  unwilling  that  any  one  should 
share  his  company  with  her  for  a  moment.  More  like  a  love-sick  girl 
ihaii  a  hHrrt-tcatured  and  hard-hearted  woman  of  forty,  she  could  not  bear 
ilie  prince  to  be  out  of  her  sight ;  his  shortest  absence  annoyed  her,  and 
if  he  showed  the  commonest  courtesy  to  any  of  the  court  ladies,  her 
jealousy  was  instantly  shown  to  him,  and  her  resentment  to  the  fair  who 
had  been  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  honoured  with  his  civility. 

The  v/omanly  observation  of  Mary  soon  convinced  her  that  the  only 
way  to  Philip's  heart  was  to  gratify  his  ambition  ;  and  she  was  abundantly 
ready  to  purchase  his  love,  or  the  semblance  of  it,  even  at  the  price  of  the 
total  sacrifice  of  the  liberties  and  interests  of  the  whole  English  people. 
Hy  means  of  Gardiner  she  used  both  feat  iid  hope,  both  power  and  gold, 
In  get  members  returned  in  her  entire  interests  to  a  new  parliament  which 
she  now  summoned;  and  the  returns  were  such  as  to  promise  that,  in  the 
existing  temper  of  the  nation,  which  had  not  yet  forgotten  the  sanguinary 
punishment  of  the  revolt  under  Wyatt,  she  might  safely  make  her  next 
creat  onward  movement  towards  the  entire  restoration  of  Catholicism  and 
the  establishment  of  her  own  absolute  power. 

Cardinal  Pule,  who  was  now  in  Flanders,  invested  with  the  office  of 
'fv\h'.  only  awaited  the  removal  of  the  attainder  passed  against  him  in 
■'le  reig  1  of  Henry  VIII.    The  parliament  readily  passed  an  act  for  that 


iV-^' 


)l  4 


i-H 


!i  i 


:    :1 


500 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


SIS'. 


purpose,  and  the  legate  immediately  came  to  England,  when,  after  wait- 
ing on  Philip  and  Mary,  he  presented  himself  to  parliament,  and  formallr 
invited  the  English  nation  to  reconcile  itself  to  the  holy  see  from  which 
said  the  legate,  it  had  hecn  so  long  and  so  unhappily  separated.  ' 

The  well-trained  parliament  readily  acknowledged  and  professed  to  de- 
plore the  defection  of  England,  and  presented  an  address  to  Philip  and 
Mary,  entreating  them,  as  being  uninfected  by  the  general  guilt,  to  in'er- 
cede  with  the  holy  father  for  their  forgiveness,  and  at  the  same  limp  de- 
clared their  intention  to  repeal  all  laws  that  were  prejudicial  to  the  church 
of  Rome.  The  legate  readily  gave  absolution  to  the  parliament  and  peo- 
pie  of  England,  and  received  them  into  the  communion  of  Piome ;  and 
Pope  Julius  ni.,  with  grave  and  bitter  mockery,  observed,  when  the  formal 
thanks  of  the  nation  were  conveyed  to  him,  that  the  English  had  a  siran^e 
notion  of  things  thus  to  thank  him  for  doing  what  he  ought,  in  fact,  "to 
thank  them  for  letting  him  do. 

It  mu'st  not  be  supposed  tiiat  though  the  nobility  and  gentry  in  parlia- 
nent  assembled  thus  readily  and  crouchingly  laid  England  once  again  at 
the  feet  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  that  they  were  prepared  fully  to  undo  all 
that  Henry  had  done.  Indifferent  as  to  the  mode  of  faith  prescribed  to 
the  multitude,  they  had  r.ot  an  objection  to  make  this  sudJen  and  sweep- 
ing re-transfer  of  the  spiritual  authority  over  England.  But  before  they 
would  consent  to  that  transfer  of  spiritual  authority,  they  obtained  from 
Rome,  as  well  as  from  the  queen,  the  most  positive  assurances  that  the 
church  property,  snatched  from  the  church  and  divided  among  laymen  by 
Henry,  should  not  be  interfered  with,  but  should  remain  undisturbed  in  the 
hand?  of  its  lay  possessors.  The  parliament,  also,  in  the  very  act  bv 
which  it  restored  the  pope's  spiritual  authority,  enacted  that  all  niarriajes 
contracted  during  the  English  separation  from  Rome  should  remain  valid, 
and  also  inserted  a  clause  which  secured  all  holders  of  church  lands  in 
their  possessions;  and  the  convocation  presented  a  petition  to  the  pope  to 
the  same  effect,  to  which  petition  the  legate  gave  an  affirmative  answer. 
Bigoted  and  arbitrary  as  Mary  confessedly  was,  it  appeared  that  she  coulJ 
not  fully  restore,  even  temporarily,  the  power  of  Rome. 

The  sentence  had  irrevocably  gone  forth  against  that  grasping  and  pnedy 
despotism  ;  and  though  the  accidental  occurrence  of  a  fiercely  ind  coldly 
cruel  bigot,  in  the  person  of  Mary,  being  seated  upon  the  throne  uave  back 
for  a  time  to  Rome  the  spiritual  jurisdiction,  and  the  power  to  diciaieand 
tyrannize  in  spiritual  affairs,  all  the  power  and  zeal  of  that  bigot  could  noi 
re-possess  the  church'of  the  lands  which  had  become  lay  property.  In 
the  first  instance,  indeed,  Rome  hoped,  by  forgiving  the  past  fruus  of  the 
lands,  to  be  able  to  resume  the  lands  for  the  future  ;  but  when  Pole 
arrived  in  England  he  received  information,  amply  confirmed  by  his  own 
observations,  which  induced  him  without  further  struggle  to  ai,'ref  lo  ilie 
formal  and  complete  settlement  of  the  lands,  of  which  we  have  above 
given  an  account. 

Perhaps  no  greater  misfortune  could  have  occurred  to  Enijlaiid  than 
this  very  cession  in  form,  by  the  pope,  of  the  right  of  the  laiiy  to  ilie 
lands  of  which  they  had  possessed  themselves  at  the  expense  of  liie  ciiurch. 
Had  Rome  attempted  to  resume  the  solid  property,  as  well  as  the  spiriiual 
rights,  of  the  church,  considerations  of  interest  in  the  former  would  have 
caused  the  nobility  and  gentry  to  hesitate  about  surrendering  the  latter; 
but  having  secured  their  own  property,  the  great  were  easily  induced  ic 
hand  over  the  bulk  of  the  people  to  a  spiriiual  tyranny  which  they  Hal- 
tered themselves  that  they  would  not  suffer  from.  I'he  vile  old  laws 
against  heresy,  which  the  former  parliament  had  honestly  an  I  indiirnanilj 
rejected,  were  now  re-enacted  ;  statutes  were  passed  'or  punishing  sedi- 
tious rumours,"  and  it  was  made  treason  to  imagine  or  to  attempt  iheblt 


THE  TREASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


561 


af  Philip  during  lliat  of  the  queen,  which,  also,  the  former  parlir'.ment  had 
refused. 

But,  amidst  all  this  disgusting  sycophanny,  even  ihis  complaisant  par- 
liament had  still  some  English  sense  of  reserve,  and  resisted  every  at- 
'.cmpt  of  the  queen  to  get  her  husband  declared  presumptive  heir  to  the 
crown,  entrusted  wiih  the  administration,  or  even  honoured  with  a  corona- 
lion.  The  same  anii-Spanish  feeling  which  caused  the  firmness  of  parlia- 
ment on  those  points,  also  caused  it  to  refuse  all  subsidy  in  support  of  the 
emperor,  in  iho  war  which  he  was  still  carrying  on  against  France.  These 
very  plain  indications  of  tile  feelings  of  the  nation  towards  himself  per- 
sonally caused  Philip,  not  indeed  to  lay  aside  his  morose  and  impolitic 
hauteur,  for  that  was  part  and  parcel  of  his  nature,  and  as  inseparable 
from  his  existence  as  the  mere  act  of  breathing,  but  to  endeavour  to  di- 
minish his  unpopularity  by  procuring  the  release  of  several  distinguished 
prisoners,  confined  either  for  actual  ofTencc  against  the  court,  or  for  the 
ijuasi  offence  of  being  agreeable  to  the  people.  The  most  illustrious  of 
these  prisoners  was  the  lady  Elizabeth ;  and  nothing  that  Philip  could 
liave  done  could  have  been  more  pleasing  to  the  nation  than  his  releasing 
that  princess,  and  protecting  her  from  the  petty  but  no  less  annoying  spite- 
fulness  of  her  sister. 

About  the  same  time,  Philip's  politic  intervention  also  gave  liberty  to 
the  lord  Henry  Dudley,  Sir  George  Harper,  Sir  Nicholas  Throgmorton, 
Sir  Edmund  Warner,  Sir  William  St.  Loe,  and  Sir  Nicholas  Arnold,  to- 
gether with  Harrington  and  Trem.  ,e.  The  earl  of  Devonshire  also  was 
released  from  Fotheringay  castle,  and  allowed  to  go  abroad,  but  he  only 
reached  Padua  when  he  was  poisoned,  and  the  popular  rumour  and  belief 
ascribed  the  murder  to  the  Imperialists. 

Baffled  in  her  endeavours  to  get  her  husband  declar  1  her  heir  presump- 
tive, the  queen  became  more  than  ever  anxious  for  the  honours  of  mater- 
nity, of  the  approach  of  which  she  at  length  imagined  that  she  felt  the 
symptoms.  She  was  publicly  declared  to  be  pregnant,  and  Bonner,  bishop 
of  Luiidun,  ordered  public  prayers  to  be  put  up,  that  the  young  prince — 
for  the  catholics  chose  to  consider  not  merely  the  pregnancy  of  the  queen, 
hut  even  tlie  sex  of  the  child  a  matter  perfectly  settled ! — might  be  beau- 
i'fu.,  stronj;,  and  witty.  The  people  in  general,  however,  manifested  a 
provokiiiy  incredulity  even  as  lo  the  pregnancy  of  the  queen,  whose  age 
and  haggard  aspect  certainly  promised  no  very  numerous  offspring ;  and 
the  people's  incredulity  was  sliortly  afterwards  justified,  it  proving  that 
the  queen  hnd  been  mistaken  by  the  incipient  symptoms  of  dropsy.  To 
the  l.ist  possible  moment,  however,  Philip  and  his  friend",  concealed  the 
truth,  and  Philip  was  thus  enabled  to  get  himself  appoin'.ed  protector  du- 
ring the  minority,  should  the  chill  survive  and  the  queen  die.  Finding 
that  this  was  the  utmost  concession  that  could  at  present  be  wrung  from 
the  parliament,  and  trusting  that  it  might  by  good  management  be  made 
productive  of  more  at  some  future  time,  the  queen  now  dissolved  the  par- 
liament. 

A.  n.  1555. — The  dissolution  of  pailianient  was  marked  by  an  occurrence 
which  of  itself  would  bu  sufiicient  to  indicate  the  despotic  character  of  the 
times.  Some  members  of  the  commons'  house,  unwilling  to  agree  to  the 
slavish  complaisance  commonly  shown  by  the  majority,  and  yet,  as  a 
minority,  quite  unable  to  stem  the  tide,  came  to  the  resolution  to  secede 
from  their  attendance.  No  sooner  was  the  parliament  'issolved  than 
these  members  were  indicted  in  the  king's  bench.  Six  of  Jiem,  terrified 
at  the  mere  thought  of  a  contest  with  the  powerful  and  vindictive  queen, 
made  the  requisite  submissions  and  obtained  pardon;  and  the  remainder 
exercised  their  right  of  traverse,  thereby  so  long  postponing  the  trial  that 
the  queen's  death  put  an  end  to  the  aflair  altogether.  Gardiner's  success 
in  bringing  about  the  Spanish  match  to  whiiih  the  nation  had  been  so 


E 

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■ '  I 


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sL 


609 


THE  TttKASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


averse,  and  the  tact  and  zeal  for  the  queen's  service  which  he  had  shown 
in  his  dexterous  maniigemeni  of  the  house  of  commons,  made  him  now 
more  than  ever  a  weighty  authority,  not  only  with  the  queen  but  witli  the 
catholic  party  in  general.  It  is  singular  enough,  ai;  Hume  well  remarks 
that  thouijrh  this  very  learned  prelate  was  far  less  zealous  upon  pumts  of 
theology  than  Cardinal  Polo,  yet,  while  the  mild  temper  of  the  Kuter 
allayed  and  chastened  his  tendency  towards  bigotry,  the  sterner  and  haidj. 
er  character  of  the  former  caused  him  to  look  upon  the  free  judgment  oi 
the  commonality  as  a  prc-umption  which  it  behoved  the  rulers  of  the  land 
to  put  down,  even  by  the  severest  ai\d  most  unsparing  resort  to  persecu 
tion.  For  some  time  it  was  doubtful  whether  the  milder  course,  -ecom. 
mended  as  politic  by  Pole,  or  the  yterner  course,  advocated  as  esseulially 
necessary  by  Gardiner,  would  prevail.  But  Gardiner  had  the  great  advan- 
tage  of  advocating  the  system  which  was  the  most  in  aecordanee  wiih 
the  cruel  and  bigoted  temper  of  both  Philip  and  Mary  ;  and  Pole  had  the 
mortifiention  not  only  of  being  vanquished  by  his  opponent,  but  also  of 
seeing  full  and  terrible  license  and  freedom  given  to  the  hitherto  paniajly 
restrained  demons  of  persecution. 

Having  detern-ined  the  queen  and  court  to  a  course  of  severity,  Oar. 
diner  had  no  difficulty  in  persuading  them  that  it  was  politic  to  select  ilio 
first  victims  from  among  the  eminent  for  learning  or  authority,  or  both- 
and  Rogers,  prebendary  of  St.  Paul's,  a  man  still  more  remarkable  for 
virtue  and  learning  than  for  his  eminence  in  the  church  and  in  theieforin- 
ed  party,  had  the  melancholy  honour  of  being  singled  out  as  the  first  vic- 
tim. As  instances  of  conversion  were  even  niore  sought  after  by  Gardin- 
er than  jiunishment,  there  was  probably  yet  another  reason  why  Rojrers 
was  selected  for  the  first  pros(!cinion.  He  had  a  wife  and  ten  cluldrcn, 
and  was  remark.ible  for  his  alTecttion  both  as  a  father  and  a  luisb<Mid ;  and 
there  was  every  probability  that  ttuulerness  for  them  might  le;iJ  him  to 
avoid,  by  aposlacy,  a  danger  which  otherwise  he  might  have  been  e.icpeel- 
ed  to  br.ive.  But  if  Gardiner  really  reasoned  thus,  he  was  greatly  mista- 
ken, lingers  not  only  refused  to  recant  an  iota  of  his  opinions  at  what 
was  called  hi.;  trial,  hut  even  after  the  fatal  sentence  of  burning  was  pass- 
ed Uf)on  him  he  stdl  preserved  such  an  eqnalile  frame  of  niiml,  that  when 
the  fatal  hour  arrived  his  jailers  actually  had  to  awaken  him  from  a  sweet 
sound  sleep  to  proceed  to  the  stake.  Such  courage  might,  one  would 
suppose,  have  disarmed  even  the  wrath  of  bigotry;  but  Gardiner,  when 
the  condemned  gentleman  asked  permission  to  have  a  parting  inierview 
with  his  wife,  cruelly  and  scoffingly  replied,  that  Rogers,  being  a  priest, 
could  not  possibly  have  a  wife!  This  unfortunate  and  learned  diviiio  was 
burned  at  Smithfield,  and  the  flames  that  consumed  him  may  be  said  to 
have  kindled  a  vast  and  moving  pile  that  swallowed  up  sufferers  of  both 
sexes,  and  of  nearly  all  ages  in  every  crounty  of  England. 

Hooper,  bishop  of  Gloucester,  was  tried  at  the  same  time  with  Rogers, 
and  was  also  condemned  to  the  stake,  but,  with  a  refinement  upon  cruelty, 
he  was  not  executed  at  Smithfield,  though  tried  in  London,  but  se.it  for 
that  purpose  into  his  own  diocese,  that  his  agonies  and  death  in  th'-  inidsi 
of  the  very  scene  of  his  labours  of  piety  and  usefulness  might  the  more 
effectually  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  his  flock.  Hooper,  however, 
turned  what  his  enemies  intended  for  an  aggravation  of  his  fate  inio  a 
consolation,  and  an  opporlmiity  of  giving  to  those  whom  he  had  long  and 
faithfully  taught,  a  parting  proof  of  the  simrerity  of  his  teachings,  and  o' 
the  efllicai^y  of  genuine  religion  to  uphold  its  sincere  believers,  even  iindei 
the  most  terrible  agonies  that  nilhless  and  mistaken  man,  in  liis  pride  ol 
fierceness,  can  inflict  upon  his  fellow  worm.  And  terrible,  even  beyond 
the  usual  terrors  of  these  abominable  scenes,  were  the  tortures  of  the 
martyred  Hooper.  The  faggots  provided  for  hisexecuiion  were  too  green 
to  kindle  rapidly,  and,  a  high  wind  blowing  ;  ,  the  time,  the  flames  played 


THE  TREASURY  OP  lIiaTOUY. 


SOS 


around  his  lower  limbs  without  biiiiiff  nblc  to  fasten  up"  .  .ijc  vital  parts. 
One  of  his  hands  dropped  off,  and  with  the  other  lie  continued  to  beat  his 
breast,  piayinsj  to  heaven  and  exhorting  the  pitying  spectators,  until  his 
Bttolica  toMffui'  could  no  longer  perform  its  ofRcc;  and  it  was  tiin;e  quar- 
ters of  an  hour  before  his  tortures  were  at  i  i  end.  Of  the  courage  and 
sincerity  of  Hooper  there  is  striking  evidence  in  the  fact  i!iat  the  queen's 
pardon  was  placed  before  him  on  a  stool  af»er  he  was  tied  to  tlio  stake, 
but  he  ordered  it  to  be  removed,  preferring  the  direst  torture  with  sincerity, 
to  safely  with  aposlacy. 

Sanders,  burned  at  Coventry,  also  had  the  queen's  pardon  offered  to 
him,  and  lie  also  rejected  it,  embracing  the  stake  and  exclaiming,  "  We 
have  llic  cross  of  Christ!  Welcome  everlasting  life."  Taylor,  the  cler- 
gyman of  Iladley,  in  Hertfordshire,  was  burned  at  liiat  place,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  parishioners.  When  tied  to  the  stake  he  began  to  pray  in 
English)  which  so  enraged  his  guards,  that,  bidding  him  speak  Latm,  they 
struck  him  so  violently  on  the  head  with  their  halberts,  that  he  died  on  the 
instant,  and  was  sparid  the  lingering  agonies  prepared  for  him. 

Pliil|ml,  archdeacon  of  Winchester,  had  very  greatly  distinguished 
himsclfliy  his  zeal  for  piotestantisnt.  On  one  occasion,  being  engaged 
ill  a  controversy  with  an  Arian,  the  zeal  of  llie  archdeacon  so  far  got  the 
ascendancy  over  his  good  manners,  that  he  actually  spat  in  liie  Arian's 
face.  Sut)scquently,  and  when  he  might  have  been  expected  to  have  re- 
pented on  rellcction  of  what  he  had  done  in  the  heat  of  passion,  he  pub- 
lished a  formal  justification  of  his  conduct,  in  which  he  said  that  he  felt 
bound  to  give  that  strong  proof  of  the  detestation  of  his  oppoiKMit's  blas- 
phemy. So  impetuous  a  man  was  not  likely  to  escape  notice  in  the 
persecution  that  now  raged,  and  he  was  brought  to  trial  for  heresy  and 
burned  to  death  in  Smithfield. 

Iftiardincr  was  the  person  to  whom  the  persecution  chiefly  owed  its 
commencuinent,  it  was  Homier,  bishop  of  L4)ndon,  who  carried  it  on 
with  the  coarsest  and  most  unrelenting  barbarity.  Apart  from  all  mere 
bijj'olry,  this  singularly  brutal  man  appeared  to  derive  positive  sensual 
gralificatioii  from  the  act  of  inflicting  torture.  He  occasionally,  when  he 
had  prisoners  under  examination  who  did  not  answer  to  his  satisfaction, 
wouhi  have  them  stripped  and  flog  them  with  his  own  hand.  Nor  was 
this  iiis  worst  brutality.  An  unfortunate  weaver,  on  one  occasion,  re- 
fused to  recant,  when  Bonner  endeavoured  to  persuade  him,  and,  as  is 
veraciously  recorded,  this  disgrace  of  his  sacred  profession  lirs'  lore  the 
unfortunate  man's  beard  out  by  the  root,  and  then  held  his  hand  in  the 
llanic  of  a  lamp  until  the  sinews  burst,  by  way  of  giving  him,  as  he  said, 
some  notion  of  what  burning  really  was  like  ! 

When  we  say  that  this  horrible  system  of  persecution  and  cruelty 
endured  for  three  years,  and  that  in  that  lime  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  jiPisons  are  known  to  have  siiflVred — wli.ic  probably  many  more 
were  similarly  butchered  of  whom  we  have  no  account — while  that,  be- 
sides men  of  all  ranks,  from  bishops  to  day-labourers.  Pity-five  women 
and  four  children  thus  perished,  it  must  be  obvious  that  a  detailed  account 
of  this  terrible  season  of  cruelty  would  be  disgusting,  even  wore  it  not 
^uite  i!npra(!ticable.  We  shall,  therefore,  add  but  a  few  more  cases, 
and  then  leave  a  subject  which  cannot  be  treated  of  even  at  this  distance 
of  lime  without  feelings  of  disgust  and  horror. 

Ferrar,  bishop  of  St.  David's,  in  Wales,  being  condemned  to  death  as  a 
heretic,  appealed  to  Cardinal  Pole  ;  but  his  appeal  was  wholly  unattended 
to,  and  the  unfortunate  bishop  was  burned  ji>.  liis  own  diocese. 

There  yet  remained  two  still  more  illustrious  victims  to  be  immolated. 
Ridley,  formerly  bishop  of  London,  and  Latimer,  formerly  bishop  of  Wor- 
cester, had  long  been  celebrated  for  both  the  zeal  and  efficiency  of  their 
supportof  the  cause  of  the  reformalion.     In  the  preaching  of  both  there 


•   il 


4 


604 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


was  a  cfiitiiiii  nnrvous  lioincliiioss,  wliicli  iniule  llieir  eloquence  ospeeiallv 
effficlive  upon  tlie  minds  and  lieiirts  of  tliu  lowor  orders,  !uiil  on  tli.it  very 
account  tliuse  two  prelates  were  more  formidablii  to  the  Uoinnnist.s  Hum 
they  would  have  been  hud  they  affected  a  more  learned  and  clmstciud 
style.  That  two  such  capital  enemies  of  lionianism  —one  of  whom  inoie. 
over,  had  even  for  some  time  been  possessed  of  Bonner's  ownsee— slunild 
escape,  could  not  be  expected.  They  were  tried  and  condenuied,  anj 
both  burned  at  the  same  stake  at  Oxford.  Both  died  with  courajri;  n'ml  a 
calm  constancy  not  to  he  surpassed.  Kvcn  wlien  lliey  were  ah-eady  ijcd 
to  the  slake,  and  the  revoltiuj,'  tragedy  commenced,  Latimer  clieurfuHy 
called  out,  "  Be  of  jjood  couraj,'e,  brother  Ridley,  we  sliall  tliis  day  kindlij 
such  a  torch  in  England,  as,  1  trust  in  God,  shall  never  bo  extnuruisheil," 
Latimer,  who  was  very  aged,  suffered  but  little,  being  very  early\ill(;il  by 
the  explosion  of  some  gunpowder  which  the  executioner  had  mercifully 
provided  for  that  purpose ;  but  Ridley  was  seen  to  be  alive  some  time 
after  ho  was  surrounded  by  flames. 

As  neiilier  age  nor  youtli,  neither  learning  nor  courage,  could  make  any 
impression  upon  the  flinty  heart  of  Bonner,  so  neither  could  even  tliu  most 
heroic  proof  of  filial  piety.  A  young  lad,  named  Hunter,  who  was  only 
in  his  nineteenth  year,  suffered  himself,  with  the  imprudence  common  lo 
youth,  to  be  drawn  into  a  religions  argument  with  a  priest,  in  the  course 
of  which  argument  he  had  the  farther  imprudence  todeny  the  real  presonce. 
Subsequently  he  began  to  apprehend  the  danger  of  what  he  had  done, and 
absconded  lest  any  Ireaciiery  oi\  tlie  part  of  the  priest  should  involve  him 
in  pmiishment.  The  priest,  as  the  young  man  had  feared,  did  give  infur- 
niation,  and  Bonner,  learning  that  the  youth  had  absconded,  caused  lijj 
father  to  be  seized,  and  not  only  treated  him  with  great  immediale 
severity,  but  threatened  hitn  with  still  worse  future  treatineiu.  The 
youth  no  sooner  heard  of  the  danger  and  trouble  to  which  he  had  unui- 
tentionally  exposed  his  fatiier,  than  he  delivered  himself  up.  To  a  gen- 
erous man  this  conduct  would  have  been  decisive  as  to  tlie  propriety  ul 
overlooking  the  lad's  speculative  error  or  boldness  ;  but  Bonner  knew  no 
remorse,  and  the  youth  was  mercilessly  committed  to  tlie  flames. 

A  still  more  disgraceful  and  barbarous  incident  0(;curred  in  Guern- 
sey. A  wretched  woman  in  that  island  was  condemned  to  the  stake, 
and  was,  when  led  to  punishment,  far  advanced  in  pregnancy.  The 
ineffable  pangs  inflicted  upon  her  produced  labour,  and  one  of  ihe 
guards  snatched  the  new-born  infant  from  the  flames.  A  brutal  Hnd 
thoroughly  ignorant  magistrate  who  was  present  ordered  the  helpless 
little  iimocent  to  be  thrown  back  again,  "  being  determined  that  iioiliinj 
should  survive  which  sprung  from  so  heretical  and  obstinate  a  parent." 
Setting  aside  the  abhorrent  and  almost  incredible  offence  against  luimiimty 
committed  by  this  detestable  magistrate,  he  was,  even  in  the  rigiil  inter- 
pretation of  the  law,  a  murderer,  and  ought  to  have  been  executed  as  one; 
for,  whatever  the  ofTence  of  the  wretched  mother,  the  child  clearly  was 
not  contemplated  in  the  sentence  passed  upon  her.  But,  alas !  tlis  spiiit 
of  bigotry  tramples  alike  upon  the  laws  of  nature  and  of  man;  and  it  is 
probable  that  this  detestable  murderer,  so  far  from  receiving  merited  pun- 
ishment for  his  brutality,  might  have  been  even  applauded  for  his  "ze.il.'' 

As  though  the  national  dread  and  detestation  of  the  Spanish  allianee  had 
not  already  been  but  too  abundantly  justified  by  the  event,  spies  were 
sent  out  in  every  direction,  and  a  commission  was  appointed  for  iminirma 
into  and  punishing  all  spiritual  and  even  some  civil  crimes;  and  two  verv 
brief  extracts  from  the  cominissioN  and  instructions  will  show  that  inub- 
ject,  powers,  and  process,  the  commissioners  were,  only  under  another 
name,  inquisitors,  and  their  spies  and  informers  officials  of  the  inquisition. 
The  commission  said,  that  "Since  many  false  rumours  were  puhlisheJ 
among  the  subjects,  and  many  hereticalop    ions  were  also  spread  anioiy 


THE  TUBASUUY  OF  HI8T0HY. 


505 


Iheni,  tlic  commiasioners  were  to  inquire  into  these  either  by  presentments, 
by  wiiuessi's,  or  any  other  politieal  way  they  couhl  devise,  and  to  search 
after  all  heresies,  the  bringers  in,  the  sellers,  the  readers  of  all  heretical 
books;  ti)  examine  and  punisli  nil  misbehaviours  or  negliKences  in  any 
chiirfii  or  chapel ;  to  try  nil  priests  that  did  not  preach  the'  sacrament  of 
the  aliar ;  all  persons  that  did  not  hear  mass,  or  go  to  their  parish  church 
to  service;  that  would  not  go  in  processions  or  did  not  take  holy  bread  or 
holy  water;  and  if  they  found  any  that  did  obstinately  persist  in  such 
heresies,  they  were  to  put  them  into  the  hands  of  their  ordinaries,  to  be 
piniislicd  according  to  the  spiritual  laws;  givin<j  the  commissioners  full 
power  to  pro(!eed  as  their  discretion  and  consciences  should  direct  them, 
ani]  10  use  all  such  means  as  they  would  invent  for  the  searchiu^r  of  the 
premises,  empowering  them,  also,  to  call  before  them  such  witnesses  as 
they  pleased,  and  io  force  them  to  make  oalh  of  such  thinifs  as  might  discover 
{ehal  thpy  sought  after."  This  new  commission  was,  in  fact,  an  English 
jiiqiiisitioii ;  and  the  followinjf  extract  from  Hume  abundantly  shows  the 
detcrmiiKilion  that  that  inquisition  should  not  want  for  officials  Mui  familiars. 

"Tn  bring:  the  method  of  proceeding  in  Kngland  still  nearer  to  tlie  prac- 
tice of  the  inquisition,  letters  were  written  to  Lord  North  and  others,  en- 
joiiiing  ihcm 'to  put  to  the  torture' such  obstinate  persons  as  would  not 
confess,  and  there  to  order  them  at  their  discretion. 

"Scerel  spies,  also,  and  informers  w(!re  employed,  according  to  the 
practice  of  that  iniquitous  tribunal.  Instructions  were  given  to  the  jus- 
tices of  tlio  peace  that  they  should  'call  secretly  before  them  one  or  two 
lioiie^t  persons  within  their  limits,  or  more,  at  their  discretion,  and  com- 
niaml  thcin,  by  oalh  or  otherwise,  that  Ihcy  shall  secretly  learn  and  search 
oa(sueh  persons  as  shall  evil  behave  themselves  in  the  cluuTh,  or  idly,  or 
s!i;ill  despise,  openly  by  words,  the  king's  or  queen's  proccediiifrs,  or  go 
about  to  make  any  commotion,  or  tell  any  seditious  tales  or  news.'  And 
also  lliat  llie  same  persons,  so  to  be  appointed,  shall  declare  to  ihe  same 
jiisiiees  of  the  peace  the  ill  lieli;iviour  of  lewd  disorderly  persons,  whether 
il  shall  be  for  using  unlawful  games  or  any  such  other  light  behaviour  of 
such  suspected  persons ;  and  that  the  same  information  shall  be  given 
Sfcrfd'y  to  the  justices,  and  the  same  justices  shall  call  such  licensed  per- 
sons before  them  and  examine  them,  without  doclaring  by  whom  they 
were  accused." 

This  precious  commission  also  had  power  to  execute  by  martial  law 
not  only  the  putters  forth  of  all  heretical,  treasonable,  and  seditious  books 
and  writings,  but  also  all  "  whosoever  had  any  of  these  books  and  did  not 
presently  hum  them,  without  reading  them  or  showing  them  to  any  other 
person."  Did  not  the  whole  tenor  of  this  portion  of  our  history  forbid  all 
toueii  of  humour,  one  would  be  strongly  templed  to  inquire  how  a  man 
was  possibly  to  know  the  character  of  books  coming  to  him  by  gift  or  iii- 
heriiiince,  for  instance,  without  either  reading  them  himself  or  showing 
them  to  some  one  else  !  But  as  bigotry  cannot  feel,  so  neither  will  it 
condescend  to  reason. 

While  Philip  and  Mary  were  thus  exhibiting  an  evil  industry  and  zeal 
to  merit  the  reconcilement  of  the  kingdom  to  Home,  Paul  IV.,  who  now 
filled  the  papal  throne,  took  advantage  of  Mary's  bigotry  to  assume  the 
ight  of  co)i/erW/j^  upon  Mary  the  kiiigdom  of  Ireland,  which  she  already 
1  jssesseii  dejactoet  de  jure  as  part  and  parcel  of  the  Knglish  sovereignty, 
iind  to  insist  upon  the  restoration  to  Rome  of  certain  lands  and  money  ! 
Several  of  the  council,  probably  fearing  that  by  degrees  Rome  would  de 
niand  back  all  the  church  property,  pointed  out  the  preal  danger  of  impov- 
erishine  tlie  kingdom,  and  but  that  death  had  deprived  Mary  of  the  shrewd 
juilgment  of  Gardiner,  such  concessions  would  probably  "not  have  been 
made  to  tliR  grasping  spirit  of  Rome.  Hut  Mary  replied  to  all  objections 
by  saying  that  she  preferred  the  salvation  of  her  rwii  soul  to  ten  such 


I*.  vtC. 


'■w 


*^\ 


.1'^ 


b06 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


mAli: 


iavi 


Y^m 


I" 
'I . 


kingdoms  an  England ;  and  Hcatli,  arclibisljop  of  Canterbury,  who  Imd 
succeeded  (Jardincr  in  the  possession  of  the  great  seal,  cneounigrd  her  in 
thiit  feeiiner.  A  bill  \v..s  accordingly  presented  to  parlianient  for  restoriim 
to  the  church  the  tenths,  first  fruits,  and  all  impropriations  which  romnined 
in  the  hands  of  the  queen.  At  first  sight  it  might  seem  that  parliameiu 
had  little  cause  or  right  to  interfere  in  a  matter  which,  as  far  as  the  ((.Tms 
Oif  iho  bill  went,  concerned  only  the  queen  herself.  Uut  theliy  possessors 
of  church  lands  naturally  enough  considered  that  subjects  would  sciirccly 
be  spared  after  the  sovereign  had  been  mulcted.  Moreover,  while  some 
probably  a  great  number,  of  the  members  were  chiefly  moved  by  this  con' 
sideralion,  all  began  to  be  both  terrified  and  disgusted  by  fhe  cruel  execu- 
tions which  had  disgraced  thu  whole  nation.  A  steady  opposition  conse. 
quently  arose ;  and  when  the  government  applied  for  a  subsidy  for  t«o 
years  and  for  two-fifteenths,  the  latter  were  refused,  and  the  opposition 
with  equal  bitterness  and  justice,  gave  as  the  reason  of  this  rclusal,  that 
wliilo  the  crown  was  wilfully  divesting  itself  of  revenue  in  behalf  of  Hume 
it  was  quite  useless  to  bestow  wealth  upon  it.  The  dissatisfaction  of  ihe 
parliament  was  still  farther  evidenced  by  tlio  rejection  of  two  bills, enact. 
ing  penalties  against  such  exiles  as  should  fail  to  return  within  a  certain 
time,  and  for  incapacitating  for  the  oflice  of  Justice  of  the  peace  such 
magistrates  as  were  remiss  in  the  prosecution  of  heretics.  This  fresh  aiij 
pointed  i)roof  of  the  displeasure  of  the  parliament  determined  the  qmcn 
to  dissolve  it.  But  the  dissolution  of  the  parliament  did  not  diminish  the 
pecuniary  embarrassment  of  the  queen.  Her  husband  had  now  been 
several  months  with  iiis  father  in  Flanders;  and  the  very  little  of  his  cor- 
respondence with  which  he  favoured  her  chiefly  consisted  of  demands  fur 
money.  Stern  and  unfeeling  as  she  was  to  every  one  else,  tiie  inf.ituaicd 
queen  was  passionately  attac;hed  to  the  husband  who  certainly  took  mo 
pains  to  conceal  his  dislike  of  her  ;  and  as  the  p.irliament,  previous  toils 
dissolution,  had  granted  her  but  a  scanty  supply,  she  was  led,  by  iicr 
anxiety  to  meet  he:  husband's  demands,  to  extort  money  from  her  subjects 
in  a  manner  the  most  unjustifiable.  From  each  of  one  thousand  persons, 
of  whose  personal  attachment  she  affected  to  be  quite  certain,  she  de- 
manded a  loan  of  dOl. ;  and  even  this  large  sum  being  inadequate  to  her 
wants,  she  demanded  a  farther  general  loan  from  all  persons  possessing 
'wenty  pounds  a  year  and  upwards;  a  measure  which  greatly  distressed 
,he  smaller  gentry.  Many  of  them  were  obliged  by  her  inroads  upon 
their  purses  to  discharge  some  of  th<  ir  servants,  and  as  tiicse  men  sud- 
denly thrown  upon  the  world  became  troublesome,  the;  queen  issued  a 
proclamation  to  compel  their  former  employers  to  take  them  back  ajjaiii! 
Upon  seven  thousand  yeomen  who  had  not  as  yet  contributed,  she  levied 
sixty  thousand  marks,  und  from  the  merchants  s'e  obtained  the  sum  of 
six  and  thirty  thousain,  ,iounds.  She  also  extoned  money  by  the  iiios: 
tyrannous  interference  with  t.r:iue,  as  regarded  both  the  foreign  and  native 
merchants;  yet  after  all  I'nv  shameless  extortion  she  was  so  poor,  ih^: 
she  offered,  and  in  v;iii  ,  >,     ^d  was  hercredil,  fourteen  per  cent.  fo"a  loan 

tijgh  rate  of  interest  could  induce  the  niereh  nils 
xftred  ',  to  lend  her  the  money,  until  by  'iicn- 
good  ci  y  of  London  to  be  security  for  hir! 
Who  would  iin.'iiine  that  we  are  writing  of  the  self-same  nation  that  s-o 
shortly  afterwar  's  warred  even  to  toe  death  with  Charles  I.  for  tliccom- 
parH'iVely  trilling  matter  of  the  ^ilnp  money? 

The  poverty  wiwch  »|i*o»>  had  iui  ccj  Philip  to  correspond  with  her  was 
now  terminated,  the  emp  >r  Ctiarii  -  the  Fifth,  that  prince's  fatlicr,  resign- 
ing to  him  ill  his  weali  .  and  dom.  ion,  and  retiring  to  a  inoniisterv  in 
Spain.  A  ^  n^ular  ane -Jote  is  told  "  the  abdicated  monarch.  He  spent 
much  of  h«  nine  in  tin:  constructing  .  <"  watches,  and  finding  it  impose,  ie 
to  ma'-e  ti''  u  go  exactly  alike, he  rem  rked  that  he  had  indeed  been  ;  lul 


of  30,000i.  Not  even  '..tii 
of  Antwerp,  to  whom  »•  t« 
aces  she  had  iiiduced  cjcr 


\l 


im' 


THR  TREASURE  OF  IIISTORT. 


SOf 


hh  to  expect  that  ho  coulJ  compel  that  iinirorinity  in  minds  which  he  could 
nol  adiievc  nveii  in  meri'  machines  !  Tho  rcllcclinn  tlius  produced  is  said 
tvc'ii  to  liave  ijivi'n  him  some  leaning  towards  those  thn(dogieal  opinions 
of  wiiich  he  and  liis  son  liad  been  the  most  brutal  and  ruthless  persecutors. 

n,  D.  155G,— f'ranmnr,  though  during  the  whole  of  this  reign  he  had  been 
left  iiniiotieed  in  confinement,  was  not  forgotten  by  tlie  vindictive  queen 
She  was  daily  more  and  more  exacerbated  in  her  naturally  wretched  tem- 
per by  the  grief  caused  by  the  contemptuous  neglect  of  her  husband.  Her 
private  hours  were  spent  in  tears  and  com|)laiiiis ;  and  that  misery  which 
usually  softens  even  the  most  rugged  nature  had  in  her  case  only  the  cflTect 
of  making  her  still  more  ruthless  and  unsparing. 

Cranincr,  though  he  had  during  part  of  Henry's  reign  warded  ofT  that 
niniiarch's  rage  from  Mary,  was  very  much  hated  by  her  for  the  part  ho 
hail  taken  in  bringing  about  the  divorce  of  her  mother,  and  she  was  not 
only  resolved  to  punish  him,  but  also  to  make  his  death  as  agonising  as 
possible.  For  the  part  he  had  taken  in  the  opposition  to  her  ascending 
the  ihronc  she  could  easily  have  had  him  beheaded,  but  nothing  short  of 
ihellaincs  seemed  to  her  to  be  a  suflicieiiliy  dreadfid  punishment  for  him. 
She  caused  the  pope  to  cite  him  to  Rome,  there  to  take  his  trial  for  heresy. 
Btinija close  prisoner  in  the  Tower,  the  unfortunate  prelate  perforce  ncg- 
ieeied  the  citation,  and  he  was  condemned  par  contumace,  and  sentenced 
10  the  slake.  The  next  step  was  to  degrade  him  from  his  sacred  olTico; 
and  D)niier,  who,  with  Thirltby,  biNhop  of  Kly,  was  entrusted  with  this 
l;i$k,perfunned  it  with  all  the  insolent  and  triumphant  brutality  consonant 
wuh  liis  nature.  Firmly  believing  that  Cranmer's  eternal  as  well  as  earthly 
punislinienl  was  assured,  the  queen  wau  not  yet  contented ;  she  would 
fain  deprive  him  in  his  last  hours  even  of  human  sympathy,  and  the  credit 
ailaclied  to  consistency  and  fidelity  to  the  cause  he  had  embraced.  Per- 
Boiiswerc  employed  to  persuade  him  that  the  door  of  mercy  was  still  open 
10  him,  and  that  he,  who  was  so  well  qualified  to  bo  of  wide  and  perma- 
nent service  to  mankind,  was  in  duty  bound  to  save  himself  by  a  seeming 
compliance  with  the  opinions  of  the  queen.  The  fear  of  death,  and  the 
strong  iirgings  of  higher  motives,  induced  rrnMnier  lu  comply,  and  ho 
agreed  to  subscribe  to  the  doctrines  of  the  i  u  presence  and  the  papal 
supremacy.  Shallow  writers  have  blamc't  i>.ininer  for  this  compliance ; 
MK  will  do  fo  (vhii  consider  "how  feai  IH  id  how  wonderfully  wc  arc 
m;iile"— in  niiiul  as  well  as  in  body ;  In  •  m..  ly  and  urgent  were  the  nn- 
lives  to  this  weakness,  how  much  hi.s  :«.nij  -nas  shaken  by  long  peril  and 
imprisonment,  and,  above  all,  who  T^-iMtiiibcr  and  reflect  how  nobly  he 
subsequently  shook  oflfall  earthly  iiHMivcs'Mike  dew  drops  from  the  lion's 
mane,"  and  with  what  calm  and  hoifey  serenity  he  endured  the  last  dread 
tortures. 

Having  induced  Cranmer  private!^'  to  sign  his  recantation,  the  queen 
now  demanded  that  he  should  coinpietc  the  wretched  price  of  his  safety 
by  publicly  making  his  recunlat.nn  at  St.  Paul's  before  the  whole  people. 
Kven  this  would  not  havt  saved  Crannu-r.  Hut,  cither  from  his  own 
|iKigmeiit,  or  from  the  warning  of  some  secret  friend,  Cranmer  perceived 
that  it  was  intended  to  send  him  to  execution  the  moment  that  In;  should 
thus  have  completed  and  published  his  degradation.  All  his  former  high 
and  eoiirageous  spirit  was  now  again  aroused  within  him  ;  and  he  not  only 
refused  to  comply  with  this  new  demand,  but  openly  and  boldly  said  that 
iheonly  pass^^ee  in  his  life  of  which  he  deeply  and  painfully  repented  was, 
that  recanlatiiiii  which,  in  a  momein  of  natural  weakness,  he  already  had 
i/ecn  induced  to  make.  He  now,  he  said,  most  sincerely  repented  and  dis- 
avowed that  recaniation,  and  inasmuch  as  his  hand  had  ofTended  in  signing 
it.  su  should  his  hand  first  suffer  the  doom  which  only  that  single  wcak- 
■  5  and  insincerity  had  made  him  deserving.  The  rage  of  the  court  a.-:i 
>i»  sycophants  at  hearing  a  public  avowal  so  different  from  that  which 


1     «  1 


608 


THE  TEEA8URY  OF  HIBTOtt 


they  expected,  scarcely  left  them  as  much  decency  of  patience  as  would 
allow  them  to  hear  him  to  the  end  nf  his  discourse ;  and  the  instant  that 
he  ceased  to  speak  he  was  led  away  to  the  stake. 

True  to  his  promise,  Cranmer  when  the  faggots  were  lighted  held  out 
his  hand  into  the  rising  flames  until  it  was  consumed,  repeatedly  exclaim- 
ing as  he  did  so,  "  This  unworthy  hand!"  "  Thit  hand  has  offended!"  Tho 
fierce  flames,  as  they  reached  his  body,  were  not  able  to  subdue  the  sub- 
lime  serenity  to  which  he  iiad  wrought  his  christian  courage  and  endurance" 
and  as  lung  as  his  countenance  was  visible  to  the  appalled  bystanders  it 
wore  the  character  not  of  agony  but  of  a  holy  sacrifice,  not  of  despair  but 
of  an  assured  and  eternal  hope.  It  is  said  by  some  Protestant  writers  of 
the  time,  that  when  the  sad  scene  was  at  an  end,  his  heart  was  found  en- 
tire and  uninjured  ;  hut  probably  this  assertion  took  its  rise  in  the  sinoulnr 
constancy  and  calmness  with  which  the  martyr  died.  Cardinal  Pole  oii 
the  death  of  Cranmer,  was  made  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  But  though 
this  ecclesiastic  was  a  man  of  great  hunianity  as  well  as  of  great  ability, 
and  though  he  was  sincerely  anxious  to  serve  the  gt^at  interests  of  religiuii 
not  by  ensnaring  and  destroying  the  unhappy  and  ignorant  laity,  bu°  by 
elevating  the  clergy  in  the  moral  and  intellectual  scale,  to  render  them 
more  eflicient  in  tneir  awfully  important  service,  there  were  circumstances 
which  made  his  power  far  inferior  to  iiis  will.  He  was  personally  disliked 
at  Rome,  where  his  tolerance,  his  learning,  and  his  addiction  to  studious 
retirement,  had  caused  him  to  be  suspected  of,  at  least,  a  leaning  to  the 
new  doctrines. 

1557. — Tu  the  midst  of  Mary's  fierce  persecutions  of  her  protestant 


A.  D. 


subjects,  she  was  self-tortured  beyond  all  that  she  had  it  in  her  power  to 
inflict  on  others,  and  might  have  asked,  in  the  words  of  the  dying  lunato 
his  complaining  soldiers,  "Think  you  that  /,  then,  am  on  a  bed  of  roses  1" 
War  raged  between  France  and  Spain,  and  next  to  her  desire  firmly  to  re- 
establish Catholicism  in  Kngland,  was  her  desire  to  lavish  the  blood  ani 
treasures  of  her  people  on  the  side  of  Spain.  Some  opposition  being  made 
Philip  visited  London,  and  the  queen's  zeal  in  his  cause  was  increased, 
instead  of  being,  as  in  the  case  of  a  nobler  spirit  it  would  have  been,  utterly 
destroyed,  by  his  sullen  declaration,  that  if  England  did  not  join  him  against 
France,  he  would  see  England  no  more.  Even  this,  however  much  it  af- 
fected the  queen,  did  not  bear  down  the  opposition  to  a  war  which,  as  the 
clearer-headed  members  discerned,  would  be  intolerably  expensive  in  any 
case,  and,  if  successful,  would  tend  to  make  England  a  mere  dependency 
of  Spain.  Under  the  circumstances,  a  true  English  patriot,  indeed,  must 
have  wished  to  see  Spain  humbled,  not  exalted ;  crippled  in  its  finances, 
not  enriched.  It  untbrtunately  happened,  however,  that  an  attempt  was 
made  to  seize  Scarborough,  and  Stafiford  and  his  fellows  in  this  attempt 
confessed  that  they  were  incited  to  it  by  Henry  of  France.  This  declar- 
ation called  up  all  the  dominant  national  antipathy  to  France  ;  the  p'udence 
of  the  opposition  was  at  once  laid  asleep ;  war  was  declared,  and  every 
preparation  that  the  wretched  financial  state  of  England  would  permit, 
was  made  for  carrying  it  on  with  vigour.  By  dint  of  a  renewal  of  the 
most  shameless  and  excessive  extortion,  the  queen  contrived  to  raise  and 
equip  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men,  who  were  sent  to  Flanders  under  the 
earl  of  Pembroke.  To  prevent  disturbances  at  home,  Mary,  in  obedience 
probably  to  the  advice  of  her  cold  and  cruel  husband,  caused  many  of  the 
first  men  in  England,  from  whom  she  had  any  reason  to  fear  opposition, 
to  be  seized  and  imprisoned  in  places  where  even  their  nearest  friendi 
could  not  find  them. 

The  details  of  the  military  aflTairs  between  France  and  Spain  with  her 
English  auxiliaries  belong  to  the  history  of  France.  In  this  place  it  may 
■uflice  to  say,  that  the  talents  of  Guise  rendered  all  attempts  useless;  and 
ftnd  that,  so  far  from  benefiting  Philip,  the  English  lost  Calais,  that  key  ti 


dice  as  would 
le  instant  that 

ghted  held  out 
iledly  exclaim- 
iffendedr   The 
ubdiie  the  sub- 
!  and  endurance, 
"  bystanders,  it 
It  of  despair  but 
stant  writers  of 
was  found  en- 
5  in  the  singular 
irdinal  Pole,  on 
ry.    But  though 
of  great  ability, 
rests  of  religion 
nt  laity,  but  by 
to  render  them 
recircnmslances 
rsonally  disliked 
lion  to  studious 
,  a  leaning  to  the 

of  her  protestant 
,  in  her  power  to 
the  dying  lunato 
I  a  bed  of  roses  1" 
esire  firmly  to  re- 
'ish  the  blood  ani 
silion  being  made 
16  was  increased, 
have  been,  utterly 
ot  join  him  against 
waver  much  it  af- 
war  which,  as  the 
r  expensive  in  any 
mere  dependency 
triot,  indeed,  must 
jd  in  its  finances, 
at  an  attempt  was 
vs  in  tliis  attempt 
nee.    This  decUr- 
,nce ;  the  p-udence 
eclared,  and  every 
md  would  permit, 
a  renewal  of  the 
itrived  to  raise  and 
Flanders  under  Ihe 
Mary,  in  oberiieuce 
laused  many  of  the 
to  fear  opposition, 
leir  nearest  friendi 

and  Spain  with  her 
[n  this  place  it  may 
empts  useless;  and 
i  Calais,  that  key  U 


BKTH. 


■  ■v  ■    i    ' 


'H 


VHE  TBEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


509 


France,  of  which  England  was  so  chary  and  so  proud.  Even  the  cold  and 
unpatriotic  heart  of  Mary  was  touched  by  this  capital  misfortune;  and  iihe 
was  often  heard  to  say,  in  the  agonies  of  her  uxorious  grief,  that,  after 
her  death  "Calais"  would  be  found  visibly  graven  upon  her  broken  heart. 
But  regrets  were  vain,  and  wisdom  came  too  late.  France  improved  her 
success  by  stirring  up  the  Scotcii;  and,  with  such  a  danger  liireatening 
her  very  frontier,  England  was  obliged  sullenly  and  silently  to  withdraw 
from  an  onerous  warfare,  which  she  had  most  unwisely  entered  upon. 

Philip  continued  the  war  for  some  time  after  England  had  virtually  with- 
drawn from  it;  and  he  was  negotiating  a  peace  and  insisting  upon  the  res- 
toration of  Calais  as  one  of  its  conditions,  when  Mary,  long  labouring  un- 
der a  dropsy,  was  seized  with  mortal  illness  and  died,  in  the  year  1538, 
after  a  most  wretched  and  miscliievous  reign  of  five  years  and  four  months. 
This  miserable  woman  has  been  allowed  tiie  virtue  of  sincerity  as  the 
sole  good,  the  one  oasis  in  the  dark  desert  of  her  character.  Hut  even 
this  virtue  must,  on  careful  examination,  be  denied  to  her  by  the  impartial 
liislorian.  As  a  whole,  indeed,  her  course  is  not  marked  by  insincerity. 
But  why]  Her  ferocity  and  despotism  were  too  completely  unresisted 
by  her  tame  and  aghast  people  to  leave  any  room  for  the  exercise  of  falsc- 
iiood,  after  the  very  first  ■'  -s  of  her  disgraceful  reign.  But  in  those  first 
days,  while  it  was  yet  i.  ■  •  whether  she  could  resist  tiie  power  and 

ability  of  the  ambitious    .  principled  Northumberland,  she  proved 

that  she  could  use  guile  :  lorce  was  wanting.     Her  promises  to  the 

protcstants  were  in  many  cases  voluntary,  and  in  all  profuse  and  positive ; 
yet  she  no  sooner  grasped  the  sceptre  firmly  in  her  hand,  than  she  scat- 
tered her  promises  to  the  wind?,  and  commenced  that  course  of  bigotry 
and  cruelty  which  has  for  ever  affixed  to  her  memory  the  loathed  name, 
which  even  yet  no  Englishman  can  pronounce  without  horror  and  disgust, 
of  the  BLoonv  Queen  Mary. 


iV'HIc^lj 


iMMa*.  ;;;*':% 


r  n 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


THE    REION   OF    ELIZABETH. 


A.  D.  1558. — So  completely  had  the  arbitrary  and  cruel  reign  of  Mary 
disgusted  her  subjects,  almost  without  distinction  of  rank  or  religious 
opinions,  that  the  accession  of  Elizabeth  was  hailed  as  a  blessing  unalloy- 
ed and  ahnost  too  great  to  have  been  hoped  for.  The  parliament  had 
been  called  together  a  few  days  before  the  death  of  Mary,  and  when 
Heath,  as  chancellor,  announced  that  event,  he  was  hardly  allowed  to 
conclude  ere  both  houses  burst  into  the  joyl^nl  cry  of  "  God  save  Queen 
Elizabeth!    Long  and  happily  may  she  reign!" 

Deep  and  deadly  indeed  must  have  been  the  offences  of  the  deceased 
queen  to  have  rendered  her  death  an  actual  subject  of  joy,  instead  of  grief, 
to  a  nation  proverbially  so  loyal  and  affectionate  as  England  1 

Elizabeth,  wlien  she  received  the  news  of  her  sister's  death  was  at  Hat- 
fipld,  where  slie  had  for  some  time  resided  in  studious  and  close  retire 
ment;  for,  even  to  the  last,  Mary  had  shown  tliat  her  malignity  against  her 
younger  sister  had  suffered  no  abatement,  and  required  only  tl«)  slightest 
occasion  to  burst  out  in  fatal  violence.  When  she  had  devoted  a  few  days 
to  the  appearance  of  mourning,  she  proceeded  to  London  and  took  up  hei 
abode  in  the  Tower.  The  remembrance  of  the  very  different  circum- 
stances under  which  she  had  formerly  visited  that  blood-stained  fortress, 
when  she  was  a  pr  soner,  and  her  life  in  danger  from  the  malignity  of 
ner  then  all-powerful  sister,  affected  her  so  much,  that  she  fell  upon  her 
Knees  and  returned  thanks  anew  to  the  Almighty  for  her  safe  deliverance 
from  ianger,  which,  she  truly  said,  was  scarcely  inferior  to  that  of  Daniel 


It'll 


510 


THE  TaEASURY  OF  HI8T0EY. 


in  the  deit  of  lions.  Her  immediately  subsequent  conduct  showed  that 
her  heart  w  properly  affected  by  the  emotions  which  called  forth  thig  act 
of  piety.  ..J  had  been  much  injured  and  much  insulted  during  the  life 
of  her  sister;  for  such  was  the  hateful  and  petty  cast  of  Tory's  mind 
that  there  were  few  readier  ways  to  win  her  favour  than  by  insult  or  in- 
jury to  the  then  friendless  daughter  of  Anne  Boleyn.  But  Elizabeth  now 
seemed  determined  only  to  remember  the  past  in  her  thankfulness  fur  her 
complete  and  almost  miraculous  deliverance  from  danger.  She  allowed 
neitlier  w'>rd  nor  glance  to  express  resentment,  even  to  those  who  had 
most  injured  her.  Sir  H.  Bedingfield,  wlio  had  for  a  considerable  time 
been  her  host,  and  who  had  both  harshly  and  disrespectfully  caused  her 
to  feel  that,  though  nominally  his  guest  and  ward,  she  was  in  reality  his 
jealously-watched  prisoner,  might  very  reasonably  have  expected  a  cold 
if  not  a  stern  reception;  but  even  this  man  she  received  with  affability 
when  ho  first  presented  himself,  and  never  afterwards  inflicted  any  severer 
punishment  upon  him  than  a  good-humoured  sarcasm.  The  sole  case 
in  whith  she  manifested  a  feeling  of  dislike  was  that  of  the  brutal  and 
blood-stained  Bonner,  from  whom,  while  she  addressed  all  the  other 
bishops  with  almost  affectionate  cordiality,  she  turned  away  with  an  ex- 
pressive and  well-warranted  appearance  of  horror  and  disgust. 

As  soon  as  the  necessary  attention  to  her  private  affairs  would  allow 
her,  Vhe  new  queen  sent  off  messengers  to  foreign  courts  to  announce  her 
sister's  death  and  her  own  accession.  The  envoy  to  Philip,  who  at  this 
time  was  in  Flanders,  was  the  lord  Cobham,  who  was  ordered  to  return 
the  warmest  thanks  of  his  royal  mistress  for  tlie  protection  he  had  afforded 
her  when  she  so  much  needed  it,  and  to  express  her  sincere  and  earnest 
desire  that  their  friendship  might  continue  unbroken.  The  friendly  ear- 
nestness of  Elizabeth*s  message  strengthened  Philip  in  a  determination  he 
had  made  even  during  the  illness  of  Mary,  of  whose  early  death  he  could 
not  but  have  beun  expectant,  and  he  immediately  instructed  his  ambassa- 
dor to  the  court  of  London  to  offer  the  hand  of  Philip  to  Elizabeth. 
Blinded  by  his  eager  desire  to  obtain  that  dominion  over  England  which 
his  marriage  with  Mary  had  failed  to  secure,  Philip  forgot  that  there 
wen;  many  objections  to  this  measure;  objections  which  he,  indeed, 
would  easily  have  overlooked,  but  which  the  sagacious  Elizabeth  could 
not  fa  1  to  notice.  As  a  catholic,  Philip  was  necessarily  disliked  by  the 
protestants  who  had  so  lately  tasted  of  catholic  persecutiwi  in  its  worst 
form ;  as  a  Spaniard,  he  was  cordially  detested  by  Englishmen  of  either 
creed.  But  apart  from  and  beyond  these  weighty  objections,  which  of 
themselves  would  have  been  fatal  to  his  pretensions,  he  stood  in  precisely 
the  same  relationship  to  Elizabeth  that  her  father  had  stood  in  to  Cath- 
arine of  Arragon,  and  in  marrying  Philip,  Elizabeth  would  virtually,  and 
in  a  manner  which  the  world  would  surely  not  overlook,  pronounce  her 
mother's  marriage  illegal  and  her  own  birth  illegitimate.  This  last  con- 
sideration alone  would  have  decided  Elizabeth  against  Philip;  but  while 
in  her  heart  she  was  fully  and  irrevocably  determined  never  to  marry  him, 
she  even  thus  early  brought  into  use  that  duplicity  for  which  she  was 
afterwards  as  remarkable  as  for  her  higher  and  nobler  qualities,  and  sent 
him  so  equivocal  and  undecided  an  answer,  that,  so  far  from  despairing 
of  success,  Philip  actually  sent  to  Rome  to  solicit  the  dispensation  that 
would  be  necessary. 

With  her  characteristic  prudence,  Elizabeth,  through  her  ambassador  at 
Rome,  announced  her  accession  to  the  pope.  That  exalted  personage 
was  grieved  at  the  early  death  of  Mary,  not  only  as  it  deprived  Rome  o' 
the  benefit  of  her  bigotry,  but  as  it  made  way  for  a  princess  who  was 
already  looked  up  to  with  pride  and  confidence  by  the  protestants ;  and 
he  suffered  his  double  vexation  to  manifest  itself  with  a  very  indiscreef 
energy.     He  treated  Elizabeth's  assumption  of  the  crown  without  hii 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


511 


permission  as  being  doubly  wrong;  wrong,  ns  treating  nitn  disrespect 
the  holy  see,  to  which  he  still  deemed  England  subject,  and  wrong,  as  the 
holy  see  had  pronounced  her  birth  illegitimate.  This  sort  of  conduct 
was  by  no  means  calculated  to  succeed  with  Elizabeth  ;  she  immediately 
recalled  her  ambassador  from  Rome,  and  only  pursued  her  course  with 
llie  more  resolved  and  open  vigour.  She  recalled  home  ali  who  had  been 
exiled,  and  S3t  at  liberty  all  who  had  been  imprisoned  for  their  religious 
opinions  during  il".  reign  of  her  sister;  she  caused  the  greater  part  of 
the  service  to  be  performed  in  English,  and  she  forbade  the  elevation  of 
the  host  in  her  own  chapel,  which  she  set  up  as  the  standard  for  all  other 
places  of  wor  -hip.  But,  always  cool  and  cautious,  Elizabeth,  while  she 
did  thus  much  and  thus  judiciously  to  favour  the  reformers,  did  not  neg- 
lect to  discourht,e  those  who  not  only  would  have  fain  outstripped  her  in 
advancing  reform,  but  even  have  inflicted  upon  the  Romanists  some  of 
the  persecutions  of  which  they  themselves  had  complained.  On  occasion 
of  a  petition  being  presented  to  her,  it  was  said,  in  that  partly  quaint  and 
parity  argumentative  style  which  in  that  age  was  so  greatly  affected,  that 
having  graciously  released  so  many  other  prisoners,  it  was  to  be  hoped 
that  she  would  receive  a  petition  for  the  release  of  Matthew,  iVf ark,  Luke 
and  John.  Being  as  yet  undetermined  as  to  the  extent  to  which  it  would 
be  desirable  to  permit  or  encourage  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  she 
readily  replied,  tfiat  previous  to  doing  so  she  must  consult  those  prison- 
ers, and  learn  whether  they  desired  their  liberty.  To  preaching  she  was 
never  a  great  friend;  one  or  two  preachers,  she  was  wont  to  say,  were 
enough  for  a  whole  county.  And,  at  this  early  period  of  her  reign,  she 
deemed  that  the  indiscreet  zeal  of  many  of  the  most  noted  of  the  pro- 
testant  preachers  was  calculated  to  promote  that  very  persecution  of  the 
Romanists  which  she  was  especially  anxious  to  avoid  ;  and  she,  conse- 
quently, forbade  all  preaching  save  by  special  license,  and  took  care  to 
grant  licenses  only  to  men  of  discretion  and  moderation,  from  whose 
preaching  no  evil  was  to  be  apprehended. 

The  parliament  was  very  early  employed  in  passing  laws  for  the  sup- 
pression of  the  recently  erected  monasteries,  and  restoring  the  alien- 
ated tenths  and  first  fruits  to  the  crown.  Sundry  other  laws  were  passed 
chiefly  relating  to  religion;  hut  those  laws  will  be  sufficiently  under- 
stood by  those  who  have  attentively  accompanied  us  thus  far,  when  we 
say,  that  they,  substantially,  abolished  ail  that  Mary  had  done,  and  re- 
stored all  that  she  had  abrogated  of  the  laws  of  Edward. 

The  then  bishops,  owing  everything  to  her  sister  and  to  Catholicism, 
were  so  greatly  offended  by  these  clear  indications  of  her  intended 
course,  that  they  refused  to  officiate  at  her  coronation,  and  it  was  not 
without  some  difficulty  that  ihe  bishop  of  Carlisle  was  at  length  pre- 
vailed upon  to  perform  the  ceremony. 

'•'he  most  prudent  and  effectual  steps  having  thus  been  taken  to  se- 
cure the  protestant  interests  without  in  any  degree  awakening  or  en- 
couraging whatever  there  might  be  of  protestant  bigotry,  and  to  despoil 
the  Romanists  of  what  they  had  violently  acquired  without  driving  them 
to  desperation,  the  queen  caused  a  solemn  disputation  to  be  held  before 
Bacon,  whom  she  had  made  lord  keeper,  between  the  protestant  and  tlie 
Romanist  divines.  The  latter  were  vanquished  in  argument,  but  were 
too  obstinate  to  confess  it ;  and  some  of  them  were  so  refractory  that 
it  was  deemed  necessary  to  imprison  them.  Having  been  thus  far  tri- 
umphant, the  protestants  proceeded  to  their  ultimate  and  most  important 
step;  and  a  bill  was  passed  by  which  the  ma^a  wps  abolished,  and  the 
liturgy  of  King  Edward  re-established;  and  peaaUies  were  enacted 
against  all  who  should  either  absent  themselves  from  worship  or  depart 
<rom  the  order  here  laid  down.  Before  the  conclusion  of  the  session, 
the  parliament  gave  a  still  farther  proof  of  its  attachment  to  the  queen, 


I 
ft. 


I    1  •  '  { 


M, 


^1? 


\ 


013 


THE  TttEASURY  OF  HISTOUY. 


and  of  its  desire  to  aid  her  in  her  designs,  by  voting  her  a  subsidy  o 
four  shillings  in  tlie  pound  on  land,  and  tv,o-and-eight-pence  on  goods 
with  two  fiftrenths.  Well  knowing  all  the  dangers  of  a  disputed  sue 
cession,  the  par'-*  ?nt  at  the  same  time  petitioned  her  to  choose  a  hus 
band.  But  the  en,  though  she  acknowledged  that  the  petition  was 
couched  in  ter.,  ,r  general  and  so  respectful  that  she  could  not  take 
any  offence  at  i.,  protested  that,  always  undesirous  of  changing  hereon- 
dition,  she  was  anxious  only  to  be  the  wife  of  England  and  the  mother 
of  the  English,  and  had  no  higher  ambition  than  to  have  for  her  epitaph 
"  Here  lies  Elizabeth,  who  lived  and  died  a  maiden  queen."  ' 

A.  D.  1559. — The  parliament  just  prorogued  had,  as  we  have  shown,  got 
through  a  vast  deal  of  important  business  in  the  session ;  but  thou"h  that 
was  the  firsisessionof  a  new  reign,  a  reign,  too,  immediately  f  ''owfngone 
in  which  such  horrors  of  tyrannous  cruelty  had  been  enacted,  it  is  to  be  re- 
marked, to  the  praise  of  the  moderation  of  both  queen  and  parliament,  that 
not  a  single  bill  of  attainder  was  passed,  though  some  attaints  by  former 
parliaments  were  mercifully  or  justly  removed. 

While  the  queen  had  been  thus  wisely  busy  at  home,  she  had  been  no 
less  active  abroad.  Sensible  that  her  kingdom  required  a  long  season  of 
repose  to  enable  it  to  regain  its  power,  she  ordered  her  ambassadors, 
Lord  Effingham  and  the  bishop  of  Ely,  to  conclude  peace  with  France  on 
any  terms;  and  peace  was  accordingly  concluded.  But  as  the  marriage 
of  Henry  and  Anne  Boleyn  had  been  concluded  in  open  opposition  to 
Rome,  France  chose  to  deem  Elizabeth  wrongfully  seated  upon  the 
throne;  and  the  duke  of  Guise  and  his  brothers,  seeing  that  Mary,  queen 
of  Scots,  the  wife  of  the  dauphin,  would — supposing  Elizabeth  out  of  the 
question — be  the  rightful  heir,  persuaded  the  king  of  France  to  order  his 
son  and  his  daughter-in-law  to  assume  both  the  title  and  the  arms  of 
England.  The  death  of  Henry  of  France  at  a  tournament  not  being  fol- 
lowed by  any  abandonment  on  the  part  of  Mary  and  her  hOsband,  then 
Francis  II.  of  France,  of  this  most  unwarrantable  and  insulting  assump- 
tion, Elizabeth  was  stung  into  the  commencement  of  that  deadly  hatred 
which  subsequently  proved  so  fatal  to  the  fairer  but  less  prudent  Mary  of 
Scotland. 

A.  D.  15G1. — The  situation  of  Scotland  and  the  circumstances  which 
occurred  there  at  this  period  will  be  found  in  all  necessary  detail  under 
the  proper  head.  It  will  suffice  to  say,  here,  that  the  theological  and  civil 
disputes  that  raged  fiercely  among  the  turbulent  and  warlike  nobility  ol 
Scotland  and  their  respective  followers,  plunged  that  country  into  a  slate 
of  confusion,  which  encouraged  Elizabeth  in  her  hope  of  extorting  from 
Mary,  now  a  widow,  a  clear  and  satisfactory  abandonment  of  her  assump- 
tion ;  an  abandonment  which,  indeed,  had  been  made  for  her  by  a  treaty 
at  FJdinburgh,  v,  hjch  treaty  Elizabeth  now,  through  Throgniorlon,  her 
ambassador,  d(  nanded  that  Mary  should  ratify.  But  wilfulness  and  a 
certain  petty  womanly  pique  determined  Mary  to  refuse  this,  altaough 
immediately  on  the  death  of  her  husband  she  had  laid  aside  both  the  tiiie 
and  the  arms  of  queen  of  England. 

Mary's  residence  in  France,  meanwhile,  had  become  very  disagreeable 
to  her  from  the  ill-offices  of  the  queen  mother,  and  she  resolved  to  com- 
ply with  the  invitation  of  the  states  of  Scotland  to  return  to  that  kingdom. 
She  accordingly  ordered  her  ambassador,  D'Oisel,  to  apply  to  Elizabeth 
for  a  safe  conduct  through  England ;  but  Elizabeth,  through  Thrngmorton, 
refused  compliance  with  that  request,  except  on  condition  of  .Mary's  rat- 
ification of  the  treaty  of  Edinburgh.  Mary  remonstrated  in  severe  though 
chastened  terms,  and  immediately  determined  upon  procetiliiig  to  Scot- 
land by  sea,  for  which  purpose  she  embarked  at  Calais.  Elizabeth  at  the 
same  time  sent  out  cruisers,  ostensibly  to  pursue  pirates,  but,  as  it  should 
seem,  with  the  intention  of  seizing  upon  the  person  of  Mary,  who,  how- 


THE  TllEAPUay  OF  hfSTOttY. 


513 


pvpr,  prisscd  throuffb  the  English  squadron  in  a  fog,  and  arrived  safely  at 
Lcilli.  13iit  lliougli  safe,  Mary  was  far  from  iiappy.  She  had  loved  France 
wiili  even  nio'-e  ilian  a  native's  love,  and  only  ceased  to  p^.ze  upon  il3  re- 
ceding shores  when  tiicy  were  hidden  by  the  darkness  of  night,  f ho 
manners  of  the  French  wore  agreeable  to  her;  she  had  become,  as  it  were, 
"native  and  to  the  manor  born,"  in  that  land  of  gaiety  and  frivolity  ;  and 
alltimt  she  heard  of  the  stern  harsh  bigotry  of  the  predominant  party  in 
Scollimil,  led  her  to  anticipate  nothing  but  the  most  wearisome  and  "mel- 
anclioly  feelings.  Her  youth,  her  beauty,  her  many  accomplishments, 
and,  above  al'  the  novelty  of  seeing  their  sovereign  on^c  more  among 
item,  caused  the  Scots  to  give  her  a  most  joyful  and  affectionate  recep- 
tion. Her  first  measures  were  well  calculated  to  confirm  the  favourable 
opinion  which  her  people  appeared  to  entertain.  She  gave,  at  least  osten- 
sibly, all  her  confidence  and  nearly  all  her  attention  to  the  leaders  of  the 
reformed  parly,  who,  indeed,  had  now  complete  power  over  llie  great 
m;iss  of  the  Scottish  people.  Secretary  Liddington  and  her  brother,  liOrd 
iames,  whom  she  created  carl  of  Murray,  ably  seconded  her  endeavours 
to  introduce  something  like  order  into  that  land  so  long  and  so  grievously 
torn  !)>'  ficiion  and  strife,  and  as  the  measures  taken  were  at  once  firm 
and  conciliatory,  everything  seemed  to  promise  success. 

Bnt  tlitMc  was,  amidst  all  this  seeming  promise  of  better  times,  one 
filial  eliineiit  which  rendered  her  success  nearly  impossible.  Bigotry  ip 
Kiighutd  was  personified  mildness  and  moderation,  compared  to  the  in- 
tense and  envenomed  bigotry  wliich  at  that  time  existed  in  Scotland. 
Mil'  'n\  her  first  entrance  into  Scotland  had  issued  an  order  that  every 
ont  i,.,.nii(l  submit  to  the  reformed  religion.  IJiit  she  herself  was  still  a 
papist;  iukI  scarcely  was  the  first  joy  of  her  arrival  subsided  when  the 
refo.'-mcd  preachers  beg:in  lo'lenoiince  her  on  that  account.  Tiie  celebra- 
tion of  cuhoiic  rites  in  her  own  chapel  would  have  been  sternly  refused 
lier  by  tlie  zealous  preachers  and  their  zealous  followers,  had  not  the  mul- 
liiiidJ  been  induced  to  side  by  her  in  that  matter,  for  fear  of  her  returning 
to  Franco  in  di.sgust.  P>ut  even  that  consideration  did  not  prevent  the 
preachers  and  some  of  their  followers  from  pioc-eeding  to  the  most  out- 
nijcons  lci;;ilhs  ;  and  this  single  consideration  sulficcdto  throw  the  whole 
Si'ottish  peindc  into  confusion  and  uneasiness. 

WisL'ly  ciiary  of  exi)ense,  and  profoundly  politic,  Elizabeth  saw  that 
ihebifjoiry  of  Mary's  subjects  would  find  that  princess  other  employment 
timn  thai  of  making  any  attempt  to  disturb  the  peace  of  England.  She 
lliirnforo  turned  bor  attention  to  improving  the  arts,  commerce,  navy,  and 
artilleiy  of  Kncland  ;  and  with  so  much  judgment,  and  wiNi  such  great  as 
ueil  us  ra[)id  succes.s,  tlw.t  she  well  merited  the  title  that  was  bestowed 
upon  hor,  of "  the  restorer  of  naval  glory  and  queen  of  the  northern  seas." 
ilor  spirit  and  prudence  luul  naturally  enough  encouraged  foreign  princes 
in  believe,  that  though  she  had  in  somo  sort  pledged  herself  to  a  maiden 
life,  it  was  not  impossible  to  dissuade  her  from  persevering  in  that  reso- 
luiinn.  The  archduke  Ch;:rlcs,  second  son  of  the  emperor  ;  Casimir,  son 
of  the  elector  palatine  ;  Eric,  king  of  Sweden ;  Adolph,  duke  of  Holstein  ; 
and  the  earl  of  Arran,  presumptive  heir  to  the  crown  of  Scotland,  were 
ainonj  the  suitors  for  her  hand.  Nor  were  there  wanting  aspirants  to  that 
hijh  and  envied  honour  even  among  her  own  subjects.  I'lie  earl  of  Arun- 
iltl,  though  old  enough  to  bo  her  father,  and  Sir  William  Pickering  were 
iimong  those  who  flattered  themselves  with  hope;  as  was  Lord  Robert 
Dudley,  a  son  of  the  ambitious  duke  of  Northumberland,  beheaded  in  the 
feign  of  Mavy ;  and  as  the  fine  person  anrl  showy  accomplishments  of  this 
liist caused  the  queen  to  treat  him  with  more  fjivour  and  confidence  than 
|iis  actual  talents  seemed  to  warrant  from  so  acute  a  judge  of  men's  mer- 
its as  Elizabeth,  it  was  for  some  time  very  generally  imagined  that  he  was 
9  favoured  lover.  But  the  qn.cen  answered  all  addresses  with  a  refusaL 
Voi,.  1 33 


''iii 


414 


THE  TttEASUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


and  yet  not  such  a  refusal  as  to  utterly  destroy  that  feeling  of  attachment 
which  was  so  useful  to  her  as  a  queen,  and — can  we  doubt  it  ' — so  agree- 
able as  well  as  flattering  to  her  as  a  woman]  But  though  Elizabeth  an" 
Reared  to  be  decidedly  disinclined  to  marriage,  nothing  appeared  to  olTcnj 
er  more  than  the  marriage  of  any  who  had  pretensions  to  succeed  jier 
A  remarkable  instance  of  this  occurred  in  the  case  of  the  lady  Calheriiic 
Gray,  youngest  sister  of  the  hapless  lady  Jane.  This  lady  marrieil,  in 
second  nuptials,  the  earl  of  Hertford,  son  of  the  protector  Somerset,  and 
the  lady  proving  pregnant,  Elizabeth  confined  both  husband  and  wife  in 
the  Tower,  where  they  remained  for  nine  years.  At  the  end  of  ihat  time 
the  countess  died,  and  then  the  queen  at  length  gave  the  persecuted  earl 
his  liberty. 

A.  D.  15C2. — Besides  all  considerations  of  his  personal  and  ineradicable 
bigotry,  Philip  of  Spain  had  yet  another  motive  for  fulfilling  the  vow 
which,  on  escaping  from  a  violent  tempest,  he  had  made,  to  do  all  that  in 
him  lay  for  the  extirpation  of  heresy.     Of  that  "  heresy"  Elizabeth,  by 
the  common  consent  not  only  of  her  own  subjects  but  of  the  protestaais 
of  all  Europe,  was  looked  upon  as  the  child  and  champion ;  and  her  rejec- 
tion of  Philip's  hand,  and  her  consequent  baflling  of  all  his  hopes  of  ob- 
taining sway  over  England,  had  excited  his  gloomy  and  vindictive  nature 
to  a  fierce  and  personal  haired.    In  every  negotiation,  under  every  circum- 
stance, he  made  his  hatred  to  the  queen  appear  in  his  virulent  and  obsti- 
nate opposition  to  the  interests  of  England.    Not  content  with  the  most 
violent  persecution  of  the  protcstants  wherever  his  own  authority  could 
be  stretched  to  reach  them,  he  lent  his  aid  to  the  queen  mother  of  France. 
That  aid  so  fearfully  turned  the  scale  against  the  French  Huguenots,  thiit 
their  chivalrous  leader,  the  prince  of  (Jond6,  was  tain  to  apply  for  aid  to 
the  prolestant  queen  of  England.     Though  during  the  whole  of  her  long 
and  glorious  reign,  Elizabelii  was  wisely  chary  of  involving  herself  in 
great  expenses,  the  cause  of  protestantism  would  probably  of  itself  have 
been  too  dear  to  her  to  allow  of  her  hesitating.     But  the  prince  of  C'oiid^ 
appealed  lo  her  interest  as  well  as  to  her  religious  sympathies.    Tlie  Hu- 
guenots possessed  nearly  the  whole  of  Normandy  ;  and  Conde  proffered 
to  give  Elizabeth  possession  of  Havre-de-Graee,  on  condition  ibat  she 
should  put  a  garrison  of  three  thousand  men  into  that  place,  send  three 
thousand  men  to  garriscr,  Dieppe  and  Rouen,  and  supply  money  to  the 
amount  of  a  hundred  thousand  crowns.     The  ofTer  was  temptinif.    True 
it  was  that  the  French  were  by  treaty  bound  to  restore  Calais,  hut  there 
were  many  reasons  for  doubting  whether  that  agreement  would  be  fulfil- 
led.    Possessed  of  Havre,  and  thus  commanding  the  mouth  of  the  Sei:ie, 
England  would  be  the  more  likely  to  be  able  to  command  the  restituiioii 
of  Calais ;  the  offer  of  Conde  was  accordingly  accepted.    Havre  anJ 
Dieppe  were  immediately  garrisoned,  but  the  latter  place  was  sprclily 
found  to  be  untenable,  and  evacuated  accordingly.   To  Rouen  llie  cathnlks 
were  laying  siege,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  Poynings  threw  in 
a  small  reinforcement  of  English  to  aid  the  Huguenot  garrison.    Tims 
aided  the  Huguenots  fought  bravely  and  well,  but  were  at  lengtii  over- 
powered and  put  to  the  sword.    About  the  same  time  three  thousaml  more 
English  arrived  to  the  support  of  Havre,  under  the  command  of  the  carl 
of  Warwick,  eldest  brother  of  the  Lord  Robert  Dudley.    With  tins  aiJ 
and  a  second  sum  of  a  hundred  thousand  crowns,  the  Huguenots,  though 
severely  beaten  near  Dreux,  where  Conda  and  Montmorency  were  taken 
prisoners  by  the  catholics,  still  kept  well  together,  and  even  took  soini! 
considerable  towns  in  Normandy. 

A.  D.  1563. — How  sincerely  desirous  Elizabeth  was  of  effectually  aidiii? 
(he  Huguenots  will  appear  from  the  fact  that,  while  she  had  thus  assisteJ 
them  with  a  immerous  body  of  admirable  troops  and  with  two  hundred 
thousand  crowns,  as  well  as  proffered  her  bond  for  another  bui.ared  iM- 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


515 


isnd  ii  merchants  could  be  found  to  lend  the  amount,  she  was  now  so 
poor  tliiit  she  was  obliged  to  summon  a  parliament  and  demand  assistance. 
This  demand  led  to  a  renewal  of  the  parliament's  request  that  she  would 
marry.  She  had  been  dangerously  ill  of  the  small-pox,  and  her  peril  had 
reawakened  all  the  national  terrors  of  the  evils  inseparable  from  a  dis- 
puled  siicfession.  The  parliament,  consequently,  now  added  to  its  peti- 
tion, thiit  she  would  marry,  the  alternative,  that  she  would  at  least  cause 
her  successor  to  be  clearly  and  finally — save  in  the  event  of  her  marrying 
and  having  issue — named  by  an  act  of  parliament. 

Nothing  could  have  been  less  agreeable  to  the  queen  than  this  petition. 
She  well  knew  the  claim  of  Mary  of  Scotland,  and  shrewdly  judged  that 
the  being  named  as  her  successor  would  not  dimmish  the  inclination  of 
tiiiil  queen  to  give  her  disturbance.  On  the  other  hand,  to  deny  that  claim 
aiidtu  decide  in  favour  of  the  house  of  Suflfulk,  would  be  to  incite  Mary 
to  instant  enmity,  and  at  the  same  time  to  create  in  armther  quarter  the 
impatience,  rarely  unmixed  with  enmity,  of  the  declared  successor.  In 
(his  ddcmma  she  acted  with  her  usual  caution  and  policy;  gave  the  par- 
liiiment  to  understand  that  she  had  by  no  means  irrevocably  made  up  her 
mind  against  marriage,  and  assured  them,  in  general  terms,  that  she  could 
not  die  with  any  satisfaction  until  she  had  settled  the  succession  on  solid 
and  satisfactory  foundations. 

The  parliament,  sincerely  attached  to  the  queen,  and.  besides,  well 
aware  tiiat  her  temper  would  but  ill  bear  aught  that  bore  the  appearance 
of  impnrtnnity  or  of  dictation,  was  obliged  to  be  contented,  or  seemingly 
so,  Willi  this  reply ;  and  proceeded  to  busy  itself  in  passing  needlessly 
seure  laws  against  the  catholics,  and  ridiculously  severe  laws  against 
those  imaginary  and  impossible  offenders,  witches  and  wizards.  A  sub- 
sidy and  two  firtecnths,  and  a  subsidy  of  six  shillings  in  the  pound,  the 
last  to  be  paid  in  three  years,  v.'cre  then  voted  to  the  queen,  and  parlia- 
ment was  again  prorogued. 

After  iDiig  and  mutually  cruel  butcheries  the  French  Huguenots  and 
catholics  came  to  an  agreement.  An  amnesty  and  partial  toleration  of 
the  lliignenots  was  published  by  the  court,  and  Cond6  was  reinstated  in 
his  appointments.  To  the  great  discredit  of  this  gallant  leader,  his  own 
and  Ills  party's  interests  were  never  attended  to  by  him,  almost  to  the 
eiiiire  forgetfulncss  of  his  agreements  made  with  Klizabeth  when  she 
so  nobly  and  liberally  as.sisted  him.  He  stipulated,  indeed,  that  she  should 
be  repaid  her  expenses,  but  in  return  she  was  to  give  up  Havre,  and  trust, 
as  bufiire,  for  the  restitution  of  Calais  to  that  treaty  which  the  French  had 
so  evidently  resolved  upon  breaking.  Enraged  at  Condi's  breach  of  faith, 
and  believing  the  possession  of  Havre  to  be  her  best  if  not  her  sole 
Beeunty  for  the  restitution  of  Calais,  Elizabeth  rejected  these  terms  with 
disdain,  and  sent  orders  to  the  earl  of  Warwick  to  take  every  precaution 
todsfeiid  Havre  from  the  attacks  of  the  now  united  French. 

Warwick,  in  obedience  to  these  orders,  expelled  all  French  from  that 
pliiee,  and  prepared  to  defend  himself  against  a  large  French  army,  en- 
courajred  by  the  presence  of  the  queen  mother,  the  king,  the  constable  of 
Franec,  and  Conde  himself.  But  the  courage,  vigour  and  ability  of  War- 
wiik,  which  promised  to  baffle  all  attempts  upon  Havre,  or  at  least  lo 
nwke  it  a  riffht  dear  purchase  to  the  enemy,  were  counterbalanced  by  the 
breakit'rir  out  among  his  men  of  a  most  fatal  and  pestilential  sickness. 
Seeing  them  die  daily  of  this  terrible  disease,  which  was  much  aggravated 
by  the  great  scarcity  of  provisions,  Warwick  urgently  demanded  a  rein- 
forcement and  supplies  from  England.  But  these  being  withheld,  and  the 
Fiencli  having  succeeded  in  making  two  practical  breaches,  the  earl  had 
no  alternative  but  to  capitulate,  and  he  was  obliged  to  surrender  the  place 
upnn  the  sole  condition  of  being  allowed  life  and  safe  conduct  for  his 
'roops.    He  had  hardly  surrendered  when  a  reinforcement  of  three  thou 


# 


!r 


.fl:,»*''f:r.-;i 


' 


I 


>'i-<  ^•y-m-i'X^ 


61G 


THE  TIIKA8UUY  OV  UiSTOIlY. 


■and  men  arrived  from  Eiiglnnd  undnr  Lord  Cliiilon,  but,  ^icsidns  that  the? 
were  too  latf,  lliey  also  Mcre  sufTriiig  under  llio  plaguo  which  at  that 
period  raged  iu  England.  As  n  consuquonce  of  the  loss  of  Havre,  Elija. 
beth  was  glad  to  coiisoiit  to  restore  the  hostages  given  by  France'for  the 
restitution  of  Calais,  on  receiving  two  liundred  sind  twenty  thousand 
crowns;  but  it  was  stipulated  that  nothing  in  this  transaction  sliuuldbe 
held  to  prejudice  the  claim  of  either  naiion. 

Tliongh  in  reality  the  hatred  and  jealousy  that  subsisted  between  Eliz. 
nbeth  and  Mary  queen  of  Scots  were  bitter  and  constant,  nothing  of  qiinrrc) 
had  as  yet  been  openly  allowed  to  appear.  They  corresponded  weekly 
and  assumed  quite  a  sisterly  tone  of  affection.  So  far  was  this  decfpilve 
conduct  carried  on  the  part  of  Eh/.,ibcth,  that  Hales,  a  lawyer,  having 
published  a  book  opposing  the  title  of  Mary  as  Elizabeth's  successor,  was 
fined  and  imprisoned  ;  and  Bacon,  the  lord  keeper,  on  the  mere  suspicion 
of  having  encouraged  that  publicntron,  was  visited  for  some  time  wiiji  the 
queen's  displeasure.  An  interview  was  even  a[)pointcd  to  take  place  be- 
tween the  two  queens  at  York,  but  Elizabeth,  probably  not  very  aiixmus 
to  let  her  subjects  see  Mary's  superiority  of  personal  beauty,  pleaded 
public  affairs,  and  the  meetuig  was  abandoned. 

A  new  source  of  care  arose  for  Elizabeth.  Mary,  young  and  lovnly, 
and  of  no  frigid  temperament,  was  naturally  not  disinclined  to  a  second 
marriage  ;  and  her  uncle's  restless  ambition  would  scarcely  have  nllowcd 
her  to  remain  unmarried  even  had  she  been  so.  To  prevent  Mary's  miir- 
riagc  was  obviously  not  in  Elizabeth's  power;  but  as  she,  at  lenst,  liad 
the  power  of  getting  her  formally  excluded  from  the  English  succession, 
she  thought  it  not  so  impossible  in  the  first  instance  to  procr;islni:ite 
Mary's  choice,  and  then  to  cause  it  to  fall  on  the  least  likely  person  to  aid 
and  encourage  her  in  any  attempts  prejudicial  to  England.  With  this 
view  she  raised  objections,  now  of  one  and  now  of  another  sort,  a^'ainst 
the  aspirants  to  Mary's  hand,  and  at  length  named  Lord  Robert  Diidiiy, 
her  own  subject,  and,  as  some  tliought,  her  own  unfavoured  suiltir,  as  i.'u 
person  upon  whom  it  would  be  most  agreeable  to  her  that  Mary's  clmicc 
should  fall. 

The  Lord  Robert  Dudley — as  the  reader  lias  hitherto  known  him,  but 
who  had  now  been  created  earl  of  Leicester — was  handsome,  greatly  am] 
generally  accomplished,  and  possessed  the  art  of  flattery  iu  its  utmost 

erfection  ;  an  art  to  which,  far  more  than  to  hia  solid  merits,  he  owed 

is  power  of  concealing  from  Elizabeth  his  ambition,  rapacity,  and  inlolcr- 
able  liaughtincss,  or  of  reconciling  lier  to  tliem.  The  great  and  continued 
favour  shown  to  him  by  the  queen  had  made  himself  as  well  aa  tlie  midli- 
tude  imagine,  that  he  might  reasonably  hope  to  be  honoured  with  her 
hand ;  and  it  was  even  believed  that  the  early  death  of  his  young  and 
lovely  wife,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  gentleman  named  Robsart,  had 
been  planned  and  ordered  by  the  earl,  in  order  to  remove  what  he  deemed 
the  sole  obstacle  to  the  success  of  his  loftier  views.  To  so  ambliousa 
man.  whatever  the  personal  superiority  of  Mary  over  Elizabeth,  tlie  crown 
matrimonial  of  Scotland  must  have  seemed  a  poor  substitute,  iiidcid,  to 
that  of  England ;  and  Leicester  not  only  objected  to  the  proposal,  but 
attributed  its  conception  to  a  deep  scheme  of  his  able  and  bitter  enemy, 
Cecil,  to  deprive  him  of  his  influence  by  weaning  Elizabeth  from  all  per- 
sonal feeling  for  him,  and  causing  her  to  identify  him  with  her  rival  Mary. 
The  ([ueen  of  Scotland,  on  the  other  hand,  wearied  with  the  long  and 
vexatious  delays  and  vacillations  of  Elizabeth,  and  influenced  perhaps,  by 
the  personal  beauty  and  accomplishments  of  the  earl,  as  well  as  anxious 
by  her  marriage  with  him  to  remove  Elizabeth's  evident  reluctance  to 
naming  her  to  the  English  succession,  intimated  her  willingness  to  accept 
the  powerful  favourite.  But  Elizabeth  had  named  him  only  in  the  how 
that  he  would  be  rejected;  he  was  too  great  a  favourite  to  be  parted  wiili 


E 


THE  TIIEASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


517 


dcs  Uiat  they 
vliich  ul  Ihal 
Hiwre,  Kliza- 
'ranee  for  llie 
iity  Uiousand 
ion  sliouldbe 

between  tliz- 
hing  of  quarrel 
wndeil  weekly 
1  lliia  (leecptivo 
liiwycr,  having 
successor,  was 
uicre  suspicion 
le  tiuio  with  the 
0  take  place  bc- 
lol  very  anxious 
beauty,  pleaded 

)ung  and  lovnly, 
ined  to  a  second 
cly  have  allowed 
vent  Mary's  m;ir- 
ghe,  at  least,  had 
ngiish  succession, 
a  to  procrastinate 
ikcly  person  to  aid 
gland.    Wi'.li  lliis 
other  sort,  a;;:iinst 
ird  Uobert  Umliey, 
fured  suitor,  as  i.  >■ 
that  Mary's  cliuicc 

lo  known  him,  but 
dsome,  greatly  and 
llerv  iu  its  iilmnsi 
id  merits,  he  owed 
ipacity,  and  inloltr- 
rrrcat  and  eontmued 
"s  well  as  tlic  multi- 
honoured  Willi  lict 

of  his  young  aivl 

■unicd  llobsatt,  had 

)ve  wliat  he  deemd 

To  so  amb'tious  a 
Elizabeth,  the  crown 
lubstitute,  indeed,  to 
to  the  proposal,  bot 
»le  ai\d  bitter  enemy, 
zabeth  from  all  P"- 
with  her  rival  Mnry. 
_cd  with  the  long  aud 
ifluenced  perhaps,  by 
-rl,  as  well  as  anxious 
,vidcnt  reluctance  to 

wiUingncBStoacccp 

him  only  «\'>'a 
ite  to  be  parted  \Mih 


jnd  lliough  she  had  herself  distinctly  named  the  carl  as  the  only  man 
whom  she  should  chooso  to  sec  the  1  .sband  of  Mary,  she  now  coldly  and 
suldenly  withdrew  her  approbation. 

Tiie  high,  and  never  too  prudent,  spirit  of  Mary  naturally  revolted  from 
this  new  proof  of  duplicity  and  unfriendly  feeling ;  the  correspondence 
between  the  rival  queens  grew  less  frequent  and  more  curt  and  formal, 
and  at  length  for  a  time  wholly  ccajed."  Hut  Mary,  probiibly  under  the 
advice  of  her  friends  in  France,  resolved  to  make  yet  another  elTort  to 
avoid  a  final  and  irremediable  breach  with  Elizabeth,  and  for  that  purpouo 
jeni  Sir  James  Mclvil  on  a  mission  to  London. 

Knglishmen  are  greatly  and  justly  proud  ol  queen  Elizabeth  ;  taken  as 
a  wliolo  her  reign  was  one  of  the  greatest  and  wisest  in  our  histury.     Hut 
evtn  making  all  allowance  for  the  prejudice  Mclvil  may  be  supposed  to 
have  felt  against  Elizabeth,  the  ncr  )imt  he  gives  of  what  he  saw  of  her 
conduct  on  this  occasion  places  her  in  so  weak,  so  vain,  so  puerile  a  ll^'ht, 
ihat,  would  rigid  impartiality  allow  it,  one  would  gladly  overlook  this  por- 
tion of  our  great  Elizabeth's  reign  altogether.     Every  day  she  appeared 
msome  new  style  of  dress,  every  interview  was  marked  by  some  question 
jstothe  difTirence  in  feature,  person,  or  manner  betwei  ii  herself  and  her 
far  lovelier,  far  more  accomplished,  but  far  less  worthy  and  hiss  estimable 
rival,  which  is  infinitely  nwre  cliaraetcrislic  ol'  the  petty  but  aching  tiivy 
of  finnc  ill-natured  school-girl,  with  vanity  made  only  the  more  restless 
:iiid'  raving  of  flattery  from  the  occasional  snggesliciis  of  shrewder  sense 
oil  the  score  of  personal  inferiority,  than  of  lhat  liigh-souled  and  ealm- 
browcd  queen  who  knew  how  to  endure  a  dungeon  and  to  dare  aji  armada. 
An  accomplished  courtier,  Melvil  was  also  a  shrewd  and  practised  man 
of  the  world;  and  it  is  quite  clear,  from  his  memoirs,  that  he  saw  through 
Khzabeth  alike  in  the  weakness  of  her  vanity,  and  in  the  hlrcni.th  of  her 
deep  ami  iron  detcnnination.     His  report,  and  probably  hoth  her  friends' 
jhicc  and  her  own  inclination,  determined  Mary  no  longer  lo  hesitate 
,.lioiit  choosing  a  husband  for  herself.     Lord  Darnlcy,  son  of  the  earl  of 
l.iiidx,  coiisin-gcrmar  to  Mary  by  the  lady  Margar(!t  Douglas,  niece  of 
li( my  VIII.,  Mas  by  all  parties  in  Scotland  considered  a  very  suitable  per- 
son,   lie  was  of  the  same  family  as  Mary ;  was,  after  her,  next  heir  to 
llie  crown  of  England,  and  would  preserve  the  crown  of  Scotland  in  the 
house  of  Stuart.     While  these;  eonsidirations  mado  him  eligible  in  the 
eyes  of  Mary's  family  and  of  all  Scotchmen,  he  had  been  born  and  edu- 
oiiled  iu  I'lnglaiul,  and  it  was  therefore  not  to  be  supposed  that  Elizabeth 
could  have  iuty  of  that  jealousy  towards  him  which  she  might  have  felt  in 
llie  case  of  a  foreign  prmce  and  a  papist.     And,  in  truth,  perceiving  that  it 
was  not  to  be  hoped  that  Mary  would  remain  shigle,  Elizabeth  was  not  ill 
pleased  that  Mary's  choice  slionld  fall  upon  Darnlcy.      He  could  add 
nothing  in  the  way  of  power  or  alliance  to  the  Scottish  queen,  whose  mar- 
riaije  with  him  would  at  once  release  I'nizabeth  from  the  hnlf-defuied 
jcalousy  she  felt  as  to  Leicester's  real  seniii   cuts,  and  would,  at  the  same 
lime,  do  away  with  all  dread  of  the  queen  of  Scots  forming  any  one  of  the 
niimerous  foreign  alliances  which  were  open  to  her,  and  any  o<io  of  which 
would  be  dangerous  to  England. 

Lenox  had  been  long  in  exile.  Elizabeth  now  secretly  advised  Mary 
to  recall  him,  reverse  his  attainder,  and  restore  his  forfeited  possessions ; 
but  no  sooner  was  this  done  than  she  openly  blamed  the  proceedings, 
with  the  view  at  once  of  embarrassing  Mary  and  of  keeping  up  her  own 
interest  with  the  opposite  faction  in  Scotland.  Her  duplicity  did  not  stop 
here.  When  the  negotiations  for  the  marriage  were  far  advanced,  Darn- 
lcy asked  Elizabeth's  permission  to  go  into  Scotland  ;  and  that  permission 
was.to  all  appearance,  cheerfully  granted.  But  when  she  learned  that 
his  handsome  person  was  admirrj^l  by  Mary  and  that  the  marriage  was 
fuilv  determined  on,  she  sent  ta    .'dcr  Darnlcy  on  no  account  to  go  on 


r:''ii 


U  ' 


■.,;■'>,( 


u 


;  If 

hJM 


K 


618 


THB  TUBASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


with  the  marriage,  but,  on  his  allegiance,  to  return  to  England  forlhwitn. 
Compliance  wiiTi  such  caprice  and  tyranny  was  out  of  the  question ;  and 
Elizabeth  tiircw  the  countess  of  Lenox  and  her  second  son  into  prJHon 
and  seized  all  Lenox's  English  property  without  the  shadow  of  a  pica 
beyond  tlie  conduct  of  young  Darnley,  to  which  she  had  deliberately  given 
her  sanction !  The  insulting  vacillation  of  Elizubeth's  conduct  in  »  matter 
of  such  delicate  interest  to  Mary,  can  only  be  reconciled  with  her  usual 
shrewdness  by  supposing  thai,  independent  of  any  small  feminine  8|)iteful- 
ness  of  which  we  fear  that  even  the  utmost  partiality  can  hardly  acquit 
her,  she  deliberately,  and  as  a  matter  of  deep,  though  niurciluas  policy, 
sought  thus  to  obtain  a  plea  upon  which  to  repudiate  Mary  as  her  succes! 
sor  in  England,  and  a  ready  means  of  stirring  up  discontents  ainon^  Mary'a 
own  subjects,  and  thus  preventing  them  from  being  troublesome  "lo  Eng 
land. 

A.  D.  1565. — Mary's  relationsliip  to  the  house  of  Guise,  whose  dctoata 
tion  of  the  reformed  religion  was  so  widely  known  and  so  terribly  attested 
was  very  unfortunate  for  her;  inasmuch  as  it  converted  her  narin  attadi- 
ment  to  her  own  religion  into  something  like  bigotry  and  intolerance. 
She  not  only  refused  to  ratify  the  acts  establishing  the  reformed  religion, 
and  endeavoured  to  restore  civil  power  and  jurisdiction  to  the  catliolio 
bishops,  but  was  even  imprudent  enough  to  write  letters  to  the  council  uf 
Trent,  in  which  she  professed  her  hope  not  merely  of  one  day  succeeding 
to  the  crown  of  England,  but  also  of  so  using  her  power  and  influence  as 
to  bring  about  the  rcconci'iation  of  the  whole  of  her  dominions  to  ihc 
holy  sec.     Considering  her  knowledge  of  Elizabeth's  temper  and  feelings 
towards  her,  and  considering,  too,  how  much  advantage  Elizabeth  would 
obviously  obtain  from  every  circumstance  which  could  cause  the  Scotch 
zealots  to  sympathize  with  Elizabeth  against  their  own  queen,  noiliin; 
could  well  have  been  more  imprudent  than  this  missive.     Under  any  cir° 
cunistances,  probably,  Mary,  a  zealous  catholic,  would  have  had  but  an 
uneasy  reign  among  the  fiercely  bigoted  Scottish  protestants;  but  there 
is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  this  very  communication  to  the  council  of 
Trent  was  a  main  first  cause  of  all  her  subsequent  misfortunes.    The 
protestants  of  Scotland  were  at  that  time  no  whit  behind  the  catholics  of 
any  part  of  the  world,  either  in  self-righteousness,  or  in  bitter  and  bigoted 
detestation  of  all  who  chanced  to  differ  from  them.    Alarmed  as  well  as 
indignant  at  the  queen's  ostentatious  attachment  to  her  own  creed,  the 
protestants  not  only  murmured  at  her  exercise  of  its  rites,  even  in  her 
own  private  residence  and  chapel,  but  abused  her  faith  in  the  grossest 
terms  while  importuning  her  to  abjure  it.     The  queen  answered  these 
rude  advisers  with  a  temper  which,  had  she  always  displayed  it,  might 
have  spared  her  many  a  sorrowful  day ;  assured  them  that  besides  thai 
her  apostaoy    would   deprive    Scotland  of  her  most   powerful  friends 
on  the  continent,  she  was  sincerely  attached  to  her  own  faith  and  euii- 
vinced  of  its  truth.     With  the  self-complacency  peculiar  to  narrow 
minded  bigotry,  the  remonstrants  assured  her  that  they  alone  had  truth  on 
their  side,  and  bade  her  prefer  that  truth  to  all  earthly  support  and  alli- 
ances.   The  rude  zeal  of  the  reformed  was  still  farther  increased  by  the 
belief,  carefully  encouraged  by  the  agents  of  Elizabeth,  that  the  Lenoj 
family  were  also  papists.    It  was  in  vain  that  Darnley,  now  King  Henry, 
endeavoured  to  show  that  he  was  no  papist  by  frequently  making  his  ap- 
pearance at  the  established  church;  this  conduct  was  attributed  toajesu- 
itical  and  profound  wiline8s,and  the  preachers  often  publicly  insulted  him 
Knox,  especially,  not  scrupling  to  tell  him  from  the  pulpit  that  boys  anii 
women  were  only  put  to  rule  over  nations  for  the  punishment  of  theirsins. 

While  the  violence  of  the  clergy  and  the  arts  of  Elizabeth's  emissaries 
were  thus  irritating  the  common  people  of  Scotland  against  their  queen, 
the  discontents  of  her  nobility  began  to  threaten  her  with  a  yet  ncarerand 


TUB  TRKARIJRY  OP  III8T011Y. 


S19 


more  ruinous  opposition.  The;  duko  of  rhatermilt  and  tho  carls  of  Mur- 
ray and  Argyle,  with  other  malooiitciit  noMcs.  actually  raisod  forces,  and 
lOon  appeared  in  arms  against  the  kinjj  and  qiief-n,  instigated  to  thia 
treasonable  conduct  merely  by  their  paltry  fears  of  being  losers  of  intlu- 
cnceand  power  by  tho  rise  of  the  Lenox  family  consequent  ii[)on  I.iarn- 
ley's  marriage  to  the  queen.  Tho  reformed  preachers  openly,  and  Ka- 
glish  emissaries  secretly,  aided  tho  maleoiiteni  lords  in  endeavouring  to 
lediicc  or  urge  the  whole  Scottish  population  from  its  allegiance.  Hut  the 
people  were,  for  once,  in  no  humour  to  follow  tlie  seditious  or  tho  fanati- 
cal; and  after  but  very  trifling  show  of  success,  the  rebels,  being  pursued 
by  the  king  and  queen  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  eighteen  thousand,  were 
fain  to  seek  safety  in  Kngland. 

We  dwell  more  upon  the  affairs  of  Scotland  just  at  this  period  tnan  we 
generally  do,  because  thuK  much  of  Scottish  history  is  necessary  here  to 
the  understanding  of  that  portion  of  Knglish  history  with  which  Mary, 
qiieeaof  Soots,  is  so  lamentably,  and  so  disgracefully  to  lOngland,  con- 
nected. 

The  event  of  the  Scottish  revolt  having  thus  completely  disappointed 
all  the  hopes  of  Klizaheth,  she  now  strenuously  disavowed  all  concern  in 
it;  and  having  induced  Murray  and  Chateraull's  agent,  the  abbot  of  Ivil- 
winniiig,  to  make  a  similar  declaration  before  the  Spanish  and  Frciirh 
[imbassadois,  she,  with  a  bitter  practical  satire,  added  to  the  force  of  their 
dcclaratioii,  by  instantly  ordering  them  from  her  presence  as  detestable 
:i;iJ  unworthy  traitors ! 

K.  D.  15()f).— Hard  is  the  fate  of  princes!  Rarely  can  they  have  sincere 
irii  nds ;  still  more  rarely  can  they  have  favourites  who  do  not,  by  their 
own  iii^iratitude  or  the  envy  of  others,  call  up  a  storm  of  misfortiine  for 
butli  sovereign  and  favourite. 

ilitlicrto  tiie  conduct  of  Mary  had  been  morally  irreprojichable  ;  for  the 
coarse  abuse  of  Knox  is  itself  evidence  of  the  strongest  kind,  that,  save 
her  piipacy  and  her  sex — of  which  ho  seems  to  have  felt  an  about  equal 
(lelestiitioa— even  he  had  not  wherewithal  to  reproach  her.  Having  for 
lier  second  husband  a  handsome  and  youthful  man  of  her  own  choice,  it 
misiit  have  been  hoped  that  at  least  her  domestic  felicity  was  secured. 
liiu  Uarnlcy  was  a  vain,  weak-minded  man;  alike  fickle  and  violent;  am- 
bitious of  distinction,  yet  weary  of  the  slightest  necessary  care;  easily 
offended  at  the  most  trivial  opposition,  and  as  easily  governed  by  the 
most  obvious  and  fulsome  flattery.  Utterly  incapable  of  aiding  the  queen 
in  the  government,  he  was  no  jot  the  less  anxious  to  have  tho  erown- 
malrimonial  added  to  the  courtesy-title  of  king  which  Mary  had  already 
bestowed  upon  him.  In  this  temper  he  was  inclined  to  detest  all  who 
seemed  able  and  willing  to  afford  the  queen  counsel ;  and  among  theso 
was  ail  Italian  musician,  by  name  David  Rizzio.  lie  had  attended  an 
embassy  sent  to  Scotland  by  the  duke  of  Savoy,  and  was  retained  at  the 
Scottish  court,  in  the  first  instance,  merely  on  account  of  his  musica.  tal- 
ents. Uut  he  was  both  aspiring  and  clever,  and  he  soon  testified  so  much 
shrewdness  and  inclination  to  be  useful,  that  he  was  made  Fn  ncn  secre- 
tary to  the  queen.  Brought  thus  intimately  into  contact  with  the  queen, 
he  so  rapidly  improved  on  his  advantages,  that  in  a  short  time  he  was 
universally  looked  upon  not  only  as  the  queen's  chief  confidant  and  coun- 
sellor, but  also  as  the  chief  and  most  powerful  dispenser  of  her  favours. 
As  is  u'  ually  the  case  with  favourites,  the  ability  which  had  enabled  liizzio 
to  conquer  court  favour  did  not  teach  him  to  use  it  with  moderation ;  and 
he  had  scarcely  secured  the  favour  of  the  queen,  ere  he  had  incurred  the 
deadly  hate  of  nearly  every  one  at  court.  Tiie  re.'"ormed  hated  him  as  a 
papist  and  the  reputed  spy  and  pensionary  of  the  pope  ;  the  needy  hated 
liim  for  his  wealth,  the  high-born  for  his  upstart  insolence  ;  the  aspiring 
detested  his  ambition,  and  many  men— probably  not  too  pure  in  their  own 


n  iU 


It^lT^I 


/*ii;.    r 


.t*'- 


520 


THE  TIlBASUftY  OP  IIISTOllV 


-noralii — could  find  no  otiicr  supposition  on  which  to  account  for  Mary 
protection  of  hini,  save  11  criminal  coiniection  Ir. 'tween  iheni.  It  jhi  im^ 
that  Uizzio  was  w^\y  and  by  no  means  very  yo  ing  even  when  he  fi,.,t 
came  to  court,  and  some  years  had  now  passed  since  that  event;  and 
moreover,  Uizzio,  whose  ability  liad  done  much  to  clear  away  the  nbsia- 
cles  to  tiic  marriage  of  Miry  and  Uarnley,  had  at  one  time  ,  at  least,  hccu 
as  much  in  the  favour  of  the  king  as  of  the  queen.  Hut  Daruley,  Hciureil 
by  the  queen's  coldness,  which  he  was  willing  to  attribute  to  any  cause 
rather  than  to  his  own  misconduct,  easily  fell  into  the  snare  set  hy  Hk; 
enemies  alike  of  himself,  his  queen,  and  Rizzio,  and  became  furiously 
jealous  of  an  ugly  and  almost  deformed  secretary.  Yet  Dandey  was  ono 
of  the  handsomest  men  of  the  age  and  a  vain  man  too! 

Among  liie  extravagant  reports  to  which  the  excessive  favour  already 
enjoyed  by  Rizzio  had  given  rise,  was  one,  that  it  was  the  iuieiition  of 
iMary  to  make  him  chancellor  in  the  room  of  the  earl  of  Morton  I  It  was 
true  that  Rizzm  knew  nothing  of  the  language  or  of  the  lawsof  .Scoihnid; 
but  the  report  was  credited  even  by  tin;  astute  Morion  himself,  wIid  forth- 
with exerted  himself  to  persuade  Daruley  that  nothing  but  the  deatii  hi 
Rizzio  could  ever  restore  peace  and  safi^y  to  either  king  or  kingdom. 

'l"he  earl  of  Lenox,  the  king's  father,  George  Douglas,  natural  hrotlicr  to 
the  countess  of  Lenox,  and  liie  lords  Lindesay  and  Ruthven,  readily  joined 
in  the  conspiracy  against  the  unfortunate  foreigner,  and,  to  guard  tliein- 
selves  against  the  known  fickleness  of  the  king,  tli(;y  got  him  to  si!,'n  a 

iiaper  authorizing  and  making  himself  responsible  for  the  assassination  of 
iizzio,  as  being  "an  undertaking  tending  to  the  glory  of  (^od  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  ndigion."  Tlia  banished  lords  who  wen;  ever  hovering  on 
the  borders  in  hope  of  some  event  productive;  of  disturbance,  were  inviti.d 
by  the  king  to  return,  and  every  pre[)aration  being  made,  a  night  was  ut 
length  ap[)ointed  for  the  murder  of  Uizzio. 

>Iary,  now  in  the  sixth  month  of  her  pregnancy,  was  at  supper  in  lir;r 
private  apartments,  attended  by  Itizzio,  the  countess  of  Argyle,  her  n:ilii- 
ral  bister,  and  others  of  her  personal  attendants,  when  the  king  suddenly 
entered  the  room  and  placed  himself  behind  the  queen's  chair.  Innncdi- 
ately  afterwards  Lord  Ruthven,  cased  in  armour  and  ghastly  from  long 
illness  and  anxiety,  (ieorge  Douglas,  and  others,  rushed  in  and  seized 
upon  the  unfortunate  Rizzio  as  he  sprang  up  to  the  queen  and  ehmj  to 
her  garments,  shrieking  the  while  for  protection.  The  queen,  with  tears, 
entreaties,  and  even  threats,  endeavoured  to  save  her  secretary,  laii  the 
resolved  conspirators  forced  him  into  the  antechamber,  where  lie  died 
beneath  no  fewer  than  fifty-six  wounds ! 

The  condition  of  the  queen  being  considered,  the  presence  of  her  hus- 
band while  she  was  thus  horribly  outraged  by  being  maih;  witness  of  tiit 
atrocious  murder  of  her  servant,  must  necessarily  have  turned  her  former 
coldness  towards  Darnley  into  actual  loathing.  On  learning  that  Uizzio 
was  indeed  dead,  she  immediately  dried  her  tears,  saying  "1  v.iU  wtcpno 
more ;  henceforth  1  will  only  think  of  revcnige." 

Assuming  Mary  to  be  guilty  of  the  participation  in  the  murder  of  her 
husband  with  which  she  was  afterwards  so  disastrously  charged,  thoujli 
even  this  outrage  upon  her  both  as  queen  and  woman  would  be  no  excuse 
for  her  misconduct  as  queen,  woman,  and  wife,  yet  it  ought  not  wholly  to 
be  left  out  of  sight  while  we  judge  of  the  character  of  Mary.  In  a  court 
such  as  the  court  of  Scotland  clearly  was  at  that  time,  nothing  short  of  the 
puniy  of  angels  could  have  escaped  the  general  pollution  of  cruelty,  decei; 
and  sensuality. 

All  resentments  felt  by  Mary  were  now,  it  should  seem,  merged  into 
detestation  of  the  cruelly  and  insolently  savage  conduct  of  her  liusb'id 
She  showed  him  every  mark  of  contempt  in  public,  and  avoided  him  i" 
private  as  though  ill  mingled  hale  and  terror.     At  length,  however,  shi 


THE  TilEASUIlY  OF  HISTOllY. 


621 


was  confined  at  Kdinburgh  castle  of  a  son ;  and  as  Darn'oy  iiM'l  apartments 
there,  lli<:y  were  at  least  apparently  reconciled  and  liviiiy  \<'giii\\uT. 

A  nics.seiii:er  was  inntanlly  sent  to  Elizabeth,  who  re.;eiv(!(l  the  news 
while  at  a  hall  at  (Greenwich.  She  was  much  cast  down  at  first,  and  even 
compbiined  to  some  of  her  attendants  that  she  was  but  a  barren  stock, 
while  Mary  was  the  {,Mad  mother  of  a  fair  boy.  Hut  she  soon  recovered 
hir  wonted  self-iJOssession,  and  on  the  following  day  she  [Uililii-ly  eon^'rat- 
ulateil  Melvij,  Mary's  envoy,  and  sent  tiie  carl  of  IJedfonl  au'i  George 
(hry, son  of  her  kinsman  ihc  earl  of  Hunsdon,  to  atlein!  the  clnistening 
of  the  young  prince,  and  to  carry  some  rich  presents  U>  iiis  mother. 

lint  whatever  cordiality  Klizabelh  might  alfect  uiion  this  occasion,  the 
l)irth  of  I  son  to  the  quc.'cn  of  Scots,  as  it  increased  the  zeal  of  her  parli- 
zans  in  England,  so  it  made  even  tin;  best  friends  of  l']lizahcih  desirous 
lh;it  she  should  take  some  cfTectual  stejis  for  the  settlement  of  the  sue 
cession. 

It  was  ,iro|)oscd  by  some  leading  members  of  parliament  tliat  the  ques- 
lidii  of  the  succession  and  that  of  the  sujjply  should  go  togeliu^r.  Sir 
Riilpli  SadliT,  in  order  to  elude  tliis  bringing  of  the  question  to  a  point,  af- 
f.riiicd  tliat  he  had  heard  the  (juecin  say  tiiat  for  tlie  good  of  her  people  t>hc 
had  come  to  tlic  resolution  to  marry.  Others  of  the  court  alTirmed  the 
smip,  and  then  the  house  began  to  consider  about  joining  the  (jui.'siion  of 
thi;  queen's  marriage  to  that  of  the  setliemenl  in  general,  when  a  message 
was  hroiiglit  from  the  queen  ordering  the  house  to  proceed  no  farther  in 
the  m;iltcr.  She  pledged  her  queenly  word  as  to  hi;r  sincere  intention  to 
miry;  and  siie  said  that  to  name  any  &uccessf)r  previously  would  be  to 
iicrc;ise  In  r  already  great  personal  dangers.  This  message  by  no  means 
satisfied  the  house,  and  Peter  Wenlworth,  a  popular  member,  bluntly  said 
that  s\;eli  a  prohibition  was  a  breach  of  the  privileges  of  ihe  house  ;  while 
§onie  of  the  members  on  the  stime  side  added,  that  unless  the  queen  would 
[/ly  some  regard  to  their  future  security  by  fixing  a  successor,  she  would 
fliow  herself  rather  as  the  stepmother  than  as  tlie  natural  parent  of  iier 
^'')p!e,  TIk!  debates  still  conlimiing  in  this  strain,  the  (jueen  sent  for  tlic 
spraker,  and  her  remonstrances  with  him  having  failed  to  produce  tlic  de- 
Eirci]  elTeet  upon  the  house,  she  shortly  afterwards  dissolved  the  parliament, 
s'larply  relleeling,  at  the  same  lime,  upon  the  pertinacity  with  which  they 
had  pressed  her  to  marry  or  fix  the  succession. 

A.  D.  lofJ7. — The  debates  in  parliament  had  more  than  (jver  awakened 
tlie  ze;il  (if  the  partizans  of  the  queen  of  .Scots.  The  catholics  of  England 
wore  to  a  rni'.n  ready  to  rise  on  her  behalf,  should  Elizabeiirs  death  or 
uiy  national  calamity  afford  an  inviting  opportunity  ;  and,  moreover,  the 
cijiirt  of  Hlizabeth  was  iteelf  full  of  Mary's  partizans.  llut  while  Kliza- 
tioih  anil  her  sagacious  friend  and  councillor  Cecil — to  whom  it  is  not  too 
mii'h  to  say  thai  Elizabeth  owed  more  than  half  the  glory  she  acquired, 
III!  owed  (-.till  morn  freedom  from  llie  obloquy  her  temper  would  but  for 
liim  have  caused  lirr  to  incur — were  using  every  expedient  to  avoiil  the 
noeccsity  of  declaring  so  dangerous  a  successor  as  the  queen  of  Scots, 
liiat  ill-fated  princess  was  in  the  very  act  of  plunging  herself  into  a  tissue 
ofhorrors  and  infamies,  which  were  to  render  her  the  prisoner  and  the 
i\'M\  of  the  princess  whom  she  had  dared  to  rival  and  hoped  to  succeed. 
After  the  death  of  Uizzio,  Mary's  perilous  and  perplexed  situation  had 
rtcsome  confidant  and  assistant  indispensably  necessary  to  her,  especi- 
ally situated  as  she  was  with  her  frivolous  and  sullen  laisband.  The  per- 
lon  who  at  this  time  stood  highest  in  her  confidence  was  the  carl  of  Bolh- 
«'f'l!,  aman  of  debauched  character  and  great  daring,  but  wiiosc  fortune 
"a«  much  involved,  and  who  was  more  noted  for  his  opposition  to  Murray 
and  the  rigid  reformers,  than  for  any  great  evil  or  military  talents.  This 
nobleman,  it  is  believed,  suggested  to  her  the  expedient  of  being  divorced 


:  .*i 


;  !  • 


!w;t 


■  ^' »  . 


^W.. 


ir#! 


•■1:.;/^ 


^ii 


522 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


from  Darnley,  but  from  some  difficullies  which  arose  to  its  execution  thai 
project  was  laid  aside. 

The  intimate  friendship  of  Mary  with  Botliwell,  and  her  aversion  to  her 
husband,  made  observant  persons  much  astonished  when  it  was  announced 
that  a  sudden  return  of  the  queen's  affection  to  her  husband  had  tiii<cn  place  • 
that  she  had  even  journeyed  to  Glasgow  to  attend  his  sick  bed  ;  that  she 
tended  him  with  the  utmost  kindness ;  and  that,  as  soon  as  he  could  safely 
travel,  she  had  brought  him  with  her  to  Holyrood-honsr,  in  EiJinburoh. 
On  tlieir  arrival  there  it  was  found,  or  pretended,  that  the  low  siluiition''oi 
the  place,  and  the  noise  of  the  persons  continually  going  and  comiirn-,  Je. 
nied  the  king  the  repose  necessary  to  his  infirm  state.  A  solitary  house" 
called  the  Kirk  o'  Field,  at  some  distance  from  the  palace,  but  near  enough 
to  admit  of  RIary's  frequent  attendance,  was  accordingly  taken,  and  he"re 
slie  continued  her  attentions  to  him,  and  even  slept  for  several  nights  in  a 
room  immediately  below  his.  On  the  ninth  of  February  she  excused  her- 
self  to  him  for  not  sleeping  at  the  place,  as  one  of  her  attendants  was 
going  to  be  married,  and  she  had  promised  to  grace  the  ceremony  wiih  her 

f)resence.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  an  awful  explosion  was 
leard,  and  it  was  soon  afterwards  discovered  tiiat  the  Kirk  o'  Field  was 
blown  up,  and  the  body  of  the  unfortunate  Henry  Darnley  was  found  in  a 
field  at  some  distance,  but  with  no  marks  of  violence  upon  it. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  amidst  all  the  disputation  that  has  takcii  place 
as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  Mary  in  this  most  melancholy  nlTair,  no  one 
of  the  disputants  has  noticed  Mary's  selection  of  a  room  immcdiaUhjbch-ji 
that  of  the  king  for  several  nights  l)efore  the  murder.  Was  ihe gun-powder 
deliberately,  in  small  quantities  and  at  intervals,  deposited  and  arranj^mmihal 
Qpartment  ? 

That  Darnley  had  been  most  foully  murdered  no  sane  man  could  duiibl 
and  the  previous  intimacy  of  Mary  and  BothwcU  caused  the  pnldic  snspj. 
cion  at  once  to  be  turned  upon  them  ;  and  the  (;onduct  of  Mary  was  e.\. 
actly  calculated  to  confirm,  instead  of  refuting,  tlie  horrible  suspicion 
which  attached  to  her.  A  proclamation  was  indeed  made,  ofleriuir  a  rc> 
Ward  for  the  discovery  of  the  king's  murderers ;  but  the  people  observed  Iha; 
far  more  anxiety  was  displayed  to  discover  those  who  attributed  thai  ter- 
rible deed  to  Bothwell  and  the  queen.  With  a  perfectly  infatuated  folly, 
the  queen  neglected  even  the  external  decencies  which  would  have  beni 
expected  from  her,  even  had  she  been  less  closely  connected  in  the  public 
eye  with  the  supposed  murderer,  IJolhwell.  For  the  earl  of  Lenox,  fathir 
of  the  murdered  king,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  queen,  in  which,  avoidiii;^  a!! 
accusation  of  the  queen,  he  implored  her  justice  upon  those  whom  lie 
ilainly  charged  with  the  murder,  namely,  Bothwell,  Sir  James  Uulfouraiiil 
lis  brother  Gili  rt  Balfour,  David  Chalmers,  and  four  other  persons  ul 
the  queen's  household;  but  Mary,  though  she  cit(!d  Lenox  to  ;,ppearal 
court  and  support  his  charge,  and  so  far  seemed  to  entertain  it,  left  tii? 
important  fortress  of  Edinburgh  in  the  hands  of  Bothwell  as  governor,  an  i 
of  his  creature  Balfour  as  his  deputy. 

A  day  for  the  trial  of  the  charge  made  by  Lenox  was  appointed;  mil 
that  nobleman,  with  a  very  small  attendance,  had  already  reached  .Sinliiig 
on  his  way  to  Edinburgh,  when  his  information  of  the  extraordinary  coun- 
tenance shown  to  Bothwell,  and  the  vast  power  entrusted  to  him,  inspirwl 
Lenox  with  fears  as  to  even  his  personal  safety  should  he  appear  in  Kd- 
.'nburgh  ;  he  therefore  sent  Cunningham,  one  of  his  suite,  to  protest  ajaiiisl 
to  hurried  an  investigation  of  thi."  important  affair,  and  to  entreat  iMary, 
for  her  own  sake  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  justice,  to  take  time,  audio 
make  arrangements  for  a  full  and  impartial  trial,  which  obviously  coiili! 
not  be  had  while  Bothwell  was  not  onl}'  at  liberty,  but  in  possession  oi 
exorbitant  and  overwhelming  power.  Not  the  slightest  attention  viii 
paid  to  this  manifestly  just  demand  of  Lenox;  a  jury  was  sworn,  aiila> 


h 


execution  that 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


St3 


no  prosecutor  or  witness  was  present,  that  jury  could  only  acquit  the  ac. 
cused— the  verdict  being  accompanied  by  a  protest,  in  which  tliey  stated 
(he  situation  in  which  the  very  nature  of  the  proceedings  had  placed  them. 
Hut  even /larf  witnesses  been  present,  their  evidence  could  have  availed 
little  towards  furthering  the  ends  of  justice,  for,  by  a  very  evident  wilful- 
ness, those  who  drew  the  indictment  had  charged  the  crime  as  iiaving  been 
noiTiniitted  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  month,  while  the  evidence  must  have 
proved  it  to  have  been  the  ninth,  and  tiiis  significant  circumstance  increased 
ilic  odium  of  botli  Mary  and  Bolhwell.  Two  days  after  this  shameful  trial 
a  parliament  was  held,  and  Bothwell,  whose  acquittal  was  such  as  must 
have  convinced  every  impartial  man  of  his  guiltiness,  was  actually  chosen 
•,o  carry  tlie  royal  sceptre ! 

Such  indecent  but  unequivocal  evidence  of  the  lengths  to  which  Mary 
was  prepared  to  go  in  securing  impunity  to  Bothwell,  awed  even  those 
who  most  detested  the  proceedings ;  and  a  bond  of  association  was  signed, 
hvwiiich  all  the  subscribers,  consisting  of  all  the  chief  nobility  present  at 
this  parliament,  referred  to  the  acquittal  of  Bothwell  as  a  legal  and  com- 
plete one,  engaged  to  defend  him  against  all  future  imputation  of  the  mur- 
der of  the  late  king,  and  recommended  Mary  to  marry  Boliiwell !  Ue- 
jrailod,  indeed,  by  long  and  shameless  far ♦  ion  must  the  nation  have  been, 
when  the  chief  of  its  nobles  coidd  insult  public  justice  and  public  decency 
by  the  publication  of  such  a  document  as  this  ! 

'Having  thus  paved  tiie  way  towards  his  ultimate  designs,  Boliiwell  as- 
sembled a  troop  of  eight  hundred  cavalry  on  pretence  of  pursuing  some 
armed  robbers  wlio  infested  the  borders,  and  waylaid  Mary  on  her  return 
from  StirHng,  where  she  had  been  paying  a  visit  to  her  infant  son.  Mary 
wMstitcd  near  Kdinburgli ;  but  Sir  James  INIelvil,  her  attached  and  faith- 
ful servant  who  was  with  her  at  the  tinre,  not  only  confessed  tliat  he  saw 
1,0  surprise  or  unwillingness  on  her  part,  but  adds,  that  some  of  Bothwell's 
oiTiCcrs  openly  laughed  at  the  notion  of  seizure  of  Mary's  person,  and 
Elated  the  wiiole  matter  to  have  been  arranged  between  the  parties  them- 
selves. Holiuvell  carried  his  prisoner  to  Dunbar,  and  there  made  himself 
raaster  of  her  person,  even  if  he  had  not  been  so  before.  Some  of  the  no- 
liliiy,  cither  still  doubtful  of  her  guilty  consent,  or  desirous,  at  tiie  least, 
of  forcing  hor  into  a  more  explicit  declaration  of  it,  now  sent  to  offer  their 
services  to  rescue  her;  but  she,  with  infinite  coolness,  replied,  that  though 
iioiliwcll  had  originally  obtained  possession  of  her  person  by  violence, 
h,'  had  since  treated  her  so  well  that  she  was  now  quite  willing  to  remain 
Willi  him. 

That  no  circnmstanco  of  infamy  and  effrontery  might  be  wanting  to 
this  disgusting  business,  Bothwell,  when  he  had  himself  proposed  as  the 
queen's  husband  and  seized  upon  her  person,  was  already  a  married  man ! 
liul  a  divorce  was  now  sued  for  and  obtained  in  four  days  from  the  com 
mciiccmc-iit  of  the  suit ;  the  queen  was  then  taken  to  Edinburgh,  and  tho 
banns  of  marriage  put  up  between  her  and  tho  duke  of  Orkney,  which 
title  Itotlwvcil  now  bore. 

Ill  tlie  midst  of  the  awful  degradation  exhibited  by  the  Scottish  nation 
atihislime,  it  is  pleasing  to  notice  that  Craig,  a  clergyman,  being  desired 
10  solemnize  the  marriage  thus  abominably  brought  about,  not  only  refu- 
sed to  perform  the  ceremony,  but  openly  reprobated  it,  with  a  courage 
which  so  put  the  council  to  shame  that  it  dared  not  punish  him.  Tho 
bishop  of  Orkney,  a  protcstant,  was  more  compliant,  and  was  subsequently 
very  deservedly  deposed  by  his  church.  Unwarned  by  the  disgust  of  her 
own  people  and  by  tiie  remonstrances  of  her  relations,  the  Guises  of 
Franco,  the  infatuated  Mary  thus  pursued  her  c'..:.:.igns,  and  it  became 
known  that  Bothwell,  with  her  consent,  was  taking  measures  to  get  the 
voniig  prince  James  into  his  power.  This  at  length  fairly  aroused  public 
ndigiiatiou;  the  chief  nobility,  including  most  of  those  who  had  signed 


...    r. 

\ 

(i  ■  '     \:.i 

',      . 

"■M:^- 

k^ 

524 


THE  TREASUllY  OP  HISTORY. 


the  ever  infiimousbond  in  f  r  iir  of  Batliwcll,  now  formed  an  ?ssoci:ition 
fcr  tlie  proleclion  of  tlie  younjr  prince  iuid  for  tlie  punislimeni  of  the  mur- 
dererii  of  llie  king.  Tiie  iKiMy  of  tlie  iissocialed  lords  and  ilio  roya 
troops  nr.der  Bothwcll  m.  v  at  <',irbery-liill ;  but  it  was  so  clear  boih  tliiit 
Bothwell  had  no  capacit>  ;  qu;;  to  the  occasion,  and  that  her  own  iroopg 
looked  upon  their  cause  with  disgust,  that  Mary,  after  making  certain 
stipulations,  put  herself  into  tlie  hands  of  the  confederates  and  was  taken 
to  ildinburgh,  the  populace  reproaciiing  her  in  the  coarsest  terms,  and 
holding  up  baiuiers  representing  the  murder  of  her  husband  and  the  dis- 
tress of  her  infant  son.  Dotlnvell,  in  the  meantime,  escaped  to  tlie  Ork- 
iieys,  and  for  some  time  lived  by  actual  piracy;  he  at  length  went  toDcu. 
mark,  where  he  was  thrown  into  prison :  maddened  under  the  severity 
of  his  confinement  and  the  horror  of  his  reflections,  he  died  about  ten 
years  afterwards,  so  miserably,  that  even  his  atrocity  cannot  deprive  iiini 
of  our  pity. 

Tho.igli  treated  with  scorn  find  humbled  by  the  indignities  to  which  slic 
was  now  daily  exposed,  INIary  was  still  so  infatuated  in  he>"  affociion  foi 
the  unworthy  Bothwell,  that  she  is  reported  to  have  said  in  a  letter  lo 
him,  that  sli.e  would  surrender  her  crown  and  dignity  rather  tlian  hisaiToc- 
tions ;  and  as  she  appeared  to  be  thus  determined,  the  confederates,  to 
decrease  the  chance  of  her  once  more  getting  power  into  her  hands,  sent 
her  to  a  sort  of  honourable  imprisonment  in  the  castle  of  I.oclileviii  lake. 
The  owner  of  this  place  ".vas  mother  of  the  earl  of  Murray,  and  as  she 
pretended  to  have  been  the  mollier  and  not  the  mere  mistress  of  the  late 
King,  she  bore  Mary  a  hatred  which  fully  insured  her  vigilance. 

Elizabeth  was  accurately  informed  of  all  that  had  passed  in  Scotland, 
and  her  eagle  vision  coidd  not  fail  to  perceive  the  advantages  to  her  own 
security  to  he  obtained  by  her  interference  between  Mary  and  her  cnra- 
g'ed  subjects.  She  accordingly,  tlirough  Throckmorton,  sent  a  rciiion. 
.strance  to  the  confederated  lords,  and  advice,  mingled  with  some  severiiy, 
to  Mary,  to  whom  she  offered  aKsistaiieo,  and  protection  at  the  KniiHsli 
court  for  her  infant  son,  but  on  coiuiiiion  that  she  should  lay  aside  all 
thoughts  of  revtfiige  or  punishment,  except  as  far  as  related  to  the  mnnliT 
of  her  late  husband.  As  both  queen  and  woman,  Klizabeth  acted  well  in 
both  her  remonstrance  to  the  lords  and  iier  advice  to  Mary ,  but,  judging 
from  her  whole  course  of  policy  at  other  times,  it  is  no  breach  of  charily 
to  suppose  that  even  her  womanly  pity  for  iMary's  present  dislressclanil 
perilous  situation,  did  not  prevent  her  from  detevminuig  to  make  it  avail- 
able towards  her  own  security  and  peace  for  the  time  to  come. 

In  the  meantime  the  confederated  lords  proceeded  to  arrange  mailers 
with  very  little  deference  to  either  the  rights  of  their  own  queen  orllii; 
remonstrances  of  the  queen  of  Kngland.  After  much  intrigue  and  dis- 
pute, it  was  agreed  that  the  regency  of  the  kingdom  should  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  Murray,  and  that  Mary  should  "resign  the  crown  in  .'"avourol 
her  son;  nay,  so  desperate  were  her  circumstances,  that,  though  ''with 
abundance  of  tears,"  she  actually  signed  tlie  deeds  that  made  these  ex- 
tensive alterations,  without  making  herself  accurately  mistress  of  theii 
contents. 

The  prince  James  was  immediately  proclaimed  king  and  crowned  al 
Stirling,  and  in  the  oath  which  the  carl  of  Morton  took  in  his  behalf  al 
that  ceremony,  an  oath  to  extirpate  heresy  was  included.  Klizabeth  was 
80  much,  annoyed  at  the  disregard  with  which  her  remonstrance  had  beer 
treated,  that  she  forbade  Throckmorton  to  attend  the  young  king's  coro 
nation. 

As  soon  as  Murray  had  assumed  the  regency  u  parliament  was  assem- 
bled, in  which  it  was  solemnly  voted  that  she  was  an  undoubted  aceoni- 
plice  in  the  murder  of  her  husband,  but  ought  not  to  be  imprisoned.  Ilci 
Hhdiration  and  he,T  sou's  succession  were  at  the  same  time  ratified. 


an  iissoc'mlion 

eni  of  llic  mur- 

and  ll\e  roya. 

clear  bolli  llint 

her  own  irnnps 

making  cerlaiii 

and  was  taken 

sesl  terms,  and 

nd  and  the  dis- 

iped  to  the  Ork- 

ilh  went  to  Dcu- 

,(;r  the  severity 

died  about  ten 

lUot  deprive  liim 


\ 

1 

hL  ^    1 

If' 

i 

I 

, 

! 

1 

1 

ill 

Ml 
cojni 

I'U'.I.'I 

most 
beitc 
platiu 
p;iri!/, 
:iese 
n-'opli 
ivasoi 

ICflipt 
lion.'lii: 

to  call: 
A.  n< 
K'as  ev 
she  en 
escape 
ning  bl 
employ 
10  aid  i 
at  iengi 
lake  in ; 
As  s( 
offer  lie: 
A  mo  II  (J 
toiin,  Ci 
nimicroi 
standard 
offered  t, 
arbitrati 
was  too 
forces  at 
ferior  in 
W'lm  lias 
at  Woki 
ger  to  ci 
extent  o 
oped;  ii: 
ded  gem 
Mary 
ijiience  . 
iilely  so 
slower  I 
an  inieri 
(jueen  c( 
ence  a  .. 
under  ci 
usually  I 
on  such 
much  rei 
evidentij 
feign  sei 
Klizabetl 
fleiermin 
allowinn 
with  hav 
conirnaii 


THE  TftlCASiniY  OP  HISTORY. 


525 


>fii!;:'V  proved  himself  equal  to  his  high  post.  He  ohlaiiied  possession 
of  ;ji!  0  f jTsses  wliicli  held  out  for  Mary  or  Hothwcll,  niui  everywhere 
j;o;;!i,r !  .  1  at  least  external  obedieiKre  to  his  aiuhority.  But  he  had  many 
iMKimos  even  among  his  seeming  friends ;  many  of  those  who  had  been 
most  enraged  against  Mary,  while  slie  had  thus  lived  in  what  was  no 
better  than  open  adultery  with  Dothwell,  were  soltened  by  the  contem- 
plation of  her  sorrows  now  that  he  was  a  fugitive  upon  tlie  face  of  the 
pari!/, '  ■tiiout  the  possibility  of  ever  regaining  his  guilty  power.  To  all 
:ie3epe  jons  were  added  the  eminent  catholics  and  the  great  body  of  the 
rcople,  who  pitied  her  sorrows  now  with  the  merely  instinctive  and  un- 
i.\'isoiiiiig  impidse  with  which  recently  they  had  heaped  the  coarsest  con- 
Uii.pt  upon  lier  misconduct.  Even  yei,  then,  it  was  quite  witliin  the 
tonJs  of  possibility  that  she  might  recover  her  power,  and  so  exert  it  as 
localise  the  past  to  be  forgiven. 

A.  n.  15G8.—Dut  Mary's  own  conduct  even  when  least  blameworthy, 
was  ever  to  be  inimical  to  her.  'I'he  constant  insults  and  vexations  that 
she  endured  from  the  lady  of  Lochlevin  determined  her  to  attempt  her 
escape  from  that  melaiiciioly  confineniont ;  and  by  tiiosc  artful  and  win- 
ning blandishments  which  no  beautiful  woman  ever  better  knew  how  to 
employ,  she  induced  George  Douglas,  brother  of  the  laird  of  Lochlevin, 
in  aid  ill  iicr  escape.  After  many  vain  endeavours  the  enamoured  youth 
at  length  got  her  from  the  house  in  disguise,  and  rowed  her  across  the 
lake  ill  a  small  boat. 

As  soon  as  her  escape  was  known  many  of  the  nobility  hastened  to 
offer  her  liieir  aid,  and  to  sign  a  bond  to  defend  iier  against  all  comers. 
Amonij  those  that  thus  signed  were  the  carls  of  Argyle,  Huntley,  Kglin- 
lomi,  Cassilis,  Crauford,  Itothes,  Montrose,  Sunderland,  and  Krrol,  besides 
minicroua  barons  and  nine  bishops,  and  in  a  very  few  days  she  found  her 
standard  surrounded  by  upwards  of  six  tliousand  men.  Elizabeth,  too, 
offered  to  assist  her,  on  condition  that  she  would  refer  the  quarrel  to  her 
arbitration  and  allow  no  French  troops  to  enter  the  kingdom,  but  the  offer 
was  too  late;  Murray  hastily  drew  together  an  army,  and  attacked  her 
forces  at  Langside,  near  Glasgow ;  and  though  the  regent  was  somewhat  in- 
ferior in  force,  his  superior  ability  inflicted  a  complete  defeat  upon  Mary, 
who  hastily  fled  to  a  fishing-boat  in  Galloway,  and  landed  the  same  day 
atWokington,  in  Cumberland,  whence  she  immediately  sent  a  messen- 
ger to  crave  the  protection  and  hospitality  of  Elizabeth.  The  reality  and 
extent  of  the  generous  sympathy  of  that  princess  were  now  to  be  devel- 
oped; interest  was  now  straighily  and  sternly  opposed  to  real  or  preten- 
ded generosity. 

Mary  had  evidently  relied  upon  the  power  of  her  insinuation  and  elo- 
ijuenee  to  be  of  service  to  her  in  a  personal  interview,  which  she  immedi- 
Jiely  solicited.  But  the  able  and  tried  ministers  of  Elizabeth  were  not 
slower  than  Mary  herself  in  perceivinoj  the  probable  consequence  of  such 
an  interview,  and  Elizabeth  was  advised  by  them  that  she  as  a  maiden 
queen  could  not,  consistently  even  with  mere  decency,  admit  to  her  pres- 
ence a  woman  who  was  charged  with  murder  and  adultery,  and  that,  too, 
under  circumstances  whi(di  made  even  these  horrible  crimes  more  than 
usually  horrible.  The  queen  of  Scots  was  very  indignant  at  being,  and 
on  such  a  plea,  deprived  of  the  interview  upon  which  she  had  so  very 
much  reckoned.  She  replied  to  the  ministers  with  great  spirit,  and  so 
evidently  showed  her  determination  to  consider  herself  as  a  sister  sove- 
reign seeki;.g  Elizabeth's  friendship,  and  not  as  a  charged  criminal  whom 
Klizabeth  c:ynld  have  any  earthly  right  to  sit  in  judgment  upon,  that  Cecil 
oetermined  to  force  her,  indirectly  at  least,  upon  an  investigation,  by 
allowing  M.irray  and  his  party  to  charge  her  before  the  queen  in  council 
with  having  been  "of  fore-knowledge,  counsel,  and  device,  persuader  and 
commander  of  the  murder  of  her  liusband,  and  had  intended  to  causo  tlip 


'"'•i"  (  |i ' 


i 


'!: 


kik 


1  ^ 
'  ^  ^  1 

is 

if 


52C 


THE  TIIEASUIIY  OF  HIBTORY, 


X 


innocent  prinrie  to  follow  his  father  and  so  transfer  the  crown  from  the 
right  line  to  a  bloody  murderer  and  godless  tyrant."  To  this  point  of  this 
intricate  and  most  painful  affair  the  attention  of  general  readers  has  never 
been  suffiL-ienily  directed.  The  u&ual  narrative  of  historians  leaves  the 
careless  or  superficial  reader  to  fancy  that  the  conduct  of  Elizabeth  must 
throughout  have  been  unjustifiable,  as  lo  even  tiie  detention  of  Mary,  the 
whole  question  being  Mary's  guilt  and  Elizabeth's  right  to  punish,  'we 
have  already  sufficiently  shown  that  we  are  not  mclined  to  sacrifice  truth 
to  our  admiration  of  the  many  admirable  qualities  of  Elizabeth.  For 
much  of  her  treatment  to  Mary  she  is  deserving  of  the  higliest  blame,  and 
as  regards  her  execution  every  one  must  feel  the  utmost  indignation;  but 
the  mere  d(!tention  of  her,  and  inquiry  into  her  guilt  as  to  her  liusliand, 
and  her  intentions  as  to  her  infant  son,  were  justified  alike  by  the  laws  of 
nations  and  by  every  feeling  o.  humanity  and  of  morality.  That  Mary 
was  "an  independent  sovereign"  can  only  be  affirmed  by  a  mere  play 
upon  words. 

Stained  with  the  deep  charges  of  murder  and  adultery,  beaten  on  the 
battle-field,  and  fugitive  from  lier  enraged  and  horrified  subjects,  Mary 
was  in  no  condition  to  exercise  her  sovereignty  until  she  should  have  re- 
established it  by  arms  or  treaty.  By  arms  slie  could  not  proceed  with- 
out  great  peril  to  England,  for  she  must  have  relied  upon  aid  trom  France; 
by  treaty  she  could  not  proceed  but  by  the  aid  of  Elizabeth,  whose  terri- 
tory might  he  periled  by  some  clause  of  such  treaty.  Situated  as  Kiig. 
land  was,  both  as  to  France  and  as  to  Spain,  it  is  quite  clear  to  all  who 
pay  due  attention  to  the  whole  of  the  circumstances,  that  in  an  honoura- 
ble detention  of  Mary,  and  a  full,  fair  and  impartial  inquiry  into  her  con- 
duct, Elizabeth  would  have  been  fully  justified. 

The  subsequent  conduct  shown  to  Mary,  her  close  imprisonment  and 
unkind  treatment,  reflect  no  credit  upon  either  Elizabeth  or  her  minis- 
ters; but  it  must  be  remembered  thai  Marj  besides  those  verbal  iiisuhs 
which  wound  women  more  painfully  than  "the  sword  itself,  greatly  pro- 
voked the  harsh  feeling  of  Elizabeth  by  her  perpetual  readiness  to  lenJ 
her  name  and  influence  to  plots  involving  the  life  as  well  the  crown  uf 
Elizabeth- 
It  seems  quite  certain  that,  at  the  outset  of  the  business,  the  main  desire 
of  both  ElizMheih  and  her  ministers  was  to  place  Mary  in  such  a  posiiioii 
that  she  would  be  unable  practically  to  revokehersettlemenlof  the  crown 
upon  lihr  infant  son,  whose  regency,  being  protestant,  would  have  a  com- 
mon interest  with  England,  instead  of  a  temptation  lo  aid  France  or  Sp;ii;i 
to  her  annoyance.  One  scheme  for  this  purpose  was  to  give  her  in  nwr- 
riage  to  an  English  nobleman,  and  Elizabeth  proposed  the  alliance  to  the 
duke  of  Norl'iilk,  who  bluntly  replied,  "That  wom;in,  madam,  shall  ntver 
be  my  wife  who  has  been  your  competitor,  ano  vhose  husbanu  cannot 
sleep  in  security  upon  his  pillow."  Unfortunately  for  the  duke,  his  prac- 
tice was  by  in>  ujeans  governed  by  the  sound  sense  of  his  theory, aid  lie 
very  soon  aficrwards  consented  to  offer  himself  to  Mary,  in  a  letter,  wliich 
was  also  signed  by  Arundel,  Pembroke,  and  Leicester.  Miry  pleaded 
that  "  woeful  experience  had  taught  her  to  prefer  a  single  life,"  hiitshe 
hinted  pretty  plainly  that  Elizabeth's  consent  might  remove  stich  nliic. 
tance  as  she  felt.  Norfolk,  through  the  bishop  of  Ross,  kept  up  the  cor- 
respondence with  Mary.  Elizabeth  was  from  the  very  first  aware  of  it, 
and  she  ai  length  signficantly  quoted  .Norfolk's  own  words  lo  him,  warn- 
ing him  to  "  beware  on  what  pillow  he  should  rest  his  head."  Shortly 
afterwards  the  duke,  for  coiiiinuing  the  correspondence,  was  committed 
to  the  Tower.  Leicester  was  pardoned  for  the  share  he  had  had  ia  ttia 
original  conespondence;  but  there  seemed  so  much  danger  that  both  Nor- 
folk and  the  queen  of  Scots  would  be  severely  dealt  with,  that  all  ilw  greil 
cathoiii:  families  of  the  north  joined  in  a  formidable  insurrection.    Mi^v 


.  .Jm 


own  from  the 
is  point  of  this 
ders  hus  never 
aus  leaves  the 
illiZHbetli  must 
)n  of  Mary,  the 
,0  punish.    We 
)  sacrifice  trulli 
Blizabeth.    For 
host  blame, and 
udignation;  but 
to  her  husband, 

by  tlie  laws  of 
ty.    That  Mary 

by  a  mere  play 

•y,  beaten  on  the 
I  subjects,  Mary 
G  should  have  re- 
nol  proceed  with- 
aid  from  France; 
)Cth,  whose  lerri- 
Situated  as  Eng- 
e  clear  to  all  who 
at  in  an  honoura- 
uiry  into  her  con- 

mprisonment  and 
:)eth  or  her  minis- 
iidse  verbal  insnlis 
Itself,  greatly  pro- 
readiness  to  lenl 
well  the  crown  u! 

:ss,  the  main  desire 
f  in  such  a  imsilion 
jineiU  of  the  trown 
vould  have  a  com- 
lid  France  or  Spiiui 
to  give  her  in  nv.ir- 
the  alliance  to  the 
nadam,  shall  ntvcr 
se  husband  c;uinot 
the  duke,  his  prac- 
his  theory,  a'ul  lie 
y,inaletter,whicb 

ler.     Mary  pleaded 
iinglo  life,"  hut  she 
remove  such  reUie- 
,ss,  kept  up  the  ci^r- 
•y  first  aware  of  I'l 
_^.ords  to  him,  ;v«ii- 
Vis  head."    Sl'»«l 
v,,e,  was  coniiintie«l 
3  he  had  hi^'l  i""'" 
anger  that  boih  Nor- 
ith.  that  all  ihogre 
insurrection.   Muv 


*• 


m^' 


ri  ' 


i^'i  1 


;lft..;4l 


THE  TRBASUftY  OF  HISTOaV. 


bitt 


on  the  broiiking  out  of  this  afTair,  was  removed  to  Coventry ;  but  tho  con- 
test was  sliort ;  the  earl  of  Voriluiinberland,  who  headed  the  revolt,  was 
defcaleJ  aiid  taken  prisoner,  and  thrown  into  Lochlevhj  castle.  His 
{ountcss,  witli  tl\c  eaTl  of  Westmoreland  and  some  other  fugitives,  were 
lafc  among  he  Scottish  borderers,  who  were  able  to  protect  them  equally 
jgaiiist  ihfi  regent  Murray  and  tho  emissaries  of  Elizabeth. 

Upon  tlie  English  of  the  northern  counties  who  had  been  beguiled  into 
ihis  hopeless  revolt,  tho  vengoanco  of  Elizabeth  was  terrible  and  exlen- 
live.  Till!  poor  were  handed  over  to  tho  rigours  of  martial  law,  and  it  is 
iffirmcd  that  from  Newcastle  to  Netherby,  in  a  district  sixty  miles  long 
and  forty  miles  wide,  there  was  not  a  town  or  even  a  village  wiii'-li  was 
not  the  scene  of  exei^ntion  !  The  weidlhier  offenders  were  reserved  for 
iheurdiii'iry  course  of  eondemnation  by  law,  it  beinganticipated  that  their 
fijrfeiliircs  would  reimburse  tiiu  queen  the  large  sums  which  it  had  cost 
her  to  put  down  the  revolt. 

A.  n.  1570.~The  vijjour  of  the  regent  Murray  had  kept  the  greater  part 
ofScoiliiiid  perfectly  qmct,  even  while  the  north  of  England  was  in  arms 
for  M,wy  :  and  as  among  tho  numerous  projects  suggested  to  Eli7;abeth 
(ortiafcly  ridding  hcirself  of  Mary  was  that  of  delivering  her  up  to  Murray, 
it  is  most  probable  that  tlie  Scottish  queen  would  have  been  restored  to 
her  country  and— though  parlialiy  and  under  strong  restrictions — to  her 
authority,  but  for  the  deal  li  of  the  regent.  While  amusing  Mary  with  a 
variety  of  proposals  which  came  to  nothing,  varied  by  sudden  objections 
which  hud  been  contrived  from  the  very  first,  Elizabeth's  ministers  were 
sedulously  strengthening  the  hands  and  establishing  tho  interests  of  their 
mistrics  in  Scotland;  they,  however,  seem  really  to  have  intended  the 
tvfiitual  rosKnation  of  Mary  under  the  most  favourable  circumstances  to 
Kiijland,  when  the  enmity  and  suspicion  of  the  English  cabinet  against 
her  as  a  zealous  pupist,  v.crc  made  stronger  than  ever  by  the  publication 
ol  a  hull  by  Pius  V.,  in  which  he  insultingly  spoke  of  Elizabeth's  as  a 
mirely  "  pretended"  right  to  the  crown,  and  absolved  all  her  subjects 
from  their  allegiance.  Of  this  hull,  insolent  in  itself  and  cruel  towards 
Mary,  several  copies  were  published  both  in  Scotland  and  in  England ; 
and  It  cuihuhc  gentleman,  named  Felton,  whose  zeal  bade  defiance  alike 
lo  priKiiMice  and  decency,  was  capitnlly  punished  for  affixing  a  copy  of 
this  document  lo  the  gates  of  the  bishop  of  London. 

It  must  be  clear  that  no  sovereign  could  overlook  such  an  invitation  to 
rebeiliijii  ami  assassination.  It  would  in  any  state  of  society  be  likely  to 
urgesiinie  i,'li)iMny  and  half  insane  fanatic  to  the  crime  of  murder;  though 
as  loony  national  effect,  even  while  the  catholics  were  still  so  numerous, 
the  paj)Hl  bull  had  now  become  a  mere  brutcm  fulmen.  Lingard,  even,  the 
ablest eaihulic  historian,  says,  upon  this  very  transaction,  ''If  the  pontiff 
promised  linnscif  any  particular  benefit  from  this  measure,  the  result  must 
have  disappointed  ids  expectations.  The  time  was  gone  by  when  the 
thunders  of  the  Vatican  could  shake  the  thrones  of  princes.  By  foreign 
powers  the  bull  was  suffered  to  sleep  in  silence;  among  the  English 
cmholies  it  served  only  to  breed  doubts,  dissensions,  and  dismay.  Many 
tonteiided  that  it  had  been  issued  by  incompetent  authority  ;  others,  that 
It  could  luit  bind  the  natives  until  it  should  be  carried  into  actual  execu- 
tion by  some  foreign  power  :  all  agreed  that  it  was,  in  their  regard,  an  im- 
prudent and  cruel  expedient,  which  rendered  them  liable  to  the  suspicion 
of  disloyally,  and  afforded  their  enemies  a  pretence  to  brand  them  with 
the  name  of  traitors.  To  Elizabeth,  however,  though  she  affected  to 
ridicule  the  sentence,  it  proved  a  source  of  considerable  uneasiness  and 
ilarm." 

The  parliament,  at  once  alarmed  and  indignant  at  the  bull  of  Pius  V. 
Wyiuiuially  laid  some  heavy  restrictions  upon  the  catholics,  who  were 
'cared  to  be  ready  at  any  moment  to  rise  in  favour  of  the  queen  of  Scots 


'■  i       '*,•„'•* 


he  Wm ' 


*!-; 


p  If} 


i^p^.^t 


"\ 


^    1 


638 


THE  TRBA8UHY  OF  HISTORY. 


and  for  llic  dopositinn  of  Elizabetli,  slioiild  Pliilip  of  Spain  or  liis  goiinra. 
Alva,  governor  of  tlio  Nclhcrliituls,  land  a  Biitnciriuly  iiiiinrroiis  nrttiy  o'l 
foreign  papists  in  Knfjland.  And  these  fnars  of  the  parliamctit  anil  the 
ministry  had  bnt  too  solid  foundation.  Tho  dake  of  NorfolJc  from  lili 
confinement  was  constantly  intriguing  with  Mary;  and  that  UMhanny 
princess,  wcarie''.  ..nd  goaded  to  desperation  by  her  couliuueil  iniiiiismi. 
nienl,  and  tho  (oustant  failure  of  all  altempta  at  gaining  her  lihi^rty,  ovcii 
when  she  tin;  most  frankly  and  complotcly  aprecd  to  all  thai  was  de. 
manded  of  her,  sent  Rudolpiii,  an  Italian,  who  had  lier  confidon  •!•,  to  soln'ji 
the  co-operation  of  the  pope,  Philip  of  Spain,  and  Alva.  .Sonic  hitters 
from  Norfolk  to  the  latter  [x'rsonage  were  intercepted  by  the  Miii'lish 
ministry,  ami  Norfolk  was  tried  for  treasonable  Iciguinsr  with  the  queen's 
♦"nemies,  to  tiie  dan^rerof  her  erown  and  dignity.  Norfolk  protested  that 
his  aim  was  solely  to  restore  Mary  to  her  own  crown  of  Scotiaml,  ami 
that  (iclriiiieiit  to  tin;  authority  of  Klizabcth  he  had  never  contemplated  ami 
would  never  liave  abetted. 

A.  D.  I'i'-- — His  defence  availed  him  noiliing  ;  lie  was  louiid  fiuilty  Ky 
Ilia  peers  and  condemned  to  death.  FiVcn  then  the  queen  hesitated  to 
carry  tlie  ticntence  into  vfCvct  against  the  premier  duke  of  Hiigiand,  who 
was,  also,  her  own  relative.  Twice  she  was  induced  by  the  iniiii.siers  to 
sign  the  warrant,  and  twice  she  revoked  it.  This  .state  of  hesitiiiion 
lasted  for  fmir  months.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  parhamniit  presented 
an  address  stronjily  calling  upon  her  to  make  an  example  of  ttie  duke,  to 
which  she  at  length  consented,  and  Norfolk  was  belicadcd;  dyinjj  wilh 
great  courage  and  constancy,  and  still  protesting  that  ho  had  no  ill  desjijn 
towards  his  own  queen  in  his  desire  to  aid  the  unhappy  queen  of  Scots 
We  arc  inclined  to  believe  that  the  diiko  was  sincere  on  this  head;  bii' 
certainly  his  jiuljrnieiit  did  not  equal  his  sincerity  ;  for  how  could  lu;  ox 
pect  to  overturn  tlic  vast  power  of  I'Mizabcth,  so  far  as  to  reestaldisli  M:ir} 
on  the  throne,  but  by  such  civil  and  international  fighliiiif  as  must  li;ivu 
periled  Kli/.abiJth'rt  throne,  and,  most  probably,  would  have  led  to  the 
sacrifice  of  her  life. 

Jiurleigh,  devoted  to  tho  glory  of  his  royal  mistress  and  to  the  wclfiirc 
of  her  peo[)le,  and  jjlainly  p(!rceiving  that  the  catholics,  botli  at  home  and 
abroad,  woulil  either  find  or  feign  a  motive  to  mischief  in  the  detcntMmoi 
tiui  queen  of  .Scots,  resolutely  advised  that  the  nnha|)py  queci;  shonld  he 
violently  dcv.ilt  with,  as  being  at  the  bottom  of  all  scliemes  and  aiteinpis 
against  the  peace  of  England.  Hut  Klizabcth  was  not  yet — wonM  th;ii 
she  had  never  been ! — so  far  irritated  or  alarmed  as  to  consent  to  aught 
more  than  tho  detention  of  Mary  ;  and  to  all  the  suggestions  of  l!nrh'i?h 
she  contented  herself  with  replying,  with  a  touch  of  that  poetic  feeliii» 
which  even  intrigues  of  state  never  wholly  banished  from  her  mind,  thai 
"she  could  not  put  to  death  the  bird  that,  to  escape  the  lure  of  Mic  liiiwk. 
had  llown  to  her  feet  for  protection." 

Burleigh  was  aided  in  his  endeavours  against  Mary  by  the  parliamciit; 
but  Elizabeth,  though  both  her  anxiety  and  her  anger  daily  grew  strniifi;er. 
parsonally  interfered  to  prevent  a  bill  of  attaindor  against  Mary,  and  cvca 
another  bill  which  merely  went  to  exclude  her  from  the  succe^-si()n. 

Towards  the  friends  of  Mary,  Elizabeth  was  less  merciful.    Thceari  | 
of  Northumberland  was  delivered  by  Morton — who  had  succeeded  Lenox 
in  the  Scotch  regency — into  the  hands  of  the  English  ministers;  and  thai 
chivalrous  and  unfortunate  nobleman  was  beheaded  at  York. 

The  state  of  France  at  this  time  was  such,  from  tho  fierce  enmity  of  the 
catholics  to  the  Huguenots  or  protestants,  as  to  pivo  serious  uneasiness  to 
Elizabeth.  The  deep  enmity  of  Charles  IX.  of  France  towards  the  leader; 
of  his  protestant  subjects  was  disguised,  indeed,by  the  most  artful  caressfs 
bestowed  upon  Coligni,  the  kingof  Navarre,  and  other  leading  Iliigiieiiols: 
but  circumstances  occurred  to  show  that  the  king  of  France  not  only  do- 


THE  THEA8UttY  OF  IlISTOHY. 


fi39 


or  his  goncn.        * 
i\('Vi)Us  iirmj  ot 
i.uuciil  ami  tht 
irfolk  from  hii 
I  il\;it  unhappy 
luui'il  i\)ii)ri>!on- 
icr  lilii^rty,  even 
ill  tlv.vt  wiis  (le- 
uIph  'I.,  to  solicit 
L.     Soiuu  Inllors 
by  llu!   r.Mj;lish 
wiih  tho  (lucfu'a 
ilk  prolcstcil  tint 
of  Scolhiid,  anil 
coulcmplaledaml 

IS  lounil  irniUy  liy 
ucrn  lii'sitalcd  la 
;  (if  England,  who 
^  the  iniiiislcrs  to 
tain  of  licsitaiion 
rliainmit  prnscmcd 
plo  of  tin:  duke,  to 
caded;  dying  wilh 
ic  had  lU)  ill  desiijn 
py  rpirnn  of  Scots 
;  on  this  head ;  bu' 
r  how  could  \w  ox 
o  nvoslaUlish  M:ir\ 
Utiiiir  as  must  Iwvo 
IJ  havi!  led  to  ihc 

and  to  the  welfare 
„  both  at  home  am) 
fin  tho  detention oi 
ly  (pieeii  should  I'C 
.iontps  and  attempii 
not  yet— would  tini 
to  consent  lo  ;iiislii 
,-.4ions  of  lhirl<'i?h 
that  poetic  feelm? 
from  hev  miwl.tli^' 
lie  lure  of  'he  hawk, 


tested  tliose  personages  and  tlicir  French  followers,  hut  lliat  ho  would 
jlidly  «ciz«  i'l'y  &""<l  opportunity  to  aid  Philip  of  Spain  in  llio  destruction, 
ifpos8d)lc,  of  the  protestant  power  of  Knsjliind. 

The  perlidious  Charles,  in  order  to  plunire  the  Huijiicnots  into  the  more 
prufoumlly  fatal  scuuirity,  offered  lo  give  his  sister  Margaret  in  marriage 
lo  the  prince  of  Navarre ;  and  Coligni,  with  other  leaders  of  the  Huguenot 
party,  arrived  in  Pans,  to  eelebrate  a  marriage  which  promised  so  mnuh 
towards  Hie  reconciliation  of  the  two  parlies.  Ittit  so  fur  was  peace  from 
king  the  real  meaninj;  of  the  court  of  France,  that  liie  queen  of  Navarro 
was  poisoned.  This  suspiciously  sudden  death,  however,  of  so  eminent 
a  person  did  not  arouse  tho  doomed  Coligni  and  the  other  proteslauts  to  a 
sense  of  tiu'ir  real  situation.  The  marriajje  was  concluded  ;  and  but  a  few 
ihiys  afiiT,  on  the  eve  of  St.  Hartholomew,  the  designs  of  Charles  IX.,  or, 
more  strictly  speaking,  of  his  execrable  mother,  burst  forth.  The  venera- 
ble Coligni  was  murdered  almost  by  the  king's  side;  ukmi,  women,  and 
liiilJrcn  alike  were  butchered  by  tne  king's  troops,  so  that  in  Paris  alone 
about  live  hundred  persons  of  rank  aiid  above  ten  thousand  of  the  lower 
onlerare  known  lo  have  perished  in  this  most  sanguinary  and  cowardly 
affair.  Orders  were  at  the  same  lime  sent  to  Uoucn,  Lyons,  and  other 
i;reat  towns  of  France,  where  tiio  same  detestable  butcheries  were  coni- 
iiiitted  on  a  jiroporlionably  large  scale. 

The  king  of  Navarre  and  tho  prince  of  Condo  narrowly  escaped.  The 
(lukeof  (iuise  advised  Iheir  destruction,  but  tho  king  had  contracted  as 
mui'h  personal  affection  for  them  as  he  could  feel  for  any  one  but  the  she- 
wolf,  iiis  mother,  and  he  caused  their  lives  to  be  spared  on  condition  of  iheir 
seeming  conversion  to  popery. 

Tile  frightful  massatiro  of  St.  Bartholomew  could  not  but  be  greatly 
alarming  as  well  as  disgusting  to  Flizabeth.  She  could  not  but  perceive, 
from  a  jutchcry  so  frightful  and  excessive,  that  there  was  among  the 
oalholi':  pr  aces  of  the  coittinenl  a  determination  to  exterminate  protest- 
aiitism;  ni/r  could  she  but  feel  that  she,  as  the  (diampion  of  that  faith, 
was  henceforth  more  conspicuously  than  ever  marked  out  for  destruction, 
could  it  be  accomplished  either  by  warfare  or  in  the  more  dastardly  way 
of  private  assassination. 

Charles  IX.  was  himself  conscious  of  the  offence  this  nlrocions  mas- 
sacre of  his  protestant  subjects  must  necessarily  give  to  Klizabelh,  and  he 
sent  a  strong  apology  lo  her  through  Fenelon,  his  ambassador.  To  us  it 
lias  ever  appeared  that  this  apology  did,  in  r(!ality,  only  make  llie  offence 
llie blacker;  Charles  now  calumniated  the  inifortnnate  persons  whom  he 
bl  murdered.  He  pretended  that  he  had  discovered,  just  as  it  was  aboi'.i 
lok carried  into  execution,  a  Huguenot  conspiracy  to  seize  his  ppison, 
and  Ihat  it  was  as  a  necessary  matter  of  self-defence  that  his  catholic  sol- 
Jieryhad  acted.  The  single  fact  that  orders  for  wholesale  massacre  were 
acted  upon  at  distant  provincia.  cities,  as  well  as  at  Paris,  would  at  once 
aiul  for  ever  give  the  lie  lo  this  statement.  Kv(.'H  Charles's  own  ambas- 
sador confessed  that  he  was  ashamed  alike  of  his  country  and  of  the 
apology  which  he  was,  by  his  office,  compelled  to  make  for  so  outrageous 
acrime.  His  office,  however,  left  him  no  choice,  and  he  went  to  court. 
Here  he  found  every  one,  male  and  female,  attired  in  the  deepest  mourn- 
iiij.and  bearing  in  their  features  the  marks  of  profound  grief  ;uid  alarm. 
No  one  spoke  to  him,  even,  until  ho  arriveil  at  the  throne,  where  the 
iiueen,  who  respected  )iis  personal  character,  heard  his  apology  with  all 
'lie  calmness  that  she  could  muster.  Elizabeth  very  plainly,  in  lier  reply, 
showed  that  she  wholly  disbelieved  Charles's  caluniny  upon  his  protestant 
subjects,  but  she  concluded  that  she  would  defer  making  up  her  mind  upon 
ihc  real  feelings  of  Charles  until  she  should  see  how  he  wouhl  act  in 
future,  and  that  in  the  meantime,  as  requested  by  his  own  ambassador. 
slie  would  rather  pity  than  blame  him. 
Vol.  1.-31 


1  ;•', 


.;  f 


.0,'  ,.  ■  ,    ^\  t 


Jit 


530 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


The  massacres  in  France,  joined  to  the  Spanish  massacres  and  perse, 
cutions  in  the  Low  Connlries,  and  the  favour  into  which  Chailus  IX,  now 
visibly  tooiv  the  Guises,  made  it  evident  to  Klizabeth  that  nothiiijr  but  op. 

Eortunily  was  wanting  to  induce  the  French  and  Spaniards  to  unite  for 
er  destruction,  and  she  tool;  all  possible  precautions.  She  fortified 
Portsmouth,  paid  all  requisite  attention  to  her  militia  and  fleet,  imd,  while 
she  renewed  her  open  aUiances  with  the  German  princes,  she  lent  all  the 
aid  that  she  secretly  could  to  the  people  of  the  Low  Countries  to  assist 
them  against  their  Spanish  tyrants. 

A.  D.  1")79. — Beyond  what  we  have  just  now  said  of  the  foreign  policy 
of  Elizabeth  we  need  not  here  say  anything;  the  events  thai  took  pl;u;e 
whether  in  Spain,  the  Netherlands,  or  France,  falling  properly  iiiHier  those 
heads.  The  attention  of  Elizabeth,  as  to  foreigners,  was  aiidrcsscd  chifdy 
to  aidinii  the  protestants  with  secrecy  and  with  as  rigid  economy  and 
stringent  conditions  as  were  consistent  with  efTectual  aid  ;  and  to  knepiiKr 
up  such  a  (ionstant  demonstration  of  vigour  and  a  prepared  position,  as 
might  intimidate  catholic  princes  from  any  such  direct  hostility  to  horns 
would  be  likely  to  provoke  her  into  opeidy  encouraging  and  assisting  their 
malcontent  subjects. 

Tliis  policy  enabled  Elizabeth  to  enjoy  a  profound  peace  during  years 
which  saw  nearly  all  the  rest  of  Europe  plunged  in  war  and  misery.' 

A.  n.  lufiO. — The  alTairs  of  Scotland  just  at  this  time  gave  Klizaheth 
some  un(!asiness.  During  several  years  the  regent  Morton  had  kept  th;it 
kingdom  in  the  strictest  amity.  But  the  regent  had  of  late  wiiolly  lost  the 
favour  of  the  turbulent  nobles,  and  he  found  himself  under  the  necessity 
of  giving  in  his  resignation;  and  the  govenmient  was  formally  assumed 
by  King  James  himself,  though  he  was  i  i)\v  only  eleven  years  of  aijo. 
The  count  D'Aubigny,  of  the  house  of  Lenox,  was  employed  by  tlie  duke 
of  Guise  to  detach  James  from  the  interests  of  Elizabeth,  and  to  cause 
him  to  espinise  those  of  his  mother.  Elizabeth  endeavoured  to  support 
and  reinstate  Morion,  but  D'Aubigny  had  now  obtained  so  much  iiillii- 
ence  wilh  tiie  king,  that  he  was  able  to  have  Morton  imprisoned  and  sub 
sequently  beheaded,  as  an  accomplice  in  the  murder  of  the  late  kiny;. 

With  Spain,  too,  Elizabeth's  relations  were  at  this  period  uneasy  and 
threatening.  In  revenge  for  the  aid  which  he  knew  Eliza!)eih  to  li.ive 
given  to  his  revolted  subjects  of  the  Netherlands,  Philip  of  Spain  seat  a 
body  of  troops  to  aid  her  revolted  subjects  of  Ireland  ;  and  her  complaints 
of  this  interference  were  answered  by  a  reference  to  the  piracies  com- 
mitted l)y  the  celebrated  Admiral  Drake,  who  was  the  first  Englisharui 
who  sailed  round  the  world,  and  who  obtained  enormous  booty  from  the 
Spaniards  in  the  New  World. 

A.  n.  1.381. — The  Jesuits,  and  the  scholars  generally  of  the  contiueiisal 
seminaries  which  the  king  of  Spain  had  established  lo  compensate  to  t!ie 
catnolics  for  the  loss  of  t!ie  unive-sities  of  England,  were  so  obviously 
and  so  intrusively  hostile  lo  the  queen  and  the  prolestant  faith,  that  suinu 
stringent  laws  against  them  and  the  catholics  generally  were  now  passed. 
And  let  any  who  feel  inclined  to  condemn  the  severity  of  tliosc  hnvs  lirst 
reflect  upon  the  continual  alarm  in  which  both  the  queen  and  her  protcs!- 
ant  subjects  had  been  kept,  by  the  pernicious  exertions  of  men  who  never 
seemed  at  a  loss  for  a  Gubtle  casuistry  to  induce  or  to  justify  a  brutal  cru- 
elty or  a  violent  sedition- 
Campion,  a  Jesuit  who  had  been  sent  over  to  explain  to  the  catholics  of 
England  that  they  were  not  bound,  in  obedience  to  the  bull  of  Pius  V.,  to 
rebel  until  ihe  pope  should  give  them  a  second  and  explicit  order  to  thii 
effect — t  e.,  not  until  the  slate  of  England  should  by  accident,  or  by  je- 
suitical  practices,  be  placed  in  convenient  confusion! — being  detecieiliii 
treasonable  practices  directly  opposed  to  his  professed  errand,  was  firsi 
put  to  the  rack  and  then  executed. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


591 


ss  anil  perse- 
irliis  IX,  now 
jlhius  but  op- 
j  to  unite  for 
Sliu   fortified 
eet,i\nil,wHile 
he  leul  ivU  the 
itries  to  assist 


vce  during  years 

uiJ  misery. 

3  gvivc  Elizahpth 

lou  had  l<cpl  lliiil 

tc  wholly  loslii-.e 

ider  llui  u(H"essity 

formally  assumed 

,en  years  of  ii','c, 

iloycd  by  the  duke 

)clh,  and  to  c.\use 

youred  to  suppurt 

ed  so  much  iiiflu- 

iprisoued  and  siib 

the  laic  km- 

period  uneasy  and 

Klizabeih  to  h.ive 

,p  of  Spain  sei\l  a 

iviid  \m-  Qi)m\)hmii 

ihc  piracies  com- 

c  first  Englishman 

lous  booty  from  I'w 

.  of  the  eontincnd 

;  compensate  to  t!je 

were,  so  obviously 

ant  faill>-  ^'''^^  ^"'"l' 
V  were  now  passion. 
vof  UioseU'Wshrsl 

een  and  her  protest- 
,3  of  men  who  neve 

justify  a  brutal  an- 


Elizabeth  had  formerly  been  addressed  with  ofTcrs  of  marriage  by  Alen- 
gon.iiow  duke  of  Aiijou,  brother  to  the  late  tyrant,  Charles  IX.,  of  France, 
and  he  now  renewed  his  addresses  through  his  agent  Simier,  a  man  of 
great  talent  and  most  insinuating  manners.  The  agent  so  well  played 
his  part  in  the  negotiation  that  he  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  powerful  and 
unprioeipled  Leicester,  who  offered  him  every  possible  opposition  and 
ill-  .  The  queen,  wliom  Simier  informed  of  Leicester's  marriage  to  the 
widoiv  of  the  earl  of  Essex,  formally  took  Simier  under  her  especial  pro 
lection,  and  ordered  Leicester  to  confine  himself  to  Greenwich. 

Simier  so  well  advocated  the  cause  of  Anjou,  that  Elizabeth  went  so  far 
;is  to  invite  that  prince  to  England ;  and,  after  making  stipulations  for  the 
aid  of  France,  should  the  interests  of  Anjou  in  the  Netherlands  involve 
her  in  a  quarrel  with  Philip  of  Spain,  Elizabeth,  in  presence  of  her  whole 
conrt  and  the  foreign  ambassadors,  placed  a  ring  on  Anjou's  finger,  and 
distinctly  said  that  she  did  so  in  token  of  iier  ii  tention  to  become  his 
wife.  A.S  she  was  now  nine-and-forty  years  of  age,  and  might  be  sup- 
posed to  have  outlived  all  the  youthful  fickleness  imputed  to  her  sex,  and 
as  she  gave  orders  to  the  bisiiops  to  regulate  the  forms  of  the  marriage, 
every  one  supposed  tliat  it  was  certain.  Despatches  were  sent  to  notify 
the  approaching  event  abroad,  and  in  many  parts  of  England  it  was  auti- 
cipalively  celebrated  by  public  holiday  and  rejoicing. 

But  llie  marriage  of  Elizabeth  to  Anjou  was  looked  upon  with  great  dis- 
like by  the  leading  men  of  the  English  court.  The  duke,  as  a  catiiolic, 
and  a  member  of  a  most  persecuting  I'amily,  could  not  but  be  viewed  with 
fear  and  suspicion  by  sound  statesmen  like  Walsingham  and  Hatton  ; 
while  Leicester,  conscious  that  with  the  queen's  marriage  his  own  vast 
power  and  influence  would  end,  heartily  wished  her  not  to  marry  at  all. 
These  courtiers  employed  her  favourite  ladies  to  stimulate  her  pride  by 
hinting  the  probability  of  her  husband,  instead  of  herself,  becoming  the 
first  personage  in  her  domiiiions  ;  and  to  appeal  to  her  fears  by  suggesting 
tliedan^'ers  to  which  she  would  be  exposed  should  she  have  children;  the 
hitter,  surely,  a  danger  not  very  probable  at  her  time  of  life.  However, 
the  courtiers'  artifices  were  fully  successful.  Even  while  the  state  mes- 
siiijcrs  were  on  their  way  to  foreign  courts  with  the  news  of  the  queen's 
a;iproaehing  marriage,  she  sent  for  Anjou,  and  told  him,  witli  tears  and 
[iMtistations  of  regret,  that  her  people  were  so  much  prejudiced  against 
hfr  union  with  him,  that  though  lior  own  happiness  must  needs  be  sacri- 
fioed  she  had  resolved  'o  consult  the  happiness  of  her  people,  and,  tiiere- 
fore  conld  not  marry  nim.  The  duke  on  leaving  her  presence  threw  away 
i'lC  costly  ring  she  had  given  him,  and  declanid  that  English  women  were 
as  caprieions  as  the  waves  that  surround  their  island.  He  soon  after  de- 
pirled,  and  being  driven  from  Belgium  to  France,  died  there;  deeply  and 
si;icerely  regretted  by  Elizabeth. 

*.D.  1581. — Several  attempts  havii\g  been  made  to  raise  new  troubles  in 
Knijhnid  in  favour  of  the  queen  of  Scof,  the  ministers  of  Elizabeth  made 
every  exertion  to  delect  the  conspirators.  Henry  Piercy,  earl  Nortluim- 
'jrlniid,  brother  to  that  earl  who  was  some  time  before  beheaded  for  his 
connection  with  Mary's  ca\ise  ;  Howard,  carl  of  Aruiidrl,  son  of  the  duke 
of  Norfolk,  that  princess'  late  suitor;  Lord  Paget  and  (Charles  Arundel 
and  Francis  Throgmorton,  a  private  gentleman,  were  implicated.  .Most 
oftliem  escaped,  but  Throgmorton  was  executed.  Mendoza,  the  ."^nanish 
intesador,  who  had  been  the  prime  mover  of  this  plot,  was  sent  homo 
ill  disgrace.  Some  fu'.lher  proofs  of  a  widely  spread  and  dangerous  '-on- 
ipiraey  having  been  discovered  in  some  papers  seized  upon  Creighton,  a 
i^'ottish  Jesuit,  the  English  ministers,  who  found  Mary  connected  with  all 
llipse  attempts,  removed  her  from  the  custody  of  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury, 
*!io  seemed  not  to  have  been  sufficiently  watchful  of  her  conduct,  ami 
'oinmitted  her  to  that  o'  Sir  Amias  Paulet  and  Sir  Drue  Drury,  men  r( 


w  y-  n 


'  m 


■^  .'t!;-;|Hf  .    "Sffi'  ;;    »  '■■ 


632 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


i 


character  and  humanity,  but  too  much  devoted  to  Elizabeth  to  allow  any 
unreasonable  freedom  to  their  prisoner. 

Further  laws  were  at  the  same  time  passed  against  Jesuits  and  popish 
priests,  and  a  council  was  named  by  act  of  parliament  with  power  lo 
goverr  the  kingdom,  settle  the  succession,  and  avenge  tiie  queen's  death 
should  that  occur  by  violence.  A  subsidy  and  two  fifteenths  were  like-' 
wise  granted  to  the  queen. 

During  this  session  of  parliament  a  new  conspiracy  was  discovererl 
which  greatly  increased  the  general  animosity  to  the  catholics,  and  pro' 
portionably  increased  the  attachment  of  the  parliament  to  the  q'.ieen,  and 
their  anxiety  to  shield  her  from  the  dangers  by  which  she  seemed  lo  be 
perpetually  surrounded.  A  catholic  gentleman  named  Parry,  who  had 
made  himself  so  conspicuous  in  the  house  of  commons  by  his  intemperate 
opposition  to  a  bill  for  restraining  the  seditious  practices  of  Komish  priests 
that  he  was  committed  to  the  custody  of  the  serjeaiit-at-arms  and  only 
liberated  by  the  clemency  of  the  queen,  was  now,  in  but  little  less  than 
six  weeks,  charged  with  high  treason.  This  man  had  been  employed  as 
a  secret  agent  by  Lord  Burleigh,  but  not  deeming  liimself  sufFicieiuly  well 
treated  he  went  to  Italy,  where  he  seems  to  have  deeply  intrigued  with 
both  the  papal  party  at  Rome  and  the  ministers  of  his  own  sovereign  at 
home.  Having  procured  from  the  Romish  autiiorities  a  warm  sanction 
of  his  professed  design  of  killing  Queen  Elizabeth  with  his  own  hand,  tliis 
sanction  he  hastened  to  communicate  to  Elizabeth,  and  being  refused  a 
pension  he  returned  to  his  old  vocation  of  a  spy,  and  was  employed  lo 
watch  the  pernicious  Jesuit  Persons,  in  conjunction  with  Ncvil.  Tho'n'h 
actually  in  the  service  of  the  government,  both  Nevil  and  Parry  we're 
men  of  desperate  fortune,  and  their  discontent  at  length  grew  so  desperate 
that  they  agreed  to  shoot  the  queen  when  she  should  be  out  riding.  The 
earl  of  Westmoreland,  under  sentence  of  exile,  chanced  to  die  just  at  this 
period,  and  Nevil,  who,  though  a  salaried  spy,  was  also  in  exile  in  Nor- 
mandy, thought  it  very  likely  that  he,  as  next  heir  to  the  deceased  earl, 
would  recover  the  family  estate  and  title  by  revealing  the  plot  to  which 
he  was  a  party.  Nevil's  revealments  to  the  government  were  confirmei 
by  Parry's  own  confession,  and  the  latter,  a  double  traitor— alike  traitor 
to  his  native  land  and  to  his  spiritual  sovereign — was  very  descrveulv 
executed. 

A  fleet  of  twenty  sail  under  Admirtil  Sir  Francis  Drake,  witli  a  land 
force  of  two  thousand  three  hundred  volunteers  under  Cliristo[)lior  Car- 
lisle, did  the  Spaniards  immense  mischief  this  year,  taking  St.  Jago,  ni':ir 
Cape  Verd,  where  they  got  good  store  of  provision,  but  little  money ;  St, 
Domingo,  where  they  made  the  inlial)itants  save  their  houses  by  the  pay- 
ment of  a  large  sum  of  money;  and  Carlhngcna,  which  they'siniihirly 
held  lo  ransom.  On  the  coast  of  Florida  they  burned  the  towns  of  Sf, 
Anthony  and  St.  Helen's ;  and  thence  they  went  to  the  coast  of  Viri,'iiii;i, 
where  they  found  the  miserable  remnant  of  the  colony  so  l(,ng  hifore 
planted  there  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.  The  poor  colonists  were  at  this 
time  reduced  to  utter  misery  and  despair  by  long  continued  ill  giiece'^, 
and  gladly  abandoned  their  settlements  and  returned  iiome  on  boiirJ 
Drake's  fleet.  The  enormous  wealth  that  was  brought  home  by  that  gal- 
lant commander,  and  Hie  accounts  given  by  his  men  of  both  the  riches 
and  the  weakness  of  the  Spaniards,  made  the  notion  (tf  piracy  upon  the 
Spanish  main  extremely  popular,  and  caused  miuih  evil  energy  to  ho  cm 
ployed  in  that  direction,  wliich  would  otherwise  have  been  of  serious  an 
noyance  to  the  government  at  home. 

Meanwhile  the  earl  of  FiPieester,  who  had  been  sent  to  Holland  in  coin 
mand  of  the  English  auxiliary  forces  to  aid  the  states  against  Spain 
proved  himself  to  be  until  for  any  extensive  military  power.  His  retiniif 
was  princely  in  splendour,  and  his  courtly  manners  and  intriguing  spin 


10  allow  any 

8  and  popish 
ith  power  to 
|uecn's  denlh, 
IS  were  like- 

is  discovered, 
alics,  and  pro- 
,hc  q'lecn,  and 
:  secned  to  be 
irry,  who  had 
lis  intemperate 
[{omish  priests, 
arms  and  only 
I  little  less  than 
en  employed  as 
sufficiently  well 
!  intrigned  with 
vn  sovereign  at 
I  warm  sanction 
J  own  hand,  this 
beins  refused  a 
vas  employed  to 
Ncvil.    Tho'igh 
and  Parry  were 
row  so  desperate 
outriding.    Tlic 
to  die  just  at  this 
in  exile  in  Nor- 
he  deceased  earl, 
the  plot  10  wliiclj 


Iruke,  with  a  land 
Christopher  C;ir- 
.iiv^  St.  Jago.  ni>;ir 
liUle  money ;  St' 
nouses  by  the  pay- 
ich  they  simil.ir'iV 
tho  towns  of  >!. 
.  coast  of  Virginia, 
,uy   so  long  lieto 
iiists  were  at  m 
,i,med  ill  success 
,1   home  on  boarl 
,  home  by  that  gal- 
of  lioth  the  ruhcs 
of  piracy  upon  the 
,il  energy  to  1)0  cm 
been  of  serious  an 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


539 


raused  him  to  be  named  captain-general  of  the  United  Provinces,  and  to 
have  the  guards  and  honours  of  a  sovereign  prince.  But  liere  his  achiove- 
ments,  which  gave  deep  offence  to  Klizabeth,  began  to  diminish  in  bril- 
liancy. Though  nobly  aided  by  his  nephew,  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  one  of  the 
most  gallant  and  accomplished  gentlemen  who  have  ever  done  honour  to 
Kngland,  tie  was  decidedly  inferior  to  the  task  of  opposing  so  accomplish- 
ed a  general  as  the  prince  of  Parma.  He  succeeded  In  the  fii'=it  instance 
in  repulsing  the  Spaniards  and  throwing  .succours  into  Grave;  but  the 
cowardice  or  treachery  of  Van  Hemert — who  w.as  afterwards  put  to  death 
pursuant  to  the  sentence  of  a  court  martial — betrayed  the  place  to  the 
Spaniards.  Venlo  was  taken  by  the  punce  of  Parma,  as  was  Niiys,  and 
t!,e  prince  then  sat  down  before  Rhimberu-.  To  draw  the  prince  from  be- 
fore this  last  named  place,  which  was  garrisoned  by  twelve  hundred  men 
veil  provided  with  stores,  and  upon  whicii.  consequently,  Leicester  should 
have  allowed  the  prince  to  have  wasted  his  strength  andfi/ifnhavc  brought 
iiini  to  action,  Leicester  laid  siege  to  Zutpiieii.  The  prince  tliought  this 
place  far  too  important  to  be  allowed  to  full  into  the  hand.s  of  the  English, 
ami  he  hastened  to  its  aid,  sending  an  advanced  guard  under  the  marquis 
of Cuesto  to  throw  relief  into  tho  fortress.  A  body  of  English  rivalry 
fell  in  with  this  advance,  and  a  gallant  action  commenced,  fn  winch  the 
Spaniards  were  completely  routed,  with  the  loss  of  the  marquis  of  tionza- 
go,  an  Italian  noble  of  preat  military  reputation  and  abilliy.  in  tliis  ac- 
tion, however,  the  English  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  l(is(!  the  noble  .^ir 
Philip  Sidney,  whose  accomplishments,  humanity,  and  love  of  literature 
made  him  the  idol  of  the  great  writers  of  the  age.  The  humanity  which 
Lad  marked  his  whole  life  was  conspicuouH  even  in  the  la»t  sad  .^cene  of 
his  death.  Dreadfully  wounded,  and  tortured  wiih  a  raging  thirst,  he  was 
about  to  have  a  bottle  of  water  applied  to  his  parched  lips,  when  he  caught 
the  eyes  of  a  poor  private  soldier  wlio  lay  near  him  in  the  like  feven^ 
state,  and  was  looking  at  the  bottle  witli  tin,'  eager  envy  which  only  the 
wounded  soldier  and  the  desert  wanderer  can  know.  "  Give  Inm  the  wa- 
ter," said  the  dying  hero,  •'  his  necessity  is  still  greater  than  mine," 

While  Leicester  was  barely  keeping  ground  against  Spain  i«  f\m  ''•,t>'^ 
erlands,  and  Drake  was  astounding  and  ruining  the  Spaniards  lu  varK  ■'<# 
parts  of  the  New  World,  Elizabeth  was  cautiously  securing  herse;:  on  ?,',« 
sii!e  of  Scotland.  Havin'j  obtained  James's  alliance  by  a  dexterous  ad- 
mixture of  espionage  and  more  open  conduct,  Elizabeth  felt  that  she  had 
but  little  to  fear  from  foreign  invasion.'; ;  it  being  stipulaied  in  their  league 
''that  if  Fdiz-^-beth  were  invaded,  .Fames  should  aid  her  with  a  body  '■■f  'wo 
thousand  horse  and  five  thousand  fool ;  that  Klizabeth,  in  the  like  -...se, 
should  send  to  his  assistance  three  thousand  horse  and  six  thousand  foot; 
that  the  charge  of  these  armies  should  be  defrayed  by  the  prince  who  de- 
manded assistance ;  that  if  the  invasion  should  be  made  upon  England, 
within  sixty  miles  of  the  frontiers  of  Scotland,  this  latti  r  kingdom  s^iould 
march  its  whole  force  to  the  assistance  of  the  former;  and  that  the  pres- 
ent league  should  supersede  alt  former  alliaiice«  of  either  state  with  any 
foreign  kingdom  so  far  as  religion  was  concerned." 

And,  in  truth,  it  ivas  reipiisite  that  Elizabeth  should  he  well  prepared  at 
home,  for  her  enemies  abroad  grew  more  and  more  furious  affiifrnt  her, 
as  every  new  occurrence  more  strongly  displayed  the  sagacity  of  \n>t 
ministers  and  her  own  prudence  and  firinness  in  supporting  them.  Parrly 
on  account  of  the  imprisonment  of  the  queen  of  .ScoU,  but  chiefly  />n  ac- 
count of  those  rigorous  laws  which  their  own  denpf  rtti**  and  sUmiii'tu] 
conduct  daily  made  more  necessary,  the  foreign  piifHets.  ^nd  still   mof«r 

he  English  seminary  at  Rheims,  had  become  wrought  up  to  so  violent  a 
liiry,  that  nothing  short  of  the  agsassination  of  Elizabeth  was  now  deemed 
worthy  their  contemplation. 

'olm  Ballard,  a  priest  of  the  seminary  at  Rheims,  hnving  been  engajf«<l 


ill 


f3 


M 


w 


,. .  I 


^k0^' 


jm 


634 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


II 


in  noticing  and  stirriiifr  up  the  fiinaticul  zeal  of  the  catholing  of  EiiT'.and 
and  Scotland,  proposed,  on  his  return  to  Rheiins,  the  attempt  to  dethrone 
Elizabeth  and  to  reestablish  papacy  in  Kiigland,  an  enterprise  which  lie 
pretended  to  think  practicable,  and  that,  too,  \vith(nit  any  extraordiuarv 
difficulty.  At  nearly  the  same  time  a  desperate  and  gloomy  fanatic,  Jolif, 
Savage,  who  had  served  for  several  years  under  the  prince  of  Parma  iu 
the  Low  CountrieH,  and  who  was  celebrated  for  a  most  indomitable  reso- 
lution, offered  to  assassinate  Klizabeth  v»-ith  his  own  hands.  As  tliat  deed 
would  greatly  facilitate  the  proposed  revolution  in  England,  the  priesis  of 
Rheims,  who  had  long  preached  up  the  virtuous  and  lawful  ch;u,vctcr  of 
the  assassination  of  heretical  sovereigns,  encouraged  him  in  his  U'siirn 
whicli  he  vowed  to  pursue,  and  the  more  fanatical  catholics  of  Eiiii rnj 
were  instructed  to  lend  him  all  possible  aid.  Savage  was  speedily  fol- 
lowed to  Knyland  by  Ballard,  wlio  look  the  name  of  Captain  Kortcs-cup 
and  busied  himself  night,  and  day  in  preparing  means  to  avail  hiaisilf  of 
the  awe  and  confusion  ir.  nhicli  the  nation  could  not  fail  to  bo  pluiiucdbv 
the  success  of  the  aUempt  which  he  doubted  not  that  Savage  would 
speedily  make. 

Anthony  I3abington,  a  Derbyshire  gentleman,  had  long  been  known  to 
the  initialed  abroad  as  a  bigoted  catholic  and  as  a  romantic  lover  of  the 
imprisoned  queen  of  Scots.  To  this  gentleman,  who  had  the  property 
and  station  requisite  to  render  liim  useful  to  the  conspirators,  Ualhird  aij. 
dressed  himself.  To  resi(/re  the  cath(di(;  reli;:ion  and  place  Mary  on  the 
throne  of  Kngland,  linbington  considered  an  v^nierprise  that  fidly  wyfriiiit- 
ed  the  murder  of  Klizabeth  ;  bnl  he  objecttul  to  ent-usling  :lic  execution 
of  so  ini[)ortant  a  pndiminary  to  the  proposed  revoluti(jii  to  one  hand. 
The  slightest  nervousness  or  error  of  that  one  man,  Uabini'ton  truly  re- 
marked, would  probably  involve  the  lives  or  fortunes  of  all  the  chief 
catholics  in  England.  He  proposed,  therefore,  that  five  others  shoiiM  be 
joined  to  -Savage  in  the  ciiarge  of  the  assassination.  So  dcspciato  \v;is 
the  vilhiiny  of  Savage,  and  he  was  so  angry  at  this  proposal  divi.sion  of  ;i 
cruel  and  cowardly  treason,  that  it  was  only  with  somt;  dinicnlty  that  his 
priestly  colleague  induced  him  to  share  what  the  wretch  impiously  tcrnicj 
the  "glory"  of  the  deed,  with  DarnwidI,  Charnock,  Tilney,  and  'richhoriie; 
all  of  them  gentlf'uien  of  station,  character,  and  wealth  ;  and  l),il)ii::,'Mn, 
also  a  man  of  wealth,  character,  and  station,  which  lu;  owed  to  the  forniet 
service  of  his  father  as  cofferer  to  the  very  queen  whom  it  was  now  pru- 
posed  to  slay!     Such  is  that  lerril)le/'>«5  cnminis,  fanaticism  ! 

It  was  determined  that  at  the  very  same  hour  at  whicli  Savage  and  his 
colleaijues  shonld  assassinate  Klizabeth,  the  queen  of  .Scots  should  tie  out 


riding,  when  Habington,  with  I'^dward,  brother  of  Lord  Windsor,  and  sev- 
eral other  gentlemen,  al  the  head  of  a  hundred  horse,  should  attack  her 
guards  and  escort  her  to  London,  where  she  would  hi;  procdaiincd  ;;ii  ' 
the  ac(damations  of  the  c(jnspirators,  and,  doubtless,  all  catholics  w 


;;inul 
dio 


uhould  see  her. 

That  this  hellish  plot  would  have  sf.cceeded  there  cm  be  li'.tle  doubt 
but  for  ill'.!  '.vatchful  eyi;  of  Walsingham,  whicdi  had  from  the  rtrsl  been 
upon  Uallard  ;  and  while  that  person  was  busily  plotting  a  rcvoli,tiu:i 
which,  fcoivimenciiig  with  the  assassination  of  the  queen,  would  almost 
inf.iliibly  have  ended  with  a  general  massacre  of  the  proiestants,  lie  was 
unconsciously  telling  all  his  ;)rincipal  proceedings  to  Walsingham,  tint 
able  and  resolute  minister  having  placcMl  spits  aiiout  him  who  rciiorieJ 
everything  of  importance  to  the  secretary.  (iiflVird,  anoiher  scniniary 
priest,  also  entered  iIk;  pay  of  ihe  minister,  and  enabled  him  to  obtiiin 
copies  of  correspondence  between  Habingloii  and  the  (jueen  of  Scots,  in 
which  he  spoke  of  the  murder  of  Elizabeth  as  a  lra>rical  exe.cntiim  which 
he  would  willingly  undertake  for  .Mary's  sake  and  service,  and  she  replied 
that  she  highly  approved  of  the  whole' plan,  including  the  atsassinationol 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


535 


ihe  quopn,  a  general  insurrection  aided  by  foreign  invasion,  and  Mary's 
owH  (icliverunce.  Nay,  the  queen  of  Scots  went  still  fartiior ;  slie  said 
ihiittlie  gentlemen  engaged  in  this  enterprise  might  expect  all  the  reward 
itslioiilil  ever  be  in  her  power  to  bestow;  and  reminded  them  thai  it 
would  be  but  lost  labour  to  attempt  an  insurrection,  or  even  her  own  re- 
lease! fiom  her  cruel  imprisonment,  until  Elizabeth  were  dead. 

We  have  nut  scrupled  to  declare  our  dislilt^  of  the  original  conduct  of 
Elizabelti,  so  far  as  we  deem  it  criminal  or  mean.  But  we  cannot  there- 
fore shut  our  eyes  to  the  fact,  that  though  party  writers  have  made  many 
ami  zealous  attempts  to  show  that  the  whole  plot  was  of  Walsiiigham'a 
ccnirivaiice,  tlic  evidence  against  Mary  was  as  complete  and  satisfactory 
iishuiiiiiu  evidence  could  be.  That  Walsingham  employed  sjjjes,  that 
these  were  chiefly  priests  who  were  false  to  their  own  pariy,  and  that 
sonieoflliem  were  men  of  bad  character — what  do  these  ihir.gs  prove? 
Circumstanced  as  Walsingham  was,  knowing  his  queen's  life  to  be  in 
perpetual  danger  from  restless  and  des|)crate  [)l()lters,  wc  really  cannot 
see  how  he  was  to  avoid  that  resort  to  spies,  which  under  any  other  cir- 
cup.istiiiu'cs  we  should  b(!  among  tlu^  first  to  denounce.  Dut  with  whom, 
ihen,  did  these  sjiies  act  !  With  c;itholics  of  station  and  wealth,  whom 
no  spies  could  possibly  have  engaged  in  jjcrilons  and  wicked  proceiidings, 
but  for  their  own  f:  Tce  fanaticism.  And  how  and  from  whom  did  these 
spies  procure  Walsingliant  the  imjiortaiit  letters  which  divulife,!  all  the 
parlicuhus  of  the  intended  villainy  !  IJy  letter  carrying  f -om  .Mary  to  the 
ciwinouied  iJabiiigton,  and  from  IJabington  to  .Mary.  What  film  bigotry 
niiiy  throw  over  the  eyes  of  fierce  [lolilical  partisans  we  know  no!,  but 
assuredly  we  can  imagine  nothing  to  be  clearer  than  the  guilt  of  Mary, 
as  far  :is  she  could  be  guilty  of  conspiriiig  against  the  life  of  Klizabeth — 
wlio  had  so  long  imbitii/red  her  life  and  deprived  her  of  all  enjoyment  of 
lier  erown  and  kingdom,  who  had  mocked  her  Aviih  r.'peated  jirouiises 
which -she  never  inieiided  to  fulfil,  and  w!io  had  (iarried  the  arts  of  policy 
su  far  as  to  outrage  nature  by  making  the  utter  neglect  of  the  imi)risoned 
inolhcr  a  tacit  condition,  at  the  least,  of  friendshii)  and  alliance  with  the 
reigning  son.  The  (commissioners  on  their  return  from  Fotheringay  cas- 
tle pniiiiiunced  sentence  of  death  upon  .Mary,  queen  of  Scots,  but  accom- 
panied the  sentence  with  what — considering  that  from  the  moment  of  her 
ab(iie;iti(iii  in  his  fa'  ()ur,  his  right  to  reign  became  wholly  indepcmlent  of 
hisnioilicr — Si^em^d  a  somewhat  unnecessary  clause  of  e.\ce[)tion  in  fa. 
vourof  James;  which  said  that  "  the  sentence  did  in  no  wise  derogate 
frum  the  title  and  honour  of  James,  king  of  .Scotland  ;  but  that  he  was  in 
the  same  place,  degree,  and  right,  as  if  the  sentiMice  had  never  been  pro- 
luiunccd.'' 

It  is  ViU  extraordinary  hcf,  and  one  which  is  unnoticed  not  only  l»y  the 
partial  writers  who  have  nuleavourt'd  to  throw  the  deserved  degree  ol 
i'laiuc  upon  l''.lizabetli,  ;.nd  .dso  to  represent  Mary  as  allogethcr  free  from 
LlaiiK!  even  where  her  crininaliiy  was  the  most  glaringly  evulenl,  but 
I'veiihythe  impartial  liumu,  that  when  the  stnitence  on  .Mary  was  pub- 
lished 111  liCnidon,  the  people  received  it,  not  with  the  sadness  and  silence 
iirllie  furce  iind  liery  remonstrance  witli  which  the  iinglish  are  wont  to 
rebuke  or  nistrain  evil  doing,  but  by  the  ringing  of  bells,  lighting  of  bon 
fires,  and  ail  the  ordinary  tokens  of  public  rej(iieing.  Does  not  liiis  sin 
Itlc  fact  go  to  prove  that  it  was  notorious  that  Mary,  during  her  confine- 
inent,  was  per|)etually  plotting  against  the  lile  of  the  queen,  and  eiuleav- 
ouriiig  to  deliver  England  and  Scotland  over  to  the  worst  hornns  that 
could  befall  them — the  restoration  of  papacy  and  the  arbitrary  rule  of 
Philip  iif  Spain  1  We  repeal,  whatever  the  former  conduct  of  Klizabeth, 
Mary  of  Scotland  was  now  notoriously  a  public  enemy,  pre|)arcd  to  elay 
'.he  queen  and  expose  the  protestaiits  of  the  nation  to  mass.iore,  so  that 
iheiiiiglu  obtain  her  own  personal  liberty,  and  take  away  Ihe  liburty  of 


Iff- 

.1'  '■    -i 

I  ;  11      I  » 


\A-iim 


836 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


.P^^E;''' 


liii'iii 


conscience  from  the  whole  nation.  That  tiiis  was  the  true  state  of  the 
case  was  made  evident  not  merely  by  the  rejoicings  of  the  miiltitiide  out 
of  doors,  but  by  the  solemn  application  of  tlie  parliament  to  Eliz;il)L>th  to 
allow  the  sentence  to  bo  executed.  Tiie  kin^f  of  France,  (rliicHy  by  Hie 
compulsion  of  the  house  of  Guise  and  tiie  league,  interceded  for  M;iry 
and  James  of  Scotland,  who  had  hitiierto  been  a  most  ccdd  and  neirleeifui 
son,  whatever  might  bo  the  errors  of  iiis  mother,  now  sent  the  master  of 
Gray  and  Sir  E^obert  Mclvil  to  try  both  argument  and  menace  upon  Khz. 
abeih. 

Most  historians  seem  to  be  of  opinion  tiiat  the  reluctance  which  Kiiza- 
beth  for  some  time  exhibited  to  comply  with  what  was  undoubtedly  the 
wish  of  her  people,  the  execution  of  Mary,  was  wholly  fL'ij,^iied.  We 
greatly  doubt  it.  Tiiat  Klizabeth  both  hated  and  feared  .Mmy  \v;is 
inevitable;  Mary's  position,  her  bigotry,  the  persciMl  ill-fceliiiir  she 
had  often  shown  towards  Klizabetli,  and  her  obviuus  wiiiini,niL'ss  to 
sa(rrifice  her  life,  were  surely  not  additions  to  the  character  of  a  \vuin;iii 
who  had  connived  at  her  husband's  death  and  then  married  his  munlcrer, 
whicii  could  have  engendered  any  kindly  feelings  on  llie  |)art  of  u  firiiici'ss 
so  harrassed  and  tlireatened  as  Klizabeth  was  by  the  faction  oi'  wliich 
Mary,  in  England  at  least,  was  the  recognised  head.  Hut  .'.[.'art  Iroin  uH 
womanly  and  humane  relenting,  Elizabeth  coulil  not  but  be  conscious 
that  tlie  death  of  .Mary  would  cause  a  great  accession  to  the  raije  of  the 
catholic  powers  ;  and  apathetic  as  .Tames  had  siiown  himself  hitiierto,  ii 
was  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  violet. t  death  of  liis  molher  woulJ 
rouse  him  into  active  enmity  to  England.  However,  the  queen's  licsitii- 
tion,  real  or  assimied,  was  at  length  overcome,  and  she  signeil  th(!  f;ii;il 
warrant  which  Davison,  lier  secretary,  acting  under  tiie  orders  and  advice 
of  Lord  linrleigh,  Leicester,  and  otiiers  of  the  council,  fortliwith  dispati'li- 
ed  to  Fothcriiigay  by  the  earls  of  Shrewsbury  and  Kent,  who  were  cliaij,'ed 
with  seeing  it  executed. 

A.  D.  1587. — Lnmediati'lj'  on  the  arrival  of  the  two  earls,  they  read  the 
warrant,  and  warned  .Mary  .o  be  prepared  for  execution  at  eight  on  the 
following  morning.  She  received  Mie  news  with  apparent  resiirnaliuii; 
professed  tliat  slie  could  not  have  believed  that  Elizabeth  would  liave  vn. 
forced  such  a  sentence  upon  a  person  not  subject  to  the  laws  and  jurisihc- 
tion  of  England,  but  added,  "  .\s  sueli  is  her  will,  death,  which  imis  ;iii 
end  to  all  my  miseries,  shall  be  to  me  most  welcome  ;  nor  can  I  oslocm 
that  soul  worthy  tlic  felicities  of  iieaven  which  cannot  support  tlie  bo.ly 
under  the  horrors  of  tlie  last  passage  to  those  blisr  .'jl  mansions." 

She  then  asked  foi  the  admission  of  her  own  (thaplain,  but  the  eavl  o! 
Kent  said  that  the  attendance  of  a  papist  priest  was  unneeessary,  as 
Fletcher,  dean  of  I'l^terborough,  a  most  learned  nnd  pious  divine,  woiiM 
afford  iier  all  nee  ■'•ary  ('-isolation  and  instruction.  She  refused  to  see 
him,  which  so  tnuci.  angered  the  earl  of  Kent,  that  he  coarsely,  thoii;rh 
truly  told  her  that  her  death  would  be  ;'ie  life  of  the  protestim'.  religion, 
as  her  life  would  hnve  been  the  death  o:  it. 

Having  taken  a  sparing  and  early  supt)er,  the  unhappy  Mary  passed  liie 
night  in  making  a  distribution  of  her  effects  and  in  religious  olRees,  iiiiii 
her  usual  hour  for  retiring, wlien  she  x\eiit  to  IkkI  and  slept  for  some  hours 
She  rose  very  earU%  and  resumed  her  religimis  exercises,  using  a  coi.m- 
crated  host  which  had  been  sent  to  her  by  Pope  Pins. 

As  the  fatal  hour  approached  she  dressed  herself  in  a  rich  habit  of  vel- 
vet and  silk.  Scarcely  had  she  done  so  when  .-Vudrews,  sheriff  of  r  ' 
county,  entered  'he  room  and  summoned  her  to  the  last  dread  siciii'.  m 
which  she  was  supported  by  two  of  Sir  Amias  Paulet's  guards,  an  inlirin- 
ity  in  her  limbs  preventing  her  from  walking  witlionl  aid.  As  she  eiiterr  1 
the  hall  iidjoining  her  room  bhe  was  met  by  the  (larls  of  Shrewshuiv  aal 
Kent,  Sir  Annas  Paulet,  Sir  Drue  Drury,  and  other  gentlemen;  and  liure 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


S37 


state  or  the 
iiuUiiiulo  out 
I  HUz;ibt!lh  to 
■hii!ny  by  the 
led  for  Mury ; 
md  iiegU'cifiil 

llie  iiiiisUT  of 
i(;o  upuu  Kliz- 

c  which  Ehzii- 
idouhlciUy  the 

feigned.    We 
•ed    Mary  wus 

lU-feeliiiir  slic 
wiUiii;;m;ss  to 
cr  of  ii  womiui 
d  his  murderer, 
irt  of  A  nriiiei'ss 
iicliou  oi'  which 
it  iijv.irt  from  all 
\it  1)0  conscioim 
)  the  raije  of  the 
iiisidf  I'.ilherlo,  ii 
is  mother  would 
R  queen's  lu'sitit- 
;  sii^ntid  tlie  fal;il 
Drders  und  advifs 
rthwilh  dispali;li. 
vho  were  charged 


Sir  Andrew  Melvil,  her  attached  steward,  threw  himself  upon  his  kneea 
before  her,  lamenting  her  fate  and  wringing  his  hands  in  an  agony  of  real 
and  deep  grief.  She  comforted  him  by  assurances  of  her  own  perfect  re- 
sigiiaiion,  bade  him  report  in  Scotland  that  she  died  a  true  womiin  to  her 
religion,  and  said,  as  she  resumed  her  way  to  tlie  scaffold,  "  Recommend 
nie.Mclvii,  tomyson.and  tell  him  that,  notwithstanding  ail  my  distresses, 
I  have  done  nothing  prejudicial  to  the  state  and  kingdom  of  S(;oiland. 
And  now,  my  good  IVlelvil,  farewell ;  once  again,  firewell,  good  Melvil, 
and  grant  the  assistance  of  thy  prayers  to  thy  queeri  and  mistress." 

She  now  turned  to  the  carls,  and  begged  that  her  servants  migiit  freely 
enjuy  the  presents  she  had  given  theiii  and  be  sent  safely  to  their  own 
country  ;  all  which  was  readily  promised.  But  t'lo  earls  objected  to  the 
admission  of  her  attendants  to  the  execution,  and  some  difficulty  was 
even  made  about  any  of  them  being  present  in  iter  last  moments.  This 
really  iiarsh  refusal  roused  her  to  a  degree  of  anger  she  had  not  previ- 
oiisly  shown,  and  she  indignantly  said  to  the  earls,  "I  know  that  your 
iiiislrrss,  being  a  maiden  queen,  would  vouchsafe,  in  regard  of  wonian- 
linod,  that  I  should  have  some  of  my  own  people  about  me  at  my  death. 
Iknow  that  her  majesty  hath  not  given  you  any  such  strict  (;ominand  but 
that  you  might  grant  me  a  request  of  far  greater  courtesy,  even  though  I 
wi-re  a  woman  of  inferior  rank  to  that  which  I  bear.  I  am  cousin  to 
vour  queen,  and  descended  from  the  blood  royal  of  Henry  Vlll.,  and  a 
married  queen  of  France,  and  an  anointed  queen  of  Scotland." 

This  remonstrance  had  due  cfTect,  and  she  was  allowed  to  select  four 
of  her  male  and  two  of  her  female  servants  to  attend  her  to  the  scafTold  ; 
her  steward,  ph3'sician,  apothecary,  and  surgeon,  with  her  maids  Curie 
and  Kennedy. 

Thus  attended,  she  was  led  into  an  adjoining  hall,  in  which  was  a 
crowd  of  spectators,  and  the  scafTold,  covered  with  black  cloth.  The 
warrant  having  been  read,  the  dean  of  Peterborough  stepped  forward  and 
addressed  her  in  exhortation  to  repentance  of  her  sins,  acknowic'liiinent 
of  the  justice  of  her  sentence,  and  reliance  for  mercy  and  salvation  only 
iipnn  the  mediation  and  merits  of  Christ.  During  the  dean's  .uldress 
Mary  several  times  endeavoured  to  interrupt  him,  and  at  tlie  conclusion 
shes.iid,  "Trouble  not  yourself  any  more  about  the  m;Mt('r,  for  I  was 
born  in  this  religion,  I  have  lived  in  this  religion,  and  I  •111  die  in  this 
relijion." 

%c  now  ascended  the  scafTold,  saying  to  Paulct,  who  lent  her  his  arm, 
"1  thank  you,  sir;  it  is  the  last  troulile  1  shall  give  you,  and  the  most 
acceptai)lc  service  that  you  ha^e  r'V(  r  rendered  me."  The  queen  of  Scots 
now,  in  a  firm  voice,  told  tli-v  persons  -ssembied  that  "She  would  have 
ilioin  recfdlect  that  she  was  a  sovereign  princess,  not  subject  to  the  par- 
liament of  Kngland,  but  brought  llicre  t»  suffer  by  violence  and  injustice. 
She  thanked  God  for  having  given  her  this  opportunity  to  make  public 
profession  of  her  faith,  and  to  declare,  as  she  often  before  had  declared 
'hat  she  had  never  imagined,  nor  comj^asscd,  nor  consented  to  th(>  death 
"I'tlie  English  queen,  nor  even  sought  the  least  harm  to  her  person.  \f- 
ir  her  death  many  tbnigs,  which  were  thtm  buried  in  darkness,  woidd 
come  to  light.  Hut  she  pardoned,  from  her  heirt,  all  her  enemie;!,  nor 
shoiill  her  tongue  utter  tl'at  whi(di  migh'  '•liaiue  to  |)rej'idic(!  them.'' 

\;  a  sign  from  the  earls  the  weepicg  maid  servants  now  advanced 
'odisrohe  their  niislrcss.  The  executioners,  in  llu-ir  sordid  fear  lest  they 
slunild  thus  lose  their  perquisites,  the  rich  aitiro  of  the  queen,  hastily  in- 
■I'ri'ered,  Mary  blushed  and  drew  back,  ob»>«-r»ing  that  she  ha*',  not  been 
accustomed  to  u  ;r>  •■  before  fuch  an  audience,  or  to  be  served  by  such 
valelg.    Bui    ;\.s  <'riercm-^<\  was  made  by  the  earls  she  submitted; 

herneck  w.is  bared;  iier  mai--;.  kenn«'ily,  i;iined  a  handkerchief,  edged 
«uh  gold,  over  her  eyes ;  aaJ  .i.    exe^uUytw-i  takmg  Iwld  of  each  of  her 


1  " 


<-*  'It 


A- 


S98 


THE  TREASURY  OF  UlSTORr. 


arms,  led  her  to  llic  block,  upon  wliich  she  laid  her  head,  saying  auJibly 
and  in  firm  tones,  "  Into  thy  hands,  O  Gtd,  I  c-oinmend  my  spint." 

The  executioner  now  advanced,  but  was  so  completely  unnerved  thiii 
his  first  blow  missed  the  neck,  deeply  wounding  the  skull ;  a  sei'iond  was 
likewise  incflrectual;  at  the  third  the  head  was  severed  from  the  body. 
The  unhappy  lady  evidently  died  in  intense  agony,  for  when  he  oxliiluiej 
the  head  to  the  spectators,  the  muscles  of  the  face  were  so  distorted  that 
the  features  could  scarcely  bo  recognised. 

When  the  executioner,  on  exiiibiling  the  head,  cried  "  God  save  Quoeii 
Elizabeth,"  the  dean  of  Peterborough  replied,  "  And  so  perish  all  hcrnne 
mies;"  10  which  the  carl  of  Kent  added,  "So  perish  all  the  enemies  of  the 
gospel." 

The  body  was  on  the  following  day  embalmed  and  buried  in  Pete. 
borough  (Mlliedral,  whence,  in  the  next  rei^n,  it  was  removed  to  Wist- 
minster  abbey. 


ii 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

THE  REIGN  OF  EI.IZADETH  {cOnlinUCll.) 

A.  D.  1587. — The  tragical  scene  wo  have  just  described  must  have  con. 
vinced  even  the  most  devoted  of  Elizabelirs  subjects  that  tiifir  "viig.a 
queen"  was  not  over-abundantly  blessed  with  the  "  goil-like  (luajiiy  of 
mercy,"  whatever  opinion  they  might  entertain  of  Mary's  (jarticipaiioa  iii 
the  crime  for  which  siic  suflerod.  iJul  there  arc  many  eireuinsiauces  ( ou- 
nected  with  the  tiislory  of  this  period  whicit  may  be  plraded  in  exliMuia- 
tion  of  coiidiicl  that  in  less  critical  times  could  only  be  viewed  wiih  ua- 
alloyed  abhorrence  and  disgust.  Ttie  massacre  of  St.  Uartholoinow  was 
still  fresli  in  the  recollection  of  every  one,  and  the  bigoted  zeal  wliicli  t!ie 
queen  of  Scots  ever  displayed  in  favour  of  the  catholics,  whow,  asi'cail- 
ancy  in  Kngland  she  ardently  desired,  gave  a  mournful  pres.i>re  tif  what 
was  to  be  expected  by  the  protcstant  population  should  their  opjfoiu'iiis 
succeed  in  their  desperate  machinations.  Neitlier  must  we  disregaiJ  thu 
assertion,  so  of'en  made  and  never  disproved,  that  wlien  Eiizabctli  siiru! 
the  wauant  of  execution,  she  not  only  did  so  with  much  apparent  nhu- 
tancc,  but  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  Davison,  her  private  sccri'tary,  ex- 
pressly ciiargiiig  him  not  to  use  it  witiiout  farther  orders.  WhatcviT,  in- 
deed, may  liave  been  her  secret  wishes,  or  real  intentions,  her  sul)si'qi,i'!it 
behaviour  had  tiic  semblance  of  unfeigned  sorrow.  Could  it  be  proveil  to 
have  been  otherwise,  no  one  would  deny  that  lit  r  conduct  tiirou^jhoiit  was 
characterized  by  unparalleled  hypocrisy — a  prolbund  dis.siinulation  wntim 
in  ciiaracters  of  blood. 

Flizabeth,  in  fad,  did  what  she  trould  to  throw  ofT  the  odium  lliat  this 
sau^uinary  transaction  had  ca.st  u[)on  lier.  She  wrote  to  llit  king  ol 
Scotland  111  terms  of  the  dee[)est  regret,  declaring  that  the  warrant  she 
had  been  induced  to  .sign  was  to  have  lain  dormant,  and,  in  pruofof  hii 
Sincerity,  shi;  imprisoned  Davison,  ami  fined  him  in  the  sum  of  10,OOU/, 
which  reduceil  hnn  to  b  state  not  far  removed  from  actual  beggary. 

One  f>f  tlic  most  memorable  events  in  English  history  was  now  near  at 
hand;  nn-  which  called  for  all  the  energy  and  patriotic  devotion  llial  a 
krave  and  mdependcnt  people  were  capable  of  making;  aiui,consequ''iiily, 
every  minor  consideration  vanished  at  its  approach.  This  was  llir  pra- 
tected  invasion  of  Kngland  by  Philij)  of  Spain.  This  monarcli,  disap- 
pointed in  lus  hopes  of  marrymg  lOlizabelh,  returned  the  queen  her  cullar 
of  the  garter,  and  from  that  time  the  most  irreconcdahle  jealousy  appears 
t'f  have  existed  between  them.  In  all  the  ports  throughout  his  extensive 
4iMnimons  ilie  note  of  preparation  was  heard,  and  the  most  powerful  mivv 


THE  TttEA3UaY  OF  IIISTOttY. 


AN 


must  have  con. 
.;il  llii'ir  "virg,;\ 
il-liko  (lualiiy  ol 
j  parliciiKitiou  ill 
•cuinsUuicoscoii- 
uleil  in  exUM\ii;i- 
viewed  with  uu- 
liirtholoivu'w  \v:is 
'd  zoiil  whii'li  the 
s,  \vlK>>t  aSi'tMl'i- 


ihathaJ  ever  boen  collected  was  now  at  his  disposal.  An  army  of  50,003 
men  were  also  iissciublcd,  nnder  expcriniiced  guueralf;,  and  tlie  (rommant! 
of  tlif!  wliolu  was  Riven  to  the  celebratpd  duke  of  I'arina.  Tlio  eaiiioiics 
oil  she  coiiiinent  were  in  an  ccslacy  of  dcli|rht ;  llio  pope  bestowed  tiis 
ijenedii'tiun  on  an  exjjediliou  llial  seemed  destined  oiuc  more  to  resloro 
the  supreniacy  of  thu  holy  see,  and  it  was  unanimously  hailed  by  all  wl',0 
wishi'd  it  si'ci.'css  as  the  invincible  armada. 

Ti)  ri'pcl  this  nsigluy  array,  no  means  within  the  reach  of  Elizabeth  i.nd 
her  able  ministers  were  forgoiten,  nor  could  anylliin;j  exceed  liie  enthusi- 
sslit  determination  of  her  subjects  to  defend  llicii  altars  and  their  homes. 
Anioiig  the  newly  raised  levies  the  inililia  formed  a  very  important  item  ; 
lliu nobility  also  vied  with  each  other  in  their  efforts  of  assistance;  and 
!,oril  iliiiititigdon  ajono  raised  40,000  foot  and  10,000  horse.  The  royal 
navy  iiail,  fortunately,  been  on  llie  increase  for  a  lon;j  time  previous,  and 
thu  successful  exertions  of  Admiral  Drake  in  the  Indies  had  infused  a  de- 
grto  of  confidence  into  our  sailors,  l)efore  unknown  in  the  service. 

Tiic  views  of  the  Spanish  king  havinij  been  fully  ascertained  by  the 
piiiissaries  of  Klizabeih,  she  ordered  120,000  troops  to  be  cantoned  along 
till' sdiitlicrn  coast  of  the  kingidom,  in  such  a  manner  that  iii  forly-eiglit 
iiuiirs  tlie  whole  migiil  be  assembled  at  any  port  where  there  was  a 
probiiliilily  of  tiie  enemy's  landing.  A  large  and  well-discipUned  corps, 
also,  ainDiiiiting  to  l.'4,000  men,  was  encamped  at  Tilbury  fort,  near  the 
numtli  of  the  Thames,  under  the  immediate  command  of  tho  earl  of  Lei- 
KiWr,  who  was  appointed  generalissimo  of  the  army.  Tliese  troops  the 
qmeii  reviewed,  and  having  harangued  them,  rode  ti  lough  the  lines  with 
liie  sciicrai — her  maimer  evincing  great  tirinness  and  intre[)i(lity,  which 
uliilf  it  gave  cc/a/ to  the  scene,  filled  every  breast  with  patriotic  ardour. 
The  residue  of  her  troops,  amounting  to  :5 1,000  foot  and  2,000  horse,  re - 
niaiiK'(iui)out  tho  queen's  person;  and  tlie  militia  were  in  readiness  to 
ruiiforce  tlie  regular  troops  wherever  then'  might  be  ocirasiiin. 

All  the  ports  and  accessible  points  on  the  coast  were  lortified  and  strong- 
ly gnrrisoiied;  but  though  orders  were  givi'ii  to  ojipose  the  enemy's  de- 
Moiit,  wherever  it  might  be,  the  respective  commanders  were  directed  not 
locuine  to  a  general  engag(.'meiit  in  the  event  of  their  landing,  but  to  re- 
lire  and  lay  waste  the  country  before  them,  that  the  Spaniards  might 
meet  witii  no  subsistence,  and  be  perpetually  harassed  in  their  march. 
Nor  was  anything  left  uiulone  that  might  b(!  likely  to  eoninbutc  to  the 
defeat  of  the  armada  by  sea.  Lord  Howard  of  KfTingliam  was  created 
lop!  iii^di  admiral,  and  Sir  Francis  Drake  vice-admiral,  who,  together  with 
liiiukiiis  and  Frobisher,  were  stationed  near  Plymouth,  to  oppose  the 
tiieiny  as  he  entered  the  channel ;  while  Lord  Henry  Seymour  commanded 
another  lluel  upon  the  coast  of  Flanders,  to  prevent  the  duke  of  Parma 
fruiii  tiringing  over  troops  from  that  quarter. 

A.  0.  1588. — The  armada  sailed  from  Lisbon  on  the  30th  of  May,  but 
beiiin;  dispersed  by  a  storm,  rendezvoused  at  Coruima  and  did  not  enter 
the  Knglisli  (diannel  until  tli«!  i'Jili  of  .Inly,  when  Ftlingliani  sufTered  them 
lupass  him,  but  kept  close  in  ihcr  rear  until  the  Slst.  'i'he  duke  of  Me- 
dina Sidunia  (the  Spanish  admiral)  cx[)e(.'ted  to  have  been  here  joined  by 
the  duke  of  Parma  and  the  land  forces  under  his  command,  but  the  latter 
hail  found  it  impracticable  to  put  to  sea  wiilioni  encountering  the  fleet  ol 
Lord  Seymour,  by  wiiich  he  justly  feared  that  both  his  ships  and  men 
would  be  put  in  the  utmost  jeopardy. 

for  ''our  days  a  kind  of  brisk  running  figlit  was  kept  up.  m  wdiich  the 
lliiglisli  had  a  decided  advantage;  and  the  alarm  having  now  spread  from 
liiHcndof  the  coast  to  the  other,  the  nobility  and  gentry  hastened  out 
wilh  their  vessels  from  every  liarboiir,  and  reinforced  the  Fnglish  fleet, 
which  sDOu  amounted  to  140  sail.  The  earls  of  Oxford,  N'ortiuimberland, 
iiid  Cu.aiberlund,  Sir  Thomas  Cecil,  Sir  Robert  Cecil,  Sir  Waller  Raleigh. 


y  ■"*■•  ^'-i 


w^^ 


540 


THE  TUEASUllYOF  IIISTOIIY. 


Sir  Thotnas  Vuvasor,  Sir  Thomas  Ocrraii-J,  Sir  Charles  HlounI,  w,'.<\  rnany 
others  distinguished  thomHclvcs  hy  tins  {{eiieroiis  :iiid  soasoiiiiblo  proof  of 
their  loyalty.  On  the  liUh  tho  lord  admiral  divided  the  ttcrX  into  four 
sciuadroiis,  the  better  to  pursue  and  annoy  the  enemy;  the  fust  sqiiadroii 
he  himaidf  eommandcd  ;  the  second  he  assijfiied  to  Sir  Francis  Dndvi;- 
the  third  to  .Sir  John  Hawkins ;  and  the  fourth  to  Sir  Martin  FrohisliiT. 
The  result  of  this  was,  that  in  the  three  succeeding  days  the  arniiula  h: 
become  so  shattered  by  tlie  repealed  skirmishes  in  which  it  had  been  ti: 
gasjed,  that  it  was  eompelled  to  take  shelter  in  the  roads  of  ('alais. 

The  Mnjflish  admiral  having  been  iiiCormed  that  10,000  men  bcjongint 
to  the  duke  of  Parma's  army  liad  marcdied  towards  ixmkii'k,  and  apprc'! 
hendiii<„f  serious  consequences  from  llic  enemy's  receiving  sueh  a  ccm- 
forcement,  determined  to  spend  no  more  time  in  making  desultory  atliicks 
on  the  Imge  galleons  with  his  comparatively  smad  vessels.  Aecorilinrrly, 
in  tlie  ni;iht  of  the  C8lh  of  July,  he  sent  in  among  them  eight  or  tun  lire- 
ships ;  and  such  was  the  terror  of  the  Spanish  sailors,  ihat  lliey  cut  ihwr 
eabl(>s,  hoisted  sail,  and  put  to  smi  with  the  utmost  hurry  and  confusion. 
In  their  anxiety  to  escape,  victory  was  no  longer  th(niti;lit  of.  The  duke 
of  Medina  Sidonia,  dreading  again  to  encounter  the  Knglisii  licet,  auciniil- 
ed  to  re-turn  honte  by  sailing  round  liie  iiortii  of  Scotland  ;  hut  the  eleiiiciiu 
were  now  as  fatal  to  the  Spanish  licet  as  tlio  skill  and  bravery  of  th'; 
Englisii  sailors.  Many  of  tiie  ships  were  drivtuion  the  shor(!S  of  Norway, 
Ireland,  and  the  north  of  Scotland ;  and  out  of  that  vast  armament  which, 
from  its  magnilude  and  apparent  comi)leteness,  had  been  styled  invincihle, 
only  a  lew  disabled  vessels  relumed  to  tell  the;  tale  of  its  disaslrons  issuf;. 
In  ihn  Severn-  f  n;/agemenls  witli  the  I'lnglish  lleet  in  the  channel,  in  July 
and  .Angus'.,  l!'..  s_-\aniards  lost  fil'leen  great  siiips  and  4,791  men;  seven. 
teen  ships,  ;ui>'  •>,:'.94  men  (killed,  taken,  and  drowned)  upon  the  coast  oi 
Irelan  ',  ui  ^i.\t\i  i.ber;  and  another  large  ship,  with  700  men,  cast  awiiy 
C'l  tlu! '•!' i-,i '.f  S otland.  Uul  this  enumeration  by  no  means  incliidd 
their  total  i'ls-i.  On  the  part  of  the  English  the  loss  was  i-o  irilliiiij  as 
scarcely  to  d.M  rve  mention. 

The  deslructlon  of  the  Spanish  armada  inspired  the  nation  with  foclinj? 
of  intense  delight;  the  peofde  were  proud  of  tiieir  country's  ti^.val  siipcri 
ority,  proud  of  their  own  martial  appearance,  and  proud  ol  their  ipu en 
A  medal  was  struck  on  the  occasion  with  this  inscription  "  Vcnit,  mid-, 
fugi^ — It  came,  saw,  and  fled  :"  anolh<  r,  with  lire-ships  and  a  lleet  in  con- 
fusion, witli  this  motto,  "i>//r  ficnuna  facti'' — "A  woman  eoiulucied  the 
enterprise."  But  on  the  fatal  news  being  conveyed  to  Philip,  lie  tv 
claimed,  in  real  or  alTected  resignation,  *'  I  sent  my  lleet  to  conilwt  [he. 
English,  not  the  elements.     God  be  praised,  the  calamity  is  not  grcaltr." 

If  the  fiestruction  of  the  Spa  si;>!i  armada  had  saved  England  IVoiii  the- 
domination  of  a  foreign  power,  w'lose  resentment  for  past  iiidi;;nilii's  was 
not  likely  to  he  easily  appeased,  it  was  no  less  a  triumph  for  ihe  proiestiiiit 
cause  throughout  Europe;  the  Iliiguc.  Us  in  France  were  encoarageJ by 
it,  and  it  viruially  establishcil  tlie  inile[)endence  of  the  Dutch;  wiiile  liie 
excessive  intluonee  which  Spain  had  acijuired  over  other  iialions  was  i:  . 
only  lost  by  this  event,  but  it  paralyzed  the  energies  of  the  Spanish  pen,  e 
and  lel'l  them  in  a  state  of  utter  hofxdessm^ss  as  to  the  future.  4  da) 
of  public  thanksgiving  having  been  appointed  for  this  great  delivtnince, 
tiie  queen  went  m  state  to  St.  Paul's  in  a  grand  triumphal  car,  deconiled 
W'th  ll.igs  and  other  trophies  taken  from  the  Spaniards. 

The  public  rejoicings  for  the  defeat  of  the  armada  were  scarcely  ovei 
when  an  event  occurred,  which,  in  whatever  lig:ht  it  might  be  fell  by  Kliza« 
belh  herself,  certainly  cast  no  dump  on  the  spirits  of  the  nation  at  hirge 
we  mean  the  death  of  Leiee>?t.er.  Tlie  powerful  faction  of  which  the  la- 
voiirite  had  been  the  head  acknowlodged  a  new  leader  in  the  earlof  Ksscx', 
whom  his  step-falh jr  had  brought  forward  at  court  as  a  counteiT.oi^e  '  ■ 


THE  TllEASUllY  OP  III8T0UV 


S4I 


(tie  influence  of  TI  ilfinh,  and  who  now  stood  srcond  to  riono  m  lior  majes- 
ty's ifood  graces.  IJut  I'.ssex,  however  gil'led  with  noble  and  brilli.'int 
qij:i!ilie!<,  was  confessedly  inferior  to  Leicester  in  several  endowments 
h^liiy  I'saeulial  to  the  leader  of  a  court  party.  Though  not  void  of  art, 
l.e  una  by  no  means  master  of  tiie  dissiniuliiiion,  address,  and  wary  eool- 
m'88  by  which  his  predecessor  well  knew  how  to  accoaipli.sii  his  ends. 
The  character  of  Lswex  was  frank  and  impetuous,  and  experience  had  not 
yd  t;iiiplil  bini  to  distrust  eitlier  himself  or  others. 

A,  D.  IJb'J.— After  the  defeat  of  the  armada,  a  thirst  for  militar  -v- 

meiils  against  tin;  Spaniards  pervaded  the  mindof  thelhigli^ili , 
qui'eii  encouraged  fhis  spirit,  but  declared  her  treasury  wa.t 
siiilaiu  tiie  expenses  of  a  war.     An  assv);Mation  was  ao(jn  fori: 
Kuple,  and  an  army  of  iil.OOO  men,  under  the  conmiand  of  ." 
)r;ikc,  sailed  iVom  IMymouth  to  avenge  the  insult  offered  to  Ki.        .     cy 
Philip  of  Spain.  The  young  earl  of  Kssex,  without  consulting  the  pleasure 
of  his  sovereign,  matfe  a  private  journey  to  Plymouth,  and  joined  the  ex- 
pedition.    iNo  sooner  was  the  (jueen  made  aecpiainted  with  his  absence, 
iliaii  sli'.;  dispatched  the  lord  Huntingdou  to  bring  tlic  fugitive  to  her  feet ; 
but  he  had  already  sailed. 

it  was  the  queen's  order  lliat  the  armament  should  first  proceed  to  Por- 
iu^ai,  and  enduavonr  to  join  the  army  of  Den   Antonio,  who  conten'h'd 

:ih  I'liilip  for  the  possession  cf  the  throne  of  Portugal ;  l)nt  Drake  \\f.  { 
liot  be  restrained  by  instructions,  and  ho  proceedcil  to  (^orunni;  where;  iie 
lost  a  nninber  of  men,  without  obtaining  the  slight,  ^'i  advantage.  In  Por- 
ta;;'' they  were  sean-ely  more  successful  ;  but  at  their  return  their  los 
we  .'Concealed,  their  advantages  magailied,  and  the  public  were  satisfied 
hit.  the  pride  of  Spain  had  been  humbled. 

Elizabeth  might  probably  iiavt;  expected  that  the  death  of  the  queen  of 
Seiiid  would  put  an  end  to  conspiracies  against  her  life  ;  l)Ut  plots  were 
still  as  rife  as  ev<!r;  nor  can  we  feel  surprise  that  it  should  be  so,  consid- 
enii^  that  Elizabetli,  as  well  as  Philip  of  Spain,  employed  a  great  number 
i)f  spii:s,  who,  being  men  of  ruined  fortunes  and  t)ad  principles,  betrayed 
tl'.t:  secrets  ofeither  party  as  their  own  interests  led  them  ;  and  sometimes 
were  the  fabricators  of  ahiriiiing  reports  to  enhance  the  value  of  their  ser 

ViCfiS. 

England  and  France  were  now  in  alliance,  and  the  French  king  called 
fur  llnijlisli  aid  in  an  atl;K'k  upon  Spain,  but  the  queen  had  begun  io  re 
pent  of  the  sums  she  had  already  advanced  to  Henry,  and  demanded  Ca- 
lais as  a  security  for  her  future  assistance ;  for  the  preparations  on  the 
peninsula  alarmed  her  majesty  lest  Philip  should  make  a  second  attempt 
lu invade  Kngland.  At  length  the  Knglish  council  adopted  a  measure, 
proposed  by  the  lord  admiral,  F^oward  of  Kfiingham,  to  send  out  an  expe- 
Jition  that  s.iould  anticipate  the  design  of  the  enemy,  and  destroy  liis  ports 
and  shippiuf ;  Essex  had  the  command  of  the  land  forces,  and  Howard 
that  of  the  n;  vy.  When  the  English  troops  entered  Cadiz,  the  council  of 
war  was  divided  in  opinion  as  to  the  fitness  of  that  siep,  whicli  ended  in 
itie  possession  of  the  city  and  lleet,  from  which  the  troops  returned  with 
glory  for  their  bravery,  and  with  honour  for  their  humanity,  as  no  blood 
liadbeen  wantonly  spilt,  nor  any  dishonourable  act  coinini'ttcd.  Though 
Essex  had  been  the  leading  conquerer  !.t  Cadiz,  the  victory  was  reported 
as  chiefly  attributable  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  to  have  been  in  itself  a 
i-'lieap  and  easy  conquest. 

A.  D.  1591.— The  maritime  war  with  h,M-.in,  notwithstanding  the  cau- 
tious temper  of  the  queen,  was  strenuously  waged  at  this  time,  and  pro- 
duced some  striking  indications  of  the  rising  spirit  of  the  English  navy. 
A  squadron,  under  Lord  Thom.as  Howard,  which  had  been  waiting  six 
months  at  the  Azores  to  intercept  the  homeward-bound  ships  from  Span- 
ish .\inerica,  was  there  surprised  by  the  enemy's  fleet,  which  had  been 


'f.  >y 


If   m 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STMET 

WCBSTIR.N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)  •72-4503 


&J 


> 


542 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


sent  out  for  their  convoy.  The  English  admiral,  who  had  a  much  smaller 
force,  put  to  sea  in  all  haste,  and  got  clear  off,  with  the  exception  of  one 
ship,  the  Revenge,  the  captain  of  which  had  the  temerity  to  confront  the 
whole  Spanish  fleet  of  fifty-six  sail  rather  than  strike  h'.s  colours.  It  was 
however,  a  piece  of  bravery  as  needless  as  it  was  desperate ;  for  after  jijs 
crew  had  displayed  prodigies  of  valour,  and  beaten  off  fifteen  boarding 
parties,  his  ammunition  being  gone  and  the  whole  of  his  men  killed  or 
disabled,  the  gallant  commander  was  compelled  :o  strike  his  flag,  and 
soon  after  died  of  his  wounds  on  board  the  Spanish  admiral's  ship. 

A.  D.  1593. — In  those  days,  when  an  English  sovereign  required  money, 
and  then  only,  the  services  of  a  parliament  were  called  for ;  and  KiizH- 
beth  was  now  under  the  necessity  of  summoning  one.  But  she  conld  ill 
brook  any  opposition  to  her  will ;  and  fearing  that  the  present  slate  of 
her  finances  might  embolden  some  of  the  members  to  treat  her  mandates 
with  less  deference  than  formerly,  she  was  induced  to  assume  a  more 
haughty  and  menacing  style  than  was  habitual  to  her.  In  answer  to  the 
three  customary  requests  made  by  the  speaker,  for  liberty  of  speech,  free- 
dom from  arrests,  and  access  to  her  person,  she  replied  by  iier  lord  keep- 
er, that  such  liberty  of  speech  as  the  commons  were  justly  called  to— lib- 
erty,  namely,  of  aye  and  no,  she  was  willing  to  grant,  but  by  no  means  a 
liberty  for  every  one  to  speak  what  he  listed.  And  if  any  idle  heads 
should  be  found  careless  enough  of  their  own  safety  to  attempt  innova- 
tions in  the  state,  or  reforms  in  the  church,  she  laid  her  injunctions  on  the 
speaker  to  refuse  the  bills  offered  for  such  purposes  till  they  should  have 
been  examined  by  those  who  were  better  qualified  to  jndgd  of  these  mat- 
ters. But  language,  however  imperious  or  scornful,  was  insuflicieiit  to 
restrain  some  attempts  on  the  part  of  the  commons  to  exercise  their 
known  rights  and  fulfil  their  duty  to  the  country.  Peter  Wentworth,  a 
member  whose  courageous  and  independent  spirit  had  already  drawn  npon 
him  repeated  manifestations  of  the  royal  displeasure,  presented  to  the 
lord  keeper  a  petition,  praying  that  the  upper  house  would  join  with  the 
lower  in  a  supplication  to  the  queen  for  fixing  the  succession.  Elizabeth, 
enraged  at  the  bare  mention  of  a  subject  so  offensive  to  her,  instantly 
committed  Wentworth,  Sir  Thomas  Bromley,  who  seconded  him,  and 
two  other  members,  to  the  Fleet  prison  ;  and  such  was  the  general  dread 
of  offended  majesty,  that  the  house  was  afraid  to  petition  for  tiieir  release. 

A.  D.  1596.— Essex,  whose  vanity  was  on  a  par  with  his  impetuosity,  had 
now  attained  the  zenith  of  his  prosperity  ;  but,  confident  in  the  afft-ctions 
of  Elizabeth,  he  frequently  suffered  himself  to  forget  that  a  subject's  duti- 
ful respect  was  due  to  her  as  his  queen.  On  one  memorable  occasion,  it 
is  related,  that  he  treated  her  with  indignity  uncalled  for  and  wholly  in 
defensible ;  a  dispute  had  arisen  between  them  in  the  presence  of  the  lord 
high  admiral,  the  secretary,  and  the  clerk  of  the  signet,  respentinj  the 
choice  of  a  commander  for  Ireland,  where  Tyrone  at  that  time  gave  the 
English  much  trouble.  The  queen  had  resolved  to  send  Sir  William 
Knolles,  the  uncle  of  Essex  ;  while  the  earl  with  unbecoming  warmth 
urged  the  propriety  of  sending  Sir  George  Carew,  whose  presence  at 
court,  it  appears,  was  displeasing  to  him,  and,  therefore,  with  ceurtier-like 
sincerity,  he  thus  sought  to  remove  him  out  of  the  way.  Unable,  either 
by  argument  or  persuasion,  to  prevail  over  the  resolute  willofhcrn.  • 
jesty.  the  favourite  at  last  forgot  himself  so  far  as  to  turn  his  back 
upon  her  with  a  laugh  of  contempt ;  an  indignity  which  she  revenged  in 
the  true  *'  Elizabethan  style,"  by  boxing  his  ears,  and  bidding  him  "Goto 
the  devil,"  or  "  Go  and  be  hanged  !" — for  our  chroniclers  differ  as  to  the 
exact  phrase,  though  all  agree  that  she  suited  the  word  to  the  aotiori 
This  retort  so  inflamed  the  blood  of  Essex,  that  he  instantly  grasped  ii.i 
sword,  and  while  the  lord  admiral  interposed  to  prevent  a  furtlier  ehiilh- 
lion  of  passion,  the  earl  swore  that  not  from  her  father  would  he  liavo 


THE  tubasury  of  histoey. 


643 


a  much  smaller 
xception  of  one 
to  confront  the 
clours.   It  was, 
ite ;  for  after  his 
fifteen  boarding 
s  men  killed  or 
(6  his  flag,  and 
■al's  ship, 
required  money, 
for;  and  Kliza- 
But  she  conld  ill 
present  stale  of 
;at  her  mandates 
assume  a  more 
In  answer  to  the 
y  of  speech,  free- 
by  her  lord  keep- 
tly  called  to— lib- 
lUt  by  no  means  a 
if  any  idle  heads 
o  attempt  inaova- 
injunctions  on  the 
they  should  have 
idfed  of  these  mat- 
vas  insufficient  to 
to  exercise  their 
iter  Wcntworth,  a 
Iready  drawn  upon 
,  presented  to  the 
rould  join  with  the 
jssion.    Elizabeth, 
3  to  her,  instantly 
econded  him,  and 
3  the  general  dread 
an  for  their  release, 
is  impetuosity,  hid 
•nt  in  the  affections 
_.at  a  subject's  duli- 
lorable  occasion,  it 
for  and  wholly  in 
presence  of  the  lord 
•net,  respecting  tlw 
that  time  gave  Hie 
send  Sir  William 
nbecoming  warmth 
whose  presence  at 
■e,  with  caurtier-like 
-ay.     Unable,  cither 
ute  will  of  her  n. 


taken  such  an  insult,  and,  roaming  with  rage,  he  rushed  out  of  the  palace. 
For  a  time  this  affair  furnished  ample  scope  for  idle  gossip  and  conjec- 
ture; the  friends  of  Kssex  urged  him  to  lose  no  time  in  returning  to  his 
attendance  at  court  and  soliciting  her  majesty's  forgiveness.  This,  how 
tver,  he  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  do  ;  but,  like  many  other  quarrels 
among  individuals  of  an  humbler  grade,  it  was  at  length  patched  up,  and 
the  reconciliation  appeared  to  the  superficial  observer  as  perfect,  as  it  was, 
in  all  probability,  hollow  and  insincere. 

Essex  had  long  thirsted  for  military  distinction,  and  had  often  vehe- 
mently argued  with  Burleigh  on  the  propriety  of  keeping  up  a  perpetua 
hoslillly  against  the  power  of  Philip;  but  the  prudent  and  experienced 
minister  contended  that  Spain  was  now  sufliciently  humbled  to  render  an 
accommodation  botii  sale  and  honourable ;  and  his  prudential  counsel  was 
idhered  to  by  the  queen.  Kconomy  in  the  public  expenditure  was,  in  fact, 
necessary ;  and  one  of  the  last  acts  of  Burleigh's  life  was  the  completion 
of  an  arrangement  with  tiie  states  of  Holland  for  the  repayment  of  the 
sums  which  Elizabeth  had  advanced  to  them,  whereby  the  nation  was 
relieved  of  a  considerable  portion  of  its  former  annual  expense. 

After  exercising  very  considerable  influence  in  the  administration  of 
affairs  in  England  for  forty  years,  the  faithful  Burleigh,  whose  devotion  to 
the  queen  and  attachment  to  the  reformed  faith  were  constant  and  sincere, 
died  in  the  78th  year  of  his  age;  and  in  about  a  month  after,  his  great  op- 
ponent, Philip  11.,  also  bowed  to  death's  stern  decree.  Under  his  succes- 
sor the  Spanish  monarchy  declined  with  accelerated  steps;  all  apprehen- 
sions of  an  invasion  ceased,  and  the  queen's  advisers  had  an  opportunity 
of  turning  their  whole  attention  to  the  pacificatioa  of  Ireland. 

A,  D.  1598. — The  Irish  rebel,  Tyrone,  had  successfully  resisted  the  En- 
glish forces  in  several  encounters ;  and  at  length  the  whole  province  of 
Muiister  declared  for  him.  It  was  evident  that  much  time  had  been  spent 
on  minor  objects,  while  the  great  leader  of  the  rebels  was  in  a  manner  left 
to  overrun  the  island  and  subjugate  it  to  his  will.  This  subject  was  ear- 
nestly canvassed  by  Elizabeth  and  her  council;  by  the  majority  of  whom 
Lord  Mountjoy  was  considered  as  a  person  fully  equal  to  the  ofl[ice  of 
lord-deputy  at  so  critical  a  juncture.  Essex,  however,  offered  so  many 
objections  to  his  appointment,  arguing  the  point  with  so  much  warmth 
and  obstinacy,  and  withal  intimating  his  own  superior  fitness  for  the 
olHce  with  so  much  art  and  address,  that  the  queen,  notwithstanding  cer- 
tain suspicions  which  had  been  infused  into  her  mind  respecting  the  pro- 
biibledanger  of  committing  to  Essex  the  chief  command  of  an  army,  and 
notwithstanding  her  presumed  unwillingness  to  deprive  herself  of  his  pre- 
sence, appears  to  have  adopted  his  suggestion  with  an  unusual  degree  of 
earnest  haste.  The  earl  of  Essex  was  accordingly  made  lord-lieutenant 
of  Ireland,  and  with  20,000  choice  troops  he  went  forward  on  his  long- 
desired  mission. 

A.  D.  1599. — Having  landed  at  Dublin  in  the  spring,  Essex  immediately 
appointed  his  friend,  the  earl  of  Southampton,  to  the  office  of  general  of 
the  horse;  but  instead  of  opening  the  campaign,  as  was  expected  by  his 
friends  in  England,  witli  some  hold  and  decisive  operation  against  Ty- 
rone, the  summer  was  spent  in  temporising,  and  before  tne  close  of  the 
year  a  suspicious  truce  between  the  parties  put  fn  end  to  all  his  anticipa- 
tions of  success.  Nay,  so  unexpected  was  the  issue  of  this  expedition, 
that  it  afforded  the  best  possible  opportunity  to  his  enemies  to  shake  the 
queen's  confidence  even  in  his  loyalty.  An  angry  letter  from  her  majesty 
was  the  immediate  consequence ;  and  Essex,  without  waiting  for  the 
foyal  permission,  hurried  over  to  England  in  order  to  throw  himself  at 
Ihe  feet  of  his  exasperated  soveieign.  The  sudden  appearance  of  her  fa- 
vourite, just  after  she  had  risen  from  her  bed,  imploring  her  forgiveness 
"11  his  knees,  disarmed  the  queen  of  her  anger ;  and  on  leaving  the  aoart 


5  i  I 


644 


THE  TRKASUnY  Oic  1II8T0IIY. 


ment,  ho  exclaiined  cxultingly,  "  ihiit  tlioiigh  lio  had  encountered  much 
troublo  and  many  storms  abroad,  he  tiiankcd  Gud  lio  found  a  perfect  calm 
&t  home." 

Tlie  carl  of  Ksscx  doubtless  thought  the  troubled  waters  were  at  rest- 
his  vanity  favoured  the  notion,  and  solf-gratulation  followed  as  a  niattct 
of  ( oursR  ;  but  he  soon  found  that  the  tempest  was  only  hushed  for  tho 
moment,  for  at  night  he  found  Inmself  a  prisoner  in  his  own  house  by  the 
peremptory  orders  of  Klizabelh.  lleart-siek  ajid  eonfounded,  a  sevcru 
illness  was  the  quick  result  of  this  proceeding;  and  for  a  brief  interval  the 

?|ueen  not  only  showed  some  signs  of  pity,  but  administered  to  his  cum. 
ort.  A  warrant  was,  however,  soon  afterwards  mado  out  for  his  com- 
mittal  to  tiio  Tower,  and  though  it  was  not  carried  into  eflect,  yet  his 
vdiance  of  liberty  seemed  too  rcmctte  for  prudence  to  calculate  on.  Hut  llic 
fiery  temper  of  Kssex  had  no  alloy  of  prudence  in  it :  he  gave  way  to  his 
natural  violence,  spoko  of  the  queen  in  peevish  and  disrespectful  terms 
and,  anion}>:  other  things,  said,  "  she  was  grown  an  old  woman,  aiul  waii 
become  as  crooked  in  her  mind  as  in  her  body." 

A.  I).  IfiOO. — Shortly  after  his  disgrace,  Kssex  wrote  to  James  of  Scot- 
land, informing  him  that  the  faction  who  ruled  the  court  were  in  league 
'o  d(!prive  him  of  his  right  to  the  throne  of  Kngland,  in  favour  of  the  infanta 
jf  Spain ;  and  he  offered  his  services  to  extort  from  Elizabeth  an  ackiu)wi- 
edgment  of  his  claims.  It  appears,  indeed,  from  concurrent  testimony, 
that  the  conduct  of  Essex  had  now  become  highly  traitorous,  and  timt  he 
was  srcrellv  collecting  together  a  party  to  aid  him  in  some  entcrjjrise  dan. 
gorous  to  the  ruling  power.  Hut  his  plans  were  frustrated  by  the  activity 
of  ministers,  who  had  received  information  that  the  grand  object  uf  the 
conspirators  was  to  seize  the  queen's  person  and  take  possession  of  tlie 
Tower.  A  council  was  called,  and  Essex  was  commanded  to  attend;  Imt 
he  refused,  assembled  his  friends,  and  fortified  Essex-house,  in  which  he 
had  previously  secreted  hired  soldiers.  Four  of  tho  privy  council  being 
sent  thither  to  inquire  into  the  reason  of  his  conduct,  tic  imprisoned  tliein 
and  sallied  out  into  the  city;  but  he  failed  in  his  attervpt  to  excite  the  peo- 
ple in  his  favour,  and  on  returning  to  his  house,  he  an.l  his  friend  the  carl 
of  Southampton  were  with  some  difilculty  made  prisor  ind  after  having 
been  first  taken  to  Lambeth  palace,  were  committed  Tower. 

A.  D.  IfiOl. — The  rash  and  aspiring  Essex  now  only  ■  .  d  that  ho  mijht 
have  a  fair  trial,  still  calculating  upon  the  influence  of  me  queen  to  prouct 
him  in  the  hour  of  his  utmost  need.  Proceedings  were  commenced  against 
him  instantly  ;  his  errors  during  his  admin'  tratioii  in  Ireland  were  r('|)rc. 
eentcd  in  the  most  odious  colours;  the  mi  .utiful  expressions  he  had  used 
in  some  of  his  letters  were  greatly  exaggeratv-d ;  and  his  recent  treasonable 
attempt  was  dwelt  on  as  calling  for  tho  exercise  of  the  utmost  severity  o( 
the  law.  His  condemnation  followed  ;  judgment  was  pronouiKJcd  against 
him,  and  against  his  friend,  the  eai!  if  Southampton.  This  noble  nan  was, 
however,  spared  ;  but  Essex  was  conducted  to  the  fatal  block,  where  he 
met  his  death  with  great  fortitude,  being  at  the  time  only  in  tlie  thirty 
fourth  year  of  his  age.  Ills  most  active  accomplices  were  Cuff,  his  sec- 
retary, Merrick,  his  steward,  Sir  Christopher  DIount,  his  father-in-law, and 
Sir  Robert  Davers,  who  were  executed  some  few  days  after. 

The  parliamentary  proceedings  of  this  year  were  more  elaborate  than 
before,  particularly  as  regarded  the  financial  state  of  the  country.  It  was 
stated  that  the  whole  of  the  last  subsidies  amounted  to  no  more  than 
160,O00i.,  while  the  expense  of  the  Irish  war  alone  was  300,000/.  On  this 
occasion  it  was  observed  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  that  the  estates  of  the  no- 
bility and  gentry,  which  were  charged  at  thirty  or  forty  pounds  in  the 
queen's  books,  were  not  charged  at  a  hundredth  part  of  their  real  value. 
He  also  moved,  thM  as  scarcely  any  justices  of  the  peace  were  rated  aboTe 
eight  or  ten  pounds  a  year,  they  might  be  advanced  to  twenty  pounds  at 


TIIJI  TRKA8U11Y  OF  IIISTORT. 


646 


lountcred  much 
il  II  perfect  calm 

srs  were  at  rest; 
wod  as  a  innltci 
r  huslird  for  iho 
wii  liDUSc  by  the 
)UU(lu(l,  a  8i!vcru 
jrief  interval  lite 
Bred  to  liis  com. 
mi  f»)r  his  coin- 
to  elTect,  yet  liia 
ulatc  on.   liut  the 
I  gave  way  to  liia 
srcspectful  terms, 
woman,  and  was) 

,o  James  of  Scot- 
rt  were  in  league 
your  of  the  infama 
abcth  an  ackiiowl- 
current  toslimony, 
Loroua,  and  that  he 
me  enterprise  dan- 
ited  by  the  activity 
rand  object  of  tlic 
posBessioiv  of  tlie 
lulcd  to  attend;  1ml 
house,  in  which  lie 
irivy  council  being 
le  imprisoned  lliciu 
,)t  to  excite  the  peo- 
.1  his  friend  the  carl 
ind  after  having 
Tower, 
d  lluit  he  miglit 
viie  queen  to  protect 
commenced  against 
Irelr.nd  were  ri'iire- 
issions  he  had  usi-J 
IS  recent  treasonable 
c  utmost  severity  o! 
KonouiKicd  against 
l'hisnobliMian«as, 
tal  block,  where  lie 
only  in  H'C  lliirly 
,  were  CulT,  his  sm- 
lisfathei-in-law.aml 

B  after. 

nore  elaborate  than 
Lhe  country.  It  was 
d  to  no  more  than 
^s  300,000/.  Oh  this 
the  estates  of  the  no- 
forty  pounds  in  the 
of  their  real  value, 
pace  were  rated  aboK 
to  twenty  pouudB  at 


east,  which  was  tho  qualification  roqiiirwl  by  the  (.tatutc  for  a  justice  of 
pniifc;  hill  the  commons  declined  to  alter  tho  rate  of  tiixalioii  iiiid  leave 
thcmsclvc!)  liablo  to  bo  tnxc^d  at  the  rack-rent.  Monopolies  iii)on  various 
branches  o*"  trade  were  next  brought  under  consideration ;  yid  as  they 
wore  Rcnerally  oppressive  and  unjust  (some  obtained  by  purchase  and 
others  piveu  to  favourites),  many  animated  discnssions  followed,  which 
ended  in  a  motion  that  tho  monopolies  should  bo  revoked,  and  the  pa- 
Itntoes  punished  for  their  extoitions.  Of  course  there  wero  inembcra 
present  who  were  venal  iMioiigli  to  defend  this  iniqtiitous  mode  of  en- 
riching certain  individuals  at  the  expense  of  tho  public.  A  lonj,'  list  of  the 
nioiio|iolizing  patents  bein{,',  however,  read— amonfj  which  was  win  on 
snlt,  an  article  that  had  thus  been  raised  from  fourteen  pence  to  fourteen 
shillings  a  bushel— a  member  indignantly  demanded  whether  there  was 
not  a  patent  also  for  fnaAiH^'/ircn;/;  at  which  question  some  courtiers  ex 
pressing  their  resentujent,  he  replied  that  if  bread  were  not  already  among 
llie  pntciiti'l  luxuries,  it  would  soon  become  one  unless  a  stop  was  put  to 
suih  enormities.  That  the  arguments  of  (he  speakers  wero  not  lost  upon 
ihc  queen  seems  certain ;  for  allliouKli  hIio  took  no  notice  of  tho  debates, 
she  sent  a  message  to  tho  house,  acquainting  them  that  several  petitions 
bihecii  presented  to  her  against  monopolies,  and  d(!clared  "she  was  sen- 
sibly tonelied  with  tho  people's  grievances,  expressing  the  utmost  indig- 
iialion  against  those  who  had  aliuj'ed  her  grants,  and  appealed  to  God  how 
careful  she  had  ever  been  to  (h'fend  tluMii  against  oppression,  and  prom- 
ised they  should  be  revoked."  Secretary  Ctjcil  added  "her  majesty  was 
not  apprised  of  the  ill  tendency  of  these  grants  when  she  made  them,  and 
hoped  there  would  never  be  any  more ;"  to  which  gracious  declaration 
llic majority  of  the  house  responded,  "Amen." 

In  tins  memorable  session  was  passed  tlu;  celebrated  act,  to  which  al- 
lusion is  8(1  often  made  in  the  present  day,  f  r  the  r«dief  and  employment 
of  the  poor.  Since  the  breaking  up  of  the  religious  csiabjiphments,  tho 
country  had  been  overrun  with  idle  mendicants  and  thieves.  Il  was  a 
nr.lural  consequence  that  those  who  8oui;ht  in  vain  for  work,  and  as  vainly 
in'pliired  charitable  aid,  should  be  induced  by  the  cravings  of  hunge'-  to  lay 
violent  hands  upon  the  property  of  others.  As  the  distress  of  the  lower 
orders  increased,  so  did  crime  ;  till  at  length  the  wide-spreading  evil  forced 
ilsilf  on  tho  attention  of  parliament,  and  provision  was  mado  for  the  bet- 
tcrini;  of  their  conditioii,  by  levying  a  tax  upon  the  middle  and  upper  clas- 
ses for  the  support  of  tli(!  aged  and  infirm  poor,  and  for  aflfording  tempo- 
rar)'  relief  to  the  dcslitulr,  according  to  their  several  necessities,  under 
the  direction  of  parochial  ollicers. 

V'e  must  now  briefly  revert  to  what  was  going  on  in  Ireland.  Though 
llie  power  of  tho  Siianiards  was  considered  as  at  too  low  an  ebb  to  give 
ihcKnglish  government  any  jjreat  uneasiness  for  the  safety  of  its  posses 
sions,  il  was  thought  snfiicieuily  formidable  to  be  the  means  of  annoyance 
js  regarded  the  assistance  it  might  afford  Tyrone,  who  was  still  at  the 
licad  of  the  insurgents  in  Ireland.  And  the  occurrence  wo  arc  about  to 
ncntioii  shows  that  a  reasonable  apprehension  on  that  head  might  well 
f)e entertained.  On  the  23rd  of  September  the  Spaniards  landed  4000  men 
near  Kinsale,  and  having  taken  possession  of  tho  town,  were  speedily 
followed  by  2000  more.  They  cflTectcd  a  jtniction  with  Tyrone;  but 
Moiiiiijoy,  who  was  now  lord-deputy,  surprised  their  army  in  the  night, 
and  entirely  defeated  them.  This  led  to  Ihe  surrender  of  hinsale  and  all 
other  places  in  their  possession ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  Tyrone,  as  a 
captive,  graced  the  triumphal  return  of  Mountjoy  to  Dublin. 

t.  D.  160'J. — The  most  remarkable  among  the  domestic  occurrences  of 

'his  year  was  a  violent  quarrel  between  the  Jesuits  and  the  secular  priests 

of  England.    Tho  latter  accused  tho  former,  and  not  without  reason,  oi 

tining  been  the  occasion,  by  their  assassinations,  piots,  and  conspiracies 

Vol.  1.— 35 


ij 


b4« 


THB  TBBA8URY  OP  HISTOKf. 


against  the  queen  and  government,  of  all  the  severe  enactments  unuer 
which  tlie  English  catholics  had  groaned  since  tlie  rulmination  of  the  papal 
bull  against  her  majesty.  In  the  height  of  this  dispute,  inielljgenco  was 
conveyed  to  the  privy  council  of  somj  fresh  plots  on  the  part  of  the  Jesuits 
and  their  adherents ;  on  which  a  proclamation  was  immediately  issued 
banishing  this  order  from  the  kingdom  on  pain  of  death ;  and  tlie  same 
penalty  was  declared  against  all  secular  priests  who  should  refuse  to  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance. 

That  Queen  Elizabeth  deeply  regretted  the  precipitancy  with  which  she 
signed  the  warrant  for  the  execution  of  her  favourite  Essex  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe.    She  soon  became  a  victim  to  hypochondria,  as  may 
be  seen  from  a  letter  written  by  her  godson,  Sir  John  Harrington ;  aud  as 
it  exhibits  a  curious  example  of  her  behaviour,  and  may  be  reg.nJed  as  a 
specimen  of  the  epistolary  style  of  the  age,  we  are  induced  to  quote  some 
of  the  sentences:    "She  is  much  disfavoured  and  unattired,  and  these 
troubles  waste  her  much.     She  disregardeth  everie  costlie  cover  that 
conictit  to  her  table,  and  taketh  little  but  manchet  and  succory  puttage. 
Every  new  message  from  the  city  doth  disturb  her,  and  she  frowns  on  all 
the  ladies."    He  farther  on  remarks,  that  "The  many  evil  plots  and  do. 
signs  hath  overcome  her  highness'  sweet  temper.    She  walks  much  in 
her  privy  chamber,  and  stamps  much  at  ill  news;  and  thrusts  her  rusty 
sword,  at  times,  into  the  arras  iu  great  rage."    And  in  his  postscript  he 
says,  "So  disordered  is  all  order,  that  her  highness  has  worn  but  one 
change  of  raiment  for  many  dales,  and  swears  much  at  those  vvlio  cause 
her  griefs  in  such  wise,  to  the  no  small  discomfiture  of  those  that  arc  about 
her ;  more  especially  our  sweet  Lady  Arundel."     Her  days  and  iiigins 
were  spent  in  tears,  and  she  never  spoke  but  to  mention  some  irritaiinir 
subjects.     Nay,  it  is  recorded,  that  having  experienced  some  hours  ol 
alarming  stupor,  she  persisted,  after  her  recovery  from  it,  to  remain  seated 
on  cushions,  from  which  she  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  remove  dur- 
ing ten  days,  but  sat  with  her  finger  generally  on  her  mouth,  and  her  eyes 
open  and  fixed  upon  the  ground,  for  she  apprehended  that  if  she  lay  down 
in  bed  she  should  not  rise  from  it  again.     Having  at  length  been  out  into 
bed,  slie  lay  on  her  side  motionless,  and  apparently  insensible.    The  iorJs 
uf  the  council  being  summoned,  Nottingham  reminded  her  of  a  former 
speech  respecting  her  successor;  she  answered,  "I  told  you  my  seat  hid 
been  the  seat  of  kmgs,  and  I  will  have  no  rascal  to  succeed  nic.    Who 
should  succeed  me  but  a  king  !"    Cecil,  wishing  a  more  explicit  declara- 
tion, requesting  her  to  explain  what  she  meant  by  "no  rascal,"  she  replied 
that  "a  king  should  succeed,  and  who  could  that  be  but  her  cousin  of  .Scot- 
land!"     Early  the  following  morning  the  queen  tranquilly  breathed  hci 
last ;  she  was  in  the  70th  year  of  her  age  and  the  46th  of  her  rejgii. 

Elizabeth  was  tall  and  portly,  but  never  handsome,  though  from  the  ful- 
some compliments  which  she  tolerated  in  those  who  had  access  to  hat 
person,  she  appears  to  have  entertained  no  mean  opinion  of  her  beauty. 
Her  extravagant  love  of  finery  was  well  known,  and  the  presents  of  jew- 
elry, ice,  she  received  from  such  of  her  loving  subjects  as  hoped  to  ;,'aiii 
the  royal  favour  were  both  numerous  and  costly.  Like  her  father,  sh; 
was  irritable  and  passionate,  often  venting  her  rage  in  blows  and  oaths 
Her  literary  acquirements  were  very  considerable;  and  in  those  accom 
plishmcnts  which  arc  in  our  own  day  termed  "fashionable,"  namely,  mu- 
sic, singing,  and  dancing,  she  also  greatly  excelled.  The  charges  whicl! 
have  been  made  against  the  "virgin  queen"  for  indulging  in  amatory  in- 
trigues arc  not  sufficiently  sustained  to  render  it  the  duty  uf  an  historian 
to  repeat  them;  and  when  it  is  considered  that  though  she  possessed  a 
host  of  sturdy  friends,  yet  that  she  had  many  bitter  enemies,  we  need  uol 
be  surprised  that  in  the  most  vulnerable  point  her  character  as  a  female 
has  often  been  unjustly  assailed. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


K7 


mctuients  unuei 
ilion  of  the  papal 
intelligence  was 
)iirlof  the  Jesuits 
mediiiiely  issued, 
, ;  and  the  same 
lid  refuse  to  take 

;y  with  which  she 
sex  there  is  every 
cliondria,  as  may 
arringtoii ;  and  as 
\)  be  reg:r.ded  as  a 
iced  to  quote  some 
latlired,  and  these 
costlie  cover  that 
[1  succory  pottage. 
I  8\ie  frowns  on  all 
evil  plots  and  de- 
Ihe  walks  much  in 
I  thrusts  her  rusly 
in  his  postscript  he 
has  worn  but  one 
at  those  who  cause 
those  lliat  are  about 
er  days  and  nigHs 
tion  some  irrilatlnj 
iced  some  hours  o( 
n  it,  to  remain  seated 
upon  to  re\novii  dur- 
mouth,  and  her  eyes 
that  if  she  lay  down 
length  been  out  into 
isensible.    The  lords 
led  her  of  a  former 
,old  you  my  seat  Iwd 
)  succeed  me.    Wlio 
(Ore  explicit  dcelara- 
,o  rascal,"  she  replied 
t  her  cousin  of  Scot- 
.inquilly  brcithcd  lici 
th  of  her  reign. 
\  though  from  the  ful- 
io  had  access  to  lier 
linioii  of  her  btM"ty. 
I  the  presents  of  jew- 
■cts  as  hoped  to  saui 
Like  her  father,  s  w 
in  blows  and  oaths 
,  and  in  those  aceom 
ionablc,"  namely,  mu- 
The  charges  wlucS 
,Hl<ring  ill  amatory  m- 
"duty  of  an  historian 

Lugh  she  possessed 
'enemies,  we  need  u 
character  as  a  female 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE     RKION     or    JAMES   I. 

..  0. 1603.— The  advanced  age  to  which  the  late  queen  lived,  and  the 
i.nstaiiit  attention  which  her  remaining uiynarried  had  caused  men  to  pay 
Io  the  subject  of  the  succession,  had  made  tlie  succession  of  James  be- 
:ome  a  thing  as  fully  settled  in  public  opinion  as  though  it  had  been  set- 
tled by  her  will  or  an  act  of  parliament.  All  the  arguments  for  and  against 
liim  had  beon  canvassed  and  dismissed,  and  he  ascended  the  throne  of 
England  with  as  little  opposition  as  though  he  had  been  Klizabeth*s  eldest 
son. 

As  the  king  journeyed  from  Edinburgh  to  London  all  ranks  of  men  hail- 
ed him  with  the  thronging  and  applause  which  had  been  wont  to  seem  so 
grateful  to  his  predecessor.  But  if  James  liked  flattery,  he  detested 
Hoiseand  bustle  ;  and  a  proclamation  was  issued  forbidding  so  much  con- 
gregating of  the  lieges,  on  the  ground  that  it  tended  to  make  provisions 
scarce  and  exorbitantly  dear,  it  was  only  shyness,  liowever,  and  not  any 
insensibility  to  the  hearty  kindness  of  his  new  subjects,  that  dictated  the 
king's  procLmation.  So  pleased,  indeed,  was  he  with  the  zealous  kind 
ness  shown  to  him  by  the  English,  that  he  had  not  been  two  months  be- 
fore them  when  he  had  honoured  with  the  order  of  knighthood  nearly  two 
liundicd  and  forty  persons !  Peerages  were  bestowed  pretty  nearly  in  the 
SHine  proportion ;  and  a  good  humoured  pasquinade  was  posted  at  St. 
Puiil's  promising  to  supply  weak  meiuories  with  the  now  very  necessary 
irt  of  remembering  the  titles  of  the  new  nobility. 

It  was  not  merely  the  king's  facility  in  granting  titles  that  was  blamed, 
though  that  was  in  remarkable,  and,  as  regarded  his  judgment,  at  least,  in 
by  no  means  favourable  contrast  to  the  practice  of  his  predecessor ;  but 
the  Kiiglish,  already  jealous  of  their  new  fellow-subjects,  the  Scots,  were 
of  opinion  that  he  was  more  than  fairly  liberal  to  the  latter.  But  if  James 
miule  the  duke  of  Lenox,  the  earl  of  Mar,  Lord  Hume,  Lord  Kinross,  Sir 
(jeorge  Hume,  and  Secretary  KIphinslone,  members  of  the  Fhiglish  privy 
council,  and  gave  titles  and  wealth  to  Sir  George  Hume,  Hay,  and  Kam- 
say,  he  at  least  had  the  honour  and  good  sense  to  leave  nearly  the  whole 
ofihe  ministerial  honours  and  political  power  in  the  hands  of  the  able  En- 
glish who  had  so  well  served  his  predecessor.  Secretary  Cecil,  especially, 
ivh(t  had  kept  up  a  secret  correspondence  with  James  towards  the  close  of 
Ihe  late  reign,  had  now  the  cliief  power,  and  was  created,  in  succession, 
Lord  KITiingdon,  Viscount  Cranborne,  and  earl  of  Salisbury. 

It  is  not  a  little  surprising  that  while  James  was  so  well  received  by  the 
nation  at  large,  and  had  the  instant  support  of  the  ministers  and  friends  of 
the  late  queen,  he  had  scarcely  finished  renewing  treaties  of  peace  and 
friendship  with  all  the  great  foreign  powers,  when  a  conspiracy  was  dis- 
rovered  for  placing  his  cousin,  Arabella  Stuart,  upon  the  throne.  Such  a 
conspiracy  was  so  absurd,  and  its  success  so  completely  a  physical  impos- 
sibjluy,  that  it  is  difHcull  not  to  suspect  that  it  originated  in  the  king's  own 
(xcessive  and  unnecessary  jealousy  of  the  title  of  Arabella  Stuart,  who, 
equally  with  himself,  was  descended  from  Henry  VHI.,  but  who  in  no 
other  respect  could  have  the  faintest  chance  of  competing  with  him.  But, 
however  it  ori<iinated,  such  a  conspiracy  existed  ;  and  the  lords  Grey  and 
Cobhain,  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  Lord  Cobham's  brother,  Mr.  Broke,  Sir 
GnlRii  Markliain,  Sir  Edward  Parham,  and  Mr.  Copley,  together  with  two 
catholic  priests  named  Watson  and  Clarke,  were  apprehended  for  being 
concerned  in  it.  The  catholic  priests  were  executed,  Cobham,  Grey  and 
Miirkhain  were  pardoned  while  their  heads  were  upon  the  block,  and 
Raleigh  was  also  reprieved,  but  no/ pardoned ;  a  fact  which  was  fatal  to 
liiin  many  years  after,  as  will  be  perceived.     Even  at  present  it  was  miv 


I    1 


m 


548 


THB  TREASURY  OP  IIISTOIIY. 


chierous  to  him,  for,  though  spared  from  death,  he  was  conflned  in  the 
Tower,  wlicre  lio  wrote  liia  nohle  work,  the  History  of  the  World. 

A.  D.  1G04. — A.  coiifureiicc  was  now  called  at  Hampton  court  to  decide 
upon  certain  differences  between  tlie  church  and  the  puritans,  and  gen- 
erally to  arrange  that  no  injurious  religious  disputes  might  arise.  Ai 
James  had  a  great  turn  for  theological  disputation  he  was  here  quite  in 
his  element ;  but  instead  of  showing  the  puritans  all  the  favour  tliey  ex- 
pected from  him  in  consequence  of  his  Scottish  education,  that  very  cir- 
cumstance induced  tlic  knig  to  side  against  them,  at  least  as  far  as  he 
prudently  could ;  as  he  liad  abundant  proof  of  the  aptness  of  puritanical 
doctrine  to  produce  seditious  politics.  He  was  importuned,  for  instance 
by  the  puritans  to  repeal  an  act  passed  in  the  reign  of  Elizabclli  to  sup-' 
press  societies  called  prnphcsyings,  at  which  there  was  usually  more  zeui 
than  sense,  and  more  eloquence  tlian  religion.  The  reply  of  James  was 
at  once  so  coarsely  practical,  and  so  indicative  of  his  general  way  of 
thinking  upon  such  points,  that  we  transcribe  it  literally.  "If  what  you 
aim  at  is  Scottish  presbytery,  an  I  think  it  is,  I  tell  you  that  it  agrees  as 
well  with  monarchy  as  the  devil  with  God.  There  Jack,  and  Tom,  and 
Will,  and  Dick,  shall  meet  and  censure  me  and  my  council.  Therefore  I 
reiterate  my  former  speech ;  the  king  s^avisera.  Stay,  1  pray  you,  for 
seven  years  before  you  demand,  and  then,  if  I  be  grown  pursy  and  fat,  I 
may,  perchance,  hearken  to  you,  for  that  sort  of  government  would  keep 
me  in  breath  and  give  me  work  enough  !" 

Passing  over  the  business  of  parliament  at  the  commencement  of  this 
reign,  as  concerning  matters  of  interest  rather  to  the  statesman  and 
scholar  than  to  the  general  reader,  we  have  now  to  advert  to  one  of  the 
most  striking  and  remarkable  events  in  our  history — the  gunpowder  plot. 

The  affection  which  the  catholics  had  ever  sliown  towards  his  mo- 
ther, and  their  interpretation  of  some  obliging  expressions  that  he  liad 
either  artfully  or  in  mere  carelessness  made  use  of,  had  led  them  to  hope 
that  he  would  greatly  relax,  if  not  wholly  repeal  the  severe  laws  passed 
against  them  during  the  reign  of  his  predecessor.  But  James  had  clearly 
and  unequivocally  shown  that  ho  had  no  intention  of  doing  auglit  tli;i| 
could  diminish  the  authority  and  security  of  the  crown;  and  the  more  en- 
thusiastic catholics  were  in  consequence  very  greatly  excited  against 
him. 

Catesby,  a  gentleman  of  good  birth  and  excellent  character,  first  looked 
upon  the  subject  as  one  demanding  the  absolute  punishment  of  the  king, 
and  he  communicated  his  feelings  to  his  friend  Piercy,  a  descendant  ui 
the  time-honoured  house  of  Northumberland.  Piercy  proposed  simply  to 
assassinate  tiie  king,  but  in  the  course  of  their  discussion  of  tiio  plan 
Catesby  suggested  a  wider  and  more  effectual  plan,  by  which  they  would 
rid  Catholicism  not  merely  of  the  king,  but  of  the  whole  protcstant  strength 
of  the  kingdom.  He  pointed  out  that  the  mere  death  of  th"?  king,  and 
even  of  his  children,  would  be  of  little  avail  while  the  protcstant  nobles 
and  gentry  could  raise  another  king  to  the  throne  who,  in  addition  to  all 
the  existing  causes  of  the  protcstant  severity,  would  be  urged  to  new 
rigour  by  the  very  circumstance  to  which  ho  would  owe  his  p^^wer  to  in- 
dulge it.  To  make  the  deed  effectual,  Catesby  continued,  it  would  be 
necessary  to  take  the  opportunity  of  the  first  day  of  parliament, 
when  king,  lords,  and  commons  would  be  all  assembled,  and,  by  means  of 
a  mine  below  the  house,  blow  the  whole  of  their  enemies  up  at  once  with 
gunpowder. 

Nothing  but  a  fierce  and  mistaken  fanaticism  could  allow  one  man  to 
suggest  so  dreadful  a  scheme,  or  another  man  to  ajjproveof  it ;  but  Piercy 
at  once  entered  into  Catesby's  plan,  and  they  took  means  for  preparinj 
for  its  execution.  Thomas  Winter  was  sent  over  to  Flanders  in  searcli 
of  Guido  Vaux,  an  officer  In  the  Spanish  service,  and  well  known  alike  ai 


rHB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


549 


M-rv 


imcnccmcnt  of  this 
the    slalesman  and 
dvcrt  to  one  of  the 
;\ie  gunpowder  jilot. 
'n  lowiirds  liis  mo- 
ressions  thut  he  had 
lad  led  them  to  hope 
[severe  bws  passed 
Lt  James  hud  clearly 
of  doing  aught  thi't 
n ;  and  the  more  en- 
ally  excited  against 

haracler,  first  looked 
shment  of  the  king, 
•cy,  a  descendant  ot 
V  proposed  simply  to 
icussion  of  the  plan 
by  which  they  would 
leprotestant  strength 
ath  of  th-i  king,  and 
he  proiestant  nobles 
ho,  in  addition  to  all 
M  be  urged  to  new 
owehisp'^wertoin- 
onlinucd,  it  would  be 
day    of  parliament, 
pled,  and,  by  means  0 
emiesupatonceNviiH 


I  bigoted  catholic  anJ  a  cool  and  daring  soldier.  Catesby  and  Piercy  in 
the  meantime,  aided  by  Desmond  and  Uarnct,  Jesuits,  and  the  latter  the 
jupcrior  of  the  order  in  England,  were  busily  engaged  in  communicating 
Iheir  awful  design  to  other  catholics  ;  and  every  nowly.enHsted  confed- 
erate had  the  oath  of  secrecy  and  faithfulness  administered  to  him,  in  con- 
junction with  the  communion,  a  rite  peculiarly  awful  as  understood  by  the 
catholic  H. 

The  destruction  of  protestanls  all  the  confederates  seem  to  have  con- 
sidered to  be  a  quite  unexceptionable  act ;  but  some  of  the  more  thoughtful 
and  humane  among  them  suggested  the  certainly  that,  besides  several  cath- 
olic peers  who  would  attend,  there  might  be  many  other  catholics  present, 
either  as  mere  spectators  or  as  official  attendants.  Kven  this  suggestion, 
which  one  might  suppose  effectual  as  to  forbidding  the  execution  of 
Catesby's  wholesale  scheme,  was  silenced  by  the  truly  Jesuitical  remark 
oflhetwo  Jesuits,  that  the  sacrifice  of  a  few  innocent  among  the  guilty 
many,  was  lawful  aaid  highly  meritorious,  because  it  was  required  by  the 
interests  of  religion!  Alas!  in  abusing  ihat  sacred  name  how  many 
crimes  have  not  mistaken  men  committed  ! 

A.D.  1605, — Towards  the  end  of  summer  Piercy  hired  a  house  adjoining 
to  that  in  which  parliament  used  to  assemble  ;  and  having  instruments, 
arms,  and  provisions  wiiii  ihem,  they  laboured  hard  in  it  for  many  hours 
eacliday,  .iiul  had  already  mined  three  feel  llirough  the  solid  wall  when 
ihey  were  slopped  and  alarmed  by  plainly  liearing  on  the  other  side  a 
noise  for  which  they  could  give  no  account.  On  inquiry  it  seemed  that 
ihe  noise  arose  from  the  sale  of  the  stock  of  a  coal  dealer  who  had  oc- 
cupied a  vault,  next  to  their  own,  and  immediately  below  the  house  of 
lords.  The  opportunity  was  seized  ;  Piercy  hired  the  vault,  and  six-and- 
ihirly  barrels  of  gunpowder  were  clandestinely  conveyed  thither  and  con- 
cealed beneath  the  loads  of  wood,  for  the  reception  of  which  alone  Piercy 
pretened  to  need  the  place. 

Having  thus  surmounted  all  tho  great  and  apparent  obstacles  to  the 
success  of  their  design,  the  conspirators  distributed  among  themselves  the 
several  parts  they  were  to  act  on  the  eventful  day.  Guido  Vaux  was  to 
lire  the  fatal  train;  Piercy  was  to  seize  or  slay  the  infant,  duke  of  York  ; 
and  the  princess  Elizabeth,  also  a  mere  infant,  who  would  be  a  powerless 
instrument  in  the  hands  of  tho  catholics,  was  to  be  seized  and  proclaimed 
queen  by  Grant,  Rookwood,  and  Sir  Everard  Digby,  three  of  the  leading 
conspirators,  who  were  to  have  a  large  armed  party  in  readiness  on  pre- 
tence of  a  hunting  match. 

The  dreadful  scheme  had  now  been  en  foot  for  above  u  year  and  a  half, 
and  was  known  to  more  than  twenty  persons,  but  neither  fear  of  punish- 
ment, the  hope  of  reward,  or  any  of  the  motives  which  ordinarily  make 
conspirators  untrue  to  each  other,  had  caused  any  one  of  the  desperate 
band  to  falter.  A  personal  feeling  of  gratitude  now  did  what  no  other 
feeling,  perhaps,  could  have  done,  a'.id  caused  one  of  the  conspirators 
10  take  a  step  which  saved  the  nation  from  horrors  of  which  even  at 
this  distance  of  time  one  cannot  contemplate  the  mere  possibility  but 
with  a  shudder. 

Some  one  of  ihe  conspirators,  lying  under  obligations  to  Lord  Monteagle, 
a  catholic  and  a  son  of  Lord  Morley,  sent  him  the  following  letter, 
which  evidently  was  intended  to  act  upon  his  personal  prudence  and 
secure  his  safety,  without  enabling  him  in  any  wise  to  oppose  the  ruth- 
less butchery  that  was  designed  : 
"My  Lord, 

"Out  of  the  love  I  bear  to  some  of  your  friends  I  have  a  care  of 
your  preservation,  therefore  I  would  advise  you  as  you  tender  your 
life  to  devise  some  excuse  to  shift  off  your  attendance  upon  this  par- 
liamect.    Fo'  God  and  man  have  concurred  to  punish  the  wickcdnes* 


' I'^ll'^.lr  :;V^' 


!    !■. 


ilV.vnl 


950 


THB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


of  llie  time.  Think  vot  lightly  of  this  advertisement,  but  rntirc  yom 
•elf  into  your  country,  where  you  may  expect  tho  event  insafriy.  po, 
thougli  there  be  no  appearance  of  any  stir,  yet,  I  say,  they  will  receive 
a  terrible  blow  this  parliament,  and  yet  they  shall  not  sec  who  hurls  ihem 
This  counsel  is  not  to  be  contemned,  because  it  may  do  yi)u  goo,] 
and  can  do  you  no  harm,  for  the  danger  is  past  as  soon  as  you  burn 
this  letter.  And  I  hope  God  will  give  you  tlie  grace  to  nialio  good 
use  of  it,  imto  whose  holy  protection  I  commit  you." 

Cecil,  now  earl  of  Salisbury,  was  the  principal  and  most  active  of  ihe 
king's  ministers,  and  to  that  nobleman  Monteaglo  forliiiiately  delerininud 
to  carry  the  letter,  though  ho  was  himself  strongly  inchncd  to  ihink  it 
nothing  but  some  silly  attempt  to  frighten  him  from  his  altendaiicfi  in 

Earliament.     Salisbury  professed  to  have  the  same  opinion  of  tlie  letter 
ut  laid  it  before  the  king  some  days  before  the  meeting  of  pariiiiineiit.' 
James,  who,  umid  many  absurdities,  was  in  the  main  a  shrewd  niuii 
saw  the  key  to  the  enigma  in  tlie  very  stylo  of  the  letter  itself:  and  Lord 
Suffolk,  tiie  lord  chamberlain,  was  charged  to  examine  the  vaults  bmicaih 
the  iiouses  of  parliament  on  the  day  before  that  appointed  for  opening  the 
vession.     He  did  so  in  open  day,  and,  as  if  as  a  simple  matter  of  form, 
went  through  the  cellars  and  came  out  without  affecting  to  sec  aiiytliiii<' 
amiss.     But  he  had  been  struck  by  the  singularity  of  Piercy,  a  private 
gentleman  who  lived  but  little  in  town,  having  amassed  suchaii  inordinate 
store  of  fuel ;  and  he  read  the  conspirator  in  the  desperate  countenance 
of  Guido  Vaux,  who  was  lurking  about  the  place  in  the  garb  and  cliarac- 
ter  of  a  servant  to  Piercy.     Acting  on  these  suspicions,  the  ministers 
caused  a  second  search  to  be  made  at  midnight  by  a  well-anneil  party 
under  Sir  Thomas  Knivet,  a  justice  of  peace.     At  the  very  donrof  the 
vault  they  seized  Vaux,  who  had  made  all  his  preparations  and  even  had 
his  tinder-box  and  matches  ready  to  fire  the  train;  the  faggots  of  wood 
were  turned  over,  and  the  powder  found.     Vaux  was  sent  under  an  escort 
to  the  Tower,  but  was  so  far  from  seeming  appalled  by  his  danger,  thai 
he  sneeringly  told  his  captors  that  if  he  had  known  a  little  earlier  that 
they  intended  to  pay  him  a  second  visit,  he  would  have  fired  the  train  and 
sweetened  his  own  death  by  killing  them  with  him.     He  behaved  in  the 
same  daring  stylo  when  examined  by  the  council  on  the  following  day; 
but  two  or  three  days'  residence  in  the  Tower  and  a  threat  of  putting  hiiii 
on  the  'ack  subdued  him,  and  he  made  a  full  discovery  of  his  confederates. 
Catesby.  Piercy,  and  their  other  friends  who  were  to  act  in  London,  heard 
not  only  of  a  letter  being  sent  to  Lord   Monteagle,  but  also  of  the  first 
search  made  in  the  vault ;  yet  were  they  so  infatuated  and  so  resolute  tu 
persevere  to  the  last,  that  it  was  only  when  Vaux  was  actiially  arrested 
that  th'iy  left  London  and  hurried  down  to  Warwickshire,  where  Digby 
and  his  friends  were  already  in  arms  to  seize  the  princess  Elizabeth.    l!ut 
the  sheriff  raised  the  county  in  time  to  convey  the  young  priiKcss  to  Co- 
ventry ;  and  the  baffled  conspirators,  never  more  than  eighty  in  number, 
had  now  only  to  think  of  defending  themselves  until  they  could  makcthtir 
escape  from  the  country.     But  the  activity  of  the  sheriff  and  other  gentry 
surrounded  them  by  such  numbers  that  escape  in  any  way  was  out  of  the 
question,  and  having  confessed  themselves  to  each  other,  they  prepared 
to  die  with  a  desperate  gallantry  worthy  of  a  nobler  cause.    They  fought 
with  stern  determination,  but  some  of  llieir  powder  took  fire  and  disabled 
them;  Catesby  and  Piercy  were  killed  by  a  single  shot;  Digby,  Kook. 
wood,  and  Winter,  with  Garnet  the  Jesuit,  were  taken  prisoners,  and  soon 
after  perished  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner.     It  is  a  terrible  proof  oi 
of  the  power  of  superstition  to  close  men's  eyes  to  evil,  that  though  (iar 
net's  crime  was  of  the  most  ruffianly  description,  though  he  had  used  Im 
priestly  influence  to  delude  his  confederates  and  tools  when  their  betlei 
nature  prompted  them  to  shrink  from  such  wholesale  and  unsparing  atro 


THB  TRBASUaV  OP  HISTORY. 


661 


eity,  the  catholics  imagined  miracles  to  bo  wrougbt  with  this  miserable 
miscreaiil's  blood,  and  in  Spain  bo  was  even  treated  aH  a  martyr !  Throii(jh- 
oul  tlii«  whole  affair,  indeed,  the  evil  nature  of  siiperslition  was  to  blame 
for  nil  the  guilt  and  all  the  suffering.  The  conspirators  in  this  c.iso  were 
not  low  rulllans  of  desperate  fortune ;  they  were  for  the  most  port  men  of 
botli  properly  and  character  ;  and  Calcsby  was  a  man  who  possessed  an 
especially  and  enviably  high  characrer.  Digby  also  was  u  man  of  excel- 
Iciil  reputation,  so  much  so,  that  his  being  a  known  and  rigid  p  ipist  had 
not  prevented  him  from  being  highly  esteemed  and  honoured  by  Queen 
Clizitheth. 

When  the  punishment  of  the  wretches  who  had  mainly  been  concerned 
In  lliis  plot  left  the  court  leisure  for  reflection,  some  minor  but  severe  pun- 
ishments were  inflicted  upon  those  who  were  thought  by  connivance  or 
negligence  to  have  been  in  any  degree  aiding  the  chief  offenders.  Thus 
the  earl  of  Northumberland  was  fined  the  then  enormous  sum  of  thirty 
ihousand  pounds,  and  imprisoned  for  seven  years  afterwards,  because  ho 
hid  not  exacted  the  usual  oaths  from  Piercy  on  admitting  him  to  ilieoffice 
of  gfiiitlcnnn  pensioner.  The  catholic  lords  Stourlon  and  Mordaunt,  too, 
were  fined,  the  former  four  and  the  latter  ten  thousand  pounds  by  that  ever 
arbitrary  court,  the  star-chamber,  for  no  other  offence  than  their  absence 
from  parliament  on  this  occasion.  This  absence  was  taken  as  a  proof  of 
their  knowledge  of  the  plot,  though  surely,  if  these  two  noblemen  bad 
known  of  it,  tliey  would  have  warned  many  other  catholics;  while  a  hun- 
dred more  iimocent  reasons  might  cause  llieir  own  absence. 

Of  the  conduct  of  James,  in  regard  to  the  duty  he  owed  to  justice  in 
punishing  the  guilty,  and  confining  punishment  strictly  to  those  of  whose 
guilt  there  is  the  most  unequivocal  proof,  it  is  not  easy  to  speak  too 
ornily.  The  prejudice  shown  against  catholics  in  the  case  of  the  lords 
Siourton  and  Mordaunt,  and  the  infinite  brutalities  inflicted  upon  the 
wretched  conspirator,  were  the  crimes  of  the  age;  but  the  severe  and  dig- 
nified attention  to  a  just  and  large  charity  of  judgment  as  a  general  prin- 
i-iple,  which  is  displayed  in  the  king's  speech  to  this  parliament,  is  a  merit 
itll  his  own. 

He  observed,  says  Hume,  "that  though  religion  had  engaged  the  con- 
spirators in  so  criminal  an  attempt,  yet  ought  we  not  to  involve  all  the 
Komaii  catholics  in  the  same  guilt,  or  sup[)Ose  them  equally  disposed  to 
commit  such  enormous  barbariti«'s.  Many  holy  men,  and  our  ancestors 
among  the  rest,  had  been  seduced  to  concur  with  that  church  in  her  scho- 
iastic  doctrines,  who  yet  had  never  admitted  her  seditious  principles,  con- 
cerning the  pope's  power  of  dethioning  kings  ji  j.  vnctifying  assassination. 
The  wrath  of  heaven  is  denounced  against  crnnos,  but  innocent  error  may 
obtain  its  favour;  and  nothing  can  be  more  hateful  than  the  uncharitable- 
ness  of  the  puritans  who  condemn  alike  to  eternal  torments  even  ilu;  most 
inoffensive  partisans  of  popery.  For  his  own  part,  that  conspiracy,  how- 
ever atrocious,  should  never  alter,  in  the  least,  his  plan  of  government; 
while  with  one  hand  he  would  punish  guilt,  with  the  other  ho  would  still 
support  and  protect  innocencx*." 

A.  D.  1606. — The  prolestanls,  and  espcicially  the  puritans,  were  inclined 
to  plunge  to  a  very  great  extent  into  that  injustice  of  which  the  king's 
ipeech  80  ably  warned  them.  But  the  king,  even  at  sonw  hazard  to  him- 
self and  at  some  actual  loss  of  popularity,  persisted  in  looking  at  men's 
secular  conduct  as  a  thing  quite  apart  from  their  ghostly  opinions.  He 
bestowed  employment  and  favour,  other  things  being  equal,  alike  on 
catholic  and  protestant :  and  the  only  hardship  caused  to  the  great  body 
of  the  papists  by  the  horrible  gunpowder  plot  was  the  enactment  of  a  bill 
obliging  every  one  without  exception  to  take  oath  of  allegiance.  No  great 
hardship  upon  any  good  subject  or  honest  and  humane  man,  since  it  only 
abjured  the  power  of  the  pope  to  dethrone  the  king  ! 


(¥ 


mm 


'\ 


»•■  i  1 


•  .'I 


m^ 


{62 


TIIK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Alinnst  as  soon  ns  James  arrived  in  Kn(;lnn(l  he  showed  liiingelf  in 
one  respect,  at  the  least,  very  far  mure  advanced  in  true  Htatosinaiiitlijn 
than  most  of  his  subjects.  They  for  u  bng  time  displayed  a  small  nni 
spiteful  Jealousy  of  the  Scots;  he,  almost  as  soon  as  ho  mounted  the  i;:). 
glisli  throne,  endeavoured  to  meriro  Kn){land  and  Scotland,  two  Meparale 
nations,  always  sullen  and  sometimes  sanguinary  and  despoilitii;  enemies 
into  a  (ircat  Uritainlhat  mi^rht  indeed  bid  defiance  to  the  world,  and  thai 
should  he  united  in  laws  and  liberties,  in  prosperity  and  in  interests,  as  it 
already  was  by  the  hand  of  nature.  There  was  nothing,  however,  in  tliH 
earlier  part  of  his  reign,  by  which  so  much  heart-burning  was  caused  he. 
tween  the  king  and  his  parliament,  as  by  the  wisdom  of  the  former  and 
the  ignorance  and  narrow  prejudice  of  the  latter  on  this  very  point.  All 
the  exerciHc  of  the  king's  earnestness  and  influence,  aided  by  the  idoqnpncu 
of,  perhaps,  all  things  considered,  the  greatest  man  England  has  ever  had, 
Sir  I""ranci8  Bacon,  tould  not  succeed  over  the  petty  nationalities  of  Iho 
Scotch  and  Knglish  parliaments  any  farther  for  the  present,  than  to  pro,^iire 
an  inigracious  and  reluctant  repeal  of  the  directly  hostile  laws  exJHtMig  in 
the  two  kingdoms  respectively.  Nay,  so  averse,  at  the  onset,  wm  the 
Knglish  parliament  to  a  measure,  the  grand  necessity  and  value  of  which 
no  one  could  now  dispute  without  being  suspected  of  the  sheerest  idiocy, 
that  the  bishop  of  Bristol,  fur  writing  a  book  in  favour  of  the  measure 
which  lay  ignorance  thus  condemne<l,  was  so  fiercely  clamoured  against, 
that  he  was  obliged  to  save  himself  from  still  hardcT  measures  by  making 
an  humble  submission  to  these  ignorant  and  bigoted  legislators. 

A.  D.  1G07. — The  practical  tolerance  of  the  king  as  opposed  to  his  arbj. 
trary  maxims  of  government,  and  the  parliament's  lust  of  persecution  as 
contrasted  with  its  perpetual  struggles  to  obtain  more  power  and  liberty 
for  itself,  were  strongly  illustrated  this  year.  A  bill  was  originated  in  the 
lower  house  for  a  more  strict  observance  of  the  laws  against  popish  recu- 
sants, and  for  an  abatement  towards  such  protestant  clergymen  as  should 
scruple  at  the  still  existing  church  ccremoiiials.  This  measure  was  doubly 
distasteful  to  the  king  ;  as  a  highly  liberal  protestant  he  disliked  the  at- 
tempt to  recur  to  the  old  severities  against  the  catholics ;  and  as  a  high 
prerogative  monarch  he  was  still  more  hostile  to  the  insidious  endeavour 
of  the  puritans,  by  weakening  the  church  of  England,  to  acquire  the  power 
to  themselves  of  bearding  and  coercing  the  civil  government. 

In  this  same  year,  however,  the  very  parliament  which,  on  the  remon- 
strance of  the  king,  obediently  stopped  the  progress  of  that  doubly  dis- 
agreeable  measure,  gave  a  striking  proof  of  its  growing  sense  of  self  im- 
portance by  commencing  a  regular  journal  of  its  proceedings. 

A.  D.  IGIO. — James  was  so  careful  to  preserve  peace  abroad  that  much 
of  his  reign  might  bo  passed  over  without  remark,  but  for  the  frequent 
bickerings  which  occurred  between  him  and  his  parliament  on  the  subject 
of  money.  Kven  in  the  usually  arbitrary  reign  of  Elizabeth  the  parlia- 
ment had  already  learned  the  power  of  the  purse.  The  puritan  parly  was 
now  gradually  acquiring  that  at  once  tyrannical  and  republican  feelinj 
which  was  to  be  so  fatal  to  the  monarchy  and  so  disgraceful  to  the  nation, 
and  although  James  was  allowed  a  theoretical  despotism,  a  mere  tyranny 
of  maxims  and  sentences,  some  merely  silly,  and  others — could  he  have 
acted  upon  them — to  the  last  degree  dangerous,  the  true  tyranny  was  that 
of  the  parliament  which  exerted  their  power  with  the  merciless  and  fitful 
malignity  of  a  dwarf  which  has  suddenly  become  possessed  of  a  giant's 
strength.  The  earl  of  Salisbury,  who  was  now  treasurer,  laid  before  both 
houses,  this  session,  the  very  peculiar  situation  in  which  the  king  was 
placed.  Queen  Elizabeth,  though  she  had  received  large  supplies  during 
Ihe  latter  part  of  her  reign,  had  made  very  considerable  alienations  of  the 
crown  lands ;  the  crown  was  now  burdened  with  debt  to  the  amount  of 
300,000  pounds,  and  the  king  was  obliged,  instead  of  a  single  court  as  in 


TUB  THEA8Ullir  OF  HISTORY. 


533 


liw  late  reign,  to  kopp  ihrnn  poiirts.  Iiin  own,  tliat  of  the  qiicnn,  and  that 
oltho  prime  of  VViiIl'h.  Ilul  thomrli  these  really  slrong  iiiid  most  reuBoii- 
able  nrguuioiits  were  also  urneiJ  hy  tlitt  kinjr  liitiisfif  in  iiis  spcoili  to  par 
liameiii,  ilicy  gnmlfid  liini  only  onu  huiidrcul  tliousand  |)ouii(lb— liis  debts 
alone  beiiiK  llirico  that  sun>!  It  cannot,  aflor  this  HlatenuMii  of  the  situ- 
aiioii  of  ll'e  king  and  ilio  temper  in  whicji  parliament  used  the  power  we 
have  spoken  of,  be  astonishinj:  that  lienceforlli  there  was  one  perpetual 
Btriijfgle  between  them,  ho  stnvinjr  for  tlio  means  of  snpportm^  ilie  national 
dignity,  and  induljfintj  a  genero-sily  of  temper  wiiieli,  imprudent  in  any 
kmg,  was  doubly  so  in  one  wiio  had  to  deal  with  so  close-fisted  a  parlia- 
ment; and  they  striving  at  once  to  abrid^je  the  king's  prerogative,  and  to 
escape  from  supplying  even  his  most  reasonable  demands. 

An  ineident  occurred  this  year  which,  taken  in  ecmlrast  willi  the  ex- 
treme horror  of  foreign  disputes  whii-h  James  usually  displayed,  alTorda 
a  ntlior  amusing  illustration  of  the  extent  to  which  even  so  putty  a  "  ruling 
passion"  jis  pedantry  may  domineer  over  all  others. 

Vorstiiis,  a  divinity  professor  of  a  (ierman  university,  was  appointed 
to  the  ciiair  of  a  Dutch  university.  He  was  a  disciple  of  Arminms,  and 
moreover  had  the  presumption  to  be  opposed  in  argument  to  King  James, 
who  dill  not  think  it  beneath  his  royal  dignity,  or  too  manifest  and  dan- 
gprous  a  departure  from  his  pacific  foreign  |)oliey,  si^rionsly  to  demand 
onhc  st.ites  that  they  should  de[)rive  and  banish  the  obnoxious  professor. 
The  proeeclure  was  at  once  so  absurd  and  so  severe,  tiiat  the  Dutch  at 
first  refused  to  remove  Vorstius  ;  but  the  king  returned  to  tlie  charge  with 
such  an  earnest  fierceness,  that  the  states  deemed  it  politic  to  yield,  and 
the  poor  professor,  who  was  luckless  enough  to  differ  from  King  James, 
was  deprived  of  both  his  home  and  employment,  la  the  course  of  this 
dispute,  Jaiiiei,  who  had  so  creditably  argued  for  charity  in  the  case  of  the 
attempt  of  his  puritans  to  oppress  their  catholic  fellow-subjects,  made  use 
oftliis  revolting  observation  : — "  Me  would  leave  it  to  the  stales  themselves 
as  to  thf  burning  of  Vorstin.i  for  blasphemies  and  atheism,  but  surely  never 
htrtiic  better  deserved  the  flames  .'" 

Of  James'  conduct  in  and  towards  Ireland  wo  have  given  a  full  account, 
whieh  U  very  creditable  to  him,  under  the  head  of  that  country.  We  now, 
therefore,  pass  forward  to  the  domestic  incidents  of  Kngland,  commencing 
with  the  death  of  Henry,  prince  of  Wales,  an  event  which  was  deeply 
and  witli  good  reason  deplored. 

A.  D.  l«6ia. — This  young  prince,  who  was  only  in  his  eighteenth  year, 
was  exceedingly  beloved  by  the  nation  having  given  every  promise  of  a 
truly  royal  manhood.  Generous,  high-spirited,  brave,  and  anxious  for 
men's  esteem,  perhaps,  in  the  turbulent  days  that  awaited  England,  even 
his  chief  fault — a  too  great  propensity  to  things  military  would  have 
proved  of  service  to  the  nation,  by  bringing  the  dispute  between  the  crown 
and  the  puritans  to  an  issue  before  the  sour  ambition  of  the  latter  could 
have  sufficiently  matured  its  views.  Dignified  and  of  a  high  turn  of  mind, 
he  seems  to  have  held  the  finessing  and  the  somewhat  vulgar  familiarity 
of  his  father  in  something  too  nearly  approaching  contempt.  To  Raleigh, 
who  had  so  long  been  kept  a  prisoner,  he  openly  and  enthusiastically 
avowed  his  attachment,  and  was  heard  to  say, "  Sure  no  king  except  my 
father  would  keep  such  a  bird  in  a  cage."  So  sudden  was  the  young 
prince's  death  that  evil  tongues  attributed  it  to  poison,  and  some  even 
hinted  that  the  prince's  popularity  and  free  speech  had  become  intolerable 
tohi3  father.  But  the  surgicalexamination  of  the  body  clearly  proved 
Ihat  there  was  no  poison  in  the  case ;  and  moreover,  if  James  failed  at  all 
in  the  parental  character,  it  was  by  an  excessive  und  indiscriminate  fond- 
ness and  indulgence. 

A.D.  1613. — The  marriage  of  the  princess  Elizabeth  to  Frederic,  the 
eleetor  oalatine,  took  place  this  year,  and  the  entertainments  in  honour  of 


;  1 


t        I  ill 


fi51 


THE  T11EA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


that  event  served  to  dispel  the  deep  gloom  which  had  been  caused  by  the 
death  of  Prince  Henry.  Bui  this  event,  so  much  rejoiced  at,  was  one  of 
the  most  unfortunate  that  occurred  during  the  whole  generally  fortunate 
reign  of  James,  whom  it  plunged  into  expenses  on  account  of  !iis  sonin. 
law  which  nothing  could  have  induced  him  to  incur  for  any  warlike  enter" 
prize  of  his  own. 

But  before  we  speak  of  the  consequence  of  this  unfortunate  eonnec- 
tion,  we  must,  to  preserve  due  order  of  time,  refer  to  an  event  which  cre- 
ated a  strong  feeling  of  horror  and  disgust  throughout  the  nation— the 
murder  of  Sir  Thomas  Ovcrbury  at  the  instance  of  the  earl  and  countess 
of  Somerset. 

Robert  Carre,  a  youth  of  a  respectable  but  not  wealthy  family  in  Scotland 
arrived  in  London  in  the  year  1C09,  bringing  with  him  letters  of  rceoin- 
mendation  to  Lord  Hav.  Carre,  then  quite  a  youth,  was  singularly  hand. 
some  and  possessed  in  perfection  all  the  merely  external  accompljsinents' 
though  his  education  was  so  imperfect,  that  it  is  stated  that  long  after  his 
introduction  to  the  king's  notice  he  was  so  ignorant  of  even  the  riKliinents 
of  the  then  almost  indispensable  Latin,  that  James  was  wont  to  exchiinoc 
the  sceptre  for  the  birch,  and  personally  to  play  the  pedagogue  to  the  boy. 
favourite.  Noting  the  comely  aspect  and  graceful  bearing  of  youi.g  Carre 
Lord  Hay  took  an  opportunity  to  place  him  in  the  king'.s  sight  at  a  liltinii 
match,  and  it  chanced  that  on  that  very  occasion  James'  attention  was 
the  more  strongly  drawn  to  him  by  an  accident  occurring  by  wiiich  yoiiiiT 
Carre's  leg  was  broken.  The  sight  of  this  so  affected  the  king,  that  intlie 
course  of  the  day  he  went  to  the  young  patient's  chamber,  consoled  him 
with  many  kind  words,  and  became  so  pleased  with  his  spirit  and  genoral 
behaviour,  that  he  instantly  adopted  him  as  an  especial  and  favoured  per- 
sonal attendant.  Attentive  to  the  lessons  of  the  kingly  pedagogue,  and 
skilful  in  discovering  and  managing  his  weaknesses,  young  Carre  also 
possessed  the  art  so  many  favourites  have  perished  for  lack  of ;  he  was  a 
courtier  not  only  to  the  king  but  to  all  who  approached  the  king.    Dythus 

Erudently  aiding  the  predilection  of  the  king,  Carre  rapidly  rose.  He  was 
nighted,  then  created  earl  of  Rochester  and  K.  G.,  and  introduced  into 
the  privy  council.  Wealth  and  power  accompanied  this  rapid  rise  inranli, 
and  in  a  short  time  this  new  favourite,  without  any  definite  oflice  in  the 
ministry,  actually  had  more  real  influence  in  the  management  of  affairs 
than  the  wise  Salisbury  himself. 

Much  of  his  success  Carre  owed  to  the  wise  counsels  of  Sir  Tiioma? 
Overbury,  whose  friendship  he  claimed,  and  who  became  at  once  his  ad 
viser  and  his  client,  and  counselled  none  the  less  earnestly  and  well  be- 
cause be  felt  that  his  own  chief  hope  of  riciug  at  court  rested  upon  the 
success  of  Carre.  Thus  guided,  the  naturally  sagacious  and  flexible 
youth  soon  ripened  into  the  powerful,  admired,  and  singularly  prosperous 
man.  Unfortunately  he  became  passionately  attached  to  the  youn<r  coun- 
tess of  Essex,  who  as  unfortunately  returned  his  passion.  Tiiis  lady  when 
only  thirteen  years  of  age,  as  Lady  Frances  Howard,  daughter  of  the  carl 
of  Suffolk,  was,  by  the  king's  request,  married  to  the  young  earl  of  lis- 
BOX,  then  only  fourteen.  In  consideration  of  their  extreme  youth  them 
emony  was  no  sooner  completed  than  the  youthful  bridegroom  departed 
to  the  continent,  and  did  not  return  from  his  travels  until  four  years  after 
In  the  meantime  the  young  countess  of  Essex  and  Viscount  Rochcstci 
had  met,  loved,  and  sinned ;  and  when  the  young  earl,  with  the  inipaticiil 
ardour  of  eighteen,  flew  to  his  fair  countess,  he  was  thunderstruck  at  be 
ing  received  not  with  mere  coolness,  but  with  something  approaching  ir 
actual  loathing  and  horror.  The  oountess'  pnssion  for  and  guilty  cnnuec 
tion  with  Rochester  were  not  even  suspected,  and  every  imaginable  mean.' 
were  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  overcoming  what  was  deemed  to  be  i 
mere  excess  of  maidenly  coyness.    All  means,  however,  were  alike  vain 


THR  TEEADUP  i  OP  HISTORY. 


556 


imily  ill  ScolVdnd, 
letters  of  rocom- 
}  singularly  liand. 
accomplisiTiems; 
that  long  after  his 
ven  llie  ruJiments 
wont  to  exchange 
agogue  to  the  boy- 
ng  of  your,g  Carre, 
r's  sight  at  a  tilting 
nes'  attention  was 
ng  by  wltich  young 
lie  king,  llv.it  in  the 
[Tiber,  consoled  him 
s  spirit  and  general 
il  and  favoured  per- 
gly  pedagogue,  and 
."young  Carre  also 
3r  lack  of;  he  was  a 
d  the  king.  By  thus 
pidlyrose.  He  was 
ind  introduced  into 
is  rapid  rise  in  rank, 
definite  office  in  the 
anagcment  of  affairs 

nscls  of  Sir  Tliomas 
-ame  at  once  his  aJ 
iirncstly  »"d  well  be- 
»urt  rested  upon  the 
.Tucious  and  flexible 
Singularly  prosperous 
edtoiheyounseoun- 
sion.   This  lady  whni 
1,  daughter  of  the  earl 

the  young  carl  ol  i-s- 

xtrcme  youth  the  cer- 

bridegroom  departco 

until  four  years  afl<r 

1  Viscount  Uuehesic 

irl,  with  the  impatif" 
8  thunderstruck  at  be 

.ething  approaching  tf 
■for  and  guilty  connec 
,ery  imaginable  mean 
atwas  deemed  to  be  1 
Jever,  were  alike  vain 


nothing  could  induce  her  to  live  w.fh  her  husband,  and  she  and  Rochester 
now  determined  to  rr-ake  way  for  their  marriage  by  a  divorce  of  the  lady 
from  the  earl  of  Esne'x. 

Rochester  consulted  Sir  Thomas  Overbury  ;  but  that  prudent  courtier, 
though  he  had  been  privy  to  and  had  even  encouraged  their  criminal  con- 
nection, was  too  Rincercly  anxious  for  the  cliaracter  and  happiness  of  his 
friend  not  to  dii-jsuade  him  from  the  ignominy  of  procuring  this  divorce, 
and  the  folly  of  committing  his  own  peace  and  honour  to  the  keeping  of  a 
woman  of  w'icsc  liarlotry  he  had  persoiwl  knowledge.  Connected  as 
Rochester  and  tlie  countess  were,  the  latter  was  not  long  ignorant  of  this 
advice  given  by  Overbury,  and  with  the  rage  of  an  insulted  woman  and 
the  artful  blandishments  of  a  beauty,  she  easily  persuaded  the  enamoured 
Rochester  that  he,  to(»,  was  injured  by  that  very  conduct  in  vvhich  Over- 
bury iiad  undoubtedly  most  proved  the  sinccrrty  and  the  wisdom  of  his 
friendship  Ha"liig  brought  Rochester  to  this  point,  tlie  cot  ri*PS8  found 
little  difficulty  in  determining  him  to  the  ruin  of  that  friend  to  wliom  he 
owed  BO  mucli,  and  by  artfully  getting  Overbury  a  mission  from  the  king 
and  then  privately  counselling  Overbury  to  reject  it,  he  managed  so  to  dupe 
inJ  emage  James  that  tlie  unfortunate  Overbury  was  committed  to  the 
Tower,  where,  however,  it  docs  not  appear  that  James  meant  him  long  to 
remain.  Hut  the  instant  he  entered  there.  Sir  Thomas  was  fully  in  tho 
power  of  his  arch  enemies.  The  lieutenant  of  the  Tower,  a  mere  crea- 
'.ure  and  dependant  of  Rochester,  confined  Overbury  with  such  strictness, 
that  for  six  months  the  unfortunate  man  did  not  see  even  one  of  his  near- 
est relatives. 

Having  got  rid  of  the  grave  and  troublesome  opposition  of  Overbury, 
the  guilty  lovers  now  pushed  forward  matters ;  and  the  earl  of  Essex, 
completely  cured  of  his  love  for  the  lady  by  what  appeared  to  him  tho 
unaccountable  capriciousness  of  her  conduct,  very  gladly  consented  to  a 
ridiculously  indecent  plea,  which  induced  tho  proper  authorities  to  pro- 
nounce a  divorce  between  the  earl  and  countess  of  Essex.  The  latter 
was  immediately  married  to  her  paramour,  Rochester,  upon  whom,  that 
the  lady  might  not  lose  a  step  in  rank  by  her  new  marriage,  the  king 
now  conferred  the  title  of  earl  of  Somerset. 

Though  the  imprisonment  of  Overbury  had  thus  completely  served  her 
purpose  as  to  her  divorce  and  re-marriage,  it  had  by  no  means  satiated 
the  revenge  of  the  countess.  The  forcible  and  bitter  contempt  with 
which  Overbury  had  spoken  of  her  was  still  farther  envenomed  by  her 
ownconsciousnessof  its  justice,  and  she  now  exerted  all  the  power  of  her 
beauty  and  her  blandishments,  until  she  persuaded  the  uxorious  Somerset 
that  their  secret  was  too  much  in  danger  while  Overbury  still  lived,  and 
that  their  safety  demanded  his  death.  Poison  was  resorted  to ;  both  Som- 
erset and  his  countess'  uncle,  the  earl  of  Northampton,  joining  in  the  cow- 
ardly crime  with  some  accomplices  of  lower  rank.  Slight  doses,  only, 
were  given  to  the  doomed  victim  in  the  first  place,  but  these  failing  of  the 
iesired  effect,  the  base  conspirators  gave  him  a  dose  so  violent  that  he 
died,  and  with  such  evident  marks  of  the  foul  treatment  that  he  had  met 
with,  that  an  instant  discovery  was  only  avoided  by  burying  the  body  with 
»n  indecent  haste. 

Even  in  this  world  of  imperfect  knowledge  and  often  mistaken  judg- 
ment, the  plotting  and  cold-blooded  murderer  never  escapes  punishment. 
The  scaffold  or  the  gallows,  the  galleys  or  the  gaol,  indeed,  he  may, 
though  that  but  rarely  happens,  contrive  to  elude.  But  the  tortures  of  a 
guilty  conscience,  a  constant  remorse  mingled  with  a  constant  dread,  a 
continued  and  haunting  remembrance  of  the  wrong  done  to  the  dead,  and  a 
cousiant  horror  of  the  dread  retribution  which  at  any  instant  the  slightest 
«nd  most  unforeseen  accident  may  bring  upon  his  own  guilty  head— 
Vicse  pvMiishments  the  murderer  never  did  and  never  can  escape.    From 


f.ym  mA 


kK 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOnr. 


the  moment  that  tlie  unfortunate  Overbury  was  destroyed,  the  whole  feci, 
ing  and  aspect  of  the  once  gay  and  brilliant  Soinerset  were  changed.  Ho 
became  sad,  silent,  inattentive  to  the  humours  of  the  king,  indifferent  to 
the  fatal  cliarms  of  the  countess,  morose  to  all,  shy  of  strangers,  weary 
of  himself.  He  had  a  doomed  aspect ;  the  wild  eye  and  hasty  yet  imcer. 
tain  gait  of  one  who  sees  himself  surrounded  by  the  avengers  of  blood 
and  is  every  instant  expocling  to  feel  their  grasp. 

As  what  was  at  first  attributed  to  temporary  illness  of  body  or  vexation 
of  mind  became  a  settled  and  seemingly  insurable  habit,  the  king,  almost 
boyish  in  his  love  of  mirth  in  iiis  hours  i  f  recreation,  gradually  grew 
wearied  of  the  presence  of  his  favourite.  All  the  skill  and  policy  of 
Somerset,  all  the  artful  moderation  with  which  he  had  worn  his  truly  ex- 
traordinary fortunes  had  not  prevented  him  from  making  many  enemies- 
and  these  no  sooner  perceived,  with  the  quick  eyes  of  courtiers,  lli,tt  the 
old  favourite  was  falling,  than  they  helped  to  precipitate  his  fall  by  the  in- 
troduction  of  a  young  and  gay  candidate  for  the  viicant  place  in  the  royal 
favour. 

Just  at  this  critical  moment  in  the  fortunes  of  Somerset,  George  Villiers, 
the  cadet  of  .a  good  English  family,  returned  from  his  travels.  He  was 
barely  twenty-one  years  of  age,  handsome,  well  educated,  gay,  possessed 
of  an  audacious  spirit,  and  with  precisely  that  love  and  aptitude  for  per- 
sonal adornment  which  became  his  youth.  This  attractive  person  wm 
placed  full  in  the  king's  view  during  the  performance  of  a  comedy.  James, 
as  had  been  anticipated,  no  sooner  saw  him  than  he  became  anxious  fur 
his  personal  attendance.  After  some  very  ludicrous  coquetting  between 
his  desire  for  a  new  favourite  and  his  unwillingness  to  cast  off  the  old  one, 
James  had  the  young  man  introduced  at  court,  and  very  soon  appointeii 
him  his  cup-bearer.  Though  the  ever-speaking  conscience  of  Somerset 
had  long  made  him  unfit  for  his  former  gaity,  he  was  by  no  means  pro- 
pared  to  see  himself  supplanted  in  the  royal  favour ;  but  before  he  could 
make  any  effort  t.i  ruin  or  otherwise  dispose  of  young  Villiers,  a  discovery 
was  made  which  very  effectually  ruined  himself. 

Among  many  persona  whom  Somerset  and  his  guilty  countess  had 
found  it  necessary  to  employ  in  the  execution  of  their  atrocious  design, 
was  an  apothecary's  apprentice  who  had  been  employed  in  mixing  up  ilie 
poisons.  This  man,  now  living  at  Flushing,  made  no  scruple  of  openly 
stating  that  Overbury  had  died  of  poison,  and  that  he  had  himself  becii 
employed  in  preparing  it.  The  report  reached  the  ears  of  the  English 
envoy  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  was  by  him  transmitted  to  the  secretary 
of  state,  Winwood,  who  at  once  communicated  it  to  the  king.  Howevtir 
weary  of  his  favourite,  James  was  struck  with  horror  and  surprise  on  rp- 
ceiving  this  report,  but  with  a  rigid  impartiality  which  does  honour  to  his 
memory,  ho  at  once  sent  for  Sir  Edward  Coke,  the  chief  justice,  and  coin- 
manded  him  to  examine  into  the  matter  as  carefully  and  as  unsparingly 
as  if  the  accused  persons  were  the  lowest  and  the  least  careu  for  in  the 
land.  The  stern  nature  of  C(;ke  scarcely  needed  this  injunction ;  the  in- 
quiry was  steadily  and  searchingly  carried  on,  and  it  resulted  in  llie  com- 
plete proof  of  the  guilt  of  the  earl  and  countess  of  Somerset,  Sir  Jervis 
Elvin,  lieutenant  of  the  Tower,  Franklin,  Weston,  and  Mrs.  Turner.  Oi 
the  temper  of  Coke  this  very  trial  affords  a  remarkable  and  not  very 
creditable  instance.  Addressing  Mrs.  Turner,  he  told  her  that  she  was 
"guilty  of  (he  iseven  deadly  sins;  being  a  harlot,  a  bawd,  a  sorceress, a 
witch,  a  papist,  a  felon,  and  a  murderer!" 

The  honourable  impartiality  with  which  the  king  had  ordered  an  inquiry 
Into  the  murder  of  Sir  Thomas  Overbury  was  not  equally  observed  after- 
wardst  All  the  accused  were  very  properly  condemned  to  death ;  but  the 
sentence  was  executed  only  on  the  accomplices;  by  far  the  worst  crimi- 
nals, the  ear]  and  countess  were  pardoned !    A  very  brief  imprisonment 


THE  TllEASUHY  OF  HISTORY. 


667 


,ad  ordered  an  inquiry 

■nually  observed  after- 

id  to  death;  but  the 

jv  far  the  worst  crinii- 
^    brief  imprisonment 


andlho  forfeiture  of  their  estates  were  allowed  to  expiate  tTieir  enormous 
crimes,  and  they  were  then  assigned  a  pension  sufficient  for  their  support, 
and  allowed  to  retire  to  the  rainitry.  But  the  pardon  of  man  could  not 
secure  Ihenj  the  peace  of  heart  which  their  crime  had  justly  forfeited. 
TiMjy  lived  in  the  same  house,  but  they  lived  only  in  an  alternation  of  suU 
lenness  and  chidi-ng,  and  thus  tliey  dragged  on  many  wretched  years,  a 
mutual  torment  in  their  old  age  as  they  had  been  a  mutual  snare  in  their 
youtii,  until  tliey  at  length  sank  unregretted  and  ui- honoured  into  the  grave. 

A.  D.  1616. — The  fall  of  Somerset  necessarily  »aciliiated  and  hastened 
llie  rise  of  young  George  Villiers,  who  in  a  wonderfully  short  time  ob- 
tained promotions — which,  thai  the  regularity  of  narrative  may  be  pre- 
served, we  insert  here— as  Viscount  Villiers,  earl,  marquis,  and  finally 
duke  of  Buckingham,  knight  of  the  garter,  master  of  the  horse,  chief  jus- 
tice in  eyre,  warden  of  the  cinque  ports,  master  of  the  king's  bench  oflice, 
steward  of  Westminister,  constable  of  Windsor,  and  lord  high  admiral  of 
England.  His  mother  was  made  countess  of  Buckingham,  his  brother 
Viscount  Purbeck,  and  a  whole  host  of  his  previously  obscure  and  needy 
favourites  obtained  honours,  places,  patents,  or  wealth. 

The  profusion  of  the  king — to  which  justice  demands  that  we  add  the 
parsimony  of  the  parliament — made  him  throughout  his  whole  reign  an 
embarrassed  man;  and  he  incurred  great,  though  undeserved  odium  by 
the  course  he  look  to  supply  his  pressing  and  immediate  wants.  When 
Elizabeth  aided  the  infant  states  of  Holland  against  the  gigantic  power  of 
Spain,  she  had  the  important  towns  of  Flushing,  the  Brille,  and  Hamme- 
kiiis  placed  in  her  hands  as  pledges  for  the  repayment  of  the  money  to 
England.  Various  payments  had  been  made  which  had  reduced  the  debt 
tOc£uOO,000,  which  sum  the  Dutch  were  under  agreement  to  pay  to  James 
at  the  rale  of  c£40,000  per  annum.  This  annual  sum  would  doubtless 
have  been  of  vast  service  to  the  king — but  cf  20,000  per  annum  were  spent 
in  maintaining  his  garrisons  in  the  cautionary  or  mortgaged  towns.  Only 
^14,000  remained  clear  to  England,  and  even  that  would  cease  in  the 
event  of  new  warfare  between  Holland  and  Spain.  Considering  these 
things,  and  being  pressed  on  all  sides  for  money  to  satisfy  just  demands 
mdllic  incessant  cravings  of  his  favourite  and  the  court,  the  king  gladly 
agreed  to  surrender  the  cautionary  towns  on  the  instant  payment  by  the 
Dutch  of  c£'JoO,000 ;  and,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  James 
appears  to  have  acted  with  sound  policy  in  making  the  bargain. 

A.  D.  1C17. — in  the  course  of  this  year  James  paid  a  visit  to  Scotland 
with  the  view  to  a  favourite  scheme  which  he  had  long  pondered — pro- 
bably even  before  he  ascended  the  Knglish  throne,  and  while  he  still  was 
personally  aimoycd  by  the  rude  and  intrusive  presumption  of  the  puritans. 
His  scheme  was  "t'*  enlarge  the  episcopal  authority;  to  establish  a  few 
ceremonies  in  publir  worship,  and  to  settle  and  lix  the  superiority  of  the 
civil  10  the  cccies'R'itical  jurisdiction." 

But  though  tiie  king's  personal  influence  was  now  very  high,  as  wel' 
from  the  peace  he  had  preserved  throughout  his  dominions  and  the  pride 
the  Scotch,  thenf  elves  a  pedantic  people,  felt  in  hearing  the  king  whom 
they  had  given  lo  England,  cited  as  "  the  British  Solomon,"  as  from  tha 
great,  not  to  sf.y  unjust,  preference  which  the  king  took  every  opportunity 
to  show  to  Srr.Uish  suitors  for  promotion,  even  his  influence,  after  much 
opposition  on  the  part  of  the  clergy,  could  only  procure  him  a  sullen 
adoption  of  bnt  a  small  portion  of  his  plan.  "  Episcopacy"  was  so  mucli 
the  detestftlion  of  the  Scotch,  that  it  is  surprising  that  so  shrewd  a  king 
as  James  Bhould  have  made  a  point  of  endeavouring  to  force  it  upon  them 
But,  as  if  he  had  not  done  sufficient  in  the  way  of  afl*ronting  the  religious 
prejudices  of  the  Scotch,  James  no  sooner  returned  home  than  he  equally 
alTronled  those  of  that  large  party  of  his  English  subjects,  the  puritans. 
That  dark,  sullen,  joyless,  and  joy-hating  set  of  men  had,  by  degrees, 


rVfw 


'*Vw. 


y     1      'i 


^i^t^ 


i. 


1 '.'  1^  kak 


658 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


brought  tlie  original  decorous  Sunday  of  England  to  be  a  day  of  thfl  mosi 
silent  and  intense  gloom.  Thi«  was  noticed  by  the  king  in  his  return  frjm 
Scotland,  and  he  immediately  issued  a  proclamation  by  which  all  kinds  oi 
lawful  games  and  exercises  were  allowed  after  divine  service.  However 
imprudent  this  proclamation  on  the  part  of  the  king,  we  are  inclined  to  be- 
lieve  that  in  spirit  his  extreme  was  wiser  than  that  of  the  puritans.  But 
whatever  may  be  the  good  or  the  bad  policy  of  the  practice,  it  is  cerlaiii 
that  the  king  chose  a  wrong  time  for  recommending  it.  Even  his  authority 
was  as  nothing  against  superstitious  fanaticism.  But  while  he  failed  to 
check  or  persuade  the  puritans,  did  he  not  irritate  them  ?  Might  not  the 
sharpening  of  many  a  sword  that  was  bared  against  Charles  I.  be  traced 
to  the  vexation  caused  in  puritan  bosoms  by  this  very  proclamation  ol 
his  father  1 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 
THE  REIGN  OF  JAMES  I.  {continued). 

A.  D.  1618. — Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  the  favourite  of  Elizabeth,  the  opponent 
»nd  enemy  of  Essex,  to  whom  he  had  shown  ai:  implacable  and  savage 
spirit  which  makes  us  doubt  wiiether  the  world  had  not  been  greatly  ini8. 
taken  in  deeming  him  a  good  as  well  as  a  great  man,  had  now  been  for 
thirteen  years  lingering  in  his  prison.  Though  advanced  in  years  and 
'uined  in  fortune,  even  imprisonment  could  not  break  his  nnquesiionabiy 
Jaring  and  resolved  spirit.  Soldier,  seaman,  courtier,  and  man  of  intrigiie 
during  so  much  of  his  life,  it  was  when,  amid  the  yells  of  the  public  fe- 
tocity,  which  his  own  cruelly,  however,  had  provoked  and  cxoinplared, 
ie  was  led  to  ihc  Tower  of  London,  that  he,  instead  of  resigning  himself 
.o  despair,  commenced  his  elaborate  and  really  learned  History  of  the 
vVorld:  Thirteen  years  of  confinement  could  not  quell  that  enduriiii,' and 
laring  spirit;  and,  as  the  report  of  his  friends  informed  him  that  public 
opinion  was  very  favourably  and  greatly  changed  on  his  behall",  he  now 
jegan  to  scheme  for  obtaining  his  enlargement.  He  caused  it  to  be  noispd 
ibroid  thai,  during  one  of  his  voyages,  he  had  discovered  a  gold  mine  in 
Guiana,  so  rich  that  it  would  afTord  enormous  wealth  not  only  to  any 
gallant  adventurers  who,  under  proper  guidance,  should  seek  it,  but  also 
to  the  entire  nation  at  large.  These  reports,  as  Raleigh  from  the  first 
ntended,  reached  the  ears  of  the  king;  but  James  doubted  the  existence 
of  the  mine.  ;<nd  the  more  so  because  it  was  clear  that  a  man  in  the  sad 
•itualion  of  Raleigh  might  be  expected  to  say  almost  anything  to  obtain 
freedom.  But  the  report  was  so  far  serviceable  to  Raleigh,  that  it  re- 
minded the  king  of  the  long  dreary  years  the  once  gallant  soldier  and  ^uy 
courtier  of  Elizabeth  had  passed  in  the  gloom  of  a  dungeon,  and  he  lilnr. 
*ted  him  from  the  Tower,  but  refused  to  release  him  from  the  original 
Sentence  of  death,  which,  he  said,  he  considered  a  necessary  check  upon 
ft  man  of  Italeigb's  character,  which  assuredly  had  more  of  talent  and 
audacity  than  of  either  probity  or  mercy. 

Thotigli  .lames  was  by  no  means  inclined  to  give  credit  to  the  insigni- 
ficant tale  of  Raleigh,  he  gave  full  leave  to  all  private  adventurers  who 
might  choose  to  join  him  ;  and  Raleigh's  intrepid  assertions,  baiked  by 
his  great  repute  for  both  talent  and  courage,  soon  placed  him  at  the  head 
of  twelve  ships,  well  armed  and  manned,  and  provided  with  everylhmj 
necessary  for  piracy  and  plunder,  but  with  nothing  calculated  for  digging 
the  prei ended  treasure. 

On  the  river  Oronoko,  in  Guiana,  the  Spaniards  had  built  a  town  callcil 
St.  Thomas,  w hich,  at  this  time,  was  exceedingly  wealthy.  Raleitrh  hil 
taken  possession  of  the  whole  district  above  twenty  years  before  in  t!;e 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


659 


oameof  Queen  Elizabeth  ;  but  as  he  had  immediately  lef  the  coast,  his 
claim  on  behalf  of  England  was  totally  unknown  to  the  Spaniards.  It 
was  to  thi«  wealthy  Spanish  settlement  that  Raleigh  now  steered,  and  on 
nrriviiig  there  ho  stopped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Oronoko  with  five  of  his 
largest  ships,  sending  ihe  remainder  of  the  expedition  up  to  St.  Thomas' 
under  tlie  command  of  his  son  and  his  fellow-adventurer,  Captain  Kemyfis. 
TheSpaniards,  seeing  the  English  adventurers  approach  St.  Thomas  in 
such  hostile  guise,  fired  at  them,  but  were  speedily  repulsed  and  driven 
into  the  town.  As  young  Raleigh  headed  his  men  in  the  attack  on  the 
town,  he  exclaimed,  "  This  is  the  true  mine,  and  they  are  but  fools  who  look 
for  any  oilier .'"  He  had  scarcely  spoken  the  words  when  he  received 
sshot,  and  immediately  fell  dead  ;  Kemyss,  however,  still  continued  the 
attack  and  took  the  town,  which  they  burned  to  ashes  in  their  rage  at 
finding  no  considerable  booty  in  it. 

Raleigh  had  never  averred  that  he  had  himself  ever  seen  the  wonder- 
fully lieh  mine  of  which  he  gave  so  glowing  an  account,  but  that  it  had 
been  found  by  Kemyss  on  one  of  their  former  expeditions  together,  and 
that  Kemyss  had  brought  him  a  lump  of  ore,  wliich  proved  the  value  as 
well  as  the  existence  of  it  the  more.  Yet,  now  that  Kemyss,  by  his  own 
account,  was  within  two  hour's  march  of  the  mine,  he  made  the  most  ab- 
surd excuses  to  his  men  for  leading  them  no  farther,  and  immediately 
returned  to  Raleigh,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Oronoko,  with  the  melancholy 
news  of  the  death  of  the  younger  Raleigh,  and  the  utter  failure  of  all  their 
hopes  as  fur  as  St.  Thomas  was  concerned.  The  scene  between  Raleigh 
and  Kemyss  was  (jrobably  a  very  violent  one  ;  at  all  events  it  had  such 
an  effect  upon  Kemyss  that  he  immediately  retired  to  his  own  cabip.  and 
put  an  end  to  iiis  existence. 

The  other  adventurers  now  perceived  that  they  had  entered  into  both 
a  dangerous  and  uJiprofitahle  speculation,  and  they  inferred  from  all  that 
had  passed  that  Raleigh  from  the  outset  had  relied  upon  piracy  and  plun- 
dering towns— a  kind  of  speculation  for  which  their  ill  success  at  St. 
Thomas  gave  them  no  inclination,  whatever  their  moral  feelings  upon  the 
subject  mijrlit  have  been.  On  a  full  consideration  of  all  the  circumstan- 
ces, ihe  aiivenlurers  determined  to  return  to  England  and  take  Raleigh 
*'illi  ihcm,  leaving  it  to  iiini  to  justify  liimself  to  tlie  king  in  the  best  man- 
lerhe  eimld.  On  the  passage  ho  repeatedly  endeavoured  to  escape,  but 
*as  brmight  safely  to  England  and  delivered  up  to  the  king.  The  court 
.of  Spain  in  the  meantime  louilly  and  justly  complained  of  the  destruction 
ol'St.  Tliiinias;  and,  after  a  long  examination  before  the  privy  council, 
Ralcisjii  w.is  pronounced  guilty  of  wilful  deceit  as  to  the  mine,  and  of  hav- 
ing from  the  beginning  iniemled  to  make  booty  by  piracy  and  land-plun- 
der. The  lawyers  held,  however,  as  a  universal  rule,  that  a  man  who 
already  lay  under  attaint  of  treason  could  in  no  form  be  tried  anew  for 
another  crime  ;  tlie  king,  therefore,  signed  a  warrant  for  Raleigh's  execu- 
tion fiirlh;it  parlii'ipation  in  the  setting  up  of  the  lady  Arabella  Stuart,  for 
Rhiciihc  Imd  already  suffered  imprisonment  during  the  dreary  period  of 
thirteen  yenrsl  He  died  with  courage,  with  gayety  almost,  but  without 
bravado  or  indecency.  VViiile  there  was  yet  a  faint  hope  of  his  escape  he 
feicned  a  variety  of  illnesses,  even  including  madness,  to  protract  his 
doom;  hut  when  all  hope  was  at  length  at  an  end,  he  threw  off  all  dis- 
guise, and  prepared  to  die  with  that  courage  on  the  scaffold  with  which  he 
had  so  often  dared  death  on  the  field.  Taking  up  the  axe  with  which  ho 
was  about  to  be  beheaded,  he  felt  the  edge  of  it,  and  s.iid, "  'Tis  a  sharp,  but 
itisalso  »  sure  remedy  for  all  ills."  He  then  calmly  laid  his  head  upon 
thj  block,  and  was  dead  at  the  first  stroke  of  tlio  axe.  Few  men  had 
hten  ni(ue  unpopular  a  few  years  earlier  than  Sir  Walter  Raleigh;  but 
Ihe  courage  he  displayed,  the  long  imprisonment  he  had  suffered,  and  hia 
execution  on  a  sentence  pronounced  so  long  before,  merely  to  give  satis- 


I'Sh: 


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600 


THE  TREA8UIIV  OF  HISTORY. 


faction  to  Sp.iiii,  rendered  this  execution  one  of  the  most  unpopular  acts 
ever  perfonmid  by  tho  i<ing. 

It  will  he  remembered  that  we  spoke  of  the  marriage  of  tiie  princess 
Elizabeth  id  the  eieetor  palatine  as  an  event  which  in  tho  end  proved 
mischievous  both  to  Kngland  and  to  the  king. 

A.  D.  ICl'J.— Tiio  stales  of  Bohemia  being  in  arms  to  maintain  their  re- 
volt from  the  hated  authority  of  the  catholic  house  of  Austria,  the  mjirlny 
preparations  made  by  Ferdmand  II.,  and  tho  extensive  alliances  he  "had 
succeeded  in  forming  to  the  same  end,  made  tho  states  very  anxious  to 
obtain  a  counterbalancing  aid  to  their  cause.  Frederick,  elector  paliiijne 
being  son-inlaw  to  the  king  of  England  and  nephew  to  the  prince  M;m' 
rice,  who  at  this  time  was  possessed  of  almost  unlimited  power  over  the 
United  Provinces,  the  states  of  Bohemia  considered  that  were  he  elected 
to  their  crown — which  they  deemed  elective — their  safety  would  be  in 
sured  by  his  potent  connections.  They  therefore  oflfcred  to  make  Fred- 
erick their  sovereign;  and  he,  looking  only  at  tho  honour,  accepted  tiie 
offer  without  (Minsulling  cither  iiis  uncle  or  father-in-law,probably  because 
he  well  knew  llial  they  would  dissuade  him  from  an  honour  so  costly  and 
onerous  as  this  was  certain  to  prove.  Having  accepted  the  sovereignty 
of  Bohemi.i,  Frederick  immediately  marched  all  the  troops  he  could  com- 
mand to  the  defence  of  his  new  subjects.  On  tlie  news  of  this  event  ar- 
riving in  Kngland  the  people  of  all  ranks  were  strongly  excited.  As  we 
have  elsewlicre  said,  the  people  of  England  are  extremely  affectionate 
towards  their  sovereigns  ;  and  Frederick,  merely  as  the  son-in-huv  of  tiie 
king,  would  have  had  their  warmest  wishes.  But  they  were  still  furtlier 
interested  on  his  behalf,  because  he  was  a  protestant  prince  opposing  the 
ambition  and  the  persecution  of  the  detested  Spaniard  and  Austrian,  and 
there  was  a  general  cry  for  an  English  army  to  be  sent  forlhwitl.  to  Bo 
hernia.  Almost  the  only  man  in  the  kingdom  who  was  clear-siglited  and 
unmoved  iiiiiid  all  this  passionate  feeling  was  James.  He  was  far  too 
deeply  impressed  with  the  opinion  that  it  was  dangerous  for  a  king's  pre- 
rogative and  for  his  subjects'  passive  obedience,  to  look  witli  a  favourable 
eye  upon  revolted  states  conferring  a  crown  even  upon  his  own  son-iii. 
law.  He  would  not  acknowledge  Frederick  as  king  of  Bohemia,  and 
forbade  Ins  being  prayed  for  in  the  churches  under  that  title. 

A.  D.  lii-20. — However  wise  the. reasonings  of  James,  it  would,  in  the 
end,  iiavc  been  profitable  to  him  to  have  sent  an  English  army,  even  upon 
a  vast  scale,  to  the  assistance  of  Frederick  in  the  first  instance.  Ferdi. 
nand,  with  the  duke  of  Bavaria  and  tho  count  of  Bucquoy,  and  Spiiiola, 
with  thirty  thousand  veteran  troops  from  the  Low  Countries,  not  only 
defeated  Frederick  at  the  great  battle  of  Prague,  and  sent  hiin  and  his 
family  fugitives  into  Holland,  but  also  took  possession  of  the  palatinate. 
This  latter  disaster  might  surely  have  been  prevented,  had  James  at  the 
very  outset  so  far  departed  from  his  pacific  policy  as  to  send  a  consider- 
able army  to  occupy  the  palatinate,  in  doing  vhich  he  would  by  no  means 
have  stepped  beyond  the  most  strictly  legal  support  of  the  legiiimate  right 
of  his  son- in-law. 

Now  that  Frederick  was  expelled  even  from  his  palatinate,  James  still 
depended  upon  his  tact  in  negotiation  to  spare  him  the  necessity  for  an 
actual  recourse  to  arms ;  but  he  at  the  same  time,  with  the  turn  for  dissim- 
uhition  which  was  natural  to  him,  determined  to  use  the  warlike  enthusi- 
asm of  his  subjects  as  a  means  of  obtaining  money,  of  which,  as  usual, 
he  was  painfully  in  want.  Urging  the  necessity  of  instant  rcconrseto 
that  fo'cible  interference,  which  in  truth  he  intended  never  to  make,  he 
tried  to  gain  a  benevolence,  but  even  the  present  concern  for  the  palatine 
*ould  not  blind  the  people  to  the  arbitrary  nature  of  that  way  of  levying 
beavy  taxes  upon  them,  and  Jamea  was  reluctantly  obliged  to  call  a  par- 
lament. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


561 


naiutain  ihcir  re. 
stria,  the  mighty 
alliances  lie  had 
very  anxious  to 
,  elc'elor  palatine, 
I  the  prince  M;iu 
d  power  over  the 
it  were  he  elected 
ety  would  he  in 
•cd  to  make  Fred- 
lOur,  accepted  the 
^pro'oahly  because 
luour  so  cosily  and 
ed  the  sovereignty 
jops  he  could  com- 
vs  of  this  event  ar 
ly  excited.    As  we 
remely  affectionate 
lie  son-in-law  of  the 
jy  were  still  further 
prince  opposing  llie 
I  and  Austrian,  and 
eut  forthwith  to  Bo 
as  clcar-sii^hted  and 
es.     He  was  far  loo 
tous  for  a  king's  pre- 
,ok  with  a  favourable 
non  his  own  son-in- 
iig  of  Bohemia,  and 
at  title. 

incs,  it  would,  m  the 
lish  army,  even  upon 
irsl  instance,  tcrdi- 
icQUoy,  and  Spinoa, 
Countries,  not  only 
ud  sent  him  and  Ins 
ion  of  the  palal.na le 
cd,  had  James  at  ihe 
,3  10  send  a  considcr- 
le  would  by  no  means 
of  the  legitimate  rigM 

palatinate,  .lames  siill 
,  l\w  necessity  for  an 
ilh  the  turn  for  torn- 
;  the  warlike  cnlhusi- 
.'v.  of  which,  as  usual, 
of  instant  rcconrseto 
led  itever  to  make.J* 

mcern  for  H'c  P«l^" 
f  that  way  of  levy. 

obliged  to  call  a  pat- 


3f 


4.  D.  1621. — The  unwise  inclination  of  the  people  to  pluiiyc  into  vvar 
on  behalf  of  the  palatine  was  so  far  serviceable  to  James,  tliat  it  caused 
this  parliament  to  meet  him  with  more  than  usually  dutiful  and  liberal 
dispositions.  Some  few  members,  indeed,  were  inclined  to  mak:)  coni- 
piaiiit  and  redress  of  certain  gross  grievances  their  first  subject  of  atlen- 
lion.  But  the  general  feeling  was  against  them,  and  it  was  with  some- 
thing like  acclamatiou  that  the  parliament  proceeded  at  once  to  vote  the 
king  two  subsidies. 

This  done,  tiiey  proceeded  to  inquire  into  some  enormous  abuses 
of  the  essentially  pernicious  practice  of  granting  patent  monopolies  of 
particular  branches  of  trade.  It  was  proved  tliat  Sir  Giles  Mompesson 
and  Sir  Francis  Michel  had  outrageously  abused  their  patent  for  licensing 
inns  and  ale-houses ;  the  former  was  severely  punished,  and  the  latter 
only  escaped  the  same  by  breaking  from  prison  and  going  ai)road. 

Slill  more  atrocious  was  the  conduct  of  Sir  Kdward  Viiliers,  brother  of 
the  favourite,  Buckingham.  Sir  Edward  had  a  patent,  in  conjunction  with 
Mompesson  and  Micliel  for  (he  sole  making  of  gold  and  silver  lace.  This 
patent  had  not  only  been  abused,  to  the  great  oppresssion  of  the  persons 
iiig.is,"d  in  that,  then,  very  extensive  trade,  but  also  to  the  downright  rob- 
bery of  all  who  used  the  articles,  in  which  the  patentees  sold  a  vast  deal 
more  of  copper  than  of  gold  or  silver.  Viiliers,  instead  of  being  dealt  with 
as  severely  as  his  accomplices,  was  sent  abroad  on  a  mission,  and  entrust- 
ed with  the  care  of  the  national  interests  and  honour,  as  a  means  of 
screening  him  from  the  punishment  due  to  his  shameless  extortion  and 
robbery  at  home.  Hume,  somewliat  too  tenderly,  suggests  that  the  guilt 
of  Viiliers  was  less  enormous  or  less  apparent  than  that  of  his  accompli- 
ces, But  the  true  cause  of  iiis  impunity  was  the  power  of  his  insolent 
and  upstart  brother. 

The  king  having  expressed  himself  to  bo  well  pleased  that  the  parlia- 
ment had  enabled  him  to  discover  and  punish  this  enormous  system  of 
cruelty  and  fraud,  the  commons  now  ventured  to  carry  their  inquiries 
inio  tlie  practices  of  a  higher  ofTender.  That  oflender,  alas !  for  poor 
human  nature,  was  the  illustrious  Bacon  ; 

"The  wiscit,  greatest,  meanest  of  mankind.' 

Kind-hearted,  learned,  wise,  witty,  elocinent,  nnt'  beyond  all  his  contem- 
poraries deep-thoughted  and  sagacious,  tlie  vi  ount  St.  Albans,  chancel- 
lor of  England,  was  greedy  almost  to  insanity  ;  yi'ccdy  not  with  the  miser's 
wretched  love  of  hoarding,  but  with  the  reckless  desire  of  lavishing.  His 
eiTiolniiicnts  were  vast,  his  honours  and  appointments  many,  and  no  one 
coulJ  be  more  eloquent  in  behalf  of  justice  and  moderation  than  this  great 
man,  who  may  justly  be  styled  the  apostle  of  common-sense  in  reasoning. 
Yet  his  profusion  was  so  vast  and  so  utt>;rly  reckless,  and  his  practice  so 
little  in  accordance  with  his  preaching,  that  he  look  the  most  enormous 
bribes  in  his  olTice  of  judge  in  equity.  Hume  suggests  the  odd  apology 
that  though  he  took  bribes  he  still  did  justice,  and  even  gave  hostile  judg- 
ments where  he  had  been  paid  for  giving  favourable  ones  !  To  us  it  ap- 
pears that  this,  if  true,  was  merely  adding  the  offence  of  robbing  individ- 
uals to  that  of  abusing  his  office.  He  was  very  justly  sentenced  to  im- 
prisonment during  the  royal  pleasure,  or  fine  often  Ihousand  pounds,  and 
incapacity  for  again  holding  any  office.  The  fine  was  remitted,  and  he 
was  soon  released  from  imprisonment  and  allowed  a  pension  for  his  sup- 
port; a  lenity  which  we  think  he  was  undeserving  of.  in  precise  pt()po^ 
lion  to  the  vastncss  of  his  ability,  which  ought  to  have  taught  him  to  keep 
his  conscience  clear. 

Many  disputes  now  occurred  from  time  to  time  between  the  king  and 
'    parliament,  and  at  length  the  king  dissolved  them,  imprisoned  Coke, 

"  8,  Scldcn,  and  Pym  ;  and,  in  his  whimsical  way  of  punishing  refrao 


it    '4 


\  A  i.. 


S63 


THE  TIlEASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


tory  pooplo,  sont  Sir  Diiilloy  Digges,  Sir  Thomas  Crew,  Sir  N'ltlmniel 
Ricli,  ami  Sir  James  Pcrrot,  on  ii  commissioii  to  IreiaiKJ,  ii  couiiiry  to 
which  a  seliolar  and  a  fine  {jcnllcman  of  itial  time  woni-J  about  iis  reailjly 
go  as  a  club-lounger  of  our  day  would  to  Siberia,  or  the  salt  mines  of  Po 
land. 

We  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  dwell  at  all  minutely  upon  this  ]m\h. 
mcntary  opposition  to  the  kin^s  because  it  is  less  important  in  itself  tlmn 
in  its  c()nsc(iuenccs,  whicli  we  shall  have  to  dcvelope  in  the  siiccecihiio 
reign.  'I'/ic  seed  ofl/ie  eiinl  war  was  now  being  sewed.  The  commons  wpr? 
daily  gainiuif  power  and  the  ccMisciousness  of  power,  but  without  the  larfn 
and  generous  as  well  as  wise  spirit  which  knows  how  io  reform  f^nKlunlhi, 

Kven  tlie  king  himself,  with  all  his  high  opinions  of  prerogative  nnij  jnj 
only  loo  great  readiness  to  exert  it,  perceived  that  the  day  was  past  iDt 
governing  with  the  high  hand  alone.  A  curious  instance  of  this  occurs  In 
his  buying  olT  from  liie  gathering  opposition  Sir  John  Saville.  While 
others  were  sent  to  prison,  or,  which  was  hut  little  better,  to  Irelaml,  Sir 
John,  whose  opposition  had  been  eager  nnd  spirited,  ttiade  liis  talent  so 
much  feared,  that  the  king  made  him  comptroller  of  tlie  household,  a  privy 
councillor,  and  a  baron.  If  I'.is  successor  could  but  have  been  imlnicil 
to  ponder  this  fact,  and  to  take  it  in  conjunction  with  the  nature  of  mm- 
kind,  how  much  misery  had  been  spared  to  himself  and  his  people,  ami 
how  many  a  name  that  has  come  down  to  us  in  conjimctiou  with  Uio  most 
exalted  patriotism,  forsooth !  woidd  be  forgotten  in  the  lordly  titles  be- 
stowed upon  parliamentary  usefulness! 

A.  !>•  ir)-2,'.— Whatever  intention  James  might  have  professed  of  goiiiij 
to  war  on  behalf  of  his  son-inlaw,  his  real  intention  was  to  scenre  tlu' 
friendship  of  Spain,  and  tht;s  scenre  the  accomplishment  of  his  own  ami 
the  nation's  wishes  by  marrying  his  son.  Prince  Cliarles,  to  llicSpaniarirj 
sister.  Ufion  tliis  marriage,  besides  his  looking  upon  it  as  a  masterstrike 
of  policy,  he  was  passionately  bent,  as  a  matter  of  personal  fcchiip,  as  he 
deemed  no  one  below  a  princess  of  Spain  or  France  a  fitting  match  foriiis 
son. 

The  war  between  the  emperor  and  the  palatine  was  still  viijnrouslv 
kept  u[i,  the  latter  prince,  in  spite  of  all  his  misfortunes  making  the  nidst 
heroic  exertions.  The  details  of  this  war  will  be  found  in  tlieii  propir 
place.  Here  it  suffices  to  say,  that  though  James  greatly  aided  his  galhiii! 
■on-iu-law  with  money,  he  did  him  almost  equal  injury  by  his  negoliatieiis, 
which  every  one  saw  through,  and  of  course  treated  with  disrespect  pro- 
portioned to  their  knowledge  that  they  originated  in  the  most  inteuM' 
poliiical  prudence,  carried  to  the  very  verge  of  actual  cowardice.  Tliij 
excessive  caution  of  the  king,  and  his  equally  excefisive  addiction  to  per- 
petual negotiation  always  ending  in  nothing,  was  made  the  subject  of 
much  merriment  on  the  continent.  At  Brussels  a  farce  was  acted,  in  the 
course  of  which  a  messenger  was  made  to  announce  the  sad  news  Ihit 
the  palatinate  was  at  length  on  the  eve  of  being  wrested  from  the  house 
of  Austria.  Nothing,  the  messenger  said,  could  resist  the  aid  wiiuli 
Frederick  was  now  about  to  receive ;  the  king  of  Denmarl:  having 
agreed  to  send  him  a  hundred  thousand  pickled  herrings,  the  Dutch  a  iiiiii- 
dred  thousand  butter-boxes,  and  the  king  of  England — a  huui'.red  thousand 
dispatches'. 

But  though  James  was  in  reality  somewhat  ridiculously  profuse  in  hi? 
efforts  to  "  negotiate"  the  duke  of  Bavaria  into  restoring  the  palatinate,  ho 
really  was  resting  his  main  hope  upon  the  Spanish  match. 

Digby,  afterwards  earl  of  Bristol,  was  sent  to  Madrid  to  endeavour  to 
hasten  the  negotiation,  wl;ich,  with  more  or  less  earnestness,  had  now 
been  carried  on  for  five  years.  The  princess  being  a  catholic,  a  (iiupcii- 
Ration  from  the  pope  was  necessary  for  the  marriage ;  and  as  various  mo- 
tives of  policy  made  Spain  anxious  to  avoid  a  total  and  instant  breacli 


Sir  NiUnmcl 
,,  ii  cDviiiiry  10 
boul  ivs  roiiilily 
,U  miiwa  of  Po 

ipon  this  \m\\^- 
111  in  ilsi'lf  Uiiin 
thu  siiccecdiiis; 
B  foiuiwii'^  svcre. 
wiihoii'tlu'liiri^fi 
reform  f^riKlunUn, 
i;rog;itivn  mill  liis 
;vy  w;is  p;isl  I'm 
.  of  tills  occurs  ill 
,  S:ivil\<'.    While 
(M-,  to  Irfl.Mul,  Sir 
adc  liis  laloiil  so 
l\ousclioW,;i  privy 
avi:  brt'u  imiiucd 
lie  nature  of  lUiiiv 
.ul  his  people,  ami 
ctiouNvill»">l>R  !""*'> 
,c  lordly  lilies  lie- 

nrofesse.l  of  gniii!; 
was  to  secure  Ww 
cut  of  liis  own  aivl 
les,  to  llie  Spiiiiiiir.rs 
itusiiiiv.islerstr'ikc 
■rsoiv-a  feeliiip,  as  he 

fitiiug  maleliforlin 

was  slill  vi.j;nroiisly 

\es  making  the  m»st 

,„nd  in  tliciv  prop" 

,.Ulyi\i(le(lhiseall;uit 

Iv  bv  his  negoti;iti«'"*. 
with  (lisrcspccl  pro- 
i„  tlie  itiosl  iiUe|i'i' 
,.,\  cowardice,  l"" 
live  addiclion  to  pet- 
Imade  the  subj>:ci  o 
roe  WHS  acted,  mil 

e  the  r.i<l  new.  Ihil 
jslcd  from  the  house 
resist  the  aid  ^v 'K 
of   Denmark  havms 
.ings,thel)>itchai.»". 

Lously  profuse  in  hi; 
tringthepabtuutclie 

fcfto  endeavour  to  1 
%ainestness,ha.l..oj 

is  a  catholic,  a  ih^P"^  , 
lie;  and  as  various mv 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


563 


with  James,  this  eircumstaneo  was  dexterously  turned  to  advantage. 
Spain  undertook  to  prof;uro  the  dispensaiioii,  and  thus  possessed  the  pow- 
er of  retartling  the  marriufro  itidefinitely  or  of  concluding  it  at  any  moment, 
jiiould  circuniNtancea  render  llial  course  advisable.  Suspecting  at  least 
apart  of  the  deception  that  was  practised  upon  him,  James,  while  lie  sent 
Pigby  publicly  to  Spain,  secretly  sent  Sage  to  Rome  to  watch  and  report 
llip  state  of  alTuirs  and  feeling  there.  lieaining  from  that  agent  that  the 
oliicf  difficulty,  as  far  as  Home  was  concerned,  was  the  dinerence  of  re- 
ligion, he  immediately  discJiarged  all  popish  rescusanta  who  were  in  cus- 
toily.  I3y  this  measure  he  hoped  to  propitiate  Rome;  to  his  own  subjects 
he  stated  his  reason  for  resorting  to  it  to  be— his  desire  to  urge  it  as  an 
arjtuiiicnt  in  support  of  the  application  he  was  continually  making  to  for- 
eicii  princes  for  a  more  indulgent  treatment  of  their  protestant  subjects. 

iijghy,  now  earl  of  Bristol,  was  incessant  in  his  exertions,  and  stems 
to  have  been  minutely  informed  of  the  real  intentions  and  feelings  of 
Spain;  and  the  result  of  his  anxious  and  well-directed  inquiries  was  his 
informing  James  that  there  was  no  doubt  that  the  princess  would  shortly 
bestow  her  hand  upon  his  son,  and  that  her  portion  would  be  the  tlien 
piiormous  sum  of  eight  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  I'leascd  as 
laines  was  with  the  news  as  regarded  the  anticipated  marriage,  he  was 
ciirapturnd  when  he  considered  it  in  conjunction  with  the  restoration  of 
the  palatinate,  which  undoubtedly  would  instantly  follow.  Nothing  now 
reiiiainrd  but  to  procure  the  dispensation  from  Rome;  and  that,  supposing, 
a!is"cms  to  have  been  the  case,  that  Spain  was  sincere,  was  not  ikely  to 
be  long  delayed  when  earnestly  ."olicited  by  Spain — when  all  James' 
hopes  were  shipwrecked  and  his  finely-drawn  webs  scattered  to  the  winds 
by  Diickingham.  Did  a  prince  ever  fail  to  rue  the  folly  of  making  an  up- 
siarl  too  great  for  even  his  master's  control  I 

A.  D.  lPv>3. — It  would  have  been  comparatively  a  small  mischief  had  the 
king  made  Uuckingham  merely  an  opulent  duke,  had  he  not  also  made 
him.  practically,  his  chief  minister.  Accomplished,  showy,  and  plausible, 
he  was,  however,  totally  destitute  of  the  solid  talents  necessary  to  the 
statesman,  and  was  of  so  vindictive  as  well  as  impetuous  a  nature,  that 
he  would  willingly  have  plunged  the  nation  into  the  most  destructive  wat 
fur  llie  sake  of  avenging  a  personal  injury  or  ruining  a  personal  enemy. 
Importunate  and  tyrannical  even  with  the  king  himself,  he  was  absolute, 
arrogant,  and  insulting  to  all  others ;  and  he  had  even  insulted  the  jirince 
of  Wales.  But  as  the  king  grew  old,  and  evidently  was  fast  sinking, 
Biickiiigham  became  anxious  to  repair  his  past  error,  and  to  connect  him- 
self in  such  wise  with  Charles,  while  still  only  prince  of  Wales,  as  to  con- 
tinue to  be  the  chief  minion  at  court  when  the  prince  should  have  expand- 
ed into  the  king. 

Perceiving  that  the  prince  of  Wales  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the  long 
and  seemingly  interminable  delays  that  had  taken  place  in  bringing  about 
the  Spanish  match,  Buckingham  resolved  to  make  that  circumstance  ser- 
viceable to  his  views.  Accordingly,  though  the  prince  had  recently  shown 
a  decided  coolness  towards  the  overgrown  favourite,  Buckingham  ap- 
proached his  royal  highness,  and  in  his  most  insinuating  manner — and 
no  one  could  be  more  insinuating  or  supple  than  Buckinghan*  when  he 
had  an  object  in  view — professed  a  great  desire  to  be  serviceable.  He 
descanted  long  and  well  upon  the  unhafipy  lot  of  princes  in  general  in  the 
important  article  of  marriage,  in  which  both  husband  and  wife  were  usual- 
ly the  victims  of  mere  state  policy,  and  strangers  even  to  each  other's  per- 
sons until  they  met  at  the  altar.  From  these  undeniable  premises  he 
passed  to  the  conclusion,  so  well  calculated  to  inflame  a  young  and  en- 
thusiastic man,  that,  for  the  sake  both  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  hia 
future  wife,  and  of  hastening  the  settlement  of  the  affair  by  interesting 
her  feelings  in  behalf  alike  of  his  gallantry  and  of  his  personal  accomplish 


*     J  ■■) 


r^i : . 


|,J«7;;^ 


»,o 


•f 


V  'Tq 


"  '  -  ':  '*  1  '     1 

"  1         T    5*        lit  1 


^S«»IP' 


664 


THR  TBRASURY  of  HISTOttY, 


mcnts,  Cnarlcs  would  act  wisnly  by  goinK  incosjnito  to  the  Spanish  court. 
A  step  80  unusual  and  so  trusting  cuuld  nut  full  to  flatter  tho  Spanish  pride 
of  Philip  and  liis  court,  wliilc,  as  sreming  to  proceed  from  liis  p;isHion. 
ate  eagerness  to  sec  her,  the  infanta  herself  must  inevitably  be  dolighiei!. 

Charles,  afterwards  so  grave  and  so  melancholy — alns !  good  prince, 
how  much  ho  had  to  make  him  so! — was  then  young,  ingenuous,  and  ro- 
mantic, lie  fell  at  once  into  Buckmgham*s  views,  and,  taking  a(iv;\ntai;n 
of  an  hour  of  unusual  good  humour,  they  so  earnestly  imporluiird  the 
king  that  he  gave  his  consent  to  the  scheme.  Subsequently  he  cliani^pd 
his  mind  ;  cool  reflection  enabled  him  to  sco  some  good  reasons  ajpunHl 
the  proposed  expedition,  and  his  natural  timidity  and  suspicion  no'douht 
suggested  still  more  than  had  any  such  solid  foundation.  Out  he  was 
again  importuned  by  the  prince  with  earnestness,  and  by  the  duke  with 
that  tyrannous  insolence  which  ho  well  knew  when  to  use  and  wlirii  lo 
abstain  from,  and  again  the  king  consented. 

Endymion  Porter,  gentleman  of  the  prince's  chamber,  and  Sir  Francis 
Cottington  were  to  bo  the  only  attendants  of  the  prince  and  duke,  excopt 
their  mere  grooms  and  valets.  To  Sir  Francis  Cottington  the  kinij  coiii" 
municated  the  scheme  in  the  duke's  presence,  and  asked  his  opinion  of  it. 
The  scene  that  followed  is  so  graphically  characteristic  of  the  terms  upon 
which  the  duke  lived  with  his  benefactor  and  sovereign,  that  we  transcribe 
It  in  full  from  the  pages  of  Hume. 

•'  James  told  Cottington  that  he  had  always  been  an  honest  man,  and, 
therefore,  ho  was  now  about  to  trust  him  with  an  afl"air  of  the  highest  im- 
pojtance,  which  he  was  not,  upon  his  life,  to  disclose  to  any  man  whai. 
ever.  '  Cottington,'  added  he,  •hero  is  Uaby  Charles,  Dog  Steenio  (tiiese 
ridiculous  appellations  he  usually  gave  to  the  prince  and  Duckiiigham), 
who  have  a  great  mind  to  go  past  into  Spain  and  fetch  home  the  infaiiti. 
They  will  have  but  two  more  in  their  company,  and  they  have  clhisen  you 
for  one.  What  think  you  of  tho  journey  1  Sir  Francis,  who  was  a  pru- 
dent man,  and  had  resided  some  years  in  Spain  as  the  king's  ngnnt,  w;i3 
struck  with  all  the  obvious  objections  to  such  an  enterprise,  and  scnipkil 
not  to  declare  them.  The  king  threw  himself  upon  his  bed  and  cried,  'I 
told  you  all  this  before,'  and  fell  into  a  new  passion  and  new  lamentations, 
complaining  that  he  was  undone  and  should  lose  Baby  Charles. 

'•The  prince  showed  by  his  countenance  that  he  was  extremely  dis- 
satisfied with  Cottington's  discourse,  but  Buckingham  broke  into  an  open 
passion  against  him.  The  king,  he  told  him,  had  asked  him  only  of  the 
journey,  and  of  the  manner  of  travelling,  particidars  of  which  he  niisiitbc 
a  competent  judge,  having  gone  the  road  so  often  by  post;  but  that  he, 
without  being  called  to  it,  had  the  presumption  to  gLvc  his  advice  upon 
matters  of  state  and  against  the  prince,  which  he  should  repent  us  lung  as 
he  lived. 

"A  thousand  other  reproaches  he  added  which  put  the  poor  kinu  into  a 
new  agony  on  behalf  of  a  servant  who,  he  foresaw,  would  suffer  fur 
answering  him 'honestly,  upon  which  he  said,  with  some  emotion,  "Nay, 
by  God,  Steenie,  you  are  much  to  blame  for  using  him  so.  He  answered 
me  directly  to  the  question  which  I  asked  him,  and  very  honestly  ami 
wisely ;  and  yet  you  know  he  said  no  more  than  I  told  you  before  he  was 
called  in.'  However,  after  all  this  passion  on  both  sides,  James  renewcij 
his  consent,  and  proper  directions  were  given  for  the  journey,  Nor  was 
he  at  any  loss  to  discover  that  the  whole  intrigue  was  originally  contrived 
by  Buckingham,  as  well  as  pursued  violently  by  his  spirit  and  impetuosity, " 

The  prince  and  Buckingham,  with  their  attenaants,  passed  throiigti 
France;  and  so  well  were  they  disguised  that  they  even  ventured  to  look 
in  at  a  court  ball  at  Paris,  where  the  prince  saw  the  princess  Henrictia, 
his  afterwards  unfortunate  and  heroically  attached  queen. 

In  eleven  days  they  arnved  ••  Madrid,  where  they  threw  off  their  di,i 


ptinisli  court. 
Snivmslv  priilc 
n  liis  p;\s8iou- 
be  i\clig\\lci'.. 

good  prince, 
nuous,  and  ro- 
,ing  iulvanlriKO 
nporUinrd  the 
\y  hi  cliani^pd 
:ii\sons  ajviinsl 
icion  no  doubt 
.     Uut  lifi  wf>s 

llic  duko  with 
B  and  when  lo 

m\  Sir  Vrincis 
nd  dukn,  exropt 
11  i\\o  king  fom- 
his  opinion  of  it. 
)f  l\\(>  icims  upiin 
i\i\t  \vc  transcribe 

honest  man,  and, 
if  the  liiglu'si  iin- 
,  any  man  w'lai- 
log  Steenie  {\\\eiv 
mA  Buckingham), 
home  tlie  \uh\\U. 
y  have  rhosen  you 
8,  wlio  was  a  pru- 
1  king's  agent,  \v;is 
)ri8e,  and  seruple> 
1  bed  and  cried, '  1 
,  „cw  lainentalions, 
Charles. 

viis  extremely  (lis- 
broke  into  an  open 
cd  liim  only  of  the 
which  he  migln  be 
r  post -,  but  that  lie, 
vc  his  advice  upon 
,d  repent  as  long  as 

lh(;  poor  kiiv,' into  a 
Kr,  would  suffer  for 
Imc  emotion,  "^a>| 
L  ^o.    He  answeroJ 
■  very  honestly  aiv. 
Id  vou  before  he  «"« 
Ides,  James  renewed 
■journey.    Nor«s 
I  originally  contr.jf, 
Irit  and  impetuosity. 

lus,  passed  throng 
[vcn  ventured  to  loo 
^princess  UenncUa, 

''XewofT  their  dis 


THE  TREA8i;ilV  OF  HISTORY. 


fi6A 


ggiiei  and  wero  received  with  llio  utmost  cordiality.  The  liighost  honoiirt 
were  paid  to  Charles.  The  kitiij  nuulo  liim  a  visit  of  welcome,  cordially 
tliankiul  him  for  a  step  whicli,  '.imisual  as  it  was  amoiiff  princes,  only  th«< 
more  forcibly  proved  the  con(i(lenct!  he  had  in  Spaiiisii  honour— ffavo  him 
a  (fold  passport  key  that  ho  might  visit  at  all  iiours,  and  orui-red  the 
mmcil  to  obey  him  even  as  llie  kinjr  liimself.  An  incident  which  ia 
Knglaiid  would  be  trivial,  but  wliich  in  Spain,  so  liau^jhly  and  pertinacious 
ofeii(iucttc,  was  of  liio  utmost  importance,  will  at  once  show  the  temper 
ill  wliicli  tlie  Spaniards  responded  to  the  youthful  and  gallant  confidence 
of  diaries.  Oiivarez,  a  grandee  of  Spain— a  hauKJitier  race  far  than  any 
king,  out  of  Spain — thougii  he  had  the  right  to  remain  covered  in  tliu  pre- 
sence of  his  own  Bovercign,  invariably  took  off  his  hat  in  presence  of  the 
prince  of  Wales ! 

Tlnis  far,  in  point  of  fact,  whatever  obvious  objections  there  might  be 
to  Buckingham's  scheme,  it  iiad  been  really  successful ;  tlic  pride  and  the 
fine  spirit  of  honour  of  the  Spaniard  had  been  touched  precisely  as  ho 
anticipated.  But  if  he  had  done  good  by  accident,  he  was  speedily  to  undo 
it  by  his  selfish  wilfulness. 

Instead  of  taking  any  advantage  of  the  generous  confidence  of  tlie  prince, 
the  Spaniards  gave  way  upon  some  points  which  otherwise  they  most  pro- 
bably would  have  insisted  upon.  Tlic  pope,  indeed,  took  some  advantage 
of  llic  princt's  position,  by  adding  some  more  stringent  religious  condi- 
tions to  tlie  dupensation;  but,  on  the  whole,  the  visit  of  the  prince  had 
done  good,  and  the  dispensation  was  actually  granted  and  prepared  for 
delivery  when  Gregory  XV.  died.  Urban  VlTl.,  who  succeeded  him, 
anxious  once  more  to  see  a  catholic  king  in  Kngbnd,  and  judging  from 
Chiirles'  romantic  expedition  that  love  and  impatience  would  probably 
work  Ills  conversion,  found  some  pretexts  for  delaying  the  delivery  of  the 
dispensation,  and  the  natural  impatience  of  Charles  was  goaded  into 
downright  anger  by  the  artful  insinuations  of  Buckingham,  who  affected 
10  feel  certain  that  Spain  had  been  insincere  from  the  very  first.  Charles 
at  length  grew  so  dissatisfied  that  he  asked  permission  to  return  home, 
and  abked  it  in  such  evident  ill-humour,  that  Philip  at  once  granted  it 
without  even  the  affectation  of  a  desire  for  any  prolongation  of  the  visit. 
But  the  pritices  parted  with  all  external  friendship,  and  Philip  had  a.  monu- 
iiient  erected  on  the  spot  at  which  they  bade  each  other  adieu. 

Tiiat  the  craft  of  Urban  would  speedily  have  given  way  before  the 
uniicii  iiiiluences  of  James  and  Philip  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  as  little 
can  there  be  of  the  loyal  sincerity  of  the  Spaniard.  Why  then  should 
Buckingham,  it  may  be  asked,  overset  when  so  near  its  completion  the 
project  he  had  so  greatly  exerted  himself  lo  advance  1  We  have  seen  that 
his  object  in  suggesting  the  Journey  lo  the  prince  was  one  of  purely  selfish 
policy.  He  then  was  selfish  with  respect  lo  future  benefit  to  himself.  Flis 
sowing  discord  between  Charles  and  the  Spaniard  was  equally  a  selfish 
procedure.  His  dissolute  and  airy  manners  disgusted  that  grave  court, 
and  his  propensity  lo  debauchery  disgusted  that  sober  people.  Me  in- 
suftcd  the  pride  of  their  proud  nobility  in  the  person  of  Oiivarez,  the  almost 
omnipotent  prime  minister  of  Spain  ;  and  when  by  all  these  means  he  had 
worn  out  his  welcome  in  Spain,  and  perceived  that  even  respect  to  the 
prince  could  not  induce  the  Spaniards  to  endure  himself,  he  resolved  to 
break  o(T  the  amity  between  the  prince  and  Philip,  and  succeeded  as  we 
have  seen.  When  Buckingham  was  taking  leave  of  Spain  he  had  the 
wanton  insolence  to  say  to  the  proud  Oliv.arez,  "  With  regard  to  you,  sir 
in  particular,  you  must  not  consider  me  as  your  friend,  but  must  ever  ex- 
pect from  me  all  possible  enmity  and  opposition."  To  this  insolent 
speech,  the  grandee,  with  calm  greatness,  merely  replied  that  he  very 
willingly  accepted  Hit  offer  of  enmity  so  obligiuLfly  made. 
Oil  their  retura  to  England  both  Charles  and  Buckingham  used  all  their 


!  'Hi  q 


iri.:i 


I- 


M.  fm 


Sif! 


666 


THE  TREASiniY  OF  HISTORY. 


influrnco  with  the  Vmg  to  K<'t  liin)  to  break  ofl*  all  further  ncgoiialing  the 
Spmiifth  match,  (!li.irU;8  being  actuated  by  a  real  though  erroneous  belief 
or  thn  insincerity  of  the  Spaniard,  and  Huckingliam,  by  u  conscioii.siKss 
that  lie  could  expect  nothing  but  ruin  should  tlie  infunta,  after  beiiiir  bimiu 
by  so  much  insult  shown  to  herself  and  her  country,  become  quicri  uf 
Kngland.  In  wunt  of  money,  and  looking  upon  the  Spanish  malL-l)  an  a 
sure  means  by  which  to  get  the  palatinate  restored  without  going  to  war 
James  was  not  easily  persuaded  to  give  up  all  thought  of  a  nialcli  he  haij 
had  so  mucii  at  heart  and  had  brought  so  near  to  a  conclusion.  Ltut  t|,g 
indiicnce  of  Buckingham  was  omnipotent  in  parliament,  and  his  iiisuieiicg 
irresistible  by  tiie  kinj,';  the  Spanish  match  was  ilropped,  enmity  to  ili^ 
house  of  Austria  was  licnceforth  to  be  the  principle  of  English  poliiy,  and 
a  war  was  to  be  resorted  to  for  the  restoration  of  the  palatinate,  li  waj 
in  vain  that  the  Spanish  ambassador  endeavoured  to  open  .lames'  eyes. 
The  deluded  monarch  was  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  haughty  duke,  and 
ni(»reover,  from  growing  physical  debdily,  was  daily  grownig  less  fit  u 
endure  scenes  of  violent  disputation. 

The  earl  of  Bristol,  who  throughout  this  strange  and  protracted  nlTaJr 
had  acted  the  part  of  both  an  honest  and  an  able  minister,  would  n  st 
probably  have  made  such  representations  in  parliament  as  would  havu 
overcome  even  Buckingham;  but  he  had  scarcely  landed  in  England,  ere, 
by  the  favourite's  influence,  he  was  arrested  and  carried  to  the  Tmvir. 
The  king  was  satisfied  in  his  heart  that  llie  minister  was  an  honest  and  in 
injured  man  ;  but  though  he  speedily  released  him  from  the  Tower,  IJuck- 
ingham  only  sufTered  him  thus  far  to  undo  his  involuntary  injustice  on 
condition  that  Bristol  should  retire  to  the  country  and  abstain  fruiu  ull 
attendance  on  parliament! 

From  Spain  the  prince  turnfd  lo  France  in  search  of  a  bride.  He  had 
been  much  struck  by  the  lovilincss  of  the  princess  Henrietta,  and  he  now 
demanded  her  hand  ;  negnii  iiioiis  were  ac(;ordingly  immediately  enured 
into  on  the  same  terms  [Hcviously  granted  to  Spain,  though  liic  princess 
could  bring  no  dowry  like  that  of  the  infanta. 

Janies,fin  the  meantime,  found  himself,  while  fast  sinking  into  the  "rave, 
plunged  into  that  warlike  course  which  during  his  whole  life  lie  had  so 
sedulously,  and  at  so  many  sacrifices  of  dignity  and  even  of  pretty  cerium 
advantage,  avoided. 

The  palatinate,  lying  in  the  very  midst  of  Germany,  possessed  by  the 
emperor  and  the  duke  of  Bavaria,  and  only  to  be  approached  by  an  Knglish 
army  through  other  powerful  enemies,  was  obviously  to  be  retaken  by 
force  only  at  great  risks  and  sa(;rifi(:es.  But  the  counsels  of  Biickin;'ham 
urged  James  onward,  (-ouiit  de  Mansfeldl  and  his  army  were  siilisiJized, 
and  an  English  army  of  two  hundred  horse  and  twelve  Mu  ris;iii;'  foo,  was 
ru  ?ed  by  impressment.  A  (or  passage  was  proiniseij  by  trnuje,  but 
when  the  army  arrivcsd  at  Calais  it  was  discoverisd  th  >  no  f.>i,.  .'  •,,  'ers 
had  been  received  for  its  admission,  and  after  vaiti'  uy      •  such 

orders  until  they  actually  began  to  want  provisions,  the  cominaiiders  of 
Ihe  expedition  steered  for  Zeal.i.-i.l.  Here,  again,  no  proper  anaiigenients 
had  been  made  for  the  disembarkation  ;  a  sort  of  plague  broke  out  ainonj 
',he  ;ien  from  short  allowances  and  long  confinement  in  the  close  vessels, 
Kearly  one  half  of  the  troops  died,  and  Maiisfeldt  very  riglitly  deemed  the 
rei...  nder  loo  small  i  force  for  so  mighty  an  attempt  as  that  of  there- 
co.'iqut.'st  f    -he  pala'inate. 

A.  D  '  :-2o.  — Lon>r  i  firm,  the  king  had  been  so  much  harrasscd  of  late 
by  the  mere  necess.y  of  looking  war  in  the  face,  that  this  awful  lossol 
■,ife  Kic;  the  completu  failure  of  the  hopes  ho  had  been  persuaded  I o  rest 
upon  the  expedition,  threw  him  into  a  tertian  ague.  From  the  first  atliick 
he  felt  that  Ids  days  were  numbered;  for  when  told,  hi  the  old  liuglisb 
adae^e,  that 


igoliuling  the 
oueous  beliel 

r  being  hIiim;; 
Diue  qufLMi  o( 
1\  maU'U  iia  a 
going  III  war, 
in.itcli  liu  lud 
jion.    Uiil  tlie 
.1  lil»  insolence 
enmity  lo  llie 
lish  puluy.aiiJ 
,in;af.     ll  wag 
a  .l.inics'  eyes, 
glily  duke,  imd 
iVinu  Itss  fit  '.V 


possessed  by  the 
led  by  an  iMiglisli 
10  be  retaken  by 
Is  of  Diurkmy;bam 
V  were  snbsiJiicJ. 
a   -i-v,','  '  fo('-.  was 
.,')  by  I'l-aii'P.  but 
,  f  -  ,.  ■'   ■  '■-" 
I, J.      ■  s\ich 
c  eoinnianders  o( 
liner  arrangeimmis 
broke  out  among 
Ukj  close  vessels, 
i(rhlly  deemed  the 
as  that  of  the  re- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  III^ TORY 

"An  npfiin  in  upriiig, 
U  buultli  tu  u  king," 


<i«7 


he  replied,  with  something  of  liis  old  quiiintnoss — "  Hoot  moit '     Yt;  forget 
it  means  ii  younfr  kinif." 

Ho  was  riglit.  Kvcry  successive  fit  left  him  still  weaker,  till  he  s  ik 
into  lh(.  arms  of  d>'iith,  on  the  '-'7th  March,  KIJo,  in  the  fifty-iiintli  year  ( 
his  'ini',  the  fil'tv-p.,  hlh  of  his  reign  over  Scotland,  and  the  twenty. tliird  (/f 
iiisieigp  ""c    I  'igl  .lid. 

Few  ki  '■  >"  .3n  less  personally  dignified,  or  less  personally  or 
ro'ii  V  "iciMis  tiiiii  James.  Asa  husband, a  father,  a  friend,  iiniHier,  and 
[iiroi'.  he  was  unt)\i:eptionable  save  upon  the  one  point  of  excessive 
facility  .11  t'  )od  nature.  As  a  private  man  ho  would  have  bec'ii  prized 
1 0  more  on  ireoiuit  of  this  amiable  thouph  weak  trait  of  character.  Hut 
I,  iking  it  weakened  him  both  at  homo  and  abroad,  and  would  assuredly 
hive  conducted  him  to  the  scaffold,  had  puritans  been  as  far  advanced  in 
their  fanat' '.  and  mischievous  temper,  and  in  their  political  and  misused 
powf  ,  as  they  were  during  Iho  reign  of  his  more  admirable  but  less  for 
tuiiate  son. 


CIIAPTKR  L. 

THE    RKION    OP   CHARLES    I. 

A.  D.  1025. — The  singular  submissiveness  with  which  James  had  been 
obeyed,  even  when  his  principles  and  practices  were  the  most  exorbitantly 
arbitrary,  was  well  calculated  to  mislead  his  son  .  '...1  successor  Charles  1. 
ititua  very  fatal  mistake  as  to  the  real  temper  and  inclination  of  his  people. 
.\ulhority  had  not  as  yet  ceased  to  be  obeyed,  but  it  had  for  some  time 
ceased  to  be  respected.  Even  as  early  as  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  a  sturdy 
and  bitter  spirit  of  puritanism  had  began  to  possess  considerable  inlluetice 
both  in  parliament  and  among  the  people  at  large,  and  that  spirit  had 
vastly  increased  during  the  long  reign  of  James  I.,  whose  familiar  man- 
ners and  undignified  character  were  so  ill  calculated  to  support  his  claim 
to  an  almost  eastern  submission  on  the  part  of  subjects  towards  their 
anonilcd  sovereign. 

Uiit  the  real  temper  of  the  people  was,  as  it  seems  to  us,  totally  misun- 
derstood both  by  Charles  I.  and  his  councillors.  Cliarles  had  imbibed 
very  much  of  his  father's  extravagant  notion  of  the  extent  of  th(!  royal 
prerogative;  and  while  the  biiter  puritans  were  ready  to  carry  out  their 
l.i'iatieal  feelings  to  the  extc  I  of  crushing  alike  the  throne  and  ilie  church, 
l!u  king  cfi   imenced  his  ri     n  by  the  cxactit)ii   of  a  licncvolenre,  an  arbi- 

.ry  mode  of  raising  mumy  which  had  been  (Icnoiinced  long  before. 
riie  pecuniary  situation  of  the  king  was,  in  fact,  .«ucli  as  oiiKh-t  to  have  ex- 
cited the  sympathy  and  liberality  of  his  siilijects,  ami  even  the  unconstitu- 
tional and  arbitrary  conduct  of  the  king  in  issuing  privy  seals  for  a  benev- 
olence must  not  blind  us  to  the  cause  of  that  comiuct.  In  the  reign  of 
James,  as  we  have  sci  n  ilie  cause  of  the  prince  prilatine  was  unreasonably 
popular,  and  Kngland  h  .J  ei»»cni-,|  into  a  treaty  to  keep  up  the  war  on  be- 
naifof  that  prince.  Bound  by  ibat  ireaiy,  Charles  appealed  to  his  parlia- 
ment, which  gave  him  only  two  subsidies,  though  well  aware  that  sum 
would  be  quite  unequal  to  the  military  dcinunstralions  which  both  tlie  cause 
of  his  brother-in-law  ■xn.\  the  credit  of  thi  Kiiglish  nation  required  at  his 
hands. 

An  iiieirieient  expedition  lo  Cadi*  pUlitly  •howed  that,  even  with  the 
aid  of  the  forced  benevolence,  the  king  wh-«  very  uisuffHiciitly  supiilied  with 
money,  and  a  new  patliament  was  called.     N\  arued  by  the  experience  lie 


'(f  .. 


I 


St.* 


568 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


now  hni\,  tlie  king  exerted  himself  to  exclude  tlic  more  obstinate  and  able 
of  the  opposition  members  from  the  new  parliament.  Somelliing  like 
what  in  later  times  has  been  called  the  management  of  parliament  had  al- 
ready  been  tried  in  the  reign  of  James.  But  the  chief  step  now  taken  was 
arbitrarily  to  name  llie  popular  members  of  the  late  parliament  shcrlfTs  of 
counties,  by  which  means  they  were  effectually  excluded  from  siii'mnr  in 
the  new  parliament.  But  the  puritanical  spirit  was  too  widely  spread, 
and,  while  the  expedient  of  the  king  aggravated  the  excluded  and  iheir 
friends,  the  members  who  were  returned  proved  to  be  quite  as  obstinate 
and  unreasonable  as  their  predecessors.  Thv.  king  and  his  friends  and 
advisers  fairly  stated  to  parliament  the  great  ana  urgent  necessity  of  the 
crown ;  but  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  those  necessities  were  in  a  great 
measure  created  by  the  former  enthusiasm  of  parliament  and  the  people 
in  favour  of  the  palatine,  the  new  parliament  would  only  grant  three  sub- 
sidies, or  something  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  pounds,  a  sum  really 
paltry  as  compared  to  the  king's  need.  It  cannot  be  too  emphatically  im- 
pressed upon  the  reader,  that  here,  at  the  very  outset  of  the  king's  reign, 
the  foundation  of  all  its  subsequent  troubles  was  laid.  Measures  over 
which  the  king  had  had  no  control  made  a  vigorous  and  olTeiisive  course 
of  action  imperative  upon  him  ;  but  the  parliament,  while  looking  to  him 
f;yr  that  course,  doled  out  the  sinews  of  war  with  a  paltry  and  incfTiciem  _ 
spirit,  that  left  the  king  no  choice  save  that  between  disgrace  abroad  or' 
arbitrary  conduct  at  home.  Charles,  unfortunately,  looked  rather  at  the 
abstract  nature  and  privileges  of  his  royalty  than  at  the  power  and  fierce- 
ness of  real  popular  feeling  which  he  had  to  combat  or  to  eluiie.  He 
openly  authorized  commissioners  to  sell  to  tiie  catholics  a  dispensation 
from  all  the  penal  laws  especially  enacted  against  them ;  he  borrowed 
Isrge  sums  of  money  from  the  nobility,  many  of  whom  lent  them  with 
great  reluctance;  and  he  levied  upon  London,  and  upon  other  large  towns, 
considerable  sums,  under  the  name  of  ship-money,  for  the  equipment  and 
support  of  a  fleet.  Wholly  to  justify  this  conduct  of  the  king  is  no  part 
of  our  business  or  desire ;  but  again,  and  emphatically,  we  say,  that  the 
chief  blame  is  due  to  the  niggardly  and  unpatriotic  conduct  of  the  parlia- 
ment; an  unjust  extortion  was  the  natural  and  inevitable  result  of  a  no 
less  unjust  and  unprincipled  parsimony- 
War  being  declared  against  France,  the  haughty  Buckingham,  wlio  was 
as  high  in  favour  with  the  dignified  and  refined  Charles  as  he  had  been 
with  the  plain  and  coarse  James,  was  intrusted  with  an  expedition  for  the 
relief  of  Rochclle,  which  at  that  lime  was  garrisoned  by  the  oppressed 

Srotestants  and  besieged  by  a  formidable  army  of  the  opposite  persuasion. 
luckingham's  talents  were  by  no  means  equal  to  his  power  and  auibillon. 
He  took  not  even  the  simplest  precaution  for  securing  the  concert  of  the 
garrison  that  he  was  sent  to  relieve,  and  on  his  arrival  before  Rochellehe 
was  refused  admittance,  the  beseiged  very  naturally  suspecting  tlie  sin- 
cerity of  a  commander  who  had  sent  no  notice  of  his  intention  to  aid  them. 
This  blunder  was  immediately  followed  up  by  another  no  less  glaring  and 
capital.  Denied  admittance  to  liochelle,  he  disregarded  the  island  of  Ole- 
ron,  which  was  too  weak  to  have  resisted  him  and  abundantly  wed  pro- 
vided to  have  subsisted  his  force,  and  sailed  for  the  isle  of  Rh6,  which  was 
strongly  fortified  and  held  by  a  powerful  and  well- provisioned  garrison. 
He  sat  down  before  the  castle  of  St.  Martin's  with  the  avowed  intention 
of  starving  the  garrison  into  submission;  but  abundant  provisions  were 
thrown  into  the  fortress  by  sea,  and  the  French  effected  a  lauding  in  a 
distant  part  of  the  island.  All  that  mere  courage  could  do  was  now  done 
by  Buckingham,  who,  however,  lost  nearly  two-thirds  of  his  army,  and 
was  obliged  to  make  a  hurried  retreat  with  the  remainder.  His  friends, 
quite  truly,  claimed  for  him  the  praise  of  personal  courage,  he  having 
been  the  very  last  man  to  ,;-'t  on  shipboard.    But  mere  courage  is  but  i 


19 


)slinato  and  able 
Somelliiiig  hke 
rliamenf  liad  al. 
p  now  taken  was 
iiiiont  shcrifTs  of 
from  sitiuig  in 
o  widely  spread, 
:;hided  and  tlioir 
tiitc  as  obstinate 
his  (riends  and 
necessity  of  the 
s  were  in  a  great 
t  and  the  people 
grant  three  sub- 
ids,  a  sum  really 
emplialieally  im- 
the  king's  reign, 
Measures  over 
offensive  eourse 
le  looking  to  him 
ry  and  inofliciem 
sgrace  abroad  or " 
)ked  rather  at  the 
power  and  fierce- 
or  to  elude.    He 
ics  a  dispensation 
m ;  he  borrowed 
in  lent  them  with 
other  large  towns, 
he  equipment  and 
the  king  is  no  part 
,  we  say,  that  the 
duct  of  tiie  parlia- 
ble  result  of  a  no 

clngham,  who  was 
les  as  he  had  been 
expedition  for  the 

by  the  oppressed 
iposite  persuasion. 
iwer  and  ambition. 
the  concert  of  the 
before  Rochellc  he 
uspecting  the  sin- 
ention  to  aid  them. 
no  less  glaring  and 
d  the  island  of  Ole- 
undanlly  wed  pro- 
of Khe,  which  was 
)visioned  garrison. 

avowed  intention 
it  provisions  were 
ed  a  landing  in  a 
i  do  was  now  done 

of  his  at  my,  and 
der.  His  friends, 
ouragc,  he  having 
e  courage  is  biit.i 


CUAKuts  I.  AND  Armor  Urarer. 


mt 


,,l.. 

7-     'V 

'.-''■ 

l!sV    ■ 

Iff.  'i-lffT,,  i 


^),  ':si^, 


*•'  'li:  '•  "  'w'>     '    "         ■■ 


It   ■    ,  ;!/: 


IS-^'N 


|.l-^::-il^  it  *. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


S69 


imall  part  of  the  quality  of  a  greut  general ;  probably  there  was  not  a  pri- 
fnte  soldier  in  his  whole  force  who  was  not  personally  as  brave  as  Buck- 
ingham himself— certainly  there  could  have  been  but  few  of  them  who 
would  have  failed  more  disastrously  and  disgracefully  in  the  main  objects 
nf  the  expedition. 

Tiie  failure  of  this  expedition  could  not  but  increase  the  mischievous 
hints  between  the  king  and  parliament.  The  latter,  without  considering 
the  dilemma  in  which  their  own  illiberal  conduct  had  placed  liie  king, 
loudly  exclaimed  agamst  those  crertain'y  very  arbitrary  measures  to  which 
thpy  themselves  had  compelled  him.  Duties  called  tonnage  and  poundage 
had  been  levied,  and  for  refusal  to  pay  them  many  merchants  had  had 
their  property  seized  by  the  ofTicers  of  the  customs.  The  parliament  now 
called  those  ofTicers  to  account,  alledginw  that  tonnage  and  poundage  had 
been  illegally  demanded,  and  the  sheritV  of  London  was  actually  sent  to 
Ihe  Tower  for  having  officially  supported  the  king's  officers.  To  these 
circumstances  of  ill  feeling  the  more  zealous  puritans  added  religious 
grievances,  and  every  day  produced  some  new  proof  that  a  very  large  pro- 
portion of  the  nation  was  infected  with  a  feeling  of  intolerance  and  bigotry 
Ihat  could  not  but  prove  ruinous  to  both  church  and  state. 

A.  D.  1629. — Alarmed  at  the  zeal  and  obstinacy  with  which  the  popular 
members  seemed  determined  to  prosecute  the  toiniage  and  poundage  ques- 
lion,  the  king  determined  at  least  to  postpone  the  discussion;  and  when 
ihe  question  was  brought  forward,  Sir  John  Finch,  the  speaker,  rose  and 
nformed  the  house  that  the  king  had  given  him  a  command  to  adjourn  it. 
Phis  intelligence,  instead  of  alarming  the  popular  members,  infuriated 
,hem.  Sir  John  Finch  was  forcibly  held  in  the  speaker's  chair,  which  ho 
ivas  in  the  act  of  vac  ating,  by  two  members  named  Valentine  and  Hollis, 
and  thus  compelled  to  sanction  by  his  presence  a  short  resolution  which 
tondemned  tonnage  and  poundage  as  being  contrary  to  law,  and  all  per- 
sons concerned  in  collecting  those  duties  as  guilty  of  high  crimes,  and 
Hennunced  Arminians  and  papists  as  capital  enemies  to  the  state. 

This  scene  of  violence  and  passion  on  the  part  of  the  commons  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  king's  committal  to  prison  of  Sir  Miles  Hobart,  Sir  Peter 
Ilayman,  the  learned  Selden,  with  Coriton,  Strode,  and  Long,  on  chargej 
of  sedition.  At  this  period  Charles  seems  to  have  acted  rather  upon  pas- 
sionate and  perplexed  impulse  than  upon  any  settled  and  defined  principle, 
even  of  a  despotic  character.  He  had  scarcely  sent  these  members  to 
prison  upon  his  own  authority,  when  he  set  them  free  again  without  furUier 
punishment.  To  other  members  he  was  just  as  inconsistently  severe. 
Hollis,  Valentine,  and  Sir  John  Elliot,  were  summoned  before  the  court 
of  the  king's  bench  to  answer  for  their  violent  conduct  in  the  house  of 
commons.  They  pleaded,  and  it  should  seem  quite  reasonably,  too,  that 
llie  house  of  commons  being  a  superior  court  to  the  king's  bench,  the 
iaiier  coidd  not  take  cognizance  of  an  alledged  offence  committed  in  the 
former.  The  judges,  however,  treated  this  plea  with  contempt ;  the  three 
persons  above  named  were  found  guilty  in  default  of  appearance  and 
condemned  to  be  imprisoned  during  tlie  king's  pleasure,  to  pay  fines  ol 
from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  pounds  each,  and  to  give  security  for 
their  future  conduct.  Th>-  arbitrary  severity  of  this  sentence  had  a  doubly 
ill  effect ;  it  exalted  in  the  public  mind  men  whose  own  rash  anger  would 
otherwise  have  been  their  mi)st  elTicient  opponent,  and  it  added  to  the  un- 
popularity of  (he  king  just  at  the  precise  moment  wlien  nothing  but  a 
cordial  and  friendly  expression  of  public  opinion  was  at  all  likely  to  have 
been  effectually  serviceable  to  him  in  his  contest  with  the  obstinate  and 
envenomed  party — men  who  denied  him  the  means  of  performing  those 
duties  which  the  popular  outcry  iiad  mainly  contributed  to  impose  upon 
iiim. 

So  entirely  had  Buckingham  obtained  the  ascendancy  over  the  mind  ol 


■1.     .i"  '%\    llV.yS-       tit 


!ii' 


670 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Charles,  inat  the  favourite's  disgraceful  failure  in  the  Rochelle  expedition 
though  itcauRcdaloud  and  general  indignation  in  the  nation,  did  not  secrn 
to  injure  him  with  the  king.  Another  expedition  for  the  relief  of  Rochelle 
was  determined  upon,  and  the  command  was  bestowed  upon  Buckin»iiam. 
His  brotiier-in-law,  the  earl  of  Denbigh,  had  failed  in  an  attempt  to°raise 
the  sieire.  Buckingham,  naturally  anxious  to  wipe  off  the  disgrace  ol 
two  failures,  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  make  the  new  expedition 
under  his  own  command  a  successful  one.  To  this  end  he  went  to  Ports- 
mouth and  personally  superintended  the  preparations.  He  was  at  this 
moment  decidedly  the  most  unpopular  man  in  the  kingdom — denounced 
on  all  hands  as  the  betrayer  and  at  the  same  time  the  tyrant  of  both  kino 
and  country.  The  libels  and  declamations  which  were  constantly  circu" 
lated  found  a  ready  echo  in  the  breast  of  one  Felton,  an  Irish  soldier  of 
fortune.  By  nature  gloomy,  bigoted,  and  careless  of  his  own  life,  this 
man  had  been  rendered  desperate  by  what  appears  to  have  been  very  iin- 

I'ust  treatment.  He  had  served  bravely  at  St.  Rhe,  where  his  captain  was 
Lilled,  and  Buckingham,  whether  in  caprice  or  mere  indolence,  had  re- 
fused to  give  Lieutenant  Felton  the  vacant  place.  This  personal  injiirv 
aggravated  his  hatred  to  the  duke  as  a  public  enemy,  and  he  determine'c' 
to  assassinate  hmi.  Having  traveled  to  Portsmouth,  this  resolute  aiiu 
violent  man  contrived  to  approach  the  duke  as  he  was  giving  some  orders, 
and  struck  him  with  a  knife  over  the  shoulder  of  one  of  the  surrouiuiiiig 
officers.  The  duke  had  only  strenglli  enough  to  say,  "the  viUian  has 
killed  me,"  when  he  fell  dead  upon  the  spot.  In  the  confusion  that  en- 
sued the  assassin  might  easily  have  escaped,  for  the  blow  was  so  sudden 
that  no  one  saw  by  whom  it  was  struck.  But  the  assassin's  hat  had  fallen 
among  the  astounded  spectators  and  was  found  to  contain  some  of  tiie 
strongest  lines  of  a  very  violent  remonstrance  which  the  house  of  com- 
mons had  voted  against  the  duke's  conduct ;  and  while  some  persons  were 
remarking  that  no  doubt  the  villain  must  be  near  at  hand,  and  would  be 
recognised  by  the  loss  of  his  hat,  Felton  deliberately  Jtepped  forward  and 
avowed  his  crime.  When  questioned  he  positively  denied  that  any  one 
had  instigated  him  to  the  murder  of  the  duke.  His  conscience,  he  saiJ, 
was  his  only  adviser,  nor  could  any  man's  advice  cause  him  to  act  against 
his  conscience;  he  looked  upon  the  duke  as  a  public  enemy,  and  therefore 
he  had  slain  him.  He  maintained  the  same  constancy  and  self-compla- 
cency to  the  last,  protesting  even  upon  the  scaffold  that  his  coMsci(!iice 
acquitted  him  of  all  blame.  A  melancholy  instance  of  the  extiMit  to  which 
men  can  shut  their  eyes  to  their  own  wickedness  in  their  detestation  ol 
the  real  or  imputed  wickedness  of  others. 

A.  D.  1G39.— Ciiarles  received  the  tidings  of  the  ass-Tssination  of  his  fa- 
vourite and  minister  with  a  composure  which  led  some  persons  to  iiniij- 
ine  that  the  duke's  death  was  not  wholly  disagreeable  to  the  loo  indul- 
gent master  over  whom  he  had  so  long  and  so  unreasonably  exerted  his 
influence.  But  this  opinion  greatly  wronged  Charles ;  he,  as  a  man, 
■wanted  not  sensibility,  but  ho  possessed  to  a  remarkable  extent  the  val- 
uable power  of  controlling  and  concealing  his  feelings. 

'I'lie  first  consequ(!nce  of  the  cessation  of  the  pernicious  counsel  and 
influence  of  Buckingham  was  tlie  king's  wise  resolution  to  diminish  his 
need  of  tlie  aid  o!"  his  unfriendly  subjects,  by  concluding  peace  with  the 
foreign  foes  against  whom  he  had  warred  under  so  many  disadvantagos 
and  with  so  little  glory.  Having  thus  freed  himself  from  the  heavy  and 
constant  drain  of  foreign  warfare,  tlie  king  selected  Sir  Thomas  Went- 
worth,  afterwards  earl  of  StraflTord,  and  Laud,  afterwards  archbishop  of 
C^anlerbuiy,  to  aid  him  in  the  task  of  regulating  the  internal  afl'airs  of  his 
kingdom ;  a  task  which  the  king's  own  love  of  prerogative  and  the  ob- 
jtinatc  ill-humour  and  disaffection  of  the  leading  puritans  rendered  al. 
most  impracticable. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


571 


UnfortuniUcly,  Laud,  who  liad  great  influence  over  Chiiilcs,  was  by  no 
means  inclined  to  moderate  liis  propensity  to  arbitrary  rule.  Ton- 
nage and  poundage  were  still  '3vied  on  the  king's  sole  authority  ;  papists 
were  still  co.upounded  with  as  a  regular  means  of  aiding  the  king's  rev- 
enue; and  the  custom-house  oflicer.s  were  still  encouraged  and  protected 
ill  the  most  arbitrary  measures  for  the  discovery  and  seizure  of  goods  al- 
ledged  to  be  liable  to  charge  with  the  obnoxious  and  illegal  duties.  These 
errors  of  the  king's  government  were  seized  upon  by  popular  dcclaimers, 
and  the  violence  of  libellers  provoked  the  king  and  Laud  to  a  most  arbi- 
trary  extension  of  the  always  too  extensive  powers  of  the  high  commis- 
gion  and  star-chamber  courts,  the  sentences  of  which  upon  all  who  were 
accused  of  opposing  the  government  were  truly  iniquitous,  and  in  pre- 
cisely the  same  degree  impolitic.  This  court,  though  really  authorised 
by  no  law,  inflicted  both  personal  and  pecuniary  severities,  which  to  us 
who  are  accustomed  to  the  regular  ami  equitable  admini.slration  of  law 
cannot  but  be  revolting.  For  instance,  a  barrister  of  Lincoln's  Inn,  named 
Prynne,  a  man  of  considerabl(3  talent,  though  of  a  factious  and  obstinate 
temper,  was  brought  before  this  arbitrary  court,  charged  with  having  at- 
tacked and  abused  the  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  Kngland.  Burton,  a 
divine,  and  Bastwick,  a  physician,  were  at  the  same  time  charged  with  a 
similar  olTence ;  and  these  tiirce  gentlemen  of  liberal  professions,  for  libels 
which  now,  if  punished  at  all,  would  surely  not  cost  their  authors  more 
than  two  months'  imprisonment,  were  condemned  to  be  placed  in  the  pil- 
lory, to  have  their  ears  cut  off,  and  to  pay  each  a  fine  of  five  thousand 
ponnds  to  the  king. 

The  impolicy  of  this  and  similar  severe  sentences  was  the  greater,  be- 
cause there  were  but  too  many  indications  already  of  extensive  and  de- 
teiniined  disaffection  to  the  crown.  Refused  the  really  requisite  pecu- 
niary assistance  by  his  parliament,  the  king  continued  to  levy  ship-money, 
and  against  this  tax  an  especial  and  determined  opposition  was  raised; 
though  it  ought  to  be  observed  that  it  had  often  been  levied  in  former 
reigns,  not  because  of  so  reasonable  a  motive  as  the  factious  refusal  ul 
parliament  to  provide  for  the  necessities  of  the  state,  but  in  sheer  des- 
potic preferencte  on  the  part  of  sovereigns  to  act  on  their  own  will  rather 
than  on  that  of  parliament.  The  puritans  and  the  popular  leaders  in  gen- 
eral, however,  made  no  allowance  for  the  king's  really  urgent  and  dis- 
tressing situation. 

Among  the  most  determined  opponents  of  the  ship-money  was  Mr. 
John  Hampden,  a  gentleman  of  some  landed  property  in  the  county  of 
Buckingham.  The  moral  character  of  this  gentleman  was,  even  by 
those  whom  his  political  conduct  the  most  offended  or  injured,  admitted 
to  be  excellent ;  but  his  very  excellence  as  a  private  man  served  only  to 
make  him  the  more  mischievous  as  a  public  leader.  If,  instead  of  lending 
himself  to  the  support  of  that  bitter  and  gloomy  party  whose  piety  not 
seldom  approached  to  an  inrpious  familiarity,  and  whose  love  of  liberty 
(Ipgciierated  into  a  licentiousness  quite  incompatible  with  good  govern- 
ment, John  Hampden  had  thrown  the  weight  of  his  own  high  character 
into  the  scale  against  the  insanity  of  genius  as  displayed  by  Vane,  and 
the  insanity  of  hate  to  all  above  them  and  contempt  of  all  below  them 
which  was  manifested  by  ninelecntwentielhs  of  the  puritan  or  republican 
army,  how  sternly,  how  justly,  and  how  eflficiently  might  he  not  have  re- 
buked that  sordid  parliament  which  so  fiercely  and  capriciously  com- 
plained of  the  king's  extortion,  while  actually  compelling  him  to  it  by  a 
long  and  obstinate  parsimony,  as  injurious  to  the  people  as  it  was  insult- 
ing to  the  sovereign  !  But  he  took  the  opposite  course.  Being  rated  at 
Iweiily  shillings  for  his  Buckinghamshire  estate,  he  refused  payment,  and 
tanscd  the  question  between  himself  and  the  crown  to  be  carried  into  the 
txchcqucr  court.     For  twelve  days  the  ablest  lawyers  in  England  argued 


f.  I 


I  H' 


%--  , 


||i%'^;^..'..U 


:^.  A* 


i        <    ) 


l'4'^ 


111 


572 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


this  case  before  the  wliole  of  the  juilpcs,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exceiv 
lion  of  four,  decided  in  favour  of  the  kind's  claim. 

Without  entering,'  into  the  intricacies  of  legal  argumentation,  wo  must 
briefly  remark,  that  all  the  writers  wlio  have  treated  of  this  eelebralpj 
case  ap[)ear  to  us  to  have  bestowed  very  undeserved  praise  upon  Manin- 
den,  and  quite  to  have  misunderstood  or  misrepresented  the  case  as  be- 
tween the  king  and  the  people  at  large.  Was  it  the  king's  duty  to  sup.- 
port  tile  peace  of  the  kingdom  and  the  dignity  of  ihe  crown  1  13y  s>c 
much  as  he  might  have  fallen  short  of  doing  so,  by  so  much  would  lie 
have  fallen  short  of  the  fullilment  of  his  coronation  oath.  But  paiiia- 
ment,  the  power  of  which  was  comparatively  recent  and  in  itself  to  a 
very  considerable  extent  a  usurpation,  denied  him  the  necessary  siipplu-s. 
An  odious  aid  insolent  tyranny,  surely,  to  im[)ose  responsibility,  yet  deny 
the  means  of  sustaining  it!  The  king,  then,  was  thus  driven,  insuiciiliy 
and  most  tyrannously  driven,  to  the  necessity  of  choosing  betwcni  a 
crime  and  an  irregularity;  between  perjury,  violation  of  his  noroiiatiou 
oath,  and  a  direct  levy  of  that  money  which  he  could  not  obtain  thruiidi 
the  indirect  and  constitutional  means  of  parliament. 

It  is  quite  idle  to  dwell  upon  th3  irregularity  of  the  king's  mode  of  levy- 
ing  money  without  charging,  primarily,  that  irregularity  to  the  true  cause, 
the  shameful  niggardliness  of  parliament.  Then  the  question  hetwceii 
Charles  and  the  sturdy  patriot,  Hampden,  becomes  narrowed  to  itiis 
point — were  the  twenty  shillings  levied  upon  Hampden's  property  an  iin- 
reasonable  charge  for  the  defence  and  security  of  that  properly  ?  No 
one,  we  should  imagine,  will  pretend  to  maintain  that,  and  therefore  the 
refusal  of  Hampden  to  pay  the  ta.\ — unaccompanied  as  that  refusal  was 
by  a  protest  against  the  vile  conduct  of  parliament — evidenced  fnr  more 
of  the  craftiness  and  factious  spirit  of  his  party  than  of  the  sturdy  and 
single-minded  honesty  which  the  generality  of  writers  so  tenaciously  af- 
ffect  to  attribute  to  the  man. 

We  have  dwelt  the  longer  upon  the  pecuniary  disputes  between  Charles 
and  his  narrow-minded  parliament,  because  the  real  origin  of  all  the  sub- 
sequent  disorders  was  the  wanton  refusal  of  the  parliament  to  provide  for 
the  legitimate  expenses  of  the  state.  Later  in  order  of  time  the  dis- 
putes became  complicated,  and  in  the  course  of  events  the  parliament  bo- 
came  better  justified  in  opposition,  and  the  king  both  less  justified  and 
less  moderate  ;  but  even  in  looking  at  those  sad  passages  in  English  Ins. 
tory  which  tell  us  of  royal  insincerity,  and  of  Knglishmen  leagued  under 
opposing  banners,  and  upon  their  own  soil  spilling  each  other's  blood, 
never  let  the  reader  forget  that  the  first  positive  injustice,  the  first  provo- 
cation, the  first  ffuill,  belonged  to  parliament,  wiiich  practised  tyranny 
and  injustice  while  exclaiming  aloud  for  libcrtv. 


CIIAPTKR  LI. 

THE    REIG.N    OF   CHARLES    I.    {continued). 

A.  n.  11)40. — Though  there  was  a  most  bitter  spirit  existing  ag.ninst  the 
chnrcb.  of  England,  and  the  press  teemed  with  puritan  libels  as  vulgar  and 
gilly  as  they  were  malicious,  Charles,  a  sincere  friend  to  the  churcdi,  most 
unii  ipi  ily  saw  not  the  storm-cloud  that  hovered  over  him.  Instead  oi 
coniei.trating  his  energies,  his  friends,  and  his  pecuniary  resources,  to 
elude  or  smile  down  the  gloomy  and  bitter  puritans  of  England,  and  to 
awaken  again  the  cheerful  and  loyal  spirit  of  his  English  yeomanry,  lie 
nii'St  unwisely  determined  to  introduce  episcopacy  into  Scotland.  Ar 
order  was  given  for  reading  the  liturgy  in  the  principal  church  of  Edin^ 
burgh,  which  so  provoked  tiie  congregation,  that  the  very  women  ioiiie(i 


I  the  excep 

on,  wc  must 
.3  celebralnd 
upon  Ilamp- 
e  case  as  be- 
diiiy  to  sup- 
wii  ]     13y  sf 
jcW  woulil  he 
Bui  parlia- 
iii  itself  to  a 
sary  supplies. 
ilily,  yet  (leuy 
en,  iusoleutly 
njr  between  a 
lis  eoroiiatiou 
jblain  thruMt;li 

mode  of  levy- 
ihe  true  eause, 
eslion  betweca 
rrowed  to  iliis 
property  an  uii- 
property  ]  No 
d  therefore  the 
lal  refusal  «as 
enccd  far  more 
the  sturdy  and 
tenaciously  af- 

etween  Charles 
of  all  the  sail- 
to  provide  for 
time  the  dis- 
parliameat  bo- 
justified  and 
in  Eiiglisli  liis- 
leas,nied  under 
other's  blond, 
Hi  first  pruvo- 
actised  tyranny 


[ 

It 


ting  ajTainst  the 
■Is  as  vulgar  and 
he  church,  most 

iin.     Instead  oi 

ry  vcsourcfis,  to 

l^iigland,  and  to 

yeomanry,  m 

Scotland.    Ar 

;liurch  of  Ediii; 

/  women  ioinei, 


THE  TllKASUaV  OP  IIISTOIIY. 


67a 


in  an  attack  on  the  ofRcialinff  minister,  and  the  place  o:  Fiil>''f' worship 
HIS  profaned  by  furious  and  disirusting  imprecations.  Long  inured  to 
actual  warfare  \vit!i  England,  and  always  jealous  o'  a  nation  so  much 
wealthier  and  more  powerful  than  tlicinselves,  the  Scotch  fjladly  seized 
upon  the  attempt  to  introduce  episcopacy  among  tnem  as  a  pretext  for 
laving  recourse  to  arms,  and  the  whole  of  that  dlsaTected  and  warlike 
population  was  instantly  in  a  state  of  insiurcclioii.  Even  now,  could  the 
king  have  been  induced  to  perceive  the  rea".  icvc'eracy  and  determination 
of  the  Scottish  hatred  of  epi.scopacy.  he  m'.gh:  have  escaped  from  this 
portion  of  his  embarrassments  with  but  little  worse  evi.  than  some  dimi- 
nution of  his  cherished  notion  of  the  absolute  su[)remaey  of  anointed  sov- 
prcigiis.  A  negotiation  was  resorted  to,  and  a  treaty  of  peace  quickly 
suceeeded  a  mce  suspension  of  arms,  each  party  agreeing  to  a  disband- 
oiiment  of  their  forces.  Unhappilv,  nei;lier  parly  was  quite  earnest  in 
desiring  peace ;  the  king  cou.d  not  give  up  his  long  cherished  ideas  of 
llicir absolute  monarchy,  and  .he  rigd  Scottish  presbylerians  were  not  a 
jot  more  inclined  to  yield  u|)  any  portion  of  their  entire  freedom  and 
eelfgovernment  in  matters  of  re  igion.  The  negotiations  and  treaties 
were  in  consequence  m.irked  by  nuitual  insincerity;  mutual  charges  of 
o,iil  faith  were  made,  and  both  Charles  and  his  Scottish  people  speedily 
resumed  their  iiostilo  attitude. 

The  dispute  in  which  the  king  had  thus  needlessly  and  unwisely  in- 
volved himself  seriously  increased  his  dilTiculties.  Although  he  still 
continued  to  levy  ship-money  and  other  arbitrary  taxes,  he  was  dread- 
fully distressed  for  money;  and  the  disaflfected  of  England  saw,  with 
si'areely  dissembled  pl^jasure,  that  their  cause  was  virtually  being  se- 
cured by  the  disaffection  of  Scotland.  It  was  while  the  people  were  in 
this  ominous  temper  that  Charles,  having  exhausted  all  Jlher  means, 
even  to  forced  loans  from  his  nobility,  was  obliged  to  cal.  a  parliament 
aud  make  one  more  appeal  for  pecuni.iry  aid.  But  this  pa,"liament  was 
even  less  than  the  former  one  inclined  to  aid  the  king.  He  had  been  rc- 
fiiicd  aid  for  the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  kingdom,  and  he  was  still 
less  likely  to  be  fairly  treated  when  he,  in  termt,  demanded  aid  to  quell 
and  chastise  the  Scottish  rebels  whose  principles  were  so  near  akin  to 
those  of  the  English  puritans,  who  now  were  numerically  powerful 
ciiuugh  to  constitute  themselves  the  national  purse-holders.  Instead  of 
the  aid  he  asked  for,  the  king  received  nothing  but  remonstrance  and  re- 
buke, on  the  score  of  tin;  means  by  which,  when  formerly  refused  aid  by 
parliament,  he  liad  supplied  himself.  Finding  the  parliament  quite  im- 
practicable, the  king  now  dissolved  it.  But  the  mere  dissolution  of  this 
arbitrary  and  unjust  assembly  could  not  diminisli  the  king's  necessities, 
and  he  soon  called  another  parliament — that  fatal  one  whose  bitter  and 
organised  malignity  pursued  him  to  his  death.  The  puritan  party  was 
preponderant  in  this  parliament,  and  so  systematic  and  serried  were  the 
exertions  of  those  resolute  and  gloomy  men,  that  they  at  once  felt  and 
indicated  their  confidence  of  success  at  the  very  commencement  of  the 
session.  Instead  of  granting  the  supplies  which  the  king  dc.nanded, 
ihey  passed  at  once  to  the  impeaclimeiu  of  the  carl  of  Strafford,  the 
faithful  minister  and  the  personal  friend  of  the  king.  Strafford  at  a  for- 
mer period  had  to  a  certain  moderate  extent  acted  with  the  puritans;  but 
they  resented  his  opposition  to  their  more  insolent  proceedings  so  deeply, 
that  nothing  but  the  unfortunate  nobleman's  blood  could  appease  their 
malignity. 

It  was  well  known  that  Charles  required  no  one  to  urge  him  to  support 
the  prerogative  of  the  crown  to  its  fullest  legal  extent,  at  least ;  and  it  was 
rqualiy  well  known  that  Laud  was  of  a  far  more  arbitrary  turn  than  Straf- 
ford, artd  had  fully  as  much  influence  with  the  king.  But  Strafford,  as 
we  have  said,  had  given  deep  offence  to  the  puritans,  and  deep  and  deadly 


■\ 


.^1 


■Ih 


I   if     ., 


i\   11  '■ 


,1     V  'I  m 


674 


THE  TREASUllY  OP  HISTORY. 


was  their  revt'nEfe.  He  was  solemnly  impeached  of  Iiigh  treason  be/ore 
the  peers.  His  defence  was  a  perfect  model  of  touching  and  niiinly  elo- 
quence. Witlj  a  presence  of  mind  not  to  be  surpassed,  ho  look  up  iuij 
refuted  each  accusation  in  the  exact  order  in  wlncii  it  iiad  been  made- 
and  lie  concluded  by  assuring  tlie  peers  that  he  would  not  have  troubleci 
them  so  long,  had  ne  not  felt  the  defence  of  his  life  to  be  a  sacred  duly 
towards  his  children,  "pledges  of  a  dear  saint  now  in  heaven."  IM 
neither  tlie  cogent  logic  of  his  defence,  nor  the  uniinpeache.d  excellence 
of  his  private  character,  could  avail  aught  against  the  political  fury  of  the 
time.  He  was  pronounced  guilty  by  both  houses  of  parliament,  and  his 
death  was  clamoured  for  wiiii  an  eagerness  that  reilects  but  little  crodii 
upon  tiic  English  charac'ter  at  that  period.  There  was  but  one  thing  that 
could  have  ';aved  the  earl  of  Strafford,  and  it  is  with  pain  that  we  record 
that  that  one  thing  was  sadly  absent — a  just  firmness  of  character  on  the 
part  of  the  king. 

On  a  fair  and  careful  examination  of  the  proceedings  against  SlralTord 
we  ca:i  oidy  discover  one  serious  fault  (hat  was  committed  by  that  niiins- 
ter;  he  allowed  his  personal  attachment  to  the  king  to  induce  him  to  in- 
cur  ministerial  responsibility  for  measures  which,  both  as  minister  ain' 

Erivate  man,  he  greatly  disapproved  of.  But  this  great  fault  was  one 
earing  no  proportion  to  the  dread  penalty  of  death;  moreover,  lio\vc\cr 
faulty  Strafford  on  this  point  was  towards  himself  and  the  nation,  he  had 
committed  no  fault  against  the  king.  Contrariwise,  he  had  given  the  ut- 
most possible  proof  of  personal  and  loyal  feelings  ;  and  Charles,  in  ahan- 
doning  a  minister  whose  chief  fault  was  that  of  being  Uto  faithful  to  his 
sovereign,  acted  a  part  so  uiichivalric,  so  totally  unworthy  of  his  geneiai 
character,  that  wo  scarcely  know  how  to  speak  of  it  in  terms  sunicieiulv 
severe.  A  truly  futile  apology  has  been  attempted  to  be  made  for  Charles' 
abandonment  of  his  too  devoted  minister.  Tliat  ill-fated  nobleman,  while 
confined  in  the  Tower,  heard  of  the  clamour  that  was  artfully  and  perse- 
veringly  kept  up  by  his  enemies,  and  in  a  moment  of  unwise  exallaiion 
he  wrote  to  the  king  and  advised  him  to  comply  with  the  sanguinary  de- 
mand that  was  made.  The  advice  was  unwise,  but,  such  as  it  was,  it 
ought  to  have  had  the  effect  of  only  increasing  the  king's  resolution  to  save 
such  a  man  and  such  a  minister  from  destruction.  Hut  Charles  took  the 
advice  literally  au  pied  de  la  letlrc,  and  signed  the  warrant  for  the  exeeu- 
lion  of,  probably,  after  his  queen,  the  most  sincerely  devoted  friend  that 
he  possessed.  "  Put  not  your  trust  in  princes!"  was  the  agonized  com- 
mentary of  Strafford  upon  this  most  shameful  compliance  of  tlie  kin;;; 
and  he  submitted  to  his  undeserved  execution  with  the  grave  and  equable 
dignity  which  had  marked  his  whole  course.  From  this  unjust  murder  ol 
the  king's  friend  and  minister,  the  parliament  passed  to  a  very  righteous 
and  wise  attack  upon  two  of  the  most  iniquitous  of  the  kiiitj's  courts. 
Tiie  high  commission  court,  and  the  court  of  star-chamber  were  unani- 
mously abolished  by  act  o(  parliament. 

While  the  prolestants  of  Kngland  were  divided  into  churchmen  and 
puritans,  and  while  the  latter  were  busily  engaged  in  endeavouiiii;j  to 
throw  discredit  upon  the  church,  papacy  saw  in  these  disputes  a  new 
temptation  for  an  attack  upon  protestantism  as  a  whole.  The  king's 
finances  were  well  known  to  be  in  such  a  state  as  must  necessarily  pre- 
vent him  from  anything  like  vigour  in  military  operations  ;  and  the  papists 
jf  Ireland,  aided  and  instigated  by  foreign  emissaries,  resolved  upon  a 
general  massacre  of  their  protestant  fellow-subjects.  A  simultaneous  at- 
tack was  made  upon  these  latter;  no  distinction  was  made  if  ago  or  ul 
sex  ;  neighbour  rose  upon  neighbour,  all  old  obligations  of  kinuiiess  were 
forgotten,  all  old  animosities,  how  trifling  soever  their  origin,  wfe  terri- 
bly remembered,  and  upwards  of  forty  thousand  persons  were  Mihu- 
manly  slaughtered.    The  king  made  every  exertion  to  suppress  and  piiii- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


5?5 


bcr  were  uiiaiii- 


iih  mis  iiif.imoiis  massacre,  and,  feeling  that  the  chief  obstacle  to  his  suc- 
cess lay 'ii  his  cripphnl  fniiinces,  he  once  more  appealed  to  his  Knglish 
parliament  for  a  supply.  Hnt  not  even  the  inassacro  of  their  proiestant 
feilow-snbjects  could  alter  the  factious  temper  of  the  puritans;  they  not 
only  refused  the  aid  he  asked,  upon  the  absurd  plea  that  England  was  itself 
in  loo  much  (lunger  to  spare  any  aid  to  Ireland,  hut  even  added  insult  to 
injustice  by  insinuating  that  the  kiuff  had  himself  fomented  the  disturb 
i,nces  in  Ireland;  as  though  the  uiii'ortunatc  monarch  had  not  already  too 
nuiiurous  claims  on  his  iinpoveiished  finances! 

A.  D-  1G41.— The  attachment  ol  the  king  to  the  church  was  well  known, 
sml  both  he  and  his  opponents  well  knew  that  on  the  support  and  aflToclioa 
of  llio  church  rested  the  chief  hope  of  preservinjf  the  monarchy.  The 
puritan  party,  therefore,  determined  to  attack  the  monarchy  throujjh  the 
church,  and  thirteen  bishops  were  accused  of  high  treason,  in  having 
enacted  canons  for  church  goveriimcnt  without  the  authority  or  consent 
of  llie  parliament.  The  opposition,  or,  as  thoy  are  commonly  called,  "  the 
po[.iilar  members,"  at  the  same  lime  applied  to  the  peers  to  exclude  the 
prel;itcs  from  speaking  an(  ting  in  that  house ;  ami  tiie  bishops,  with 
more  discretion  than  dignit>  Jeprecated  the  puritan  animosity  by  ceasing 
lo  attend  their  duty  in  the  nouse  of  lords.  The  king  was  thus,  at  the 
very  moment  when  ho  most  required  aid  in  parliament,  deprived  of  the 
ulpiits  and  the  votes  of  precisely  those  peers  of  parliament  upon  whoso 
assiduity  and  devotion  he  had  the  most  (lepcndance. 

Posih.imous  blame  is  both  cheap  and  easy.  The  writer,  sitting  calmly 
in  his  closet,  can  easily  and  safciV  point  out  the  errors  of  the  great  men 
of  a  bygone  age  ;  it  is  a  nobler  and  more  necessary  task  to  ascertain  and 
hold  up  to  view  the  circmnstances  that  rendered  those  errors  cxcusahle, 
at  least,  if  not  actually  inevitable.  Goaded,  insulted,  and  straitened  as 
Charles  was,  he  would  have  possessed  something  more  than  human  firm- 
ness if  he  had  not  at  length  deviated  into  rashness.  His  most  devoted 
friend  slain,  the  prelates  of  his  church  silenced,  and  himself  made  a  mere 
cipher,  except  as  to  the  continuance  of  a  vast  and  fearful  responsibility, 
he  resolved  to  try  the  effect  of  severity ;  and  he  gave  orders  to  the  attorney- 
general,  Herbert,  to  accuse  before  the  house  of  peers.  Lord  Kimbolton, 
together  with  the  prominent  commoners,  Hollis,  Hampden,  Pym,  Strode, 
and  Sir  Arthur  Haslerig,  of  high  treason  in  having  endeavoured  to  subvert 
the  laws  and  government  of  the  kingdom,  to  deprive  the  king  of  his  regal 
power,  and  t)  substitute  for  it  an  artiitrary  and  tyrannical  authority,  inju- 
rious to  the  king  and  oppressive  to  his  liege  subjects.  Thus  far  we  are 
by  no  means  unprepared  to  approve  of  the  king's  proceedings,  for  surely 
the  conduct  of  the  accused  persons  had  been  marked  by  all  the  tendency 
attributed  to  it  in  the  terms  of  the  accusation.  IJut,  unfortuni'tely,  Charles, 
instead  of  allowing  the  proceedings  to  go  forward  with  the  grave  and  dc- 
nberate  earnestness  of  a  great  judicial  matter,  wan  so  wilful  or  so  ill-ad- 
vised as  to  take  a  personal  step,  which,  had  it  been  successful,  would 
have  exposed  him  to  the  imputation  of  a  most  unconstitutional  tyranny, 
and  which,  in  being  unsuccessful,  exposed  him  to  that  ridicule  and  con- 
tempt which,  injurious  to  any  man  under  any  circumstances,  could  be 
nothing  less  than  fatal  to  a  king  who  was  in  dispute  with  a  majority  of 
his  people,  and  who  had  already  seen  no  small  portion  of  them  in  actual 
battle  array  against  his  authority. 

On  the  very  day  after  the  attorney-general  had  commenced  justifiable 
proceedings  against  these  factious  leaders,  the  king  entered  the  house  of 
commons,  without  previous  notice  and  without  attendance.  On  his  maj- 
esty's first  appearance,  the  members  to  a  man  respectfully  stood  up  to  re- 
ceive him,  and  Lenthal,  the  speaker,  vacated  his  chair.  His  majesty 
seated  himself,  and,  after  looking  sternly  round  for  somt  moments,  said, 
that  understanding  that  the  house  had  refused  or  neglected  to  give  up  five 


,  H 


•1    !!i 


P|l  ■   :' 


\\ 


J.  r 


,i    .:•&■ 


670 


THE  TEKASnaY  OF  HISTOKY. 


of  its  members  wlioin  ho  had  ordered  to  bo  areused  of  higli  treason  ho 
had  personally  eomo  there  to  seize  them,  a  proceediiiir  to  which  ho  v/n* 
sorry  lo  be  compelled.     I'erceivinir  that  the  aecused  were  not  present,  he 
called  upon  the  speaker  to  deliver  tlieni  np;  when  that  ofTieer,  with  grpaj 
presence  of  mind  and  justice,  replied  that  he  was  the  mere  organ  iind  ser- 
vant  of  that  house,  and  that  he  had  neither  eyes  to  see,  nor  ears  to  hear" 
nor  hps  to  utter,  save  wliat  that  house  commanded.     Finding  that  he 
could  in  no  other  respect  gain  l)y  a  procedure  in  which  ho  was  so  great  a 
loser  in  dignity,  his  majesty,  after  sitting  silent  for  some  moments  lonner 
departed  from  the  liouse.     He  now  proceeded  lo  the  common  councif  of 
the  city,  and  made  liis  complaint  of  the  conduct  of  the  house  of  commons. 
On  his  road  he  was  saluted  by  cries  of"  privilege,"  not  unmixed  witiistili 
more  insulting  cries  from  many  of  the  lower  sort,  and  his  complaint  lo  ilio 
common  coinicil  was  listened  to  in  a  contemptuous  and  ominous  si'cnco. 
Irritated  and  alarmed  at  this  new  proof  of  the  un[)opularity  of  his  [irc-vcd. 
ings,  he  departed  from  the  court,  and  as  he  did  so  was  saluted  bj    ioine 
low  puritan  witli  the  seditious  watchword  of  the  Jews  of  old — "To  your 
tents,  O  Israel !" 

It  is  utterly  inconceivable  how  a  sovereign  possessed  of  Charle?*  good 
sense,  and  aware,  as  from  many  recent  occurrences  he  needs  niu^st  have 
been,  of  the  resolved  and  factious  nature  of  the  men  lo  wiiom  he  was  op- 
posed, could  have  compromised  himself  by  so  rash  and  in  every  way  uii- 
advisablo  a  proceeding  as  that  which  we  have  described.  In  trulii,  ho 
had  scarcely  returned  to  the  comparative  solitude  of  Windsor  before  lie 
himself  saw  how  prejudicial  this  alTair  was  likely  lO  be  to  his  interests, 
and  he  hastened  to  address  a  letter  to  parliament,  in  which  he  said  tlmt 
his  own  life  and  crown  wee  not  more  jirecious  to  hua  than  tlie  privilc^rcj 
of  parliament.  This  virtual  apology  for  his  dir.  (  and  personal  inier- 
ferencc  witii  those  privileges  was  rendered  necessary  by  his  previous  pre- 
cipitancy, but  this  ill-fated  monarch  now  lan  into  another  extreme.  Ilav- 
ing  oITended  parliament,  his  apology  to  parliament  was  necessary,  iiiiy, 
m  the  truest  sense  of  the  word,  it  was  dignified  ;  for  a  persistence  in  errur 
is  but  a  false  dignity,  whether  in  monarch  or  in  private  man.  IhU  hero 
his  concession  shoidd  have  stopped.  His  oflTenee  was  one  against  good 
manners,  but  the  ofTenco  with  which  Pym  and  the  members  were  charged 
was  one  of  substance,  not  of  form.  Their  olTei\cc  was  not  in  the  slightest 
degree  diminished  or  atoned  for  by  the  king's  folly;  yet,  as  though  there 
had  been  some  close  logical  coimection  between  them,  he  now  informed 
the  house  that  he  should  not  farther  prosecuKi  his  proceedings  against  lis 
accused  members!  Could  inconsequence  or  want  of  dignity  go  farther, 
or  be  more  fatally  shown  ?  If,  while  apologizing  to  the  house  for  his  un- 
questionable olTence  against  its  privileges,  lie  stdl  had  calmly  and  wiih 
dignity,  but  sternly  and  inexora!)ly,  carried  on  his  proceedings  against  the 
accused  niend)ers,  it  is  quite  witiiin  the  pale  of  pr  oability  liiat  he  would 
have  Raved  himself  from  an  untimely  end,  and  hi  ^  country  from  tiie  sliuma 
of  a  most  barbarous  murder.  Tlie  opposite  conduct,  tlioiii^h  in  no  wise 
elTicient  in  softening  the  stern  hearts  of  his  enemies,  taugiil  them  the  fa- 
tally important  truth  that  their  king  knew  how  to  yield,  and  that  if  un- 
wisely rash  in  a  moment  of  irritation,  he  could  bw  no  less  unwisely  aliject 
in  a  moment  of  calculation  or  timidity.  It  was  a  fatal  lesson  ;  and  fruni 
this  moment,  in  sjjite  of  any  scenting  and  temporary  advantages,  Charles 
of  England  was  virtually  a  dethroned  monarch  and  a  doomed  man. 

There  was  a  deep  art,  beyond  what  was  at  first  apparent,  in  tlie  insolent 
insinuation  of  the  popular  declaimers  that  the  king  had  himself  fomented 
the  recent  horrors  in  Ireland.  The  awful  massacre  among  the  protes- 
tants  of  that  country  had  naturally  raised  a  new  horror  and  dread  of  papacy 
in  the  minds  of  the  protestants  of  Kngland.  The  artful  popular  leaders 
took  advantage  of  this  very  natural  feeling,  and  worked  upon  it  as  raiglil 


M'  his 
I'm  t!i(' 
si.V,  an 
■J|W.<  (III 

nv;l  \V;i|-. 

hicii  in  V, 
!'ie  f;inlts 
"'lielher  n^ 
J'jrihc  ino 
■•'■rs,  IV  III  I, 
If?  their 
inijiiritv  0, 

ClVryilniirr 

iUiiiarv. 

'lllKlrhti 

an 


'■aviiirv. 


THE  TllKASUILY  OK  HISTORY. 


677 


r  .  rf 


treason,  ho 
licK  ho  wai 
I  prc!8(!iit,  lie 
r,  Willi  groat 
gau  ami  scr- 
iars  to  hear, 
lUiig  thai  he 
as  su  great  a 
ncnts  longer, 
in  council  o( 
of  commons, 
ised  Willi  still 
iinplaintloilio 
inous  si'eiiee. 
if  his  jiro'.ved- 
iitcil  ')j    unne 
il__"  To  yout 

Charle?''  good 
ids  must  liave 
jm  he  was  op- 
every  way  ua- 
i.    In  tniili,  lie 
dsor  before  lie 
o  his  interests, 
;h  he  said  that 
u  the  privileges 
personal  inter- 
us  previous  pre- 
extreme.    Hav- 
necessary,  nay, 
listcuce  in  error 
Iman.    IhU  here 
[\c  against  gi.ud 
srs  were  charged 
It  iu  the  shyhiest 
as  though  lliero. 
|e  now  informed 
iings  against  ils 
iiiiy  go  farther, 
house  for  his  ua- 
■almly  aiHl  with 
dings  against  the 
y  vhal  ho  would 
from  the  s"!!'"'' 


prom'sc  ocst  to  aid  Ihoir  own  ambitious  and  lilood-thirsly  views.     The  ig- 
norant and  till!  timid  were  t;uii;ht  to  bi-lieve  that  tlie  inax.'sacre  of  tlic  pro- 
lest.ints,  tlioiiifli  the  deed  of  hi^^otcd  p.i|)ists,  was   far  cMougli    from  heing 
disagreeable  to   the   kio'^  and    tii.s   rnends,  wiio   would    prol)aMy   cause 
liinilar  proceedings  in  Kiigland  unless  due  power  ami  means  of  proven- 
lion  wen!  placed  in  time  in  llie  hands  of  parliament,  wliicli  was  constantly 
rppresentcd  as  an  integer  that  necessarily  loved  ami  watched  over,  instead 
of  what  it  really  was,  an  a^ifrr<falp.  ('omjiOKed  of  various  dispositmns  and 
rates  (.f  talent,  liaviii][(  but  one  common  boud  of  union,  a  haired  (if  all  au- 
ihorily  save  that  of  tiie  aggregate  in  (piestion,  and  having  a  dcferenee  for 
no  (ipinion  save  that  of  eaidi  individual  member  of  that  aggregate.    Treat- 
c,l  lis  Charles  had  been  almosi  from  the  lii>,t  day  of  his  reign,  it  must  bo 
clear  lo  the  most  su[)errici  il  observer,  that  nothing  but  his  fortresses  and 
Ins  troops  ri'inained  to  him  of  tin-  stibstiiuce  of  monarchy,     'i'he  parlia- 
ment ii"w  determined  to  deprive  him  of  these.     'I'hey  had  seen  that  he 
could  yield,  they  caK'ulati'd  upon  a  pasNJimale  resjsl;iiice  to  their  first  ex- 
orbitai'iiy  and  iiisideiice  of  di  maud  ;  but  they  doubted  not  lliat  the  vaeil- 
latiiia  of  llu'  king's  iniiul  would  begin  long  ere  the  resolute  obsiinacy  of 
llu'iriiwn  would  terminate.     The  result  but  too  wcdl  proved  the  accuracy 
of  their    reasoning.      The    p('0|ile    were   skilfully    worked    U[)    into    an 
ecslacy  of  horror  of  tin;  (le.sii;ns  and   power    of  the    papists,  and    thus 
iiFfil  to  iietition   that   the    Tower,   the    fortresses    of  Mull    and   Ports- 
inumli,  and  the    Hrel,  shonlil  be   eommitted  to   the  hands  of  olheers  in 
the  cfinlidiiiee  of  p;,rliameut.     Dcm  iiiiis  so  indicative  of  suspicion,  so 
iii;!iilti!iglv  saying  that   the   king  would  (dace  smdi    im|)orlant  trusts  in 
limiils  iiiiiit  to  use  them,  were,  as  the  opp  ssition  had  anticipated,  warmly 
roseatel  at  first,  and  then  uiiwisi  ly  complied  with. 

KiiihdMeiicd  by  tliis  nev/  ciuicessioii,  the  pf)|nilar  party  a(Teet<Ml  new 
jnJ  iiureisi'd  fears  of  the  di'signs  of  tlu!  Irish  jiapists,  and  demanded 
Oil'  a  new  militia  should  be  r.iised  and  trained,  ihe  eoinmandi'rs  as 
W'll  as  the  merely  subaltern  olhcers  of  which  should  be  nominated  by 
•irli.iineni.  (Miarles  now,  when  too  late,  perceived  that  even  to  con- 
;ivle  frailly  requires  judgmiMil;  and  being;  urged  to  give  up  the  com- 
miid  of  tlu!  army  for  a  limited  space  of  lime,  ho  [iromptly  replied, 
'No',  not  even  for  a  single  hour!"  IIa[)i)y  for  liims(df  and  his  king- 
fen  had  it  been  if  he  hail  earlier  known  how  to  say"  No,"  and  to  abide 
[ly  it  not  only  with  firmness  but  also  with  temper. 

*. n.  l'!4.'. — In  making  this  demand  parliament  had  completely  thrown 
ollllie  mask;  and  as  the  very  e.xlremity  to  whiidi  the  king  was  driven 
supplied  him  in  this  one  cast!  with  the  firmness  which  in  general  and 
by  his  natural  temper  he  so  sadly  wanted,  it  at  once  became  evident 
ihl  the  (hsjiutes  between  the  king  and  his  loyal  subjects  on  the  one 
sule,  and  the  puritans  and  their  only  too  numermis  and  Riilhnsiastic 
iiposdii  the  other,  could  only  be  deeiled  by  the  saildest  of  ail  means,  a 
civil  war.  On  either  side  ap|ieals  to  the  people  were  printed  and  eireu- 
hitiliii  vast  numbers,  and,  as  usn:il  in  such  cases,  eacli  side  exaggerated 
the  faults  of  th(!  other,  and  was  in-ofonndly  silent  as  to  its  own  f.uilts, 
'vliothcr  as  to  jiast  conduct  or  present  views.  The  king's  friends,  bidnjj 
I'lrilic  most  part  of  the  more  opulent  ranks,  assumed  the  title  of  thecava- 
luri!,  while  the  puritan,  or  rebel  party,  from  their  afTecfed  habit  of  wear- 
irj  their  hair  (dosely  cut,  were  called  roundheads,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
miniitv  of  the  nation  ranked  under  the  one  or  the  other  ajipellalion,  and 
everything  portended  that  the  civil  i-:lrife  would  bo  long,  fierce  and  sail- 
iuiiiary. 
In  addition  tothe  train-bands  assembled  under  tliecommand  ofSir  .Tohn 
nighy,  ilie  king  had  barely  three  hundred  infantry  and  eight  hundred 
"aw.lry,  and  he  was  by  no  means  well  provided  with  arms.  But,  in  spitft 
liali  ihe  exertions  of  the  puritans,  there  was  still  an  extensive  I'ecluifr  of 
Vol.  I.— 37 


';    ! 


-m 


mm 


it'll  H.mS 


ft7d 


TIIR  TIIEA8URY  OF  UISTOHY. 


loyalty  amoiijj;  Uic  liiBlioraiul  mid'lle  (trdcrs;  and  ii!>  tlin  king  willi  liis  Jn. 
llo  army  niarclunl  slowly  to  Dt-iliy  aiid  llicncc  to  .Slirowshiny,  l;ii(;i;  ihUj. 
tioiiH  w»'r(!  in.idc  to  Ins  I'orcf,  and  sonii!  of  the  more  opulunl  loyidisis  uf. 
furd(<d  liim  lil)(!ral  and  moHt  wcdcomc  ai<l  in  monciy,  arms,  ami  aninniiiiiion 

On  tlio  .'ide  of  the  jiarliamcnt  tiimilar  pri'parationH  wct  niiuli  lop  Hie 
impcndnig  Mtrnfj^lc.  When  tlu;  imporlanl  lortrcss  of  Hull  \v;is  snripn. 
dcrtid  WHO  llii'ir  hands,  tin  y  made  it  their  dt^prt  for  arms  and  amniiiiiiiion. 
and  it  was  ludd  for  tiwrn  liy  a  t;overnor  of  tiieir  own  appomtmenl.  Sir  .liilit) 
Ilolham.  On  the  plea  of  deleniiin(r  l''.n>{iand  fioni  the  alled^ed  iIimith) 
of  the  Irisli  papists,  (.'real  mnnhers  of  tr(>o()S  iiad  liecn  raised;  and  iIuka 
were  now  openly  enlisted  and  otlicered  for  tiie  parliament,  and  pliicej 
under  tlie  eoinmand  of  liie  earl  of  Kssex,  who,  hinvever,  w  as  sii|i|i(ist'il  lo 
be  anxious  rather  to  alindf,'('  tiie  (lower  of  the  existing  monarch  than  :ict- 
ually  to  anniliilate  the  moiiareliy,  wliieh,  doubtless,  liad  from  the  very  lirst 
been  the  desiy:ii  of  ihe  leaders  of  the  [)0|)nlar  party.  So  jjreat  was  iliciii. 
thnsiasni  of  tiie  roniidhtv.ids,  mat  they  in  one  day  enlisletl  aliove  foiiriliini 
Hand  men  in  lioiulon  aloin;. 

Tired  of  the  occupation  of  watching  each  otliers'  niaiuruvrejs,  tlic  ||os. 
tile  troops  at  length  met  at  lvl«ediill,  on  the  borders  of  the  eeiiniic  s  ii| 
Warwick  and  Siall'ord.  A  furious  eiii;ai;einent  took  (ilaee,  whicii  h^u; 
several  hours  ;  upwards  of  liv(!  tlnnisaiid  men  fell  ujion  the  field,  ami  ihu 
conteiidiiij?  armies  separated,  wearied  with  slayinjj  yet  not  satiated  uiih 
•lauffliler,  and  each  elaimiuij  the  victory. 

The  whole  kiii<,'d(Mn  was  now  disturbed  by  the  incessant  niarcliin:;  anl 
coiintermarchiui;,'  of  tiie  two  armies.  Neither  of  them  was  (lisi'i|)liiicJ, 
and  the  disorders  caused  by  their  mandi  were  eonsi'qiiently  (irc;it  ;in.i 
destructive.  The  queen,  whose  s|)irit  was  as  hif,di  as  her  all'iitiu;i 
for  her  liusl)and  was  fjreat,  most  opportunely  landed  from  llulliuhl 
wiia  a  larg*;  (juantity  of  aminunilion  and  a  considcrablo  reiiiforci'ini'iituf 
men,  and  siu'  immediate  ly  left  Kn|,'land  again  to  raise  farther  mi|i|i|rs. 
In  the  maiueuvrinir  and  skirmishes  whicli  were  conslanlly  ((oiiii;  (ni,  the 
kiny,  from  Iht!  superior  rank  and  sj)irit  of  his  Adlowers,  hail  for  soiin'  imm 
a  very  marked  advantaire  ;  bi:t  the  parliamentarians,  so  f;ir  IVdim  hciiiuMliv 
courajjed,  actually  seemed  to  increase  in  their  pretensions  in  |iiii]iiiriii);'. 
to  the  loss  and  disirrac(!  they  experieiic(>(i  in  the  field.  Tliat  ilir  kii;; 
was  at  this  time  sincen!  in  his  exfiressed  desire  to  |)ut  a  stoji  to  llir  mi; 
pouring  of  his  subjects'  blood  appears  clear  from  the  fact,  that  eii  oliiaiii- 
ing  any  advantage  be  invariably  sent  paeilic  jjroposals  to  the  |iarli,iiiii'iit 
Tliis  was  especially  the  case  when  he  lay  in  all  security  in  the  lnviil  ciiy 
of  Dxford,  w'hcnce  be  conducted  a  long  negotiation,  in  wliicli  tlic  iihu- 
lence  of  the  leaders  of  thi!  other  party  was  so  great  and  cons|iii'iioiis,  liii'. 
even  the  most  moderate  writers  liavt;  blamed  tlie  king,  as  liaviii.i  ciirriid 
his  desire  for  [jacific  measures  to  an  extreme,  injurious  alik.-  to  iiis  ili;;. 
nity  and  to  the  vtjry  cause  he  was  anxious  to  serve. 

15ut  if  he  bore  somewhat  too  meekly  with  the  insolence  of  his  o|i|)iiiii'iits 
in  tilt!  cabinet,  the  king  in  his  first  campaign  of  the  disastrous  civil  war 
was  abimdaiitiy  successful  in  the  field,  in  b[)lte  of  the  savage  Kcvcriiy  of 
his  oi)ponents,  who  treated  as  traitors  the  governors  of  those  struiii;|)laoi.s 
whicli  from  time  lo  time  were  opened  to  their  sovereign. 

Cornwall  was  thoroughly  subjected  to  the  king;  at  Stralloa-liill,  in 
Dcvonsbire,  a  fine  army  of  the  parliamentarians  was  routed;  mul  at 
Roundway-down,  near  IK^vizes,  in  Willsliire.  another  great  victory  was 
gained  over  lliein  by  the  royal  troops,  who  were  again  successliil  in  tlic 
still  more  importaiu  'i„:'tle  of  Chalgrave-field,  in  ntiekiiighainstiirc.  The  I 
important  city  of  Bristol  was  taken  by  the  royalists,  and  Gloiiceslorwas 
closely  invested.  Thus  fa"  all  looked  in  favour  of  the  royal  cause  diini?  | 
the  first  campaign,  and  at  iis  close  great  hopes  of  farther  su'.'ci;s.s  wen' 


h  his  111. 

rui;  addi- 
■iiliMs  af- 
inimUiiiii 
,(  I'or  I'lW 
,«  Mirri'ii- 
iiuiiuii.iii. 
,  Sir  .liihu 
•d  di'Mjjin 
and  lUcsft 
,iid  plui'til 
HHiiisi'd  Ui 
11  lh;m  act- 
io very  i'lt^t 
was  llii't'ii- 
J  I'uiii'lliDii 

i'S,  till'  llDS- 
(■(UllllllS   111 

liudi  lastt  . 
(dd,  and  ihe 
.aliaU'd  null 

arcliiiv,'  aii'l 

dlSC\|llUH'J, 

y  [;ri'al  iiivl 
I'lor  alTiM'Uiia 
rdin  Uollaiiil 
ifui-cfiiuiit  u[ 
ihiT  suiHilH-^. 
jt(iiii'4  ii:i,  Ihi: 
r  SDiuf  tmii: 

0111  liflllUi"'- 

iiii  inuimiiui:! 
lial  llif  kur; 

il  on  oliUu;;- 
lie  (lailiami'ii' 

the  loyal  ciiy 
lluidi  lilt!  iii'^u- 

s|nl'llml^,  lai'. 

laviii';  <'.irru'! 

,,'  to  Ins  iii|;- 

liisoiipoiuMits 
Irons  I'lvi'i  war 
]j.(!  scvcriiy  ot 
le  siruiis  lil'"=" 

llraUini-liill.  In 
lonii'd;  »i"l  '^' 
lal  vuiorv  wa? 
I,.,.,.>sfnl  in  l^^'  , 
limsliiro.     ™ 
}U)UCfsl«*»M 
Irtl  cause  dur.n?  I 
If  8U':ci.'SS  weii' 


THK  TRKAeuaT  OF  IIISTOllY. 


A79 


(oumlod  upon  tlip  fmn  nrni\  that  was  raised  for  the  k^iff  in  the  north  of 
Kiiyiiiiiil  liy  till'  loyal  ami  iu>r|ilit<arlc(l  inaniuis  of  Newcaslli'.  Nor  was 
It  till!  loss  only  of  hatllcii  and  slrony-liulds  tli.it  llu- parliainontarians  had 
now  to  deplore. 

Joliii  Hainpileii,  who  liad  made  *o  sturdy,  althou(fh,  in  our  opinion,  so 
ill- foil ndfc  an  opposilitni  to  the  Nhip-nnniey,  while  ai'ling  with  the  per- 
VHSC  men  v  hose  condiul  niadi!  that  iimlouhted  ('xtortion  irn'Vitahie,  took 
lilt!  ti'dd  with  the  |)ar!i:imentariMns  at  the  head  of  a  well-apponited  troop 
whii'li  chielly  eonsisted  ^)(  his  own  tenants  and  iieiifhhours.  On  several 
u.riMons  he  displayed  irrcat  (Mnirajje,  and  it  being  jiroponed  to  heat  up 
till-  unarlers  of  the  king's  irajluni  rclaiive,  Prince  Uufiert,  Hanijjden  waa 
fori'iiiost  in  the  attack.  When  tin?  parliamentary  tr(n)ps  were  snhse- 
iiui'iiily  mustered  Mr.  llampden  was  llli^ssed,  and  it  was  then  remarked 
t!i;il  lie  had  been  seen,  eoiiirary  to  his  usual  <-iistom,  to  leave  the  tield 
liiliirc  the  fight  was  ended,  and  it  was  noticed,  too,  that  he  was  leaning 
fiirwanl  on  his  saddle-how  as  if  exhausted  and  in  pain,  'i'he  fears  thus 
txiitcd  were  soon  realized  ;  he  had  been  severely  wounded.  'VUv  king 
wiiuM  have  sent  his  own  siin{eoii  to  endeavour  to  save  this  inlle.vihly 
limiist  llioimh  mistaken  foe;  but  tiie  ill-ftttij  gentleman  was  injured  be- 
yiiMiiliiiman  remedy,  and  died  soon   after  the  action. 

This  loss  on  the  i)arliamentary  side  was  even  more  than  balanced  by 
ihodratli  of  the  royalist  oHii'er,  Lucius  (.'ary,  Lord  Falkland,  one  of  the 
]niri'?t  characters  that  grace  our  national  history.  As  a  statesini'.n  he 
Ii;i'l  i)|i])Osed  tlie  errors  of  the  king  with  all  the  boldness  and  intlexibility 
nf  iliiiipden,  but  with  a  grace  and  moderation  of  which  Hampden's  stern 
:i:ii|  ^('Vl'l'e  nature  was  incapable.  Hut  though  Lord  Falkland  ardently 
desired  liberty  for  the  subject,  he  was  not  prepared  to  oppress  tlu;  sov- 
cn'i|.'ii;  and  tlu!  moment  that  tin!  evil  designs  of  the  popular  leaders 
«irc  hilly  developed,  the  gallant  and  aecomplised  nobleman  took  his 
5!;iiid  beside  his  royal  master.  Learned,  witty,  elegant,  and  accomplish- 
fil.lic  was  indignanl  and  disgusted  at  the  evident  desire  of  the  jiopular 
li  iilcrs  to  (hdu^e  their  country  in  blood,  rather  than  stop  short  id'  the 
full  .iccomplishment  of  tiM'ir  ambitious  and  evil  d<'aigns.  From  the  coin- 
iiniucinent  of  tiie  civil  war  hi;  became  possessed  by  a  deep  and  stJltlcd 
nitliiirlioly,  the  more  remarkabh!  from  contrast  with  his  natural  vivacity. 
Ill'  iu'j>lci'ted  his  person,  Ins  eounteiiaiice  became  anxious  and  haggard, 
;i:ii|  lie  would  remain  in  silent  thought  for  hours,  and  then  cry,  as  if  uii- 
roiHcidiisly,  "  Peace  !  peace  !  (iCt  our  unliappy  coimtry  have  peace  !"  On 
liii' luuniiiig  of  the  battle  of  .Newbury  he  told  his  friends  that  his  soul 
W..S  weary  of  tho  world,  and  tiiat  he  hit  confident  that  ere  nightfall  he 
slmiild  liMve  them.  His  sail  j)rediction  was  aciromplished ;  he  was 
iiiiiilally  wounded  by  a  musket  ball  in  the  abdomen,  and  il  was  not  until 
liii'  t'ullnwiiii;  morning  that  Ins  mourning  friends  rescued  his  body  from 
1:1111!  till-  ineancr  slam. 

The  tirsl  cain|)aign  being  ended,  the  king  made  vigorous  prepaiJiliouB 
fur  a  second.  As  it  was  evident  that  the  very  naiiu!  of  a  parliaiuenl  had 
1  s;ri  111  iiitbience  upon  the  minds  of  many,  and  as  all  negotiation  with 
I':>' old  parliament  sitting  at  Westminister  led  only  to  new  insult,  the 
kill:;  wisely  determined  to  I'all  another  iiarliamenl  at  Oxford,  where  ho 
ti.nl  Ills  (jiiiirters.  The  jieers  being  for  the  most  part  firmly  loyal,  tho 
lv;ii;''3  upper  house  was  well  tilled,  but  his  lower  house  had  not  more 
l!i:iii  a  hundred  and  forty  members,  being  scarc(dy  half  the  number  that 
'V.s  imisicred  by  ttie  reiudlious  housct  of  commons,  lUii  the  kiiii^'s  mem- 
oirs were  mostly  men  of  wealth  and  inlhience,  and  thus  they  had  it  in 
ilini'  power  to  (h  the  king  the  chief  service  he  really  reipiiied,  that 
of  voting  liiin  siiiiplies.  llaving  done  this  they  were  dismissed  with 
lli'iiiks  and  nevm"  again  called  together. 

Hut  any  sujiplies  which  the  king  could  ,jrocurc  from  what  may  almost 


.1  at'll 


f^^r- 

.1  ' 

\-     \        , 


680 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


be  CHlled  iiidivicluiil  loyally  were  but  smiill  in  comparison  to  those 
wiiicli  tlie  fafi.iiKis  parliaintMitarians  could  coniniand  by  the  tfiior  which 
they  (■oiild  striiii!  into  neai-ly  evriy  district  ol'llic  comiiry.  As  if  to  show 
at  once  their  power  in  this  way,  and  llie  extent  to  winch  they  were  pro- 
pared  to  abuse  it,  tiiey  issued  an  arbitrary  connnaiid  tiiat  all  the  uiiiubi- 
tants  of  London  andtiie  surrounding  neighbourhood  sliould  siibsir.Kt  one 
meal  in  every  week  from  their  aceui-tomed  diet,  and  pay  the  full  pruu  ol 
provision  thus  saved  as  a  contribution  to  the  support  of  what  tlu-Kc  im. 
pudcnt  and  ambitious  men  aflected  to  call  tlie  public  cause.  Tlie  siih- 
tious  Scots  at  the  same  time  sent  a  large  supply  of  men  to  the  purlia- 
mentarians,  who  also  had  fourteen  thousand  men,  tinder  the  earl  of  M.n. 
Chester,  ten  thousand  under  tiic  carl  of  lilsse.x,  and  eight  thousand  and 
upwards  under  Sir  William  Waller.  And  though  this  force  was  niiiinri- 
cally  sonmch  superior  lo  llic  king's,  and,  by  consequence,  so  niucli  mw: 
onerous,  the  parliamentary  troops  were,  in  fact,  far  better  siiiiiihcd 
with  both  provision  and  ammunition  than  the  royalists ;  the  niajoiuy  of 
men  beinjj  so  deluded  or  so  terrified  by  the  parliamentadans  that  aii  i.r- 
dmancc  of  parliament  was  at  all  times  sullicieiit  to  proeuri^  provisiun.s  fur 
the  rebel  force,  when  tin;  kmy;  could  scarcely  get  |)rovisioiis  for  ihdh, y 

A.  D.  1G14. — Though,  in  the  ordinary  style  used  in  speaking  ef  iinlitaiA 
alTairs  wc  have  been  obliged  to  speak  of  ihe  termination  of  the  first  cam- 
paign, at  the  period  when  the  contending  parties  went  into  winter  (luar- 
lers,  hostilities,  in  fact,  never  w  holly  ceased  from  the  moment  win  ii  ilicy 
first  commenced.  Even  when  the  great  armies  were  formally  lyiay  nile 
a  constant  and  most  destructive  partizan  warfare  was  carried  on.  The 
village-green  became  a  battle-field,  the  village-church  a  fort;  now  this, 
now  that  party  plundered  the  peasantry,  who  in  their  hearts  leanicd  tc 
curse  the  fierceness  of  both,  and  pray  that  one  or  the  other  might  Ijc  .si] 
elTcctually  beaten  as  to  jHit  a  stop  at  once  and  forever  to  scenes  \vh;cli 
had  all  the  ghastly  horri^rs  of  war  without  any  of  its  glory,  ami  all  ii,- 
present  riot  and  spoilation  without  even  the  eiiance  of  its  siibsi'(jiiLi!t 
gain.  Whether  cavalier  or  roundhead  were  triumphant  the  pcaceabh.'  di  ni- 
zen  was  equally  the  suflercr ;  and  when  the  war-cry  and  tlio  blatjjliiiiiy 
rang  through  the  village-street,  and  re-echoed  through  the  trees  that 
waved  above  the  graves  of  the  long  generations  of  the  former  ociiipaiiis 
of  the  village,  what  mattered  it  whether  cavalier  cheered  or  roiiiidhuail 
prostituted  the  words  of  the  book  of  life — were  they  not  J-^iii^lish  acciiUs 
that  issued  from  the  iiassion-curlcd  lips  of  both  parties] 

That  the  system  of  terrorism  which  the  parliamentarians  acloJ  iijion 
had  very  much  to  do  with  i)rolongiiig  this  unnatural  contist  scciiis  in- 
disputable. Counties,  and  lesser  districts,  even,  as  soon  as  tluy  were 
for  a  brief  time  freed  from  the  presence  of  the  parliamentary  forces,  al- 
most invariably  and  unanimously  declared  for  the  king.  Nay  in  the  very 
towns  that  were  garrisoned  by  ihe  parliamentarians,  including  even  Ihoir 
strong-iiold  and  chief  reliance,  London,  there  was  at  length  a  loiiJ  ;uiJ 
general  echo  of  the  earnest  cry  of  the  good  Lord  Falkland,  "Peace!  pcua-! 
Let  our  country  liave  peace  !"  From  many  places  the  parliament  rcciived 
f.rmal  petitions  to  this  clVect ;  and  in  London,  which  at  the  outset  had 
been  so  furiously  seditious,  the  very  women  assembled  to  the  number  ol 
upwards  of  four  thousanil,  and  surrounded  the  .ouse  of  commons,  exclaim- 
ing, "  Peace  !  give  us  peace  !  or  those  trailoi  .  who  deny  us  peace,  thai 
we  may  tear  them  to  pieces."  So  furious  were  the  women  on  this  occa- 
Bion,  tliat,  in  the  violence  used  by  the  guards,  some  of  these  wives  and 
mothers  who  wished  their  husbands  and  sons  no  longer  to  be  the  picy  ul 
a  handful  of  ambitious  men  were  actually  killed  upon  the  spot! 

But  they  who  had  so  joyously  aided  in  sowing  the  whirlwind  were  not 
yet  to  cea-ic  to  reap  the  storm.  War,  to  the  complete  destiucumi  ol 
the  altar  and  the  throne,  w  as  the  design  of  the  self-elected  und  resolved 


THE  TilEASUllY  OF  HISTOltY. 


661 


SOU  lo  those 
lunur  which 
As  if  to  show 
lioy  wurc  prc- 
U  the  inhubi- 
sul'stracl  Olio 
,0  full  priru  ol 
/hill  llu'Si'  iui- 
ic.     The  hi'di- 
to  tlu!  ii;irU;i- 
c  carl  of  M;;iv 
llio\isiiiul  ami 
;e  was  nuiiuri- 
I  s(i  much  luori' 
jfltor   suiiphcil 
Ihf.  iiiiijoiuy  oi 
;aus  that  an  »;■• 
■(.'.  pvovisiuus  fct 
0U6  for  uioii',  V 
kiP)i  of  iiiilil;;r_\ 
L)f  tho  I'lrsl  cim- 
to  \vii\lt.'r  ipuir- 

IlKMll  \vh(  1\  llH'V 

rmally  lying  v\W 
urriftl  on.    'I'iii- 
forl;  uow  ihis, 
ii'arls  luanu'il  ic 
ilhcr  might  be  su 
to  scL'Ui's  \vh:c!i 
[glory,  and  all  lis 
its    suljsc'n'iiLr.l 
j)p;v(-'cabh;  Jiui- 
tlu!  blaspheuiy 
the  trees  tliut 
bniKT  oi'ciip;uils 
J  or  roumihL-.ui 
L'/y/ii'/i  aci'L'Uts 


lUiCfs,  nnd  it  was  in  vnin  thut  tlicir  hitoly  cntlnisiastic  dupes  now  cried 
iltiiid  and  iu  bluer  misery  for  the  blossings  of  peace. 

B.5fi)ro  we  proceed  lo  speak  of  the  second  campaign  of  this  sad  war, 
ive  inu^l  inlroihii'o  to  the  attention  of  the  reader  a  man  who  henceforth 
6x('il  the  chief  attention  of  both  parlies,  and  whose;  character,  even  in  the 
presei!l  day,  is  nearly  as  much  disputed  as  his  sinjjular  energy  and  still 
tiinrc  singular  and  rapid  success  were  marvelled  at  in  his  own  time. 

Oliver  Cromwell  was  the  son  of  a  Huntingdonshire  gentleman  who,  as 
a  second  son  of  a  respectable  hut  not  wealthy  family,  was  himself  posses- 
sed of  hut  a  small  fortune,  which  he  is  said  to  have  improved  by  engag- 
ing ia  the  trade  of  a  brewer.  At  college,  and  oven  later  in  life,  Oliver 
CroiiuvcU  was  remarkable  rather  for  dissipation  than  for  ability,  and  the 
very  small  resources  thai  lus  inherited  were  pretty  nearly  exhausted  by 
his  excesses,  long  before  he  had  any  inclination  or  opportunity  to  take 
[iM  in  public  aflairs.  On  reaching  mature  manhood,  however,  he  sud- 
denly changed  \\\r,  course  of  life,  and  afTected  the  enthusiastic  speech 
iiid  rigid  condiu't  of  the  puritans,  whoso  daily  increasing  power  and  con- 
sequence hi-;  shrewd  glance  was  not  slow  to  discover. 

Just  as  the  disputes  between  the  king  and  th(!  popular  party  grew 
«arin,  Oliver  Cromwell  represented  in  parliament  his  native  town  of 
lIuiitiMgilon,  and  a  sketch  left  of  him  by  a  keen  observer  wlio  saw  his 
earliest  exertions  in  that  cap;;eity,  represents  a  man  from  whom  wo 
shoiihl  but  little  expect  the  energy,  talent,  and  success  of  the  future 
"PwiTKcroR  "  Cromwell,  Homely  in  couiitenance,  almost  to  actual  ug- 
liness, hesitating  in  speech,  ungain'y  in  gesture,  and  ill  clad  in  a  sad 
coloured  suit  "  v.diich  looked  as  it  h  id  been  made  by  some  ill  country 
ladur,''  tlic  futnrc;  statesman  and  warrior  addressed  the  liouse  amid  the 
seircrly  suppressed  whispers  of  both  friends  and  foes,  who  little  dream- 
ed that  in  that  uiicouth,  ill  nurtured,  and  slovenly-looking  person  they 
snv  the  vast  and  terrible  genius  wh(t  was  to  slay  his  sovereign,  knead 
j'd  the  fierce  factions  of  Knglislmien  into  one  trampled  and  submissive 
nisss,  and,  while  wielding  a  most  usurped  and  lawless  authority  over  the 
Kii[;lisli  nation  at  home,  so  direct  her  energies  abroad  as  to  make  her 
nime  stand  fully  as  high  among  the  astounded  and  gazing  nations  as  ever 
it  hid  been  carried  or  maintained  by  the  most  fortunate  and  valiant  of 
the  lawful  sovereigns  of  England. 

As  a  mere  senator  Cromwell  would  probably  never  Jiave  succeeded  in 
nnking  himself  a  great  name;  he  reiimred  to  command  rather  than  to 
alvi.-c,  to  a(;t  rather  than  to  argue.  Gifted  with  an  iron  frame,  the  body 
and  mind,  witli  him,  aided  each  other,  and  ho  who  stammered  out  con- 
fused no-meanings  to  the  half  wearied  and  half  wondering  senate, 
thought  clearly  and  brightly  as  the  lightning  flash,  and  shouted  his  vig- 
orous eonceptions  with  the  dread  vehemence  of  thunder,  amid  the  fury 
and  the  clank  of  the  battle,  and  as  he  guided  ids  war-steed  through  car- 
nme  towards  carnage  more  terrible  still. 

it  is  to  this  day  a  mooted  point  whether  Cromwell  was  wiioUy  deluded 
orwholly  a  deluder ;  or  whether  he  was  partly  the  one  and  partly  the 
other.  To  us  it  seems  that  there  was  iioihing  natural  in  his  character, 
35  developed  by  liistory,  save  his  mental  and  bodily  energy,  his  profoimd 
ngaeily,  his  decision  and  his  master-passion — ambition.  He  saw,  no 
doubt,  jioor  men  become  rich,  and  mean  men  powerful,  as  riches  and 
lower  arc  estimated  in  the  petty  afTairs  of  obscure  country  towns,  and 
esaw  that  they  achieved  their  personal  aggrandizement  by  a  supple 
comidiance  with  ihe  cant  and  grimace  of  the  day.  He  had  suflered  both  in 
ppulation  and  fortvme  by  his  free  if  not  profligate  life,  and  it  is  probable 
Ihat  he  at  the  outset  adopted  the  outward  appearance  of  another  way  of 
lliiukinfj  with  no  deeper  or  more  extensive  dt^signthan  that  of  saving  him- 
self from  the  inevitable  ill  consequences  of  poverty.  Once  arrived  in  (lar- 
liaineiit,  v/hether  conducted  thither  by  mere  accide."t  or  skilful  intriguing. 


r  n  •■'ri  •■ 


682 


THE  TREASUnV  OP  HISTORY. 


a  single  gliiiice  must  liavc  shown  even  a  far  loss  sagacious  person  than 
he  was,  that  tlie  puritans  would,  sooner  or  later,  be  incoinparably  ilib 
most  powerful  party  in  the  state.  Joining  with  them  from  inierest,  aping 
their  maimers  from  necessity,  he  would  from  mere  hahit  coiuinue  to  ape 
them  loMif  after  he  could  aflord  to  be  more  open  in  his  conduct.  Um  Uk,. 
frequent  profanity  of  his  remarks,  and  the  occasional  coarseness  and 
jollity  of  his  "  horse-play  "  among  his  soldier-saints,  appear  to  us  to  savour 
very  much  of  unconscious  and  uncontrollable  breakings  I'orth  of  the  old 
Adam  of  the  natural  man  ;  fever  fits  of  the  natural  heart  and  temper  th;it 
were  too  strong  for  the  artiiicial  training  of  resolved  hypocriisy.  .Siicli 
upon  repeated  and  most  impartial  examination,  appears  to  us  to  have  l)eoii 
the  real  character  of  Cromwell. 

Though  forty-four  years  old  before  lie  drew  a  sword,  CronnvcU  at  tlic 
very  outset  of  the  rebellion  showed  himself  what  has  been  eini)liati(  ally 
called  a  born  soldier.  Stalwart  though  clumsy  in  frame,  a  bold  and  a 
good  rider,  and — as  most  men  of  any  respectibility  of  thai  time  wen— a 
perfect  master  of  the  ])onderous  sword  then  in  use,  he  was  the  very  iiiaii 
for  a  partizan  captain  of  heavy  cavalry.  His  troops  was  almost  ( I'ltirclv 
composed  of  the  sons  of  respectable  farmers  and  yeomen,  and  as  thiv 
were  deeply  tinctured  with  tlie  religious  feeling  of  puritanisni,  and  filli''] 
to  overllowiiig  with  tlic  (ihysical  daring  of  well-born  and  weli-iuivunRii 
EnglislmuMi,  his  assumed  sympathy  with  them  in  the  former  respect  and 
his  genuine  equality  or  superiority  in  the  lattt.'r,  shortly  gave  i;im  tl^. 
most  unbounded  power  of  leading  them  into  any  danger  that  human 
beings  could  create,  and  through  or  over  any  obstacles  that  human 
prowess  and  daring  could  surmount. 

Indefatigable,  active,  patient  of  fatigue,  Cromwell  speedily  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  parliamentary  leaders,  who  bestowed  praise  and  distiiic- 
tion  upon  him  none  the  less  cheerfully  because  as  yet  he  did  not  allVct 
to  aim  at  anything  liigher  than  the  character  of  a  bold,  stern,  and  active 
partizan  captain,  who  was  ever  ready  with  sword  in  hand  and  foot  in  stir- 
rup when  the  enemy's  night  ([uarters  were  to  be  beaten  up,  a  convoy  sciz- 
ed,  or  any  other  real  though  coin[)aralively  obscure  service  was  to  bo  ren- 
dered to  the  gond  rnusf.  Such  was  the  estimate  Cromwell's  coniniain!- 
ers  form(!d  of  him  :  such  the  estimate  he  wished  them  to  form  ol"  the 
man  who  was  oi;e  d.iy  to  dictate  to  the  proudest  and  to  laugh  to  sforii 
the  wiliest  among  tiiem  I 

The  too  famous  and  disastrous  l)attle  of  Long  INIarston  Moor,  as  it  was 
the  first  great  military  calamity  of  the  king,  so  it  was  the  first  great  oc- 
casion u|)on  which  Cro.nwell  had  the  o|)portunity  (which  he  so  will  knew 
how  to  seize)  of  openly  and  signally  displaying  himself.  A  junction  laid 
been  formed  between  the  Scotch  army  and  the  Knglish  parliamtsiilary  for- 
ces, and  this  combined  host  invested  York.  This  city,  both  f-oni  its  own 
wealth  and  from  its  situation  as  the  capital  of  the  northern  couiitic?,  nas 
too  important  to  the  royal  cause  to  be  lost  without  a  struggle;  am!  Prime 
Hu[)ert  and  the  manjuis  of  Newcastle  joiiu^d  their  forces  in  order  to  raise 
the  seige  of  the  ancient  city.  The  opposing  forces,  in  miniher  alioiit  fifty 
thousiind,  met  on  Long  Marston  Moor,  and  a  long  and  obstinate  contisi 
ensued.  The  right  wing  of  the  royalist  troops,  commanded  by  rriiiic 
Rupert,  was  broken  and  driven  ofT  the  field  by  the  highly  liaiiicd 
cavalry  under  Cromwell,  who,  after  having  dispersed  the  royalists' right 
wing,  promptly  galloped  back  to  the  field,  and  very  materially  aided  iii 
pntliug  to  (light  the  main  body  of  the  royalists  under  the  marquis.  Tlii.' 
result  of  this  hard  day's  fighting  was  the  capture  by  the  parliamentarim! 
of  the  whole  of  Rupert's  admirable  train  of  artillery,  and  a  loss  of  men, 
reputation,  and  self-confidence,  from  which  it  may  safely  be  averred  that 
the  royalists  never  recovered. 

The  successes  of  the  parliamcutarians  made  them  all  the  haughtier  in 


THE  TREASUUY  OF  lUSTOllY 


683 


In  all  ll>e  Imug'i""  i» 


their  pretensions  and  all  tlm  morn  unsparing  in  tlioir  rcaoives.  Laud, 
arclibishopof  Cantcrl)nry,h;id  for  a  Ioiist  timo  bpcn  conlinod  in  the  Tower 
his  devotion  to  his  master  jjein^  tiio  only  crime  with  which  he  could 
be  justly  charged,  except  the  kindred  crime  of  still  warmer  devotion,  if 
possible,  to  the  rights  and  supremacy  of  tiie  church  of  England.  This 
eminent  man  was  therefore  brought  to  trial  by  his  bitter  enemies,  the  puri- 
uns,  condemned,  and  executed.  As  if  to  set  a  peculiar  and  characteris- 
jirally  puritanical  mark  upon  this  dastardly  act  of  vulgar  and  ignorant 
vonet'ance,  the  now  dominant  power  ordered  the  abolition— by  what  they 
called  law— of  the  church  of  Kngland  hturgy  on  the  very  day  of  the  exe- 
ciUioM  of  the  learned  and  energetic  prelate  whose  devotion  to  his  duty  was 
mdomilable.  Dy  this  act  of  abolition  the  Knglish  church  was  reduced,  as 
mgiiril  1  power  in  the  state,  to  the  same  level  as  the  newest,  meanest,  an  1 
most  insane  of  munerous  peMy  sects  into  which  conceit,  or  ignorance,  or 
shrcr  knavery  had  by  this  time  split  the  puritans;  and  the  Scottish  rebel 
army  appropriately  enough  joined  the  London  n  bel  citizens  in  givinii 
[iiiblii-  thanks  for  an  alteration  of  which  not  one  of  ihem  could  have  pointed 
out  a  substantial  advantage,  while  its  instant  and  perspective  disadvan- 
[vy  might  have  been  perceived  by  a  tolerably  educated  child.  Hut  fac- 
liMi  loves  a  change — even  though  it  certainly  be  not  for  the  better,  and 
;rolKibly  may  i)rove  to  be  for  the  worse  I 

A.  n.  1(11"). — Though  tlii!  royalists,  as  related  above,  were  seriously  in- 
!;rril  and  depresscnl  1:^  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Long  Marston  Moor, 
;i.'!iii('r  the  king  nor  his  friends  despaired  of  ultimate  success.  While  the 
;;irlninentarians  exerted  themselves  to  crush  the  royalists  whenever  the 
iii'Xt  general  action  stiouid  ensue,  the  king  and  his  friends  made  equally 
srciuiDUs  elTorts  to  redeem  their  fortune  and  character  on  the  like  con- 
i!  i;t'iuy.  A  variety  of  counter-marching  and  mere  partizan  skirmishing 
;  ink  place  during  the  earlier  months  of  the  year  1GJ5,  and  at  length,  on 
"i:'  lltli  of  June  of  that  year,  the  main  strength  of  the  two  parties  met 
;:  ;\r  Naseby,  a  village  in  Northamptonshire.  The  right  wing  of  the 
'n;\l  army  was  commanded  by  the  gallant  and  impetuous  llupert,  the 
;  11  wing  by  Sir  Marmaduke  Langdale,  and  the  main  body  by  the  lord 
\-i|cy,  wlule  a  choice  force  was  commanded,  as  a  reserve,  by  the  king 
:!  ]ii  rson.  The  left  wing  of  the  parliamentarians  was  commanded  by 
ir  Ion,  who  had  niarrieil  (Cromwell's  daughter,  the  right  wing  by  Oroin- 
ui'll  liiniself,  whose  gallant  and  skilful  charges  at  Long  Marston  Moor 
M  re  not  forgotten,  and  the  main  body  by  generals  Fairfax  and  Skippon. 
Tiic  parliamentary  left  wing  was  so  hotly  charged  by  the  impetuous  and 
iisliMig  Rupert,  that  it  was  fairly  broken  ard  driven  through  the  streets 
:if  .\;isebv.  But  this  success  was  rendered  of  comparatively  little  advan- 
ii^'c,  for  Uupert  lost  so  nujch  time  in  attempting  to  seize  Ireton's  artillery 
iliat  Orouiwell,  meanwhile,  broke  the  royal  horse  under  Sir  Marma- 
iliike  Langdale,  beyond  all  the  elTorts  of  that  oflicer  for  its  re-formation. 
While  the  cavalry  on  either  side  was  thus  occupied,  ilie  infantry  were 
iinily  engaged,  and  so  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  royal  side  that  the  bat- 
tallions  of  the  parliament  were  actually  falling  back  in  disorder.  The 
whole  fate  of  the  day  now  mainly  depended  upon  which  side  should  first 
sec  its  cavalry  return.  If  llupert,  instead  of  employing  himself  in  seizing 
»r  spiking  artillery,  had  at  this  time  returned  and  made  one  of  his  fear- 
fully impetuous  charge.'-:  upon  the  flank  of  the  faltering  roundheads,  whom 
Ihebest  etTorts  of  Fairfax  and  Skippon  could  scarcely  keep  from  falling 
into  a  rout,  the  fortune  of  that  day,  and  most  probably  the  issue  of  the 
R'holo  struggle,  would  have  been  in  favour  of  the  king.  Hut  the  mar- 
rellons  good  fortune  of  Oomwell  attended  him  ;  he  returned  to  the  field 
/vith  his  lion  troopers  elated  with  their  success  over  Sir  Marmaduke  Lang- 
iale's  division,  and  charged  the  flank  of  the  main  body  of  the  royalists  so 
ieicely  as  to  throw  them  into  hopeless  and  irremediable  confusion     Ru- 


T 


\  \ 


m 


684 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY 


pert  now  returned  with  Iiis  cavalry  :ui(l  joined  the  king's  rcsorvc  but 
the  fale  of  the  diiy  was  sealed  ;  not  even  the  gallantry  of  that  able  '-om- 
mander  eould  lead  the  reserve  to  the  support  of  the  beaten  and  fiicriiive 
host  of  the  royalists,  and  the  king  was  obliged  to  fly  from  the  ficUlJeav- 
ing  his  artillery  and  valuable  baggage,  as  well  as  five  thousand  prisoners 
in  the  hands  of  the  victorious  parliamentarians.  ' 

Nor  did  the  advantages  to  the  victor  end  even  there.    The  defeat  of  the 
king  and  the  magnitude  of  the  losses  he  had  sustained  greatly  aided  ilie 

Earliamenlarians  in  reducing  the  chief  fortified  places  in  the  kingdom. 
ristol,  Bridge  water,  Chester,  Sherborne,  and  Bath  fell  into  their  h'^iiuls; 
Exeter  was  closely  invested  by  Fairfa.v,  and  held  out  gallantly,  but  ai' 
length  was  obliged  to  surrender  at  discretion,  all  the  western  coimtics 
being  so  completely  cleared  of  the  king's  troops  that  there  was  not  ihe 
slightest  chance  of  its  being  relieved. 

In  all  the  aspects  of  his  fortune  Charles  had  found  the  city  of  O.xforJ 
loyal  and  devoted.  As  well  became  that  city  of  science  and  le;'riiiiig,  it 
had  constantly  shown  itself  •''^'ad  in  his  prosperity  and  sad  in  iiis  sor- 
row," and  thither  he  retreated  in  his  present  misfortune,  well  kiiowiiiT 
that  there  he  would  be  loyally  received,  and  hoping  that  even  yet  ho  niight 
by  negotiation  retrieve  some  of  the  sad  loss  he  had  experienced  in  the 
field.  But  the  unfortunate  king  was  closely  pursued  by  Fairfax,  at  the 
head  of  a  victorious  army  eager  for  yet  farther  triumph  over  the  defeaieil 
sovereign;  and  as  the  parliamentarians  loudly  expressed  their  intention 
of  laying  siege  to  Oxford,  and  were  abundantly  supplied  with  everytiiiii' 
rejuisite  for  that  purpose,  (Charles  had  several,  and  very  cogent  reasons 
fcr  not  abiding  there.  That  the  loyal  inhabitants  of  Oxford  would  (lefeml 
him  to  the  utmost,  Charles  had  no  room  to  doubt ;  but  neither  could  tliere 
be  any  do'ibt  that  the  well  known  loyalty  of  the  city  would,  on  that  very 
scorei^  be  most  signally  punished  by  the  parliamentarians.  Moreover, 
Charles  had  a  most  justifiable  and  well-grounded  horror  of  falling  into  the 
lands  of  the  English  puritans,  from  whom,  especially  now  that  they  were 
uU  and  freshly  flushed  with  victory,  he  might  fear  every  insult,  even  to 
the  extent  of  personal  violence.  Reasoning  thus,  and  believing  that  the 
Scottisli  army  was  less  personally  and  inveterately  hostile  to  him,  Charles 
took  wlial  proved  to  be  the  fatal  resolution,  of  delivering  himself  into  the 
hands  of  the  Scots.  To  their  eternal  disgrace,  they  received  him  as  a 
distressed  king  only  to  treat  him  as  a  malefactor  and  a  prisoner.  Tlicy 
worried  and  insulted  him  with  sanctimonious  remonstrances  and  reflec- 
tions, by  every  possible  neglect  of  the  respectful  ceremonials  due  to  a 
sovereign  ;  they  reminded  him  of  and  imbittered  his  misfortunes;  and, to 
ci.'mplete  the  infamy  of  their  conduct,  tliey  r.dded  gross  venality  to  fiiiih- 
lessness  and  disloyalty,  and  literally  sold  him  to  the  rebellious  English 
parliament  for  the  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  pounds ! 

With  this  atrocious  act  the  Scots  returned  to  their  coun.ry,  laden 
with  ill-earned  wealth,  but  laden  also  with  the  execration  of  all  good  men, 
and  with  the  contempt  even  of  those  bold  bad  men  to  whom  they  had 
basely  sold  the  unfortunate  prince.  Wholly  and  helplessly  in  the  power 
cf  his  foes,  Charles  had  no  course  left  to  so  honourable  a  mind  as  his,  but 
tc  absolve  his  still  faithful  followers  and  subjects  from  the  duty  of  farther 
striving  in  his  behalf,  and  to  trust  for  the  safety  of  even  his  life  to  the 
mercy  of  wn 

"Whoso  mercy  was  a  nickname  for  the  rago 
Of  tnmclces  tigers  hungoring  for  blood." 

But  if  the  rebellious  parliamentarians  were  triumphant  over  their  king 
they  had  yet  to  deal  with  a  more  formidable  enemy.  The  parliament  had 
been  made  unanimous  in  itself  and  with  tiie  army  by  the  obvious  and 
pretssing  necessity  for  mutual  defence,  as  long  as  the  king  was  in  tiw 
field  and  at  the  head  of  an  imposing  fo;ce.    But  now  that  the  fortune  0/ 


I 


reserve ,  but 
liai  ivblc  uom- 
i  and  fiigilive 
ihc  field,  leav- 
aiid  prisoners, 

e  defeat  of  the 
•ally  aided  ihe 
tlie  kingdom, 
to  their  huuils; 
illanily,  but  m 
estern  coniilics 
ire  was  not  Uio 

city  of  Oxford 
and  lei'Tuiiig,  it 
sad    in  his  sor- 
,  well  knowing' 
rcn  yet  he  might 
jerieneed  in  llic 
Fairfiix,  at  the 
ver  the  defeated 
j  their  intention 
with  cverythm;; 
■  cogent  reasons 
ird  would  defend 
liiher  could  there 
uld,  on  that  very 
iaiis.    Moreover, 
jf  falling  into  the 
w  that  they  were 
ry  insult,  even  to 
)elieving  that  the 
e  to  liini,  Charles 
himself  into  the 
eived  him  as  a 
prisoner.    They 
ranees  and  retlec- 
menials  due  to  a 
iforiunes ;  and,  to 
venality  to  faiih- 
ebcllious  English 

..  coun.ry,  laden 
n  of  all  good  men. 
whom  they  hud 
8sly  in  the  power 
a  mind  as  his,  but 
the  duty  of  furtlioi 
m\  l»i8  lifc  10  ^^^ 


■  il'"1iJ)M'1 


I 


ij 


THUL  or  CH4RLH  L 


x\l  over  their  king 
The  parliament  had 
y  the  obvious  and 
e  king  was  in  liw 
Ihat  the  fortune  0/ 


and! 
as  yet, 
parliau 
I'Oinpai 
nam, ' 
well, 
of  the, 
existiiji 
king-  ra 

forminc 
^"%  '. 
riisadva 
ttjiit,  ii 
eiisteiK 
who  at 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


685 


war  and  llie  base  venality  of  tlm  Scotcli  liad  made  Chailes  a  powcrlesiJ 
and  almost  hopeless  captive,  the  spoilers  hogan  to  qiiarn;)  ahout  the  dis- 
position of  the  spoil ;  and  tiiey  who  had  united  to  revolt  from  tiieir  law- 
ful monarch  were  ready  with  equdl  eagerness  and  animosity  to  cabal 
against  each  other.  Tiiere  is  a  sure  retributive  curse  attend. ml  upon  all 
needless  and  groundless  dissent — its  destitution  of  a  real  and  an  abiding 
bond  of  union.  The  civilians  of  the  parliauii.ntary  party  were,  for  the 
most  part,  presbyierians,  who  were  eager  enough  to  tlirow  olf  all  allegi- 
ance to  the  king  and  all  submission  and  respect  to  the  church  of  iMiglaud, 
but  who  were  not  the  less  inclined  to  set  up  and  exact  respectt,  both  from 
lay  and  clerical  authorities  of  their  own  likiiiLj.  Tiie  faualirisui  of  the 
army  took  quite  another  turn;  they  were  mostly  independents,  who 
tliought,  Willi  Dogberry,  tiial  "reading  and  writing  come  by  nature,"  and 
were  ready  to  die  upon  the  truth  of  the  most  ignor.ml  trooper  among  them 
beiiigqnalified  to  preach  with  soul-saving  elfeci  to  his  equally  ignorant  fel- 
low. The  iiidepeiulenls,  armed  and  well  skilled  in  arms,  would  under 
iiiy  conceivable  circumstance  have  been  something  more  than  a  matcli 
fertile  mere  dreamers  and  declainuM-s  of  parliament;  but  tliey  had  a  still 
furllier  and  decisive  advantage  in  the  active  and  energetic,  though  wily 
and  secret,  prompting  and  di'-eetion  of  Cromwell,  who  artfully  professed 
himself  the  most  staunch  i..  epcndent  of  them  of  all,  and  showed  himself 
as  willing  and  able,  too,  to  lead  them  to  the  charge  and  the  victory  upon 
the  well-fought  field.  He  was,  in  appearance,  indeed,  only  second  in 
command  under  Fairfax,  but,  in  reality,  he  was  supreme  over  his  nominal 
cominaiuler,  and  had  the  fate  of  both  king  and  Kingdom  c()mj)letely  in  his 
own  hands.  lie  artfully  and  carefully  fomented  the  jealousy  with  which 
the  military  looked  upon  their  own  comparative  powcrlessness  and  ob- 
scurity after  all  the  dangers  and  toils  by  which  they  had,  as  they  affected 
to  believe,  permanently  secured  the  peace  and  comfort  of  the  country. 

Without  appearing  to  make  any  exertion  or  to  use  any  intluence,  the 
artful  intriguer  urged  the  soldiery  so  fai,  that  they  openly  lost  all  confi- 
dence in  the  parliament  for  which  ihey  I. ad  but  too  well  fought,  and  set 
about  the  consideration  and  redress  of  their  own  grievances  as  a  separate 
and  ill-used  body  of  the  community.  Still,  at  the  instigation  of  Cromwell, 
irude  but  elTicient  military  parliament  was  formed,  the  priiici[)al  otHcers 
aolinj;  as  a  house  of  peers,  anu  two  men  or  officers  from  each  regiment 
acting  as  a  house  of  commons,  under  the  title  of  die  "  agitators  of  the 
irmy."  Of  these  Cromwell  took  care  to  be  one,  and  thus,  while  to  all 
appearance  he  was  only  acting  as  ho  was  autiiorized  aud  commanded  by 
his  duty  to  the  whole  army,  he  in  fact  enjoyed  all  the  opportunity  that  he 
required  to  suggest  and  forward  measures  indispensable  to  the  gratifica- 
tion of  his  own  ambition. 

While  Cromwell  was  thus  wickedly  but  ably  scheming,  the  king,  forlorn 
and  seemingly  forgottei?,  lay  in  Ilolmby  castle,  strictly  watched,  though, 
as  yet,  owing  to  tl^e  dissensions  that  existed  between  the  army  and  the 
parliament,  not  subjected  to  any  farther  indignities.  From  this  state  of 
eomparative  tranquillity  the  unhappy  Charles  was  aroused  by  a  coup  de 
main,  highly  characteristic  alike  of  the  boldness  and  shrewdness  of  Crom- 
well, lie  demonstrated  to  his  confidants  of  the  army  'hat  the  possession 
of  the  king's  person  must  needs  give  a  vast  preponderance  to  any  of  the 
existing  parties.  The  royalists,  it  was  obvious,  would  at  the  order  of  the 
king  rally  round  him,  even  in  conjunction  with  the  parliament,  which  by 
forming  such  a  junction  could  at  any  moment  command  the  pardon  of  the 
king,  when  the  army,  besides  other  difficulties,  would  be  placed  in  the 
liisadvantageous  position  of  fighting  against  all  branches  of  the  govern- 
i.-'nt,  including  even  that  one  to  whoso  will  and  authority  it  owed  its  own 
existence.  As  usual,  his  arguments  were  successful,  and  Cornet  Joyce, 
who  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion  had   (cei;  only  a  tailor,  was  di» 


>  ^ 


•   'I 


t 


1 


58G 


THE  TllEASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


patnlicd  with  fivo  luindrcd  cavalry  to  seize  t!io  king's  prrson  at  Holmby 
castle.  Thougli  strictly  walehed,  llie  king  was  but  slciiilorly  guarded,  for 
the  parliap.ient  had  no  suspieioii  of  the  probability  of  any  sueh  atleinpl  on 
the  part  of  tlie  army.  Cornet  Joyce,  therefore,  found  no  difTicuity  in  ob. 
taniinif  access  to  the  king,  to  whom  he  made  known  the  purport  of  hig 
mission.  Surprised  at  this  sudden  determination  to  remove  lilni  to  tho 
head-quarters  of  tiie  army,  the  king-,  with  some  anxiety,  asked  Joyce  to 
produce  his  commission  for  so  extraordinary  a  proceeding,  aM('  Joyce, 
with  the  pclulence  of  a  man  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  elev.iU'd,  pointed 
to  his  troops,  drawn  up  before  the  window.  "  A  goodly  coniinission,"  re- 
plied  Charles,  "  and  written  in  fair  characters ;"  he  then  accompanied 
Joyce  to  T riplo-heath  near  Cambridge,  tlie  head-quarters  of  tlie  iirniy. 
Fairfax  and  other  discc/ning  and  moderate  men  had  by  tiiis  time  bcyun  to 
sec  the  danger  the  country  was  in  from  the  utter  abasement  of  the  kini;iy 
power,  and  to  wisli  for  siicii  an  accomr..,  dation  as  might  secure  tht!  p,'  >. 
pic  witliLUt  destroying  the  king.  Hut  Cronnvell's  bold  seizure  of  Iks 
majesty  had  enabled  him  to  throw  ofl'ihe  mask;  the  violent  and  faii.uical 
spirit  of  the  soldiery  was  wiioUy  subjected  to  liii.i,  and  on  his  arrival  at 
Triplo-heath,  on  tlie  day  after  tho  king  was  taken  thilher  by  Joyce,  Crom. 
well  was  by  acclamation  elected  to  the  supremi;  command  of  tiie  army. 

Tliough,  at  che  outset,  the  parliament  was  wholly  opposed  to  tlie  exor- 
bitant pretensions  of  tlie  army,  tlio  success  of  Cromwell's  muchinaiions 
rendered  that  opposition  less  unanimous  and  compact  every  day,  aiiij  iit 
length  there  was  a  considerable  majority  of  parliainent,  including  tin;  two 
speakers,  in  favour  of  the  army.  To  encourage  this  portion  of  tiic  par- 
liament, the  liead-quarters  of  the  army  were  fixed  at  Ilounslow-licath; 
and  as  tlie  debates  in  tho  house  daily  grew  more  violent  and  thrcatciinig, 
sixty-two  members,  with  the  two  sjieakcrs,  fled  to  the  eamjiat  llonnslow, 
and  formally  threw  themselves,  officially  and  personally,  upon  the  protec- 
tion of  the  army.  This  accession  to  his  moral  force  was  so  welcome  to 
Cromwell,  that  lie  caused  the  members  to  be  received  with  a  piirfect  tu- 
mult of  applause  ;  and  !ie  ordered  that  the  troops,  twenty  thousand  in  mim- 
ber,  should  move  upon  London  to  restore  these  fugitives  to  llio  place 
which  they  had  voluntarily  ceded  and  the  duties  they  had  timorously  lied 
from. 

While  the  one  portion  of  the  house  had  fled  to  the  protection  of  the 
soldiers,  the  other  portion  had  made  some  demonstrations  of  brin|,niig  the 
struggle  against  the  pretensions  of  the  army  to  an  issue  in  the  field.  New 
speakers  were  chosen  in  the  place  of  the  fugitives,  orders  were  given  to 
enlist  new  troops,  and  the  train-bands  were  ordered  to  the  defence  of  llio 
lines  that  enclosed  the  city.  But  when  Cromwell  with  twenty  thousaiui 
trained  and  unsparing  troop»arrived,  the  impossibility  of  any  hastily  or- 
ganized defence  being  available  against  him  became  painfully  evidtiil. 
The  gates  were  thrown  open,  Cromwell  restored  the  speakers  and  the 
members  of  parliainent,  several  of  the  opposite  members  were  arbitrarily 
expelled  the  house,  the  mayor  of  London,  with  three  aldermen  and  the 
sherifis,  were  committed  to  the  Tower,  other  prisons  were  crowded  willi 
citizens  and  militia  officers,  and  the  city  lines  were  levelled,  tlie  more 
effectually  to  prevent  any  future  resistance  to  the  sovereign  will  and  pleas- 
ure of  the  army,  or,  rather,  of  its  master-spirit,  Cromwell 


CHAPTER  LIL 

THE    REIGN   OV   ClIARI  .S  I.  (CONCLUDED). 

The  king  on  being  seized  by  the  army  was  sent  as  a  prisoner  to  liif 
palace  at  Hampton  court.    Here,  though  closely  watched,  he  was  allowed 


THE  TllKASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


687 


the  access  of  his  friends  and  all  facdilirs  for  ncgotia.inj  wilh  parliament. 
Bui,  111  truth,  llie  ne^rotialiiig  partii  s  had  stood  upon  terms  whioli  almost 
necessarily  caused  distrust  on  the  one  hand  and  ineincerity  on  the  other. 
Completely  divested  of  power  as  Charles  now  was,  it  seems  probable 
cimiiyii  that  he  would  promise  more  tiian  he  )iad  any  intention  of  perform- 
iiiir,  wiiilo  the  leadin<j  men  on  the  other  side  could  not  but  feel  that  their 
very  lives  would  depend  ui)on  his  sincerity  from  the  instant  that  he  sliould 
bo  restored  to  liberty  and  the  exercise  of  his  authority.  Mere  would  have 
het'ii  quite  sulTicient  difliculty  ill  tlie  way  of  successful  negotiation;  but, 
nesidcs  that,  Cromwell's  plans  were  pcrp(;lually  traversing  the  elTorls  of 
ilie  king  when  his  majesty  was  sincere,  while  Cromwell's  active  es[)ion- 
airi;  never  allowed  any  llagrant  insincerity  to  escape  detection.  The 
king  at  length  perceived  the  inutility  of  negotiation,  and  made  iiis  escape 
to  tlic  Isle  of  Wight.  Here  he  hoped  to  remain  undisturbed  until  he 
L'oiilil  either  escape  to  tlie  eontiiUMit  or  receive  such  succours  thence  as 
miiflit  enable  him,  at  least,  to  negotiate  with  tlie  parliament  upon  more 
eijiml  terms,  if  not  actually  to  try  his  fortune  anew  in  the  field.  Hut 
L'ulonel  Hammond,  tlie  governor  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  though  he  in  bome 
respects  treated  the  unfortunate  king  with  humanity,  made  him  prisoner, 
and  after  being  for  some  time  confined  in  Carisbrook  castle,  the  unfortu- 
niUe  diaries  was  sent  in  custody  to  his  royal  castle  of  Windsor,  where  he 
was  wholly  in  the  power  of  the  army. 

Cioinwell  and  tiiose  who  acted  with  him  saw  very  plainly  that  the 
mere  anxiety  of  the  parliament  to  depress  the  praetorian  bands  which 
themselves  had  called  into  evil  and  gigantic  power,  was  very  likely  to 
lead  to  an  accommodation  with  the  king,  whoso  own  sense  of  his  immi- 
hciit  danger  could  not  fail  to  render  him,  also,  anxious  for  an  early  settle- 
ment of  all  disputes.  The  artful  leaders  of  the  army  faction,  therefore, 
now  encouraged  their  dupes  and  tools  of  the  lower  sort  to  throw  off  the 
mask;  and  rabid  yells  for  the  punishment  of  the  king  arose  on  all  sides. 
Peace  and  security  had  hitherto  been  the  cry;  it  was  now  changed  to  a 
cry  for  vengeance.  From  Windsor  the  unhappy  king  was  conveyed  to 
iliirst-castle,  on  the  coast  of  Hampshire,  and  opposite  to  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
chielly,  it  should  seem  to  render  communication  between  him  and  the  par- 
liamentary leaders  more  dilatory  and  difficult.  But  the  parliament,  grow- 
ing more  and  more  anxious  for  an  accommodation  in  precise  proportion 
as  it  was  rendered  more  and  more  impracticable,  again  opened  a  negotiation 
with  t!ie  ill-treated  monarch,  and  despite  the  clamours  and  threats  of  the 
fanatical  soldiery,  seemed  upon  the  very  point  of  bringing  it  to  a  conclu- 
sion, when  a  new  coup  dc  main  on  the  part  of  Cromwell  extinguished  all 
liopn  in  the  bosoms  of  the  loyal  and  the  just.  Perceiving  that  the  obsti- 
nacy of  the  parliament  and  the  unhappy  vacillation  of  the  king  could  no 
longer  be  relied  upon,  Cromwell  sent  two  regiments  of  his  soldiery,  un- 
der the  command  of  Colonel  Pride,  to  blockade  the  house  of  commons. 
Forty-one  members  who  were  favourable  to  accommodation  were  actually 
imprisoned  in  a  lower  room  of  the  house,  a  hundred  and  sixty  were  inso- 
lently ordered  to  go  to  their  homes  and  attend  to  their  private  affairs,  and 
only  about  sixty  members  were  allowed  to  enter  tlie  house,  the  whole  of 
(hose  being  furious  and  bigoted  independents,  the  pledged  and  deadly  ene- 
mies of  tue  king,  and  the  mere  and  servile  tools  of  Cromwell  and  the 
army.  This  parliamentary  clearance  was  facetiously  called  "Pride's 
purge,"  and  the  members  who  had  the  disgraceful  distinction  of  being 
deemed  fit  for  CromwcU's  dirty  work,  ever  after  passed  under  the  title  of 
'■the  rump." 

With  a  really  ludicrous  impudence  this  contemptible  assembly  assumed 
to  itself  the  whole  power  and  character  of  the  parliament,  voted  that  all 
that  had  been  done  towards  an  accommodation  with  the  king  was  illegal, 
and  that  his  seizure  and  imprisonment  by  "  the  general  "—so  Cromwell 


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!)88 


THB  TIIEASUIIY  OF  HISTOllY. 


\vii3  now  tcnrxcii,  par  exccll£7ice — wore  just  iiiul  praiseworthy.  All  modnr. 
fttioii  \v;is  thrown  to  the  wiiidg,  and  as  Iho  ucluiil  private  mnrdnr  of  il.a 
king  was  tiioiiglit  likely  to  disjrust  the  lictter  men  even  ainon^'  the  faiiat'i. 
cal  soldiery,  a  comniittec  of "  the  rnmp"  parliament  was  formed  to  diijest 
a  charge  of  liigli  treason.  It  would  seeui  tliat  the  sulitlest  casiiiist  would 
be  puzzled  to  make  out  such  a  charge  against  a  king;  and  especiajlv  m 
an  age  when  monarchy  in  England  was  so  newly  and  so  iinperfctly  lini- 
ited.  15ut  "the  rump"  was  composed  of  men  who  knew  no  difUmlly  ol 
the  moral  sort.  The  king,  most  riglnfully,  iuid  supported  by  iliti  ninst 
illustrious  of  his  nobles  and  the  wealthiest  and  most  loving  ofhis?  gentry 
had  drawn  tho  sword  to  reduce  to  order  and  peace  a  rabid  and  grcrdy 
faction,  whiidi  threatened  his  crown  and  tore  the  vitals  of  his  country. 
And  this  justifiable,  though  sad  and  lainentable  exertion  of  force,  afterall 
milder  means  had  failed,  "  the  rumj)"  now  charged  against  the  king  as 
treason;  a  treason  of  a  kind  never  before  dreamed  of,  a  levying  "war 
against  his  parliament !  Surely,  the  unhappy  Charles  had  now  hut  uv) 
much  reason  to  regret  that  he  had  not  by  a  just  fieverity  to  Lord  Kimboj. 
ton  and  Ins  five  co-accused  fire-brands,  crushed  this  venomous  parliament 
while  yet  he  had  the  power  to  do  so ! 

As  there  was  now  no  longer,  thanks  to  "  Pride's  purge,"  a  chance  of 
further  negotiation,  it  was  determined  that  the  hapless  king  should  be 
brought  fron>  Hurst-castlc  to  Windsor.  Colonel  Harrison,  a  half  insane 
and  wholly  brutal  fanatic,  the  son  of  a  butcher,  was  entrustcMl  with  this 
commission  ;  chiefly,  perhaps,  because  it  was  well  understood  that  he 
would  rattier  slay  the  royal  captive  with  his  own  hand  than  allow  liini  to 
be  lesciied.  After  a  brief  stay  at  Windsor,  the  king  was  once  again  rr- 
mo^ed  to  London,  and  his  altered  appearance  was  such  as  would  Inve 
excited  commisseration  in  the  breasts  of  any  but  the  callous  and  inexor- 
able creatures  in  whose  hands  he  was.  His  features  were  haggard,  liis 
beard  long  and  neglected,  his  hair  blanched  to  a  ghastly  whiteness  by  suf. 
ferings  that  seemed  to  have  fully  doubled  his  age  ;  and  tho  boding  nirlnn- 
choly  that  had  characterised  his  features,  even  in  his  happier  days,  was 
now  deepened  down  to  an  apparent  yet  resigned  sadness  that  waspaiiiful 
to  all  humane  beholders. 

Sir  Philip  Warwick,  an  old  and  broken  mar,  but  faithful  and  loyal  to 
the  last,  was  the  king's  chief  attendant ;  and  ho  and  the  few  suhordinates 
who  were  allowed  to  approach  the  royal  person  were  now  brutally  ordered 
to  serve  the  king  without  any  of  the  accustomed  forms ;  and  all  cxuTn:il 
symbols  of  state  and  majesty  were,  at  the  same  time,  withdrawn  witli  a 
petty  yet  malignant  carefulness- 
Even  these  cruelties  and  insults  could  not  convince  the  king  that  liis 
enemies  would  be  guilty  of  the  enormous  absurdity  of  bringing  ihcir 
sovereign  to  a  formal  trial.  Calm,  just,  and  clear-sighted  himself,  he 
could  not  comprehend  how  even  his  fanatical  and  boorish  enenves  enulil, 
in  the  face  of  day,  so  manifestly  bid  defiance  not  only  to  all  law  and  all 
precedent,  but  also  to  the  plainest  maxims  of  common  sense.  Hut  thoiii;h 
almost  to  the  very  day  of  his  trial  the  king  refused  to  believe  that  his 
enemies  would  dare  to  try  him,  he  did  believe  that  they  intended  to 
assassinate  him,  and  in  every  meal  of  which  he  partook  he  imagined  that 
he  saw  the  instrument  of  his  death. 

A.  D.  1618. — In  the  meantime,  tho  king's  enemies  were  actively  making 
preparations  for  the  most  extraordinary  trial  ever  witnessed  in  England, 
The.se  preparations  were  so  extensive  that  they  occupied  a  vast  number  of 
persons  from  the  sixth  to  the  twentieth  of  January.  As  if  the  more  fully 
to  convince  the  king  of  their  earnestness  in  the  matter,  Cromwell  and  the 
nimp,  when  they  had  named  a  high  court  of  justice,  consisting  o(  a  liiiii- 
dred  and  thirty-three  persons,  ordered  tho  duke  of  Hamilton,  whom  they 
had  doomed  to  death  for  his  unshaken  loyalty  to  his  soi  ereign,  to  be  ad' 


I, 


All  nio3cr. 
iiurdnr  of  ll.e 
n<i  llic  fimati' 
meil  in  di^jcst 
L'iisuisl  would 

osperiiilly  in 
pcrfc'Uy  lim- 
(I  (iilTuuUy  ol 
I  by  ilm  most 

ofhii?  gentry, 
111  iiml  {,'icPily 
if  li'iH  cmiiiUy. 

force,  after  all 
St  tlie  kiiit;  as 

a  lovyiii;,'  \v;ir 
{\  now  but  loo 
0  Lord  Kimbol. 
lous  p'.irliiunent 


THE  TREASUllY  OV  IIIdTOIlY. 


5B9 


mittod  10  tako  Iciive  of  the  king  ut  Windsor.  Tlie  interview  was  a  liar- 
rowiiiy:  one.  The  diilu3  liad  evur  been  ready  to  pour  ont  liis  bU.od  hke 
water  for  his  sovereign  ;  even  mow  he  felt  not  for  liiniself,  but,  moved  to 
tears  by  the  sad  alteration  in  the  person  of  Ciiarlcs,  threw  hinisidf  al  the 
royal  vielnn's  feet,  ex(danning,  "My  dear  master!"  ''Alas!''  said  tlio 
weeping  king,  as  lie  raised  up  his  faithful  and  devoted  servant,  "  Alas  !  I 
have,  indeed,  been  a  dear  master  to  yon  I"  Terriidc,  at  this  moment,  must 
liiivu  been  the  king's  self- reproaches  for  the  opportunities  he  had  neglected 
of  palling  down  the  wretches  who  now  iiad  his  faithful  servant  and  him- 
self ill  ilieir  power! 

Of  the  persons  named  to  sit  in  the  high  court  of  justice,  as  this  shame 
fully  unjust  and  inicjuitous  coterie  was  impudently  termed,  only  about 
siventy,  or  scarcely  more  than  one  half,  could  be  got  together  at  any  one 
lime  during  the  trial.  Low  cili/ens,  fanatical  members  of  the  rump,  and 
servile  olReers  of  the  army,  composed  the  majority  of  those  who  did  at- 
leiiil,  and  it  was  before  this  wrctidied  assembly  that  the  legitimate  sov- 
ereign of  the  land,  now  removed  from  Windsor  to  St.  Jumcs,  was  placed 
to  undergo  the  insulting  mockery  of  a  trial. 

Tlie  court,  "  the  higli  court  of  justice"  thus  oddly  constituted,  met  in 
WVstininster  hall.  Tlie  l.iltnits  and  firmness  of  Charles  were  ('veu  now 
Ido  iiinrh  respected  by  fromwell  and  the  shrewder  members  of  "  tiio 
riim|)"  to  allow  of  Ih  'r  op;-.(?sing  this  miserable  court  to  iiiiu  wiihout  the 
;iblest  procurable  aid  IJiadsliaw,  a  lawyer  of  considerable  ability,  was 
therefore  apjioiiited  president,  and  Coke,  solicitor  for  the  people  oi"  I'<ng 
1 111(1,  with  Sttud,  Aske,  and  Dorislaus  for  liis  assistants. 

Wiien  li'd  by  a  mace-bearer  to  a  seat  within  the  bar,  the  king  seated 
liiinsclf  with  his  li.il  on,  and  looki'd  sti-rnly  around  him  at  iln;  traitors  who 
alTeeted  to  Ik;  his  eoni[)etent  judges.  Coke  then  read  the  charge  against 
l.iiii,  and  the  king's  inidaiichidy  countenance  was  momentarily  lighted  up 
Willi  a  manly  and  just  scorn  as  be  heard  himself  gravely  accused  of  hav- 
ing been  "tile  cause  of  all  the  bloodshed  wliicli  had  followed  since  the 
cuiiiiiiencement  of  tlu;  war!" 

When  Coke  had  finished  making  his  formal  charge,  the  president,  Urad- 
sIkiw,  addressed  the  king,  and  calli'd  upon  him  to  answer  to  the  accusation 
which  he  had  heard  made  against  him. 

Though  the  eountenaneo  of  Charles  fidly  expressed  the  natural  and 
Irffiy  indignation  that  he  felt  at  being  called  upon  to  plead  as  a  mere  felon 
lipfore  a  court  composed  not  mendy  of  simple  commoners,  but,  to  a  very 
;:rpat  extent,  of  the  most  ignorant  and  least  honourable  men  in  their  ranks 
of  life,  he  admirably  preserved  his  temper,  and  addressed  himself  to  his 
task  with  earnest  and  grave  argument.  lie  said  that,  conscious  as  he  was 
of  iiitiociMice,  he  should  rejoice  at  an  opportunity  of  justifying  his  conduct 
ill  every  particular  before  a  competent  tribunal,  but  as  he  was  not  inclined 
10  become  the  betrayer  instead  of  the  defender  of  the  constitution,  he  must 
at  this,  the  very  first  stage  of  the  i)rocecdings,  wholly  and  positively  re- 
iwdiale  the  authority  of  the  court  before  which  he  had  been  as  illegally 
brought,  as  the  court  itself  was  illegally  constituted.  Where  was  there 
even  the  shadow  of  the  upper  house  ]  Without  it  there  could  be  no  jus* 
Iribunal,  parliamentary  or  appointed  by  p.irliament.  lie  was  interrupted, 
loi),  for  ihe  purposes  of  this  illegal  trial  just  as  he  was  on  the  point  of  con- 
cluding a  treaty  with  both  houses  of  parlia'iient,  a  moment  at  which  he 
surely  had  a  right  to  expect  anything  ratlier  than  the  violent  and  unjust 
trcalaient  that  he  had  expe'-ieuced.  He,  it  could  not  be  denied,  was  the 
king  and  fountain  of  law,  and  could  not  be  tried  by  laws  to  which  he  had 
not  given  his  authority  ;  and  it  would  ill  become  him,  who  was  entrusted 
with  the  liberties  of  the  people,  to  betray  them  by  even  a  formal  and  tacit 
recognition  of  a  tribunal  which  could  not  possibly  possess  any  other  than 
4 merely  usurped  power. 


;ta 


1 


i    ' 


590 


THR  TlircASURY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


Bradslnw,  tlio  prrsidoiit,  alTi'ctcd  tiiurli  Hiirprisn  and  indif^intion  at  tlip 
king's  rcpiidialion  of  the  mock  cimrt  of  juUicn  which,  Ik;  said,  recivod 
its  power  and  authority  from  tho  soiircn  of  all  ri^ht,  tiii>  people.  vVhen 
the  kiiii?  atloinpted  ti)  repeat  his  clear  and  coirt^it  ohjection,  IJradsliaw 
ruddy  inleiriipted  and  despolicaily  overrnled  him.  IJut,  if  KilcMcnd  liv 
clamour,  the  kin<;  was  not  to  he  Inrninl  asidi;  from  his  course  by  tlic  incre 
repetition  of  a  hold  fallacy.  Again  and  again  he  was  brought  before  ilun 
mock  lrii)mial,  and  again  and  again  he  ballled  all  attempts  at  making  him 
by  pleading  to  it,  give  it  some  hhadow  of  lawful  antliorily.  'I'lu!  eoiuhict 
of  the  rabbli?  without  was  fully  wortliy  of  the  conduct  of  their  self  con- 
stitiiled  governors  within  the  court.  As  the  king  [jroccedcd  to  the  court 
ho  was  assailed  with  brutal  yells  for  what  the  wicked  or  deluded  nu  ii 
called  "justice."  Hut  neither  the  mob  nor  their  instigators  could  imhice 
him  to  j)lead,  and  the  Iniiiuitons  court  at  length  called  some  complaisant 
witnesses  to  swear  that  the  kiugliad  appeareil  in  arms  against  forces  c(iin. 
missioned  by  parliament ;  and  upon  this  fallacy  of  evideiuje,  sentence  of 
death  was  pronounced  against  him.  VVc  call  the  evidence  a  mer(!  fallacy 
because  it  amounted  to  nothing  unless  backed  by  the  gross  and  moiistroiis 
assumption  that  the  [)ariiamcnt  could  lawfully  commission  any  forcrs 
without  the  order  and  permission  of  tin?  king  himself,  and  the  no  less 
glaring;  assumption  that  the  king  could  act  illegally  in  puttinij  down  rcliil. 
lions  gallicrinif'^  of  born  subjects. 

After  rcceivi.ig  his  sentence  riiarles  was  more  violently  at)nsed  liy  tlio 
rabble  oulside  Mian  h(!  had  even  formerly  been.  "  Kxecntion"  wiis  Idiidlv 
demanded,  aiid  one  (ililiy  and  unmanly  rullian  actually  8|)at  in  his  lai'p, 
n  beastly  imlignity  wlii(di  the  king  bore  with  a  sedate  and  august  piiy, 
merely  ej  iculaiing,  "  Poor  creatures,  they  would  serve  their  generals  in 
the  sann'  manner  for  a  sixpence  !" 

To  the  honour  of  tin;  nation  he  it  said,  llicse  v;.e  insults  of  the  hiisrr 
rabbh'  were  strongly  c(Mitrasted  by  lln?  res[)ectful  eompass'on  of  the  Iwiui 
informed.  Many  of  tliem,  iindnding  sonn;  of  the  m'litary,  (tpcn:y  ex 
pressed  their  regret  for  the  sulVcrings  of  tin;  king  and  the;  disgust  at  the 
conduct  of  his  persecutors.  One  soldier  lotidiy  p;ayed  a  blessMigon  Iim 
royal  head,  and  the  honest  prayer  being  overhear:,  by  a  fi'iiatical  olliccr, 
he  struck  tin;  S(ddi(T  to  the  gr  nmd.  'i'lie  king,  mine  if  lignant  at  this 
outraiic  (111  the  loyal  soldier  than  he  had  br'cr.  at  ai.  tlie  nniiiaidv  iiisiilts 
that  had  been  heaped  upon  himsilf,  turned  to  the  olTH'cr  and  sli;n  p  y  told 
him  that  the  punishment  very  much  e.veeeded  the  oflenee. 

On  returning  to  Whitehall,  where  he  had  'leeii  lodg'id  during  the  mock 
trial,  Charles  wi  to  to  the  so-called  lionsi  of  commons,  and  ref]Ni'sii>(l 
that  i.e  might  be  allowed  to  see  those  of  'is  children  who  were  in  Knj;. 
land,  and  to  have  the  as^  stance  of  Dr.  .luxon,  the  deprived  bishop  of  I.oii. 
don,  in  |n'epariii'/  fi»r  '-le  fate  which  be  now  clearly  saw  awaited  Inni. 
Even  his  fanati<-  li  "i'-  niies  dared  not  refuse  these  recjuests,  Sut  at  the 
same  time  that  0>'-'-  veru  granted  he  was  informed  that  his  executiim 
would  take  p\,u-f    t»  itirf-e  da    s. 

The  c]ie  eii,  the  prince  of  iVales,  and  the  duke  of  York  were  happily 
abroad :  i  '  the  pni»ce-«  Elizabeth  and  the  duke  of  filoncestcr,  a  cliilil 
not  imicli  tiore  than  thr^e  y,  urs  old,  were  brought  into  the  presence  ul 
their  niiliapi  y  |)arMt.  Tru  Mterview  was  most  affecting,  for,  yonni,' as 
the  chihlren  -vcre,  ■'.  v  b«t  t  )  •.,'ell  comprehended  the  sail  calamity  tin; 
was  about  to  li«fal  'in.  Tie  king,  among  tin;  many  exhortations  wind: 
he  en  leavourcd  to  idaptto  tin  iinlerstanding  of  his  infant  son,  said,  ''Mv 
child,  leii-v  Will  (Mil  oflT  my  hea  and  when  th(;y  have  done  that  they  wi,! 
want  nil  make  you  king.  IJuliiu  -  mark  well  what  I  say,  you  must  ifvei 
cimn^  '  to  he  kiiij.  while  your  ••others  Charles  and  James  an;  :l.  ;, 
IWpv  v>:t  cut  off  lli^'ir  heads  if  lU^  v  can  take  them,  and  they  will  ii.i  ■ 
•ttvi^*  tut  off  your  |jf;ad,  and  thertLure  I  charge  you  do  not  fee  mail'  i 


THE  TttKASUllY  Oli'  IIIdTOllV. 


691 


kinjjby  them."  Tlin  noblo  little  fellow,  luviiifi  listciicMl  iittcntivoly  to  all 
thai  IiIh  rather  said  to  hiiu,  hui.it  into  :i  passion  of  tears  and  cxcluirncd, 
"I  won't  ho  a  king;  1  will  h(!  torn  in  pieces  first." 

Short  ii8  the  interval  was  hctweyu  the  coni-lusiou  of  the  mock  trial  of 
ihc  kini;  and  his  murder,  yrcat  elforts  were  mado  to  save  him,  and  among 
otliiMf.  was  that  of  tiio  prince  of  Wales  sending,'  a  blank  paper,  signed  and 
scah  il  !)>'  himself,  aecomiJanicd  hy  a  letter,  in  which  he  oTcn.'d  permis- 
sion to  ilic  parliament  to  insert  whatever  Ifrnis  it  pleased  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  his  father's  life.     IJut  tlicro  was  an  under-current  at  work  of  which 


liotli  tlic  knij;  and  his  aliachctl  friends  were  fatally  ignorant.  The  rea 
iwuse  of  till!  murder  of  tJharles  I.  was  tlie  cxcessiv(!  personal  terror  o 
Oliver  Cromwell.  Tliis  we  stale  on  an  indisputably  leijilimate  deduction 
frjin  an  aneciioU!  related  hy  Cromwell  himself;  and  the  anecdote  is  so 
curious  and  so  characteristic  of  Cromwell  liiat  we  subjoin  it.  in  truth,  how 
broad  a  light  does  tliis  anecdote  throw  on  tiiis  most  shameful  portion 
of  I'liifilisii  history  I 

Willie  tlie  king  was  still  at  Windsor  and  allowed  to  correspond  both 
with  the  parhameiil  and  iiis  liistaiit  friends,  it  is  but  too  clear  that  he  al- 
loweil  the  vili!  character  aii.i  |)roei'ediiigs  of  his  opponent  to  warp  his  nat- 
urally hii^ii  character  from  tht;  direct  and  mllexibh!  honesty  which  is  pro- 
vcrbiiiliy  and  truly  said  to  Ik;  lh('  Ijcst  policy.  Vacillation  and  a  desire  to 
luakc  use  of  subterfugf!  were  app  ireiii  even  in  his  dirc'ct  dealini;s  with 
llie  |)arliameiit,  and  would  havi^  tended  to  have  prolonged  the  negotiations 
even  had  the  parliament  been  ('ariiest  m  its  wish  for  an  accommodation 
at  11  far  earlier  [)eriod  than  it  really  was.  Hut  it  was  in  his  private  cor- 
ii's|miiilence,  especially  with  tlic  queen,  that  Charles displayeil  tlie  real  iii- 
siiiccrily  of  mueli  of  his  public  profession.  Seeing  tlu*  great  power  of 
C'riiinwell,  and  to  a  considi'rable  e.\t('nt  divining  that  daring  and  subtle 
man's  real  character,  ("harles  had  not  only  wisely  but  even  successfully 
duleaviiiired  to  win  Cromwell  to  Iii'n  .oil.  I'liere  was,  as  yet,  but  lit- 
lli' |iriiliai)ility  that  even  if  (Hiarles  n.Msidf  were  put  out  of  the  w.iy,  a 
lii^jli-liearted  nation  would  set  ^fuK-  the  wliole  family  of  its  legitimate 
km;:,  III'  ii  ly  to  give  a  more  th,v.»  n^.  il  despotism  into  the  coarse  hands 
of  lilt'  nou  of  a  |)roviiici,il  bre\<  '  a  this  j)eriod  the  grasping  aunMlion  of 
the  liitiire  protector  would,  in  ir  i  ^enceof  all  probability  of  illegitimate- 
ly ai'tjiiired  sovereignly,  kiw  been  sitistied  with  the  trust,  honours, 
iveallii,  and  power  which  Imc  gratitude  of  his  sovereign  could  have  be- 
stowed on  him.  ("romwvi^  coiiscipiently,  was  actually  pondering  the 
proprictN  of  selling  u|itlio  king  and  becoming  "  viceroy  over"  him,  wht;n 
the  St  u;liiig  triilh  w.is  r*^vi  *led  to  him,  that  the  king  was  merely  rnii)ing 
liiiii,  and  mtcuded  to  s:jori'w-e  him  as  a  irailor  when  he  should  havi;  done 
with  liiin  as  a  tool.  I  h  riually  served  liy  his  spies,  Cromwell,  who  had 
aire  lily  some  gr  ««inils  lor  suspecting  Cliarh's'  real  designs  towards  hiin, 
received  informaiion  that  on  a  certain  night  a  man  would  leave  the  Ulue 
Boar  ill  liolli.jrn  for  Dover,  on  Ins  way  to  the  continent,  and  tliat  in 
the  llaj)  iif  his  sadiile  a  inosi  iinporianl  |);>ckiit  would  be  found,  coiitain- 
iiij,'  a  Vdliiminous  .titer  inun  the  king  to  the  t)ueen.  On  the  night  in 
QUcsiiDii,  ( 'romwell  and  Ireion.  in  the  disguise  of  troopers,  iouiiged  into 
llie  Hiiie  Hoar  tap,  and  ttiere  jjassed  away  the  time  in  drinking  beer 
and  .i.'liing  some  citizen^  playing  at  shovel-board,  until  they  saw  the 
iiiaii.irrive  of  whom  iliey  h.ul  received  an  e.xacl  description.  Following 
the  man  into  the  stable  lliey  ripiied  open  the  saddle  and  found  the  packet, 
and,  to  liis  dismay  and  ragt;,  Cromwell  read,  in  the  hand-writing  of 
Charles,  the  monarch's  exultation  at  having  tickled  his  vanity,  and  his 
expressed  detcrmiiKilioii  to  raise  him  for  a  lime,  only  to  crusli  him  when 
the  o()|iortiiihiy  sliouKI  occur.  l'"roin  Ihat  moment  terror  made  (^'romwell 
inexorable  ;  he  saw  no  security  for  his  own  safety  except  in  the  complete 
destruction  of  the  kimj     Hence  the  indecent  and  determined  trial  and 


Ii 


1  I 


893 


THE  TUKASUUY  OF  HISTORY 


aentence;  and  lioncc,  too,  the  absolute  contiMnpt  that  was  shown  for  all 
efforts  at  proveiuiiig  the  serileni-e  from  being  executed. 

Whatever  want  of  resohilion  Charles  may  liavc  shown  in  other  pas- 
sages of  liis  lil'e,  ilie  time  he  was  allowed  to  live  between  sentence  and 
execution  exiiiliited  him  in  the  not  unfrequently  combined  characters  of 
the  christain  and  the  hero.  No  invectives  against  the  iniquity  of  \viiii;h 
he  was  the  victtiin  escaped  his  lijis,  and  he  slept  the  deep  calm  sleep 
of  innocence,  lliongh  on  each  night  his  enemies,  with  a  refuicmcnt  upon 
cruelly  more  worthy  of  fiends  than  of  men,  assailed  his  cars  witli  the 
noise  of  men  erecting  the  scallbld  for  his  execution. 

When  the  faial  morning  at  length  dawned,  the  king  at  an  early  hour 
called  one  of  his  attendants,  whoin  he  desired  to  attire  him  witli  more 
than  usual  c;ire,  as  lu;  remarked  that  he  would  fain  appear  with  ail  pro- 
per pr('[iar.i!ii)n  for  so  great  and  so  joyful  a  solenuiity.  'I'lic  scan'ohl  was 
erected  in  fioni  of  Whiieliall,  and  it  was  from  tin;  central  windows  ofiiis 
own  most  splendid  banqueting  room  that  the  king  stepped  on  to  tiie  scaf- 
fold on  winch  he  was  to  be  nuM'dercd. 

Wiien  his  majesty  appeared  be  was  attended  by  tlie  faithfid  and  attnch- 
ed  Dr.  .Inxon,  and  was  received  by  two  masked  exe(;uti(MK'rs  standing 
beside  the  block  and  the  axe.  Tiie  scaffold,  entirely  covenul  witli  fine 
black  clolh,  was  densely  surrounded  by  soldiers  inuhir  the  conmianj  o( 
Colonel  Tonilinson,  while  in  the  distance  was  a  vast  multitude  of  people. 
The  near  and  viohnit  death  that  awaited  liini  seemed  to  produce  no  ofTcct 
on  the  king's  nerves.  He  ga/ed  gravely  butcalmly  around  him.  and  said, 
to  all  to  whom  the  concourse  of  military  would  admit  of  his  spi'aking,  that 
tlio  late  war  was  ever  deplored  by  him,  and  was  commenced  by  tlio  par- 
liament. III!  had  not  taken  up  arms  until  compelled  by  the  warlike  and 
illegal  coniliut  of  the  parliaiv(!nt,  and  had  done  so  only  to  defend  his  peo- 
ple from  iippression,  and  to  preserve  intact  the  authority  which  hail  been 
transmiltcil  to  him  by  bisancestiu's.  Dut  though  he  positively  denied  that 
there  was  any  Ic^al  auihority  in  the  court  by  which  he  had  been  tried, or 
any  truili  in  ilie  charge  upon  which  he  had  been  condemned  iuidsciiienced, 
he  added  that  his  fitu  was  a  just  punishment  for  his  weakly  and  criminal- 
ly consi'atmg  to  tlu!  equally  unjust  execution  of  the  carl  of  iStrafford. 
He  cmpliaiii.'ally  pronounced  his  forgiveness  of  all  his  enemies,  named 
his  son  as  his  successor,  and  expressed  his  hope  that  the  people  would 
now  return  to  their  duty  under  that  prince;  and  he  concluded  his  brief 
and  manly  address  by  calling  uj)i)n  all  present  to  bear  witness  that  lie 
died  a  sincere  iirotestant  of  the  church  of  England. 

No  one  heard  this  address  witlunit  being  deeply  moved  by  it,  and  even 
Colonel 'iVnilinson,  who  had  the  unenviable  task  of  superintemling  the 
murder  of  Ins  prince,  confessed  that  that  address  had  made  liim  a  convert 
to  the  royal  cause. 

Tlie  roy.il  martyr  now  began  to  disrobe,  and,  as  he  did  so.  Dr.  Juxon 
said  to  him,  "  Sire!  there  is  but  one  stage  more,  which,  though  a  turbu- 
lent and  troublesome  one,  is  still  but  a  short  one  ;  it  will  soon  carry  you 
a  great  way  ;  it  will  carry  yon  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  there  you  shall 
find,  to  your  great  joy,  the  prize  to  which  you  arc  hastening,  a  crown 
of  glory." 

"I  go,"  replied  the  king,  "where  no  disturbance  can  take  place,  from  a 
corruptible  to  an  incorruptible  crown." 

"You  exchange,"  rejoined  the  bishop,  "a  temporal  for  an  eternal 
crown — a  good  exchange." 

Charles,  having  now  completed  his  preparations,  delivered  his  decora- 
tions of  Si.  (;eorge  to  Dr.  .liixon,and  emphatically  pronoinn-cd  the  sin- 
gle word  "  Remember!''  lie  then  calmly  laid  his  head  upon  the  block, 
and  it  was  severed  from  his  body  at  one  blow;  the  second  exc-utionoT 
immediaicly  held  it  up  by  the  hair,  and  said,  "  Behold  the  head  of  « 
traitor  !" 


shown  for  all 


THE  TllEAiSUUY  01'  lIl.SiORY. 


693 


Ihus,  on  the  30th  of  January,  IGIO,  pcsrisliod  Chiirlcs  T.,  in  the  forty- 
ninth  year  of  ills  age,  and  iho  tvveniy-roiirlh  of  liis  reign.  lie  was  not 
executed  but  murdered;  he  was  guilty  of  no  cnnie  hut  weakness  or 
vacillation  of  judgment ;  his  trreatest  misfortune  was  his  want  of  the 
Btern  ehergy  of  a  Henry  Vlll.  or  an  IClizabelh ;  such  an  energy  ex 
ertcd  at  the  beginning  of  his  reign  would  have  enabled  him  to  crush 
Ine  traitorous,  and  would  have  warranted  and  enabled  him  subsequently 
to  iiicreaso  and  systematiJie  the  liberties  of  his  country,  without  danger  of 
subjecting  it  to  the  rude  purification  of  a  civil  war. 

The  blood  of  the  royal  martyr  had  scarcely  ceased  to  flow,  before  the 
lately  furious  nmltitude  began  to  repent  of  the  violence  which  their  own 
vile  shouts  had  assisted.  But  repentance  came  too  late ;  more  than 
llie  power  of  their  murdered  monarch  had  now  fallen  into  sterner  hands. 

Willi  that  suspicion  which  "ever  haunts  the  guilty  mind,"  Cromwell 
and  his  friends  attached  much  mysterious  importance  to  the  "  llKMKMnEB" 
so  emphatically  pronounced  by  Charles  on  delivering  his  George  to  Dr. 
Jiixoii,  and  that  learned  and  excellent  man  was  autlioritatively  command- 
ed 10  give  an  account  of  the  king's  meaning,  or  his  own  understanding 
of  the  word.  To  the  inexpressible  moriification  of  those  base  minds, 
Ihe  doctor  informed  them  that  the  king  only  impressed  upon  him  a  for- 
mer and  particular  request  to  deliver  the  George  to  tlie  prince  of  Wales, 
mi  at  the  same  time  to  urge  the  command  of  his  father  to  forgive  his 
murderers ! 


,m--  .■'■'■  *'""..  i^ 


CHAPTER  LIII. 


THE   COMMONWEALTH. 


Whatever  might  have  been  Cromwell's  original  views,  his  military  suc- 
cesses, tiie  vast  influence  he  had  obtained  over  the  army,  and,  perhaps. 
!ldl  more  than  either  of  these,  the  base  and  evident  readiness  of  iho  (lUi 
liameiU  to  truckle  to  his  military  power  and  meet  him  even  more  than 
halfway  in  his  most  unjust  and  exorbitant  wishes,  opened  a  prospect  too 
imbouiided  and  tempting  for  his  ambition  to  res'^t.  But  policy,  as  well 
as  the  circumstances  of  the  time,  made  it  incumbtnt  upon  Cromwell,  in 
the  first  instance,  to  exalt  still  higher  his  character  ft."  military  skill  and 
daring.  Ireland  had  a  disciplined  host  in  arms  for  the  royal  cause 
under  the  duke  of  Ormond,  and  large  multitudes  of  the  native  Irish  were 
atllie  same  time  in  open  revolt  under  the  restless  and  daring  O'Neal 
Cromwell  procured  tlie  command  of  the  army  appointed  to  put  down 
botli  these  parties,  and  fully  succeeded.  How  mercilessly  he  used  his 
victory  we  have  related  under  the  proper  head. 

A  D.  1050. — On  the  return  of  Cromwell  to  Kngland  his  pocket  parlia- 
ment formally  returned  him  the  thanks  which,  excerpt  for  his  needless  and 
odious  cruelty,  he  had  well  merited.  A  new  opportunity  at  the  same 
monienl  presented  itself  for  the  aggrandizement  of  this  bold  and  fortu- 
nate adventurer.  The  Scots,  who  had  basely  sold  Charltis  I.  into  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  were  now  endeavouring  to  make  money  by  venal 
loyally,  as  they  had  formerly  made  it  by  venal  treason.  They  had  in- 
vited Charles  II.  into  Scotland,  where  that  gay  young  prince  speedily 
found  that  they  looked  upon  him  rather  as  a  prisoner  than  as  their  king. 

Tliogrossness  of  their  manners,  and  the  rude  accommodation  with  which 
llipy  fiirnislied  him,  he  could  probably  have  passed  over  without  much 
ddlieuliy,  for,  young  as  Charles  II.  was,  he  lu.d  already  seen  more  of 
prossnoss  and  poverty  than  commonly  comes  within  the  knowledge  of 
llie  great.  But  Charles  was  frank  as  he  was  g;'y  ;  and  the  A>..^tere  man- 
n-irs  and  long  and  unseasonable  discourses  which  they  inflicted  upon 
Vol.  1.— 38 


X'     f 


'vfevKtl.    ui:  -'-III 


694 


THE  treastjuy  of  history. 


him  did  not  annoy  him  more  than  their  evident  determination  to  make 
him  at  the  least  affect  to  agree  with  t!iem.  As,  however,  the  Scoti 
were  iiis  only  present  hope,  Charles  did  his  utmost  to  avoid  quarreling 
with  them  ;  and  however  they  might  annoy  him  while  among  them,  what' 
ever  might  be  their  ultimate  views  respecting  him,  certain  it  is  that  they 
raised  a  very  considerable  army,  and  showed  every  determination  to  re- 
inntate  l.im  in  his  kingdom. 

Even  merely  as  being  Presbyterians  the  Scotch  were  detested  by  Crom- 
well and  his  independents ;  but  now  that  they  had  also  embraced  the  causo 
of  "the  man  Charles  Stuart,"  as  these  boorish  English  independents  af- 
fected  to  call  their  lawful  sovereign,  it  was  determined  that  a  signal  chas- 
tisement shmild  be  inflicted  upon  them.  The  command  of  an  army  for 
that  nurpose  was  offered  to  Fairfax,  but  he  declined  it  on  the  honourable 
ground  that  he  was  unwilling  to  act  against  Presbyterians.  Cromwell 
had  no  such  scruple,  and  he  immediately  set  out  for  Scotland  with  an  army 
of  sixteen  thousand  men,  which  received  accessions  to  its  numbers  in 
every  great  town  through  which  it  marched.  But  notwithstanding  even 
the  military  fame  of  Cromwell,  and  his  too  well  known  cruelty  to  all  who 
dared  to  resist  him  and  were  unfortunate  enough  to  be  vanquished,  i,ie 
Scots  boldly  met  his  invasion.  But  boldness  alone  was  of  liitie  avail 
against  such  a  leader  as  Cromwell,  backed  by  such  tried  and  enthusiiistic 
soldiers  as  his;  the  two  armies  had  scarcely  joined  battle  wiien  the 
Scots  were  put  to  flight,  their  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners  hiing 
very  great,  while  the  total  loss  of  Cromwell  did  not  exceeil  forty  men. 

As  Cromwell  after  this  battle  pursued  his  course  northward,  wiiii  tiie 
delenninalion  not  only  to  chastise,  but  completely  and  pernianeiilly  to 
subdue  the  Scots,  the  young  king,  as  soon  as  he  could  rally  the  Scottish 
army,  took  a  resolution  which  showed  him  to  have  an  intuitive  knowledge 
of  military  tactics.  Making  a  detour  to  get  completely  clear  of  any  out- 
lying parties  of  Cromwell's  troops,  he  commenced  a  forced  maruli  into 
England,  the  northern  counties  of  which  lay  completely  open  and  deffncc- 
less.  The  boldness  of  this  course  alarmed  a  portion  of  the  Scottish  army, 
and  nninerous  desertions  took  place  from  the  very  commencement  of  the 
march  southward ;  but  as  Charles  still  had  a  numerous  and  impo!:ii)<r  force, 
there  was  every  reason  to  beiieve  that  long  ere  he  should  reach  London 
the  great  object  of  his  expedition,  the  gentry  and  middle  orders  would  Hock 
to  him  in  such  numbers  as  would  render  altogether  out  of  the  quet!iion  any 
resistance  on  the  part  of  the  parliament,  especially  in  the  absence  of  Crom- 
well and  the  flower  of  the  English  troops.  But  the  bold  maiiffiuvre  of  the 
young  prince  was  doomed  to  liave  none  of  the  success  which  it  so  emi- 
nently deserved.  Before  his  progress  was  sufllcient  to  counterbalance  in 
the  minds  of  his  subjects  the  terror  in  which  they  held  Crcmwell,  that 
active  commander  had  received  news  of  the  young  king's  inauoeuvre,  and 
had  instantly  retrograded  in  pursuit  of  him,  leaving  Monk,  his  second  in 
command,  to  complete  and  maintain  the  subjection  of  the  Scotch- 

There  has  always  appeared  to  us  to  be  a  striking  resemblance,  which 
we  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  noticed  by  any  other  writer,  between 
the  Cromwellian  and  the  Bonapartean  systems.  To  compare  the  battles 
of  Cromwell  to  the  battles  of  Bonaparte  would  be  literally  to  make  innnn- 
tains  of  molehills;  yet  the  principles  of  these  two  commanders  seem  to 
us  to  have  been  the  same,  and  to  be  summed  tip  in  two  general  maxims, 
march  rapidly,  and  attack  in  masses.  The  phrases  are  simple  enough  in 
themselves,  yet  no  one  who  has  studied  a  single  battlc-map  with  even  the 
slightest  assistance  from  mathematical  science,  can  fail  to  perceive  the 
immense,  we  had  almost  said  the  unbounded,  powers  of  their  application. 
On  the  present  occasion  the  celerity  of  Cromwell  was  the  de8iructi(m  of 
the  young  king's  hopes.  With  an  army  increased  by  the  terror  of  liia 
name  to  nearly  forty  thousand  men,  Cromwell  marched  southward  so  rap- 


,1011  to  make 
er,  the  Scot* 


THE  TREASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


695 


idly,  that  he  absolutely  shut  up  the  forces  of  Charles  in  the  city  of  Wor- 
cester ere  they  had  time  to  break  from  their  quarters  aud  form  in  order  of 
battle  in  some  more  favourable  situation.  The  irresistible  cavalry  ot 
Cromwell  burst  suddenly  and  simultaneously  in  at  every  gate  of  the  town ; 
every  street,  almost  every  house  became  the  instant  scene  of  carnage ;  the 
Pitchcroft  was  literally  strewed  with  the  dead,  while  the  Severn  was 
tinged  with  the  blood  of  the  wounded ;  and  Charles,  after  having  bravely 
fuiight  as  a  common  soldier,  and  skilfully,  though  unsuccessfully,  exerted 
himself  as  a  commander,  seemed  to  have  no  wish  but  to  throw  himself 
upon  the  swords  of  his  enemies.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  his  friends 
turned  him  from  his  desperate  purpose,  and  even  when  they  had  done  so 
it  appeared  to  be  at  least  problematical  whether  he  would  be  able  to  escape. 
Accident,  or  the  devotion  of  a  peasant,  caused  a  wain  of  hay  to  be  over- 
turned opposite  to  one  of  the  gates  of  the  city  in  such  wise  that  Crom- 
well's mounted  troops  could  not  pass,  and,  favoured  by  this  circumstance, 
Cliarlfis  mounted  a  horse  that  was  held  for  him  by  a  devoted  friend,  and 
sought  safety  'n  flight. 

The  irium;  ^  of  Cromwell  was  completed  with  this  battle  of  Worcester, 
but  his  ve;ijf-  .  i;^ire  was  not  yet  laid  to  rest;  and  under  his  ictive  and 
untiring  su^   ,  iance  prodigious  exertions  were  made  to  caj  ture  the 

young  king  -c;  difficulties,  in  fact,  only  commenced  as  he  escaped 

from  the  confusion  and  the  carnage  of  Worcester.  Almost  dest  lute  of 
money  and  resources  of  every  kind,  and  having  reason  to  fear  an  enemy, 
either  on  principle  or  from  lucre,  in  every  man  whom  he  met,  Charles  was 
obliged  to  trust  for  safety  to  disguise,  which  was  the  more  difficult  on  ac- 
count of  his  remarkable  and  striking  features.  Three  poor  men,  named 
Penderell,  disguised  him  as  a  woodcutter,  fed  him,  concealed  him  by 
night,  and  subsequently  aided  him  to  reach  wealthier  though  not  more 
fiiithfuUy  devoted  friends.  While  with  these  poor  men,  diaries  in  the 
day-time  accompanied  them  to  their  place  of  labour  in  Boscobel  wood. 
On  one  occasion,  on  hearing  a  party  of  soldiers  approach,  the  royal  fugitive 
dinibcd  into  a  large  and  spreading  oak,  where,  sheltered  by  its  friendly 
folinge,  he  saw  the  solders  pass  and  repass,  and  quite  distinctly  heard 
them  express  their  rude  wishes  to  obtain  the  reward  that  was  offered  for 
his  captur£.  Thanks  to  the  incorruptible  fidelity  of  the  Pendercils  and 
numerous  other  persons  who  were  necessarily  made  acquainted  with  the 
truth,  Charles,  though  ho  endured  great  occasional  hardship  and  priva- 
tion and  was  necessarily  exposed  to  constant  anxiety,  eluded  every 
effort  of  his  almost  innumerable  pursuers,  urged  on  though  they  were  to 
the  utmost  activity  by  the  malignant  liberality  with  which  Cromwell  pro 
mised  to  reward  the  traitor  who  should  arrest  his  fugitive  king.  Under 
different  disguises,  and  protected  by  a  variety  of  persons,  the  young  king 
went  fro  a  place  to  place  for  six  weeks,  wanting  only  one  day,  and  his 
adventures  and  hair-breadth  escapes  during  that  time  read  far  more  like 
romance  than  the  history  of  what  actually  was  endured  and  survived  by  a 
human  being  persecuted  by  evil  or  misguided  men.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  on  board  a  vessel  which  landed  him 
safely  on  the  coast  of  Normandy ;  an  issue  to  so  long  and  varied  a  series 
of  adventures  which  is  more  reuiarkahle  when  it  is  considered  that  forty 
men  and  women,  of  various  stations,  circumstances,  and  dispositions,  were 
during  that  terrible  season  of  his  flight,  necessarily  made  acquainted  with 
'.he  secret,  the  betrayal  of  which  would  have  made  any  one  of  them  opulent 
for  life,  and  infamous  forever. 

Cromwell,  in  the  meantime,  after  having  achieved  what  he  called  the 
"crowning  mercy"  of  the  victory  of  Worcester,  made  a  sort  of  triumph* 
return  to  London,  where  he  was  met  with  the  pomp  due  only  to  a  sove 
■eign,  by  the  speaker  and  principal  p»  luoers  cf  the  hou:c  of  commor./ 


696 


THE  TRttA3Ua\  OF  HISTORY. 


an'J  the  mayor  and  other  magistrates  of  London  in  their  state  habits  and 
pa''    ihcrnalia. 

leral  Monk  had  been  left  in  Scotland  with  a  sufficient  force  to  keep 
th>a  turbulent  people  in  awe ;  and  both  their  presby«''Tianism  and  the  im- 
minent peril  in  which  Charles'  bold  march  of  the  Scottish  army  had 
placed  Cromwell  himself  and  that  "commonwealth"  of  which  he  wa?  nov^ 
fullv  determined  to  be  the  despot,  had  so  enraged  Cromwell  against  'hat 
country,  that  he  seized  upon  his  first  hour  of  leisure  to  complete  its  de- 
gradation, as  well  as  submission.  His  complaisant  parliament  only  re- 
quired a  hint  from  him  to  pass  an  act  which  might  have  been  fitly  enough 
entitled  "an  act  for  the  better  punishment  and  prevention  of  Scottish  loy- 
ally."  By  this  act  royalty  was  declared  to  be  Jibolished  in  Scotland,  as 
it  had  previously  been  in  England,  and  Scotland  itself  was  declared  to  be 
then  annexed  to  Er  jjland  as  a  conquest  and  a  province  of  "the  common- 
wealth." Cromwell's  hatred  of  the  Scotch,however,  proceeded  no  farther 
than  insult;  fortunately  for  them,  Monk,  who  was  left  as  their  resi- 
dent general  or  military  governor,  was  a  prudent  and  impartial  man.  free 
from  all  the  worst  fanaticism  and  wickedness  of  the  time;  and  his  rigid 
impartiality  at  once  disposed  the  people  to  peace,  and  intimidated  the 
English  judges  who  were  entrusted  with  the  distribution  of  justice  in  tliat 
country,  from  being  guilty  of  any  injustice  or  tyranny  to  which  they  migh' 
otherwise  have  been  inclined.  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland— where 
Ireton  and  Ludlow  had  completed  the  very  little  that  Cromwell  had  left 
undone— were  thus  effectually  subjected  to  a  parliament  of  sixty  men, 
many  of  whom  were  the  weakest,  as  many  more  of  them  were  the  wick- 
edest, the  most  ignorant,  and  the  most  fanatical  men  that  could  have  been 
found  in  England  even  in  "hat  age.  So  says  history,  if  we  look  at  it  with 
a  merely  superficial  glance.  But,  in  truth,  the  hats  which  covered  the 
heads  of  those  sixty  men  had  fully  as>  much  concern  as  the  men  themselves 
in  the  wcaderfully  rapid  and  complete  subjugation  of  three  countries,  twa 
of  which  had  never  been  otherwise  than  turbulent  and  sanguinary,  and 
the  third  of  which  had  just  murdered  its  sovereign  and  driven  his'  legal 
successor  into  exile.  No ;  it  was  not  by  the  fools  and  the  fanatics,  care- 
fully  weeded  out  of  the  most  foolish  and  fan.Uical  of  parliaments,  that  all 
this  great  though  evil  work  was  done.  Unseen,  save  by  the  few,  but  felt 
throughout  the  whole  English  dominion,  Cromwell  dictated  every 
measure  and  inspired  every  speech  of  that  parliament  which  to  the  eyes 
of  the  vulgar  seemed  so  omnipotent.  His  sagacity  and  his  energy  did 
much,  and  his  known  vindictiveness  and  indomitable  firmness  did  the  rest; 
those  who  opposed  failed  before  his  powers,  and  their  failure  intimidated 
others  into  voluntary  submission.  The  channel  islands  and  the  Scottich 
isles  were  easily  subdued  on  account  of  their  proximity ;  the  American 
colonies,  though  some  of  them  at  the  outset  declared  for  the  royal  cause, 
numbered  so  many  enthusiastic  religious  dissenters  among  their  popula- 
tions,  that  they,  too,  speedily  submitted  to  and  followed  the  example  and 
orders  of  the  newly  and  guiltily  founded  "Commonwealth"  of  England. 

While  all  this  was  being  achieved,  the  real  government  of  England  was 
in  the  hands  of  Cromwell,  though,  in  form,  there  was  a  council  of  tliirty- 
eight,  to  whom  all  addresses  and  petitions  were  presented,  and  who  had, 
nominally,  the  managing  of  the  army  and  navy,  and  Mie  right  and  respon- 
■ibility  of  making  war  and  peace.  The  real  moving-principle  of  this  po- 
tent council  was  the  mind  of  Cromwell.  And,  while  we  denounce  the 
flagrant  hypocrisy  of  his  pretensions  to  a  superior  sanctity,  and  his  traito- 
rous contempt  of  all  his  duties  as  a  subject,  impartial  truth  demands  'hat 
we  admit  that  never  was  ill-obtained  power  better  wielded.  Next  after 
the  petty  and  cruel  persecution  of  individuals,  nominally  on  public  grounds 
but  really  in  revenge  of  private  injuries,  a  political  speculator  would  in- 
fallibly and  very  naturally  predict  that  a  poor  and,  comparatively  speakinu 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HtS'^OrtV. 


597 


fow-bom  private  man,  like  Cromwell,  being  suddenly  invested  with  so 
vast  a  power  over  a  great  and  wealthy  nation,  would  make  his  ill-acquired 
authority  an  infamous  and  cspi'cial  scourge  in  the  financial  department. 
But,  to  the  honour  of  Cromwell  be  it  said,  there  is  no  single  period  in  our 
liistory  during  which  the  public  finances  have  been  so  well  managed,  and 
adniinistered  with  so  entire  a  freedom  from  greedy  dishonesty  and  waste, 
at  Jnring  this  strange  man's  strange  administration.  It  is  quite  true  that 
the  crown  revenues  and  the  lands  of  the  bishops  were  most  violently  and 
shamefully  seized  upon  by  this  government,  but  they  were  not,  as  might 
ha  e  been  anticipated,  squandered  upon  the  gratification  of  private  individ- 
U2l  i.  These,  with  a  farther  levy  upon  the  national  resources  that  amounted 
too."  y  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pounds  per  month,  supplied  the 
whole  demands  of  a  government  which  not  only  maintained  peace  in  its 
own  commonwealth  and  dependencies,  but  also  taught  foreigners  that, 
I'iidcr  whatever  form  of  government,  England  still  knew  how  to  make 
'icrsclf  feared,  if  not  respected. 

Holland,  by  its  protection  of  the  royal  party  of  England,  had  given  deep 
offence  to  Cromwell,  who  literally,  "as  the  hart  pantcth  for  cool  v/alers," 
piiued  fur  tlie  blood  of  Charles  II.  "Whom  we  have  injured  we  never 
forgive,"  says  a  philosophic  satirist ;  and  Cromwell's  hatred  of  Charles  II. 
was  a  good  exemplification  of  the  sad  truth.  Hating  Holland  for  her  gen- 
erous shelter  of  the  royalists,  Cromwell  eagerly  seized  upon  two  events, 
which  might  just  as  well  have  happened  in  any  other  country  under  the 
heaven,  as  a  pretext  for  making  war  upon  that  country. 

The  circuiTistances  to  which  we  allude  were  these.  At  the  time  of  the 
mock  trial  that  preceded  the  shameful  murder  of  the  late  king.  Doctor  Do- 
risliuis,  the  reader  will  renjcmber,  was  one  of  the  "  assistants"  of  Coke, 
the  "solicitor  for  the  people  of  Pingland."  Under  the  government  of  the 
"commonwealth"  this  mere  hireling  was  sent  as  its  envoy  to  Holland.  A 
royalist  whose  own  fierce  passions  made  him  forget  that  it  is  written 
"vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay,  saith  tlie  Lord,"  and  who  would  see  no 
difference  between  the  ruffian  who  actually  wields  the  instrument,  .md  the 
more  artful  but  no  less  abominable  ruffian  who  instigates  or  hires  the  ac- 
tual assassin,  put  Dorislaus  to  death.  No  sane  man  of  sound  Christian 
principles  can  justify  this  act-  but  how  was  Holland  concerned  in  it? 
The  same  man  witii  the  same  opportunity  would  doubtless  have  commit- 
ted the  same  act  in  the  puritan  state  of  New-England  :  and  to  make  a 
whole  nation  answerable  in  their  blood  and  their  treasure  for  the  murder- 
ous act  of  an  individual  who  had  taken  shelter  among  them  was  an  ab- 
surdity as  well  as  an  atrocity.  The  other  case  which  served  Cromwell 
as  a  pretext  for  declring  war  against  Holland  was,  that  Mr.  St.  John, 
who  was  subsequently  sent  on  an  embassy  to  Holland,  received  some 
petty  insult  from  the  friends  of  the  prince  of  Orange  I  But,  alas  !  it  is 
not  alone  usurped  governments  that  mrnish  us  with  these  practical  com- 
raentciries  on  ine  fable  of  the  wolf  and  the  lamb! 

The  great  naval  commander  of  this  lime  was  Admiral  Blake.  Though 
he  did  not  enter  the  sea  service  until  very  late  in  life,  he  was  a  perfect 
master  of  naval  tactics,  and  his  daring  and  firmness  of  character  could 
not  be  surpassed.  When  the  war  was  declared  against  Holland  he  pro- 
ceeded to  sea  to  oppose  the  power  of  the  Dutch  admiral.  Von  Tromp. 
The  actions  between  them  were  numerous  and  in  many  cases  tolerably 
equal,  hut  the  general  result  of  the  war  was  so  ruinous  to  the  trading  in- 
terests of  the  Dutch,  that  they  nnxiously  .lesired  the  return  of  peace. 
But  though  it  was  chiefly  the  personal  feeling  and  personal  energy  of 
Cromwell  that  had  commenced  tliis  war,  his  hitherto  patient  and  obscqui 
ous  tools,  the  parliament,  now  exerted  themselves  to  prolong  the  war  at 
sea,  hoping  thus  to  weaken  lliat  power  of  the  army,  wielded  by  Cromwell 
which  of  late  they  had  felt  to  a  scarcely  tolerable  degree. 


W^-  ^-^'^^ 


iu..." 


0- 1 


v 


!i»  ■   ■■■;■ 


1\    1 


593 


THE  TEKASrilY  OF  HISTOEY. 


But  'iflectual  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  parliament  wns  now  whollp 
out  of  I  question ;  they  hud  too  well  done  the  work  of  ihe  usurptr,  who 
was  p-  )\y  not  ill-pleused  that  their  present  petty  anJ  futile  aile.npt  at 
oppos;  ^^  l.nn  gave  him  a  pretext  for  crushing  even  the  kst  semblance  of 
their  free  will  out  of  existence.  But  though  he  had  fully  determined  upoii 
a  new  and  decisive  mode  of  overruling  tliem,  Cromwell  initiated  it  with 
his  usual  art  and  tortuous  procedure.  He  well  knew  that  the  commons 
hated  the  army,  would  fain  have  disbanded  it,  if  possible,  and  would  oa 
no  account  do  aught  that  could  increasn  either  its  power  or  its  well-being; 
on  the  other  hand,  he  was  equally  aware  that  the  ooUliers  had  many  real 
grievances  to  complain  of,  and  also  entertained  i..,i  a  few  prejudices 
against  the  commons.  To  embroil  them  in  an  open  quarrel,  atid  then, 
seemingly  as  the  merely  sympathizing  redresser  of  the  wronged  sol- 
diery,  to  use  them  to  crush  the  parliament  was  the  course  he  determined 
upon. 

A.  D.  1653. — Cromwell,  with  that  rugged  but  efficient  eloquence  which 
he  so  well  knew  how  to  use,  urged  the  officers  of  tlie  army  no  longer  to 
suffer  themselves  and  their  men  to  labour  under  grievances  unredressed 
and  arrears  unpaid,  at  the  mere  will  and  pleasure  of  the  selfish  civiliaiK 
for  whom  they  had  fougiit  and  conquered,  but  remonstrate  in  terms  which 
those  selfish  persons  could  not  misunderstand,  and  which  would  wring 
jusli(ie  from  their  fears.  Few  things  could  have  been  suggested  which 
would  have  been  more  entirely  agreeable  to  the  wishes  of  the  officers. 
They  drew  up  a  petition — if  we  ought  not  rather  to  call  it  a  remonstrance 
— in  which,  afierdemanding  redress  of  grievances  and  payment  of  arrears, 
they  taunted  the  parliament  with  having  formerly  made  fine  professions 
of  their  determination  so  to  remodel  that  assembly  as  to  extend  and  in- 
sure liberty  to  all  ranks  of  men,  and  with  having  l<)r  years  conthiued  to 
sit  without  making  a  single  advance  towards  the  performance  of  tliese  vol- 
untary pledges.  'I'he  house  acted  on  this  occasion  with  a  spirit  which 
would  have  been  admirable  and  honourable  in  a  genuine  house  of  com. 
mons,  but  which  savoured  somewhat  of  the  ludicrous  when  shown  by  men 
who,  consciously  siid  deliberately,  had,  year  after  year,  been  the  mere  and 
servile  tools  of  Cromwell  and  his  pnetorians.  It  was  voted  not  only  that 
this  petition  should  not  be  complied  with,  but  also  that  any  person  who 
should  in  future  present  any  such  petition  should  be  deemed  guilty  of  high 
treason,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  immediately  to  prepare  an  aet  in 
conformity  to  this  resolution.  The  officers  presented  a  warm  renion- 
s.trance  upon  this  treatment  of  their  petition  ;  the  house  still  more  warmly 
replied  ;  and  it  was  soon  very  evident  that  both  parties  were  animated  by 
the  utni  ist  animosity  to  each  other.  Cromwell  now  saw  that  his  hour 
for  act  >n  had  arrived.  He  was  sitting  in  council  with  some  of  his  offi- 
cers wiien,  doubtless  in  obedience  to  his  own  secret  orders,  mtelligence 
was  brought  to  him  of  the  violent  temper  and  designs  of  the  house.  With 
well  acted  astonishment  and  uncontrollable  rage  he  started  from  his  seat, 
and  exclaimed  that  the  misconduct  of  these  men  at  length  compelled  him 
to  do  a  thing  which  made  the  hair  to  stand  on  end  upon  his  head.  Flas- 
tily  assembling  three  hundred  soldiers  he  immediately  proceeded  to  the 
house  of  commons,  which  he  entered,  covered,  and  followed  by  as  many 
of  the  troops  as  could  enter.  Before  any  remonstrance  could  be  offercif, 
Cromwell,  stamping  upon  the  ground,  as  in  an  ecstacy  of  sudden  passion, 
exclaimed,  "  For  shame!  Get  ye  gone  and  give  place  to  honester  men! 
ou  are  no  longer  a  parliament,  1  tell  ye  you  are  no  longer  a  parliament." 
ir  Harry  Vane,  a  bold  and  honest  man,  though  a  half  insane  enlhusiist, 
now  rose  and  denounced  Cromwell's  conduct  as  indecent  and  tyrann  i  al. 
"  Ha!"  exclaimed  Cromwell,  "  Sir  Harry  !  Oh!  Sir  Harry  Vane!  Iho 
Lord  deliver  me  from  Sir  Harry  Vane  !"  Then  turning  first  to  one  prom- 
inent member  of  this  lately  servile  parliament  and  then  to  another,  h» ,  I 


now  wholly 
isurpbf,  who 
lo  aiie.npt  at 
leiiiblimce  of 
jrmined  upmi 
lialed  it  with 
he  commons 
;nd  would  on 
9  well-being ; 
lad  muny  real 
!W  prejudices 
rel,  iiud  then, 
wronged  sol- 
le  deieriuined 

jquenoe  which 
jr  no  longer  to 
L's  unredrt'sscd 
selfish  civiliKiM 
ill  terms  which 
!h  would  wring 
iiggesieJ  which 
o1"  the  officers. 
a  remonsUiUice 
meat  of  arrears, 
fine  professions 
»  extend  and  in- 
vrs  continued  10 
u;e  of  these  vol- 
I  a  spirit  which 
I  house  of  com- 
\n  shown  by  men 
■en  the  mere  and 
led  not  only  thai 
lany  person  who 
ed  guilty  of  high 
prepare  an  act  in 
la  warm  remon- 
,iU  more  warmly 
■ere  animated  by 
^w  that  his  hour 
some  of  his  ofll- 
lers,  inielligeiice 
,hc  house.   Wilh 
led  from  his  seat, 
th  compelled  hmi 
'his  head.    Has- 
proceeded  to  the 
Twed  by  as  many 
could  be  offered, 
f  sudden  passion, 
to  honester  men! 
er  a  parliamnnt. 
Lgiine  enihusi'tst. 

[u  and  iyr-""V;t 

\uT\y  Vane!  Hio 

first  to  one  prom- 

■n  to  another,  h» 


1','  -■.<»»  li-!'*' 


,li'"M 


fll  \ 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


6M 


dealt  out  in  succession  the  titles  of  nrlnlton,  drunkard,  adulterer,  and 
whoremonger.  Having  given  this,  probably,  very  just  dcseri|-tion  of  thw 
men  by  whoso  means  he  had  so  long  and  so  tyrannically  governed  th» 
guffering  nation,  he  literally  turned  "  the  rump"  out  of  the  house,  locked 
the  doors,  and  carried  away  the  key  in  his  pocket. 

A  servile  parliament  being  the  most  convenient  of  tools  for  the  pur- 
poses of  despotism,  Cromwell,  when  he  had  thus  summarily  got  rid  of 
"  the  rump,"  very  soon  proceeded  to  (!all  a  new  parliament,  wliieh,  if  pos- 
sible, surpassed  even  that  in  the  qualities  of  brutal  ignorance  and  ferocious 
fanaticism.  A  practice  had  now  become  general  of  taking  scriptural 
words,  and  in  many  cases,  wliole  scriptural  sentences  or  earning  imita- 
tions of  them,  for  Christian  names;  and  a  fanatical  leather-selli;r,  who 
was  the  leading  man  in  this  fanatical  parliament,  named  Praise-God 
Barebones,  gave  his  name  to  it.  The  utter  ignorance  displayed  by  the 
whole  of  the  members  of  Barebones' parliament  even  of  (he  forms  of  their 
own  house,  the  wretched  drivelling  of  their  speeches,  and  their  obvious 
incapacity  to  understand  the  meaning  of  what  they  were  secreily  and  im- 
periously instrueted  to  do,  excited  so  much  ridicule  even  from  the  very 
multitude,  that  the  less  insane  among  the  members  themselves  became 
ashamed  of  their  pitiable  appeirance.  A  small  number  of  these,  wiih  tho 
conuurrenee  of  Rouse,  their  speaker,  waited  upon  Cromwell  at  White- 
hall, and  wisely  tendered  their  resignation,  which  he  willingly  received. 
But  many  of  this  precious  parliament  were  far  from  being  convinced  of 
their  incapacity  or  willing  to  resign  their  authority.  Tliey  determined 
not  to  be  bound  by  the  decision  of  the  seceders,  and  proceeded  to  elect 
one  of  their  number,  nnmed  Mover,  as  their  speaker.  Cromwell  had  but 
one  way  of  dealing  witii  this  surt  of  contumacy,  and  he  sent  a  party  of 
guards,' inidcr  the  command  ')f  Colonel  White,  to  clear  the  parliament 
iiouse.  On  this  occasion  a  striking  instance  occurred  of  the  mingled  cant 
and  profanity  which  then  so  disgustingly  abounded  in  common  conversa- 
tion. Colonel  White,  on  entering  the  house  and  seeing  iMoyer  in  the 
jliair,  addressed  him  and  asked  what  he  and  the  other  members  were 
loing  there. 

"Seeking  the  Lord,"  replied  Moyer,  in  the  cant  of  his  tribe. 

"  Then,"  replied  the  colonel,  with  a  profane  levity  still  more  disgusting 
han  the  other's  cant,  "you  had  better  go  seek  him  elsewhere,  for  to  my 
:ertain  knowledge  he  has  not  been  here  these  many  years." 

Having  now  fully  ascertained  the  complete  devotion  of  the  mili- 
lary  to  his  person,  and  sufHciently  accustomed  the  people  at  large  to  his 
arbitrary  and  sudden  caprices,  Cromwell,  whose  clear  and  masculine 
sense  must  have  loathed  the  imbecility  and  fanaticism  of  tlie  late  parlia- 
ment, buKlly  proceeded  to  dispense  with  parliaments  altogether,  and  to 
pstablisli  a  pure  and  open  nulitary  government,  of  which  he  was  himself 
at  once  the  head,  heart,  and  hand.  The  formation  of  the  new  government 
was  highly  characteristic  of  Cromwell's  peculiar  policy.  Through  his 
usual  agents  he  induced  the  odicers  of  the  army  to  declare  him  protector 
of  the  commonwealth  of  England  ;  and  that  there  might  be  no  misunder- 
standing as  to  the  substantial  royalty  of  the  office  thus  conferred  on  him, 
the  appointment  was  proclaimed  in  London  and  other  chief  towns  with 
ihe  formality  and  publicity  usual  on  proclaiming  the  accession  of  a  king. 

The  military  officers  having  thus  made  Cromwell  king  in  all  but  the 
mere  name,  he  gratefully  proceeded  to  make  them  his  ministers,  choosing 
his  council  from  among  the  general  oflicers,  and  allowing  each  councillor 
the  then  very  liberal  salary  of  one  thousand  pounds  per  annum. 

Now  that  he  was  ostensibly,  as  for  a  long  time  before  he  had  been  vir- 
tually, at  the  head  of  affairs,  the  policy  of  Cromwell  required  that  the 
army  should  be  well  taken  care  of.  While  there  was  yet  ariy  possibility 
of  the  people  damouring  fur  a  parliament,  and  of  a  parliament  making 


■y-   „i., 


iV    !'• 


;:f.  ;•* 


:"  •# 


;,'jUi!d! 


■m 


000 


THE  TllEASUIlY  OF  HI8T0UY. 


any  show  of  resistance  to  Ins  inordinate  pretensions,  the  discontent  of  the 
army  was  a  weapon  of  price  to  liiin.  Now  the  case  was  cotnpltttly 
altered,  and  instead  of  allowinj,'  the  pay  of  the  army  ;.  fall  into  arrcari, 
he  had  every  officer  and  man  constantly  paid  one  month  in  advance. 
Liberal  in  all  that  related  to  real  pnhlic  service,  as  the  providing  of  arms, 
furnishinf,'  the  magazines,  and  keeping  the  fleet  in  serviceable  repair,  ho 
yet  was  tfie  determined  foe  of  all  useless  expense. 

But  tliongh  the  iron  hand  of  Cromwell  k>ipt  the  people  tranquil  at 
home,  and  maintained  the  high  character  of  the  nation  abroad,  lie  had 
not  long  obtained  the  proteclorilo  ere  he  began  t')  suffer  the  penalty  of 
his  criminal  ambition.  To  the  royalists,  as  the  murderer  of  their  former 
king,  and  as  the  chief  olwtacle  to  the  restoration  of  their  present  one,  lie 
was  of  course  hateful;  and  the  .sincere  republicans,  including  not  only 
Fairfax  and  many  other  men  of  piiblic  importance  and  eharacter,  but  also 
a  multitude  of  persons  in  all  ranks  of  private  life,  and  some  of  his  own 
nearest  and  dearest  connexions,  saw  in  him  only  a  worse  than  legitimate 
king.  The  consequence  was,  that  numerous  plots,  of  more  or  less  im- 
portance and  extent,  were  formed  against  him.  Uut  he  was  himself  ac- 
tive, vigilant,  and  penetrating;  and  as  ho  was  profuse  in  his  rewards  to 
those  who  afforded  him  valuable  information,  no  one  was  ever  more  ex- 
actly served  by  spies.  Me  seemed  to  know  men's  very  thoughts,  so 
rapid  and  minute  was  the  information  which  he  in  fact  owed  to  this,  in 
his  circumstances,  wise  liberality.  No  sooner  was  a  plot  funned  than  he 
knew  who  were  concerned  in  it;  no  sooner  had  the  conspirators  deter- 
mined to  proceed  to  action  than  they  Iciarned  to  their  cost,  (hat  their  own 
lives  were  at  the  disposal  of  him  whose  life  they  had  aimed  at. 

With  regard  to  the  war  in  which  the  nation  was  eny:aged,  it  may  be  re- 
marked, that  all  the  efforts  of  the  Dutch  failed  to  save  them  from  sufTci- 
ing  severely  under  the  vigorous  and  determined  attacks  of  Blake.  De- 
feated again  and  again,  and  finding  their  trade  paralyzed  in  every  direc- 
tion, they  at  length  became  so  dispirited  that  they  sued  for  peace,  and 
treated  as  a  sovereign  the  man  whom,  hitherto,  they  had  very  justly  treat- 
ed  as  a  usurper.  In  order  to  obtain  peace,  they  agreed  to  restore  consid- 
erable territory  which,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  they  had  torn  from 
the  East  India  Company,  to  cease  to  advocate  or  advance  the  cause  of 
the  unfortunate  Charles  II.,  and  tu  pay  homage  on  every  sea  to  the  ila<r 
of  the  commonwealth. 

While  we  give  all  due  credit  to  Cromwell  as  the  ruler  under  whom 
tlie  Dutch  were  thus  humbled,  and  make  due  allowance  for  the  value  of 
his  prompt  and  liberal  supplies  to  the  admiral  and  fleet,  we  must  not, 
either,  omit  to  remember  that  the  real  humbler  of  the  Dutch  was  the 
gallant  Admiral  Blake.  This  fine  English  seaman  was  avowedly  and 
notoriously  a  republican  in  principle,  and,  being  so,  he  could  not  but  be 
opposed  to  the  usurpation  by  Cromwell  of  a  more  than  kingly  power. 
But  at  sea,  and  with  an  enemy's  fleet  in  sight,  the  gallant  Blake  rcniom- 
bered  only  his  country,  and  cared  nothing  about  who  ruled  it.  On  such 
occasions  he  would  say  to  his  seamen,  '*  No  matter  into  whose  hands  tlift 
government  may  fall,  our  duly  is  istill  to  flglit  for  our  country." 

With  France  in  negotiation,  as  with  Holland  in  open  war,  England  un- 
der Cromwell  was  successful.  The  sagacious  Cardinal  Mazarine,  wiio 
was  then  in  power  in  France,  clearly  saw  that  the  protector  was  moic 
easily  to  be  managed  by  flattery  and  deference  than  by  any  attempts  at 
violence,  and  there  were  few  crowned  heads  that  were  treated  by  Fr.incc, 
under  Mazarine,  with  half  the  respect  which  it  lavished  upon  "  Protector" 
Cromwell  of  England.  This  prudent  conduct  of  the  French  mini^tit 
probably  saved  much  blood  and  treasure  to  both  nations,  for  ullhoiiyh 
Cromwell's  discerning  mind  and  steadfast  temper  would  not  allovv  ol 
his   sacrificing^  any  of  the  substantial  advantages  of  England   to  the 


tent  of  the 
:oiniiletfly 
ill)  urrcars, 
\  iidvance. 
ig  of  iirms, 
1  repair,  lio 

tranqiiil  nt 
ad,  he  had 
1  piMially  of 
heir  former 
scint  one,  ho 
ng  nt)l  only 
ttr,  hut  also 
of  his  own 
n  U'giliniate 
)  or  less  im- 

I  hinuself  ac- 
rewards  to 

,cr  more  ex- 

ihonghis,  so 
?A  to  ihif*,  in 
rnied  than  he 
liralors  deler- 
hal  their  own 

at. 

it  may  be  re- 

II  from  snflVr- 
f  niiike.  De- 
ll every  dircc- 
jr  peace,  and 
y  justly  treat- 
cslore  consid- 
had  torn  from 
e  the  eause  of 
sea  to  the  flaj; 

under  whom 
r  the  value  of 

wc  must  not, 
(uteh  was  the 
avowedly  and 
lid  not  but  be 
kinsly  power. 
Blake  reniem- 
1  it.  Ou  such 
lose  hands  the 

England  un- 
..iizarine,  wlio 
;tor  was  inoic 
iy  iittempls  at 
tied  by  France, 
n  "  Protector 
•eneh  miui^'''.' 


for  althoui 


r    I 


-*  m> 


.tif!  ' 


not  allov-'  (I 


igland 


to 


the 


TUB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


801 


loothings  and  flatlnrips  of  tho  rrench  miiiislcr,  they,  nnquestionably, 
di»;)osc()  him  to  docility  and  comphiis  inco  upon  many  not  vitally  impor- 
laiii  point"*,  upon  wliicli,  had  th(;y  been  at  all  hanijhtily  pressed,  lie  would 
have  resisted  even  to  the  cxtretnitv  of  going  to  war. 

Spain,  which,  in  tho  reign  of  Klizahi'th,  and  even  later,  liad  been  so 
powerful  as  to  threaten  to  unite  all  Kuropo  in  submission,  had  now  bo- 
conio  considerably  reduced.  Hut  Crinnweil,  wisely,  as  wc  think,  still 
considered  it  too  powerful,  and  as  far  more  likely  than  Franco  to  espouse 
ttie  cause  of  (Charles  II.,  and  thus  be  injurious  to  liic  eommonwea'ili 
and  the  protector.  Accordingly,  being  solicited  by  Mazarine  to  join  n 
depressing  Spain,  he  readily  funiished  six  thousand  men  fur  the  invasion 
of  tho  Netherlands,  and  a  signal  victory  was  with  this  aid  obtained  over 
the  Spaniards  at  Dunes.  In  return  for  this  important  service  the  French 
put  Dunkirk,  lately  taken  from  tlie  Spaniards,  into  his  hands. 

Hut  the  victory  of  Dunes  was  tho  least  of  the  evils  that  the  Spaniards 
experienced  from  tho  enmity  of  Cromwell.  Ulakc,  whoso  conduct  in 
thn  Dutch  war  had  not  only  endeared  him  to  Fngland,  but  had  also 
spread  his  personal  renown  throughout  the  world,  was  most  lil)erally  and 
ably  supportei!  by  ilie  protector.  Having  sailed  up  the  Mediierranean, 
where  ilie  Knglish  flag  liad  never  floated  above  a  fle(^t  since  the  time  of 
the  crusaders,  he  complet(dy  swept  that  sea  of  all  thai  dared  to  dispute 
ilwitli  him,  and  then  proceeded  to  Leghorn,  where  his  mere  a|)pearance 
and  reputation  caused  the  duke  of  Tuscany  to  make  reparation  for  divers 
injuries  which  had  been  inflicted  upon  tlie  Knglish  traders  there. 

A.  D.  IWiS. — The  trading  vessels  of  Fngland,  as,  indeed,  of  all  Euro 
pean  countries,  had  long  suffered  from  the  Tunisians  and  Algerines,  and 
llhike  now  proceeded  to  call  those  barbarians  to  account.  The  dey  ol 
Alijiers  was  soon  brought  to  reason;  but  the  dey  of  Tunis,  directing  the 
alleiiiion  of  Blake  to  the  strong  castles  of  Goletla  and  Porto  Farino, 
bade  him  look  at  tlnmi  and  then  do  his  worst.  Tho  Knglish  admiral  in- 
stantly took  him  at  his  word,  sailed  into  the  harbour,  burned  the  whole 
of  the  shipping  that  lay  in  it,  and  sailed  triumpliantly  away  in  quest  of 
tlie  Spaniards.  Arrived  at  Cadiz  he  took  two  galleons,  or  ireasure-ships, 
of  the  enormous  value  of  two  millions  of  pieces  of  eight,  and  then  sailed 
for  the  ('anaries,  where  he  burned  and  sunk  an  entire  Spanish  fleet  of 
sixteen  sail.  After  this  latter  action  he  sailed  for  Fngland  to  refit,  "'here 
he  aank  so  rapidly  beneath  an  illness  which  had  long  afllicted  hiui,  th--. 
!.e  expired  just  as  ho  reached  home. 

While  Blake  had  been  thus  gallantly  and  successfully  exerting  him- 
self ill  one  quarter,  another  fleet  under  admirals  Vcnables  and  Peiin,  car- 
rjing  about  four  thousand  land  forces,  left  the  British  shores.  The  ob- 
ject of  iIhs  expedition  was  to  capture  Ihe  island  of  Hispanioi. ,  but  the 
Spaniards  were  so  well  prepared  and  superior,  that  this  objct  entirel)' 
fiikd.  Resolved  not  to  return  home  without  having  ad:  e\  jd  something, 
the  admirals  now  directed  their  course  to  Jamaica,  where  they  so  com- 
Dletely  surprised  the  Spaniards,  that  that  rich  island  was  taken  posses- 
sion of  by  our  troops  without  the  necessity  of  striking  a  blow.  So  lit- 
tle wus  the  value  of  the  island — from  which  so  much  wealth  has  since 
Ven  drawn — at  that  lime  understood,  that  its  capture  was  not  deemed  a 
coinpensiition  for  the  failure  as  to  Hispaniola,  and  both  the  admirals  were 
sent  to  the  Tower  for  that  failure. 

A.  D.  1G58. — But  the  splendid  successes  of  Cromwell  were  now  draw- 
ing to  a  close.  His  life,  glorious  as  to  the  unthinking  and  uninformed  it 
must  have  appeared,  had  from  the  moment  of  his  accepting  the  protect- 
orate, been  one  long  series  of  secret  and  most  harassing  vexations.  As 
we  have  already  pointed  out,  both  extremes,  the  republicans  and  the 
foyalists,  detested  him,  and  were  perpetually  plotting  against  his  author- 
ity and  life.    His  own  wife  was  thought  to  detest  the  guilty  state  in 


602 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


which 'Mej' lived ;  anJ  it  is  certiiin  that  both  his  eldest  daughter,  Mrs 
Fleetwood,  and  his  favourite  child,  Mrs.  Claypole,  took  every  opportunity 
of  maintaining  the  respective  principles  of  their  husiiands,  even  in  the 

Eresence  of  ilieir  father.  Mrs.  Fleetwood,  indeed,  went  beyond  her  hus- 
and  in  zeal  for  republicanism,  while  Mrs.  Claypole,  whom  the  protector 
loved  with  a  tenderness  little  to  have  been  expected  from  so  stern  a  man, 
was  so  ardent  in  the  cause  of  monarchy,  that  even  on  her  death-bed  she 
upbraided  her  sorrowing  father  wiih  the  death  of  one  sovereign  and  the 
usurpation  which  kept  bis  successor  in  exile  and  misery.  Tlie  soldiery, 
too,  with  whom  he  had  so  often  fought,  were  for  the  most  part  sincere, 
however  erring,  in  their  religious  professions,  and  could  not  but  be  deeply 
disgusted  when  they  at  length  perceived  that  his  religious  as  well  as  re- 
publican professions  had  been  mere  baits  to  catch  men's  opinions  and 
support.  He  was  thus  left  almost  without  a  familiar  and  confidential 
friend,  while  in  the  midst  of  a  people  to  whom  he  had  set  the  fearful  ex- 
ample of  achieving  an  end,  although  at  the  terrible  price  of  shedding  in 
nocent  blood. 

Frequent  conspiracies,  and  his  knowledge  of  the  general  detestation  in 
which  his  conduct  was  held,  at  length  shook  even  his  resolute  mind  and 
iron  frame.  He  became  nervous  and  melancholy;  in  whichever  direc- 
tion he  turned  his  eyes  he  imagined  he  saw  an  enemy.  Fairfax,  whose 
lady  openly  condemned  the  proceedings  against  the  kmg  in  Westminster 
Hall  at  the  time  of  the  mock  trial,  had  so  wrought  upon  her  husband, 
that  he  allowed  himself  to  league  with  Sir  William  Waller  and  ciher 
eminent  men  at  the  head  of  the  presbyterian  party  to  destroy  the  pro- 
tector. With  all  parties  in  the  state  thus  furious  against  him,  Cromwell 
now,  too,  for  the  first  time,  found  himself  fearfuhy  straightened  for  money. 
His  successes  against  the  Spaniards  had  been  splendid,  indeed,  but  such 
splendours  were  usually  expensive  in  the  end.  VVith  an  exhausted  treas- 
ury, and  debts  of  no  inconsiderable  amount,  he  began  to  fear  the  conse- 
quence  of  what  seemed  inevitable,  his  falling  in  arrears  with  the  soldiery 
to  whom  he  owed  all  his  past  success,  and  upon  whose  good  will  alone 
rested  his  slender  hope  of  future  security.  Just  as  he  was  tortured  wel. 
nigh  to  insanity  by  these  threatening  circumstances  of  his  situation.  Col- 
onel Titus,  a  zealous  republican,  who  had  bravely,  however  erroneously 
fought  against  the  late  king,  and  who  was  now  thoroughly  disgusted  aiic 
indignant  to  see  the  plebeian  king-killer  practising  more  tyranny  than  the 
murdered  monarch  had  ever  been  guilty  of,  sent  forth  his  opinions  in  ;i 
most  bitterly  eloquent  pamphlet,  bearing  the  ominous  title  of  "Killing 
NO  Murder."  Setting  out  with  a  brief  reference  to  what  had  been  done 
in  the  case  of  (what  he,  as  a  republican,  called)  kingly  tyraimy,  the  col- 
onel vehemently  insisted  that  it  was  not  merely  a  right,  but  a  positive 
duty  to  slay  the  plebeian  usurper.  "  Shall  we,"  said  the  eloquent  de- 
claimer,  "shall  wc,  who  struck  down  the  lion,  cower  before  the  wolf!" 

Cromwell  read  this  eloquent  and  immoral  reasoning — immoral,  we  siy 
for  crime  can  never  justify  more  crime — and  never  was  again  seen  to 
smile.  The  nervousness  of  his  body  and  the  horror  of  his  mind  were 
now  redoubled.  He  doubted  not  that  this  fearless  and  plausible  pamphlet 
would  fall  into  the  hands  of  some  enthusiast  who  would  be  nerved  to 
frenzy  by  it.  He  wore  armour  beneath  his  clothes,  and  constantly  car- 
ried pistols  with  him,  never  travelled  twice  by  the  same  road,  and  rarely 
slept  more  than  a  second  night  in  the  same  chamber.  Though  he  was 
always  strongly  guarded,  such  was  the  wretchedness  of  his  situation  that 
even  this  did  not  insure  his  safety;  for  where  more  probably  than  among 
the  fanatical  soldiery  could  an  assassin  be  found  1  Alone,  he  fell  into  mel- 
ancholy; in  company,  he  was  uncheered  ;  and  if  strangers,  of  however 
higfh  character,  approached  somewhat  close  to  his  person,  it  was  in  a  tone 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HI8T0RY. 


603 


1«g8  indicative  of  anger  than  of  actual  and  a<7onizing  terror  that  he  bade 
them  stand  off. 

The  strong  constitution  of  Cromwell  at  length  gave  way  beneath  this 
iccumulatiou  of  horrors.  He  daily  became  thinner  and  more  feeble,  and 
'.re  long  was  seized  with  a  tertian  ague,  which  carried  him  off  in  a  week,  in 
the  ninth  year  of  his  unprincipled  usurpation,  and  in  the  fifty-ninth  of  his 
age,  on  the  third  of  September,  1659. 

A.  D.  1659. — Though  Cromwell  was  delirious  from  the  effects  of  his 
mortal  illness,  he  had  a  sufficiently  lucid  interval  to  allow  of  his  putting  the 
crowning  stroke  to  his  unparalleled  treason.  This  slayer  of  his  lawful 
lovereign,  this  mere  private  citizen,  who  had  only  made  his  first  step 
from  extreme  obscurity  under  pretence  of  a  burning  and  inextinguishable 
hatred  of  monarchy,  now,  when  on  the  very  verge  of  death,  had  the  cool 
audacity  and  impudence  to  name  his  son  Richard  as  his  successor — for- 
gooth! — as  though  his  usurped  power  were  held  by  hereditary  right,  or  as 
though  his  son  and  the  grandson  of  a  small  trader  were  better  qualified 
than  any  other  living  man  for  the  office,  on  the  supposition  of  its  being 
jleclive !  In  tiie  annals  of  the  world  we  know  of  no  instance  of  impudence 
>eyond  this. 

But  though  named  by  his  father  to  the  protectorate,  Richard  Cromwell 
had  none  of  his  father's  energy  and  but  little  of  his  evil  ambition.  Ac- 
customed to  the  stern  rule  and  sagacious  activity  of  the  deceased  usurper, 
the  army  very  speedily  showed  its  unwillingness  to  transfer  its  allegiance 
to  Richard,  and  a  committee  of  the  leading  officers  was  assembled  at 
Fleetwood's  residence,  and  called,  after  it,  the  cabal  of  Wallingford.  The 
first  step  of  this  association  was  to  present  to  the  young  protector  a  re- 
monstrance requiring  that  the  command  of  the  army  should  be  intrusted 
to  some  person  who  possessed  tiie  confidence  of  the  officers.  As  Richard 
was  thus  plaii\ly  informed  that  he  had  not  that  confidence,  he  had  no 
choice  but  to  defend  his  title  by  force,  or  to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity 
and  give  in  his  resignation  of  an  authority  to  the  importance  of  which  he 
was  signally  unequal.  He  chose  the  latter  course  ;  and  having  signed  a 
formal  abdication  of  an  office  which  he  ought  never  to  have  filled,  he 
livod  for  some  years  in  Fr-^nce  and  subsequently  settled  at  Cheshunt,  in 
Hertfordshire,  where  as  a  private  gentleman  he  lived  to  a  very  advanced 
Bgfi,  in  the  enjoyment  of  competence  and  a  degree  of  happiness  which 
was  never  for  an  instant  the  companion  of  his  father's  guilty  greatness. 
The  cabal  of  Wallingford.  having  thus  readily  and  quietly  disposed  of  Pro- 
tector Richard,  now  saw  the  necessitj'  of  establishing  something  like  a 
formal  government;  and  the  rump  parliament,  which  Oliver  Cromwell 
had  so  unceremoniously  turned  out  of  doors,  was  invited  to  reinstate  it- 
self in  authority.  But  upon  these  thoroughly  incapable  men  the  experi- 
cnre  of  past  days  was  wholly  thrown  away.  Forgetting  that  the  source 
of  their  power  was  the  brute'  force  of  the  army,  their  very  first  measures 
were  aimed  at  lessening  the  power  of  the  cabal.  The  latter  body,  per- 
ceiving that  the  parliament  proceeded  from  less  to  greater  proofs  of  e.K- 
treme  hostility,  determined  to  send  it  back  to  the  fitting  obscurity  of  pri- 
vate life.  Lambert  with  a  large  body  of  troops  accordingly  went  to  West- 
minster. Having  completely  surrounded  the  parliament  house  with  his 
men,  the  general  patiently  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  speaker,  Lenthal,  and 
when  that  personage  made  his  appearance  the  general  ordered  the  horses 
of  the  state  carriage  to  be  turned  round,  and  Lenthal  was  conducted  home. 
The  like  civility  was  extended  to  the  various  members  as  they  successive- 
ly made  theii  appearance,  and  the  army  proceeded  to  keep  a  solemn  fast 
by  way  of  celebrating  the  annihilation  of  this  disgraceful  parliament. 

But  the  triumph  of  the  army  was  short.  If  Fleetwood,  Lambert,  and 
the  other  leading  officers  anticipated  the  possibility  of  placing  one  of  thein« 
selves  in  the  state  of  evil  pre-eminence  occupied  by  the  late  protector 


•!^:i»:  -  ^i  :^' 


■wi 


604 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


they  had  egregijusly  erred  in  overlooking  the  power  and  possible  inclina 
tion  of  General  Monk.  This  able  and  politic  officer,  it  will  be  recollected 
had  been  intrusted  by  Cromwell  with  the  task  of  keeping  Scotland  in 
subservience  to  tlie  comuionwealth  of  England.  He  had  an  army  of  up. 
wards  of  eight  thousand  veteran  troops,  and  the  wisdom  and  moderation 
with  which  he  had  governed  Scotland  gave  him  great  moral  influence  and 
a  proportionate  command  of  pecuniary  resources ;  and  when  the  dismissal 
of  the  rump  parliament  by  the  army  threw  the  inhabitants  of  London  into 
alarm  lest  an  absolute  military  tyranny  should  succeed,  the  eyes  of  all 
were  turned  upon  Monk,  and  every  one  was  anxious  to  know  whether  lie 
would  throw  his  vast  power  into  this  or  into  that  scale. 

But  "  honest  George  ^Ionk,"  as  his  soldiers  with  affectionate  familiarity 
were  wont  to  term  him,  was  as  cool  and  silent  as  he  was  dexterous  and 
resolute.  As  soon  as  he  was  made  aware  of  the  proceedings  that  had 
taken  place  in  London  he  put  his  veteran  army  in  motion.  As  he  march- 
ed soutiiward  upon  Lomlon  he  was  met  by  messenger  after  messenger, 
each  party  being  anxious  to  ascertain  for  which  he  intended  to  declare ; 
but  he  strictly,  and  with  an  admirable  firmness,  replied  to  all,  that  he  was 
on  his  way  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  affairs  and  aid  in  remedying  what- 
ever might  be  wrong.  Still  maintaming  this  politic  reserve,  he  reached 
St.  Albans,  and  there  fixed  his  head-quarters. 

The  rump  parliament  in  the  meantime  had  re-assembled  without  oppo- 
sition from  the  VVallingford  cabal,  the  members  of  which  probably  feared 
to  act  while  in  ignorance  of  the  intentions  of  Monk,  who  now  sent  a  formal 
request  to  the  parliament  for  the  instant  removal  to  country-quarters  of 
all  troops  stationed  in  London.  This  done,  the  parliament  dissolved,  aftei 
taking  measures  for  the  immediate  election  of  new  members. 

Sagacious  public  men  now  began  to  judge  that  Monk,  weary  of  the  ex- 
isting state  of  things,  had  resolved  to  restore  the  exiled  king,  but  Monk 
still  preserved  the  most  profound  silence  until  tlie  assembling  of  a  new 
parliament  should  enable  him  rapidly  and  effectually  to  accomplish  his 
designs. 

The  only  person  who  seems  to  have  been  in  the  confidence  of  this  able 
man  was  a  Devonshire  gentleman  named  Morriee,  who  was  of  as  taciturn 
and  prudent  a  disposition  as  the  general  himself.  All  persons  whosonght 
the  general's  confidence  were  referred  to  Morriee,  and  among  the  number 
was  Sir  John  Granville,  who  was  the  servant  and  personal  friend  of  tlie 
exiled  king,  who  now  sent  him  over  to  England  to  endeavour  to  influence 
Monk.  Sir  John  when  referred  to  Morriee  more  than  once  replied  that 
he  held  a  commission  from  the  king,  and  that  he  could  open  his  business 
to  no  one  but  General  Monk  in  person.  This  pertinacity  and  caution  were 
precisely  \\  it  Monk  required ;  and  though  even  now  he  would  not  C(]in- 
mit  himself  by  any  written  document,  he  personally  gave  Granville  such 
information  as  induced  the  king  to  hasten  from  Breda,  the  governor  of 
which  would  fain  have  made  him  a  prisoner  under  the  pretence  of  paying 
him  honour,  and  settled  himself  in  Holland,  where  he  anxiously  awaited 
further  tidings  from  Monk. 

The  parliament  at  length  assembled,  and  it  became  very  generally  un- 
derstood that  the  restoration  of  tlie  monarchy  was  the  real  intention  of 
Monk  ;  but  so  great  and  obvious  were  the  perils  of  the  time,  that  for  a  few 
days  the  parliament  occupied  itself  in  merely  routine  business,  no  one 
daring  to  utter  a  word  upon  that  very  subject  whiuh  every  man  had  the 
most  deeply  at  heart.  Monk  during  all  this  time  had  lost  no  opportunity 
of  observing  the  sentiments  of  the  new  parliament,  and  he  at  last  broke 
through  his  politic  and  well-sustained  reserve,  and  directed  Anneslcy,  the 
president  of  the  council,  to  inform  the  house  that  Sir  John  Granville  was 
at  its  door  with  a  letter  from  his  majesty.  Tlic  effect  of  these  few  words 
was  electrical ;  the  whole  of  the  members  rose  from  their  seats  ai»'lhi*''*d 


THE  TREASUIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


605 


ble  incVina 
recollected, 
Scotland  in 
irmy  of  up- 
moderation 
ifluence  and 
he  dismissal 
London  into 
1  eyes  of  all 
'  whether  he 

te  familiarity 
BXterous  and 
iigs  that  had 
A."s  he  march- 
ir  messenger, 
id  to  declare ; 
I,  that  he  was 
nedying  what- 
re,  he  reached 

without  oppo- 
irobably  feared 
w  sent  a  formal 
trv-q'Jurters  of 
dissolved,  aftei 

ixs. 

eary  of  the  ex- 
king,  but  Monk 

ibling  of  a  new 
accomplish  his 

mcc  of  this  able 
as  of  as  tacitura 
sons  who  sought 
long  the  number 
al  friend  of  tt« 
loar  to  influence 
nee  replied  that 
,en  his  business 
,ind  caution  were 
[would  not  com- 
3  Granville  such 
the  governor  of 
"tence  of  paying 
.xiously  awaileJ 


the  news  with  a  burst  of  enthusiastic  cheering.  Sir  John  Granville  was 
now  called  in,  the  king's  letter  was  read,  and  the  proposals  it  made  for  the 
restoration  of  Ciiarlcs  were  agreed  to  with  a  new  burst  of  cheering.  The 
gracious  letter,  offering  an  indemnity  far  more  extensive  than  could  have 
[icen  hoped  for  after  all  the  evil  that  had  been  done,  was  at  once  entered 
on  the  journals,  and  ordered  to  be  published,  that  the  people  at  large  might 
participate  in  tiic  joy  of  the  house.  Notliing  now  remained  to  obstruct 
tiic  return  of  Charles,  wlio,  after  a  short  and  prosperous  passage,  arrived 
in  London  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  May,  being  the  day  on  which  he  com- 
pleted his  tliiriiRth  year.  I'^verywhere  he  was  received  with  the  acclama- 
tions of  assembled  multitudes  ;  and  so  numerous  were  the  congratulatory 
addresses  that  were  presented  to  him,  tliat  he  pleasantly  remarked,  that 
it  must  surely  have  been  iiis  own  fault  that  he  had  not  returned  sooner, 
as  it  was  plain  there  was  not  one  of  his  subjects  who  had  not  been  long 
wishing  for  him !  Alas  !  though  good-humouredly,  these  words  but  too 
truly  paint  the  terribly  and  disgracefully  inconstant  nature  of  the  multi- 
titde,  who  are  ever  as  ready  to  praise  and  flatter  without  measure,  as  to 
blame  and  injure  without  just  cause. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

THE    RF.IO.V    or   CHARLES  II. 

A.  D.  16G0. — Handsome,  ac(!omplished,  young,  and  of  a  singularly  cheer- 
ful and  affable  temper,  Ciiarles  H.  ascended  his  throne  with  all  the  ap- 
parent  elements  of  a  just  and  universal  popularity,  especially  as  the  ignor- 
ance of  some  and  the  tyranny  of  others  had  by  this  time  taught  the  people 
of  England  to  understand  the  full  value  of  a  wise,  regular,  and  just  govern- 
ment. But  Charles  had  some  faults  which  were  none  the  less  miscliievous 
because  they  were  the  mere  excesses  of  amiable  qualities.  His  good  na- 
ture was  attended  by  a  levity  and  carelessness  wliich  caused  him  to  leave 
ilie  most  faithful  services  and  the  most  serious  sacrifices  unrewarded,  and 
his  giiynly  degenerated  into  an  indolence  and  self-indulgence  more  fitted 
to  the  effeminate  self-worship  of  a  Sybarite  than  to  the  public  and  respon- 
sible situation  of  the  king  of  a  free  and  active  people. 

One  of  the  first  cares  of  the  parliament  was  to  pass  an  act  of  indemnity 
for  all  that  had  passed ;  but  a  special  exception  was  made  of  those  who 
had  directly  and  personally  taken  part  in  llie  murder  of  the  late  king. 
Three  of  the  most  prominent  of  these,  Cromwell,  Bradshaw,  and  Ireton, 
were  dead.  But  as  it  was  thought  that  some  signal  and  public  obloquy 
ought  to  bo  thrown  upon  crime  so  enormous  as  theirs,  their  bodies  were 
disinterred,  suspended  from  the  gallows,  and  subsequently  buried  at  its 
foot.  Others  of  the  regicides  were  proceeded  against,  and  more  or  less 
severely  punished  ;  but  Charles  showed  no  more  earnestness  in  vengeance 
than  in  gratitude,  and  there  never,  probably,  has  been  so  little  of  punish- 
mejit  indicted  for  crime  so  extensive  and  so  frightful. 

Crliarles,  in  fact,  had  but  one  passion,  the  love  of  pleasure;  and  so  long 
as  ho  could  command  the  means  of  gratifying  that,  he,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  reign  especially,  seemed  to  care  but  little  how  his  ministers 
arranged  the  public  affairs.  It  was,  in  some  degree,  happy  for  the  na- 
tion that  Charles  was  thus  careless  ;  for  so  excessive  was  the  gladness 
of  the  nation's  loyalty  just  at  this  period,  that  had  Chanes  been  of  a 
sterner  and  more  ambitious  character  he  would  have  had  little  or  no 
dilHcidtyin  rendering  iiimsclf  an  absolute  monarch.  So  evident  was  the 
inclination  of  the  commons  to  go  to  extremf  in  order  to  gratify  the  king, 
that  one  of  the  ministers,  Southampton,  senously  contemplated  requiring 

lie  enormous  amount  of  two  millions  as  the  king's  animal  revenue,  ^ 

'vemie  whicli  would  have  made  him  wholly  independent  alike  of  \i\ 

H 


008 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


people  and  the  law.  Fortunately  the  wise  and  virtuous  Lord  Clarendon 
attached  as  he  was  to  the  royal  master  whose  exile  and  privations  he  had 
faithfully  shared,  oppu  d  this  outrageous  wish  of  Soulhanripton,  and  the 
revenue  of  the  king  vas  fixed  more  moderately,  but  with  a  liberality 
which  rendered  it  im;  9C  sil/ie  for  him  to  feel  necessity  except  as  the  con- 
sequence of  the  ex'i(  ne  '  aprudence  of  profusion. 

Bui  Chailes  was  c.ie  of  those  persons  whom  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
preserve  free  from  pecuniary  necessity  ;  and  he  soon  became  so  deeply 
involved  in  difficulties,  while  his  love  of  expensive  pleasure  remained 
unabated,  that  he  at  once  turned  his  thoughts  to  marriage  as  a  means  ol 
procuring  pecuniary  aid.  Catherine,  the  infanta  of  Portugal,  was  at  this 
time,  probably,  the  homeliest  princess  iu  Europe.  But  she  was  wealthy, 
her  portion  amounting  to  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  in  money,  to. 
gether  with  Bombay  in  the  East  Indies,  and  the  fortress  of  Tangier  in 
Africa ;  and  such  a  portion  had  too  many  attractions  for  the  needy  and 
pleasure-loving  Charles  to  allow  him  to  lay  much  stress  upon  the  infanta's 
want  of  personal  attractions.  The  dukes  of  Ormond,  Southampton,  and 
the  able  and  clear-headed  Chancellor  Clarendon  endeavoured  to  dissuade 
the  king  from  this  match,  chiefly  on  the  ground  of  the  infanta  being  but 
little  likely  to  have  children  ;  but  Charles  was  resolute,  and  the  infanta 
became  queen  of  England,  an  honour  it  is  to  be  feared  that  she  dearly 
pr-chased,  for  the  numerous  mistresses  of  the  king  were  permitted,  if  not 
actually  encouraged,  to  insult  her  by  their  familiar  presence,  and  vie 
with  her  in  luxury  obtained  at  her  cost. 

As  a  means  of  procuring  large  sums  from  his  parliament,  Charles  de- 
clared war  against  the  Dutch.  The  hostilities  were  very  fiercely  carried 
on  by  both  parlies,  but  after  the  sacrifice  of  blood  and  treasure  to  an  im- 
menso  amount,  the  Dutch,  by  a  treaty  signed  at  Breda,  procured  peace 
by  ceding  to  England  the  American  colony  of  New- York.  Though  this 
colony  was  justly  considered  as  an  important  acquisition,  the  whole  terms 
of  the  peace  were  not  considered  sufficiently  honourable  to  England, 
and  the  public  mind  became  much  exasperated  against  Clarendon,  who 
was  said  to  have  commenced  war  unnecessarily,  and  to  have  concluded 
peace  disgracefully.  Whatever  might  be  the  private  opinion  of  Charles, 
who,  probably,  had  far  more  than  Clarendon  to  do  with  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  he  showed  no  desire  to  shield  his  minister,  whose  stead- 
fast and  high-principled  character  had  lonnj  been  so  distasteful  at  court 
that  he  had  been  subjected  to  the  insults  of  the  couiliers  and  the  slights  of 
the  king.  Under  such  circumstances  the  faf.e  of  Strafford  seemed  by  no 
means  unlikely  to  become  that  of  Clarendon,  INIr.  Seymour  bringing  sev- 
enteen  articles  of  impeachment  against  him.  But  Clarendon  perceiving 
the  peril  in  which  ho  was  placed,  and  riglr.ly  judging  that  it  was  in  vain  to 
oppose  the  popular  clamour  when  that  was  aided  by  the  ungrateful  cold- 
ness of  the  court  went  into  voluntary  exile  in  France,  whore  he  devoted 
himself  to  literature. 

Freed  from  the  presence  of  Clarendon,  whose  rebuke  he  feared,  and 
whose  virtue  he  admired  but  could  not  imitate,  Charles  now  gave  the 
chief  direction  of  public  affairs  into  the  hands  of  certain  partakers  of  his 

tleasures.  Sir  Thomas  Clifford,  Lord  Ashley,  afterwards  earl  of  Shaftes- 
ury,  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  Lord  Arlington,  and  the  duke  of  Lau- 
derdale, were  the  persons  to  whom  Charles  now  intrusted  his  affairs,  and 
from  their  initials  this  ministry  was  known  by  the  title  of  the  cabal. 

A.  D.  1G70. — The  members  of  the  cabal  were  undoubtedly  men  of  ability; 
learning,  wit,  and  accomplishment  being  absolute  requisites  to  the  ob- 
taining of  Charles'  favour.  But  unhappily  that  was  all — theirs'  was  the 
ability  of  courtiers  rather  than  of  ministers;  they  were  better  fitted  to 
season  the  pleasures  of  the  prince,  than  to  provide  for  the  security  of  thf 
throne  or  the  welfare  of  the  people.    The  public  discontent  was.  coiiso 


TH3  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


807 


nposaible  to 
le  so  deeply 
re  remained 
3  a  means  ot 
was  at  this 
was  wealthy, 
\  money,  to- 
f  Tangier  in 
e  needy  and 
1  the  infanta's 
hampton,  and 
d  to  dissuade 
nta  being  but 
d  the  infanta 
at  she  dearly 
■rmilted,  if  not 
icnce,  and  vie 

t,  Charles  de- 

riercely  carried 

sure  to  an  im- 

Kocured  peace 

Tliough  this 

ihe  whole  terms 

le  to  England, 

Jlarcndon,  who 

lavo  concluded 

liou  of  Cliarles, 

the  commence- 

^r,  whose  stead- 

istcful  at  court 

nd  the  slights  of 

1  seemed  by  no 

ir  bringing  sev- 

ndon  perceivuig 

it  was  in  vain  to 

ungrateful  cold- 

lere  he  devoted 

.  he  feared,  and 

i  now  gave  the 

partakers  of  m 

isearlofShafles- 

,e  duke  of  La"; 
d  his  affairs,  and 

f  the  CABAL. 

Iv  men  of  abdity ; 
isitns  to  the  ob- 
•theirs'  was  me 
c  better  futed  to 
le  security  of  lUf 
nlent  was.  consn 


qiiently,  very  great ;  it  was  but  too  deeply  and  widely  felt  that  such  a 
ministry  was  little  likely  to  put  an  clTuctual  check  upon  the  profligate 
pleasures  wh'ch  made  the  English  court  at  once  the  gayest  and  the  most 
vicious  court  in  all  Europe. 

Nor  was  it  merely  from  the  character  of  the  ministry  and  the  dissipa 
ted  course  of  the  king  that  the  people  feli  discontented.  The  duke  of 
York,  the  presumptive  heir  to  the  tiirone,  though  a  brave  and  a  high- 
minded  man,  was  universally  believed  to  be  a  very  bigoted  papist ;  and 
enough  of  the  puritan  spirit  still  remained  to  make  men  dread  the  possible 
accession  of  a  papist  king. 

T'le  alarm  and  uneasiness  that  were  felt  on  thispointat  length  reached 
tosu  (1  a  height  that,  in  August  of  this  year,  as  the  king  was  walking  in 
St.  James'  park,  disporting  himself  with  some  of  the  beautiful  little  dogs 
of  which  he  was  quite  troublesomcly  fond,  a  chemist,  named  Kirby,  ap- 
proached his  majesty,  and  warned  him  that  a  plot  was  on  foot  against  him. 
"Keep,  sire,"  said  this  person,  "within  your  company;  your  enemies 
design  to  lake  your  life,  and  you  may  be  shot  even  in  this  very  walk." 

News  so  startling,  and  at  the  same  lime  so  consonant  with  the  vague 
fears  and  vulgar  rumours  of  the  day,  naturally  led  to  farther  inquiries; 
aiul  Kirby  slated  that  he  had  his  information  from  a  Doctor  Tonge,  a 
clergyman,  who  had  assured  him  that  two  men,  named  Grove  and  Fiek- 
erinpr,  were  engaged  to  shoot  the  king,  and  thnt  the  queen's  physician, 
Sir  George  Wakeling,  had  agreed,  if  they  failed,  to  put  an  end  to  his 
miijesty  by  poison.  The  matter  was  now  referred  to  Danby,  the  lord 
treasurer,  who  sent  for  Doctor  Tonge.  That  person  not  only  showed 
ail  readiness  to  attend,  but  also  produced  a  bundle  of  papers  relative  to 
the  supposed  plot.  Questioned  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  became 
possessed  of  these  papers,  he  at  first  stated  that  they  were  thrust  under 
his  door,  and  subsequently  that  he  knew  the  writer  of  them,  who  re- 
quired his  name  to  be  concealed  lest  he  should  incur  the  deadly  anger  of 
the  Jesuits.  The  reader  will  do  well  to  remark  the  gross  inconsistency 
ofliicse  two  accounts;  it  is  chiefly  by  the  careful  noting  of  such  incon- 
sistencies that  the  wise  see  through  Ihe  sublly-woven  falsehoods 
wiiich  are  so  commonly  believed  by  liie  credulous  or  the  careless.  Had 
the  ptipers  really  been  thrust  beneath  the  man's  door,  as  he  at  first  pre- 
tended, how  should  he  know  the  author?  If  the  author  was  known  to 
tiim,  to  what    purpose    the    stealthy  way  of   forwarding  the  papers  1 

Charles  himself  was  far  loo  acute  a  reasoncr  to  overlook  this  gross  in- 
consistency, and  he  flatly  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  whole  aflfair  was 
a  clumsy  fiction.  But  Tonge  was  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  miscreants  who 
would  not  so  readily  be  discroncerted,  and  he  was  now  sent  again  to  the 
lord  treasurer  Danby,  to  inform  him  that  a  packet  of  treasonable  letters 
was  on  its  way  to  the  Jesuit  Bedingfield,  the  duke  of  York's  confessor. 
By  some  chance  Tonge  gave  this  information  some  hours  after  the  duke 
of  York  had  himself  been  put  in  possession  of  these  letters,  which  he  had 
shown  to  the  king  as  a  vulgar  and  ridiculous  forgery  of  which  he  could 
not  discover  the  drift. 

Hitherto  all  attempts  at  producing  any  effect  by  means  of  these  alledged 
treasonable  designs  had  failed,  and  the  chief  manufacturer  of  them,  Titus 
Oaics,  now  came  forward  wiih  a  well-feigned  unwillingness.  This  man 
had  from  his  youth  upward  been  an  abandoned  character.  He  had  been 
indicted  for  gross  perjury,  and  had  subsequently  been  dismissed  from  the 
chaplaincy  of  a  man-ot-w.ir  lor  a  yrt  more  disgraceful  crime,  and  he  then 
professed  to  be  a  convert;  lo  papacy,  and  actually  was  for  some  time  main- 
tained in  the  English  semiiiarv  at  St.  Omer's.  Reduced  to  actual  desti- 
tiiliim,  he  seems  to  have  fastened  upon  Kirby  and  Tonge,  as  weak  and 
credulous  men,  whose  very  weakness  and  credulity  would  make  them  m- 
Irepid  in  the  assertion  of  such  falsehoods  as  ha  might  choose  to  instd 


'^  ;"  > 


&' 


^i 


,  1 


'.  m 


ill 


608 


TttE  tilEAdtJttY  OP  UiStottY. 


Into  t\.xr  minds  Of  liis  own  motives  we  may  form  a  slirewc'.  fuess  froii 
the  fact  that  he  Mas  supported  by  the  actual  charity  ol  Kirb>'  a,  n  mo' 
mcnt  wiicn  he  .ifTccted  to  have  tiie  clue  to  mysteries  clobcly  loiiMna  ^\^^ 
king's  life  and  iMvolvinij  llic  lives  of  numerous  porsons  of  coii3oqt!"i°p, 

Though  vulgar,  illitera'o,  and  rufllanly,  Uiis  man,  Gates,  was  ouii>,,;:j  am] 
daring.  Finding  that  his  pretended  information  \sris  of  no  avail  iii  ihq. 
cnring  himself  court  favour,  he  now  reiioived  to  see  what  f  .Vect  it  would 
have  upon  the  already  alarmed  and  auxii'ns  minds  of  the  pe  'pie.  He  ac. 
cordingly  went  before  Sir  LMmondbury  (Jodfrey,  a  gontleman  in  great 
celebrity  for  liis  activity  y;  ;■  inagistrate,  and  desired  to  nln*te  A  deposi- 
tion to  the  effect  that  tlic  pope,  Judging  the  hetcsy  of  the  king  and  pecylf; 
A  sufflcicn!  j^round,  had  assumed  the  sovereignly  of  Kagland,  Scoiland 
ind  Ireland,  and  ind  condemnc  J  the  king  as  a  liorctic  j  ihi.  death  to  be 
ini^i"te(]  by  Giovo  and  Pickering  who  were  to  sIkioI  'um  witlj  >,ilv(>r  , 
lets.  Tlic  Jesuits  and  the  pope  having  thus  disp  »'jed  of  the  ]<\:\",  wK.-v 
accrvJ'ug  to  this  veritable  deposition,  tliey  styled  tlio  black  bjrtard,  tlie 
erov  :  H  as  v.'-  be  offered  to  tlie  duke  of  York  on  the  condition  that  lie 
should  uiiolly  cxlirpat(>  tt^c  protestant  religion  ;  but  if  the  duke  refused 
to  comply  \vitii  ii;;tt  condition,  then  James,  too,  was  to^o  to  pot. 

The-  mor ,  ijlgariry  of  this  deposition  might  have  led  the  people  to  im- 
ply its  fdst'-li'jod;  fm  whatever  might  bo  tiie  other  faults  of  the  Jesuits 
they  were  not,  as  educated  men,  at  all  likely  to  use  the  style  of  speech 
uhicii  so  coarse  and  illiterate  a  wretch  as  Gates  attriiuted  to  llieni.  But 
popular  terror  not  uncommonly  produces,  temporarily,  at  least,  a  popular 
madness  ;  and  the  at  once  atrocious  and  clumsy  falsihoods  of  this  man, 
whose  very  destitution  was  the  consequence  of  revoltinff  crimes,  wereac 
cepted  by  the  people  as  irrefragable  evidence,  and  he  was  himself  Imiled 
and  caressed  as  a  friend  and  protector  of  protestantism  and  prolcstaiils! 
Before  tlie  council  he  repeatedly  and  most  grossly  contradicted  liimseif, 
but  the  effect  his  statements  had  upon  the  public  mind  was  sacli,  that  it 
was  deemed  necessary  to  order  the  apprehension  of  the  principal  persons 
named  as  being  cognizant  of  this  plot,  among  whom  were  several  Jesuits, 
and  Coleman,  secretary  to  the  duke  of  York. 

A  singular  circumstance  now  occurred,  which  gives  but  too  much  rea- 
son to  fear  that  perjury  was  by  no  means  the  worst  of  the  crimes  to  which 
Gates  resorted  to  procure  the  success  of  his  vile  scheme.  Sir  Edmond- 
bury  Godfrey,  the  magistrate  who  first  gave  Gates  importance  by  allowing 
him  to  reduce  his  lying  statements  into  a  formal  and  regular  deposition, 
was  suddenly  missed  from  his  house,  and,  after  a  lapse  of  sevend  days, 
found  barbarously  murdered  in  a  ditch  at  Primrose-hill,  near  London. 
No  sooner  was  this  known  than  the  people  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
Sir  Edmondbury  had  been  murdered  by  the  Jesuits,  in  revenge  for  tho 
willingness  he  had  shown  to  receive  the  information  of  Gates.  D;:',  look- 
ingat  the  desperate  character  of  the  latter,  does  it  not  seem  far  more  proud 
ble  that  he  caused  the  murder  of  the  credulous  magistrate,  trusting 
tliat  it  would  have  the  very  effect  which  it  did  produce  upon  the  credu- 
lous people  1  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  discovery  of  tho  deceased 
gentleman's  body  greatly  increased  the  public  agitation;  tlie  corpse 
was  carried  in  procession  by  seventy  clergymen,  and  no  one  who  valiied 
his  personal  safety  ventured  to  hint  that  the  murder  might  probably  not 
have  been  the  work  of  the  detested  Jesuits. 

From  the  mere  vulgar,  the  alarm  and  agitation  soon  spread  to  the  bet- 
ter-informed classes,  and  at  length  it  was  moved  in  parliament  tliat  a  sol- 
emn fast  should  be  appointed,  that  the  house  should  have  all  papers  ihat 
■were  calculated  to  throw  a  light  upon  the  horrid  plot,  that  all  known  pa- 
pists should  be  ordered  to  leave  London,  and  all  unknown  or  suspicious 
persons  forbidden  to  present  themselves  at  court,  and  that  the  train  bandj 
af  Louden  and  Westminster  should  be  kept  inconstant  readiness  for  action 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


«0i 


w(\  j/nesa  fvoii* 
irb>  u'.  u  mo- 
y  io.i>;  ing  ihc 
•,oii3(;qu"ii'T.  ! 

as  cuii'!,i;gai\il 
■j  avail  in  pic- 
i  .'feci  it  would 
le-ple.    He  iic- 
leman  in  great 
rrio've  A  dcjjosi- 
king  and  peoulo 
rlaiid,  Scotland, 
ihv.  death  lo  be 
with  i.iK''.'     "  • 
he  Vv.vi,  wi>-'v„ 
iich  bo.  tiird,  tiie 
ondilion  that  he 
he  duke  refused 
)  to  pot. 

he  people  to  im- 
is  of  the  Jesuits, 
!  style  of  speech 
ed  to  them.  But 
t  least,  a  popular 
oods  of  this  man, 
r  crimes,  were  ac 
'is  himself  hailed 

and  protcstaiUsl 
.tradicted  himself, 
was  such,  that  it 

principal  persons 
re  several  Jesuits, 

but  too  much  tea- 
10  crimes  to  which 
ne.    Sir  Kdmond- 
nance  by  allowing 
tgular  deposition, 
n;  of  several  days,     , 
hill,  near  Loudon. 
le  conclusion  lliat 
n  revenge  for  tha 
Gates.    13;:':  look- 
em  far  more  proDa 
lagistnite,  trusting 
e  upon  the  crcdu- 
of  tho    deceased 
ation;    the    corpse 
10  one  who  valued 
night  probably  not 

„  spread  to  the  bet- 
rliamcntthatasol- 

iHve  all  papers  m 
,  that  all  known  pa- 
.„owii  or  suspicioii3 
that  the  train  banus 
readiness  for  action 


The  miscreant  whose  falsehoods  had  raised  all  tliis  alarm  and  anxiety 
was  tiianked  by  parliament  and  recommended  to  the  favour  of  tho  king, 
who  conferred  upon  liim  a  pension  of  twelve  hundred  pounds  per  annum, 
ind  a  residence  in  Whitehall.  Such  reward  bestowed  upon  such  a  char- 
acter and  for  such  "public  services"  naturally  produced  a  rival  for  public 
fiivour,  and  a  fellow  named  William  Bedloc  now  made  his  appearance  in 
ihe  character  of  informer.  He  was  of  even  lower  origin  and  more  infa- 
mous note  than  Gates,  having  been  repeaiediy  convicted  of  theft.  Being 
^t  Bristol  and  in  a  state  of  destitution,  he  at  his  own  request  was  arrested 
and  sent  to  London.  When  examined  before  the  council  he  stated  that 
he  had  seen  tho  body  of  the  murdered  Sir  Edmondbury  Godfrey  at  tho 
ihcn  lesidcnce  of  tho  queen,  Somerset-house,  and  thit  a  servant  of  the 
Lord  Uellasis  had  offered  him  four  thousand  pounds  to  carry  it  off  and 
conceal  it !  Improbable  as  the  tale  was  it  was  greedily  received,  and  tho 
ruffians,  Gates  and  Bedloe,  finding  that  credit  was  given  to  wiiateverthey 
cliose  to  assert,  now  ventured  a  stop  farther,  and  accused  the  queen  ol 
being  an  accomplii^e  in  all  the  evil  doings  and  designs  of  the  Jesuits.  The 
house  of  commons,  to  its  great  di.sgrace,  addressed  the  king  in  support  of 
this  scandalous  attack  upon  his  already  but  too  unhappy  queen  ;  but  the 
lords,  witli  better  judgment  and  more  manly  feeling,  rejected  the  accusa- 
lion  witii  the  contempt  which  it  merited. 

The  conjunction  of  two  such  intrepid  perjurers  as  Gates  and  Bedloe 
(vas  ominous  indeed  to  the  unfortunate  persons  whom  they  accused  ;  and 
ii  is  but  little  to  the  credit  of  the  public  men  of  that  day  that  they  did  not 
inlprferc  to  prevent  any  prisoner  being  tried  upon  their  evidence  as  to  the 
fabled  plot,  until  the  public  mind  should  have  been  allowed  a  reasonable 
time  in  which  to  recover  from  its  heat  and  exacerbation.  No  such  delay 
\'as  even  proposed,  and  while  cunning  was  still  triumphant  and  credulity 
siill  asjape,  Kdward  Coleman,  the  duke  of  York's  secretary,  was  put  upon 
his  trial.  Here,  as  before  the  council.  Gates  and  Bedloe,  though  incon- 
sistent with  each  other,  and  each  with  himself,  yet  agreed  in  tlieir  inain 
statements,  that  Coleman  had  not  only  leagued  for  the  assassination  of  the 
kinj,  but  had  even,  as  his  reward  for  so  doing,  received  a  commission, 
sijiicd  by  the  superior  of  the  Jesuits,  appointincj  him  papal  secretary  of 
state  of  these  kingdoms.  Coleman,  who  behaved  with  equal  modesty 
liiil  firmness,  denied  all  the  guilt  that  was  laid  to  his  charge.  But  he 
oould  not  prove  a  negative,  and  his  mere  denial  availed  nothing  against 
the  positive  swearing  of  the  informers.  Ho  was  condemned  to  death ; 
iiid  then  several  members  of  both  houses  of  parliament  offered  to  inter- 
pose to  procure  him  the  king's  pardon  on  condition  that  lie  would  make 
a  full  confession.  But  the  unfortunate  gentleman  was  innocent,  and  was 
fartoohish-minded  to  save  his  life  by  falsely  accusing  himself  and  others. 
He  still  firmly  denied  his  guilt,  and,  to  the  eternal  disgrace  of  Charles, 
was  executed. 

The  blood  of  Coleman  satiated  neither  the  informers  nor  the  public 
PiAering,  Grove,  and  Ireland  were  next  put  upon  their  trial,  condemned, 
jnJL.'rncuted.  That  they  were  innocent  wo  have  no  doubt;  but  thoy 
were  Jesuits,  and  that  was  sufficient  to  blunt  all  sympathy  with  their  fate. 

Hill.  Green,  and  Berry  were  now  charged  with  being  the  actual  nitir- 
Icrersof  Sir  Emondbnry  Godfrey.  In  this  case  the  information,  which 
vas  laid  by  Bedloe,  was  wholly  irreconcilable  with  the  evidence  which 
las  given  by  a  fellow  named  Prance,  and  there  was  good  evidence  that 
vas  at  variance  with  them  both.  But  the  prisoners  were  found  guilty 
iiid  executed,  all  three  in  their  dying  moments  professing  their  inno- 
ieiice.  As  Berry  was  a  protestant,  this  made  some  impression  upon 
ilie  minds  of  the  more  reasonable,  but  the  public  was  not  even  yet  pre- 
iiared  to  be  disabused. 


Whitbread,  provincial 
Vot  I.— 3'J 


of  the  Jesuits,  and  Gavan,  Fenwick.  Turner, 


■  iV 


l!l 


.w 


01(1 


TilR  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


and  Ilarcourt,  bretliren  of  the  same  order,  were  next  tried.  Besidej 
Gates  and  Uedlon,  a  wretch  named  Dugdaie  appeared  against  tlicso 
prisoners,  and  in  addition  to  and  in  support  of  the  incredible  am]  mon, 
strous  assertions  of  Gates  and  Uedloe,  he  deliberately  swore  tiiat  there  were 
two  hundred  thousand  papists  at  that  very  moment  ready  to  tulu:  arms. 
And  yet  the  alledgcd  leaders  and  instigators  of  tliis  luige  army  of  iirinnd 
and  malitrnant  papists  were  daily  bcmg  brought  to  trial,  eondennicd,  and 
butchered,  under  the  guard  of  a  score  or  two  of  constables  !  lim  r^.j. 
soning  could  not  possibly  be  of  any  avail  in  that  veritable  reign  of  terror 
for  even  direct  and  sworn  evidence  in  favour  of  the  ac(!used  persons  was 
treated  with  contempt.  For  instance,  on  this  very  trial  sirietn  unitirssr.s 
proxwd  that  Ihcy  and  Oatcs  were  together  in  thv  seminary  of  !SI,  Omers  on 
the  very  day  in  xchich  that  ruffians  Icslinioiiy  had  stated  him  to  hovr  licrn  in 
London.  But  these  witnes:ies  were  papists — their  evidence  received  not 
the  sliglitest  atteiitiini,  and  the  unfortunate  prisoners  were  eondonnicl 
and  executed,  protestin;^  in  tlicir  last  moments  their  entire  innucunte  of 
the  crimes  laid  to  their  cliargc!. 

Sir  George  Wakeman,  the  queen's  physician,  was  now  brought  to  irinl 
but  was  more  fortunate  than  tiie  persons  previously  accused.  'I'liii  vile 
informers,  it  is  true,  swore  "ith  their  acctustomed  and  dauntless  flnnncv • 
but  to  have  convicted  S'r  George,  would,  under  all  the  circumsiancps  if 
the  case,  have  inferred  the  guilt  of  the  (lueen.  The  judge  and  jury  were 
probably  apprehensive  that  even  the  culpable  and  cruel  imiolence  of 
Charles  would  not  allow  the  prevalent  villainy  to  proceed  to  »h:it  extent, 
and  Sir  George  was  honourably  acquitted. 

A.  D.  1C7'J. — For  upwards  of  tsvo  years  the  horrible  falsehoods  of  O.ilcs 
had  deluded  the  mind  of  the  public,  and  shed  the  blood  of  the  inniJCfiit. 
But  he  and  his  abominable  associate  were  not  yet  weary  of  evil  (ioiiiff, 
Hitherto  the  victims  had  been  chiefly  priests  and  scholars,  to  wId.so  iitfe 
of  Jesuits  the  vulgar  attributed  everything  that  was  most  dangerous 
and  terrible.  But,  as  if  to  show  that  rank  the  most  eminent  aii'l  nge 
the  most  reverend  were  as  worlhle  s  in  their  eyes  as  the  piety  iiiid 
learning  of  sincere,  however  erroneous,  religionists,  the  inforiniiijf  mis- 
creants now  brought  forward  a  last  victim  in  the  person  of  iheeinioi 
Stafford.  The  fiercest  wild  beast  is  not  fiercer  or  more  unreasdiiinn' 
than  a  deluded  and  enraged  multitude.  The  cry  agai'.^t  the  vriiirH° 
ble  earl  of  Stafford  was  even  louder  than  it  had  been  against  the  foniirr 
prisoners.  Gates  positively  swore  that  he  saw  one  of  the  jesnjis  who 
had  lately  been  condemned,  Fenwick,  deliver  to  the  earl  of  StiifTur.in 
commission  signed  by  the  general  of  the  Jesuits,  constituting  the  earl  piv- 
master-general  of  the  Jesuit  or  papal  army.  It  was  in  vain  that  (lie  mii 
erable  nobleman  asserted  his  innocence,  and  pointed  out  the  inipniiia- 
bility  of  his  feeble  age  being  concerned  in  plots;  he  was  eondeiiiiied  lo 
be  hung  and  quartered.  Charles  changed  ihe  sentence  to  belieaiiiii^',  ;uid 
the  earl  suff(!red  accordingly  upon  Tower     il. 

T'iic  parliament,  which  had  now  sat  seventeen  years,  was  dissoivei!, 
but  a  new  one  was  called,  which  will  ever  be  memorable  on  acconiii  of 
one  law  which  it  passed ;  wc  allude  to  the  invaluable  habeas  cnrpus  act. 
By  this  act  the  jailor  who  is  summoned  must  have  or  produce  tlie  body 
of  a  prisoner  in  court  and  certify  the  caiwe  of  his  detention,  witliin  ihrce 
days  if  within  twenty  miles  of  the  judge,  and  so  on  for  greater  di.siaiiit?; 
no  prisoiuT  to  be  sent  to  prison  beyond  the  sea ;  every  prisoner  lo  be  iii- 
dieted  the  first  term  after  commitment  and  tried  in  the  next  term,  and  no 
man  to  be  recommitted  for  the  same  offence  after  being  enlarged  bvcoiir:; 
heavy  penalties  upon  any  judge  refusing  any  prisoner  his  writ  of  hnicai 
corpus.  Human  wisdom  could  scarcely  devise  a  more  effectual  sab  ijDird 
to  the  suliject  than  this  act.  On  the  other  hand,  it  can  never  be  [lenloiis 
lo  the  throne,  because  in  times  of  sedition  or  violence  oarliuineni  mi 


THE  TUBASUIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


611 


suspoiul  the  (.'xccutioii  of  lliis  act  for  a  short  ami  dcfinito  lime,  nt  tho  end 
ofwiiich  time  tiiis  ^'ro;it  sufciriiard  of  our  libmties  returns  <    its  full  force. 
The  criminal  and  (iisgraecful  conipiaisanco  with  whifdi  ,iio  government 
had  allowed  tin;  perjured  iMlormers  to  flourish  unchecked,  caused  a  new 
plot-discoverer  to  present  himself  in  the  person  of  a  worthy,  named  Dan- 
gprPM'ld,  whose  previous  life  li;id  been  diversified  by  experience  of  the 
pillory,  the  scourge,  tho  lirandinij-irun,  and  a  residence,  as  a  convict,  in 
ll,e  pliuitalions.     This  fellow,  in  conjunction  with  a  midwife  of  bad  char- 
ai'tcr,  named  Collier,  came  forward  to  denounce  a  plot,  of  which  he  al- 
ledgid  the  existence,  for  removinir  the  king  and  royal  family  and  setting 
up  a  new  form  of  government.     This  fellow  took  liis  information  direct 
to  die  kini;  and  the  duke  of  York,  who  weakly,  if  we  must  not  rather  say 
witkeiUy,  sup|)lied  him  with  money,  and  thus  patronized  and  encouraged 
hiiii  in  his  course.     Delermincd  to  make  the  most  of  his  fortune,  Hanger 
jiiil  deposited  some  writing's  of  a  most  seditious  character  in  the  hou.se 
•  ol'iunilitary  oiricernamed  Mansel.    Having  so  placed  the  papers  tliat  they 
were  cerlaiiito  be  discovered  liy  any  one  searching  the  apartments,  Dan- 
gcrfuld,  without  saying  a  word  al)out  the  papers,  went  to  the  custom-house 
Mil  sent  oflicers  to  Maiisid's  to  search  for  s  siuggled  goods.     There  were 
iiu  sii'di  goods  liiere,  as  Dangerfifdd  well  knew,  but,  e.vactlyas  he  had  an- 
tu'iiMti'd,  the  ollicers  foimd  the  concealed  papers,  examined  them,  and  felt 
;!  U)  be  their  duly  to  lay  them  before  the  council.     F.ither  Dangcrfield  was 
jlriiiily  suspected,  or  soineihiiig  in  the  papers  themselves  iniJicated  for- 
gery;  for  the  coiiucil  were  so  convinced  that  the  docmiients  were  l)an- 
jefiicM's  own  proiiuction,  thai  they  issued  an  order  that  a  strict  search 
'-]\m\\  immediatel}'  be  made  in  all  places  which  he  had  been  known  to 
frt'.HiciU.     In  the  coursi^  of  the  search  the  house  of  the  midwife.  Collier 
«,is  visited,  and  there,  concealed  in  a  meal-tub,  the  oflicers  found  a  paper 
.vhu'li  contained  the  whole  scheme  of  the  conspiracy  to  the  most  minute 
p,,rti(ulars.     Upon  this  discovery  tho   wretch,  Dangcrfield,  was  sent  to 
Niwjj.ite,  where  he  made  a  "confession,"  whudi  probably  was  as  false 
isiiif  former  statement  that  he  had  made,  for  lie  now  represented  that  to 
ilio  lying  tale  he  had  formerly  told  he  had  been  instigated  by  the  countess 
j|  Pow  is,  the  earl  of  ('astlemaiii,  and  others.     And  tliough  it  was  so  much 
niiire  probable  iliat  the  miscreant  had  all  along  lied  from  his  own  inven- 
!uiii  and  in  his  own  greediness  of  gain,  the  earl  and  countess  were  actually 
sent  to  ihe  Tower. 

Wluit  has  always  made  us  attach  deep  blame  and  disgrace  to  Charles' 
fiiuihict  in  allowing  so  many  innocent  lives  to  be  sacrificed  to  Ihe  venal 
ruelly  of  informers,  is  the  fact,  that  while  tho  informers  attributed  plots 
inV'.c  Jesuits,  and  stated  the  objects  of  those  plots  to  be  the  setting 
lip  of  the  papist  duke  of  York  in  tho  place  of  the  king,  Charles  must 
iitccssarily  have  known  that  the  Jesuits  were  a  mere  handful,  as  com- 
p,irpil  to  iho  protestants,  and  that  the  very  last  man  whom  either  pro- 
tt'staiit  or  papist  ihronghoul  Kngland  would  have  substituted  for  the  easy, 
ihuii^^h  profligate  (Charles,  was  James,  duke  of  York.  In  Scotland  James 
ha!  Mi.ule  himself  perfectly  hated,  and  both  the  English  parliament  and 
t!ic  Kiiglish  peofile  every  year  gave  new  and  stronger  proof  of  the  dread 
Hith  wliich  they  contemplated  even  the  possibility  of  the  succession  of 
James,  In  the  war  with  tlie  Dutch  he  had  shown  himself  a  brave  and 
skilful  olTicer,  but  his  gloomy  temper,  his  stern,  unsparing  disposition,  and 
the  bigotry  which  he  was  univer.sally  known  to  possess,  made  courage 
ami  military  conduct,  however  admirable  in  other  men,  in  him  only  two 
Kirors  the  more.  Charles  well  knew  this;  so  well, that  when  James  one 
m  warned  him  against  exposing  himself  loo  much  wl.,U  so  many  plots 
v'i  rumours  of  plots  disturbed  the  general  mind,  Charles,  as  gayly  as 
;riily  replied,  "Tilly  vally,  James !  There  be  none  so  silly  as  to  shool 
oie'iu  order  to  make  you  king!"    This  unpopularity  of  James  led  to  more 


,..'   !.W   ' 


ul2 


THS  THKA81IHV  OF  HIPTOUY 


llian  one  attcmp'.  on  tin;  purl  of  tlic  lio\isc  of  (.'oiniiioiis  to  prociiro  tlic  px 
elusion  of  liiiii  from  liic  ihioiid  on  llie  ),'ro(iikl  of  his  liciiig  ;j  pupist.  Tiiii 
new  parliiiniciit  liivd  siurci'ly  .sat  a  wei'k  rrc  it  rcucwcil  a  lijll,  Icrnicd  thp 
oxcliiMDn  bill,  whic)i  the  foniiiT  hotisc  liinl  votiid,  hot  wliicli  i\,ul  noj 
passod  the  uppi'r  house  at  t!it;  lir.u:  of  thr  liistiuhiuon  of  parhaiiioiit.  The 
party  of  tiie  (hike,  tli(Hi„rh  iiil1ii(!iiti;il>  was  iiiiiiK'rically  we.ik  out  of  doors  • 
for  bcsidcK  Ihoso  who  tialcd  him  an  u  papist,  and  drradod  liim  as  a  storn 
disci[)liiiariaii,  ItK-re  wens  great  iiuinhers  who  hoped  tliat  tlio  exclusion  , if 
the  duke  would  procure  the  tlironc  f(.r  the  duke  of  Momnoulh,  tlio  iiaiKi- 
some  and  liinlilv  popuhir  toii  of  llie  .kinjj  hy  one  of  liis  numerous  niis- 
tresses,  named  l.ncy  Wateis.  IJut  llie  iulluenee  of  the  kinifwas  powerful 
in  tlio  house,  and  after  a  lon*^  deliate,  not  too  temperately  (•■jiidiieted  iipdn 
cither  side,  the  exclusion  oill  wus  thrown  out  by  a  ruiher  consideraLlu 
majority. 

Wit!;  informers  and  "plots,"  lihellous  pamphlelsliad  inercased  in  nmn- 
ber  to  an  extent  tiial  could  scarcely  be  crtdited.  Haeh  party  secnicd  tu 
think  tl'at  the  hardest  words  and  tlio  most  severe  iiitputations  were  oiilv 
too  mild  for  its  oppontMits,  and  the  hired  hludler  now  vied  in  industry  and 
importance  with  tlie  venal  and  perjured  informer. 

An  idle  and  prolli^rale  fellow,  a  sort  of  led  captain  in  the  pay  of  Un 
king's  profli;rate  mistress,  tlie  (luchess  of  Porlsinoulh,  was  employej  to 
nroeuro  lier  the  piquant  libels  which  were  occasionally  published  Ujion  llu; 
king  and  the  duke  of  York,  This  man  not  finding  llio  existent  liheU  snf. 
lieiently  abusive,  determined  to  snrp.iss  them,  and  he  called  to  his  aii!  a 
Seotchman  named  Kn  erard.  Uetwecn  thoin  Ihey  composed  a  most  ran- 
corous and  scurrilous  libel,  which  Fitzliarris  hastened  lo  get  printed.  But 
the  Scotchman,  Kverard,  imagined  that  bis  Irish  fellow-ld)ellor,as  a  lianncr- 
on  of  tlie  kii<;T".s  mistress,  could  have  had  no  jjossible  motive  for  einplny. 
ing  him  but  tin;  wish  to  betray  him,  Indignant  at  the  supposed  desip, 
Everard  went  and  laid  information  before  Sir  William  Waller,  a  jwstici.' 
of  the  peiice,  and  Fitzliarris  was  apprehended  with  a  copy  of  the  iibe! 
actually  in  his  possession.  Finding  liimself  placed  in  considerable  peril 
of  the  pillory,  Fitzliarris,  who,  bo  jf  observed,  was  an  Irish  papist,  tiiniPil 
round  upon  the  court,  tmd  stated,  not  without  some  appearance  of  !n;ih, 
that  he  had  been  employed  by  the  court  to  write  u  libel  so  foul  and  vio- 
lent,  that  the  exclusion  party,  to  whom  it  would  be  attributed,  would  be 
injured  in  tiie  estimation  of  all  [)C0ple  of  sober  ju<lgnicnt.  In  order  !o 
render  this  talc  still  more  palatable  to  the  exclusionists,  Fitzliarris  adilcJ 
to  it  that  a  new  popish  plot,  more  ternbit!  than  any  former  one,  was  in 
agitation  under  the  auspices  of  the  duke  of  York,  whom  he  also  accnv  1 
of  being  p-ie  of  the  contrivers  of  the  murder  of  Sir  Kdmondbury  Godfrry. 
The  king  sent  Fitzliarris  to  prison  ;  the  commons,  instead  of  looking  wi'.h 
contempt  upon  the  whole  afTai-,  voted  that  this  hired  libeller  and  led  cnp- 
tain  of  a  court  harlot  should  bo  impeached;  It  was  so  obvious  that  the 
real  intention  of  the  commons  was  to  screen  Fitzliarris  from  punishment 
altogether,  that  the  lords  very  properly  rejected  the  impeachment.  An 
angry  feeling  sprung  up  between  the  two  houses  ;  and  the  king,  to  prevent 
the  dispute  from  proccedin;/  to  any  dangerous  length,  went  down  and  dis- 
solved parliament,  with  the  fixed  determination  of  never  calling  another. 

Charles  now,  in  fact,  rub  d  with  all  the  power  and  with  not  a  little  of 
the  tyranny  of  an  absolute  monarch.  He  encouraged  spies  and  informer.', 
and  impriso'ied  those  who  ventured  to  complain  of  his  measures  in  a 
manner  not  only  contrary  to  his  former  temper,  but  almost  indicative,  as 
was  well  remarked  at  the  time,  of  reconciling  the  people  to  the  prospect 
of  his  brother's  accession  by  making  his  own  rule  too  grievous  to  be  en- 
dured. To  those  who  held  high-church  iirinciples,  and  jirofessed  his  doc- 
trine of  passive  obedience  and  non-resistance,  all  the  royal  favour  was 
sbowa ;  while  the  prcsbyterians  and  other  sturdy  oppoi>er»  of  his  arbitrary 


•rciiscd  in  num- 

larty  socmcd  lo 

LiouH  wtnx  only 

ill  iudusivy  and 

,  tlio  pay  of  Ihf 
van  < mploycJ  to 
MialiLMl  uiiou  ll\e 
iistcnt  lilicls  9iif- 
Uled  to  l>i3  ail!  a 
(snd  a  niosl  raii- 
gt-l  priiaetl.    Bm 
,ellcr,usalia!iscr. 
olive  for  emplny- 
.  supposed  dcsiRii, 
Waller,  a  jusi"''; 
I  i-opy  of  ti'C  libel 
considerable  peril 
■isU  papist,  tutiicd 
pcaraiicc  of  tn;m, 
'l  so  foul  anil  vio- 
ributcd,  wonW  bo 
Ir.cnt.    In  order  to 
I  Viizbarris  adacl 
irmer  one,  %vas  m 
;,  he  also  accnsv. 
loudbury  Godfrry. 
■ad  of  looking  wUh 
bellerandledcap- 
io  obvious  that  the 
,g  from  punishment 
impeachment.   An 
hcking,toprevJ 
vent  down  and  dia- 
rcr  calling  another. 
with  pot  a  little  o! 
,pios  and  informers, 
hla  measures  m  a 
Imost  indicative,  as 
pie  to  the  prospect 
Wvoustobcen. 
Lofessedhisdoc. 

,  Voyal  favour  ^ni 
,wr»onii3  arbitrary 


THE  TllEASUHY  01*'  lllSTOilY. 


613 


niuasiires  were  in  numerous  cases  deprived  of  their  places  and  employ 
nieiitrt,  and  ia  Houi'!  e.isos  imprisoned  m  the  bargain.  The  city  of  Lou- 
don, «o  powerful  muI  .so  factious  durinsf  the  rei|,'n  of  Ciiarles  1.,  was  now 
made  to  feel  ilie  king's  resentment,  being,  for  its  leadershio  of  the  popular 
parly,  deprived  of  its  ciiarter,  wliicii  was  not  restored  until  an  ahject  sub- 
iiiissioii  had  been  made,  and  a  most  vexatious  riirlit  conceded  to  the  crown 
of  iiiterferinyf  in  the  election  of  thu  city  magistrates.  Fitzharris,  who  liad 
been  so  warmly  sided  witii  liy  the  exeiusionists,  and  who  had  been  the 
cliiuf  cause  of  Charles'  aufjry  and  final  dissolution  of  parliament,  was 
now  by  the  kiny['s  order  brou^Mit  to  trial  before  a  jury,  and,  lieing  pro- 
nounced guilty,  executed  1  An  abominabli!  stretch  of  power;  for  howev  . 
worlliicss  and  diiiauehed  a  fellow  he  mijfht  be,  his  crime,  enal  as  it  was, 
amoniited  to  but  libellous  writiiu,',  for  even  tlie  publication  was  scarcely 
fo  much  his  own  act  as  it  was  the  act  of  the  ollicers  who  arrested  him. 

The  popular  party  now  found  the  poisoned  chalice  ccmmendo<l  to  their 

own  lips.     Hitherto,  while  if  seemed  not  improbable  that  the  parliament 

Jill  the  "  patriots"  would  obtain  power  over  the  kin;f,  the  great  and  di;- 

fraded  iiost  of  spies  and  infonners  had  aimed  at  the  ruin  of  "  papists"  and 

"jcauits."     Hut  now  that  the  kinj;  had  as  bohlly  as  arbitrarily  disi)eiise(l 

witli  even  the  shadow  of  parliamentary  ail,  and  rided  as  indepetidenlly 

wJ  almost  as  arbitrarily  as  an  eastern  prince,  the  spies  and  informers 

turned  ujicm  those  who  had  formi^rly  eiicoiiraired  if  not  actu.iliy  employed 

'Jicm,  and  "preslisterian"  wa.-<  now  pretty  nearly  as  <lan;;erous  a  title  as 

•'piipist"    had   b(!i  :i ;    '•  protcslatit   preacher"    scarcely   more    safe    than 

'■ji'Siiit"  had  bt;en  heretofore,     ('harles  and  his  ministry  encouraijed  the 

informers,  ami  the  system  of  perjury  lost  none  of  its  infamy  and  vileness; 

:'.  morely  aimed  at  a  dithrent  class  of  victims. 

A  joiner  of  London,  by  name  Stephen  Collo;,'c,  had  made  himself  espe 

lally  conspicuous  durinjj  the  heats  and  alarms  of  llie  anti-popery  cries 

i.oud  of  tonfjiie,  and  somewhat  weak  of  brain,  this  man,  with  more  zeal 

.'i\a  knowledge,  had  taken  ujion  himself  to  advocate  i)rotestaiitism,  which 

ii'cdod  none  of  his  aid,  and  to  opfiose  popery,  which  such  opposition  as 

li!^  could  not  possibly  affect.     He  had  attended  tlie  city  members  to  Ox- 

'iti  armed  with  pistols  and  sword,  had  been  in  the  habit  of  railing  against 

'lie  itiiig,  the  duke  of  York  and  papacy,  and,  rather  in  dt!rision  than  in  dis- 

'.inclion,  hail  accjuired  the  title  i»f  Uw.  jjrotestant  joiner.     This  weak  man, 

'vhoso  tligiits  were  fitting  matter  for  the  ministering  of  the  physician, 

ralier  tiian  for  the  interferein^e  of  the  law,  was  sclteted  by  the  ministry 

•?  a  fit  subject  of  whom  to  make  an  example.     Ho  was  indicted  and 

fi'ind  jjuilty  of  sedition,  anil,  to  the  disgrace  of  both  king  and  ministers, 

execnteil. 

A.  D.  1G83. — The  increasing  power  and  severity  of  Charles  and  liis  min- 

>(ry  struck  a  panic  throughout  the  nation.     The  maimer  in  which  the 

"iiy  of  London  had  been  deprived  of  its  charter,  and  the  humiliating  terms 

iipin  which  I li;it  once  powerful  corporation  had  got  its  charter  restored, 

juDii  cans-ed  the  oilier  corporations  lo  surrender  their  charters  voluntarily ; 

Jii'laot  on./  were  considerable  sums  extorted  for  their  restoration,  but 

ihe  king  took  care  to  reserve  in  bis  own  hands  the  power  of  appointing  to 

all  offices  of  trust  and  profit.     The  patronage  which  was  thus  discredit- 

Jtily  obtained  was  so  enormous,  that  the  power  of  the  crown  became 

ftverwhelmiiigly  vast,  and,  willi  but  a  few  excei)tions,  men  agreed  that 

resistance,  even  if  justifiable,  would  now  be  useless  and  hopeless. 

But  there  was  a  party  of  malcontents,  weak  as  to  number,  but  vigorous, 
intluentiid,  and  bold ;  and  absolute  as  Charles  was,  and  unassailable  as  to 
most  people  his  power  must  li.ive  seemed,  his  life,  even,  was,  at  this  time, 
111  a  most  imminent  peril. 

The  soul  of  the  malcontents  was  the  earl  of  Shaftesbury.  That  highly- 
?ifted  but  turbulent  and  plot-loving  person  had  engaged  with  the  duke  o( 


.'; "'  r\ 


a-% 


!>    ',:n 


«14 


THE  TIIEASURY  OF  IIIBTORY 


MoiimouUi,  tlin  eurl  of  Macclpdflold,  Lord  William  RuhscU,  and  several 
olhnr  iiobW.'iiu'ii,  to  rais<!  iioiniiiiilly  in  favour  of  freedom,  hut  rnally  to  lie- 
throne  (!harl»'s ;  ••xcludr.  if  not  Mlay  James;  and  plac(!  the  erowii  upon 
the  head  of  llio  duko  of  Monmouth,  llin  kinj^S  natural  son.  Tiu;  earl  dt 
MacclcHficld,  Lord  Urandon  and  others,  were  to  vfCvA't  a  risinij  in  Cticsliiit. 
and  Lanci'-I.l.c ;  Sir  Francis  Drake,  Sir  Francis  Kowles,  and  Sir  VVilliani 
Conrtnc/  were  induced  by  I,ord  William  Uiissell  to  head  the  insurrection 
in  I)(!vrn,  and  generally  in  llie  west ;  and  Sliafieshury,  aided  by  Ferjiiisoii, 
a  preacher  of  the  independents,  inidertook  to  (ifTcct  a  general  risiuij  in  tho 
city  of  London,  where  the  discontent  and  disloyalty,  owing  to  tiie  uHiur 
of  the  ehartcT,  were  at  thi;  greatest  heijjht.  Shaftesbury  urged  on  llio  ploi 
with  all  his  energy,  and  it  is  most  probable  that  the  kingdom  would  li;ivr 
been  plunped  into  all  the  confusion  and  horror  of  a  civil  war  if  ilic  ex. 
treme  eagerness  (»f  Shaftesbury  had  not  been  counteracted  by  Ihcextri'im 
caution  of  Lord  William  Russell,  who,  when  everything  was  nearly  reaiiy 
for  an  outbreak,  urged  the  duke  of  Monmouth  to  jmstpone  tlu!  etitcrpris" 
until  a  more  favourabh;  opportunity.  The  usually  enterprising  ai«l  tur- 
bulent Shaftesbury  now  became  so  prostrated  by  a  sense  of  the  dan^rrii! 
which  he  was  placed  by  this  postponement,  that  he  abandoned  lii.x  lioiis^. 
and  endeavourefl  to  induce  tho  Londoners  to  rise  without  waiting  fonhp 
lardy  co-operation  of  the  provinces  ;  but  all  his  endeavours  were  unavai  ■ 
ing,  and  in  despair  he  fled  to  Holland,  where  he  soon  afterwards  died 
broken-hearted  and  in  poverty. 

The  conspirators,  being  thus  freed  from  tlie  turbulent  Shafteslmrv. 
formed  a  committee  of  six;  Hampden,  grandson  to  the  Hampden  «li,) 
made  so  mui'h  opposition  to  the  ship  money,  Algernon  Sidney,  Ilowani, 
Kssex,  and  Lord  William  Russel;  Momnonth  being  their  grand  leader  and 
centre  of  correspondence,  his  chief  adviser,  however,  being  tiie  diiivfMl 
Argyle.  There  were  numerous  subordinates  in  this  conspiracy;  and  it  is 
atlirmed,  by  the  friends  of  the  memory  of  Lord  William  Russell,  that  In: 
and  the  leaders  did  not  encourage  and  were  not  even  perfectly  losTnizam 
of  tlie  more  atrocious  part  of  the  plan  of  those  conspirators  who  hadagrtci! 
to  assassinate  the  king  on  his  way  to  Newmarket.  We  confess  that  i: 
appears  to  us  to  be  making  a  large  demand  indeed  upon  our  credulity  ii 
suppose  anything  of  the  kind,  but  we  have  not  space  to  go  into  lliearsii- 
ments  which  might  be  adduced  in  favour  of  the  supposition  that,  liowtnir 
willing  the  chief  conspirators  miglit  be  to  leave  the  horrible  criino  of 
assassination  to  subordinates,  they  were  at  least  quite  willing  tliat  siidi 
crime  should  be  perpetrated  to  the  profit  of  their  main  design. 

The  plan  of  the  conspirators  against  the  life  of  the  king  was  to  sccrele 
themselves  on  a  farm  belonging  to  one  of  them,  the  Rye-house,  situated 
)n  the  road  to  Newmarket,  overturn  a  cart  there  to  obstruct  the  royal 
.arriage,  and  then  deliberately  fire  upon  the  king.     After  much  consiilla- 
ion  it  was  determined  to  carry  this  dastardly  plot  into  execution  on  the 
King's  return  to  Newmarket.     About  a  week  before  the  time  at  wiiicli  hi; 
majesty  was  to  do  so,  the  liouse  in  which  he  resided  at  Newmarl^ct  look 
fire,  and  he  was  obliged  to  remove  to  London.     This  circumstance  would 
nerely  have  postponed  the  "  fate"  of  his  majesty,  but  in  the  course  of  the 
ime  that  was  thus  lost  to  the  conspirators,  one  of  Iheir  number,  iiaiiifi 
(Ceiling,  found  himself  in  danger  of  prosecution  for  having  arrested  tho 
ord-mayor  of  London,  and  to  save  himself  from  the  consequences  he  j 
waited  upon  the  king's  ministers  and  revealed  all  that  he  knew  of  theploi  | 
against  the  king,  and  Colonel  Rumsey  and  a  lawyer  named  West  joiiad  I 
him  in  becoming  king's  evidence.     Monmouth  and  Grey  escaped,  Luid 
William  Russell  was  apprehended  and  sent  to  the  Tower,  as  shortly  after- 
wards were   Kssex,  Sidney,  and  Hampden,  together  with  Lord  HowarJ, 
*ho  was  found  in  a  chimney.     That  ignoble  nobleman,  though  fully  as  I 
ijuilly  as  the  rest,  immediately  agreed  to  save  his  own  recreant  life  by  he- 1 


THE  TREAatlRY  OF  J1I9T0UV. 


811 


\\,  mf\  spveral 

ul  rciilly  to  (le- 
10  crown  »pon 
1.    'I'lie  t'liri  (i| 
ing  in  Clii'iliii't 
ind  Sir  Williiim 
,\\i'  insurrccUoii 
rd  hy  Kfryiistm, 
!r.»\  iisi"«  '"  ''"■ 
zing  to  l>>''  "ll'iif 
irgcd  on  tlio  plm 
ilom  wouli\  h:ivi' 
,1  war  if  ilK'  I'X- 
id  l)y  llic  rxtriMiH' 
was  newly  rf;vly 
)ne  i\w  fiUervn!^" 
-rprising  uikI  Uir- 
c  of  tin'  <l:>"!;i^r  11! 
,n(\on(Ml  liii«  l""i'.f 
,iit  wivilinR  for  i  if 
)nr8  were  uu.iviu  • 
,n  aficrwards  iwi 

ulont   SbiifU'sbiiry. 

,n  Sidney.  Hownni. 

Bir  grand  lead"  ■ml 

being  tho  diiki;  cl 

■onspiracy,  and  11  h 

,am  Russell,  llwll": 
'pcrfeet\y  eoKnizaiil 
iitor8wl\olu\dagrm. 
[we  confess  liwi  i: 
Lon  our  ereduliiy  lo 

•  to  go  io^o  *''"'""■ 
hsiliou  that,  lunvev.T 
L  horrible  crime  » 
Uc  wiUiug  llial  siicli 

n  design. 

'king  was  to  secret 

Rye-house,  situate.    , 

b  obstruct  ii»'^"j;: 

rAfier  much  coiis«li;> 
„  0  execution  oil    = 

1  at  Ncsvmarket  t.  K 
toirc«in8tam'evN^.J. 
L  in  tlie  course  of  Hi 
l'\heir  nund.nr,  nam. 

•having  arresie  ih 
the  consequenus  M 

,at  he  knew  of  the  pii. 

Mamed  West  pn  j 

eman,  though   "    H 
( w  II  recreant  life  u>'^  ' 


coming  evidoncn  against  Ills  former  iissocintes,  who  nccmed  more  indig- 
naiil  and  disgusted  at  tliiit  treachery  than  affected  by  the  peril  in  wliich  u 
placed  ititin. 

Colonel  Walcot,  an  old  republican  officer,  together  with  Stono  and 
Rdusc,  were  first  put  upon  trial,  and  condemned  upon  ihoevidcnccof  Ihcir 
former  associates,  Colonel  Runiscy,  and  the  lawyer,  West. 

Lord  William  Russell  and  Algernon  Sidney  were  coiulemncd  ehl«  fly  on 
the  evidence  of  Lord  Howard.  In  the  case  of  Sidney,  however,  the  evi- 
ileiicc  of  Howard  was  most  unconstitutionally  eked  out  by  eongtruiiig  as 
trciisonablo  certain  writings,  merely  speculative,  though  of  rei)iil)li(an 
Ipiidcncy,  which  were  seized  at  his  house.  Hoih  Russell  and  Sidney 
were  condemned  and  exc(;iited.  Hampden  was  more  fortunate,  and  cs. 
ciipcd  with  a  fine  of  forty  thousand  pounds.  HoUoway,  a  merchant  of 
Unsiol,  who  had  been  cnj^aged  in  this  dastardly  conspiracy,  escaped  to 
the  West  Indies  ;  and  SirTiiomas  Armstrong,  who  was  similarly  situated, 
uscaped  to  Holland.  IJul  so  (eagerly  viiuliclivc  had  Charles  and  his  min- 
istry by  this  time  been  rendered  by  the  nunujrous  plots,  real  and  iiretended, 
iliat  both  of  tliose  persons  were  brouglit  over  to  Kngland  and  executed. 
I.unl  Kssex  would  also  jirobably  have  been  executed,  but,  being  impris- 
,)iii'il  in  the  Tower,  he  there  committed  suicide  by  cutting  his  throat. 

Jii(lt;ing  from  the  seventy  with  which  Charles  proceeded  on  this  oi'ca- 
;iuii,  It  is  but  reasonable  to  presume  ho  would  cither  have  carried  his  dcs- 
jiolisin  to  a  frightful  pitch,  or  iiave  fallen  a  victim  to  Ihc  equally  nnjustilia- 
Mc  violence  of  some  malcontent.  But  his  naturally  fine  constitution  was 
iijw  eom|)lelely  broken  up  by  his  long  and  furious  course  of  dissipation, 
aiul  a  (it  of  apoplexy  seized  him,  from  which  ho  was  but  partially  rccov- 
fr(ili)y  bleeding;  ho  expired  in  the  fifty-fifth  year  of  his  age  and  the 
lui'iity-fifth  of  his  reign. 

Mucli  might  be  said  in  dispraise  of  Charles,  both  as  man  and  monarch; 
bit  iiiiparlial  justice  demands  that  we  should  make  a  great  allowance  for 
ii  c  unfavourable  circumstances  under  which  the  best  years  of  his  youth 
ml  manhood  were  spent.  Poverty  for  months,  so  extreme  lliat  he  and 
Ins  followers  were  at  limes  without  a  single  coin,  and  owed  their  very 
food  to  the  kindness  of  their  hosts,  was  occasionally  followed  by  a 
leinporary  plenty  ;  and  his  companions  were,  for  ihe  most  part,  precisely 
the  persons  to  encourage  him  in  every  extravagance  to  which  so  wretch- 
edly precarious  a  litb  was  calculated  lo  induce  him.  Kvcn  the  cruelty 
ami  despotism  of  his  latter  years  visibly  had  their  chief  cause  in  the  pcditi- 
cal  villainy  and  violence  of  considerable  bodies  of  his  people.  No  such 
excuse  can  be  made  for  his  cxtravay;ant  liberality  to  his  numerous  'v.is- 
Irosses;  and  for  t!ic  wholly  cruel  and  mean  treatment  he  bestowed  upon 
his  wife  we  know  of  no  decorous  epithet  that  is  sulTicicntly  severe. 

That  Charles  was  not  naturally  of  a  cruel,  or  even  of  a  sufiicicntly  se- 
vere turn,  a  remarkable  proof  is  afforded  by  the  story  of  a  ruffian  namcil 
Blood ;  a  story  so  singular,  that  we  think  it  necessary  to  give  it  by  way 
of  appendix  to  this  reign.  Blood,  who  had  served  in  Ireland,  had,  or  fan- 
cied that  ho  had,  considerable  claims  upon  the  government,  and  bcinyf  rc- 
fuseJ  satisfaction  by  the  duke  of  Ormond,  he  actually  waylaid  and  seized 
ihat  nobleman  on  Iiis  return  from  an  evening  party  in  London,  and  would 
have  hanged  him  but  for  the  occurrence  of  a  mere  accident  wl  ich  enabled 
the  duke  to  escape.  A  d(>sperado  of  this  sort  could  not  fail  tc  bo  in  fre- 
iiueut  trouble  and  distress;  and  lie  at  length  was  reduced  to  such  extreme 
straits,  that  with  some  of  iiis  associates  he  formed  a  plan  for  purloining 
the  regalia  from  th(!  jewel-house  in  the  Tower.  He  contrived  to  ingra- 
liute  himself  with  the  old  couple  who  had  charge  of  the  valuable  jewels, 
Jiii  took  an  opportunity  to  bind  both  the  man  and  woman  and  make  ofT 
iviih  all  the  most  valuable  articles.  Though  fircu  at  by  the  sentry  he  got 
tleai  as  lar  r,s  Towor-hill,  where  l^e  .jvas  apprehended  aftet  a  desperate 


yll 


>u^ 


616 


THK  TllEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Struggle.  So  enormous  an  outrage,  it  might  liavc  been  anticiipatcd,  would 
be  expiated  only  by  tlio  severest  punishment;  but  the  king  not  only  for- 
gave  IJlood,  but  even  gave  liini  a  considerable  annual  i)ension  to  enable 
him  to  live  without  farther  criminality.  A  rare  proof  of  the  native  easi- 
ness of  tlie  king's  temper  !  Though  it  must  be  added  that  the  duke  ol 
Buckingham,  wiio  detested  Ormond,  was  on  that  account  supposed  to 
have  used  his  vast  influence  in  favour  of  Blood. 


OHAPTKR  LV. 


TIIK    RKIO.V    OP    JASIES  11. 


A.  D.  KiSij. — The  somewliat  ostentatious  manner  in  which  the  duke  o! 
York  had  been  aceustomed  to  go  to  mass,  during  the  life  of  his  broiiier, 
had  been  one  great  cause  of  tlie  general  dislike  in  which  he  was  held. 
Even  Ciiarles,  giddy  and  careless  as  he  in  general  was,  saw  the  impru- 
dence of  James'  conduct,  and  significantly  told  him  on  one  occasion  iluit 
he  had  no  desire  to  go  upon  his  travels  again,  whatever  James  might  wish. 
On  ascending  the  throne,  the  very  first  act  of  James  was  one  of  an  ho:i. 
est  but  most  imprudent  bigotry.     Incapable  of  reading  the  signs  of  ilio 
limes,  or  fully  prepared  to  dare  the  worst  that  those  signs  could  portend, 
James  immediately  sent  his  agent,  Caryl,  to  Rome,  to  apologize  to  the 
pope  for  the  long  and  flagrant  iieresy  of  Kngland,  and  to  endeavor  to  pro- 
cure the  re-admission  of  the  KnglLsh  people  into  the  communion  of  ihc 
catholic  church.     The  pope  was  eitlier  less  blind  or  more  politic  than 
James,  and  returned  hitn  a  very  coo',  answer,  implying  that  before  lit 
ventured  niion  so  arduous  an  enterprise  as  that  of  changing  the  professed 
faith  of  nearly  his  entire  people,  he  would  do  well  to  sit  down  and  (Calcu- 
late the  cost.     Kven  this  grave  and  S'jnsiblo  rebuke  did  not  deter  Jamrs 
from  exerting  himself  both  by  fear  and  favour  to  make  proselytes  of  his 
subjects.     Hated  as  he  already  was,  such  conduct  could  not  fail  to  en- 
courage conspiracies  against  him,  an  J,  accordingly,  he  had  not  been  Ion;- 
seated  upon  the  throne,  when  he  found  a  dangerous  rival  in  the  duke  of 
Monmouth.     This  illegitimate  son  of  Charles  II.  had  obtained,  from  the 
easy  nature  of  his  fallur,  a  pardon  for  his  share   in  the  Rye-house  [ilot, 
which  was  fatal  to  so  many  better  men  ;  but  had  received  his  pardon  only 
on  condition  of  perpetual  residence  abroad.     He  remained  in  Hollaiid  du- 
ring the  whole  remainder  of  his  father's  reign,  but  on  4he  accession  of 
James  was  disn<issed  by  the  prince  of  Orange.     This  dismissal  was  said 
to  be  at  the  direct  solicitation  of  James,  who  bore  a  great  hatred  to  Mon- 
mouth ;  if  so,  the  act  was  as  impolitic  as  it  was  mean.     The  duke  now 
found  refuge  for  a  short  lime  at  Brussels,  but  here  again  the  inlliRMiri^  of 
James  was  brought  to  bear  upon  him  ;  and  Monmouth  now,  thoroiifjlily 
exasperated,  and  relying  upon  the  detestation  in  which  James  was  licld, 
resolved  to  make  an  attempt  to  oust  him  from  the  English  tliroiic.    X\ 
this  distance  of  time  such  a  project  on  the  part  of  Monmouth  seems  per- 
fectly insane ;  but  it  will  seem  far  less  so  if  we  make  due  allowance  for 
the  widely-spread  and  intense  hatred  which  the  people  bore  to  James,  aiiJ 
for  the  great  popularity  of  Monmouth,  whom  many  people  believed  to  be 
the  legitimate  son  of  Charles,  it  being  commonly  alHrmcd  that  Ciiarles 
had  privately  married  Lucy  Waters,  the  duke's  mother. 

The  duke  of  Argyle,  who,  as  well  as  Monmouth,  had  escaped  tlio  con- 
■equeu'.;es  of  the  Rye-house  plot,  now  agreed  to  aid  him ;  it  was  intciided 
that  Argyle  should  raise  Scotland,  while  Monmouth  was  to  take  tlie  lead 
in  the  west  of  Kngland,  where  he  was  peculiarly  popular. 

Argylo  promptly  commenced  his  part  of  the  aflTair  by  landing  in  Seot- 
land,  where  he  soon  found  himself  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  two  thou- 


icipated,  would 
t  not  only  for- 
isioii  to  eivable 
iic  unlive  easi- 
iU  the  iliike  ol 
lit  supposed  to 


\ich  the  duke  ol 
c  of  his  brother, 
ch  he  was  held. 
,  saw  the  iuipni- 
nnc  occasion  ihiU 
amcsmishl  wish. 
IS  one  ot  an  hi):\- 
r  the  tiij^'-is  of  ilie 
'lis  could  portend, 
'  apologize  to  ilie 
0  endeavor  to  pro- 
:omiiiunion  of  the 
more  politic  than 
iig  that  before  he 
ging  the  professed 
t"do\vn  and  c.aleu- 
,1  not  deter  James 
3  proselytes  of  his 
jld  not  fail  10  en- 
had  not  been  Ion? 
viil  in  tlie  duke  oi 
obtained,  from  the 
le  Rye-house  plot, 
!cd  his  pardon  oiily 
ined  in  Holland  dii- 
11  Ahe  accession  o 
dismissal  was  siiid 
rcat  hatred  to  Mon- 
The  duke  now 
ilia  the  inllneuce  o( 
,tU  now,  thorough  y 
■h  James  was  heW. 
■.^n'^lish  throne.    •« 
Mimouth  seems  per- 
B  due  allowance  fo 
[chore  to  James,  and 
eople  believed  to  be  , 

firmed  that  Ciiarles 

id  escaped  the  con- 
tim;  it  was  in  em 
was  to  take  the  ica.i 

mlar.  .    „   . 

by  landing  m  ^^^ 
1  army  of  two  Uiou- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


617 


gaud  five  hundred  men.  He  issued  manifestos  containing  the  usual  mix- 
ture of  truth  and  falseliood,  but  before  his  oloquenco  could  procure  him 
any  considerable  accession  of  force  lie  was  attacked  by  a  powerful  body 
of  the  king's  troops.  Argyle  liimself  fought  gallantly,  and  was  severely 
wounded  ;  but  his  troops  soon  gave  way  in  every  direction,  and  the  duke 
was  shortly  afterwards  seized,  while  standing  up  to  his  neck  in  a  pool  of 
water,  and  carried  to  Edinburgh.  Here  the  authorities  and  populace,  with 
the  small  spite  of  mean  spirits,  avenged  themselves,  by  the  inlliction  of 
every  dfiscription  of  indignity,  for  the  fright  their  brave  thougii  turbulent 
and  irjprudent  prisoner  had  caused  thcni.  On  his  way  to  tiie  |)lace  of  ex- 
ecution lie  was  jeered  and  insulted  by  the  rabble ;  and  tlio  magistrates 
suspended  to  his  neck  a  book  containing  an  account  of  his  former  exploits. 
These  insults,  however,  notiiing  alTected  the  high  spirit  of  Argyle,  who 
contented  himself  with  sarcastically  telling  his  persecutors  that  he  deemed 
it  well  tliat  tliey  had  nothing  worse  to  allodge  against  his  character.  Ho 
sufTeri'd  witii  the  same  (composure. 

Monmouth,  in  the  meantime,  with  scarcely  more  than  a  hundred  fol- 
lowers, landed  on  the  coast  of  Dorsetslure  ;  and  wo  may  judge  of  the  great- 
ness of  his  popularity  from  the  fact,  that  though  he  landed  with  so  slender 
a  retinue,  lie  assembled  upwards  of  two  thousand  men  in  four  days.  As 
lie  proceeded  to  Taunton  he  increased  his  force  to  six  thousand,  and  could 
liave  had  double  that  number,  only  that  he  was  obliged  after  tlie  first  few 
days  to  refuse  all  but  such  as  could  bring  their  own  arms  with  them. 

At  IJridgewater,  Wells,  and  Frome  ho  was  joined  by  great  numbers  of 
young  men,  the  sons,  chiefly,  of  the  better  sort  of  farmers;  and  such  was 
the  entliusiasm  that  was  now  excited  on  his  behalf,  that  James  begun,  and 
with  good  reason,  to  tremble  for  his  throne.  But  .Monmouth  was  essen- 
tially unequal  to  the  vast  enterprise  that  he  had  undertaken.  Though  ho 
had  much  of  his  father's  personal  courage,  he  had  still  more  of  his  father's 
levity  and  love  of  show  and  gayety.  At  every  town  in  which  he  arrived 
he  spent  precious  time  in  the  idle  ceremony  of  being  proclaimed  king,  and 
tlius  frittered  aw^ay  the  enthusiasm  and  hopes  of  his  own  followers,  whilo 
Riving  time  to  James  to  concentr;  to  force  enough  to  cru.sh  him  at  a  blow 
Nor  did  the  error  of  Monmouth  end  here.  Lord  Gray  was  the  especial 
favourite  of  the  duke,  and  was  therefore  deemed  the  fittest  man  to  be  en- 
trusted with  tlie  command  of  the  insurgent  cavalry;  though  it  was  well 
known  that  he  was  deficient  in  judgment,  and  strongly  suspected  that  he 
was  not  overburdened  with  cither  courage  or  zeal.  Fletcher  of  Saltoun, 
a  brave  and  direct,  though  passionate  and  free-spoken  man,  strongly  re- 
monstrated with  the  duke  upon  this  glaringly  impolitic  appointment,  and 
finding  his  remonstrances  productive  of  no  etTcct,  retired  from  the  expedi 
tioii  in  disgust.  Even  the  loss  of  this  zealous  though  stern  friend  did  not 
move  the  duke,  who  continued  hio  confidence  to  Gray — to  repent  when 
repentance  could  be  of  no  avail. 

While  Monmouth  had  been  wasting  very  precious  time  in  these  idle 
mockeries  of  royal  pomp,  James  and  his  friends  had  been  far  otherwise 
and  more  usefully  employed.  S'x  Jlritish  regiments  were  recalled  from 
Holland,  and  three  thousand  regulars  with  a  vast  number  of  militia  were 
sent,  under  Feversham  and  Churchill,  to  attack  the  rebels.  The  royal 
force  took  up  its  position  at  Sedgemoor,  near  Uridgcwater.  They  were, 
or  seemed  to  be,  so  carelessly  posted,  that  Monmouth  determined  to  give 
them  the  attack.  Tiie  first  onset  of  the  rebels  was  so  enthusiastic  that 
the  royal  infantry  gave  way.  Monmouth  was  rather  strong  in  cavalry, 
and  a  single  good  charge  of  that  force  would  nov?  have  decided  the  day  in 
his  favour.  Dut  Gray  fully  confirmed  all  the  suspicions  of  his  cowardice, 
and,  while  all  were  loudly  calling  up'^n  him  to  charge,  he  actually  turned 
ftis  horse's  head  and  fled  from  the  field,  followed  by  thogre.iter  number  of 
ills  men.    Whatever  were  the  previous  errors  of  the  roval  coinmanders. 


1 


I.,;   .;■«'! 


f 


618 


THE  TREASTJUY  OF  HISTORY 


they  now  amply  atoned  for  tliem  by  the  prompt  and  able  manner  m  which 
they  availed  tiiemselves  of  IMonmoutii's  want  of  generalship  and  Gray's 
want  of  manliood.  The  rebels  were  charged  in  flank  again  and  again,  and 
being  ntterly  unaided  by  their  cavalry,  were  thrown  into  complete  and 
irretrievable  disorder,  after  a  desperate  tight  of  above  three  hours.  It  is 
due  to  the  rebel  troops  to  add,  that  the  courage  which  they  displayed  was 
worthy  of  a  better  cause  and  better  leaders.  Rank  after  rank  fell  and 
died  on  the  very  spot  on  which  they  had  fought;  but,  commanded  as  they 
were,  valour  was  thrown  away  and  devotion  merely  another  term  for  de- 
struction 

But  the  real  horrors  of  this  insurrection  only  began  when  the  battle  was 
ended.  Hundreds  were  slain  in  the  pursuit ;  quarter,  by  the  stern  order 
of  James,  being  invariably  refused.  A  special  commission  was  also  issued 
for  tlic  trial  of  all  who  were  taken  prisoners,  and  Judge  Jeffreys  and  Colo 
nel  Kirk,  the  latter  a  soldier  of  fortune  who  had  served  much  among  the 
Moors  iuid  become  thoroughly  brutalised,  carried  that  commission  into 
effect  in  a  manner  which  has  rendered  their  names  eternally  detestable. 

The  terror  which  these  brutally  severe  men  inspired  so  quickened  tli6 
zeal  of  the  authorities,  and  afforded  so  mucli  eni^ouragement  to  informers, 
whether  actuated  by  hate  or  hire,  that  the  prisons  all  over  Kngland,  but 
especially  in  the  western  counties,  were  spceddy  filled  with  unfortunate 
people  of  both  sexes  and  of  all  ages.  In  some  towns  the  prisoners  were 
so  numerous,  that  even  the  ferocity  of  Jeffreys  was  nearied  of  try- 
ing in  detail.  Intimation  was  therefore  given  to  great  numl)ers  of  prison, 
ers,  that  their  only  chance  of  mercy  rested  upon  their  pleading  uuilty; 
but  all  the  unfortunate  wretches  who  were  thus  beguiled  into  that  plea 
were  instantly  and  en  masse  sentenced  to  death  by  Jeflreys,  who  took  care, 
too,  that  the  sentence  should  speedily  be  executed. 

The  fate  of  one  venerable  lady  excited  great  remark  and  connnisera- 
tion  even  in  that  terrible  time  of  general  dismay  and  widely-spread  suf- 
fering. The  lady  in  question,  Mrs.  (iaunt,  a  person  of  some  fortune, 
known  loyalty,  and  excellent  character,  was  induced  by  sheer  hunianiiy 
to  give  shelter  to  one  of  the  fugitives  from  Sedgemoor.  It  being  under- 
stood that  the  sheltered  would  be  pardoned  on  condition  of  giving  evidence 
against  those  \\  ho  had  dared  to  sheltr!r  them,  this  base  and  u-igrateful  m;m 
informed  against  his  benefactress,  who  was  inhumanly  sentenced  todeiith 
by  Jeffreys,  and  actually  executed.  Kirk,  too,  was  guilty  of  the  most 
enormous  and  filthy  cruellies,  and  it  seemed  doubtful  whether  .lelTreys 
and  his  stern  master  intended  only  to  intimidate  the  people  of  England 
into  submission,  or  actually  and  fully  to  exterminate  them. 

Monmouth,  whose  rash  enterprise  and  unjustified  ambition  had  caused 
so  nmch  confusion  and  bloodshed,  rode  from  the  fatal  field  of  Sedgemoor 
at  so  rapid  a  pace,  that  at  about  twenty  miles  distance  his  horse  fell  dead 
beneath  him.  The  duke  had  now  of  all  his  numerous  followers  but  cue 
left  with  him,  a  German  nobleman.  Monmouth  being  in  a  desolate  [inrl 
of  the  country,  and  at  so  considerable  a  distance  from  the  scene  of  liatlle 
and  bloodshed,  entertained  some  iinpe  li:at  he  might  escape  by  means  of 
disguise,  and  meeting  m  ith  a  poor  shepherd,  he  gave  the  man  some  gold 
to  exchange  clothes  with  him.  He  and  his  German  friend  now  filled  ilieir 
pockets  with  field  peas,  and,  providinl  only  with  this  wretcdied  food,  pro- 
ceeded, towards  nightfall,  to  conceal  themselves  among  the  tall  fern  which 
grew  rankly  and  abundantly  on  the  surrounding  moors.  But  the  pursueri 
and  avengers  of  blood  were  not  so  far  distant  as  the  misguided  duke  sup- 
posed. A  party  of  horse,  having  followed  closely  in  his  track,  came  up 
with  the  peasant  with  whom  he  had  exchanged  clothes,  and  from  this 
man's  information  the  duke  was  speedily  discovered  and  dragged  from  his 
hidiog-place,  His  miserable  plight  and  the  horrors  of  the  fate  that  he  l)Ut 
too  correctly  anticipated,  had  now  so  completely  unmanned  him,  that  he 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOllY. 


nner  m  which 
p  and  Gray's 
iiul  again,  and 
complete  and 
hours.  It  is 
displayed  was 
rank  fell  and 
landed  as  they 
r  term  for  de- 

the  battle  was 
he  stern  order 
■vas  also  issnod 
freys  and  Colo 
ucii  among  the 
ommission  into 
ly  detestable. 

quiekencd  the 
nt  to  informers, 
er  Knjjland,  but 

ith  unfortunate 

prisoners  were 
'vearied  of  try- 
iihers  of  prison- 
ploadinj;  tinlty; 
d  into  that  pica 
s,  who  took  care, 

and  commisera- 

idely-sprcad  s^iif- 

)f  some  foriuuo, 

sheer  linmaiiiiy 

It  hcins  muier- 

f  frivin'4  eviilence 

divi'^ratcfiilman 

cntcnced  to  death 

lilty  of  the  most 

whetlier  .leffrcys 

cople  of  J'.nghmd 

m. 

lition  had  caused 
...  of  Sf'dsiemnnr 
lis  >>orsc  fell  dead 
followers  but  ciu; 
..  a  desolate  i):irt 
iie  secne  of  lialtlf 
,vpe  by  means  of 

man  some  ^o\>\ 
nd  now  tilled  ihrir 
retehcd  food,  pro- 
the  tall  fern  which 

Hut  the  pursuer* 
ssuided  duke  sup 
is  track,  eanu-  up 
es,  and  fr<""  this 
d  dragged  from  hi! 
he  fate  that  he  but 
nned  him,  that  he 


619 


bsrst  into  an  agony  of  tears,  and  in  the  most  humble  manner  implored  his 
captors  to  allow  hini  to  escape.  But  the  reward  offered  for  his  apprehea- 
sion  was  too  tempting,  and  the  dread  of  the  king's  anger  too  great,  to  be 
overcome  by  the  unhappy  captive's  solicitations,  and^  he  was  hurried  to 
orison.  Even  now  his  clinging  to  life  prevailed  over  the  manifest  dictates 
of  common  sense,  and  from  his  prison  he  sent  letter  after  letter  to  the 
king,  filled  with  tiic  most  abject  entreaties  to  be  allowed  to  live.  The 
natural  character  of  Jan\cs  and  the  stern  severity  with  which  he  had  pun- 
ished the  rebellion  of  the  meaner  oflcnders,  might  have  warned  Monmouth 
that  these  degrading  submissions  would  avail  him  nothin^^  B-Jt,  in  fact, 
bis  own  absurdly  offensive  manner  during  his  brief  period  of  ariticipative 
triumph  would  have  steeled  the  heart  of  a  far  more  placable  sovereign 
than  James.  Monmouth's  proclamations  had  not  stooped  at  callinir  upon 
tlie  people  of  England  to  rebel  against  their  undoubtedly  rightful  soven'ign ; 
tiiey  had  in  a  manner,  which  would  iiave  been  revolting  if  the  viry  excess 
of  iis  virulence  had  not  rendered  it  absurd,  vilified  the  personal  «"haracter 
of  James;  and  while  thus  offending  him  as  a  man,  had  at  tin:  sumr.  time 
offered  him  the  still  more  unpardmiable  offence  of  a'tackinj  his  religion.- 
James  had  none  of  the  magnanimity  which  in  these  circumstances,  oi^per- 
soiial  affront  would  have  found  an  argument  for  pardoning  the  treaB«'>n,  in 
Older  to  avoid  even  the  appearance  of  punishing  the  pensoniiitty ;  and 
from  the  moment  that  Monmouth  was  captured,  his  fate  was  irrt  .ocstbly 
sealed. 

Bad  as  Monmouth's  conduct  had  been,  it  is  not  without  corjteinpt  that 
wc  read  that  James,  though  determined  not  to  spar*;  him,  allo^'cd  him  lo 
hope  for  mercy,  and  even  granted  him  vn  interview  Admitted  to  the 
presence  of  the  king,  Monmouth  was  weak  enough  to  renew  in  i^  rson  the 
alijcct  submissions  and  solicitations  by  which  he  had  already  degraded 
liiinsidf  in  writing.  As  he  knelt  and  implored  his  life,  James  sternly 
Iriiuied  him  a  paper.  It  contained  an  admission  of  his  illegitimacy,  and 
of  the  utter  falsehood  of  the  report  that  Lucy  Waters  had  ever  bee;i  mar- 
ried to  Charles  II.  Monmouth  signed  the  paper,  ars?*  Jjunrs  tiier.  r, idly 
told  him  that  his  repeated  treasons  rendered  par  Ion  altoijciiier  out  :•■.  ijie 
question.  'J'he  duke  now  at  length  pen^oived  tli;'!  hope  *»hs  at  an  end, 
rose  from  his  .siipjjliant  posture,  and  left  the  apartment  with  an  ass:nijed 
linuness  in  his  step  and  scorn  in  his  countenance. 

When  led  to  the  scaffold  Monmouth  behaved  with  a  degree  of  fortitude 
that  could  scarcely  have  been  anticipated  from  his  previo-  abjectness. 
Having  learned  that  the  exofti'.ioner  was  the  same  who  i.;;u  beheaded 
Lord  William  Ilussell,  and  who  had  put  that  nobleman  to  much  agony,  the 
duke  gave  ilie  "ntm  some  money,  ar.'.l  good-humouredly  warned  him  to  be 
more  ex[)crt  ia  his  business  on  tlKi  present  occasion-  The  warning  had 
an  effect  exactly  opposite  to  wh  i.  Monmouth  intended.  The  man  was 
so  confused,  that  at  the  first  blow  he  only  wounded  that  suD'crer's  neck; 
iud  Monmouth,  oleeding  and  ghastly  wilh  pain  and  terror,  raised  his  head 
from  the  block.  His  look  of  agony  still  farther  unnerved  the  man,  who 
iiiade  two  more  ineffectual  strokes,  then  threw  down  the  axe  in  despair 
and  disgust.  The  reproaches  and  threats  of  the  sheriff,  however,  caused 
hiiu  to  resume  ins  revolting  task,  which  at  two  strokes  more  he  completed, 
and  Jameg,  duko  of  Monmouth,  was  a  lifeless  corpse.  Monmouth  was 
popular,  and  therefore  his  fate  was  d'>emrd  Irird.  But  his  treason  wan 
wholly  unjustifiable,  his  pretended  claim  to  the  <  rown  as  absurdly  ground- 
loss  as  the  claim  of  the  son  of  a  known  harlot  /-ould  be ;  and  pity  is  far 
less  due  to  his  memory  th;  ii  to  that  of  the  unf<;rt«nate  people  whom  he 
deluded  into  treason  by  his  rashness,  and  delivered  to  the  gallows  by  his 
incapacity  and  obstinacy.  .Saying  nothing  of  the  vast  numbers  who  fell 
ill  actual  fight  or  in  the  subsequent  pursuit,  for  their  fate  was  at  the  least 
comparatively  en^iai^Ie,  upwards  of  twenty  were  hanged  by  the  military 


•i 


620 


THE  theasury  of  history 


and  Jeffreys  liangcd  eighty  at  Dorchester,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  at 
Taunton,  Wells,  and  Exeter.  At  other  places  still  farther  victims  wero 
made ;  and  whipping,  imprisonment,  or  ruinous  fines  were  inflicted  uoon 
Imndreds  in  every  part  of  the  kingdom.  And  all  this  misery,  let  us  not 
forget,  arose  out  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  fraudulent  as  well  as  absurd  pre- 
tensions of  the  duke  of  Monmouth. 

As  though  the  civil  dissensions  of  tlie  kingdom  had  not  been  sufficiently 
injurious,  the  most  furious  animosities  existed  on  the  score  of  religion. 
The  more  James  displayed  his  bigotry  and  his  zeal  for  the  re-es'ablislnneiit 
or,  at  the  least,  the  great  encouragement  and  preference  of  ,)opcry,  tlie 
more  zealously  was  he  opposed  by  the  popular  preachers,  who  k,-t  no  op 
portunily  of  impressing  upon  the  people  a  deep  sense  of  the  evils  \>hicli 
they  might  anticipate  from  a.  return  to  the  papal  system.  Tlic  terrors  and 
the  blandishments  which  the  king  by  turns  employed  caused  many  per- 
sons of  lax  consc'cnce  to  affect  to  be  converted  to  papacy.  Dr.  Siv.irpc, 
a  protestant  clfi'gynian  of  London,  distinguished  himself  by  the  just  sever- 
ity with  whicii  he  denounced  these  time-servers.  His  majesty  was  so 
much  ainioyed  and  enraged  at  the  doctor's  sermons  that  he  issued  an  order 
to  the  bishop  of  London  to  suspend  Sharpe  from  his  clerical  functions 
until  farltier  notice.  The  bishop  very  projjcrly  refused  to  comply  with 
this  arbitrary  and  unconstitutional  order.  The  king  tlien  determined  to 
include  the  bishop  in  his  punishment,  and  i  -sued  an  ecclesiastical  commis- 
sion, giving  to  the  seven  persons  to  wliom  it  was  directed  en  unlimited 
Eower  in  matters  clerical.  Before  the  comn  Issioneis  thus  authoriscil, 
oth  the  bishop  and  Dr.  Sharpe  were  summoned,  and  sentenced  to  be  sus- 
pended during  the  king's  pleasure. 

Though  a  bigot,  James  was  undoubtedly  a  sincere  one.  He  readily  be- 
lieved tiiai  all  argument  would  end  in  favour  of  popery,  and  that  all  .sin- 
cere an»l  teachable  spirits  would  become  pai)ist  if  full  latitude  were  given 
to  teaching. 

In  this  belief  he  now  determined  on  a  universal  indulgence  of  eon- 
science,  and  a  formal  declaration  informed  the  people  that  all  sectaries 
should  have  full  indulgence,  and  that  nonconformity  was  no  longer  a 
crime.  He  again,  too,  sent  a  message  to  Itome  offering  to  reconcile  liis 
people  to  the  papal  jjower.  But  the  earl  of  Castlemain,  who  was  now 
employed,  met  with  no  more  success  than  Caryll  had  met  with  at  an  ear- 
lier period  of  the  king's  reign.  The  pope  understood  governing  belter 
than  James,  and  better  understood  the  actual  temper  of  the  Knglish  peo 
pic.  lie  knew  that  much  might,  with  the  aid  of  time,  be  done  in  ilio  wa\ 
of  underminhig  the  su|)ports  of  the  protestant  church  ;  wliilc  the  rash  and 
arbitrary  measures  of  James  were  calculated  only  to  awaken  the  people  to 
watchfulness  and  inspire  them  with  a  spirit  of  resistance. 

Not  even  Rome  could  discourage  James  from  prosecuting  his  r.isli 
measures.  lie  encouraged  the  Jesuits  to  erect  colleges  in  various  parts 
of  the  country  ;  tiic  catholic  worship  was  celebrated  not  oidy  openly  but 
ostentatiously;  and  four  catholic  bishops,  after  having  publicly  been  con- 
secrated in  the  king's  chapel,  were  sent  to  exercise  their  functions  ol 
vicars  apostolical  throughout  the  kingdom. 

But  the  king  was  not  unopposed.  He  recommended  Father  Francis,  n 
Benedictine  monk,  to  t!ie  university  of  Cambridge,  for  the  degree  of  mas 
terofarts.  The  university  replied  by  a  petition,  in  which  they  prayed 
the  king  to  excuse  them  upon  the  ground  of  the  father's  religion.  An 
endeavour  was  then  made  to  terrify  the  university  by  summoning  t!ie 
vice-chancellor  before  tlio  liigh  commission  court ;  but  both  that  func- 
tionary and  his  university  wCiC  firm,  and  Father  Francis  was  refused  his 
degrees. 

The  sister  university  of  Oxford  displayed  the  like  conscientious  and  de- 
trmincd  spirit     The  presidency  of  iMagdalen  college  becoming  vacant 


and  fifty  at 
ictims  wero 
llicted  upon 
,  let  us  not 
i  absurd  pre- 

V  sufficiontlj 
>  of  religion. 
I'ablishinent 
;  jiopcry,  tlie 
10  K'-l  no  op 
f!  evils  wbicli 
jc  terrors  unJ 
3d  many  pcr- 
Dr.  Slv.upc, 
he  just  sever- 
iijesly  was  so 
5sued  an  orikr 
rical  ftuictions 
)  comply  with 
determined  to 
^stieal  commis- 
si en  unliniiU'd 
iius  aulUoriscii, 
nieed  to  be  sus- 

He  readily  be- 
ard that  all'  sin- 
gle were  given 

Icrencc  of  oon- 

lat  all  sectiirics 

•as  no  longer  a 

to  reconcile  liia 

I,  who  was  now 

t  witb  at  an  car- 

Irovernins  beltor 

nc  Knglisli  poo 

(lom;  in  vlie  win 

iiile  the  rash  and 

.en  the  people  to 

L'cutin;:  bis  r;.sh 
ill  various  parts 
only  openly  but 
jbliely  been  con- 
ic ir  fuuetions  ol 

lather  Francis,  u 
ie  degree  of  mas 
Inch  they  prayed 
-'s  religion.  An 
sumnioninS  ">'= 
ii  both  that  fnnc- 
[s  was  refused  lu9 

Iscientious  and  de- 
Ihccoming  v;'.eant 


THE  TREASaRY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


621 


(he  king  recommended  for  that  lucrative  and  honourable  situation  a  Dr. 
Farmer,  wlio  was  a  new  and  merely  time-serving  convert  to  papacy,  ainl 
who,  in  ()lli(!r  r('spc(;ts,  was  by  no  means  the  sort  of  character  who  would 
do  lionour  to  so  hi<rli  a  preferment.  Tiie  fellows  respectfully  but  firmly 
refnsed  to  obey  the  king's  mandate  lor  tlie  election  of  this  man,  and  James 
sliowed  his  sense  of  the  refusal  by  ejecting  all  but  two  of  them  from  their 
fellowships. 

A.  D.  1G88. — An  increasing  disafTcction  to  the  king  was  the  inevitable 
consequence  of  his  perseveranee  in  this  arbitrary  course,  many  instances 
of  which  we  miglu  cite.  JJut  heedless  alike  of  the  murmurs  of  his  own 
subjects  and  of  the  probable  effect  of  lliose  murmurs  upon  the  minds  ot 
foreign  i)rinces,  James  issued  a  second  declaration  of  liberty  of  conscience. 
As  if  to  add  insult  to  tiiis  evident  blow  at  tiie  established  church,  .lames 
ordered  tliat  this  second  declaration  should  be  read  by  ail  clergy nien  at 
the  conclusion  of  divine  service.  The  dignitaries  of  the  chure!i  of  Kug- 
laiid  now  considered  that  farther  endurance  would  argue  ratlier  lukc- 
warnmess  for  tlie  church  or  frross  i)ersonal  timidity,  tlian  mere  and  due 
respect  to  the  sovereign,  and  tiiey  determined  firmly,  though  temperately 
to  resist  at  this  point. 

Accordir.^ly,  Sancroft,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Lloyd,  bishop  of  St. 
Asaiih,  Kenn.  bislio])  of  Halh  and  Well.s,  Turner  bishop  of  VAy,  Lake, 
bishop  of  Chichester,  Wliite,  bishop  of  PeterboiO'igh,  and  Trelawney, 
bisiiop  of  Bristol,  drew  up  a  respectful  memoria'.  to  the  king,  in  which 
ihey  stated  tlnit  their  eonscicntious  respect  to  tie  protestant  religion  as 
bv  law  established  would  not  allow  tliem  a  'd  their  clergy  to  yield  obedi- 
fiice  to  his  mandate.  The  king  tieated  thispeition  as  something  ap- 
proaciiing  to  a  treasonable  denial  of  his  rights  Tlio  areli'.ishops  and 
hisiuiiis  were  summoned  before  him  at  the  council,  and  he  sternly  asked 
ihoni  if  they  ventured  to  avow  their  jietition.  Tiie  question  remained  fot 
some  time  unanswered  ;  but  ,\\.  length  the  prelates  rejilied  in  tiiu  alfirma- 
;[ve,  and  were  inunediaiely,  on  their  declining  to  give  bail,  committed  to 
the  Tower  on  the  eliarge  of  having  uttered  a  seditions  libel. 

On  llie  twenty-ninth  of  June  in  tliis  year  the  trial  of  the  bishops  look 
place;  and  as  it  was  evident  that  in  ilefending  the  chnrcli  the  jirelates 
wore  also,  and  at  a  most  iin|)ortant  crisis,  boldly  standing  forward  as  the 
ciiainpions  of  the  whole  nation,  the  proceedings  were  watched  with  u 
most  intensi>  interest  by  men  of  everj'  rank,  and,  save  a  few  bigoted  or 
mlrrested  papists,  by  men  of  every  shade  of  religious  opinion.  The  law- 
vers  on  either  side  exerted  th(nns(dves  greatly  and  ably  ;  and  two  of  t!ie 
jihl^u's,  Powid  and  Hoiloway,  [ihuiily  declared  their  opinion  to  l)e  in  favour 
nf  the  bisiiops.  The  jury,  however,  even  nowliad  grave  doniits,  and  re- 
mained in  deliberation  during  tiie  entire  iiiglit.  On  the  following  morning 
Westininster-ball  was  literally  crowded  with  spectators  anxious  to  know 
ihe  result,  and  when  the  jury  appeared  and  returned  a  verdict  of  "  Not 
'.'iiiity,''  a  mighty  cheer  arose  witliin  the  hall,  was  taken  up  by  the  crowds 
niitsiiie,  and  passed  from  street  to  street,  from  town  to  country,  and  from 
village  to  village.  James  was  at  the  time  dining  with  Lord  Favcrsham 
111  tiie  camp  at  Ilounslow,  ten  miles  from  London.  Tiie  cheers  of  the 
people  reached  even  to  this  distance,  and  were  re-echoed  by  the  soldiers 
with  a  heartiness  and  loudness  tliat  actually  alarmed  James,  who  eagerly 
iininired  what  that  noise  could  iiic;'.n. 

"It  is  iiollnng,  sire,"  replied  one  of  the  attendants,  "but  the  soldiers 
shouting  at  the  acquittal  of  the  bishops." 

"  And  do  you  call  that  nothing!"  replied  James :  "  but  it  shall  be  all  the 
worse  for  them  ail." 

The  shouts  of  the  soldiers  at  the  failure  of  James'  arbitrary  attempt 
ijTi.inst  the  bishops  was.  indeed,  an  ominous  sign  of  the  times.  His 
iifurts  for  Rome  had  b«cn  repudiated  and  discouraged  by  Rome  ;  and  now 


?t-V 

' 

■ 

1J. 

iM  1 

^f^t^:  i 

■, 

<^-;  ..  1 

• ' 

t 

i 

"'-'  p,. 


''■■IP' 

0 '' 


»<;lft» 


';'  *V 


tj   I 


622 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


•7i 


oven  his  very  soldiery,  upon  whom  alone  he  could  rely  for  strengrth,  tes- 
tified t'leir  sympathy  willi  the  popular  cause.  But  the  infatuated  monarch 
did  not  ovfMi  yet  know  the  full  extent  of  his  peril.  Many  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  kin<rdoni  were  in  close  though  cautious  correspondence  witlia 
foreign  potentate,  and  the  most  extensive  and  formidable  prepiiralions 
were  beinjr  made  to  hurl  James  from  a  tliroue  which  he  had  so  signally 
proved  iiimself  unworthy  to  fill. 

Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  James,  was  married  to  William,  prince  of  Or- 
ange,  who  was  at  once  the  subtle  and  profound  politician  and  the  accom- 
plished and  tried  soldier.  To  this  able  and  protcstant  prince  the  nialcoii- 
tents  of  I'iiigland,  who  now  through  James'  incurable  infatuation  included 
all  that  was  best  and  most  honourable  as  well  as  most  influential  of  the 
nation,  turned  their  eyes  for  deliverance.  He  had  ioiie  been  aware  nftho 
discontcnis  lliat  existed  in  l-higland,  but  kept  up  an  appearance  of  perfect 
amity  with  the  king,  and  even  in  his  correspondence  with  the  leading  nieii 
of  th(!  op|)()sition  warily  avoided  committing  himself  too  far,  am!  afi'octed 
to  dissuade  them  from  proceeding  to  extremities  against  theu  .-overeign. 
But  the  ferment  occasioned  by  tut;  afTair  of  the  bishops  encouraged  iiim 
to  throw  off  tiie  mask  ;  he  had  long  been  making  preparations  for  .such  a 
crisis,  and  lie  now  resolved  to  act.  lie  had  his  i)rej)aration:i  so  coinphne, 
indeed,  that  in  a  short  time  after  the  acquittal  of  the  bishop'',  he  dropped 
down  the  canals  and  rivers  from  Nimeugen  with  a  well  stored  licet  of 
five  huiidr<'d  vessels  and  an  army  of  upwards  of  fourteen  thousand  men. 
As  all  William's  preparations  had  been  made  on  pretext  of  an  intendod 
invasion  of  Trance,  he  actually  landed  in  Kngland,  at  Torbay,  without  liav- 
ing  excited  the  slightest  -ihirin  in  the  mind  of  James. 

William  now  marched  his  army  to  I'Lxeterand  issued  proclamations,  in 
which  lie  iiiviteil  the  p(!0[ile  to  aid  him  iii  delivering  them  fi-oin  the  ty- 
ranny iiiidcr  which  they  groaned  ;  but  such  a  dtiep  and  general  terror  had 
been  struck  iiito  that  iifighboiirhood  l)y  the  awful  scenes  that  had  rollowcd 
the  alTair  of  Monmoutii,  that  even  the;  numerous  and  well-appointed  force 
of  William  encouraged  but  f<>w  volunteers  to  join  him.  Ten  days  ehipsed, 
and  William,  contrasting  the  apathy  of  the  people  with  the  entlni.siasiic 
invitations  iie  had  received  from  man)'  of  the  leariingmen  of  the  eoiiniry, 
began  io  de;<[)aii,  and  even  to  consult  with  his  oflicers  on  the  propriciyof 
re-cinHarking,  and  leaving  so  faithless  a  gentry  aiul  so  apathetic  apopiiiace 
to  eiidurj  th(!  miseries  which  they  dared  not  rise  against.  IJiit  at  iliis 
critical  mom'  nt  ho  was  joineil  by  some!  men  of  great  inlluence  and  iiotc; 
his  arrival  and  his  for'-e  became  generally  known,  and  multitudes  uf  all 
ranks  now  d.idared  in  his  favour. 

TIk;  iiiovcine  i.  once  •  imineiiced,  the  revolution  was  virtually  accnm- 
plisbed.  Kvrn  u...-)  moM  favoured  and  confidential  servants  of  James  now 
abandoned  him  ;  and  whatever  might  have  been  the  faults  of  the  iiiifortu- 
nate  kins,  it  is  impossible  not  to  fe^  i  deep  disgust  at  the  um.atiinl  and 
ungrateful  conduct  of  some  of  those  who  now  coldly  abandonci)  Ii,m  ju 
the  moinciit  of  his  deepest  perplexity  and  need.  Lord  Chundnll,  for  in- 
stance, afterwards  duke  of  M.-irllnuough,  and  undoubtedly  one  of  the  ureal. 
est  generals  Kiigland  has  ever  pos-;essed,  acted  upon  this  oecasion  wilh 
a  moist  scandaliius  ingratitude.  Originally  only  a  page  in  the  royal  liouse- 
hol.l,  he  had  by  ilie  king's  favour  been  raised  to  high  command  and  lucra- 
tive! honours.  Uut  now  when  his  talents  and  his  sword  were  most  iifcdod 
by  the  king,  he  not  only  deserlcil  him,  but  also  intluenced  Sfvi  i:ii  oilier 
lea<ling  eh.ir.ieters  to  desen  wiili  him,  including  the  duke  of  (irafton,  aii 
illegitimate  son  of  Charles  11. 

Uut  ihe  most  shameful  defter! ion,  and  that  which  the  most  deeply  pained 
and  disgusted  the  unforlunate  king,  was  that  of  the  princess  Anne,  who 
had  ever  been  his  most  favoured  and,  seemingly,  his  most  atiaclied 
Jaughter      But  this  illustrious  lady,  and  her  husband,  the  prince  of  Dcii- 


ivength,  tes- 
ted monarch 
the  Iciidiiig 
dence  with  a 
prppanilions 
i  so  signally 

prince  of  On 
d  the  aec'om- 
c  the  malcon- 
lUiou  incluiled 
lenti-.il  of  the 
1  aware  of  the 
mce  of  perfect 
le  leadiiiii  men 
ir,  and  affiH'ted 
lOiv  .•sovereign. 
acouraKcd  him 
ons  for  such  a 
IV'.  so  coinpUnc, 
op'',  \w  dropped 

stored  lleci  of 

thonsawl  mm. 

of  an  intended 
ay.williouthav- 

rocbmations,  in 
,n  from  the  ty- 
encral  terror  had 
that  had  fiillDwed 
■appointed  fori'e 
'en  days  chipspil. 
the  enthnsiasiie 
u  of  the  eonniry, 
1  the  pvopi'it'iy  of 
,uhetieapopiilaeB 
list,     lint  at  this 
Iweiice  and  note; 
multitudes  of  all 

virtuallv  accnm- 
irts  of  .lames  iviw 
Its  of  tltP  nnforiu- 
the  unt.alnnl  and 
ihandoned  hmi  m 
ChurcduU,  for  m- 
y  one  of  the  20  ">t- 
his  oeeasioii  ''ViUi 
n  the  roval  Imusf- 
mmandan.iUiria- 
were  m"st  !iH"lfrt 
ccd  sfvi MM    other 
ike  of  Crafton/aii 

iiost  deeply  pained 
.•,„^.es8  Anne,  who 
his  nio^t  attached 
he  pnnci^  ol  l)c»- 


THE  TttEA8UaY  OF  HISTORY. 


623 


(nark,  now  joined  the  rest  in  deserting;  tlie  king,  who  in  his  too  tardy 
sense  of  his  lielpless  situation  passionately  exclaimed,  "  God  help  me ! 
Kven  my  own  children  desert  me  now." 

Unahle  to  rely  upon  his  troops,  seeing  only  Ciiraged  fenemies  among  all 
ranks  of  his  subjeets,  and  so  deserted  by  his  court  that  he  had  dcarcely 
the  neeessary  personal  attendance,  he  sent  the  queen,  who  had  recently 
been  confined  of  a  son,  over  to  Calais  ;  and  then,  witli  only  one  attendant, 
Sir  Edward  Males,  a  new  convert  to  popery,  whose  fidelity  to  his  unhappy 
master  cannot  be  too  highly  applauded,  he  secret'"  left  London,  intending 
to  follow  the  (jueeii  to  France.  He  was  rccogiuserri  and  stopped  by  the 
mob,  but  being  confined  at  Rochester,  he  wa«  so  carelessly  guarded,  that 
lie  was  alile — probably  from  secret  orders  given  by  William,  wham  his 
detention  would  have  embarrassed — to  escape  with  his  ri;'.taral  son,  the 
duke  of  Uerwick,  and  tlu^y  arrived  safely  in  France.  He  was  well  re- 
ceived by  the  French  court,  and  encouraged  to  persevere  in  the  intention 
he  possessed,  of  at  least  making  an  endeavour  to  reconquer  his  kingdom. 

Hut  that  kingdom  had  finally  rejected  him,  and  was  even  at  that  moment 
engaged  in  discussing  the  means  of  erecting  a  secure  and  free  govern- 
ment upon  the  ruins  of  his  most  unwise,  gratuitous,  and  absurd  desritis.n. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

THE   REION    OF   WILLIAM    III. 

A.  D.  IfiftO. — The  most  influential  members  of  both  houses  of  parliamen' 
the  privy  council,  with  the  archbisliop  of  Canterbury,  the  loni  mayor  and 
other  leading  men,  now  debated  upon  the  course  that  ought  to  be  taken. 
King  Jai  \es  was  alive ;  he  had  not  formally  resigned  his  throne  ;  no  actual 
hostilities  had  taken  place  between  liiin  and  his  peonie,  nor  had  he  by 
arms  or  by  law  been  formally  deposed,  15ut  he  liad  fled  fr"!n  the  king- 
dom at  the  mere  appearance  of  an  invader,  and  on  the  bare,  however  we!l- 
fouiuled.  assumption  of  the  hostility  of  his  people  and  th"ir  cncert  with 
tlie  invading  power.  A  clearer  ease  of  eoiistrnctive  aOL'-'-ation  it  'vould 
not  be  easy  to  conceive,  and  botli  houses  of  i.arliainent  at  once  proceeded 
to  voK;  that  the  king  had  abdicati  il. 

Bat  another  ami  more  dilUculi  point  now  remained  for  consideration. 
rai<iiig  the  king's  abdication  to  l»e  lln(ii^■jlutcd — who  was  to  succeed  him? 
Toiild  he,  because  weary  of  ihe  throne  or  una'.do  to  maintain  himself  upon 
it,  cut  off  the  entail  of  thf  ihronel  His  ([ueen  was  reeenlly  delivered  of  a 
6011 ;  ill. it  son,  by  the  well  known  Kiigllsli  law  of  succession,  had  right  of 
mlieritaiKu^  prior  to  the  princi  sses ;  ought  he  not,  tlien,  to  be  made  king, 
aiid  a  regency  appointed  '  But,  if  .^o,  would  not  the  paternity  of  Jisnes 
enable  liiin  to  continue  his  ilespotisni  through  his  son  when  the  latter 
should  attain  bis  majority  ?  The  pi>iut  was  a  most  important  one,  and  as 
(lilRcuU  of  sidutioM  as  it  was  iinporiant;  but  wc  have  ever  been  of  opinion 
tliiit  till'  leading  statesmen  of  that  day  dvenkd  upon  it  very  much  in  the 
'pitit  of  the  sun  of  I'hilip,  who  cut  ' n'  <iordiaii  knot  viiicU  he  fouiid  him- 
-elf  unable  to  untie.  The  revolntioii  was,  undoubtedly,  a  necessary  one, 
for  JanitN'  tyranny  was  great  and  insensate :  and  il  was  a  g!ori"as  one, 
iiiasnnteh  as  it  was  iccoinplished  without  bloo-s!ied.  But  the;e  consider- 
aticms,  iiiii)ori;uit  -.-.a  they  are.  must  n«H  iwovont  us  from  uenonncing  the 
iiijiisiiee  wit  i  which  the  {*'adi'is{  men  of  England,  finding  tivMuselves  in 
jreat  a«<!  gr.<'V(ws  diffieuiT\'  how  to  reoonciie  their  own  liberties  and  the 
nglits  ol  the  infam  -Km  of  tii-  ab.^"Mte.!  king,  pronounced  that  son  supyf- 
tuiitnit.i !  Tin-  inosa  ridicub  iis  ia,«-»  *.  r*'  tidd  uad  credited  ;  it  was  oven 
averred  that  the  qu'-en  had  neve  j-fa  pr.  anant  at  all,  but  that  the  child 
who  was  now  pronounced  sapposititious  had  been  cocveyed  to  the  apart- 


Sil^ilifa' 


r-m 


<>    '5  1, 


<  M 


1 


0»4 


THE  TllKA.SUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


merits  of  tlio  qiiccii  from  tliosr  of  itH  rciil  mother  in  a  warming  pan!  Bm 
when  ninii  hiivc  (iLttrniintnl  upon  injustice  any  pn^lcxt  will  s^rvc  tli'ur 
turn.  Tlu!  voiim;:  prince,  llicn,  v/as  pronounced  illegiliniate,  and  tho 
Uirone  hciuir  vacant  it  was  tiicn  proposed  to  raise  the  princess  of  Oraiifrc, 
James'  clilcst  danylitcr,  to  tiie  tin-one  as  her  hereditary  rif,dit.  Itiil  to  tlija 
course  there  was  an  in>!uperal)U'  and  unexpected  obstacle.  Tiic  iijirh  :iuj 
atcrn  ambition  of  tiie  prince  of  Orange  forbade  liini,  in  his  own  coarse  but 
expressive  plirasc  "  to  a(;cept  of  a  iiingdom  wliicli  ho  was  to  iiokl  only  by 
his  wife's  a|)ron  strinjjs."  He  would  cither  have  the  crown  conferred 
upon  himself,  or  he  would  return  to  his  own  country  and  leave  die  V.n- 
glish  to  sctile  their  own  dillii'ulties  as  tliey  best  niif^ht ;  anil  ai'cdrdingly 
the  crown  was  sctllcd  upon  William  and  Mary  and  their  heirs,  the  ailunii- 
istration  of  all'airs  beiny;  veslel  in  William  alone. 

ThoiiL;li  the  declaration  of  toleration  issued  by  James  had  piven  such 
deep  and  ijcnrral  oirenee,  it  liad  done  so  oidy  as  it  indicated  the  desire  o( 
James  to  dcprivi;  bolh  the  elimeh  of  I'hitjland  and  the  dissenters  of  security 
from  llie  inroads  of  jiapacy.  I'resuminif  from  this  fact  that  toleration 
would  not  ia  itself  be  disagreeable  to  the  nation,  William  commcncul  his 
reign  by  an  aitempt  to  rejieal  the  laws  that  commanded  uniforanty  oi 
worship,  lint  the  lMiylisli,as  has  well  been  remarked, were  "more  reailj 
to  examine  the  commands  of  their  sni)eriors  than  to  obey  tlieni ;"'  aiW 
William,  aliliou;,rh  looked  upon  as  the  d(divere?  of  the  nation,  eouUl  only 
60  far  su<'crcd  iu  this  desjirn,  as  to  i)rocurc  toleration  fcr  such  disseatcri 
as  should  ladd  no  private  conventicles  and  should  take  the  oaths  of  allcj^i- 

iUCO. 

The  attention  of  William,  Iiowever,  was  very  speedily  called  from  tin 
regulation  of  his  new  kiiiijdom  lo  the  measures  necessary  for  its  pre^nrva 
tion.  James,  as  we  have  said,  was  received  in  France  with  great  friend- 
ship; and  Ireland,  mainly  catholic,  still  remained  true  to  him.  Ilavm^ 
assembled  all  the  force  he  eoidd,  therefore,  James  determmod  to  nuke 
Ireland  his  p'linl  d'appui,  and,  embarking  at  liresl,  he  landed  at  the  port  of 
Kinsale  on  the  2Jd  of  May,  1(5.-9.  Here  cverytliinsi  tended  to  Hatter  liis 
hoj)es.  Ills  progress  to  l)ubliii  was  a  sort  of  triumi)h.  Tyrcoiinel,  tlie 
lord  heuteiiaiit,  received  him  with  loyal  warmth  aiirl  resi)ect ;  the  old  army 
was  not  merely  faithful  but  zealous,  and  was  very  easily  increased  by  new 
levies  to  the  imposing  foree  of  forty  thousand  men. 

Some  f(!w  t(nviis  in  Ireland,  being  chielly  inhabited  by  protes'.aiits,  ImJ 
declared  for  King  William,  and  among  these  was  Derry,  or  Londonderry, 
and  to  this  town  James  at  once  proceeded  to  lay  siege.  The  military 
authoritiiis  would  jirobably  have  been  glad  to  have  delivered  the  place  tip 
to  their  law  fill  sovereign  ;  but  a  clergyman,  .Mr.  George  Walker,  jilaceil 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  protestant  inhabitants  of  the  town,  and  workeil 
up  their  minds  to  such  a  pitch  of  enthusiasm  that  they  resolved  to  liola 
out  the  place,  until  it  should  be  relieved  by  William,  or  perish  in  the  at- 
tempt. The  cnlhusiasni  spread  to  tho  very  lowest  and  weak(!Sl  of  the 
population;  and  tliough  famine  and  fever  made  fearful  ravages,  and  surh 
loathsome  objects  as  eats  and  rats  became  covetiid  for  food,  the  besu'ijed 
still  held  out.  This  devotion  was  at  length  rewarded.  .V  store-sliip, 
heavilv  ladmi  with  provision,  broke  the  boom  vvliich  had  i)een  laid  across 
tbc  fiver,  and  the  famished  inhabitants  of  Derry  ree-eived  at  once  an  aliiiii- 
dant  supply  of  provisions  and  a  most  welcome  addition  to  their  garrisou 
of  hale  and  fresh  men.  James,  dur'^ig  this  obstinate  siege,  had  lost  nine 
thousand  of  ins  troops,  and  as  th(i  aid  now  thrown  into  tho  town  reiidereJ 
his  sui-eerfjj  more  unlikely  than  ever,  he  withdrew  his  army  in  tho  night, 
and  prepared  to  meet  W'llliam,  who  in  person  was  about  to  attack  hiin. 

A.  D  1G130. — The  hostile  armies  came  iu  sight  of  each  other  upon  tlio 
opposite  sid(!S  of  the  river  Doyne,  which  might  easily  have  been  forded 
but  for  ditches  and  old  houses  which  rendered  the  banka  defeasible.    To 


ii 


fiiablt 

Uut, 

in/lcj 

(Wl 
five 

\Vi 
aided 
obstiiii 
Iht  li, 

iiUUlt, 

nor  CI 
propi/ 
sliouid 
I.,  a:i 

*Hii,i;-. 

•Scot  I 

siitu.a 

coverii 

A.  I) 

'estani 

et»^aj>e 

flow 

Yoi 


g  pan  \    Bm 

1  surve  thuir 
U(;,  und  tho 
,s  of  Oriingc, 
lUit  to  tllJ!) 
rill!  liiijli  ;\u(3 
i'li  coaiso  bul 
lioUl  only  by 
wii  coiifurrcd 
leave  iliL'  Ku- 
,cl  ai'C(ivdiiii,'ly 
rs,  tilt'  ailmiu- 

ad  p^vcn  such 
d  the  desire  ol 
tersofsecuriiy 
that  toleration 
:omnieuc(  d  liia 
1  uiillormily  ol 
e  "  iiiori:  reinl) 
)cy  ilii'i" ;"'  f'"'-' 
lion,  fould  only 
sueli  disstiiilcri 
!  oaths  of  allcgi- 


i  proles'.. mis.  \ai. 
or  Londonderry, 
e.    Tho  military 
(!red  the  idace  up 
m  Walker,  pbceil 
)\vii,  and  workeil 
resolved  to  hula 
[M>rish  in  the  ai- 
weakesl  of  tin' 
ravages,  and  siu'li 
food,  the  bcsioi,.ed 
(1.      \  store-ship, 
d  bocii  hiid  across 
d  at  onec!  an  abim- 
u  to  their  iiarrisou 
liege,  had  lo.-sl  nuic 
the  town  rendered 
army  nv  H'^'  "'f^'''' 
It  to  attaek  hini. 
ich  other  upon  tUo 
%  have  been  fordeJ 
iks  defeasible.    IJ 


THE  TllBAbURY  OF  HISTOEY. 


am 


this  facility  of  ambush,  in  fact,  the  life  of  William  very  nearly  became  a 
gacrifice.  As  he  rode  out  along  his  lines  to  reconnoitre  "his  opijonenlo  and 
determine,  upon  his  plan  of  battle,  a  eainion  w  i ,  seerelly  pointed  at  him, 
and  lired  with  such  good  aim  that  he  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder,  aev- 
cral  of  his  siaif  being  kdled  by  his  side. 

On  tho  following  morning  William  t-ommenced  operations  by  cannou- 
adiiig  the  masking  bouses;  from  winch  he  had  sudered  so  iimch  amioyanec, 
and  then  he  led  over  his  army  m  three  divisions.  They  crossed  ihe  river 
v.ilhoMt  any  considerable  loss,  formed  ia  good  order  on  the  oppo.^ile  side 
;iiid  an  obsiinato  battle  ensued.  The  Irish,  as  well  as  their  Fren-h  and 
Swiss  allies,  fought  well  and  zealously,  but  they  were  inferior  in  cavalry  ; 
a',d  the  furious  cliarges  of  William's  cavalry,  led  on  by  himself,  at  length 
caused  the  Irish  to  retreat,  and  the  mere  mercenary  Swiss  and  French 
very  speedily  followed.  Perhaps  the  victory  thus  gained  by  William  was 
in  110  slight  degree  owing  to  the  fact  of  his  having  personally  led  on  bis 
troops,  who  were  thus  inspired  with  a  zeal  and  courage  which  .Tames 
should  have  hnit  to  his  troops  by  a  similar  personal  devotion  and  daring. 
Hut  though  James'  personal  courage  was  beyond  all  (pieslion,  and  had 
been  signally  shown  during  the  Dutch  war  in  Ihc  reigu  of  his  brother,  ho 
on  this  occasion  allowed  the  prudence  of  the  sovereign  to  outweigh  the 
impulses  of  the  soldier.  Posted  on  the  hill  of  Duninore,  which  com- 
manded the  scene  of  action,  he  gazed  upon  the  eventful  battle  without 
even  detaching  a  squadron  of  the  horse  which  surrounded  him  to  aid  in 
repulsing  the  terrible  cavalry  charges  of  Willi m.  Tho  defeat  of  the  Irish 
army  was  as  complete  as  might  have  been  aniicipated  from  this  very  op- 
posite conduct  of  the  opposing  leaders.  Of  James"  troops  nearly  (i'fteen 
hundred  were  killed  and  wounded,  while  William  lot,t  barely  a  iliird  of 
tliat  number.  Uut  he  sustained  a  heavy  loss,  indeed,  in  tho  death  of  the 
brave  and  able  duke  of  Schomberg,  who  was  shot  as  he  crossed  the  river, 
cheering  on  his  men. 

A.  D.  lU'Jl. — Disastrous  as  the  battle  of  tlie  Boyne  had  proved  to  Jr.mcs, 
it  did  not  altogether  destroy  his  hopes.  By  great  exertions  he  got  an 
army  again  into  condition  for  service,  and  it  was  now  committed  to  liie 
li'adersliip  of  lieneral  St.  Ruth,  a  man  of  known  gallantry  and  conduct 
This  army  was  met  by  that  of  the  luiglish  at  Aughrim ;  and  the  boggy 
nature  of  the  ground  ia  which  St.  Ruth  had  taken  up  an  admirable  position 
tnabled  him  to  repulse  the  ICnglish  with  great  loss  in  several  charges. 
Uut,  though  galled  and  weakened,  they  returned  to  the  charge  with 
inflexible  resolution,  and  St.  Ruth  being  killed  by  a  cannon  ball,  his  men 
fill  into  disorder,  and  retreated  to  Limerick  with  the  loss  of  upwards  of 
five  thousand  of  their  number. 

William  now  proceeded  to  besiege  Limerick,  the  garrison  of  which  city, 
aided  by  the  troops  who  had  escaped  from  Aug! i rim,  made  a  gallant  and 
obstinate  defence  ;  but  the  linglish  gained  ground  so  rapidly  that,  to  avoid 
the  horrors  which  must  have  resulted  from  the  place  being  taken  by  as~ 
sault,  the  Irish  leaders  demanded  a  parley.  William  was  neither  bigoted 
nor  cruel,  and  he  offered  no  objection  to  the  terms  on  which  the  garrison 
'propo  ed  to  surrender.  These  terms  were,  that  the  catholics  of  Ireland 
should  have  that  freedom  of  religion  which  they  had  enjoyed  under  ("harles 

I.,  and  (hat  all  Irish  persons  should  be  at  liberty  to  remove  with  their 
•and' cs  and  properly  to  any  part  of  the  world,  excepiiug  England  and 
'Scollaiid.  Above  fourteen  thousand  availed  themselves  of  liiis  latter 
siiiu.at'on  and  were  conveyed  to  France  at  the  expense  of  the  English 
sovcrnment. 

A.  1).  I G92.-  William  aspired  to  the  distinction  of  being  head  of  the  pro- 
'estaiii  interests  in  Europe :  hence  the  country  was  almost  perpetually 
eKt>aged  m  continental  wars  ;  and  if  it  were  not  absoliilely  necessary  te 

Mow  the  energies  of  the  English  nation  into  the  scale,  it  suited  the  khig's 
Vol.  L— 40 


M^--^- 


836 


THE  TREAeUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


warlike  disposition;  for  thony:li  he  was  by  no  means  uniformly  successful 
at  itie  licail  of  his  iroop.'i,  lie  possessed  ihe  necessary  counigc^  ami  forti- 
tud*',  and  was,  ocyond  arl  doubt,  a  superior  military  eoinniaudfr-  We 
shall  not,  however,  entiT  the  arena  of  his  warlike  a(:hievem(MitM,  ns  gen 
eral  of  llie  allied  arnuca,  in  the  long  and  arduous  strugglt'.  ajiar  ilit 
power  and  restless  ambition  of  Louis  XiV.,  but  keep  our  altenti,,  xrd 
on  those  matters  which  more  exclusively  refer  to  Kngiaiid.  Anion.  ^iso 
was  the  e(debiated  victory  olf  I-a  Hogue  (Ruined  by  the  English  aiK'  utch 
fleets,  over  tlie  I'Vench.  'I'lie  la'.ter  consisted  of  Bixty-thretjslni):*.  and  tjie 
confederate  licet  of  ninety-nine;  but  scarce  one  half  could  eoiiie  id  an 
enga<remint.  The  French  lle;.'t  was  entirely  defeated,  and  driven  to  tlii-ir 
own  coast;  and  at  La  llogue  ami  other  places,  no  less  than  twenty. one 
of  their  laigcit  incii-or-\»ar  were  destroyed,  within  two  or  three  days  after 
the  battle.  ,\mon<i  tiie  rest,  the  Frenidi  admiral's  ship,  the  Rising';  Sun, 
was  set  on  fire,  within  sijjiit  of  the  army  that  was  to  have  made  a  dcsi-eiit 
upon  Kiiirland.  Not  a  single  ship  was  lost  on  the  part  of  the  ivigiish. 
At  this  time  William  was  in  Il(dhind;  but  as  soon  as  the  fleet  arrived  ;it 
Bpithead,  the  queen  sent  X!30,()0()  lo  bo  distributed  among  the  saiinrs,  and 
fold  medals  for  liic  ollicers,  in  ucknowledgment  fur  this  splendid  iuid 
timely  victory, 

Willi  llie  ctdebrated  treaty  of  Limerick  perished  the  last  hope  of  Jame.'i 
to  regain  his  English  dominion  by  the  aid  of  Ireland.  The  king  of  Franrc 
illowcd  liiin  a  considerable  pension,  and  his  daughter  and  Knglisli  fricmls 
Bccasionally  aided  him  to  a  considerable  amount.  He  passed  his  tiiiK; 
m  slui' .,  iM  charity,  and  in  religious  duties  ;  and  even  the  poor  monks  of 
La  'I'vaj'pc,  t.j  whom  he  paid  frequent  visits,  confessed  themselves  edilicii 
oy  tli.:'  iii!;d.;jss  of  liis  maimers  and  the  humility  of  his  sentiments.  We 
i^'pccLdly  i:  v(dl  upon  this  behaviour  of  James,  not  only  because  it  shows 
ir.  a  s'tc!!!;  point  of  view  liow  bad  a  king  a  good  man  may  be;  in  other 
wor(is,  !i<i\>-  much  of  a  peculiar  iibilily  must  be  added  to  the  greatest  aiul 
best  virtues  of  a  private  man  to  prevent  a  king  from  failing,  to  his  own 
and  Ids  people's  vast  injury,  in  the  full^Uneiit  of  the  tremendous  diitn'.sol 
the  throne,  hut  also  because  it  goes  to  refute  a  cruel  calumny  wliicli  but 
too  many  historians  have  joined  in  perpetuating  upon  the  meinery  of 
James. 

Excited  as  men's  minds  were  by  the  revolution,  what  could  be  iiioro 
probable  than  that  bigoted  and  ignorant  admirers  of  the  expelled  James 
should  resort  to  any  means,  however  wicked,  to  assail  William  upon  vvlial 
they,  as  being  still  loyal  to  the  absent  king,  must  have  viewed  as  a  guilt- 
ily usurped  throne.  The  d;istardly  crime  of  assassination  was  resorieii 
to  against  William  ;  and  \hn  ile  crime  of  the  foiled  assassins,  has,  with. 
out  the  shadow  of  a  proof,  been  attributed  to  the  suggestion  of  James 
But,  whether  as  man  or  monarch  every  action  of  his  life  is  opposed  to 
the  probability  of  this  vile  imputauon.  Tyrannous,  arbitrary,  ami  bigoted 
lie  was;  but  he  was  stern,  direct,  and  sturdy.  Even  in  his  earlier  diiys 
he  would  have  resorted  to  open  force,  not  to  dastardly  treaeh-  y;  and 
after  the  treaty  of  Limerick  had  deprived  him  of  all  reasonable  hope  of 
recovering  his  kingdom,  his  mind  evidently  became  impressed  with  a 
deep  sense  of  the  worthlessness  of  worldly  prosperity  and  greatness. 
He  became  more  a  monk  in  spirit  than  many  were  who  wore  the  monk- 
ish i!Owl;  and  so  far,  we  think,  was  he  from  being  willing  to  remove  lii» 
successful  rival  by  the  hand  of  the  assassin,  that  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  he  did  not  deem  the  usurped  greatness  of  that  rival  far  more  in 
the  light  of  a  curse  than  of  a  blessing. 

James  survived  the  extinction  of  his  kingly  hopes  rather  more  tliaii 
seven  y.-^ars.  His  ascetic  way  of  life,  acting  upon  a  frame  much  en- 
feebled  by  previous  struggles  and  chagrins,  threw  him  into  a  painful  :nd 
tedious  disease,  and  he  died  on  the  sixteenth  of  September,  1700— his  hst 


THh  TRKASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


627 


•'I-  his 

iiive 

■iitlj 

y  sooa 

jinestic 


momonta  being  sppiit  in  enjoininjr  liis  son  to  prefer  religion  lo  all  worldly 
iidvaiitages,  however  i.Uunnij.  At  his  own  espeeial  nuiuesf,  niado  jutl 
hcfore  Ins  death,  James  was  interred,  without  any  utlenipt  at  funeral 
lioiii;>,  in  tiie  ciiurcii  of  the  Knijlisli  Hcnediclines  at  Paris. 

A.  D.  J.(>!)7.— In  our  desue  to  traee  tlio  royal  exile,  Jam"s.  to  tlio  very 
rlose  of  his  eventful  and  unfortunate  earei-r,  we  have  lewliat  out- 
^u'pped  till'  ehronolo<,'ieal  niareli  of  our  history. 

Tliuu;{h  an  uhlc  politieiau,  and  th'jugh,  at  the  '•( 
n^i  n\,  Piiiricicntly  well  inclined  to  use  and  preser\i' 
lis  niuld  belonij  to  the  elected  monarch  of  a  peopl' 
beheaded  one  sovereign  and  driven  another  into  exile, 
grew  weary  of  disputing  with  his  eabinet.  In  trulii,  .ciLiy 
pohtics  were  not  William's  forte.  Fie  had  tiie  rnind  and  the  (  .vpansivo 
gaze  of  an  emperor  rather  tiian  the  minute  views  of  a  king,  and  was  eal- 
inihited  rather  |o  rule  nations  than  to  watch  over  the  comparativ(!ly  small 
affairs  of  a  single  slate.  He  saw  how  much  th<'  vast  power  of  Franco 
rrquired,  for  tlie  welfare  of  Kuropc,  to  he  kept  in  check;  and  he  gladly, 
t!u  lofore,  allowed  liis  minist(;rs  lo  infringe  u\)on  his  prerogative  as  to 
Hiigiand,  on  condition  of  their  alTordiiig  him  the  means  of  regulating  tho 
disturbed  bnlanee  of  power  in  Kurope.  The  history  of  his  reign  may  bo 
fiiiuined  up  in  two  svurds — war  and  fundinn'.  Aided  by  tiie  real  and  orig- 
in;:! genius  of  Ihirnelt,  bishop  of  Sarum,  \.  illiam  eontnvi;d  ihat  means  of 
anlieipatiiig  tiie  taxes,  of  mortgaging  tho  resources  of  iho  nation,  which 
in  iTi^ating  the  national  d(;bt  iias  doubtless  led  to  much  evil,  but  which 
has  also  been  the  means  of  carrying  Knglrnd  triumphantly  through  strug- 
gles under  which  it  otherwise  must  have  sunk,  and  to  a  pitch  of  wealth 
;mi!  greatness  to  wliieh  it  could  never  have  aspired,  even  in  wish.  Tho 
treaty  of  Ryswick  at.  length  put  an  end  to  the  sanguinary  and  expensive 
war  witii  France.  It  lias  been  observed  that  the  only  bcnetit  secured  !o 
Eu;;!and  liy  that  treaty  was  the  formal  recognition  of  William's  sr)v- 
[•reigiity  by  the  Frenelt  king.  Unt  it  should  not  be  forgottei;  that  Fiig- 
huui,  111  common  with  all  tlie  rest  of  Kurope,  was  served  and  saved  by 
iliu  check  given  to  tho  gigantic  power  and  the  overweening  ambition  of 
rniiice. 

Willi  war  the  king's  life  may  almost  bo  said  to  have  terminated.  From 
t'oyhood  he  hail  Ixten  of  a  feeble  constitution,  and  long  inquietude  of 
mind  and  exposure  of  body  had  now  completely  exhausted  him.  Ueing 
ihrown  from  his  horse  he  fractured  his  collar-bone.  It  was  set,  but  he  in- 
"  iisfed  upon  being  carried  to  his  favourite  residence,  Kensington  palace. 
Till  motion  of  the  carriage  disunited  the  fractured  bone,  and  the  pain 
itml  irritation  caused  fever  and  diarrluKa,  which,  in  spite  of  all  that  Didloo 
iiiil  other  skilful  surgeons  could  devise,  terminated  the  king's  life,  in  the 
thirteenth  year  of  his  reign  and  the  fifty-second  of  his  age.  Even  in  hia 
lust  ni'.inents  the  "ruling  passion"  was  strong  within  him,  and  only  two 
days  before  his  death  he  Indd  a  long  and  anxious  conference  on  the 
state  of  Europe  with  the  earl  of  Ali)einarle,  who  had  brought  some  iin» 
portant  intelligence  from  Holland. 

Cold  and  reserved  in  his  manners,  William  was  far  from  being  an 
amiable  man.  I3ut  he  was  m<  derate  in  his  priv^ite  expenses,  and  so  de- 
voted to  war  and  statesmansh'p  that  lie  !iau  neither  time  nor  inclination 
for  private  vices.  As  a  soverei^'u  h  j  obtained  his  power  by  an  entire  dis- 
rejard  to  the  feelings  and  interests  of  his  father-in-law,  such  as  we  can- 
not easily  refrain  from  taking  to  be  the  evidence  of  a  bad  heart.  But  ha 
used  his  power  well,  defending  the  honour  and  the  interests  of  his  sub- 
jects abroad,  and  doing  as  much  for  toleration  and  liberty  at  home  as 
they  Jeserved~for  he  did  all  that  their  own  prejudicea  and  jealousiet 
would  allow  him. 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


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1.8 


1.25     1.4      1.6 

■• 6"     

► 

Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  149S0 

(716)  872-4503 


/, 


fA 


Vo 


628 


THE  TBJBAbUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

THB   REIOM   or   AHNK. 

A.  D.  1702. — ^William  III.  having  survived  his  wife,  by  whom  he  left  no 
issue,  Anne,  second  daughter  of  James  II.,  married  to  Prince  George  o( 
Denmark,  ascended  the  throne  am.d  a  general  satisfaction,  which  one 
migiit  reasonably  have  expected  to  be  greatly  checked  by  the  remem- 
brance of  her  extraordinary  and  unnatural  treatment  of  her  father  in  the 
darkest  hour  of  his  distress. 

Anne,  at  the  time  of  her  accession,  was  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  her 
age,  pleasing  in  her  person  and  manner,  domestic  in  her  habits,  and,  with 
the  dark  exception  to  which  we  have  alluded,  of  amiable  and  excellent 
character. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  queen  was  to  send  a  message  to  the  house 
of  commons  announcing  her  intention  of  declaring  war  against  France; 
and  this  intention  was  warmly  applauded  by  the  house !  Yet  the  reign 
of  this  queen  has  been  very  truly  called  the  Augustan  period  of  literature ; 
80  true  it  is  that  the  ferocious  instincts  of  mankind  resist  even  the  soft- 
ening influence  of  letters.  For  war  at  that  period  England  hiid  none  of 
that  real  necessity,  that  impulse  of  self-preservation  as  to  either  the  pres- 
ent or  the  future,  without  which  war  is  little,  if  at  all,  better  than  wnole* 
sale  and  legitimatized  murder;  but  hatred  of  the  French  nation  contin- 
ued in  full  force,  although  the  power  of  the  French  to  be  mi.  ehievous 
was  already  very  greatly  curtailed ;  and  the  Dutch  and  Germans  not  only 
joined  England,  but  actually  declared  war  against  France  on  the  very 
same  day.  Though  such  a  combination  of  powers  was  strong  enough  to 
portend  danger  even  to  the  wealthy  and  warlike  France,  the  French  king 
received  the  news  without  any  apparent  feeling,  except  that  of  mortifi- 
cation that  the  Dutch  should  venture  to  be  hostile  to  him  ;  and  this  feel- 
ing he  expressed  by  saying,  that,  "as  for  those  pedlars,  the  Dutch,  they 
should  be  dearly  taught  to  repent  their  impertinent  presumption  in  de- 
claring war  against  a  king  whose  power  they  had  formerly  felt  as  well  as 
dreaded." 

Of  the  campaigns  that  followed  this  declaration  of  war  we  shall  not 
even  attempt  to  give  the  details.  Even  where  the  historian's  pages  have 
no  limit  but  his  own  will,  there  is,  probably,  no  portion  of  his  labour  less 
useful  to  his  readers  than  his  minute  account  of  battles,  sieges,  marches, 
and  countermarches,  which  must  be  unintelligible  to  all  except  military 
leaders,  without  the  aid  of  maps  so  expensive  that  few  readers  can  coni- 
mand  them.  But  in  the  present  case  such  details,  besides  being  beyond 
the  limits  of  our  pages,  are  really  unnecessary.  Blenheim,  Ramiliies, 
Oudenard,  and  Malplaquet,  were  victories  as  useless  as  they  were  costly 
and  decisive ;  they  gratified  the  splendid  ambition  and  the  sordid  avarice 
of  Marlborough,  but  to  England  they  were  entirely  unproductive  of  solid 
benefit. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  and  one  not  very  creditable  to  the  nation,  that  while 
enormous  treasure  was  wasted  in  sanguinary  and  useless  victories,  and 
the  most  unbounded  applause  was  bestowed  upon  the  victors,  one  of  the 
most  important  and  splendid  conquests  ever  made  for  England,  was  re- 
warded not  merely  by  neglect,  but  by  absolute  and  cruel  insult.  We  al- 
lude to  the  capture  of  Gibraltar  by  Sir  George  Rooke.  Sir  Cloudesley 
Shovel  and  Sir  George  Rooke  had  been  sent  out  to  watch  a  fleet  which 
the  French  were  known  to  be  equipping  at  Brest,  and  Sir  George  was 
further  ordered  to  convoy  some  transport-ships  to  Barcelona,  where  the 
prince  of  Hesse  made  an  unsuccessful  attack.  The  troops  having  failed 
on  this  point  were  re-embarked,  and  the  English  commanders,  anxious  to 


THS  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


629 


horn  he  left  no 
ince  George  o( 
ion,  which  one 
by  the  rennem- 
sr  father  in  the 

ihth  year  of  her 
labits,  and,  with 
le  and  excellent 

age  to  the  house 
against  France; 
1    Yet  the  reign 
iod  of  literature; 
ist  even  the  soft- 
land  h!»d  none  of 
to  either  the  pres- 
etter  than  whole- 
ich  nation  contin- 
}  be  mi.  chievous 
Germans  not  only 
ance  on  the  very 
J  strong  enough  to 
.  the  French  king 
ipt  that  of  mortifi- 
,1m ;  and  this  feel- 
:8,  the  Dutch,  they 
iresumption  m  de- 
lerly  felt  as  well  as 

war  we  shall  not 
oriau'9  pages  have 
^  of  his  labour  less 
9.  sieges,  marches, 

all  except  military 
kv  readers  can  com- 
Uides  being  beyond 

Uheim,  Ram'"  ^f' 
as  they  were  costly 
'i  the  sordid  avarice 

iproductive  of  soim 


turn  the  expedition  to  some  advantage,  determined  upon  attacking  Gib- 
raltar, thea  in  the  possession  of  the  Spaniards,  wlio,  deeming  it  impreg- 
nable by  its  own  strength,  kept  it  but  inconsiderably  garrisoned. 

In  truth,  the  situation  of  Gibraltar  is  such  that  it  might  well  lead  the 
Spaniards  into  an  overweening  opinion  of  its  strength,  the  town  stand- 
ing upon  a  tongue  of  land  which  is  defended  on  every  side  but  that  near 
est  to  the  Spanish  territory  by  an  inaccessible  rock.  Upon  that  side  tho 
prince  of  Hesse  landed  eighteen  hundred  men,  and  proceeded  to  summon 
the  garrison.  The  governor  paid  no  attention  to  this  summons,  and  on 
the  following  day  the  fleet  commenced  a  warm  cannonading,  by  wh.ca 
the  defenders  of  the  south  mole  head  were  driven  from  their  post.  Cap- 
tains Hicks  and  Jumper  now  led  a  numerous  party,  sword  in  hand,  into 
the  fortifications,  but  they  had  scarcely  entered  when  the  Spaniards  sprung 
a  mine,  by  which  two  lieutenants  and  a  hundred  men  were  killed  and 
wounded.  The  remainder,  gallantly  headed  by  the  captains  named 
above,  maintained  their  post  in  spite  of  the  horrible  explosion  which  had 
so  fearfully  thinned  their  numbers,  and  the  rest  of  the  seamen  being 
now  landed  by  Captain  Whitaker,  the  mole  and  the  town  were  taken  by 
storm.  When  it  is  considered  that  Gibraltar  has  been  of  immense  im- 
portance to  England  ever  since,  both  in  protecting  our  Mediterranean 
trade  and  serving  as  an  outfitting  and  sheltering  port  for  our  navies  des- 
tined to  annoy  an  enemy,  it  seems  incredible,  but  is,  unfortunately,  only 
too  true,  that  parliament  and  the  ministry,  so  lavish  of  rewards  and  praise 
to  the  costly  and  useless  services  performed  elsewhere,  refused  Sir 
George  Rooke  even  the  formal  honour  of  a  vote  of  thanks,  and  he  was 
shortly  afterwards  displaced  from  his  comnuind. 

Philip  IV.,  grandson  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  having  been  nominat**' 
king  of  Spain  by  the  will  of  the  late  king,  was  placed  upon  the  thiune, 
and,  as  he  was  apparently  agreeable  to  the  majority  of  his  subjects,  and, 
besides,  was  supported  by  the  power  of  France,  all  opposition  to  him 
would  to  ordinary  minds  have  appeared  hopeless.  But  Charles,  son  of 
the  emperor  of  Germany,  had  formerly  been  nominated  to  the  Spanish 
succession,  and  France  herself  had  been  a  party  to  that  nomination. 
Charles,  therefore,  encouraged  by  the  promised  support  of  the  warlike 
inhabitants  of  the  province  of  Catalonia,  determined  to  assert  his  right. 
In  this  determination  he  was  strengthened  by  England  and  Portugal,  who 
supplied  him  with  two  hundred  transports,  thirty  ships  of  war,  and  a 
force  of  nearly  ten  thousand  men.  Considerable  as  this  force  was,  it  yet 
was  small  when  compared  to  the  mighty  resources  of  the  Spanish  king 
de  facto;  but  in  the  judgment  of  military  men,  as  well  as  in  the  popular 
opinion,  the  comparative  smallness  of  Charles'  force  was  amply  com- 
pensated by  the  genius  and  romantic  bravery  of  the  commander  of  it, 
the  earl  of  Peterborough,  who  gave  Charles  the  aid  of  his  vast  fortune 
as  well  as  his  personal  exertions. 

The  earl  of  Peterborough  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  men  of 
that  age.  Though  very  much  deformed  in  person,  he  excelled  in  all  mil- 
itary exercises.  At  fifteen  he  fought  as  a  volunteer  against  the  Moors 
in  Africa,  and  in  every  action  he  was  distinguished  for  daring  and  con- 
duet.  The  great  experience  he  had  acquired,  and  the  influence  of  his 
character  upon  the  soldiery,  were  much  and  justly  relied  on  to  forward 
the  cause  of  Charles.  His  very  first  action  justified  that  reliance,  as  he 
took  the  strong  city  of  Barcelona  with  its  well  provided  garrison  of  five 
thousand  men.  Had  the  earl  of  Peterborough  now  been  left  lo  the  prompt- 
ings of  his  own  high  and  chivalrous  spirit,  there  is  but  little  room  to 
doubt  that  he  would  have  achieved  still  more  brilliant  successes.  But 
lome  petty  intrigues,  by  which  both  Charles  and  the  English  government 
''ery  weakly  allowed  themselves  to  be  duped,  led  to  the  recall  of  the  earl, 
whose  command  was  transferred  to  Lord  Galway.    That  nobleman  soon 


1 


,t#^4»S" 


i^^'  li 


630 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


after  came  to  a  general  action  with  the  Spanish  troops,  commanded  by 
the  Duke  of  Berwick,  who  had  taken  up  a  position  on  the  plains  near  the 
town  of  Almanza.  For  a  time  Charles'  troops,  consisting  chiefly  of 
Dutch  and  English  infantry,  seemed  greatly  to  have  the  advantage.  But 
in  the  very  heat  and  crisis  of  the  action,  the  Portuguese  horse,  which 
protected  either  flank  ot  Cha.les'  line,  were  seized  with  a  sudden  and  dig. 
graceful  panic,  and  fled  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  that  were  made  to  rally 
them.  The  di  ke  of  Berwijk  immediately  closed  in  upon  the  exposed 
flanks,  and  Galway,  l-jsing  men  at  every  step,  had  barely  time  to  throw 
his  army  into  a  square  and  retire  to  a  neighbouring  eminence.  Here  they 
were  comparatively  free  from  the  attacks  of  the  enemy,  but  they  were 
destitute  of  pravisio.is  and  ignorant  of  the  country;  and  as  it  was  evi- 
dently the  design  as  it  was  in  the  power  of  the  enemy  to  starve  them 
into  submission,  the  officers  reluctantly  agreed  to  capitulate.  A  fine  army 
of  fn  thousand  men  thus  became  prisoners  of  war ;  and  Philip  was  more 
firmly  th^u  ever  seated  upon  his  throne,  not  a  voice  now  being  raised 
against  him  except  in  the  still  malcontent  province  of  Catalonia. 

We  will  now  turn  to  the  more  important  domestic  events  of  this  reign. 
T'  igh  the  a^-ces&ion  of  James  I.  to  the  English  throne  had  to  a  certain 
extv,,it  united  England  and  Scotland,  there  was  still  an  independent  Scot- 
tish parliament.  In  practice  this  was  often  inconvenient  and  always 
dangerous ;  the  votes  of  the  Scottish  parliament  often  ran  counter  to 
those  of  the  English  parliament,  and  it  required  no  remarkable  amoimi  oi 
political  wisdom  to  foresee,  that,  under  certain  circumstances,  such,  for 
instance,  as  actually  occurred  in  the  reigns  of  George  I.  and  George  II., 
this  difference  might  be  fat^l  by  strengthening  the  hands  of  a  pretender 
and  plunging  the  country  into  a  civil  war.     Theoretically,  the  sepanite 

fihiliament  of  Scotland  was  ridiculously  indefensible.  Scotland  and  Enj. 
and  being  already  united  under  one  crown,  how  absurd  it  was  that  the 
parliament  at  Westminster,  held  perfectly  competent  to  enact  laws  for 
Cumberland  and  Northumber'.and,  became  Ipgislatorially  incapable  a  few 
feet  over  the  border!  But  so  much  more  powerful  are  curtom  and  preju- 
dice than  reason,  that  the  first  proposal  to  do  away  with  ''  -  dt  once  ab- 
surd and  dangerous  distinction  wa.T  received  as  though  i  been  a  pro- 
posal to  abridge  some  dear  and  indefeasible  liberty  of  the  ish  people. 
For  once  reason  prevailed  over  idle  or  interested  cla.noui,  and  both  par- 
liaments simultaneously  passed  an  act  appointing  and  authorizing  com- 
missioners, named  by  the  queen,  to  draw  up  »i.t"cles  for  the  parliamentary 
union  of  the  two  kingdoms — that  term  being  in  itself  an  absurdity  from 
the  very  day  of  the  death  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 

Tilt;  connnissioners,  quickened  in  their  pioceedinsrs  by  the  queen's  de 
sire  for  dispatch,  speedily  presented  for  the  consideration  of  the  twu  pir- 
liaments  a  series  of  articles,  by  which  f'lll  provision  was  made  for  retain- 
ing in  force  all  the  existing  laws  •■>'  Scotland,  except  where  alteration 
would  manifestly  benefit  that  country;  the  courts  of  session  and  other 
courts  of  Scottish  judicature  were  also  preserved,  and,  in  fact,  the  main 
alteration  was  the  abolition  of  the  anomalous  separate  parliament  of 
Scotland,  and  giving  that  country  a  representation  in  the  parliament  of 
Great  Britain  of  sixteen  peers  and  forty-five  commoners.  There  was, 
both  in  Scotland  and  on  the  part  of  the  tories  in  England,  considerable 
opposition  made  to  these  really  wise  and  necessary  articles,  but  common 
sense  and  the  influence  of  the  crown  at  length  prevailed,  and  the  articles 
were  passed  into  law  by  a  great  majority  in  both  parliaments. 

Hitherto  the  whig  ministry,  supported  by  the  powerful  influence  of  tFie 

duchess  of  Marlborough,  had  triumphed  over  all  the  efforts  of  the  tories; 

but  the  duchess  had  been  guilty  of  two  capital  mistakus,  by  which  she 

now  finrnd  her  influence  very  greatly  diminished.     In  the  first  place,  for- 

etting  that  she  owed  her  vast  influence  over  tho  queen  far  more  to  her 


THH  TEBA8UUY  OF  HISTOHY 


631 


>■  .^y^ 


commanded  by 
!  plains  near  the 
isting  chiefly  of 
idvantage.  But 
se  horse,  which 
sudden  and  dig. 
re  made  to  rally 
)on  the  exposed 
^  time  to  throw 
nee.  Here  they 
f,  but  they  were 
,nd  as  it  was  evi- 
ly  to  starve  them 
ute.  A  fine  army 
I  Philip  was  mote 
now  being  raised 
Catalonia, 
ents  of  this  reign, 
le  had  to  a  certain 
independent  Sco'.- 
nient  and  always 
in  ran  counter  to 
larkable  amonut  oi 
nstances,  such,  for 
T.  and  George  11., 
inds  of  a  pn-lender 
cally,  the  separate 
Scotland  and  Eng. 
urd  it  was  lliat  the 
to  enact  laws  for 
Uy  i.'icapahle  a  few 
;  cuf  torn  aiul  prcju- 
ith  ''  '"  rtl  once  ab- 
\^ ;  been  a  pto- 

^he  ish  people. 

nou>,  and  botli  par- 
1  authorizing  ccm- 
)r  the  parliamentary 
f  an  absurdity  from 

s  by  the  queen's  de 
ition  of  the  iwu  p.r- 
was  made  for  rrtain- 
ept  where  altrraUon 
,f  session  and  other 
id,  in  fact,  the  main 
mrate  parliament  o 
in  the  parliament  ol 
loners.    There  was 
ngland,  considerable 
articles,  but  common 
iled,  and  the  articles 
liaments. 

>rfv)l  influence  of  tne 
efl-orts  of  the  tones; 
itak«9,  by  which  she 
In  the  first  place,  fo  • 
leeii  far  more  to  her 


•I 


personat  complaisance  and  agreeableness  than  to  her  really  considerable 
political  talents,  she  became  so  proud  of  her  power,  that  slie  relaxed  in 
those  personal  attentions  by  which  she  had  obtained  it,  and  disgusted  th« 
queen  by  an  offensive  and  dictatorial  tone.  Wiiile  she  thus  periled  her 
influence,  she  at  the  same  time  unwittingly  raised  up  a  rival  to  herself  in 
the  person  of  a  Mrs.  Masham,  a  poor  relation  of  her  own,  whom  she 

E laced  in  a  confidential  situation  about  the  queen's  person,  relying  upon 
er  gratitude,  and  expecting  to  find  her  not  a  dangerous  rival,  but  a  pliant 
and  zealous  tool.  But  Mrs.  Masham  speedily  perceived  that  the  queen 
was  not  only  personally  disgusted  by  the  hauteur  of  the  duchess,  but  also 
much  ii\clined  to  the  tory  opinions ;  she  consequently  took  up  the  party 
of  Mr.  Harley,  afterwards  Lord  Oxford,  who  was  personally  in  the  queen's 
favour,  and  who  was  extensively  and  constantly  intriguing  for  the  ruin 
of  the  whigs.  In  conjunction  with  Mr.  St.  John,  afterwards  Lord  Uoling- 
broke,  and  Sir  Simon  Harcourt,  a  lawyer  of  great  abilities,  and  aided  by 
the  personal  influence  of  Mrs.  Masham,  Harley  doubted  not  that  he  should 
triumph  over  the  whigs ;  and  an  event,  trifling  enough  in  itself,  soon  oc- 
curred to  develope  the  queen's  leaning  towards  the  tories,  and  to  encour- 
age it  by  showing  how  extensively  that  party  existed  among  the  people. 

A  clergyman  named  Sacheverel  had  much  distinguished  himself  by  his 
sermons  m  favour  of  high-church  principles  and  in  condemnation  of  dis- 
sent  and  dissenters.  Imaginative,  impassioned,  and  possessed  of  that 
fluency  which  even  men  of  good  judgment  so  often  mistake  for  eloquence, 
he  soon  became  an  oracle  and  a  iiivourite  with  a  very  large  party.  Being 
appointed  to  prtach  on  the  fifth  of  November,  at  St.  Paul's,  he  made  use 
of  the  "  gunpowder  plot."  as  an  argument  from  which  to  infer  that  any 
departure  from  the  doctrine  of  non-resistance  might  lead  to  the  most  hei- 
nous and  destructive  wickedness,  and  that  he  existing  toleration  of  dis 
senters  was  very  likely  to  be  ruinous  to  the  church  of  England,  which  he 
declared  to  be  as  ill  defended  by  its  pretended  friends,  as  it  was  fiercely 
attacked  by  its  determined  enemies.  The  lord  mayor  of  that  year,  Sir 
Samuel  Gerrard,  no  very  accurate  judge,  it  may  be  presumed,  of  either 
theological  correctness  or  literary  elegance,  allowed  the  printed  edition 
of  tiiis  sermon  to  be  dedicated  to  hiin.  And  here,  probably,  the  whole 
affair  would  have  ended  and  been  forgotten,  but  for  the  injudicious  med- 
dling of  the  archbishop  Dolben's  son,  who  in  his  place  in  parliament  made 
complaint  of  the  sermon  and  read  all  the  most  violent  paragraphs  of  it; 
a  manifestly  unfair  proceeding,  inasmuch  as  the  same  passages  might 
have  a  different  effect  when  read  with  or  without  their  context.  Instead 
of  checking  Mr.  Dolben's  ofllciousness  by  voting  the  matter  unfit  for 
their  consideration,  the  committee  voted  the  pas8a<jes  read  to  be  seditious 
and  sciiiidaious  libels ;  and  Sacheverel  was  ordered  to  attond  at  the  bar 
of  the  house,  where  he  avowed  the  alledged  libels,  and  plainly  said  that 
he  gloried  in  having  published  tlu  m.  Even  this  vain  and  silly  exultation 
of  a  weak  man,  whom  an  almost  equally  weak  opponent  hud  thus  sud- 
denly dragged  into  the  notoriety  he  coveted  and  would  probably  never 
have  otherwise  obtained,  did  not  instruct  the  house  that  contempt  and  ob- 
scurity were  the  severest  pains  and  penalties  that  could  be  inflicted  upon 
sueii  a  man  as  Sacheverel ;  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draw  up 
articles  of  impeachment  against  him,  and  Mr.  Dolben  was  named  man- 
ager on  behalf  of  the  commons  of  England. 

The  harmless  declamation  of  a  vain  man  was  thus  raised  into  a  degree 
of  fictitious  importance  which  was  really  disgraceful  to  the  people,  and 
for  three  weeks  all  the  public  business  of  both  houses  of  parliament  was 
set  aside  on  account  of  a  trial  which  ought  never  to  have  commenced. 
The  Lords  sat  in  Westminster  Hall,  which  was  daily  besieged  by  the 
principal  rank,  fashion,  and  beauty  of  the  capital,  the  queen  herself  set- 
ting the  example  by  attending  as  a  private  auditor  of  the  proceedings. 


S    ivlJl';;* 


^m' 


LtAtM 


M'>, 


•V   .  I 


»4  1   .,1 


^! 


688 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


Mr.  Dolhen,  whose  injudicious  meddling  had  occasioned  this  mock- 
heroic  farce,  was  assisted  in  his  absurd  prosecution  by  Sir  Joseph  Jekyl) 
Solicitor-general  Eyre,  the  recorder,  Sir  Peter  King,  General  Sianhope| 
Sir  Thomas  Parker,  and  Mr.  Walpole;  all  gentlemen  whose  talents  were 
degraded  by  so  silly  s>.  business. 

Dr.  Saeheverel  was  defended  by  Sir  Simon  Harcourt,  Mr.  Phipps,  and 
Drs.  Friend,  Smallridgc,  and  Atterbury ;  and  the  trial,  absurd  as  its  origin 
was,  produced  a  display  of  great  talent  and  eloquence.  Unfortunately 
the  silly  passion  shown  by  the  house  of  commons  communicated  itself 
to  the  people  out  of  doors.  Most  serious  riots  took  place,  in  which  the 
rabble  in  their  zeal  for  Dr.  Saeheverel  not  only  destroyed  several  dissent- 
ing meeting-houses,  but  also  plundered  the  houses  of  several  leading  dis- 
senters, and  the  disturbances  at  length  grew  so  alarming  that  the  queen 
published  a  proclamation  against  them.  The  magistrates  now  exerted 
thehiselves  with  some  vigour;  several  ruffians  were  apprehended,  and 
two  convicted  of  high  treason  and  sentenced  to  death,  which  sentence, 
however,  was  commuted. 

While  the  populace  was  rioting  without,  the  lords  were  trying  Sach 
everet.  He  was  very  ably  defended,  and  he  personally  delivered  an  ad- 
dress, of  which  the  composition  was  so  "immeasurably  superior  to  thar 
of  his  sermons,  that  it  was  generally  supposed  to  have  been  written  Tor 
him  by  Dr.  Atterbury,  afterwards  bishop  of  Rochester;  a  man  of  great 
genius,  but  of  a  turn  of  mind  which  fitted  him  rather  for  the  wrangling 
of  the  bar,  than  for  the  mild  teaching  and  other  important  duties  or  the 
Christian  ministry.  A  majority  of  seventeen  votes  condemned  Saeh- 
everel, but  a  protest  was  signed  by  thirty-four  peers.  Partly  in  defer- 
ence to  this  protest  and  partly  from  fear  that  severity  would  cause  dan- 
gerous renewals  of  the  riotous  conduct  of  Sacheverel's  rabble  friends,  the 
sentence  was  extremely  light,  merely  prohibiting  the  doctor  from  preacii- 
ing  for  three  years,  and  ordering  his  alledged  libels  to  be  burned  by  the 
common  hangman,  in  presence  of  the  lord  mayor  and  the  two  sheriffs. 

The  warmth  which  the  people  in  general  had  shown  on  behalf  of  the 
doctor  showed  so  extensive  a  prevalence  of  tory  principles,  that  the 
queen's  secret  advisers  of  that  party  thought  that  they  might  now  safely 
recommend  a  dissolution  of  parliament.  The  queen  complied,  and  a 
vast  majority  of  tories  was  returned  to  the  new  parliament.  Thus  con- 
vinced of  the  correctness  with  which  Harley  had  long  assured  her,  that 
she  might  safely  indulge  her  inclination  to  degrade  the  whig  pnrty,  tiic 
queen  proceeded  accordingly.  She  began  by  making  the  duke  of 
Shrewsbury  lord  chamberlain,  instead  of  the  duke  of  Kent.  Soon  after- 
wards the  earl  of  Sunderland,  son-in-law  to  the  duke  of"  IVIarlborough, 
was  dcpi'iv.'id  of  his  cfHce  of  sef-rp^iry  of  state,  which  was  conferred 
upon  the  earl  of  Dartmouth ;  the  lord  'stewardship  was  taken  from  the 
duke  of  Devonshire  and  given  to  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  and  Mr. 
Henry  St.  John  was  made  secretary  in  lieu  of  Mr.  Boyle.  Still  more 
sweeping  alterations  followed,  until  at,  list  no  state  office  was  filled  by  a 
whig,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  duke  of  Marlborough. 

The  parliament  soon  after  passed  a  resolution  warmly  approving  the 
course  pursued  by  the  queen,  and  exhorting  her  to  discountenance  and 
resist  all  such  measures  as  those  by  which  her  royal  crown  and  dignity 
had    recently    been  threatened.      From  all   this  it  was  clear  that  the 

Eower  of  Marlborough,  so  long  supported  by  the  court  intrigues  of 
is  duchess,  was  now  completely  destroyed  by  her  imprudent  hautenr. 
His  avarice  was  well  known,  and  it  was  very  extensively  believed  that 
the  war  with  France  would  long  since  have  been  brought  to  a  conclusion 
if  the  pacific  inclinations  of  the  French  king  had  not  been  constantly  and 
systematically  thwarted  by  the  duke  for  the  furtherance  of  his  own  am- 
bitious schemes.    And  though  the  tory  ministiy  continued  the  war,  and 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


G33 


the  almost  entirely  tory  parliament  recommended  that  it  should  be  pro- 
jecuted  with  all  possible  vigour,  the  mortification  and  degradation  of  the 
lately  idolized  duke  were  aimed  at  by  every  possible  means.  Thus  the 
thanks  of  the  house  of  commons  were  refused  to  him  for  his  services  in 
Flanders,  while  they  were  warmly  given  for  those  of  the  earl  of  Peter- 
borough in  Spain,  and  the  lord  keeper  in  delivering  them  took  occasion 
to  contrast  the  generous  nature  of  the  earl  with  the  greed  and  avarice  of 
the  duke. 

As  the  expenses  of  the  war  increased,  so  the  people  grew  more  and 
more  weary  of  their  war  mania.  The  ministry  consequently  now  deter- 
mined to  take  resolute  steps  for  putting  an  end  to  it ;  and  as  it  was  obvi- 
ous that  the  duke  would  use  all  the  influence  of  his  command  to  traverse 
their  peaceable  policy,  they  came  to  the  resolution  of  proceeding  against 
him  in  some  one  of  the  many  cases  in  which  he  was  known  to  have  re- 
ceived bribes.  Clear  evidence  was  brought  forward  of  his  having  received 
six  thousand  pounds  per  annum  from  a  Jew  for  securing  him  the  con- 
tract to  supply  the  army  with  bread ;  and  upoai  this  charge  the  duke  was 
dismissed  from  all  public  employments. 

The  poet  Prior  was  now  sent  on  an  embassy  to  France,  and  he  soon 
returned  with  Menager,  a  French  statesman,  invested  with  full  powers  to 
arrange  the  preliminaries  of  peace ;  the  earl  of  Straflbrd  was  sent  back 
to  Holland,  whence  he  had  only  lately  been  recalled,  to  communicate  to  the 
Dutch  the  preliminaries  and  the  queen's  approval  of  them,  and  to  endea- 
vour to  induce  the  Dutch,  also,  to  approve  llicm.  Holland  at  first  object- 
ed to  the  inspection  of  the  preliminaries,  but  after  much  exertion  all 
parties  were  induced  to  consent  to  a  conference  at  Utrecht.  It  was 
soon,  however,  perceived  that  all  the  deputies,  save  those  of  England  and 
France,  were  averse  to  peace,  and  it  was  then  determined  by  the  queen's 
government  to  set  on  foot  a  private  negotiation  with  France  with  a  view 
to  a  separate  treaty. 

A.D.  1712. — Early  in  August.  1712,  Viscount  Bolingbroke,  formerly  Mr. 
St.  John,  was  sent  to  Versailles,  accompanied  by  Prior  and  the  Abbe 
GauUier,  to  make  arrangements  for  the  separate  treaty.  He  was  well 
received  by  the  French  court,  and  very  soon  adjusted  the  terms  of  the 
treaty.  The  interests  of  all  the  powers  of  Europe  were  well  and  im- 
piirtially  cared  for ;  but  the  noblest  article  of  the  treaty  was  that  by 
which  England  insisted  upon  the  liberation  of  the  numerous  French 
protestants  who  were  confined  in  prisons  and  galleys  for  their  religious 
opinions. 

A.D.  1713. — But  while  the  ministry  was  thus  ably  and  triumphantly 
conducting  the  foreign  affairs  of  the  nation,  serious  dissensions  were 
growing  up  between  Harl*^y  nnd  i^i<l'.ngbroke.  Thcic  able  statc-sfiieu 
had  for  a  long  time  been  most  cordial  in  their  agreement  on  all  points  of 
policy.  But  the  daily  increasing  illness  of  the  queen,  and  the  probability, 
not  to  say  certainty,  that  she  would  not  long  survive,  brought  forward 
a  question  upon  which  they  widely  differed.  Bolingbroke,  who  had  been 
suspected  of  being  a  strong  jacobite,  was  for  bringing  in  the  pretender  as 
the  queen's  successor ;  while  Hurley,  now  Lord  Oxford,  was  as  strongly 
pledged  to  the  Hanoverian  succession. 

The  whigs  watched  with  delight  and  exultation  the  growth  of  the  ill- 
disgui.sed  enmity  between  these  two  great  supports  of  the  tory  party. 
The  queen  in  vain  endeavoured  to  compose  their  differences,  and  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  the  sufferings  of  the  last  months  of  her  life  was  much  in- 
creased by  her  anxieties  on  this  account.  She  daily  grew  weaker,  and 
was  not  only  despaired  of  by  her  physicians,  but  was  hersself  conscious 
that  her  illness  would  have  a  fatal  termination. 

A.  D.  1714. — The  queen  at  length  sunk  into  a  state  of  extreme  lethargy, 
but  by  powerful  medicines  was  3o  far  recovered  that  she  was  able  to  wal!t 


634 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


about  her  chamber.  On  the  thirtieth  of  July  she  rose  as  early  as  eight 
oV'lock.  For  some  tiuie  she  walked  about,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  one 
of  her  liidies,  when  she  was  seized  with  a  fit  of  apoplexy,  from  which  no 
medicines  could  relieve  her,  aud  she  expired  on  the  following  morning,  in 
the  forty-ninth  year  of  her  age  and  the  thirteenth  of  her  reign. 

Though  Anne  possessed  no  very  brilliant  talents,  her  reign  was  in  llie 
main  prosperous  and  wise,  and  was  wholly  free  from  all  approach  to 
tyranny  or  cruelty.  Literature  and  the  arts  flourished  exceedingly  under 
her;  Pope,  Swift,  Addison,  Bolingbroke,  and  a  perfect  galaxy  of  lesser 
stars,  very  justly  obtain  for  this  reign  the  proud  title  of  the  Augustan  age 
of  England. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

THE    REION    or    OEOROB     I. 

A.  D.  1714. — Anne  having  l«ft  no  issue,  by  the  act  of  succeesion  the  Kn. 
glish  crown  devolved  upon  George,  son  of  the  first  elector  of  Brunswick, 
and  the  princess  Sophia,  grand-daughter  of  James  I. 

The  new  king  was  now  in  his  fifty-fourth  year,  and  he  bore  the  charact  ir 
of  being  a  man  of  solid  ability,  though  entirely  destitute  of  all  sliininir 
talents,  and  of  even  the  appearance  of  any  attachment  to  literature  or  iha 
arts.  Direct,  tenacious  of  his  purpose,  and  accustomed  all  his  life  to  np. 
plication  to  business,  great  hopes  were  entertained  that  his  accession 
would,  at  the  least,  secure  order  and  regularity  in  the  conduct  of  public 
afTairs.  Ilis  own  declaration  was,  "  My  maxim  is  to  do  justice,  to  fear  no 
man,  and  never  to  abandon  my  friends." 

As  it  was  feared  that  the  intriguing  genius  of  Bolingbroke  miglit  have 
nuidc  some  arrangements  for  an  attempt  on  the  throne  on  the  part  uf  tiic 
pretender,  the  friends  of  George  I.  had  procured  from  him,  as  soon  as  it 
was  tolerably  certain  that  Anne  could  not  survive,  an  instrument  by 
M'hich  the  niost  zealous  and  influential  friends  to  his  succession  were 
added  |o  certain  great  officers,  as  lords  justices,  or  a  commission  of 
regency  to  govern  the  kingdom  until  the  king  should  arrive. 

As  soon  as  the  queen  expired,  the  regency  caused  George  I.  to  be  pro- 
claimed in  *11  tl'ii  usual  places,  the  important  garrison  of  Portsmouth 
was  reinfoi  ,ed,  and  measures  were  taken  at  all  the  other  ports  and  garri- 
sons to  defi'at  any  attempts  at  invasion.  The  vigour  and  vigilance  thus 
displayed  prevented  any  outbreak  or  disturbance,  if  any  such  had  ever 
been  actually  contemplated ;  and  the  regency  felt  confident  enough  to 
deprive  Holinffbroke  of  his  oflice  of  secretary  of  state,  with  every  cir- 
cumstance of  insult.  His  office  was  given  to  the  celebrated  poci  and 
essayist  Addison,  of  whom  a  curious  anecdote  is  related,  very  ciiiiracter- 
istic  of  the  immense  difference  between  the  qualities  of  a  scholar  and 
those  of  a  man  of  business.  Mr.  Secretary  Addison,  renowned  as  a 
classical  and  facile  writer,  was  very  naturally  called  upon  to  write  t!ie 
dispatch  to  announce  the  death  of  Queen  Anne  to  her  successor  ;  mvI  so 
much  was  he  embarrassed  by  his  anxiety  to  find  fitting  terms,  that  liis 
fellow-councillors  grew  impatient,  and  called  upon  the  clerk  to  draw  out 
the  dispatch,  which  he  did  in  a  few  dry  business-like  lines,  and  ever  after 
boasted  himself  a  readier  writer  than  the  facile  and  elegant  writer  of  tiie 
delightful  papers  in  tlie  Spectator! 

On  landing  at  Greenwich,  George  I.  was  received  by  the  assembled 
members  of  the  regency,  attended  by  the  life-guards  under  the  duke  o( 
Northumberland.  He  immediately  retired  to  his  chamber,  where  he  gavo 
audience  to  those  who  had  been  zealous  for  his  succession.  From  tlis 
moment  the  king  showed  a  determined  partiality  to  the  whigs,  wiiitl 


THE  TEEASURY  OP  HISTOEY. 


635 


gave  great  and  general  disgust ;  a  feeling  that  was  still  fjrther  increased 
by  the  huadlung  iiaste  willi  which  the  whig  ministers  and  favourites 
conferred  all  oflices  of  trust  and  emolument  upon  their  own  partizans,  in 
utter  contempt  of  the  merits  and  claims  of  those  whom  they  ousted. 

The  greediness  of  the  whigs,  and  the  pertinacious  partiality  shown  to 
that  parly  by  the  king,  threw  a  great  part  of  the  nation  into  a  dangerous 
Btate  of  discontent,  and  there  arose  a  general  cry,  accompanied  by  much 
tendency  to  actual  rioting,  of  "  Sacheverel  for  ever,  and  down  with  the 
wings!" 

Undeterred  by  the  increasing  number  and  loudness  of  the  malcontents, 
the  wiiig  party,  confident  in  their  parliamentary  strength  and  in  the  par- 
tiality of  the  king,  commenced  the  business  of  the  session  by  giving  indi- 
cations of  tlieir  intention  to  proceed  to  the  utmost  extremes  against  the 
late  ministers.  In  tiie  house  of  lords  they  affected  to  lieiieve  that  tiie  rep- 
utation of  England  was  much  lowered  on  tiie  continent  by  the  con- 
duct of  the  late  ministers,  and  professed  hopes  that  the  wisdom  of  the 
king  would  repair  that  evil;  and  in  the  lower  house  they  stated  their  de- 
terniiiiaiion  to  punish  the  alledged  abettors  of  the  pretender;  a  sure  way 
of  pleasing  the  king,  and  an  artful  mode  of  confounding  together  the  sup- 
porters of  the  pretender,  with  loyal  subjects  of  George  I.  who  yet  were 
honest  eni)U>;h  to  oppose  so  much  of  his  system  of  government  as  ap- 
peared to  be  injurious  or  dangerous  to  the  country  and  to  himself. 

Following  up  tlic  course  tiius  indicated,  the  ministers  appointed  a  par 
liamentary  committee  of  twenty  persons,  to  examine  papers  and  find 
charges  against  the  late  ministry ;  and  shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Walpole, 
as  chairman  of  this  committee,  stated  that  a  report  was  ready  for  the 
house,  and  moved  for  the  committal  of  Mr.  Matthew  Prior  and  Mr.  Tliomas 
Harley ;  and  those  members,  being  present  in  their  places,  were  imme- 
diately taken  into  custody  by  the  sergeant  at  arms.  Mr.  Walpole  then 
again  rose  to  impeach  Lord  Bolingbroke  of  hi<;h  treason.  Before  the 
house  could  recover  from  its  asto"istiment,  Lord  Coningsby  rose  and  said, 

"The  worthy  chairman  of  the  committee  has  impeached  the  hand,  I 
now  impeach  the  head  ;  he  has  impeached  the  scholar,  I  impeach  the 
master;  I  impeach  Robert,  earl  of  Oxford  and  Mortimer, of  high  treason 
and  otlier  crimes  and  misdemeanors." 

Lord  Oxford  was  now  completely  abandoned  by  nearly  all  those  who 
had  seemed  to  be  so  much  attached  to  him ;  a  too  common  fate  of  fallen 
greatness. 

Even  amon^  the  whigs,  however,  there  were  some  who  disapproved  of 
the  extreme  violence  of  the  present  proceedings.  Sir  Joseph  Jekyl,  for 
instance,  pointing  out  an  overstrained  article  that  was  charged  against 
Oxford,  !<.;i!5dsomc!y  said  that  it  was  his  svity  io  mete  out  equal  justice  to 
all  men,  and  that  as  a  lawyer  he  felt  bound  to  say  that  the  article  in 
question  did  not  amount  to  treason.  But  the  heads  of  the  faction  would 
not  patiently  listen  to  such  moderate  and  honourable  language;  and  Mr. 
Walpole,  in  a  tone  and  with  a  manner  very  improper  to  be  used  by  one 
gentleman  towards  another,  replied,  that  many  members  quite  as  honest 
as  Sir  Joseph,  and  better  lawyers  than  he,  were  perfectly  satisfied  that 
the  charge  did  amount  to  treason. 

The  humane  and  honest  opposition  of  Sir  Joseph  Jekyl  being  thus 
sneered  down.  Lord  Coningsby  and  the  other  managing  whigs  proceeded 
to  impeach  Lord  Oxford  at  the  bar  of  the  house  of  lords,  and  to  demand 
that  he  should  immediately  b<^  committed  to  custody.  Upon  this  latter 
point  a  debate  arose  in  the  house  of  lords,  which  was  terminated  by  the 
earl  himself,  who  said  that  he  had  all  along  acted  upon  the  immediate 
orders  of  the  late  queen,  and  that,  having  never  offended  against  any 
known  law,  he  was  wholly  unconcerned  about  the  life  of  an  insignificant 
o'd  man.    He  was  consequently  committed  to  the  Tower  though  the 


^,^!^^  i^iik,,  [ 


636 


THE  TEBA8URY  OF  HIBTOttY. 


celebrated  Dr.  Mead  positively  certified  that  his  committal  would  endan- 
^erhis  life.  The  duke  or  Ormond  and  Lord  Uolingbrokc,  against  whdir, 
the  proceedings  were  no  less  vindictively  carried  on,  fled  to  the  cuntineiit) 
upon  which  the  carl  marshal  of  England  was  ordered  to  erase  their  name!! 
and  arms  from  the  peerage  list,  and  all  their  possessions  in  England  were 
declared  forfeit  to  the  crown. 

A.  D.  1715. — The  pretender,  who  had  numerous  friends  in  England  and 
Scotland,  looked  with  great  complacency  upon  these  violent  proceedings, 
judging  that  the  discontent  they  caused  could  not  fail  to  forward  his 
designs  upon  the  crown ;  and  while  the  king  was  intent  upon  alienating 
the  affections  of  a  large  portion  of  his  people  in  order  to  support  a  greedy 
faction,  an  actual  rebellion  broke  out.  1  wo  vessels,  with  arms,  ammu- 
nition, and  officers,  were  sent  from  France  to  the  coast  of  Scotland,  and 
the  pretenderpromised  that  he  would  speedily  follow  with  a  greater  force. 
The  carl  of  Mar  was  consequently  induced  to  assemble  his  friends  and 
vassals  to  the  number  of  three  hundred,  and  to  proclaim  the  pretendcr- 
As  the  cause  was  popular,  and  no  opportunity  was  lost  of  magnifying 
the  force  with  which  that  prince  was  to  arrive  in  Scotland,  Mar  soon 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men.  But  while 
he  was  completing  his  preparations  to  march  southward,  the  duke  of 
Argyle  at  the  head  of  only  about  six  thousand  men  attacked  him  near 
Dumblain,  and  though  at  the  close  of  the  engagement  both  parties  left  the 
field,  yet  the  loss  inflicted  upon  Mar  was  so  great  as  virtually  to  amount 
to  defeat,  and  the  injury  thus  done  to  the  cause  of  the  pretender  was  in- 
creased by  the  condue^  of  SimoTi,  Lord  Lovat.  'i'hat  restless  and 
thoroughly  unprincipled  man  held  the  castle  of  Inverness  for  the  preten- 
der, to  whose  forces  it  would  at  all  times  have  served  as  a  most  impor- 
tant ;>0{n<  d'appui;  but  Lord  Lovat,  changing  with  the  changed  fortune  of 
his  party,  now  basely  surrendered  the  castio  to  the  king. 

The  English  ambassador  in  France,  the  accomplished  and  energetic 
Lord  Stair,  had  so  well  performed  his  duty  to  the  king,  that  he  was  able 
to  send  home  the  most  timely  and  exact  information  of  the  designs  u( 
the  pretender;  and  just  as  the  rebellion  was  about  to  break  out  in  Eng- 
land, several  of  the  leading  malcontents  were  seized  by  the  ministry  and 
committed  to  close  custody.  For  one  of  these.  Sir  William  Wyndhani, 
his  father-in-law,  the  duke  of  Somerset,  offered  to  become  security ;  but 
even  that  wealthy  and  powerful  nobleman  was  refused.  The  rebellion 
was  thus  confineif,  in  the  west  of  England,  to  a  few  feeble  and  unconnec- 
ted outbreaks  ;  and  at  Oxford,  where  it  was  known  that  many  young  men 
cf  family  were  among  the  malcontents,  all  attempt  was  prevented  by  the 
spirited  conduct  of  IVlajor- general  Pepper,  who  occupied  the  city  with  his 
troops,  and  positively  promised  to  put  to  death  any  student,  no  matter 
what  his  rank  or  connections,  who  should  dare  to  appear  beyond  the 
limits  of  his  own  college. 

In  the  north  of  England  the  spirits  of  the  malcontents  were  kept  up,  i^t 
spite  of  all  the  ill  success  that  had  hitherto  attended  their  cause,  by  tiieir 
reliance  upon  aid  from  the  pretender  in  person.  The  earl  of  Derwent- 
water  and  Mr.  Foster  raised  a  considerable  force,  and  being  joined  by 
some  volunteers  from  the  Scottish  border,  made  an  attempt  to  seize  New- 
castle, but  the  gates  were  shut  against  them,  and,  having  no  battering 
train,  they  retired  to  Hexham,  whence,  by  way  of  Kendal  and  Lan- 
caster, they  proceeded  to  Preston.  Here  they  were  surrounded  by  nearly 
eight  thousand  men,  under  generals  Carpenter  and  Wills.  Some  fightin; 
ensued,  but  the  cause  of  the  rebels  was  now  so  evidently  hopeless,  thav 
Mr.  Foster  sent  Colonel  Oxburgh,  of  the  royal  army,  who  had  been  taken 
prisoner,  with  proposals  for  a  capitulation.  General  Wills,  however,  de- 
clined  to  hear  of  ihem,  except  as  armed  rebels,  to  whom  he  could  show 
no  other  favour  than  to  leave  them  to  the  disposal  of  gcvernment,  instead 


in  Englnnd  and 
nt  proceedint^i, 
to  forwiird  his 
ipoii  alienating 
ipport  a  greedy 
li  arma,  amnm- 
f  Scutland,  and 
a  greater  force, 
his  friends  and 
I  the  pretendcr- 
,  of  magnifying 
land,  Mar  soon 
icn.  But  while 
ird,  the  duke  of 
lacked  him  near 
h  parlies  left  the 
ually  to  amount 
retender  was  in- 
hat  restless  and 
ss  for  the  prelen- 
as  a  most  impor* 
langed  fortune  of 

ed  and  energetic 
that  he  was  able 
if  the  designs  of 
reak  out  in  Eng- 
the  ministry  and 
Uiam  Wyndhani, 
•me  security ;  but 
1.    The  rebellion 
jle  and  uncoiinec- 
many  young  men 
prevented  by  the 
I  the  city  with  his 
indent,  no  mailer 
jpear  beyond  the 

I  were  kept  up,  i''i 
eir  cause,  by  tiieir 
earl  of  Derwenl- 
d  being  joined  by 
Tipt  to  seize  New- 
ving  no  baUering 
Kendal  and  Lan- 
rounded  by  nearly 

8.  Some  fighliiig 
Illy  hopeless,  thav 
ho  had  been  taken 

?ill8,  however,  de. 

m  he  could  show 

vernraeni,  instead 


TUB  TREASURY  Of  HISTORY. 


037 


of  giving  them  over  to  instant  slnughter  by  his  troops.  Tho  unhappy 
men  were  consequently  obliged  to  surrender  at  discretion  ;  some  of  their 
officers  who  had  deserted  from  tho  royal  army  were  immediately  shot, 
the  other  officers  and  gentlemen  were  sent  to  London,  and  the  common 
men  thrown  inlo  the  various  prisons  of  Lancashire  and  Cheshire. 

Had  the  pretender  promptly  joined  the  earl  of  Mar,  and,  joined  by  him, 
marched  to  cfl'ect  a  junction  with  the  earl  of  Dcrwentwater,  the  event 
would  probably  have  bi-en  very  different;  but  having  delayed  his  appear- 
ance in  Scotland  until  his  friends  were  thus  overpowered  in  detail,  com- 
mon-sense should  have  dictated  to  him  the  folly  of  his  carrying  his 
attempt  any  farther  for  tho  present.  But,  alas  !  common-sense  was  pre- 
cisely that  quality  which  tho  Sluarls  were  least  gifted  with !  At  the  very 
moment  when  the  prisons  of  Kiigland  were  filled  with  his  ill-fated  and 
sacrificed  adherents,  he  hurried  through  France  in  disguise,  embarked  at 
Dunkirk,  and  landed  in  Scotland  with  a  train  of  six  gentlemen  !  With 
this  adequate  force  for  the  conquest  of  a  great  and  powerful  kingdom,  he 
proceeded  through  Aberdeen  to  Feteresso,  where  lie  was  joined  by  the 
earl  of  Mar  and  somewhat  less  than  two-score  other  nobles  and  gentry. 
He  now  proceeded  to  Dundee,  caused  a  frothy  and  useless  declaration  of 
his  rights  and  intentions  to  be  circulated,  and  then  went  to  Scone  with  the 
intention  of  adding  the  folly  of  being  crowned  there  to  the  folly  of  being 
proclaimed  in  all  other  places  of  nolo  through  which  he  had  passed. 
Even  the  vulgar  and  tiie  ignorant  were  by  this  time  convinced  of  the  niter 
hopelessness  of  his  cause  ;  and  as  he  found  that  "  few  cried  God  bless 
him,"  and  still  fewer  joined  his  standard,  he  quite  coolly  told  his  friends — 
who  had  sacrificed  everything  for  him — that  he  had  not  the  necessary 
means  for  a  campaign,  and  then  embarked,  with  his  personal  attendants, 
at  Montrose— leaving  his  dupes  to  their  fate.  Such  baseness,  such  boyish 
levity,  joined  to  such  cold  selfishness,  ought  to  have  made  even  those  who 
most  firmly  believed  in  the  abstract  rights  of  the  pretender,  rejoice  that 
he  was  unable  to  obtain  power  in  England ;  since  so  heartless  a  man  must 
needs  have  made  a  cruel  monarch. 

The  government  had  acted  with  vigour  and  ability  in  suppressing  the 
rebellion;  it  now  acted  with  stern  unsparing  severity  in  punishing  those 
who  had  been  concerned  in  it.  Tho  mere  herd  of  rebels,  to  the  number 
of  more  than  a  thousand,  were  transported  to  tho  colonies.  Two-and- 
Iwcnly  officers  were  executed  at  Preston,  and  five  at  Tyburn,  with  all  Ihe 
disgusting  accompaniments  of  drawing  and  quartering.  The  earls  of 
Derwenlwater,  Nithisdale,  and  Cariiwarth,  and  the  lorils  Kcnmuir,  Nairne, 
and  Widdringlon  were  sentenced  to  death,  as  were  Mr.  Foster,  Mr. 
Mackintosh,  and  about  twenty  other  leading  men. 

Nithisdale,  Foster,  and  Mackintosh  were  fortunate  enough  to  escape 
from  prison  and  reach  the  continent;  Derwenlwater  and  Kenmuir  were 
executed  upon  Tower-hill,  and  met  their  fate  with  a  decent  intrepidity, 
which  made  the  spectators  forget  their  crime. 

During  all  this  time  the  earl  of  Oxford  had  remained  in  the  Towei, 
unnoticed  and  almost  forgctten.  When  the  numerous  executions  had 
literally  disgusted  men  witii  the  sad  spectacle  of  bloodshed  he  petitioned 
lobe  allowed  to  take  his  trial;  rightly  judging  that,  as  compared  to  actual 
rebellion,  tlie  worst  that  was  charged  against  him  would  seem  compara- 
tively venial,  even  to  his  enemies.  He  was  accordingly  arraigned  before 
the  peers  in  Westminster-hall,  and  some  technical  dispute  arising  between 
the  lords  and  commons,  the  lords  voted  that  he  should  be  set  at  liberty. 

A.  D.  1721. — Passing  over,  as  of  no  importance,  the  sailing  from  Spain 
of  a  fleet  under  ihe  duke  of  Ormond,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  new 
attempt  on  Kngland ;  the  pretender's  hopes  from  that  expedition  being 
disappointed  by  a  storm  which  entirely  disabled  the  fleet  off"  Cape  Fini*. 


v'i    I   % 


s ..  I  'M  ■  :;■ 


,^««.  .^''''r' 


638 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


terro  •,  wo  come  to  a  domestic  event  which  orif^inatcd  in  this  year  and 
reduced  IhousandH  of  people  from  affluence  to  be({Kary. 

The  South  Sea  company,  to  which  government  was  greatly  indohtnd 
wan  in  the  habit  of  contontini;  ilsclf  with  five  per  cent,  interest,  on  uc' 
count  of  the  largeness  of  its  claim,  instead  of  six  per  cent.,  winch  tiio 
government  paid  to  all  the  other  public  comnanios  to  which  it  wng  j|, 
debted.  A  scrivener,  named  lllount,  of  more  ability  than  principle,  availed 
himself  of  this  state  of  things  to  commence  a  deep  and  destructive  part  ol 
the  scheme.  It  was  quite  obviously  to  the  advantage  of  the  nation  to  pay 
Ave  rather  than  six  per  cent,  upon  all  its  debts,  as  well  as  upon  the  one 
considerable  debt  that  was  due  to  the  South  Sea  company ;  and,  on  i\\t 
other  hand,  it  was  well  worth  the  while  of  that  wealthy  company  to  add 
as  much  as  possible  to  the  already  large  amount  upon  which  five  percent 
interest  was  punctually  paid  by  the  government,  Blount  put  the  case  so 
plausibly  on  the  part  of  the  company,  and  so  skilfully  throw  in  the  addi- 
tional inducement  to  the  government  of  a  reduction  of  the  interest  from 
five  to  four  per  cent,  at  the  end  of  six  years,  that  the  scheme  sceumd  to 
be  an  actual  reduction  of  one-sixth  of  the  whole  national  burden  iinmcdi- 
ately,  and  a  reduction  of  a  third  at  the  end  of  six  years.  Kvcry  cnconr. 
Bgement  and  sanction  were  consequently  given  to  the  plan  by  wliirh  the 
South  Sea  company  was  to  buy  up  the  claims  of  all  other  creditors  of  t|  e 
government.  Hitherto  only  the  fair  side  of  the  scheme  had  been  display, 
cd ;  now  came  the  important  question,  where  was  the  South  Sea  com- 
pany,  wealthy  as  it  might  be,  to  find  the  vast  sum  of  money  necessary  fo( 
rendering  it  the  sole  government  creditor?  Ulount  was  ready  with  his 
reply.  Hy  a  second  part  of  his  scheme  he  proposed  to  enrich  the  nation 
enormously  by  opening  up  a  new,  vast,  and  safe  trade  to  the  Soulli  Snas; 
«nd  flaming  prospectuses  invited  the  public  to  exchange  government  stock 
for  equal  nominal  amounts  in  the  South  Sea  stocks — said  to  bo  vastly 
more  valuable.  The  cunning  of  Ulount  and  his  fellow-directors  was  so 
well  aided  by  the  cupidity  of  the  public,  that  when  the  books  were  opened 
for  this  notable  transfer  there  was  a  positive  struggle  for  the  precedence; 
a  consequent  run  took  place  for  South  Sea  shares,  which  in  a  few  diys 
were  sold  at  more  than  double  their  original  value,  and  ere  the  end  of  the 
delusion,  which  was  kept  up  for  several  months,  the  shares  met  wiiii  a 
ready  sale  at  ten  times  their  original  cost!  When  we  reflect  tliat  a  thou, 
sand  pounds  thus  produced  ten  thousand  to  the  speculator,  and  a  hundred 
thousand  a  million,  we  may  judge  how  much  excitement  and  easomess 
prevailed.  Enormous  fortunes,  of  course,  were  made  in  the  transfer  and 
re-transfer  of  shares,  and  to  those  who  sold  out  while  the  delusion  was 
still  at  its  height  the  scheme  was  a  very  E\  Dorado.  But  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  supposed  fortunate  possessors  of  South  Sea  stock  were  far 
too  well  pleased  with  their  prospects  to  part  with  them,  as  they  imagined 
it  difficult  to  put  a  sufficient  value  upon  their  probabilities  of  vast  and  ever- 
increasing  interest !  Among  this  number  was  the  poet  Oay,  who,  though 
a  scholar  and  a  wit,  was,  nevertheless,  in  tha  actual  business  of  life,  us 
simple  as  a  child.  Ho  was  strongly  advised  by  his  friends  to  sell  some 
stock  which  had  been  presented  to  him,  and  thus,  while  the  stock  was  at 
its  highest  value,  secure  himself  a  competence  for  life.  But  no!  like  thou- 
sands more,  he  persisted  in  holding  this  precious  stock;  and  all  who  did 
so  found  their  scrip  mere  waste  paper  when  the  company  was  called  upon 
to  pay  the  very  first  vast  and  very  genuine  demand  out  of  profits  wiiich 
were  represented  as  being  equally  vast,  but  which  had  the  slight  defeet  o( 
being  wholly  imaginary.  Thousands  upon  thousands  of  families  were 
by  thiit  artful  and  most  vile  scheme  reduced  to  complete  ruin,  and  nothing 
that  has  occurred  in  our  own  time — replete  as  it  is  with  bubbles  and 
swindling  directors — is  calculated  to  give  us  any  adequate  idea  of  the 
suff'cring,  the  rage,  and  the  dismay  that  were  felt  in  all  parts  of  the  king 


TIIK  TaEASUIlY  OP  HI8T0UY. 


63 


rcatly  inilohtod, 
interest,  nti  »u 
out.,  which  llio 
hioli  it  was  n. 
irineiple.  availed 
slrucllvo  part  ol 
he  niitioii  to  p;iy 
as  upon  tlin  una 
my ;  ami,  on  the 
company  to  add 
ich  five  percent 
I  put  the  case  so 
irow  in  the  ad(ii- 
ihe  interest  from 
liicmo  seemed  to 
1  burden  inimcdi- 
,.     Every  enroiir. 
plan  by  wliich  the 
ir  creditors  of  tl  e 
had  been  displiy. 
South  Sea  com- 
ney  necessary  foi 
as  ready  with  his 
I  enrich  tlie  nation 
to  the  South  Seas; 
government  stock 
—said  to  be  vastly 
v-directors  was  so 
books  were  opened 
or  lite  precedence ; 
hich  in  a  few  diys 
,  ere  the  end  of  the 
shares  met  with  a 
reflect  that  a  ihoii- 
itor,  and  a  hundred 
lent  and  eagerness 
in  the  transfer  and 
c  tiic  delusion  was 
But  the  great  ma- 
Sea  stock  were  far 
1,  as  they  imagined 
es  of  vast  and  ever- 
t  Oay,  who,  though 
business  of  life,  as 
riends  to  sell  some 
lo  the  stock  was  at 
But  no!  like  thou- 
_;k ;  and  all  who  did 
my  was  called  upon 
lUt  of  profits  winch 
the  slight  defect  ol 
Is  of  families  were 
le  ruin,  and  nothing 
is  with  bubbles  and 
dequate  idea  of  tlie 
,11  parts  of  the  king 


dom.  The  Rovcrnnient  did  all  that  it  consistently  could  to  remedy  the 
disaslioiis  elTects  produced  by  individual  knavery  acting  upon  general 
ciipiility  and  credulity.  'I'lie  cliiel  managers  of  the  schenio  were  deprived 
of  tli<!  imnienso  property  they  had  unfairly  acquired  by  it,  and  redresses 
as  r  ir  as  possible  aflTorded  to  the  siiflferers ;  but  in  the  almost  infinite 
variety  of  transfers  which  had  taken  place,  it  imivitably  followed  that  mil- 
jidiis  of  properly  passed  from  the  hands  of  those  who  speculated  foolishly 
iiUo  the  hands  of  those  who  were  more  sagacious  and  more  wary,  though 
not  positively  involved  in  the  guilt  of  the  deception;  and  for  many  years 
thousands  had  to  toil  for  bread  who  but  for  this  scheme  would  have  been 
affluent,  while  llioiisands  more  enjoyed  wealth  not  a  jot  more  honestly  or 
usefully  earned  than  the  gains  of  the  veriest  gambler. 

iSo  extensive  were  the  sufTeriiigs  and  confusion  created  by  this  event, 
that  the  friends  of  the  pretender  deemed  the  crisis  a  fit  one  at  which  to 
bring  forward  his  pretensions  again.  Unt,  as  was  usual  with  that  party, 
there  was  so  much  dissension  among  the  leading  malcontents,  and  their 
affairs  were  so  clumsily  conducted  on  the  part  of  some  of  them,  that  the 
ministry  got  intelligence  of  the  designs  which  were  on  foot,  and  suddenly 
ordereil  the  apprehension  of  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  the  carl  of  Orrery,  the 
lords  North  and  (Jrey,  Atterbury,  bishop  of  Kochesler,  Mr.  Layer,  and 
several  other  persons  of  less  note.  In  the  investigation  that  followed, 
snflkient  legal  evidence  could  be  found  only  against  the  bishop  of  Ro- 
chester and  Mr.  Layer,  though  there  could  be  no  moral  doulU  of  the  guilt 
of  the  others.  All,  therefore,  were  discharged  out  of  custody  except  the 
bishop,  who  was  banished  the  kingdom,  and  Mr.  Layer,  who  was  hanged 
at  Tyburn. 

Scarcely  less  sensation  was  caused  by  an  accusation  which  was  brought 
aRiiiiist  the  earl  of  Macclesfield,  of  having  sold  certain  places  in  chancery 
Tiic  house  of  commons  impeached  liiin  at  the  bar  of  the  house  of  lords, 
and  a  most  interesting  and  well  contested  trial  ensued,  which  lasted  for 
twenty  days.  The  carl  was  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  be  imprisoned 
until  he  should  pay  a  fine  of  thirty  thousand  pounds.  He  paid  the  money 
in  less  than  two  months ;  and  his  friends  deemed  him  very  hardly  done 
by,  inasmuch  as  it  was  proved  on  Ihe  trial  that  he  had  only  sold  such 
places  as  had  been  sold  by  former  chanccdlors.  To  us,  however,  this 
seems  but  a  very  slender  excuse  for  the  ofl'ence;  as  a  judge  in  equity  he 
ought  to  have  put  a  stop  to  so  dangerous  a  practice  and  not  have  profited 
by  it,  especially  as  the  honourable  precedent  of  Chancellor  Bacon  was  in 
existence  to  remind  him  that  in  chancery  as  elsewhere,  *'  two  blacks  do 
not  make  a  white."  As  to  the  fine,  largo  as  the  sum  seems,  it  was  not  at 
all  too  heavy ;  no  small  portion  of  it  having  been  the  produce  of  the  ofTence 
for  wliich  it  was  imposed. 

A.  D.  1727. — From  the  very  commencement  of  his  reign  George  I.  had 
shown  at  least  as  much  anxiety  for  Hanover  as  for  England,  and  having 
now  been  above  two  years  prevented  by  various  causes  from  visiting  the 
electorate,  ho  appointed  a  regency  and  set  out  for  Hanover  in  a  state  of 
health  that  gave  no  reason  to  fear  any  ill  result.  The  voyage  to  Holland 
and  the  subsequent  journey  to  within  a  few  leagues  of  Osnaburg,  were 
performed  by  the  king  in  his  usual  health  and  spirits,  but  as  he  approached 
Osnaburg  he  suddenly  called  for  the  postillion  to  stof).  It  was  found  that 
one  of  his  hands  was  paralysed,  his  tongue  began  to  swell,  and  no  efforts 
of  the  surgeon  who  traveled  with  him  could  afford  him  any  relief;  and 
on  the  following  morning  he  expired,  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  reign  and 
mthe  sixtv-eighth  of  his  age, 


f,"l'* 


I  '  a!"      ' 


iJ)fM*m   .i  ■■':':>     |: 


6t0 


THB  XaaASURY  OF  HISTOE^. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 


THE    REION   OF   GEORGE 

A.  D.  1737. — George  the  Second,  like  his  deceased  father,  was  a  German 
by  birth,  language,  and  sentiments.  In  their  personal  qualities,  also,  they 
bore  a  striking  resemblance:  both  were  honest,  just,  plain-dealing  men; 
both  were  alike  parsimonious  and  obstinate  ;  and  as  both  were  beset  by 
political  factions  whose  rancour  knew  no  bounds,  so  each  of  those  mon. 
archs  had  io  contend  with  the  caprice  or  venality  of  rival  statesmen,  as 
by  turns  they  directed  the  councils  of  the  nation. 

The  king  was  in  the  forty-fourth  year  of  his  age  on  coming  to  ilie 
throne ;  and  he  took  the  fii'^t  opportunity  of  declaring  to  his  parliament 
that  he  was  determined  to  adhere  to  the  policy  of  his  predecessor.  Owing 
to  the  previous  continental  wars  in  which  England  had  taken  a  part,  tlie 
kingdom  was  involved  in  a  labyrinth  of  treaties  and  conventions.  Mueii 
discontent  was  .ilso  felt  and  expressed  on  many  points  of  domestic  policy. 
Dangerous  encroachments  had  been  made  in  the  constitution  by  the  repeal 
of  the  triennial  act ;  by  frequent  suspensions  of  the  habeas  corpus  act ;  by 
keeping  up  a  standing  army ;  and  by  the  notorious  venal  practices  em- 
ployed in  establishing  a  system  of  parliamentary  corruption.  At  firsl 
Bome  change  in  the  ministry  appeared  in  contemplation ;  but  after  a  littln 
time  it  was  settled  that  Sir  Robert  Waipole  should  continue  at  the  liead 
of  tlie  administration ;  with  Lord  Townshcnd  as  director  of  the  fureigu 
alTairs  and  Mr.  Pelham,  brother  to  the  duke  of  Newcastle,  as  secretary- 
at-war.  There  was,  however,  a  great  and  concentrated  mass  of  opposj. 
tion  gradually  forming  against  Waipole,  which  required  all  his  vigilance 
and  ability  to  overcome. 

Peace  was  established  at  homo  and  abroad ;  and  the  new  parliament, 
which  assembled  in  January,  1728,  afforded  no  topic  of  interest ;  but  in 
the  succeeding  year  the  commons  complained  of  the  occasional  publica- 
tion of  their  proceedings,  and  it  was  unanimously  resolved,  "  Tliat  it  is 
an  indignity  to,  and  a  breach  of  the  privilege  of  the  house,  for  any  per^oii 
to  presume  to  give,  in  written  or  printed  newspapers,  any  account  or 
minutes  of  the  debates  or  otiicr  proceedings  of  the  house  or  of  any  com- 
mittee thereof;  and  that,  upon  the  discovery  of  the  author,  ice,  this  house 
will  proceed  against  the  offenders  with  tlie  utmost  severity."  An  address 
to  his  majesty  was  also  presented  by  the  commons,  complaining  of  serious 
depredations  having  been  committed  by  thb  ^inaniards  on  British  ships, 
in  manifest  violation  of  the  treaties  subsisting  between  the  two  erowiis; 
and  requesting  that  active  measures  might  be  taken  to  procure  reasuimble 
satisfaction  for  the  losses  sustained,  and  secure  his  majesty's  subjects  tiie 
free  exercise  of  commerce  and  navigation  to  and  from  the  Uritisli  planta- 
tions in  America.  This  was  followed  by  a  defensive  treaty  between 
Great  Britain,  France,  Spain,  and  Holland  •  the  question  between  England 
and  Spain  as  to  naval  captures  being  left  to  future  adjudication  by  com- 
missioners. 

A.  D.  1730. — Some  changes  now  took  place  in  the  ministry.  Lord  Hai 
rington  was  made  secretary  of  state,  in  the  room  of  Lord  Townshend,  wlio 
appears  to  have  interfered  more  with  the  affairs  of  the  nation  than  was 
agreeable  to  Sir  Robert  Waipole,  to  whom  he  was  related  by  marriage. 
The  latter,  it  is  said,  upon  being  asked  the  cattse  of  his  difference  wilhliis 
brolhcr-in-law,  drily  replied,  "As  long  as  the  firm  of  the  house  was 
Townshend  and  Waipole,  all  did  very  well ;  but  when  it  became  Waipole 
and  Townshend,  things  went  wrong  and  a  separation  ensued."  About  the 
same  time  the  duke  of  Dorset  was  appointed  lord  lieutenant  of  Ireland  n\ 


TDrpo 

''Stall 

Ini 

nfcoii 

on  wi 

tics  of 

precrc 

eininei 

prcspii 

and  till 

10  llie 

fiotous 

Croiii  o 

must 

ppiidini 

Vcr 
princes 
"iiliirnl, 
''or  Rot 
proclan 
membei 
fftlieii 
Vo 


..Mi^->^  *  ,t**iii.— r«».»J«"&t»...*«fea 


r,  wasa  German 
ilitiea,  also,  they 
in-dealing  men; 
ih  were  buset  by 
h  o(  those  men. 
ul  statesmen,  as 

on  com'mg  to  the 
10  his  parliament 
decessoi'.  Owing 
taken  a  part,  the 
nventions.    Much 
,i  domestic  policy. 
miou  by  the  repeal 
jas  corpus  act ;  by 
!nal  practices  em- 
rruptiou.     At  first 
^.,  but  after  a  imlfi 
)ntinue  at  the  head 
3ctor  of  the  foreign 
■astle,  as  secretary- 
Led  mass  of  opposi- 
:ed  all  his  vigilance 

he  new  parliament, 
of  interest ;  but  m 
occasional  publica- 

tsolved,  "  That  -t  is 
3use,  for  any  person 
3r8,  any  account  or 
juse  or  of  any  com- 
lhor,&c.,  this  house 
erity  "    An  address 
mplaining  of  serious 
•ds  on  British  ships, 
icnthetwocrowiis; 
,  procure  reasonable 
Jcsty'«  subjects  the 
n  the  British  pUuu^- 
sivc  treaty  betwceu 
,on  between  Kngbnd 
.djudication  by  com- 

pinistry.    Lord  Ihj 
ordTownshfiHl,«M 
the  nation  than  was 
related  by  marriage. 
;i8  difference  with  ' 
n  of  the  house  NN 
.nitbccamcNVapo 
ensued."     About  h 
uteuanlof  ir^ii^"^'" 


n 


THE  THEASUHY  op  HISTOllY. 


641 


the  room  of  Ijord  Carteret ;  the  duke  of  Devonshire,  privy  seal,  and  Liord 
Trevor,  president  of  the  council. 

With  the  blessings  of  peace  England  was  now  enjoying  a  high  degree 
of  prosperity;  her  trade  with  foreign  nations  was  constantly  increasing; 
and  from  her  American  colonies  the  imports  of  sugar,  rum,  &c.,  were 
most  abundant.  The  whale-fishery  also  on  the  coast  of  New-England, 
New- York,  &c.,  was  highly  productive.  The  most  flattering  accounts 
were  received  from  our  trans-atiantic  friends;  and  the  tide  of  emigration 
from  our  shores,  but  more  particularly  from  Ireland,  was  fast  flowing  in 
that  direction. 

A.  1),  1732. — The  parliamentary  session  was  opened  by  the  king  in  per- 
son, wh;\  in  an  elaborate  speech,  complimented  the  country  on  its  politi- 
cal aspecJv  and  dwelt  with  evident  satisfaction  on  the  late  continental 
ttUinnces  he  had  entered  into.    This  was  naturally  followed  by  c^  tT^ratu- 
latory  addresses  from  both  iiouscs ;  and  the  minister  saw  himself  surrounded 
by  a  phalanx  of  supporters,  too  numerous  for  the  opposition  to  disturb  his 
equanimity.     But  amid  thn  general  prosperity  there  were  some  publio 
delinquencies  which  seemed  to  require  the  strong  arm  of  justice  to  unmask 
and  punish.    The  most  glaring  of  these,  perhaps,  was  an  enormous  fraud 
committed  by  certain  parties  who  had  the  management  of  the  funds  be- 
longing to  the  "charitable  corporation."     This  society  had  been  formed 
under  the  plausible  pretext  of  lending  money  at  legal  interest  to  the  poor 
and  to  others,  upon  security  of  goods,  in  «)rdcr  to  screen  them  from  the 
rapacity  of  pawnbrokers.     Their  capital  was  at  first  limited  to  30,000/., 
but  by  licenses  from  the  crown  they  increased  it  to  G00,000/.     George 
Robinson,  M.P.  .""or  Marlow,  the  casliier,  and  John  Thomson,  the  warehouse 
keeper,  had  suddenly  disappeared,  and  it  was  now  discovered  that  for  a 
capital  of  500,000/.  eflects  to  the  amount  of  30,000/.  only  could  be  found, 
the  remainder  having  been  embezzled.     A  petition  to  the  house  of  com- 
mons having  been  referred  to  a  committee,  it  clearly  appeared  that  a  most 
tniquitous  scheme  of  fraud  had  been  systematically  carried  on  by  the 
cashier  and  warehouse-man,  in  concert  with  some  of  the  directors,  for 
(iin'iH'Zzliiig  the  ca[)ital  and  cheating  the  proprietors;   on  which  it  wa8 
resolved,  that  Sir  Robert  Sutton,  with  nine  others,  who  had  been  proved 
guilty  of  many  fraudulent  practices  in  the  management  of  the  charitable 
corporation,  sliould  make  satisfaction  to  the  poor  sufferers  out  of  their 
estates,  and  be  prevented  from  leaving  the  kingdom. 

In  llie  following  year  the  excise,  scheme  was  first  introduced  into  the  house 
of  commons;  and  although  it  was  simply  a  plan  for  converting  the  duties 
on  wine  and  tobaeco,  which  had  been  hitherto  duties  of  customs,  into  du- 
ties of  excise,  the  ferment  \vhi(;h  this  proposition  e.xcited  was  almost  un- 
precedented. The  sherifTs  of  London,  accompanied  by  many  of  the  mosi 
eminent  merchants,  in  two  hundred  carriages,  came  down  to  the  house  to 
present  their  petition  against  the  bill;  other  petitions  were  also  presented; 
and  tlie  minister  finding  that  his  majority  was  small  and  the  opposition 
10  the  measure  so  universal,  determined  on  withdrawing  it.  The  most 
riotous  rejoicings  followed;  and  if  a  correct  judgment  might  be  formed 
from  outward  appearances,  the  inhabitants  of  London  and  Westminster 
must  have  thought  they  had  obtained  a  deliverance  from  some  great  im- 
pending danger. 

Very  little  occurred  during  the  succeeding  year  worthy  of  remark.  The 
princess  royal  was  married  to  the  prince  of  Orange ;  a  bill  passed  for  the 
naturalization  of  his  royal  highness  ;  and  the  "happy  pair" left  St.  James' 
for  Rotterdam  on  the  22d  of  April.  Parliament  was  now  dissolved  by 
proclamation.  The  king  had  previously  prorogued  it,  after  thanking  the 
members  for  the  many  signal  proofs  tiiey  had  given  him  for  sci  jn  years 
of  their  duty  and  attachment  to  his  person  and  government ;  and  concluded 
Vol.  I 41 


i:. 


m 


I* 


r ' 

'f,  ' 

1  .  • 

■^ 

»- 

Ipii 


642 


TUB  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


with  a  prayer  that  providence  would  direct  his  people  in  the  choice  of  their 
representatives. 

A.  D.  1735.— When  the  new  parliament  met  in  January  it  was  seen  that 
the  elections  had  made  no  perceptible  change  in  the  composition  of  the 
house ;  the  leaders  of  parties  were  the  same ;  and  nearly  the  same  motions 
amendments,  debates,  and  arguments  were  reproduced.  Indeed,  if  wj 
except  some  angry  disputes  which  occurred  between  the  ministers  and  the 
prince  of  Wales,  relative  to  the  income  allowed  out  of  the  civil  list  to  the 
latter,  scarcely  any  event  worthy  of  remark  took  place  for  a  long  lime. 
The  affair  to  which  we  allude  thus  originated.  Motions  having  been  made 
in  each  house  of  parliament  to  address  his  ma.jesty  to  settle  100,000/.  per 
annum  on  the  prince,  it  was  opposed  by  the  ministers  as  an  encroachment 
on  the  prerogative,  an  officious  intermeddling  with  the  king's  family  alTairs, 
and  as  an  effort  to  set  his  majesty  and  the  prince  at  variance.  But  tiic 
truth  was,  there  had  long  been  a  serious  misunderstanding  between  tliese 
royal  personages,  arising  chiefly  from  the  prince  being  at  the  head  of  i|ie 
opposition  party ;  and  now  that  there  seemed  no  chance  of  his  obtaining 
the  income  he  required,  it  was  highly  resented  by  him,  and  caused  an  en- 
tire alienation  between  the  two  courts  of  St.  James's  and  Leicester-liouse. 
Nor  can  it  be  wondered  at  that  the  prince  should  feel  himself  grossly 
•lighted,  wlien  out  of  a  civil  list  of  800,000/.  a  revenue  of  50,000/.  perai'- 
num  only  was  allowed  him ;  although  his  father  when  prince  had  100,000/,, 
out  of  a  civil  list  of  700,000/.  The  breach  grew  wider  every  day;  ami  at 
length  so  rancorous  had  these  family  squabbles  become,  that  in  the  last 
illness  of  the  queen,  who  expired  in  November,  1737,  the  prince  was  not 
even  permitted  to  see  her. 

The  growing  prosperity  of  England  during  a  long  peace  was  duly  ap. 
preciiited  by  Sir  Robert  VValpole,  and  he  neglected  nothing  that  seemed 
likely  to  insure  its  continuance ;  but  the  arbitrary  conduct  pursued  by  the 
Spaniards  on  the  American  coasts,  and  the  interested  clamours  of  some 
English  merchants  engaged  in  a  contraband  trade  with  the  Spanish  colo- 
nies, led  to  a  war  between  the  two  countries,  wliich  lasted  from  the  year 
1739  to  1748. 

In  order  to  prevent  the  ships  of  any  otlier  nation  from  trading  witli  the 
American  colonies,  the  Spaniards  employed  vessels  called  guarda-cost;is 
to  watch  and  intercept  them;  but  instead  of  confining  themselves  to  this, 
their  legitimate  object,  the  captains  of  the  Spanish  guard-ships  frcquriitly 
interfered  with  British  merchants,  who  were  on  their  way  to  ollirr  Anier- 
ican  colonies,  and,  under  pretence  of  searching  for  contraband  {;o»ds, 
boarded  their  ships,  and  sometimes  treated  the  crews  with  the  gnaUst 
barbarity.  The  accounts  of  these  indignities  created  a  desire  aniong  ;dl 
classes  of  his  majesty's  subjects  for  inflicting  on  tlie  Spaniards  signal  and 
speedy  retribution ;  but  the  pacific  policy  of  the  minister  was  inimical 
to  the  adoption  of  vigorous  measures.  Captain  Jenkins,  the  master  of  a 
Scottish  merchant-ship,  who  was  examined  at  the  bar  of  the  liousc  of 
commons,  declared  that  he  was  boarded  by  a  guarda-costa,  who,  after  ran- 
sacking his  sliip  and  ill-treating  his  crew,  tore  off  one  of  his  ears,  and 
throwing  it  in  his  face,  told  him  "  to  take  it  to  his  king."  Upon  beiiigaskcd 
what  he  thought  when  he  found  himself  in  the  hands  of  such  barbarians, 
Jenkins  re[ili»!d,  "I  recommended  my  soul  to  God,  and  my  cause  to  my 
country."  These  words,  and  the  display  of  his  ear,  which,  wrapped  up 
in  cotton,  he  always  carried  about  him,  filled  the  house  with  indignatioii; 
but  it  Mas  not  till  more  than  a  twelve-month  afterwards  that  an  order  in 
council  was  issued  for  making  reprisals  on  the  Spaniards. 

A.  D.  1740. — The  war  with  Spain  had  now  commenced,  and  the  most 
strenuous  exertions  were  made  to  put  the  navy  in  the  best  possible  eoiiJi- 
tion.  Admiral  Vernon,  with  a  small  force,  captured  the  important  city  of 
Porto  Bello,  on  the  American  isthmus.    Hut  it  appeared  at  the  close  o' 


THE  TttEASUEY  OP  HISTORY. 


843 


choice  of  thcii 

t  was  seen  that 
position  of  the 
!  same  motions, 

Indeed,  if  wc 
inisters  and  the 

civil  list  to  the 
or  a  long  time. 
iving  been  made 
lie  100,000i.  per 
lU  encroaehment 
;'»  family  atfiiirs, 
riancc.     But  tlie 
ig  between  these 
t  the  head  of  ll\e 
.  of  his  obtiiiiiiiig 
nd  caused  an  en- 
,  Lcieester-liouse, 
I  himself  grossly 
)f  50,0002.  per  ai  - 
nice  had  100,000;., 
3very  day ;  and  lU 
e,  that  in  the  lust 
ihe  prince  was  not 

leace  was  duly  ap. 
thing  that  seemed 
uct  pursued  by  ll\o 
i  clamours  of  some 
the  Spanish  colo- 
Ued  from  the  year 

,m  trading  with  ik 
illed  guarda-euslas 
themselves  to  lliis, 
iird- ships  frequrmly 
Nvay  to  other  Ainer- 
contraband  goods, 
8  with  the  greatest 
a  desire  among  ;d 
Spaniards  si!j;nal  am 
nister  was  uumieal 
ins,  the  master  of  a 
jar  of  the  Inmse  ol 
losta,  who,  after  ran- 
ne  of  his  cars,  and 
'    Upon  being  askcil 
of  such  l)arbanivns, 
nd  my  cause  to  my 
•,  which,  wrapped  up 
186  with  indignHiinn; 
.rds  that  an  order  m 

enced,  and  the  mo^t 
2  best  possible  eoadi- 
the  important  ciiy  o 
■arcd  at  the  close  d 


the  year,  that  the  Spaniards  had  taken  upwards  of  400  English  vessels, 
many  of  them  richly  laden. 

At  this  period  tlie  violence  of  party  politics  was  displayed  in  all  its  ran* 
cour.  Many  changes  took  place  in  the  cabinet;  and  Walpole,  descrying 
the  coming  storm,  presented  two  of  his  sons  with  valuable  sinecures. 
Soon  after,  Mr.  Sandys  gave  notice  that  he  should  make  a  motion  in  the 
house  of  commons  for  the  dismissal  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole  from  the  king's 
councils  forever.  On  the  appointed  day  the  house  was  crowded  at  an 
early  hour,  and  the  public  were  in  a  state  of  breathless  expectation  to  learn 
the  result.  The  accusations  against  the  minister  were  by  no  means  con- 
fined to  any  particular  misconduct,  but  were  vague  and  i  idefinite.  The 
very  length  of  Mr.  Walpole's  power,  said  Mr.  Sandys,  wa.  in  itself  dan- 
gerous; to  accuse  him  of  any  specific  crime  was  unnecess  iry,  the  dissat- 
isfaction of  the  people  being  a  sufficient  cause  for  his  remo  il!  The  dis- 
cussion was  long  and  animated,  and  the  debate  closed  by  a  po  .erful  speech 
from  Walpole,  whicli  made  a  deep  impression  on  the  house,  and  the  mo- 
tion was  negatived  by  the  largo  majority  of  290  against  106.  In  the  lords, 
a  similar  motion  met  with  the  like  result. 

A.  D.  1741. — The  success  which  had  attended  Vernon's  attacK  on  Porto 
Bello  induced  the  government  to  send  out  large  armaments  aj^ainst  the 
Spanish  colonies.  In  conjunction  with  Lord  Callicart,  who  had  he  com- 
mand of  a  numerous  army,  Vernon  undertook  to  assail  Spanish  America 
on  the  side  of  the  Atlantic,  while  Commodore  Anson  sailed  round  Cape 
Horn  to  ravage  the  coast  of  Chili  and  Peru.  Part  of  these  arrangements 
were  frustrated  owing  to  the  death  of  Lord  Cathcart,  his  successor.  Gen- 
eral Wentworth,  being  an  officer  of  little  experience  and  very  jealous  o/ 
llie  adiniral's  popularity.  As  miglit  be  expected  where  such  was  the  case, 
tlie  expedition  lamentably  failed  of  its  object;  incapacity  and  dissension 
eharacterised  their  operations;  nothin;;  of  the  slightest  importance  was 
eflecled,  and  they  returned  home  after  more  than  fifteen  thousand  of  the 
troops  and  seamen  had  fallen  victims  to  the  diseases  of  a  tropical  climate. 
Nor  was  the  result  of  the  expedition  under  Anson  calculated  to  retrieve 
these  disasters ;  for  although  he  plundered  the  town  of  Patia,  in  Peru,  and 
captured  several  prizes,  among  which  was  the  Spanish  galleon,  laden  with 
treasure,  that  sailed  aimually  from  Acapulco  to  Manilla,  he  encountered 
such  severe  storms,  particularly  in  rounding  Cape  Horn,  that  his  squad- 
ron was  finally  reduced  to  only  one  ship. 

It  is  time  that  we  return  to  the  affairs  of  continental  Europe,  so  far,  at 
least,  as  they  involve  England.  In  October,  1740,  the  emperor  Charles 
VI.,  the  last  male  heir  of  the  house  of  Austria  Hapsburg,  died.  Almost 
all  the  powers  of  Europe  had,  by  the  "pragmatic  sanction,"  guaranteed 
ilie  possessions  of  Austria  to  the  arch-duchess  Maria  Theresa,  queen  of 
IliMigary ;  yet  no  power  except  England  was  influenced  by  its  cngage- 
aiiiils.  Scarcely  had  the  Hungarian  queen  succeeded  her  father,  when 
slic  found  herself  surrounded  by  a  host  of  enemies.  But  the  most  power- 
lui  and  the  most  wily  of  them  was  Frederic  III.,  king  of  Prussia,  who, 
having  at  his  command  a  rich  treasury  and  a  well-appointed  army,  entered 
Silesia,  and  soon  conquered  it.  Knowing,  however,  that  she  had  not  only 
loeonlend  with  France,  wiio  !iad  resolved  to  elevate  Charles  Albert,  elec- 
tor (if  Bavaria,  to  the  empire,  but  also  numbered  among  her  foes  the  kings 
of  Spain,  Poland,  and  Sardinia,  ho  offered  to  support  her  against  all  com- 
petitors, on  the  condition  of  being  permitted  to  retain  hia  acquisition. 
riiis  she  lieroically  and  indignantly  refused ;  and,  although  the  French 
Iroups  even  menaced  her  capital,  Maria  Theresa  convened  the  states  of 
Hungary,  and  ntade  a  powerful  appeal  to  the  nobles,  which  they  responded 
.0  by  a  solemn  declaration  that  they  were  all  ready  to  die  in  defence  of 
her  rights.  Another  large  army  was  quickly  raised;  the  English  parlia- 
:ient  voted  a  subsidy ;  and  so  great  was  the  attachment  of  the  Eugiisb 


■  111 


,it:.'.,      ,.< 


644 


THE  TREASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


people  to  hor  cause,  that  the  pacific  Walpole  could  no  longer  control  tho 
desire  that  was  manifested  for  becoming  parties  in  the  war, 

A.  D.  1742. — In  the  new  parliament,  which  was  opened  by  the  king  I'n 
person,  it  was  evident  that  the  opponentsof  Walpole  had  greatly  strength- 
ened thnmselves  ;  and  being  shortly  after  able  to  obtain  a  trifling  majority 
of  votes  on  the  Westminster  election  petition.  Sir  Robert  expressed  his 
intention  of  retiring  from  office.  He  consequently  resigned  ail  his  em- 
ployments,  and  was  created  earl  of  Orford,  with  a  pension  of  4,000/.  a 
year,  his  majesty  testifying  for  his  faithful  servant  the  most  affectionate 
regard. 

England,  accustomed  to  consider  the  equilibrium  of  the  continental 
states  as  the  guarantee  of  her  own  grandeur,  would  naturally  espouse  the 
cause  of  Maria  Theresa  ;  while  it  was  quite  as  natural  that  the  king  ol 
England,  as  elector  of  Hanover,  would  be  ready  to  enforce  its  propritty. 
But  there  was  another  motive  at  this  time  still  more  powerful,  namely, 
the  war  which  had  recently  broken  out  between  England  and  Spain  ;  for 
it  could  not  be  expected  that,  in  a  continental  war  in  which  the  latter  conn, 
try  was  one  of  the  belligerents,  England  would  omit  any  opportunity  that 
offered  of  weakening  that  power.  Yet  as  long  as  Walpole  was  the  di- 
recting minister,  the  king  restricted  himself  to  negotiations  and  subsidies. 
But  when  Walpole  was  superseded  by  Lord  Carteret,  the  canse  of  Marii 
Theresa  was  sustained  by  the  arms  of  England,  and  by  larger  subsidies, 
while  the  king  of  Naples  was  forced  by  an  English  fleet  to  the  declaration 
of  neutrality.  England  had  at  length  become  a  principal  in  the  war;  or, 
as  Smollet  observes,  "  from  being  an  umpire  had  now  become  a  party  in 
all  continental  quarrels,  and  instead  of  trimming  the  balance  of  Europe, 
lavished  away  her  blood  and  treasure  in  supporting  the  interest  and  allies 
of  a  puny  electorate  in  the  north  of  Germany." 

A.  D.  1743. — George  H.  was  now  at  tiie  head  of  the  Anglo-electoral 
army,  which  on  its  march  to  Hanau  met  and  engaged  the  French  under 
the  command  of  marshal  the  duke  of  Noailles  and  some  of  the  princes  of 
the  blood.  They  began  the  battle  with  their  accustomed  impetuosity, but 
were  received  by  .the  English  infantry  with  the  characteristic  coolness 
and  steady  intrepidity  for  which  they  are  so  eminently  distinguished.  In 
this  battle  the  king  snowed  much  passive  courage,  and  his  son,  the  duke 
of  Cumberland,  was  wounded  ;  but  it  proved  a  decisive  victory,  6,000  of 
the  French  having  fallen,  wliile  the  loss  on  the  side  of  the  British  did  not 
amount  to  more  than  one-third  of  that  number. 

About  this  time  a  treaty  was  concluded  between  England  and  Russia 
for  fifteen  years,  in  which  it  was  stipulated  that  the  empress  should  fur- 
nish his  Britannic  majesty,  as  soon  as  required,  with  a  body  of  12,000 
troops,  to  be  employed  according  to  the  exigency  of  affairs ;  and  that 
Great  Britain  should  furnish  Russia  with  twelve  men-of-war,  on  the  first 
notice,  in  case  either  of  them  were  attacked  by  an  enemy  and  demanded 
such  succour. 

A.  D.  1744. — To  remove  the  Hanoverian  dynasty  from  the  throne  of 
these  realms,  seemed  to  be  the  darling  object  of  the  courts  of  France  and 
Spain,  who  were  secretly  planning  to  restore  the  Stuart  race  in  the  person 
of  the  son  of  the  late  pretender.  Ueclarations  of  war  between  France 
and  England  accordingly  took  place ;  and  in  May  the  king  of  France  ar- 
rived at  Lisle,  to  open  the  campaign  in  Flanders,  with  an  army  of  120,000 
men,  commanded  by  the  celebrated  Marshal  Saxe.  The  allied  armies, 
consisting  of  English,  Hanoverians,  Austrians,  and  Dutch,  amounting  in 
,hc  whole  to  about  75,000,  advanced  with  the  apparent  intention  of  attack. 
.ng  the  enemy;  but,  after  performing  numerous  inconsistent  and  inexpli- 
cable movements,  without  ri>king  either  a  siege  or  a  battle,  the  suminei 
assed  away,  und  they  retired  into  winter-quarters.    Meantime  some  in 


■iliHMMMl 


'auem^**'^-M 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


643 


decisive  eng'ageTients  had  taken  place  between  the  English  and  combined 
fleets  in  the  Mediterranean. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  Lord  Carteret,  now  earl  of  Granville, 
resigned  his  ofiice,  and  a  coalition  of  parties  was  formed,  which,  from  in 
eluding  lories,  wiiigs,  and  patriots,  oblauied  the  name  of  the  "  broad  bot- 
tom" administration.  Mr.  Pelham  was  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  and 
first  lord  of  the  treasury  ;  Lord  Hardwicke,  chancellor ;  the  duke  of  Dor- 
get,  president  of  the  council;  the  duke  of  Newcastle  and  Lord  Harrington, 
secretaries  of  stale ;  and  the  duke  of  Bedford,  first  lord  of  the  admirality. 
Mr.  Pitt,  afterwards  earl  of  Chatham,  gave  tliem  his  support,  having  been 
promised  a  place  as  soon  as  the  king's  aversion  could  be  overcome. 

A,  D.  1745. — Robert  Walpole,  earl  of  Orford,  after  a  life  of  poliiicalac- 
tivity,  during  which  he  had  occupied  the  most  prominent  station  for 
twenty  years,  died  March  18,  aged  71.  His  general  policy  was  princi- 
pally characterized  by  zeal  in  favour  of  the  protestant  succession ;  by  the 
desire  of  preserving  peace  abroad,  and  avoiding  subjects  of  contention  at 
tiome.  Under  Jiis  auspices  the  naval  superiority  of  England  was  main- 
tained; commerce  encouraged;  justice  impartially  administered;  and  the 
rights  of  the  people  preserved  inviolate 

In  Italy  the  united  armies  of  France  and  Spain,  owing  to  their  vast 
superiority  in  numbers,  were  enabled  to  vanquisii  the  Austrians  ;  and  the 
Aiigio-electoral  troops  in  the  Netherlands  also  met  wiih  serious  reverses. 
Tlie  French  army  under  Marshal  Saxe  was  strongly  posted  at  Fonlonoy  ; 
to  winch  place  the  duke  of  Cumberland  advanced  on  tlie  30th  of  April,  and 
by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  troops  were  engaged.  The  valour  of  the 
Uritish  infantry  was  never  more  signally  displayed  ;  for  a  time  they  bore 
down  everything  before  them  ;  but  the  Dutch  failing  in  their  attempt  on 
the  village  of  Fontenoy,  and  the  allies  coming  within  the  destructive  fire 
of  the  semicircle  of  batteries  erected  by  Saxe,  were  outflanked  and  com- 
pelled to  retreat.  The  loss  on  each  side  amounted  to  about  10,000  men ; 
but  though  the  victory  was  not  absolutely  decisive,  it  enabled  the  French 
marslial  to  take  some  of  the  most  considerable  towns  of  the  Netherlands, 
and  tiie  allies  retired  for  safety  behind  the  canal  at  Antwerp. 

Thirty  years  had  elapsed  since  the  chevalier  de  St.  George  had  stirred 
lip  that  rebellion  which  had  ended  so  fatally  for  h.is  own  hopes,  and  so 
disastrously  for  his  adherents.  Since  tliat  time  he  had  lived  in  Italy,  had 
married  a  grand-daughter  of  John  Sobieski,  king  of  Poland,  and  had  one 
son,  Ciiarles  Edward,  who  was  afterwards  known  in  England  as  the 
"young  pretender."  While  George  U.  and  his  ministers  were  fully  occu- 
pied in  endeavoring  to  bring  the  war  in  Germany  to  a  successful  issue, 
Charles  Edward  received  every  encouragement  from  Louis  of  France  to 
take  advantage  of  that  opportunity,  and  try  his  strength  in  Britain.  And 
now  that  the  national  discontent  was  gaining  ground  in  consequence  of 
the  loss  at  Fontenoy,  and  other  events  not  much  less  disastrous,  he  de- 
termined to  attempt  the  restoration  of  his  family;  and  accompanied  only 
by  a  small  party  of  his  most  devoted  friends,  he  landed  in  the  Hebrides. 
Here  he  was  soon  joined  by  the  Highland  chieftains,  and  speedily  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  several  thousand  hardy  mountaineers,  who  were 
highly  pleased  with  his  affable  manners,  and  with  genuine  ent'iusiasm  ex« 
Dressed  themselves  ready  to  die  in  his  service.  Their  first  movement  was 
towards  Edinburgh,  which  city  surrendered  without  resistance,  but  the 
castle  still  held  out.  The  young  pretender  now  took  possession  of  Holy- 
rood  palace,  where  he  proclaimecl  his  father  king  of  Great  Britain,  and 
himself  regent,  with  all  the  idle  pageantries  of  state.  Meanv'.ne  a  pro- 
clamation was  issued,  offering  a  reward  of  30,000/.  for  his  apprehension. 

Sir  John  (/Ope,  the  commander  of  the  king's  troops  in  Scotland,  having 
collected  some  reinforcements  in  the  north,  proceeded  from  Aberdeen  to 
Dunbar  by  sea,  and  hearing  that  the  insurgents  were  resolved  to  hazard  a 


046 


THE  TREA8UEY  OF  HISTORY. 


battle,  he  encamped  at  Preston  Pans.  Here  he  was  unexpectedly  attack- 
ed,  and  with  such  vigorous  onslaught,  by  the  fierce  and  undisciplined 
Highlanders,  that  a  sudden  panic  seized  the  royal  troops,  and  in  their 
flight  they  abandoned  all  their  baggage,  cannon,  and  camp  equipage,  to 
their  enemies.  Kiatcd  with  success,  the  rebels  entered  England,  and  pro- 
ceeded  as  far  as  Derby,  without  encountering  any  opposition.  Here, 
however,  they  learned  that  the  duke  of  Cumberland  had  arrived  from  the 
continent,  and  was  making  preparations  to  oppose  them  with  an  over 
whelming  force ;  and  it  was  therefore  finally  determined,  that  as  tiiey 
could  neither  raise  recruits  in  England,  nor  force  their  way  into  Wales, 
they  should  hasten  their  return  to  Scotland. 

"fhe  pretender  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  important  succours  would 
be  sent  to  him  from  France,  or  it  is  not  likely  he  would  have  crossed  the 
border.  But  the  vigilance  of  Admiral  Vernon  prevented  the  French  fleet 
from  venturing  out ;  and  thus  all  hope  of  foreign  assistance  was  cut  ofT. 
The  forces  of  the  pretender  were  greatly  augmented  on  his  return  to 
Scotland;  but  finding  that  Edinburgh  was  in  possession  of  the  king's 
troops,  he  bent  his  course  towards  Stirling,  which  town  he  captured,  and 
besieged  the  castle.  Matters  had  now  assumed  a  very  serious  aspect, 
and  public  credit  was  most  seriously  affected  ;  but  there  was  no  lack  of 
energy  in  the  gove.nmcnt,  nor  any  want  of  patriotism  among  the  nobility, 
merchants  or  traders  of  England ;  all  ranks,  in  fact,  united  with  ready 
zeal  in  meeting  the  exigency  of  the  occasion.  Many  new  regiments  were 
raised  by  wealthy  and  patriotic  individuals  ;  and  it  was  found  that  by  the 
voluntary  exertions  of  the  people  60,000  troops  could  be  added  to  the  king's 
forces. 

A.  D.  1746. — In  .January  General  Hawley  had  suffered  a  complete  defeat 
in  endeavoring  to  raise  the  siege  of  Stirling.  But  a  day  of  terrible  retri- 
bution was  at  hand.  On  the  IGth  of  April  the  royal  army,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  encountered  the  troops  of  the  pretender 
on  CuUoden-moor.  The  Highlanders  began  the  attack  in  their  wild,  furi- 
ous way,  rushing  on  the  royal  troops  with  their  broadswords  and  Locha- 
bar  axes ;  but  the  English,  being  now  prepared  for  this  mode  of  attack,  re- 
ceived them  with  fixed  bayonets,  keeping  up  a  steady  and  well-sustained 
fire  of  musketry,  while  the  destruction  of  their  ranks  was  completed  by 
discharges  of  artillery.  In  thirty  minutes  the  battle  was  converted  into  a 
rout ;  and  orders  having  been  issued  to  give  no  quarter,  vast  numbers 
were  slain  in  the  pursuit.  The  loss  of  the  rebels  was  estimated  at  about 
4,000,  while  the  number  of  killed  in  the  royal  army  is  said  to  have  scarcely 
exceeded  fifty  men!  Intoxicated,  as  it  were,  with  their  unexampled  vic- 
tory, the  conquerors  seemed  only  bent  on  merciless  vengeance,  and  the 
whole  country  around  became  a  scene  of  cruelty  and  desolation.  As  to 
the  unfortunate  prince  Charles  Edward,  he  escaped  with  difficulty  from 
the  battle,  and  after  wandering  alone  in  the  mountains  for  several  months, 
in  various  disguises,  he  found  means  to  make  his  escape  to  France. 

"  One  great  cause  of  the  pretender's  preservation,  was  the  belief  that  he 
had  been  slain,  which  arose  from  the  following  circumstance.  Among 
his  friends,  who  followed  as  much  as  possible  in  his  track,  a  party  was 
surprised  in  a  hut  on  the  side  of  the  Benalder  mountain,  by  the  soldiers 
who  were  in  sesirch  of  him.  Having  seized  them,  one  named  Mackenzie 
effected  his  escape;  upon  which  his  companions  told  the  soldiers  that  it 
was  the  prince  ;  the  soldiers  thereupon  lied  in  pursuit  and  overtook  the 
youth,  who,  when  he  found  their  error,  resolved  to  sacrifice  his  life,  in  the 
hope  it  might  save  his  master's.  He  bravely  contended  with  them,  re- 
fused quarter,  and  died  with  his  sword  in  his  hand,  exclaiming,  as  he  fell 
"  You  have  killed  your  prince."  And  this  declaration  was  believed  by 
many.  "  We  cannot,  however,"  says  the  biographer  of  the  events  ol 
Culloden,  "  without  pride,  mention  the  astonishing  fact,  that  though  tha 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


647 


•um  of  thirty  thousand  pounds  sterling  was  long  publicly  offered  for  his 
apprehension,  and  though  he  passed  through  very  many  hands,  and  both 
the  reward  and  his  person  were  perfectly  well  known  to  on  intelligent  and 
very  inquisitive  people,  yet  no  man  or  woman  was  to  be  found  capable  of 
degrading  themselves  to  earning  so  vast  a  reward  by  betraying  a  fugitive, 
whom  misfortune  had  thrown  upon  their  generosity."  At  length,  on  the 
lOth  of  September,  the  young  pretender  embarked  with  twenty-five  gen- 
tlemen and  one  hundred  and  seven  common  men,  in  a  French  vessel,  sent 
for  that  purpose  to  the  coast ;  and  after  a  passage  of  ten  days  he  arrived 
at  Roseau,  near  Morlaix,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  Paris,  where  he 
was  kindly  received  by  Louis  XV.  But  his  hopes  were  forever  fled.  The 
courage  and  fortitude  he  displayed  in  Scotland  seem  to  have  forsaken  him 
with  a  reverse  of  fortune,  and  during  the  remainder  of  his  days  no  trace 
of  ambition  marked  his  actions. 

The  duke  of  Cumberland  had  now  become  the  idol  of  the  nation  ;  and 
for  his  bravery  at  Culloden  the  parliament  voted  jC25,000  per  annum  in 
addition  to  his  former  income.  Several  acts  were  passed  for  protecting 
the  government  of  Scotland,  and  securing  its  loyalty ;  and  many  execu- 
tions of  the  rebels  took  place  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Bills  of 
indictment  for  high  treason  were  found  against  the  earls  of  Kilmarnock 
and  Cromartie,  and  Lord  Balmerino,  who  were  tried  in  Westminster-hall. 
All  three  pleaded  guilty ;  Kilmarnock  and  Balm  irino  were  executed  on 
Tower-hill,  but  Cromartie's  life  was  spared.  Foremost  among  those  wlio 
had  engaged  to  venture  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  restoring  the  Stuart 
family  to  the  throne  of  England  was  Lord  Lovat,  a  man  whose  character 
was  branded  with  many  vices,  and  whose  great  age  (for  he  was  in  his  90th 
year)  had  not  deterred  him  from  taking  an  active  part  in  fomenting  and 
Bucouraging  the  late  rebellion.  Being  found  guilty  by  his  peers,  he  was 
remanded  to  the  Tower,  where,  in  a  few  months  afterwards,  he  was  be- 
headed. At  this  last  scene  of  his  life  he  behaved  with  great  propriety : 
his  behaviour  was  dignified  and  composed ;  he  surveyed  the  assembled 
multitude  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  and  taking  up  the  axe  to  examine 
it,  he  repeated  from  Horace, 

"Dulco  ct  decorum  est  pro  patria  mori!" 

then  laying  his  head  on  the  block,  it  was  sevcrf^d  from  his  body  at  a  single 
stroke. 

A.  D.  1747. — Wt  must  now  briefly  allude  to  the  state  of  affairs  on  the 
continent.  Early  in  the  spring  the  duke  of  Cumberland  led  his  troops 
thither,  to  join  our  Austrian  and  Dutch  allies.  Tlie  French  had  a  decided 
advantage  in  point  of  numbers,  and  Marshal  Saxe,  their  commander,  com- 
menced the  campaign  with  the  invasion  of  Dutch  Brabant.  But,  with  the 
exception  of  the  siege  of  Bergen-op-Zoom,  by  the  French,  the  war  was 
languidly  carried  on.  This  celebrated  siege,  however,  lasted  from  the 
16th  of  July  to  the  15th  of  September,  and  presented  a  continued  scene  of 
horror  and  destruction ;  but  though  the  town  was  burned,  the  garrison  had 
suffered  little,  while  heaps  of  slain  were  formed  of  the  besiegers.  The 
governor,  calculating  from  these  circumstances  on  the  impregnability  of 
tlie  fortress,  was  lulled  into  false  security;  while  the  French  troops  threw 
themselves  into  the  fosse,  mounted  the  breaches,  and  entered  the  garrison, 
and  thus  became  masters  of  tlie  navigation  of  the  Scheldt.  In  Italy, 
the  allies,  though  forced  to  raise  the  siege  of  Genoa,  were  generally  suc- 
cessful. 

At  sea  the  English  well  maintained  their  superiority.    In  an  engage 
raent  with  the  French  off  Cape  Finisterre,  the  English  were  victorious  ; 
and  several  richly  laden  ships,  both  outward  and  homeward  bound,  fell 
into  their  hands.     Admiral  Hawke,  also,  defeated  the  French  fleet,  oS 
Belleisle,  and  took  six  sail  of  the  line. 


i. 


'I 

1 


648 


THE  TttEASUEY  OF  HISTORY. 


In  November  a  new  parlianieiil  assembled,  and  the  ministers  dcrive(j 
much  popularity  on  account  of  the  suppression  of  the  hite  rebellion,  as 
well  as  for  the  naval  successes.  All  parlies,  however,  were  tired  of  the 
war,  and  preparations  were  made  for  opening  a  congress  at  Aixla-CJiapelle 
preliminary  to  a  general  peace ;  but  as  the  issue  of  it  was  uncertain,  the 
usual  grants  and  subsidies  were  readily  voted  without  inquiry.  Thoui'ii 
80  long  since  began,  it  was  not  till  October  in  the  following  year  that  this 
treaty  of  peace  was  concluded.  The  chief  parties  to  it  were  Britain,  Hol- 
land, and  Austria  on  one  side,  and  France  and  Spain  on  the  other.  I)y  it 
all  the  great  treaties  from  that  of  West.ihalia  m  1648,  to  that  of  Vienna  in 
1738,  were  renewed  and  confirmed.  France  surrendered  her  conquests  in 
Flanders,  and  the  Knglish  in  the  East  and  West  Indies.  But  the  right  of 
British  subjects  to  navigate  the  American  seas  without  being  subject  to 
search  by  the  Spaniards,  was  suffered  to  pass  unnoticed,  although  that  was 
the  original  bone  of  contention  and  the  basis  of  the  attacks  made  on  Wal- 
pole's  ministry.  The  only  advantage,  indeed,  that  England  gained,  was 
the  recognition  of  the  Hanoverian  succession,  and  the  general  abamjon- 
ment  of  the  pretender,  whose  cause  was  from  thenceforth  regarded  as 
hopeless. 

\.  D.  1749. — The  war  beings  at  an  end,  the  disbanding  of  the  army  nat- 
urally followed,  and,  as  must  ever  in  some  dc<rree  be  the  case  at  such  a 
time,  the  idle  and  unemployed  committed  many  depredations  on  the 
public.  To  remedy  this,  a  colony  was  established  in  Nova-Scotia,  where 
Lord  Halifax  went  out  as  governor,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  town, 
which,  in  compliment  to  its  projector,  the  earl  of  Halifax,  was  named 
after  him.  It  was  soon  found  that  the  soil  of  Nova-Scotia  was  incapable 
of  repayin{[  the  labourer  for  his  toil,  and  many  who  had  been  transported 
there  obtamed  leave  to  go  to  more  southern  latitudes.  Those  wno  re- 
mained excited  the  jealousy  of  the  native  Indians,  who  still  resided  on  the 
borders  of  this  barren  spot ;  and  the  French,  who  were  the  first  European 
settlers  there,  encouraged  this  jealous  feeling.  Meantime  the  animosity 
between  the  English  and  French  grew  stronger,  till  at  length  the  lattei 
claimed  the  whole  territory  between  the  Mississippi  and  New-Mexico  on 
the  east,  and  to  the  Apalachian  mountains,  on  the  west.  From  the  fact 
of  their  having  been  the  first  to  discover  that  river,  they  took  Irom  the 
English,  who  had  settled  beyond  those  mountains,  their  possessions,  and 
erected  forts  to  protect  all  the  adjacent  country. 

A.  D.  1751. — The  first  event  of  any  importance  this  year  was  the  death 
of  Frederic,  prince  of  Wales,  which  happened  on  the  10th  of  March,  in 
the  45th  year  of  his  age.  His  death  was  caused  by  an  abscess  in  his  side, 
that  formed  from  the  blow  of  a  cricket-ball  which  he  received  while  play- 
ing at  that  game  on  the  lawn  of  Cliefden-house,  Bucks,  a  collection  of 
matter  having  been  produced  that  burst  in  his  throat  and  suffocated  him. 
The  prince  had  long  been  on  bad  terms  with  his  father,  whose  measures 
he  uniformly  opposed;  and  though  the  anti-ministerial  party,  and  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  people  spoke  highly  of  his  benevolence  and  mu- 
nificence, and  loudly  applauded  his  conduct  at  the  time,  it  is  clear  that 
much  of  his  patriotism  originated  in  a  vain  desire  for  popularity.  He  left 
five  sons  and  three  daughters ;  his  eldest  son,  George,  being  only  eleven 
years  old:  a  regency  was  consequently  appointed;  but  the  king  surviving 
till  the  prince  attained  his  majority,  there  was  never  anv  occasion  fur  it 
to  act. 

The  most  memorable  act  passed  in  the  course  of  this  session  was  that 
for  regulating  the  commencement  of  the  year,  and  correcting  the  calendar 
according  to  the  Gregorian  computation.  The  New  Style,  as  it  was 
termed,  was  introduced  by  Pope  Gregory  XIII.  in  the  16th  century,  and 
bad  long  been  adopted  by  most  states  on  the  continent.  By  this  act, 
therefore,  it  was  provided  that  the  year  should  begin  on  the  1st  day  of 


THE  TREA8UftY  OF  HiaXORY. 


649 


slers  dcriveu 
rebellion,  as 
I  tired  of  Iho 
c-la-CJiapelle 
inccrtaiii,  the 
ry.    Though 
^rpiir  IhiU  this 
Britain,  Hoi- 
other.     By  it 
t  of  Viennii  in 
r  conquests  in 
It  the  right  of 
ing  subject  to 
LOUgh  thiit  was 
made  on  Wal- 
id  gained,  was 
leral  abamlon- 
,h  regarded  as 

the  army  nat- 
3ase  at  such  a 
lalions  on  the 
a-Scotia,  where 
tion  of  a  town, 
ax,  was  named 

I  was  incapable 
een  transported 

Those  who  re- 

II  resided  on  the 
,e  first  European 
e  the  animosity 
ength  the  laltet 
New-Mexico  on 

From  the  fact 

y  took  irom  the 

lossessions,  and 

tir  was  the  death 
)th  of  March,  in 
scess  in  his  side, 
^ived  while  play- 
f,  a  collection  ol 
'suflTocatedhiin. 
Afhose  measures 
jarty,  and  a  con- 
fvolence  and  mu- 
it  is  clear  that 
Tularity.    He  left 
eing  only  eleven 
f\e  king  surviving 
Iv  occasion  for  it 

i  session  was  that 
Iting  the  calendar 
IStyle,  as  it  was 
16lh  century,  and 
Int.  By  this  act, 
Tn  the  Iflt  d»y  « 


January,  instead  of,  as  heretofore,  on  the  25tli  day  of  Marcli,  and  that 
eleven  intermediate  nominal  day^  between  the  2d  and  14th  of  September, 
1752,  should  be  omitted  ;  the  Julian  compulation,  supposing  a  solar  revo- 
lution to  be  effccteii  in  the  precise  period  of  365  days  and  six  hours,  hav- 
ing made  no  provision  for  the  deficiency  of  eleven  minutes,  wiiich,  how- 
ever, in  the  lapse  of  eighteen  centuries  amounted  to  a  difTerciice  of  eleven 
days.  Bills  were  also  passed  for  liie  better  prevention  of  robberies,  for 
the  regulation  of  places  of  amusement,  and  tor  punishing  the  keepers  of 
disorderly  houses ;  tiie  necessity  of  liiis  arising  from  the  spirit  of  extrava- 
gance which  prevailed  throughout  the  kingdom,  as  dissipation  and  amuse- 
ment occupied  every  class  of  society. 

Among  the  domestic  events  of  this  year  no  one  created  more  sensatiop 
than  tlie  deatii  of  Henry  St.  John,  V;«coimt  Bolingbroke  ;  a  nobleman 
wiioliad  for  half  a  century  occupied  a  high  station  in  the  country,  whether 
tve  regard  him  iu  the  character  of  a  statesman,  an  orator,  an  autiior,  or  a 
puiished  courtier.  He  possessed  great  energy  and  decision  of  ciiaracter, 
but  he  was  deficient  in  that  high  principle  and  singleness  of  purpose  that 
inspires  confidence  and  leads  to  unquestioned  excellence. 

The  now  parliament  was  opened  on  tlie  lOili  of  iNIay,  1753 ;  and  the 
first  business  of  tlie  house  was  to  take  into  consideration  the  state  of  Ire- 
land, which,  in  proportion  as  it  advanced  in  civilization,  showed  a  disposi- 
tion to  shake  off  its  dependence  on  England.  The  kingdom  was  in  a  state 
of  tranquillity  at  the  session  which  terminated  the  labours  of  the  last  p^r- 
liament ;  but,  previous  to  the  new  elcttion,  the  death  of  Mr.  Pelham 
caused  several  changes  in  the  government  oflices  ;  the  late  minister  was 
succeeded  in  the  treasury  by  his  brother,  the  duke  of  Newcastle;  and 
unanimity  now  prevailed  in  the  cabinet. 

A,  D.  1755. — We  have  before  alluded  to  the  animosity  which  existed 
between  the  English  and  French  relative  to  their  North  American  posses- 
sions. Hostilities  were  now  commenced  by  the  colonial  authorities, 
without  the  formality  of  a  declaration  of  war.  A  French  detachment  un- 
der Dicskau  was  defeated  with  great  loss  by  the  British,  commanded  by 
Gen.  Lyman  and  Col.  Williams.  The  North  American  Indians  were  stim- 
ulated to  attack  the  British  colonists,  and  supplies  of  arms  and  ammunition 
were  imported  from  France.  The  British  ministers  immediately  prepared 
lur  hostilities ;  all  the  French  forts  within  the  limits  of  Nova-Scatia  were 
reduced  by  Colonel  Monckton;  but  an  expedition  against  the  French 
forts  on  the  Ohio,  commanded  by  General  Braddock,  mot  with  a  severe 
defeat ;  the  general  falling  into  an  ambuscade  of  French  and  Indians,  was 
slain,  and  the  regular  soldiers  fled  with  disgraceful  precipitation.  The 
provinciiil  militia,  however,  led  by  Colonel  Washington,  displayed  good 
courage,  nobly  maintaining  their  ground,  and  covering  the  retreat  of  the 
main  army.  The  loss  of  the  English  on  this  occasion  was  very  severe; 
upwards  of  700  men,  with  several  officers,  were  slain ;  the  artillery,  stores, 
and  provisions  became  the  property  of  the  victors,  as  well  as  the  general's 
cabinet,  containing  his  private  instructions,  &c.,  cf  which  the  enemy 
availed  himself  to  great  advantage.  Two  other  expeditions,  destined  for 
tlie  attack  of  Crown  Point  and  Fort  Niagara,  also  failed.  But  the  lepri- 
sals  at  sea  more  than  compensated  for  these  misfortunes,  as  upwards  of 
three  hundred  merchant  ships  and  eight  thousand  seamen  were  captured 
that  year  by  British  cruisers. 

A.  n.  1756. — Notwithstanding  hostilities  had  been  carried  on  nearly  a 
Iwelvemonth,  war  was  not  formally  declared  till  May  18:  the  chief  sub- 
icct  of  complaint  being  the  encroachments  of  the  French  on  the  Ohio 
and  Nova-Scotia.  This  was  followed  by  threats  of  invasion  upon  Eng- 
land or  Ireland,  in  consequence  of  which  a  body  of  Hessian  and  Han- 
overian troops  was  introduced  to  defend  the  interior  of  the  kingdom ;  a 
measure  which  gave  rise  to  considerable  discontent,  as  most  people 


,  ■{ 


■ ':  "1 


650 


THB  TREABURY  OF  HISTOaV. 


tliought  that  the  ordinary  force  of  eitlicr  country  was  sufflcient  to  roiiel 
invasion.  Uut  wliilst  the  governmunt  was  providing  for  its  internal 
security,  the  enemy  was  making  serious  attempts  to  wrest  from  us  our 

Rosocssions  both  in  the  East  and  West  Indies.  The  rnductioii  o( 
[inorca  was  a  favourite  object  of  the  Frencli  government;  a  formidable 
force  was  landed  on  the  island,  and  close  siege  laid  to  Fort  St.  Philip, 
which  commands  the  principal  town  and  harbour.  The  governor,  (Jen.' 
eral  lilakcney,  made  a  long  and  able  defence ;  but  Admiral  Uyng,  who 
had  been  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  the  English  fleet  in  the  Mcdiierra. 
nean,  and  was  ordered  to  attempt  the  relief  of  the  place,  seems  to  have 
been  destitute  of  any  decisive  plan ;  and,  after  avoiding  an  action  with  a 
French  squadron,  he  returned  to  Gibraltar,  abandoning  Minorca  to  its 
fate,  which,  to  the  infinite  chagrin  of  the  nation,  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy. 

The  surrender  of  Minorca  was  an  unexpected  blow,  and  the  rage  of  the 
people  at  its  loss  was  directed  against  the  unfortunate  Uyng,  who  bcnig 
tried  by  a  court-martial  at  Portsmouth,  was  condemned  to  death  for  not 
doing  his  utmost  to  engage  the  enemy,  but  recommended  to  the  mercy 
of  the  crown,  as  it  did  not  appear  to  the  court  that  it  was  llirongh 
cowardice  or  disaffection.  (>reat  exertions  were  made  to  save  the  adnn. 
ral's  life,  but  in  vain  ;  he  was  ordered  to  be  shot  on  board  the  Monarquc, 
and  he  met  his  late  with  coolness  and  intrepidity. 

In  America  a  second  series  of  expeditions  against  the  Frrncli  forts 
signally  failed ;  while  the  marquis  do  Montcalm,  tiie  governor  of  Canadii, 
captured  Oswego,  where  the  liritish  had  deposited  the  greater  part  ol 
their  artillery  and  military  stores.  Uut  it  is  time  that  we  call  the  reader's 
attenttun  tn  the  progress  of  affairs  in  our  Eastern  possessions. 

A.  D.  '757. — The  jealousy  which  had  been  created  among  the  priiy  in. 
dependent  f  winces  of  India,  by  the  privileges  which  the  emperor  ol  Delhi 
had  granted  to  the  English  settlers  at  Calcutta,  had  risen  to  an  alarmiiijr 
height ;  but  successful  means  had  been  used  to  allay  their  fury  until  the 
accession  of  the  ferocious  Suraja  Dowla,  souhbadar  of  Bengal,  who  was 
enraged  at  the  shelter  which  the  English  afforded  to  some  of  his  destined 
victims.  He  advanced  towards  Calcutta,  when  the  governor  and  mostoj 
the  local  authorities,  panic-stricken,  made  their  escape  in  boats,  leaving 
about  a  hundred  and  ninety  men,  under  the  control  of  Mr.  Holweli,  lu 
make  the  best  of  their  forlorn  situation.  The  mere  handful  of  Knghsh- 
men,  composing  the  garrison,  for  a  short  time  bravely  defended  thera- 
selves,  but  when  they  fell  into  the  power  of  the  infuriated  Suraja,  he 
ordered  the  unhappy  prisoners,  then  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  forty. 
six,  to  be  thrust  into  the  prison  of  Calcutta,  called  the  Ulack-hole ;  a  room 
less  than  twenty  feet  square.  Here  the  heat  and  foulness  of  llie  air 
reduced  them  to  the  most  pitiable  state  imaginable  ;  and  when  on  the  ful- 
lowing  morning  an  order  came  for  their  release,  only  twenty-three  were 
found  alive.  The  news  of  this  horrid  catastrophe  reached  Madras  just 
when  Colonel  Clive  and  Admiral  Watson,  flushed  by  their  recent  victory 
over  the  celebrated  pirate  Angria,  had  arrived  at  Madras  to  aid  in  the 
destruction  of  the  French  influence  in  Deccan.  Calcutta  was  therefore 
the  scene  of  their  next  operations;  and  no  sooner  did  the  fleet  make  its 
appearance  before  that  city  than  it  surrendered.  The  French  fort  ol 
Chandernagore  was  reduced ;  several  of  the  Suraja  Dowla's  own  palaces 
were  taken,  conspiracies  were  formed  against  him,  and  the  haughty  chief- 
tain felt  that  the  sovereignty  of  Bengal  must  be  decided  by  a  battle. 
Contrary  to  the  opinion  of  all  his  officers,  Clive  resolved  to  engage  hinii 
although  the  disparity  of  their  forces  was  prodigious.  He  accordingly  took 
up  a  position  in  the  grove  of  Plassy  ;  his  troops  in  the  whole  not  exceed- 
ing 3,200  men,  of  whom  only  nine  hundred  were  Europeans  ;  while  Suraja  | 
Dowla  had  with  him  fifty  thousand  foot,  eighteen  thousand  horse,  a  ' 


MmMmf»-.mta:tfmt  ■ 


THB  TRBASDRY  OP  HISTORY. 


esi 


[\cient  to  r«|)el 
for  its  iiitcniiil 
jt  from  us  out 
'ht)  rodiicuoii  ol 
t;  a  formiilablo 
Fort  St.  IMiilip, 
governor,  <«cii- 
Viral  Uyiig.  wlio 
I  Ihe  Mfililprr;\. 
,  seems  to  Imve 
an  aciioii  with  a 
g  Minorca  to  its 
iito  the  hands  ol 


t  the  Frcucliforl3 
jvernor  of  C;uvid;v 
he  greater  part  ol 
wc  ciiU  the  rc.iilet'8 
iessions. 

inong  the  prUy  in- 
e  emperor  ol  Delhi 
isen  to  an  alarming 
their  fury  until  the 
,f  Bengal,  who  was 
some  of  his  destined 
Uernor  and  most  ol 
pe  in  boats,  leaving 
'of  Mr.  HoUvch,  to 
handful  of  KnRlisli- 
relv  defended  them- 
nfuriated  Suraja,  he 
6  hundred  and  lorly- 
'  mack-hole; a tonm 
1  foulness  of  He  aii 
and  when  on  the  M- 
'    twenty-three  weie 
.reached  Madras )iist 
V  their  recent  victory 
rMadrasto  aid  m  i;^ 
acutta  was  thereto 
id  the  fleet  make  it 
*   The  French  fort  ol 
Dowla'8  own  paijc" 
,nd  the  haughty  ch' 

^decided  by  a  bajte 
lolved  to  engage » 

He  accordingly  too} 
,  the  whole  not  exce^; 
ropeans;  while  SuraM 
'     housand  horse,  anJ 


tfty  pieces  of  cannon.  So  great  were  the  errors  cdmmilted  by  the 
ineiny,  and  so  skiiruily  did  the  Dritish  commander  usff  his  means,  that  a 
(omplcte  victory  was  won,  at  the  astonishingly  small  loss  of  seventy  men 
in  killed  and  wounded.  This  event  laid  the  foundation  of  the  British 
dominion  in  India ;  and  in  one  campaign  they  became  possessed  of  territory 
wIulIi,  in  its  wealth  and  extent,  exceeded  any  kingdom  in  Europe. 

A.  D.  1758. — While  victory  followed  victory  in  the  eastern  world,  a 
change  in  the  Knglisli  ministry  led  to  similar  successes  in  the  west.  It 
was  at  this  period  lliat  the  celebrated  William  Pitt  (afterwards  earl  of 
Chatham)  was  brought  into  office,  with  Mr.  Leggc ;  but  both  of  them 
being  opposed  to  the  expensive  support  of  continental  connexions,  they 
would  have  been  dismissed  by  the  king,  but  for  the  popularity  their  prin- 
iplus  had  acquired.  In  North  America  the  British  arms  had  been 
tarnished  by  delays  and  disasters  that  might  have  been  avoided  ;  and  it 
was  therefore  resolved  to  recall  the  curl  of  Loudon,  and  entrust  the 
military  operations  to  generals  Abercrombio,  Amherst,  and  Forbes,  the 
first-named  being  the  commander-in-chief.  Amherst  laid  siege  to  Louis- 
bourg,  and  aided  by  the  talents  of  Brigadier  Wolfe,  who  was  fast  rising  into 
eminence,  forced  that  important  garrison  to  surrender.  This  was  follow- 
ed by  the  entire  reduction  of  Cape  Breton,  and  the  inferior  stations  which 
the  French  occupied  in  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  Brigadier-general 
Forbes  was  sent  against  Fort  du  Quesne,  which  the  French  at  his 
approach  abandoned.  But  the  expedition  against  Ticonderoga,  which 
Abercrombio  himself  undertook,  failed  of  success;  the  number  and 
valour  of  his  troops  being  unequal  to  the  capture  of  a  place  so  strongly 
fortified. 

An  expedition  was  now  planned  against  Quebec ;  and  as  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Canada  had  n^nu  reason  to  believe  that  their  laws  and  religion 
would  be  respected,  they  were  prepared  to  submit  to  a  change  of  masters 
Thus  when  General  Wolfe  proceeded  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  he  encoun- 
tered no  vory  serious  opposition  from  the  Canadians,  who  seemed  to 
regard  the  approaching  struggle  with  indifTerence.      While  Wolfe  ad- 
vanced towards  Quebec,  General  Amherst  conquered  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point,  and  Sir  W.  Johnson  gained  the  important  fortress  of 
Niagara.    Amherst  expected  to  be  able  to  form  a  junction  with  Wolfe, 
but  in  this  he  was  disappointed ;  and  though  the  inadequacy  of  his  force 
made  him  almost  despair  of  success,  the  ardent  young  general  resolved  to 
persevere  in  this  hazardous  enterprize.    Having  effected  a  landing  in  the 
night,  under  the  heights  of  Abraham,  he  led  his  men  up  this  apparently 
inaccessible  steep,  thereby  securing  a  position  which  commanded  the 
lown.    The  marquis  de  Montcalm  was  utterly  astonished  when  he  heard 
that  so  daring  and  desperate  an  effort  had  been  achieved  by  the  English 
troops.    A  battle  was  now  inevitable,  and  both  generals  prepared  for  the 
contest  with  equal  courage.    It  was  brief,  but  fierce ;  the  scale  of  victory 
was  just  beginning  to  turn  in  favour  of  the  British,  when  a  ball  pierced 
Ihe  breast  of  Wolfe,  and  he  fell  mortally  wounded.    The  unhappy  tidings 
Hew  from  rank  to  rank ;  every  man  seemed  determined  to  avenge  the 
loss  of  his  general ;  and  with  such  impetuosity  did  they  charge,  that  the 
words  "  They  run !"  resounded  in  the  ears  of  Wolfe  as,  expiijng,  he 
Bank  in  a  loldier's  arms.    "  Who  run  V  he  eagerly  inquired ;  and  on 
being  told  it  was  the  French,  ho  camly  replied,  "  I  die  happy."    The 
marquis  de  Montcalm  fell  in  the  same  field,  and  met  his  fate  with  simi- 
lar intrepid'ty.    In  skill  and  valour  he  was  no  way  inferior  to  his  more 
youthful  rival.    When  told,  after  the  battle,  that  his  wounds  were  mortal, 
he  exclaimed,  "  So  much  the  better  :  I  shall  not  live  to  witness  the  sur- 
render of  Quebec."    In  a  few  days  after  this  battle,  the  city  opened  its 
fates  to  the  British,  and  the  complete  subjugation  of  the  Canadas  speedily 
WVjved 


ri 


M' 


,„  I 


i  'I 


^' 


669 


THK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


CO. — III  Iho  Kast  Indies  llie  succosb  of  the  Knglish  was  8carrrl» 
live  than  in  America.  Uy  land  and  l)y  eea  several  viclorics  had 
I'd  in  tiiat  quarter  s  and  al  lengtli  Colonel  Coolo  and  the  French 


A.  D.  17C0.— I 
less  decisiv 

been  i,'iijii<'(i  in  iiiai  quarter  s  anu  ai  ien(j:in  t^oionei  ivooio  aiui  the  French 
general,  Lally,  fouglit  a  determined  battle  at  VVandewasli  (Jan.  'Jl),  jp 
which  the  French  were  sitfiiuUy  defeated  and  their  inllucnce  in  the  (Jar. 
natic  destroyed. 

The  war  on  the  continent,  in  wliicli  the  English  had  taken  a  very  ik  live 
part,  had  now  raged  for  four  years,  without  gaining  any  other  advanlag? 
than  the  gratification  of  defending  the  possessions  of  their  sovcrcifra  in 
Germany.  England,  indeed,  was  now  in  a  stale  of  unparalleled  glury. 
At  sea,  the  conduct  of  her  admirals  had  destroyed  the  naval  power  of 
the  French;  in  the  Indies  her  empire  was  extended,  and  the  Kncrljsh 
rendered  masters  of  the  commerce  of  the  vast  peninsula  of  Hiiidostan; 
wliile  in  Canada  a  most  important  conquest  had  been  achieved.  Tiiege 
important  acquisitions  made  the  English  very  impatient  of  the  Geriimii 
war;  and  they  asserted  that  the  French  islancfs  in  the  West  Indies,  more 
valuable  to  a  commercial  people  than  half  the  states  of  Ctcrmaii},  niijjl- 
have  been  gained  with  less  expense  and  risk  than  had  been  spent  in  "le. 
fending  one  paltry  electorate.  In  the  midst  of  these  disputes,  Geor^'e  II 
died  suddenly,  on  the  25ih  of  October,  in  the  77lh  year  of  his  age,  a  id 
the  34th  of  his  reign.  The  immediate  cause  of  his  disease  was  n  rup- 
ture of  the  right  ventricle  of  the  heart.  If  wo  impartially  regard  the  char- 
acter of  this  king,  we  shall  find  both  in  his  private  and  public  conduct 
room  for  just  panegyric.  That  during  his  whole  reign  he  evinced  a  re- 
markable affection  for  his  Hanoverian  subjects  is  certainly  true  ;  yet  his 
exposing  that  country  to  the  attacks  of  the  enemy,  rather  than  neglect  the 
rights  of  England  in  North  Amerio  \,  clears  him  of  the  imputation  of 
partiality.  In  his  temper  he  was  h:is  y  and  vioiuiu,  yel  liis  general  con- 
duct was  so  little  influenced  by  this,  that  it  was  generally  mild  and 
humane.  He  was  impartial  in  ilie  adniiiiistration  of  justice,  sineern  and 
open  in  his  intentions,  and  temperate  and  regular  in  his  manner  of  living 
Under  his  reign  the  agriculture,  commerce,  and  industry  of  Great  Britani 
daily  increased ;  and  his  subjects,  even  when  at  war  with  the  most  power- 
ful nations  of  Europe,  enjoyed  peace  at  home,  and  acquired  glory  abroad. 

Great  progress  had  been  made  in  this  reign  in  disseminating  a  taste  for 
general  literature  and  the  arts ;  and  though  it  was  not  the  fashion  for  the 
magnates  of  the  land  to  be  very  liberal  of  their  patronage  to  such  as 
devoted  their  minds  to  the  advancement  of  science,  still  much  was  done 
towards  pioneering  the  way  for  a  future  age,  when  a  solution  of  many  of 
the  phenomena  of  nature  might  seem  to  demand  more  serious  attention, 
Among  the  great  historians  were  Hume,  Gibbon,  and  Robertson.  In 
philology  and  criticism  were  Warburton,  Bentley,  and  I3oyk  Mul'i'-nn 
tics  a,  I  astronomy  could  boast  i  c"  Ilalley,  Bradley,  and  iMiicauuM, 
Theology  was  distinguished  by  the  eminent  names  of  Pi  lor,  H -iJ' 
Sherlock,  Doddridge,    Watts,    Chandler,  and  many  oil'  .'ain,  .;; 

had  iti  Reynolds,  Ramsay,  and  Hogarth ;  music  its  Handel,  Uoyce,  Greene, 
anO  Arne ;  and  among  the  votaries  o'i'  the  muses  were  Pope,  Akenside, 
Tho.npson,  Young,  Gray,  Glover,  and  others  scarcely  less  distinguished 


CHAPTER  LX. 

TilB   REIGN    or   GEORGE  III. 

>,  D.  XT')). — George  li.  was  succeeded  by  his  grandson,  George  111., 
eldtjst  son  of  Frederic,  prince  of  Wales,  whose  death  has  been  mentioned 
as  oc:;urring  in  1751.  On  his  accession  to  the  throne  he  was  twenly-tvo 
vears  of  age ;  affable,  good-tempered,  upright,  and  religious.    His  eduo 


'I  ! 


JfWi 


«.l 


y',',n]\  was  scarnt'ly 
'cral  victoru'8  had 
jte  ami  thu  French 
vuhIi  (Jan.  tw'l),  in 
uciice  in  the  (Jar- 

;aken  a  vory  active 
ly  other  advantajjs 
their  sovenMgu  in 
unparalleled  glory, 
c  naval  power  of 
1,  and  the  Kiiirlish 
lula  of  iiindostan; 
achieved.     These 
L'nt  of  the  Gemma 
West  Indies,  more 
of  German},  mijjl" 
been  spent  in  de- 
iaputcs,  George  II 
;ar  of  his  age,  a  id 
iseaso  was  a  nip- 
ily  regard  the  char- 
and  public  conduct 
1  he  evinced  a  re- 
ainly  true  ;  yet  liis 
her  than  neglect  the 
'  the   imputation  ol 
et  Ills  general  von- 
generally  mild  and 
justice,  sincere  ami 
lis  manner  of  living 
itry  of  Great  Britain 
riih  the  most  power. 
quired  glory  abroad. 
^minating  a  taste  for 
)t  the  fashion  for  the 
itronage  to  such  as 
till  much  was  done 
solution  of  many  ol 
re  serious  attention. 
and  Robfrtsoii.     In 
dBoy^       M«l'i?mr 
ley,  an'1   iMiio;nuii'i. 

of  P'  '01-,  V.  >:  • 

y  oth'  '  ■  '.'amt  !.3 
mdcl,  Boyce,  Greene, 
ere  Pope,  Akenside, 
ly  less  distinguished 


r 


randson,  George  111., 
h  has  been  mentioned 
ne  he  was  twenly-tvo 
:eligiou8.    His  educ* 


jn.jii.iiM  iwmjitnuMhMtMiii-  iriftMWiiMi-rf  •'-■-•-""-■■"--'«-  -'  - 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


653 


lion  had  been  under  tlie  direction  of  Lord  Bute,  and  he  liad  a  great  advan 
tage  over  his  predecessors,  in  being  acquainted  with  the  language,  habits, 
ind  nistit  jtions  of  his  countrymen  ;  his  first  entrance  into  public  life  eon- 
eequenily  made  a  favourable  impression  on  his  subjects,  and  addresses, 
containing  professions  of  the  most  loyal  attachment,  poured  in  from  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom. 

On  his  majesty's  accession,  the  nominal  head  of  the  administration  was 
the  duke  of  Newcastle  ;  but  Mr.  Pitt,  principal  secretary  of  state,  was  the 
presiding  genius  of  the  cabinet.  The  chief  remaining  members  were 
Lord  Northington,  afterwards  lord  chancellor ;  Lord  Carteret,  presiden 
of  the  council;  the  duke  of  Devonshire,  lord  chamberlain;  Mr.  Legge 
chancellor  of  the  exciiequer;  Lord  Anson,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty, 
Mid  Lord  Holdernesse,  'secretary  of  state.  On  the  18th  of  November  the 
liing  met  his  parliament,  and  in  a  popular  speech,  which  he  commenced 
witii,  "  Born  and  educated  in  tiiis  country,  I  glory  in  the  name  of  Briton,' 
the  ilonrishing  state  of  the  kingdom,  the  brilliant  successes  of  tiie  war, 
and  the  extinction  of  internal  divisions  were  acknowledged ;  while  the 
support  of  the  "  proteslant  interest,"  and  a  "safe  and  honourable  peace," 
were  declared  to  be  the  objects  of  the  war.  An  act  was  then  passed  for 
granting  to  his  majesty  an  annual  income  of  80,000/. 

A.  D.  17(J1. — One  of  the  first  important  acts  of  the  new  monarcli  was  a 
declaration  of  his  intention  to  marry  the  princess  Charlotte,  daughter  ol 
tiie  duke  of  Mccklenburgii-Strelitz  :  the  necessary  preparations  were  ac- 
cordingly made;  she  arrived  in  London  on  the  7th  of  September,  the  nup- 
tials took  place  that  evening  in  the  royal  chapel,  and  on  the  22d  their 
majesties  were  crowned  in  Westminster-abbey. 

Soon  after  the  king's  accession,  negotiations  for  peace  were  commenced 
by  the  courts  of  France  and  Great  Britain,  but  there  was  little  honesty  of 
intention  on  either  side ;  Mr.  Pitt  being  firmly  resolved  to  humble  the 
house  of  Bourbon,  while  the  duke  of  Chouiseul,  on  the  part  of  France, 
was  relying  on  the  promises  of  Spanish  aid,  to  enable  him  to  carry  on 
hostilities  with  increased  vigour.  The  war  languished  in  Germany;  but 
at  sea  the  honour  of  the  British  flag  was  still  nobly  sustained.  Peace 
appeared  to  be  desirable  for  all  parties,  and  negotiations  were  resumed; 
but  neither  power  was  willing  to  make  concessions,  and  Mr.  Pitt  having 
discovered  th.it  an  intimate  connexion  between  the  courts  of  Versailles 
and  Madrid  had  been  formed,  proposed  in  council  to  anticipate  the  hos- 
tile intentions  of  the  latter,  by  seizing  the  plate-fleet,  laden  with  the  treas- 
ures of  Spanish  America.  To  tliis  the  king  and  the  rest  of  the  ministers 
were  adverse ;  the  consequence  of  which  was,  that  ^Ir.  Pitt  and  his 
brother-in-law.  Lord  Temple,  sent  in  their  seals  of  oflice.  His  majesty, 
anxious  to  introduce  his  favourite,  the  earl  of  Bute  into  the  cabinet,  ac- 
cepted the  premier's  resignation,  and  in  return  for  his  great  services,  a 
pension  of  3,000/.  per  annum  was  settled  upon  him,  which  was  to  continue 
toliis  wife  (on  whom  the  title  of  baroness  Chatham  was  conferred)  and 
their  eldest  son,  for  their  lives. 

A.  D.  17Gi,— A  very  few  months  after  the  late  changes  in  the  cabinet 
had  occurred,  it  became  fully  evident  that  the  "  family  compact"  of  the 
houses  of  Bourbon  had  been  completed.  On  this  occasion  the  new  min- 
istry showed  no  want  of  alacrity  in  maintaining  their  country's  honour; 
and  on  the  4th  of  January  war  was  declared  against  Spain.  The  first 
blow  was  struc*k  by  Admiral  Rodney,  who  captured  Martinico  ;  which  was 
followed  by  the  surrender  of  the  dependent  isles,  Grenada,  St.  Lucie,  and 
St.  Vincent.  The  next  expedition  undertaken  by  the  English  was  equally 
successful ;  a  fleet  under  Admiral  Pococke,  assisted  by  an  army  under 
the  earl  of  Albemarle,  was  sent  against  Havanna,  the  capital  of  the  island 
of  Cuba,  which  surrendered  after  a  vigorous  resistance  of  two  months. 
The  riches  acquired  by  the  English  on  this  occasion  amounted  to  tw*lwf 


854 


THE  TREASUaV  OP  HISTORY. 


ships  of  the  line,  besides  money  and  merchandise  to  the  amount  of  fouj 
millions  sterling'. 

While  these  successes  attended  the  British  arms  in  the  West  Indies,  an 
armament  from  Madras,  under  General  Draper  and  General  Cv)rnisli,  re- 
duced the  island  of  Manilla,  and  its  fall  involved  the  fate  of  the  whole 
range  of  the  Piiilippine  islands.  The  capture  of  the  Hermione,  a  largo 
Spanish  register-ship,  took  nlace  soon  after,  and  the  cargo,  which  um 
estimated  at  a  million  sterling,  passed  in  triumph  to  the  bank  at  the  sar... 
hour  in  which  the  birth  of  the  prince  of  Wales  was  announced  to  the  pub" 
lie  (April  12,  1762). 

An  attempt  made  by  Spain  to  subdue  Portugal  having  proved  unsuc- 
cessful, and  both  France  and  Spain  being  heartily  tired  of  a  war  wliioli 
threatened  ruin  to  the  colonies  of  both,  they  became  desirous  of  prace; 
this  being  agreeable  to  the  British  ministry,  of  whom  the  earl  of  Hute  was 
then  at  the  head,  preliminaries  were  speedily  set  on  foot.  Indeed,  so 
anxious  was  his  lordship  to  avoid  a  continuance  of  hostilities,  that  lie  not 
only  stopped  the  career  of  colonial  conquest,  but  consented  to  sacrifue 
several  acquisitions  that  Britain  had  already  made.  The  definitive  treaty 
was  concluded  at  Paris  on  the  lliii  of  February,  1763.  Florida  was  re- 
ceived in  e-\c!iange  for  Havaiuia ;  Cape  Breton,  Tobago,  Doniinico,  St. 
Vincent,  Grenada,  and  Senegal  were  retained ;  the  conquest  of  CaiiaJa 
remained  intact,  and  the  British  nation  had  also  gained  large  possessions 
and  a  decided  superiority  in  India. 

A.  D.  17G3. — In  Germany  the  marquis  of  Granby  signalized  himself  at 
the  head  of  an  army  ;  and,  in  union  with  the  king  of  Prussia,  would  in  all 
probability  have  succeeded  in  expelling  the  French  troops,  had  not  a  gen. 
eral  treaty  of  peace  put  an  end  to  the  contest.  Britain  by  the  colonial 
war  obtained  complete  maritime  supremacy;  she  commanded  the  entire 
commerce  of  North  America  and  Hindostan,  and  had  a  decided  superi- 
ority in  the  West  Indian  trade.  But  during  the  "seven  years'  war"  a 
question  arose  which  led  to  very  important  discussions;  France,  unable  to 
maintain  a  commercial  interciiurso  with  her  colonies,  opened  the  traile  to 
neutral  powers;  England  declared  this  traffic  illegal,  and  relying  on  her 
naval  supi'riority,  seized  neutral  vessels  and  neutral  property  bouiui  to 
hostile  ports.  Tlw;  return  of  peace  put  an  end  to  the  dispute  for  a  season, 
but  the  subject  has  since  been  the  fruitful  source  of  angry  discussion  ni 
every  subsequent  war. 

The  earl  of  Bute,  under  whose  auspices  the  late  peace  had  been  made, 
iiad  always  been  beheld  with  jealousy  by  the  popular  party,  who  aceiised 
him  of  having  formed  that  "influence  behind  the  throne  greater  than  the 
throne  itself," — though  it  really  seeiris  to  have  been  a  mere  dehisiuii.  fos- 
tered and  encouraged  for  factious  purposes — now  suddeidy  resigned  his 
office  of  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  George  Grcn- 
ville. 

The  public  attention  was  now  almost  wholly  bent  on  the  result  of  the 
trial  of  John  Wilkes,  member  for  Aylesbury,  a  man  of  good  talents  and 
classical  tasle,  but  who  bore  a  very  profligate  character.  Disappointed  in 
his  expectations  from  the  ministry,  he  assumed  the  part  of  a  violent 
patriot,  and  inveighed  vehemently  against  the  measures  pursued  by  |fiiv- 
ernmcnt.  The  press  teeuu;d  with  f)olitical  pamphlets,  to  which  the  nnnls- 
terial  p  irty  seemed  indifl^erent,  mitil  the  appearance  of  No.  49  of  the  North 
Briton,  in  which  very  strong  and  scurrilous  abuse  was  publislied  agninst 
the  king's  spcc^.-h  delivered  at  the  (dose  of  p;irliament.  A  general  warrmt 
was  ihcnnipDU  issued  for  apprehending  the  author,  printer,  and  publisher 
of  it;  and  Mr.  Wilkes  being  taken  into  custody,  he  was  sent  to  the  Tower, 
and  all  his  [)apers  were  seized.  He  was  afterwards  tried  in  the  court  ol 
tommon  pleas  ind  aequiilcd.  Lurd  Chief-Justice  Pratt  declaring  agains! 


-jDllfajiJiM.i.ilDirjryriTT-T[ifi>rfflti''i' ' h^i^-^- 


1PI'  1=  •■»■':■''  ■ 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


655 


B  amount  of  foui 

e  West  Indies,  an 
iieral  Cornish,  re- 
[vite  of  the  whole 
:Iermione,  a  largo 
cargo,  which  was 
bank  at  the  sar... 
ounced  to  the  pub 

ing  proved  unsuc- 
(i  of  a  war  which 
desirous  of  prace ; 
he  earl  of  Bute  was 
I  foot.    IndefJ,  so 
;tilities,  that  he  not 
isented  to  sacrifice 
'he  definitive  treaty 
.     Florida  was  re- 
bago,  Domini<'o,  St. 
conquest  of  CaiiaJa 
3d  large  possessions 

gnalized  himself  al 

Prussia,  would  iu  all 

oops,  had  not  a  gcn- 

ain  by  the  coUmial 

mmandcd  the  entire 

a  a  decided  siipeii- 

icven  years'  war'  a 

is;  France,  unable  to 

opened  the  traiie  to 

and  relying  oi\  her 

property  bound  to 

dispute  for  ii  season, 

angry  discussion  ui 

.ace  had  been  made, 
r  party,  wlio  accnsed 
one  greater  li»an  the 
a  mere  delusion,  fos- 
uddeidy  resigiu'd  his 
by  Mr.  Georne  Grcii- 

on  the  result  of  tho 
of  good  talents  and 
j,ler.  Disappointed  in 
tlic  part  of  a  violent 
ures  pursued  by  i;ov- 
is,  to  which  the  niniis- 
of  No.  49ofllie^"'''' 
was  published  ajr;unst 
It      A  general  warr  uit 

printer,  and  piihh'l'e' 
svas  sent  to  the 'lower 

,  tried  in  the  court  o 
■rati  declaring  agams' 


me  legality  of  general  warrants;  that  is,  warrants  not  specifying  the 
names  of  the  accused. 

But  Wilkes,  after  his  release,  having  republished  the  offensive  paper,  an 
information  was  filed  against  him  at  his  majesty's  suit,  for  a  gross  libel, 
and  the  North  Briton  was  burned  by  the  common  hangman:  nor  did  the 
matter  end  here ;  the  legality  of  general  warrants  gave  rise  to  several 
stormy  debates  in  the  house  of  commons  ,  and  at  length  Mr.  Wilkes  was 
expelled  for  having  printed  in  his  own  liouse  an  infamous  poem,  called 
"  An  Essay  on  Woman,"  with  notes,  to  which  the  name  of  Bishop  War- 
burton  was  affixed.  As  he  did  not  appear  to  the  indictment  preferred 
against  him,  he  was  declared  an  outlaw.  lie  then  retired  to  France;  and 
we  may  here  as  well  observe,  though  in  doing  so  we  overstep  our  chrono- 
logical boundary,  that  in  1768  he  returned  to  England,  and,  by  submitting 
to  tiu!  fine  and  imprisonment  pronounced  against  him,  procured  a  reversion 
of  the  sentence  of  outlawry.  lie  then  offered  himself  to  represent  the 
county  of  Middlesex,  and  was  unanimously  chosen,  in  opposition  to  the 
ministerial  candidates.  He  afterwards  commenced  a  prosecution  against 
the  earl  of  Halifax,  and  recovered  4,000/.  damages  for  his  imprisonment 
ill  the  Tower  upon  an  illegal  warrant. 

A.  D.  1765. — This  year  is  rendered  important  in  the  annals  of  England 
by  the  passing  of  an  American  stamp  act,  which  gave  rise  to  those  disputes 
whicii  alienated  the  colonies  from  the  motiier-eountry,  and  ended  in  a 
total  separation.  As  the  late  war  had  been  entered  into  by  Great  Britain, 
in  order  to  protect  her  American  seltleuients  from  the  encroachments  of 
the  French,  it  was  thought  reasonable  that  they  should  contribute  towards 
the  expenses  which  had  been  incurred.  A  bill  was  accordingly  brought 
into  parliament,  and  received  the  royal  assent,  for  imposing  a  stamp  and 
other  duties  on  fifty-three  articles  of  their  commerce.  However,  eventu- 
;i!ly,  the  resistance  made  by  tli'!  Americans  to  these  imposts,  and  the  gen- 
eral discontent  which  prevailed  in  England,  occasioned  the  repeal  of  the 
ut.  A  change  in  the  ministry,  by  the  introduction  of  the  marquis  of 
Rockingham,  was  the  immediate  consequence;  but  his  rule  was  of  very 
limited  duration,  and  the  duke  of  Grafton  was  appointed  first  lord  of  the 
treasury.  The  privy  seal  was  bestowed  on  Mr.  Pitt,  who  was  created 
earl  of  Chatham  ;  Lord  Camden  succeeded  Lord  Northington  as  lord 
chancellor,  and  Mr.  Townshend  was  made  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 

The  affairs  of  the  East  India  Company  now  claimed  the  attention  of  the 
liduse.  Mr.  Vaiisiltart  had  acted  as  governor-general  from  the  time  of 
Colonel  Clive's  return  to  England  in  17G0.  But  the  viceroy  of  Bengal 
had  (ijiposed  the  company,  and  a  war  ensued  which  ended  by  the  English 
making  an  entire  conquest  of  the  kingdom  of  Bengal.  The  preceding 
jear  the  company  sent  over  Lord  Clive,  who  found  that  their  agents  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  exacting  large  sums  as  presents  from  the  native 
princes,  by  which  means  they  had  accumulated  great  riches,  and  the 
name  of  an  Englishman  had  become  odious.  Lord  Clive  resolved  to  re- 
strain the  rapacity  of  these  persons,  and  he  co.icluded  a  treaty  for  the 
company,  by  which  they  would  enjoy  a  revenue  of  1,700,000;. 

Tiie  wealth  of  this  powerful  body  rendered  it  too  formidable  in  the  eyes 
of  government,  and  a  question  arose  whether  the  East  India  Company 
had  any  right  to  territorial  jurisdiction.  On  examining  into  their  charter, 
it  ap|)eared  that  they  were  prohibited  from  making  conquests  ;  and  it  be 
lug  proved  that  they  had  subdued  some  of  the  native  princes,  and  annexed 
their  dominions  to  the  company's  settlements,  it  was  agreed  that  this 
commercial  association  should  be  brought  in  soiuo  degree  under  the  con- 
trol of  parliament. 

The  metropolis  was  for  a  long  time  agitated  with  the  affair  of  Wilkes, 
uf  which  a  set  (^f  restless  demagogues  took  advantage  to  disturb  the  public 
mud,  already  over-e.'ccited  by  the  opposition  to  the  measures  of  govern- 


|P*«'  Tf-^'V''' 


'it 


656 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


mentas  regarded  the  North  American  colonies.    But  no  national  event 
worthy  of  historical  record  occurred  for  some  considerable  time. 

One  or  two  matters  of  domestic  interest  which  happened  during  thii 
period  must,  however,  he  noticed.  The  first  relates  to  an  address  from 
the  corporation  of  London  to  the  king,  which  was  presented  on  the  23{J 
of  May,  1770,  in  which  they  lamented  the  royal  displeasure  they  had 
incurred  in  consequence  of  their  former  remonstrance;  but  they  still  ad- 
hered to  it,  and  again  prayed  for  a  dissolution  of  parliament.  To  which 
his  majesty  replied  that  "  he  should  have  been  wanting  to  the  public,  ai 
well  as  to  himself,  had  he  made  such  an  use  of  the  prerogative  us  waa 
inconsistent  with  the  interest,  and  dangerous  to  the  constitution  of  the 
kingdom."  Upon  this,  the;  lord-mayor  Ucckford,  a  high-spirited  and  fear- 
less democrat,  begged  leave  to  nnsn-er  the  king.  Such  a  request  was  as 
indecorous  as  it  was  unusual ;  but  in  the  confusion  of  the  moment,  have 
was  given,  and,  with  great  fluency  of  language,  he  delivered  an  extern 
pore  address  to  his  majesty,  concluding  in  the  following  words  :— "Per 
mit  me,  sire,  to  observe  tliat  whoever  has  already  dared,  or  shall  hercaftci 
endeavour,  by  false  insinuations  and  suggestions,  to  alienate  your  ma- 
jesty's alTections  from  your  loyal  subjects  in  general,  and  from  the  cily 
of  London  in  particular,  and  to  withdraw  your  confidence  from,  and  rcn;ard 
for,  your  people,  is  an  enemy  to  your  majesty's  person  and  family,  a 
violator  of  the  public  peace,  and  the  betrayer  of  our  happy  constitution 
as  it  was  established  at  the  glorious  and  necessary  revolution."  No 
reply  was  given,  but  the  king  reddened  with  anger  and  astonisliment 
When  his  civic  lordship  again  appeared  at  St.  James'  the  lord-chauibcr- 
lain  informed  him  that  his  majesty  desired  that  nothing  of  the  kind  niiglu 
happen  in  future. 

An  cx-officio  persecution  against  Woodfall,  the  printer  and  publisher oi 
the  "  Public  Advertiser,"  in  which  the  "  Letters  ot  .Junius"  originally  ap 
pearcd,  having  placed  him  at  the  bar.  Lord  ISIansfield  informed  the  jury 
that  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  intention  of  the  writer,  their  province 
was  limited  to  the  fact  of  publishing;  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  alledged 
libel  was  wholly  immaterial.  The  jury,  however,  after  being  out  nine 
hours,  found  a  verdict  of  guilty  of  printing  and  publishing  only,  which  in 
effect  amounted  to  an  acquittal.  Tliese  celebrated  "  Letters"  were  equally 
distinguisiied  by  the  force  and  elegance  of  their  style,  as  by  the  v'rulciice 
of  their  attacks  on  individuals ;  and  though  conjecture  has  ever  since  been 
busy  to  discover  the  author,  and  strong  circumstantial  evidence  has  been 
brought  forward  at  different  limes  to  identify  different  persons  with  tlie 
authorship,  no  one  has  yet  succeeded  in  the  attempt. 

Before  this  time  (1771)  the  i^arliamentary  debates  had  only  been  given 
in  monthly  magazines  and  other  periodicals  published  at  considerable 
intervals.  The  practice  of  daily  reporting  now  commenc  ,d ;'  but  as  it 
was  an  innovation  on  the  former  practice,  and  in  direct  violation  of  the 
standing  orders  of  the  house,  several  printers  were  apjjrehended  and  taken 
before  Ijord-mayor  Crosby  and  Aldermen  Oliver  and  Wilkes,  who  dis- 
charged them,  and  held  the  messenger  of  the  commons  to  bail  for  false 
imprisonment.  The  house  of  commons,  enraged  at  this  daring  con'empt 
of  their  authority,  committed  their  two  members,  Crosby  and  Oliver,  to 
the  Tower ;  but  eventually  the  matter  was  suffered  to  drop ;  the  aldermen 
were  liberated  ;  and  fro'u  that  time  the  publication  of  the  parlianiciUary 
proceedings  has  been  connived  at ! 

On  the  death  of  Mr.  Townshcnd,  who  did  not  long  survive  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  office  of  chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  he  was  succeeded  by 
Lord  North — Lord  Chatham  having  now  lost  his  influenct  over  the  minis- 
try, and  being  dissatisfied  with  their  proceedings,  resigned  his  place  as 
lord-keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  and  retired  from  the  cares  of  government. 

Ill  the  latearrangemeuls  made  between  government  and  the  Kast  India 


no  national  event 

ble  lime. 

lened  during  thii 

an  address  from 
ented  on  the  23(1 
leasure  they  had 

but  they  still  ;id- 
ment.  To  which 
g  to  the  public,  ai 
rerogativc  as  waa 
onstilutiou  of  the 
i-spirited  and  fear- 

a  request  was  as 
the  niomLMit,  leave 
livercd  an  extern 
iig  words :— "Per 
,  or  shall  hcrcaftci 

alienate  your  ma- 
,  and  from  the  cily 
ce  from,  and  regard 
•son  and  family,  a 

happy  constitution 
^  revolution."    No 

and  astonishment 
'  the  lord-L'hainber- 
ig  of  the  kind  miglu 

Iter  and  publisher  Oi 
uiius"  originally  ap 
i  informed  the  jury 
irriter,  their  province 
;hoo(i  of  the  alledged 
fter  being  out  nine 
thing  only,  which  in 
ictters"  were  equally 
,  as  by  the  v'rulence 
:  has  ever  since  been 
\\  evidence  has  been 
nt  persons  with  tlie 

lad  only  been  given 
bed  at  considerable 
mnienc  ,d  •,'  but  as  it 
rect  violation  of  the 
iprchended  and  taken 
,nd  Wilkes,  who  dis- 
ions  to  bail  for  false 
this  daring  con'empt 
Irosliy  and  Oliver,  to 
?>  drop  ;  the  aldermen 
of  the  parliamentary 

survive  his  appoint- 
G  was  succeeded  by 
icnct  over  the  minis- 
csigned  his  place  as 
ares  of  government, 
lit  ai\d  the  Kast  India 


THE  TlliASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


657 


Company,  permission  was  given  to  the  latter  to  export  teas  frc«  of  duty. 
Lord  North  hoped  that  the  low  price  of  the  article  would  induce  the 
Americans  to  pay  the  duty  charged  on  importation  by  the  English  legis- 
lature, if  only  for  the  mere  purpose  of  allowing  the  right  of  taxation. 
Custorti-houses  had  been  established  in  their  seaports,  for  the  purpose  of 
collecting  these  dutii  s  ;  which  being  considered  by  the  Americans  as  an 
infringement  of  their  liberty,  they  resolved  to  discontinue  the  use  of  Brit- 
ish commodities.  Accordingly,  when  three  vessels,  laden  with  tea,  arrived 
at  Boston,  they  were  boarded  during  the  night  by  a  party  of  the  townsmen, 
and  the  cargoes  thrown  into  the  sea.  This,  followed  by  other  acts  of 
defiance,  and  a  repetition  of  similar  rebellious  conduct  on  the  part  of  the 
inhabitants  of  South  Carolina,  gave  great  offence,  while  it  occasioned  con- 
siderable alarm  in  Kngland,  and  acts  were  passed  for  closing  the  port  of 
Boston,  and  for  altering  the  constitution  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts. 

When  the  order  to  close  the  port  of  Boston  reached  America,  a  copy 
of  the  act,  surrounded  with  a  black  border,  was  circulated  through  all  iho 
provinces,  and  they  resolved  to  spend  the  1st  of  June,  the  day  appointed 
10  put  the  act  into  execution,  in  fasting  and  prayer.  Whilst  each  province 
was  framing  resolutions,  the  other  bills  reached  Massachusetts.  Tiiese 
raised  their  irritated  feelings  to  the  highest  pitch,  and  they  formed  an 
association,  in  which  they  bound  themselves,  by  a  solemn  league  and  cov- 
enant, to  break  off  all  commercial  intercourse  with  Great  Britain,  until 
the  Boston  port-bill  and  other  acts  should  be  repealed,  and  the  colony 
restored  to  its  ancient  rights.  In  this  situation  of  affairs  the  British  par- 
liament assembled,  when  a  conciliatory  plan  for  accommodating  the 
troubles  of  America  was  proposed  in  the  liouse  of  lords  by  the  earl  of 
Chatham,  and  rejected.  The  petition  and  remonstrance  of  The  (Congress 
were  also  rejected,  and  an  application  made  by  their  agents  to  be  heard 
at  the  bar  of  the  house  of  commons  was  refused. 

A.  D.  1775. — An  open  rupture  between  the  parent  stale  and  its  colonies 
was  evidently  approaching  with  rapid  strides.  Determined  to  support 
their  cause  with  the  utmost  vigour,  tlie  Americ.ms  at  once  proceeded  to 
train  their  militia,  erect  powder-mills  in  I'hiladelphia  and  Virginia,  and 
prepare  arms  in  every  proyinee.  Thay  also  assumed  the  appellation  of 
"The  United  COiOnies  of  America,"  established  an  extensive  paper  cur- 
rency, and  were  very  active  in  raising  a  regular  army.  On  the  otiiur  hand, 
the  authority  of  the  British  government  was  promptly  supported  by  Gen 
eral  Gage,  wiio  had  lately  been  appointed  governor  of  Massachusetts' 
Bay.  This  oflicer  having  received  intelligence  that  some  military  store* 
belonging  to  the  provincials  were  deposited  at  a  place  called  Concord,  he 
sent  tliitiier  a  detachm(!iU  of  soldiers  to  destroy  them  ;  but  on  their  relvrn 
to  Boston,  these  troops  were  pursued  by  a  boily  of  provincials,  who  W(wiW 
liave  succeeded  in  cutting  them  o(T,  had  not  the  ginieral  sent  out  a  la.gt 
force  to  cover  their  retreat.  The  loss  of  the  Kngiish  on  this  occasion 
amounted  to  273  nien  ;  of  the  Americans  only  50  were  killed  and  3ft 
wounded.  War  had  therefore  now  actually  commenced ;  and  the  provin- 
cials, elated  with  their  success,  pursued  their  hostile  intentions  with 
increased  vigour.  Having  a  short  time  after  surprised  the  forticsses  of 
Ticondcroga  and  Crown  Point,  and  by  that  nnians  possessed  tlicmselves 
of  upwards  of  100  pieces  of  cannon,  besides  a  largo  quantity  of  military 
storesof  every  description,  they  assembled  an  army  of  20,000  men,  which 
they  entrusted  to  Geouoe  VVashinoton,  and  resolved  to  lay  siege  to  Bos- 
ton, lu  the  meantime  the  English  cabinet  having  received  iiitflligoiice 
of  these  resolute  proceedings,  sent  a  reinforcement  to  their  army,  with 
the  generals  Ho\f  e,  Burgoyne,  and  Clinton.  The  Americans,  not  at  all 
intimidated  by  these  measures,  persisted  in  blockading  Boston  ;  and  in  the 
night  of  the  tenth  of  June  they  took  possession  of  and  fortified  an  emi- 
nence called  Bunker's  hill,  iiom  which  they  could  open  a  formidable  can- 
Vol.  I — 42 


V  *^ 


f 


\\ 

^ 

! 

i  !t 

E„ ,  ,, 

'. 

■; 

p;      ■  1 

1 

s:**'^^i 

! 

if.            1; 

1 

ffse 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


nonade  on  the  town.  To  this  point  General  Gage  sent  two  thousand 
men,  in  order  to  dislodge  them  ;  in  whi(rh  attempt  they  at  last  succeeded 
but  not  without  a  loss  so  heavy,  that  the  Knglish  general  resolved  to 
confine  himself  for  the  future  to  defensive  operations. 

Hitherto,  notwithstanding  their  uninterrupted  success,  the  Ameriean 
colonists  had  disclaimed  all  idea  of  assuming  independence;  but,  on  tl;c 
contrary,  as  was  averred  in  a  petition  from  the  congress,  presented  to  the 
king  by  Mr.  Penn,  a  descendant  of  the  founder  of  Pennsylvania,  they 
were  extremely  desirous  of  effecting  a  compromise.  He  at  tiie  same 
time  assured  the  government,  that  if  the  present  application  was  rejected 
they  would  enter  into  adiance  with  foreign  powers;  and  that  such  ail, an- 
ces,  if  once  formed,  would  be  with  great  difficulty  dissolved.  'l"he  pdi- 
tion  was,  however,  rejected  ;  an  act  was  passed,  prohibilmg  all  trade  wiili 
the  colonies,  and  anollier,  by  which  all  American  vessels  were  deehired 
enemies'  ships. 

The  Americans,  finding  that  their  endeavours  to  conciliate  the  ministry 
were  ineflTectual,  gave  orders  to  their  generals  to  endeavour  to  subjugate 
such  of  the  colonies  as  remained  faithful  to  Great  Britain.  Two  puijts 
were  sent  into  Canada,  under  General  Montgomery  and  Colonel  Arnold, 
who,  after  having  surmounted  innumerable  difliculties,  laid  siege  to  Qm;. 
bee  ;  but  in  this  attempt  they  were  overpowered  ;  Montgomery  was  killci', 
Arnold  was  wounded,  and  their  men  were  compelled  to  make  a  precipi- 
tate  retreat.  While  the  Americans  were  thus  unsuccessful  in  Canada, 
the  British  governors  in  Virginia  and  North  and  South  Carolina  had  used 
their  best  endeavours  to  keep  those  provinces  in  alliance,  but  without 
efTect ;  they  therefore  found  themselves  obliged  to  return  to  Knglaiul. 
General  Gage  was  recalled,  and  the  command  of  the  troops  at  Boston 
devolved  on  General  Howe,  who  was  soon  after  obliged  to  evacuate  the 
place,  and  repair  to  Halifax,  in  Nova-Scotia.  The  royal  forces  had  no 
sooner  relinquished  the  town  than  General  Washington  took  possession 
of  it,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  some  foreign  engineers,  fortified  it  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  render  it  almost  impregnable.  It  now  wanted  liitle 
to  elTeet  a  total  alienation  of  the  colonies  from  Great  Britain  ;  and  the 
fact  of  having  subsidized  a  large  body  of  German  mercenaries  for  tiie  pnr- 
pose  of  assisting  in  the  subjugation  of  the  revolted  provinces,  served  as  a 
fair  excuse  for  the  congress  to  publish  the  dedarr.lion  of  independence  ^' 
the  thirteen  United  States,  which  took  place  on  the  4th  of  July,  17TC. 

This  bold  measure  was  determined  on  at  a  time  when  the  congress  had 
no  very  flattering  prospect  before  their  eyes,  and  little  to  encourage  tiuMii 
save  the  indomitable  spirit  of  resistance  that  everywhere  manifested 
itself  to  British  supremacy.  Its  army  was  a  raw  militia,  and  it  was  un- 
provided to  any  extent  with  ships  or  money  ;  while  the  English  forces, 
greatly  augmented,  were  preparing  to  besiege  New-York.  General  Howe 
had  been  joined  by  his  brother,  Lord  Howe,  and  on  the  26th  of  August 
the  campaign  opened  by  the  English  taking  possession  of  Long  Island, 
preparatory  to  an  attack  on  New-York,  which  was  captured  on  the  21st 
of  September,  Washington  evacuating  that  city  with  the  utmost  prrcipi- 
tation.  The  city  was  soon  after  set  on  fire  by  some  incendiaries,  who  had 
concealed  themselves,  and  nearly  a  third  part  of  it  was  destroyed.  After 
ail  undeviating  course  of  victory,  General  Howe  led  his  troops  into  winter. 
quarters  ;  but  in  the  disposition  of  them  he  departed  from  his  usual  pru- 
dence, and  allowed  them  to  be  too  much  scattered,  which  occasioned  the 
Hessian  troops,  who,  from  their  depredations  and  cruelties,  had  roused 
the  resentful  feelings  of  the  inhabitants  of  New- Jersey,  to  be  surprised 
in  their  ranto  imcnts,  where  nearly  1000  were  taken  prisoners,  and  many 
slain. 

A.  D.  1777. — Gratified  w'th  the  intelligence  they  received  of  Howe'j 
lucccsses,  the  English  ministry  determined  to  follow  them  up  by  scidinj 


wo  thousand 
ist  succeeded, 
il  resolved  to 

the  Amcriean 
a  ;  but,  on  the 
resented  to  llie 
sylvaniA,  lUcy 
c  at  the  s;mie 
11  svas  rejiM'tcd, 
iiat  sufl»  allian- 
ifed.     The  pi  li- 
ig  a\l  trade  willi 
were  declared 

ate  the  ministry 
our  to  subjugate 
n.     Two  piriies 
Colonel  Arnold, 
lid  siege  to  Qiio- 
luicry  was  kiUc.', 
I  make  a  precipi- 
;ssf«l  in  Canada, 
Carolina  had  used 
nee,  but  without 
lurn  to   Knglaiul. 
troops  at  Huston 
d  to  evacuate  the 
pi  forces  had  no 
n  took  possession 
;ers,  fortified  it  in 
now  wanted  hitlo 
Britain ;  and  iHi; 
naries  for  the  pur- 
inces,  served  as  a 
of  indepeniknct  ^! 
,f  July,  1770. 
In  the  congress  li;ui 
to  encourage  thnii 
where  manifosicd 
[ilia,  and  it  was  un- 
Ithe  Englisli  forces, 
,rk      General  Howe 
Ithe  26ih  of  August 
ni  of  l^ong  l*l'i"J. 
aptured  on  the  ilat 
the  utmost  prccipi- 
icendiaries,  wholvai 
iS  destroyed.    Afet 
s  troops  into  winter- 
from  his  usual  ptu- 
^hich  occasioned  IM 
ruelties.  had  roused 
,.sey,  to  be  surprised 
prisoners,  and  many 

I  received  of  Howe'' 
then\  up  bv  scndin? 


THE  TREASUaV  OF  HISTOllY. 


659 


8n  army  under  General  Burgoyne,  from  Canada  through  the  northern 
dates,  to  co-operate  with  Howe  in  the  South.  For  a  time  fcvsrything 
seemed  to  promise  a  favourable  issue  to  this  project :  Sir  William  Howo 
defeated  Washington  at  the  bailie  of  Brandy  wine,  and  took  Philadelphia; 
while  Burgoyne,  having  reduced  Ticonderoga,  was  pursuing  his  march 
southward.  But  innumerable  difficulties  lay  in  his  way,  and  when  he 
reached  Saratoga,  he  was  surrounded  by  tiie  American  forces  under  gen- 
erals Gares  and  Arnold,  and  he  and  his  whole  army,  amounting  to  5752 
men,  were  compelled  to  surrender  prisoners  of  war.  Thus  ended  a  cam- 
paign which  at  the  outset  seemed  so  promising;  bui,  disastrous  as  it  had 
turned  out,  neither  the  confidence  of  ministers  nor  of  the  British  people 
appeared  to  be  at  all  abated. 

A.  D.  1778.— -Whilst  England  was  engaged  in  this  unfortunate  contest 
with  her  colonies,  a  cessation  seemed  to  have  taken  place  in  the  conten- 
tions and  animosities  of  other  nations,  and  their  whole  allention  was  ap- 
parenlly  engrossed  by  speculating  on  the  novel  scene  before  them.  Ttie 
great  disturbers  of  mankind  appear  to  have  laid  aside  their  rapacity  and 
ambition,  wh..^t  they  contemplated  the  new  events  which  were  iranspi- 
rinir,  and  predicted  the  conclusion  of  so  strange  a  warfare.  The  enemies 
of  Kngland,  who  had  long  beheld,  with  apprehension,  the  increase  of  het 
commerce,  and  many  of  Kngland's  old  allies  who  envied  her  the  posses- 
sioii  of  such  valuable  colonies,  were  astonished  at  the  revolution  wiiich 
liireatened  her,  and  looked  forward  with  pleasure  to  the  time  when  het 
power  and  glory  should  be  wrested  from  her  grasp.  The  Americans 
were  received,  protected,  and  openly  caressed  by  France  and  Spain,  who, 
beginning  to  feel  the  influence  of  that  commerce  from  which  they  had 
been  so  long  excluded,  treated  the  colonies  willi  respect,  and  rejected  the 
feeble  remonstrances  of  England's  ambassadors.  Happy  had  it  been  for 
France,  and  happy  for  the  world,  if,  content  with  reaping  the  beu'.fits  of 
American  commerce,  they  had  remained  spectators  of  the  contest,  and 
simply  profited  by  the  dissensions  of  their  nc^ighbours.  For  it  is  I  eyond 
all  doubt  that  the  seed  of  republicanism  which  was  sown  in  America 
sprung  up  and  was  nurtured  in  France,  nor  could  its  rank  grov  th  be 
tliecked  till  every  acre  of  that  fair  land  had  been  steeped  in  blood. 

Crippled  and  pent  up  in  situations  from  wliicii  they  ccmld  not  stir  with- 
out danger,  the  royal  troops  exhibited  a  most  forlorn  appearance,  while 
every  day  was  adding  to  the  strength  and  resources  of  the  insurgents. 
Tliey  had  established  for  themselves  an  efficient  government ;  they  had 
agents  at  the  principal  European  courts;  they  raised  and  maintained  ar- 
mies ;  and  they  had,  in  fact,  been  recognised  as  an  independent  nation 
oytwo  of  the  principal  powers  in  Europe.  The  treaty  between  France 
and  America  was  completed,  and  tiie  discussions  whicii  arose  on  the  no- 
tification of  this  circumstaii';e  to  the  British  parliament,  were  stormy  and 
violent.  Though  both  parties  were  unanimous  in  their  opinion  that  a 
war  witli  France  was  unavoidable,  yet  the  opposition,  who  had  from  the' 
beginning  reprobated  the  American  war,  insisted  tiiat  tlie  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  independence  of  the  colonies  was  the  only  eff'ectual  method 
of  terminating  the  contest.  The  ministerial  party,  on  the  other  banc', 
represented  the  disgrace  of  beiuHng  beneath  the  power  of  France,  and 
the  dishonour  of  leaving  the  American  loyalists  exposed  to  the  rancour 
of  their  countrymen. 

An  invasion  of  England  being  at  this  time  threatened  by  the  French,  an 
address  was  moved  for  recalling  the  ffeets  and  armies  from  America, 
and  stationing  them  in  a  place  where  they  might  more  cfTectually  contri- 
bute to  the  defence  of  the  kingdom.  This  measure  was  vigorously  op- 
posed by  the  administration,  and  by  some  members  of  the  opposition. 
Lord  Chatham,  whose  infirmities  had  lately  prevented  him  from  attending 
)a  his  place  in  parliament,  evinced  his  decided  disapprobation  of  it ;  he  hutl 


■■lit    ,1    , 


:  a!*'?'- 


i:w* 


m  i 


CGO 


THB  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


entered  tho  house  in  a  rich  suit  of  black  velvet,  a  full  wig,  and  wrappei! 
in  flannel  to  the  knees,  and  was  supported  to  his  scat  by  his  son  and 
soii-in-law,  Mr.  William  Pitt  and  Viscount  Mahon.  It  is  said  that  he 
looked  weak  and  emaciated ;  and,  resting  his  hands  on  his  crutches,  he  at 
first  spoke  with  difficulty,  but  as  he  grew  warm  his  voice  rose,  and  be- 
came,  as  U3ual,  oratorical  and  affecting.  "  My  lords,"  said  he,  '•  I  rcjoiie 
that  the  grave  lias  not  closed  upon  me,  that  I  am  still  alive  to  lift  up  my 
voice  against  the  dismemberment  of  this  ancient  and  most  noble  mon- 
archy." He  was  replied  to  with  great  respect  by  the  duke  of  Richmond, 
when  on  attempting  to  rise  ajjain  he  fell  back  before  uttering  a  word,  in' 
a  convulsive  fit,  from  which  he  never  recovered,  and  died  a  few  days 
after,  in  the  70th  year  of  his  age,  May  11,  1778.  His  merits  were  trans- 
cendant,  and  his  d,cath  was  lamented  as  a  national  loss.  Apart  from  the 
aberrations  originating  in  an  ardent  love  of  power,  his  course  was  sphui- 
did  and  magnanimous  ;  and  it  was  truly  said  of  him  by  Lord  Chesterfield, 
that  his  private  life  was  stained  by  no  vices,  nor  sullied  by  any  meanness! 
Contemporary  praise  and  posthumous  honours  were  showered  down  upon 
the  man  of  wiiom  the  nation  was  justly  proud.  His  remains  were  inter- 
red with  grca!  solemnity  in  Westminster  abbey,  and  the  city  of  London 
erected  a  flattering  tribute  to  his  memory  in  Guildhall. 

A  French  squadron  was  sent  from  Toulon  to  the  assistance  of  Americ; , 
under  the  command  of  Count  d'Kstaiiig,  who  reduced  the  island  of  fJrena- 
da,  while  a  body  of  his  forces  made  themselves  masters  of  St.  Vinceni. 
In  other  parts  of  the  West  Indian  seas  the  British  arms  were  ably  sup. 
ported  by  the  bravery  and  vigilance  of  the  admirals  Hyde  Parker  and 
Rowley.  On  the  'J7th  of  July  an  indecisive  action  was  fought  ofl"  lirest, 
between  the  French  fleet,  under  M.  d'Orvilliers,  and  a  British  squadron, 
under  Admiral  Keppel.  Sir  Hugh  Palliser,  the  second  in  command,  at-. 
cused  the  admiral  of  not  having  done  his  duly;  he  was  accordingly  tried 
by  a  court-martial,  and  honourably  acquitted  ;  in  fact,  it  appeared  that  lie 
had  been  so  badly  Fupporled  by  Palliser,  that  he  was  unable  to  make  any 
use  of  the  slight  advantage  he  obtained. 

Sir  Charles  Hardy,  a  brave  and  experienced  officer,  whoso  services  lim! 
be?n  rewarded  with  the  governorship  of  Greenwich  Hospital,  was  ap- 
pointed to  succeed  Keppel  in  the  command  of  the  channel  fleet.  In  tin' 
meantime,  the  Spanish  court  was  prevailed  on  by  the  French  to  take  up 
arms  in  defence  of  America,  and  to  accede  to  the  general  confederacy 
against  Great  Britain.  As  the  danger  to  which  the  nation  was  now  ex- 
posed was  become  truly  alarming,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  raise  volun- 
teer companies  in  addition  to  the  militia,  and  in  this  the  spirit  and  nia^'- 
nanimity  of  th.e  people  reflected  great  credit  on  the  national  character. 
Strengthened  by  the  alliance  of  Spain,  the  French  began  to  extend  tl:eu 
ideas  of  conquest,  and  thinking  that  a  blow  near  at  hand  was  more  likely 
than  operations  carried  on  at  a  distance  to  alarni  the  fears  of  the  Knglish, 
they  made  attempts  on  the  islands  of  Guernsey  and  Jersey,  but  in  cacti 
they  were  completely  frustrated. 

But  the  old  enemies  of  Britain  had  grown  arrogant  durmg  the  unnatu- 
ral contest  that  was  waged  with  the  unruly  scions  of  her  own  i5toek,aiid 
preparations  were  now  made  for  Britain  itself.  A  junction  was  effeeled 
between  the  French  and  Spanish  fleets,  which  made  their  appearance  ui 
the  channel,  to  the  number  of  sixty  sail  of  the  line  besides  frigates.  This 
formidable  armament  was  opposed  by  a  force  muchmferioi,  under  Admi- 
ral Hardy,  who  leisurely  retired  up  the  channel,  enticing  them  to  follow 
him,  but,  with  all  their  immense  superiority,  they  chose  rather  to  decline 
an  encounter;  it  is  true  they  for  some  time  contmued  to  menace  anJ 
insult  the  British  coasts  with  impunity,  but  without  accomplishing  anylhinj 
furlhr  than  the  capture  of  the  Ardent  man-of-war,  w>  ch  by  accideiil 
had  fallen  in  with  the  combined  fleets. 


mmm 


;,  and  wrappet! 
'y  his  son  and 

8  said  that  he 
crutches,  he  at 
e  rose,  and  bc- 
1  he,  "  I  rejoiru 
e  to  lift  up  my 
)8t  noble  uiou- 
i  of  Riehmond, 
ring  a  word,  in 
ied  a  few  days 
rit3  were  trans- 

Apart  from  llic 
urse  was  sphm- 
ord  Chesterfield, 
/  any  meanness, 
/cred  down  upon 
ains  were  intcr- 
e  city  of  London 

ance  of  Americ. , 
;  island  of  Oron.i- 
rs  of  St.  Vincem. 

09  were  ably  snp- 
iyde  Parker  and 
I  fought  off  Hrest, 
,  British  squadron, 
I  in  command,  ae- 
9  accordingly  IncJ 
it  appeared  that  ho 
nable  to  make  any 

kvhosc  services  li;v! 

Hospital,  was  ap- 

^nnel  fleet.    In  ili'^ 

French  to  take  up 

cneral  confederacy 

ration  was  now  v\- 

sable  to  raise  voUm- 

the  spirit  and  niu','- 

national  eharacur. 

>gan  to  extend  tluni 

md  was  more  lik.  y 

cars  of  the  F-nglish, 

Jersey,  but  in  each 

during  the  unnaui. 
her  own  sloi'k.ana 
unction  was  cfiecU'^^ 
llieir  appearance  m 
sides  (ngates.    W 
aferioi.mider  Admi- 
icng  them  tofo\ov 
,ose  rather  to  dccUiw 
lued  to  menace  ana 
complUhingauylhu)!! 
w>  ch  by  accideM 


THE  TREASURY  OJ  HISTORY. 


661 


In  calling  the  rcaderV  attention  to  tlic  state  of  the  continent  at  this  pe- 
riod, '.vo  have  to  notice  thai  llie  peace  which  followed  the  memorable 
"seven  years'  war"  was  teinporarily  ineiiaeed  by  the  eflforts  of  the  empe 
ror  Joseph  to  obtain  possession  of  Bavaria;  but  the  prompt  interference 
of  tiie  king  of  Prussia,  wlio  brought  into  the  field  an  immense  army, 
logeiher  with  the  rernoiistraMces  of  Russia,  and  the  unwillingness  of 
France  to  second  the  ambitious  designs  of  Austria,  induced  the  emperor 
to  abandon  his  aggressive  intentions. 

A.  D.  1780 — 'I'lie  first  business  of  importance  that  came  before  the  par- 
liament tins  year  was  the  stale  of  Irelaid,  which  brought  from  Lord  North 
a  plan  of  amelioration  tiuit  nut  with  tlu  approbation  of  the  house,  and,  as 
it  opened  her  ports  for  liie  import  and  export  of  her  manufacUires,  the 
change  was  hailed  as  a  happy  omen  for  tiic  sister  kingdom.  The  next 
subject  for  legisilative  discu.ssioii  was  the  wasteful  and  extravagant  expen- 
diture in  the  diflerenl  olhcial  departmiMils  of  the  stale  ;  and  the  eloquence 
and  financial  knowledge  of  .Mr.  llurke,  were  amply  displayed  in  a  plan 
for  general  reform,  which  was  seconded  by  petitions  from  various  parts 
of  llie  kiii„rdom,  praying  for  a  change  of  men  as  well  as  measures.  But 
at  this  crisis  the  altention  of  all  |  'ii's  was  attracted  by  a  sudden  alarm. 
Sir  George  Saville  bad  in  the  pre.  ling  session  proposed  a  bill  to  repeal 
the  act  of  William  IlL,  which  iuipo.'ied  certain  penalties  and  disabilities 
on  the  Roman  catholics,  and  which  passed  both  houses  without  opposi- 
tion. The  loyal  conduct  of  this  body  of  his  majesty's  subjects,  and  their 
readiness  to  risk  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  defence  of  their  king  and 
country,  were  generally  ackiiowhulged  ;  but  in  consequence  of  the  popu- 
lation  of  Scotland  expressing  a  dread  of  granting  toleration  to  papists,  ihe 
bill  did  not  extend  to  tliat  kingdom.  This  encouraged  a  set  of  fanatics 
ill  Knglaiidl  to  form  themselves  into  an  association,  whose  professed  ob- 
ject was  to  protect  the  protestaiU  religion,  by  revising  the  intolerant 
statutes  which  before  existed  against  the  Roman  catholics.  The  great 
majority  of  the  members  of  this  "  prolestant  association"  were  at  the  lime 
correctly  described  as  "outrageously  zealous  and  grossly  ignorant" — 
persons  who,  had  they  been  unassisted  by  any  one  of  rank  or  intluence, 
would  have  sunk  into  oblivion  from  their  own  insignificance;  but  Lord 
George  (iordon,  a  young  iiobleiiiaii  of  a  wild  and  fervid  imagination,  or, 
more  correctly,  perhaps,  one  who  on  religious  topics  was  a  monomaniac, 
finding  this  "association"  would  be  likely  to  afford  him  an  excellent  op- 
portunity of  standing  forth  as  the  champion  of  the  prolestant  faith,  and 
thereby  gaining  a  ^'ood  share  of  mob-notoriety,  joined  the  club,  and  thus 
raised  it  into  tem|)orary  importance.  He  became  their  chairman,  and, 
free  from  even  the  apprehension  of  any  fatal  results,  he  proposed  in  a 
meeting  of  the  society  at  Coachmaker's-liall,  on  the  29th  of  May,  that 
ihey  should  assemble  in  St.  CJeorge's  Fields  at  10  o'clock  on  the  2d  of 
June,  when  they  should  accompany  him  with  a  petition  to  the  house  of 
coniinoiis,  praying  a  repeal  of  the  late  act  of  toleration  granted  to  iho 
Roman  catholics. 

On  the  following  Friday,  the  day  appointed  for  this  display  of  "  moral 
force,"  the  members  of  liie  house  were  much  surprised — although  vhere 
was  every  reason,  after  this  public  notice,  to  expect  nothing  less — to  per- 
ceive the  approaeii  of  fifty  ilioiisand  persons  distinguished  by  blue  cock- 
ades in  their  hats,  with  the  inscription,  "No  Popery.''  Lord  George  pre- 
sented the  petition  to  the  house,  and  moved  that  it  he  taken  into  immedi- 
ate consideration ;  but  his  motion  was  rejected  by  102  votes  to  fi.  During 
tiie  di-scussion  his  lordship  frequently  addressed  the  mob  outside,  and  told 
tlieni  the  people  of  Scotland  had  no  redress  till  they  pulled  down  the 
catholic  chapels.  Acting  upon  this  suiigfition,  the  populace  proceeded 
to  demolish  and  burn  the  chapels  of  the  foreign  ambassadors.  On  the  fol- 
lowing Monday  the  number  of  the  mob  was  greatly  increased  'ly  the  idle 


663 


THB  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


and  'he  prcfligule,  wlio  are  ever  ready  for  riot  and  plunder.  Tlirir  vio 
lence  was  now  no  longer  confined  to  the  calhoiics,  hut  was  exerted 
wherever  they  could  do  most  niiacliief.  They  proceeded  to  Ncwiriilp 
and  (lenianilcd  the  immediate  release  of  such  of  their  associates  as'liad' 
been  confined  there.  On  rei'eivih";  a  refusal  they  hegan  to  throw  firehruids 
and  combustibles  into  the  keeper  s  dwelhnjf-house.  The  whoh'  buiidiiig 
was  soon  eiweloped  in  flames,  and  in  the  interval  of  confusion  and  dismay 
all  the  pricouers,  amoinitinir  to  upwards  of  tiiree  hundred,  maih;  their  eg 
cape  and  joined  the  rioters.  The  New-Prison,  Clerkenwell,  the  Kinjj'.s 
Bench,  the  Fleet  prison,  and  New-Hridewell,  were  also  set  on  fire;  aiij 
many  private  houses  shared  the  same  fate;  in  siu)rt,  on  that  nijjhl  London 
was  beheld  hlazinif  in  no  less  than  thirty  six  chfTerent  places  at  once.  At 
length  they  attempted  llie  liank,  but  the  soldiers  there  inliutcd  a  severe 
chastisement  on  them.  The  military  came  in  from  the  couiiiry,  and,  ia 
obedience  to  an  order  of  the  king  in  cuuncil,  direclions  wen;  given  to  the 
officers  to  fire  upon  iIk;  rioters  without  wailing  the  sanction  cf  the  ci<i| 
power.  Not  only  had  tiie  most  fearful  apprehensions  been  excited,  im.] 
great  injury  done,  but  the  eliaracter  of  the  nation  in  the  eyes  of  forei;;!! 
powers  could  not  fail  to  sulTer  almost  indchble  disgrace  fnnn  sncii  bruiai 
and  tiuuultuous  scenes,  it  was  not  until  a  week  had  elapsed  tiiat  irrui- 
qnillily  was  restored,  when  it  was  found  that  458  persons  had  lieen  kill  il 
or  wounded,  exclusive  of  those  who  perished  from  intoxication.  Undcra 
warrant  of  the  secretaries  of  state,  Lord  George  (Jordon  was  eoiniiutted 
to  the  Tower  on  a  charge  of  high  treason ;  but  when  bi ought  td  trial  the 
charge  could  not  be  sustained,  and  this  most  mischii;- ous  person  was 
ac(|uiited.  However,  ihougU  he  escaped  punishment  for  these  prucecd. 
Higs,  he  was  afterwards  imprismied  for  a  libel  on  the  qi.'en  of  I'raiicf, 
and  ended  his  days  in  Newgate.  Out  of  the  ri'.ters  v  h  were  tried  and 
found  guilty,  twenty-five  of  the  most  violent  were  liangtd. 

We  gladly  turn  from  these  scenes  of  civil  tumult  to  a  more  agrccahlo 
part  of  an  historian's  duty.  'I'he  commencement  of  the  year  was  aticiidcil 
with  some  considerable  naval  advantages  to  lireat  Britain.  'J'hc  tlctt 
under  the  eommand  of  Sir  liydt;  Parker  engaged  a  PVeuch  squadron  in 
the  West  Indies,  and  captured  nine  merchantmen.  The  success  wliiidi 
attended  Admiral  ilothiey  was  more  important.  On  the  IGih  of  January 
he  attacked,  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  a  Spanish  fliiet,  consisting  of  clovii) 
ships  of  the  line,  captured  four  of  them,  drove  two  more  on  shoro,  and 
burned  another;  thence  proceeding  to  America,  he  thrice  encounieicdtlie 
French  fleet,  under  the  count  de  Guichen  and  though  he  obtained  no  de- 
cisive success,  he  prevented  Washington  from  receiving  naval  aid  iii  his 
meditated  attack  on  New-York.  A  very  severe  loss  was  soon  aficr  sns- 
tallied  by  the  English:  on  the  8th  of  August  the  Spanish  fleet  fell  in  with 
the  trade-fleet  bound  for  the  Kast  and  West  Indies,  the  whole  of  wliiili, 
consisting  of  fifty-four  merchantmen,  was  captured;  'lieir  convoy,  the 
Ramiliies  of  74  guns,  and  two  frigates,  ah)ne  escapinp. 

The  operations  of  the  war,  taken  allogelher,  notwithstanding  il;c  pow- 
erful alliance  against  (Jreat  Britain,  had  hitherto  1  een  su[)ported  widi 
vigourand  magnanimity.  Yet  while  England  was  frusiratingevery  attempt 
of  her  open  and  declared  enemies,  a  confederacy  was  formed  throiighmil 
Europe,  which,  as  it  acted  indirectly,  could  not  well  be  resisted.  This 
confedera(;y,  termed  ihe  "armed  ueutraliiy,"  was  planned  by  the  empress 
of  P.ussia,  who  issued  a  manifesto,  asserting  the  right  of  neutral  vessels 
to  trade  freely  to  and  from  all  ports  belonging  to  belligerent  powers,  ex- 
cept such  as  were  actually  in  a  state  of  blockade  ;  and  that  all  eflects  he- 
longing  to  the  sulijects  of  the  belligerent  powers  should  be  looked  upon 
B8  free  on  board  smth  ships,  excepting  only  such  goods  as  were  coiiini- 
band ;  m  other  words,  that  "  free  vessels  were  to  make  free  men  liaiidisc." 
Russia,  Denmark,  and  Sweden  were  the  first  to  bind  themselves  to  the 


I    I 


ii  ':• 


'*'J 


THE  TRKAaURY  Ol*'  IHSTORY. 


991$ 


or.    Thrir  vlo 
it  wus  exerted 
pd  to  Nt'Wij'iitp, 
sBOcintfs  as  luii 
llirow  firebriimls 
>  wliolc  building 
81011  and  dismay 
j,  made  llieir  cs 
ivvell,  Vlie  Kiiiy's 
,  Bi'l  on  fire  ;  and 
lai  ni^lil  London 
cea  al  once    At 
innnlcd  a  severe 
•  coviniry,  and,  iu 
were  t;i\  en  to  the 
•lion  I'f  ilie  CPU 
been  exi'iled,  a:il 
:•  eyes  of  fori'i!;!! 
from  siiili  briiud 
elapsed  tliat  lr:;ii- 
ns  had  tieen  kdl  d 
nicalion.     Under  a 
DO  was  comnullcd 
jioiigbl  to  trial  the 
ie-ous  person  wus 
for  ibesc  proeecd- 
qi-eii  of  Kraiice, 
kv  ii    were  tried  and 

p  a  more  agreeable 
veur  was  altendi'd 
Ikitain.     'I'lic  fleet 
'rencb  sqnadnm  iu 
I'he  success  wliieh 
he  Knli  of  January 
onsistiiii?  uf  *^''-'^''^'; 
norc  on  shore,  ami 
rieeonco\inieredllie 
lie  obtained  no  de- 
HIT  naval  aid  i«i  !»« 
was  soon  afler  sus- 
ish  fleet  fell  in  «iil> 
ic  whole  of  wluch, 
t'.ieir  convoy,  the 

ihstaiuling  'lie  pow- 
een  suppoiieil  wH" 
irating  every  utlemp; 
fjrme.i  ihrouglimil 
be  resisted.    'H'is 
jme.l  by  iho  empress 
ill  of  neutral  vessels 
Uiueient  powers,  ex- 
ad  tlnil  all  etTects  k- 
,uld  be  looked  upon 
oods  as  were  conira. 
e  free  meniiandise. 
,d  themselves  to  the 


eonditions  of  this  lenguc ;  Hollnnd  (juickly  foLowcd  tho  example;  the 
courts  of  Vienna,  Uerliii,  Naples,  and,  lastly,  Porlucfal,  the  oldest  ally  of 
England,  joined  the  assoeiation.  From  the  commencement  of  the  Aiiier- 
icaii  war  the  l.utcli  had  shown  great  partiality  to  the  revolters,  and  as 
proof  was  at  length  obtained  of  their  havinj^f  (;oncliided  a  treaty  with  tho 
congress,  the  Knglish  government  determined  on  lakinj  veiigeanec  for 
their  perluly,  and  war  was  instantly  deelared  against  them. 

A.  D.  1781.— At  the  commencement  of  this  year  the  war  in  America 
was  renewed  with  various  success.  Tiie  progress  of  the  Uritish  forces 
under  Lord  Cornwallis,  in  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  had  raised  great 
expectations  of  triumph  in  Hngland,  and  had  proportionably  depressed  the 
(Vniericans;  but  the  Uritish  general  liad  to  contend  against  the  united 
orc(!s  of  Kraneeand  her  trans-allantic  ally,  and  though  he  obtained  some 
fresh  laurels,  his  successes  were  rendered  ineiTneUial  by  his  snbsciineut 
reverses.  At  length,  afler  making  a  most  vigorous  rcsistaiic(!  against 
overwhelming  numlx^rs,  while  defending  Vorktown,  where  lie  IkuI  for- 
tified himself,  he  was  eoinpelled  to  capitulate!,  when  the  whole  of  his  army 
hecaiiK!  prisoners  of  war  to  Washington,  and  the  Uritish  vessels  in  the 
harbour  surrendered  to  the  French  Admiral  de  CJrasse.  As  no  rational 
expectation  of  subjugating  America  now  remained,  the  military  operations 
in  that  quarter  of  the  globe  were  regarded  as  of  comparatively  little  con- 
sequence. 

Immediately  after  the  declaration  of  war  against  Holland,  Admiral  Rod- 
ney, in  conjuiiclion  with  (Jeneral  Vaughan,  attacked  the  important  setllo- 
nient  of  Fustatia,  which  surrendcriul  to  them  without  resistance.  The 
immense  property  found  there  surpassed  the  most  sanguine  expectations 
of  the  captors ;  but  it  unfortunately  happened,  that  as  the  riches  acquired 
on  this  occasion  were  on  their  transit  to  Fngland,  the  ships  conveying  it 
were  intercepted  by  the  French,  and  twenty-one  of  them  were  taken.  On 
the  Gih  of  the  following  August  Admiral  Hyde  Parker  fell  in  with  a  Dutch 
gquadrt  (1  ofT  tiie  Doggers'  liank,  and  a  most  desperate  engagement  took 
place;  the  (.-ontest  was  fiercely  maintained  for  two  hours,  when  the  Dutch 
bore  away  for  the  Texel  with  their  convoy,  and  the  Fiiglish  were  too 
much  disabled  to  pursue  them. 

A.  n.  17H'3. — Though  the  Piicmies  of  Great  Britain  had  at  this  time  gained 
decid(Ml  advantages  by  land,  iiiid  in  numerical  force  possessed  a  manifest 
supc^riority  by  sea,  yet  such  was  the  courage,  perseverance,  and  power 
with  which  she  contended  against  them  single-handed,  that  nolwithstaiid- 
iiig  the  recent  disasters  in  America,  and  the  enormous  expenditure  neces- 
sary to  carry  on  so  fierce  and  extensive  a  warfare,  the  splendour  of  the 
nation  sulFered  no  diminution,  and  exploits  of  individual  heroism  and 
brilliant  victories  continued  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  all  who  cherished  a 
love  of  their  country's  glory.  At  the  same  time  popular  clamour  and  dis- 
content rose  to  a  high  |)itch  on  a-icouiu  of  the  depressed  slate  of  trade 
which  the  armed  neutrality  hid  cauaed,  while  invectives  against  the 
government  for  the  mal-administrationof  affairs,  as  regarded  the  American 
war,  were  loud  and  deep.  The  whig  opposition,  making  an  adroit  use  ot 
these  disasters  .rsgainst  liord  North  and  his  tory  friends,  induced  them  to 
resign,  and  about  the  end  of  March  they  were  succeeded  by  the  marquis 
of  Kockingham,  as  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  the  earl  of  Shelburnc  and 
Mr.  Fox,  principal  secretaries  of  state,  and  Lord  Thurlow,  lord  chancellor; 
besides  Lord  Camden,  the  dukes  of  Richmond  and  CJrafton,  Mr.  Burke, 
Admiral  Keppel,  General  Conway,  &c.,  to  fill  the  other  most  important 
posts.  Tlu!  present  ministry,  however,  had  not  continued  in  office  above 
three  months  before  a  material  change  was  occasioned  by  the  death  ot 
the  marquis  of  Rockingham.  The  earl  of  Shelburne  being  appointed  to 
succeed  iliat  nobleman,  his  colleagues  took  offence,  and  Lord  Cavendish, 
Mr.  Fox,  Mr.  Burke,  and  several  others  resigned.     Mr.  Townshend  was" 


A 


5*1  r  ,  ;      I 


THR  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


then  mndo  spcrotary  of  Htalc,  and  Mr.  Pitt,  second  son  of  Lord  Chatham 
BUi'Cceded  Lord  ("avcnihsli  in  Iht?  olllcc  of  chanccdlor  of  llie  rxcliccnuT, 

Nt'ffotialions  for  peace  were  now  eoniniericed  by  the  new  ministry,  hut 
without  at  all  rclaxini;  in  their  efforln  to  8n|)|)ort  the  war.  The  isiamls  o| 
Minorca.  St.  Nevis,  and  St.  (Jln'istoiiher'H  were;  taken  hy  the  French;  and 
a  descent  on  Jamaica  was  meditated  with  a  fleet  of  thirty-four  ships,  they 
were,  however,  foilunately  met  hy  Admiral  Kodney  ofl"  Dominica,  and  a 
most  des[)erato  engagement  ensued,  of  nearly  twelve  hours'  continuance 
wliich  terminated  in  the  total  defeat  of  the  French ;  their  adnural.  Count 
de  Grasse,  being  taken  prisoner,  with  ttie  Villo  do  l'arii<,  hesnles  six  other 
ships  of  the  line  and  two  frigates.  In  this  action  llie  bold  nautical  niu- 
nccuvre  of  brcakiiiR  tiie  line  and  attacking  the  enemy  on  both  sides  at 
once,  was  first  tried  and  snccessfnily  executed.  This  glorious  action  was 
fougtit  on  the  lUth  of  April ;  and  about  the  same  period,  the  fleet  under 
Admiral  Harrington  captured,  ofl"  I'shant,  two  large  French  nien-of-war. 
with  ten  sail  of  vessels  under  their  convoy. 

During  this  period  the  arms  of  Spain  had  been  more  than  usually  sue 
ccssful.  In  America  they  conquereil  the  Hnglish  fortresses  on  the  Missis. 
sippi,  as  well  as  Pensacola  and  all  Florida.  Bui  all  their  efl'orts,  in  coni- 
bination  with  their  French  allies,  against  Gibraltar,  proved  fruitless;  its 
brave  governor.  General  F.lliott,  returning  their  tremendous  cannonadt 
with  a  well  directed  and  impetuous  discharge  of  red-hot  balls  from  the 
fortress,  thereby  utterly  destroyins;  the  floating  batteries  which  the  be- 
•iegers  had  vainly  boasted  were  irresistible.  Ever  and  anon  during  tlie 
last  five  years  this  memorable  siege  had  been  carried  on;  but  on  the  day 
after  this  memorable  bombardment  and  defence  (Sept.  13),  not  a  ve.sligeof 
all  their  formidable  preparations  remained. 

In  the  East,  Hydcr  Ally  had  succeeded  in  gaining  the  capital  of  Arcot, 
and  his  snccefis  gave  him  strong  hope  that  lie  should  drive  the  Hritish 
from  tliat  par.  of  the  globe;  but  Sir  Eyre  Coote  was  victorious  in  more 
than  one  decisive  engagement  with  Hyder,  whose  death  soon  after  gave 
the  government  to  his  son  Tippoo  Saib;  and  as  he  appeared  gomcwhat 
disposed  to  be  on  good  terms  with  England,  aflTairs  there  wore  a  bclltr 
as|)ect.     Still  the  war  in  the  East  had  a  humiliating  termination. 

Some  serious  casual  disasters  occurred  during  tne  course  of  the  yeiir. 
Four  large  ships  foundered  at  sea  on  their  return  from  the  West  Indies; 
and  the  IJoyal  George,  of  100  guns,  n  fine  ship  which  had  been  in  port 
to  refit,  was,  while  careening  at  Spithcad,  overset  by  a  gust  of  wind,  and 
about  700  persons,  with  Admiral  KempenfcIt,  were  drowned. 

A.  D.  1783. — The  famous  "  coalition  ministry,"  of  incongruous  celebrity, 
was  now  formed  ;  the  duke  of  Portland  being  first  lord  of  the  treasury; 
Lord  North  and  Mr.  Fox. _;'om<  secretaries  of  state  ;  Lord  John  Cavendisli, 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer ;  Viscount  Keppel,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty; 
Viscount  Stormont,  president  of  the  council ;  and  the  earl  of  Carlisle, lord 
privy-seal.  These  seven  constituted  the  new  cabinet,  the  whigs  having 
a  majority  of  one  over  the  three  tories,  North,  ('arlisle,  and  Stormont. 
ll  was  an  ill-ast.orted  and  insincere  compact,  an  abandonment  of  principle 
for  power,  wdiich  soon  lost  them  the  confidence  and  support  of  the  nation. 

Negotiations  for  a  general  peace  commenced  at  Paris,  under  the  auspi- 
ces of  .Vnstria  and  Russia ;  and  the  basis  of  it  being  arranged,  it  was 
speedily  ratified.  Great  Britain  restored  the  island  of  St.  Lucia  to  France 
also  the  settlements  on  the  Senegal,  and  the  city  of  Pondicherry,  in  tne 
East  Indies  ;  while  France  gave  up  all  her  West  India  conquests,  w  iih  the 
exception  of  Tobago.  Spain  retained  .Minorca  and  West  Florida,  KasI 
Florida  being  also  ceded  in  exchange  for  the  Bahamas.  And  between 
England  and  Holland  a  suspenalin  of  hostilities  was  agreed  to  in  the  first 
phce  ;  but  in  the  sequel  it  was  sti|. 'dated  that  there  shonhl  be  a  general 
restitution  of  all  places  taken  duri.'g  iho  war,  excepting  the  town  ol 


THB  TREASUIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


806 


ord  Chiilham, 
oxcIriiult. 
■  iiimisiry.lmt 
riie  isliiiKls  ot 
'  Frentli;  iiiid 
lur  sliips,  ll>cy 
iiiiuicii,  ikiid  a 
i'  c()iUiiiUiii\cc, 
lulmirnl,  Count 
sides  six  oUuT 
1  nauliciil  in;i- 
I  both  sides  at 
if)UH  ai'tiou  w;i9 
the  fleet  uiulcr 
:li  men-uf-wiir, 

an  U9i\iiUy  sue 
;8  on  the  Missis- 
efTorts,  in  corn- 
ed fiuilU'ss;  its 
Ions  eannonadi 
balls  from  the 
wbicli  iht)  be- 
nnon  (luiintJ  Uic 
but  on  ilie  day 
'),  notavestiyeot 


N'frapatam,  with  its  dcpcndiin-if  s,  wliieli  should  be  ceded  ti    'Jroat 
Britain. 

Ill  Ihfi  treaty  with  America,  tli.'  king  of  Orcat  Ilritaia  arknowlodgcd  tho 
thirteen  IJiiiicd  Stales  to  be  "free,  sovereiijn,  and  iiKiependent,"  relin- 
quishing for  hiinsidf,  hiH  heirs,  and  sueeessorn,  all  ri^lit  and  claim  to  the 
game.  To  preve'iii  disputes  in  future  on  the  subjrel  of  boundaries  between 
these  states  and  the  adjoiniiijj  provinces,  lines  were  minutely  drawn;  iho 
right  of  navigation  on  the  Mississippi  was  declared  free;  and  no  conftscu- 
tioiis  or  (icrsecutions  of  tho  loyalists  were  to  take  place. 

Such  was  the  lerinination  of  tho  eoiit(!sl  between  (Jreiit  Britain  and  tho 
American  colonies;  a  contest  in  which  the  former  lost  ujiwards  of  one 
huiiilred  millions  of  money,  and  lhrouy;h  whicii  a  federative  state  of  vast 
extent  and  power  H|prun<j  into  existence.  Hut  great  as  the  change  was, 
the  motlKTCOuntry  had  iiiliinately  liltle  real  cause  to  regret  the  detach- 
ment o(  the  thirteen  provinces  :  freedom  of  commercial  relations,  advan- 
tageous to  both  countries,  superseded  ii  right  of  sovereignty  wliicii,  in 
reality,  was  of  far  less  value  thin  it  appeared  to  he.  In  short,  tiie  com- 
merce of  Knglaiid.  instead  of  l)eing  destroyed  by  the  warof  independence, 
increased  most  rapidly,  and  Knglish  trade  was  never  more  prosperous  than 
in  the  period  that  succeeded  the  loss  of  tho  colonies.  The  Canadas  and 
Nuva-Seotia  shared  in  tho  rising  prosnerity  of  America,  and  tho  West 
India  islands,  emancipated  from  unwise  commercial  restrictions,  also 
rapidly  improved. 

The  coalition  ministry  was  now  to  bo  subjected  to  a  severe  test.  Mr. 
Fox  thought  proper  to  introduce  to  parliament  two  bills  for  tho  better  gov- 
crii'iient  of  India,  by  which  the  entire  administration  of  the  civil  and  coin- 
nuTcial  affairs  of  the  company  were  to  be  vested  in  a  board  of  nine  mem- 
bers, chosen  for  four  years,  and  not  removable  without  an  address  from 
cither  house  of  parliament.  'I'hat  such  a  board  would  be  an  inde[)endent 
authority  in  the  state  was  quite  manifest,  and  it  accordingly  met  with  .1 
determined  opposition,  parti(Milarly  in  tho  house  of  lords,  where  Lonl 
Thurlow  observed,  that  if  the  bill  passed,  the  crown  would  be  no  lonijer 
worthy  of  a  man  of  honour  to  wear ;  that  "  the  king  would,  in  fact,  take 
the  diadem  from  his  own  head,  and  place  it  on  that  of  Mr.  Fox."  Tiio 
bill  was  thrown  out  by  the  lords,  and  this  was  immediately  followed  by  a 
message  from  the  king  requiring  Mr.  Fox  and  Lord  North  to  send  in  their 
seals  of  office  by  the  under  secretaries,  as  "  a  personal  interview  with  him 
would  be  disagreeabl(!."  Karly  the  next  morning  letters  of  dismission 
were  sent  to  the  other  membL-rs  of  the  cabinet. 

A.  D.  1784. — A  now  administration  was  now  formed,  in  which  Mr.  Pitt 
was  appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury  and  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 
Lord  Sydney  (late  Mr.  Townshend)  and  tho  marquis  of  Carmarthen,  were 
made  secretaries  of  state  ;  I^ord  Thurlow,  lord  high-chancellor;  the  dulio 
of  Rutland,  privy-aeal;  Karl  (Jower,  [iresident  of  the  council ;  the  duke  of 
Kiciimond,  master  of  the  ordnance  ;  Lord  Howe,  first  lord  of  the  admi- 
ralty, and  Mr.  Dnndas,  treasurer  of  the  navy.  It  being,  however,  impos- 
sible to  carry  on  public  business  while  the  coalition  parly  had  a  majority 
111  the  house  of  commons,  a  dissolution  of  parliament  became  uiw')idal)le. 
The  elections  turned  out  favourably  for  the  new  ministers,  J^id  when 
'.he  parliament  assembled,  his  majesty  met  the  representatives  of  the  peo- 
ple with  evident  satisfaction.  Me  directed  their  attention  to  liie  afll"airs  of 
the  Kast  India  Company,  advising  them  at  the  same  time  to  reject  all  such 
measures  as  might  affect  the  constitution  at  homo.  Mr.  Pitt  had  strenu- 
ously opposed  Mr.  Fox's  liidia  bill,  and  now  finding  himself  ably  sup- 
purled,  framed  a  new  one  for  the  government  of  India,  which  iransferred 
to  the  crown  the  influence  which  Mr.  Fox  had  designed  to  intrust  to  par- 
liamentary commissioners,  but  leaving  the  whole  management  of  com- 
mercial affairs  with  the  court  of  directors. 


^0m 


m 


666 


THE  TKEA8URY  OF  HI3T0RY. 


A.  D.  1786.  — Early  in  the  session  Mr.  Pitt  introihiced  to  parliament  his 
celebrated  plan  of  a  "sinking  fund"  for  the  gradual  reduction  of  tlie  na- 
tional debt.  It  appeared  that  tlie  condition  of  the  revenue  was  in  so  flour- 
ishing a  state,  lliat  the  annual  receipts  exceeded  the  expenditure  by 
900,000/.  It  was  llierefore  proposed  that  this  sum  should  be  increased  to 
one  million,  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  commissioners  appointed  for  the 
purpose,  to  be  applied  to  the  discharge  of  the  national  debt.  After  sonio 
opposition,  and  an  amendment  suggested  by  Mr.  Fox,  the  bill  passed. 

On  tlie  2d  of  August:  as  the  king  was  alighting  from  his  carriage,  a 
woman  approached  him  under  pretence  of  ofTering  a  petition,  and  at- 
tempted to  stjib  him  with  a  knife  she  had  concealed.  His  majesty  avoided 
the  blow  by  drawing  back,  when  she  made  another  thrust  at  him,  but  was 
prevented  from  efleciing  her  purpose  by  a  yeoman  of  the  guards  wiio 
seized  her  at  the  instant.  On  being  examined  before  tlie  privy  council,  it 
appeared  that  she  was  a  lunatic,  her  name  Margaret  Nicholson. 

Nothing  at  this  period  excited  equal  interest  to  the  trial  of  Mr.  Hastings, 
the  governor  of  bengal,  who  had  returned  to  England,  possessed,  as  it 
was  asserted,  of  inordinate  wealth,  obtained  by  unfair  means,  Tiie  tri;d 
was  conducted  by  Mr.  IJurke,  who  exhibited  twenty-two  articles  of  iin- 
peachnicnt  against  him.  On  the  part  of  the  prosecution  Mr.  .Sii.iiil; ii 
apprared  vindictively  eloquent,  lie  said,  "  The  administration  of  Mr, 
liasiings  formed  a  medley  of  meanness  and  outrage,  of  duplicity  imJ 
depredation,  of  prodigality  and  oppression,  of  the  most  callous  cruelty, 
contrasted  with  liie  hollow  aflfectation  of  liberality  and  good  faith,  Mr. 
Hastings,  in  his  defence,  declared,  "  That  he  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  ;ill 
his  measures  terminate  in  their  designed  objects  ;  that  his  political  cuii- 
duct  was  invariably  regulated  by  trutli,  justice,  and  good  faitii,  and  tii;it 
he  resigned  his  charge  in  a  slate  of  established  peace  and  security,  with 
all  the  sources  of  its  abundance  unimpaired,  and  even  improved,"  Tlie 
trial  lasted  seven  years,  and  ended  in  the  acquittal  of  Mr.  Hasting.*,  at 
least  of  all  intentional  errcir;  but  his  fortune  and  his  health  were  ruined 
by  this  protracted  prosecution. 

The  debts  of  the  prince  of  Wales  engrossed  much  of  the  public  atten- 
tion at  this  period.  His  expensive  habits  and  munificent  disposition  had 
brought  his  affairs  into  a  very  embarrassed  state  ;  and  tlie  subject  liavin;; 
niidergone  parliamentary  discussion,  an  addition  of  .50,000/,  was  made  to 
his  former  income  of  50,000/.,  and  tlie  sum  of  181,000/.  was  granted  by 
parliament  for  the  payment  of  his  debts. 

A.  V.  1788, — An  event  occurred  about  this  lime  in  Holland  which 
threatened  the  tranquillity  of  Europe.  Ever  since  the  acktiowledgemeiit 
of  the  independence  of  the  United  Provinces,  two  powerful  parties  had 
been  eoniiiiually  struggling  for  the  superiority;  one  was  the  house  ol 
Orange,  which  had  been  raised  to  power  by  their  great  services  to  the 
state,  both  against  the  tyranny  of  Spain  and  the  efforts  of  France;  tho 
other  was  the  aristocratical  party,  which  consisted  of  the  most  wealthy 
individuals  in  the  country.  This  party  was  secn-etly  favoured  by  France, 
and  was  denominated  the  "  party  of  the  states,'"  or  "  the  republican  jiaity," 
The  ;;riiKC  of  Orange  being  at  length  coiiipelled  to  leave  the  Hague,  he 
applied  to  England  and  Prussia  for  protection,  who  lent  their  aid,  and  tho 
stadlholder  was  reinstated. 

It  was  during  this  session  that  the  attention  of  parliament  was  first  en- 
gaged in  attempting  the  abolition  of  tlie  slave  trade.  It  was  first  poinlud 
out  bv  the  Quakers  in  the  independent  provinces  of  South  America,  who 
in  many  instances  had  emancipated  their  slaves.  A  number  of  pamplilcts 
were  published  on  the  subject;  several  divines  of  the  established  chnivh 
recommended  it  in  their  discourses  ;  the  two  universities,  and  after  tluin 
the  whole  nation,  presented  petitions  praying  for  the  interference  of  pur- 
iament   to  forward  the  humane   design  of  African  emancipation.    .Mr 


parliament  his 
;lion  of  the  na- 
;  wasiiisotlout- 

cxpemlilure  by 
I  be  increased  to 
ppointed  for  tlic 
bl.     After  sumo 
1  bill  passed. 
1  his  carriage,  a 
petition,  and  al- 
i  majesty  avoided 
t  at  him,  but  was 
the  guards  \\\\o 
3  privy  council,  it 
tiolson. 

I  of  Mr.  Hastings, 
,  possessed,  as  it 
neans.  Tlie  trial 
/o  articles  of  iiu- 
ion  Mr.  Slirriihn 
linistration  of  Mr. 
,  of  duplicity  and 
t  callous  cruelly, 

good  faith.  Mr. 
Lisfaction  to  see  all 

his  political  cuu- 
lod  faith,  and  that 
and  security,  wiih 
1  improved."  The 
•  Mr.  Hasiing.s  at 
leallh  were  luuieJ 

|)r  the  public  atleu- 
nt  di.spositlon  had 
the  subject  haviiis^ 
000/.  was  made  to 
was  granted  by 

in  IloUaiul  which 

acknowledjremeiU 
iwurful  parties  haJ 

was  llie  house  ol 
^at  services  to  the 
orts  of  France  ;  the 

the  most  wealthy 
iivoured  by  Fraiici', 
Hi  republican  party.' 
;ave  the  Hague,  he 
snt  their  aid,  and  the 

iiamenl  was  first  en- 
It  was  first  poiiilM 

South  America,  who 

number  of  pamphliU 
established  cluiiL'li 

lilies,  and  after  tluin 
interference  of  l^r- 
emancipation.    Mr 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


667 


Wilberforee  brougrht  the  subject  before  parliament ;  but  as  many  circum 
stances  arose  to  retard  tin;  consideration  of  it,  a  resolution  was  carried 
to  defer  it  till  a  future  opportunity. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  the  nation  was  thrown  into  great  dismay 
by  the  fact  that  the  king  was  snITering  under  a  severe  mental  malady ;  so 
much  so,  that  on  the  4th  of  November  it  was  necessary  to  consult  the 
most- eminent  physicians,  and  to  assemble  the  principal  ofllccrs  of  state. 
His  majesty's  disorder  not  abating,  but  the  contrary  appearing  from  the 
examination  of  the  physicians  before  the  privy  council,  the  house  twice 
adjourned;  but  hearing  on  tli(;ir  re-assembling  the  second  time  that  there 
was  a  great  prospect  of  his  majesty's  recovery,  though  the  time  was  un- 
certain, both  houses  turned  their  thoughts  to  the  establishment  of  a  re- 
gent during  his  majesty's  incapacity.  The  right  of  the  prince  of  Wales 
to  this  oflice  was  asseried  by  Mr.  Fox,  and  denied  by  Mr.  Pitt,  who  af- 
firmed  that  for  any  man  to  assert  such  a  right  in  the  prince  of  Wales  was 
little  less  than  treason  to  tiie  constitution.  After  violent  altercations,  a 
modified  regency  was  carried  in  favour  of  the  prince;  the  queen  to  have 
the  custody  of  the  royal  person,  ami  the  appointment  to  places  in  the 
li()US(diol(l.  For  the  present,  however,  these  arrangements  were  not 
needed,  for  the  health  of  the  king  was  rapidly  improving,  and  on  the  10th 
of  .March  his  majesty  sent  a  message  lo  parliament,  to  acquaint  them  of 
his  recovery,  and  of  his  ability  to  attend  to  the  public  business  of  tho 
kingdom. 

A.  n.  1789. — According  to  a  promise  given  by  the  king,  that  the  British 
constitution  should  be  extended  to  Canada,  that  province  now  applied  for 
a  form  of  legislature.  For  the  bettiir  accommodation  of  its  inhabitants 
Mr.  Pitt  proposed  to  divide  the  province  into  U|)per  and  Lower  Canada, 
and  to  ()rovide  separate  laws  wiiich  might  suit  tiie  French-Canadian  no- 
blcsso  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  British  and  American  colonists  on  the 
oilier.  In  the  course  of  the  discussion,  Mr.  Fox  observed  that  it  would 
be  wrong  to  abolish  hereditary  distinctions  where  they  had  been  long  es- 
tahlisheil,  and  equally  wrong  to  create  those  distinctions  in  a  country 
which  was  not  suited  for  liieir  establishment.  This  drew  from  Mr.  Burke 
the  observation  that  "it  became  a  duty  of  parliatnent  to  watch  the  con- 
duct of  inilividuals  and  societies  disposed  to  encourage  innovations." 
Mr.  Fox  thinking  these  scmtinients  contained  a  censure  on  him,  defended 
his  opinions  by  a  full  ex|)lauaiion  of  his  sentiments  on  the  I'rench  revo- 
lution. Mr.  Hurke  had  previously  written  a  work,  intended  to  operate  as 
an  antidote  to  ttu;  growing  evils  of  republicanism  and  infidelity.  In  par- 
liament he  denounced  the  insidious  cry  of  liberty  and  equality,  and  a 
breach  was  thus  made  in  the  long-cemented  friendship  of  these  two  dis 
tinguishcd  statesmen  which  ever  after  remained  unclosed. 

A.  D.  1790. — At  this  period  France  had  begun  to  exhibit  scenes  of  an- 
archy and  confusion,  which,  for  monstrous  wickedness  and  wide-spread 
misery,  never  before  had  their  parallel  in  the  world's  history.  A  con- 
densed  narrative  of  those  revolution. iry  horrors  will  be  found  under  the 
proper  head.  We  shall  luTe  simply  observe,  en  pastant,  that  the  progress 
of  free  thinking,  miscalled  philosophy,  which  had  been  much  encouraged 
in  that  country  during  the  last  century,  had  diffused  a  spirit  of  innovation 
and  licentiousness  that  was  highly  unfavourable  to  the  existence  of  aa 
absolute  monarchy.  Moreover,  the  participation  of  France  in  the  Amer- 
ican struggle  for  independi'iifc,  had  instilled  into  the  minds  of  the  Gallo- 
American  champions  of  liiierty  a  perfect  detestation  of  regal  authority, 
and  on  their  return  from  that  vaunted  land  of  freedom,  they  imparted  to 
their  countrymen  the  spirit  of  liberty  which  had  been  kindled  in  the  wes- 
tern hemisphere.  Hut,  perhaps,  the  more  immediate  cause  of  this  wild 
ebullition  of  popular  fury  arose  from  the  embarrassed  state  of  the  finances. 


i 


m 


1.         !i    ' 


r  ''.ii^'iii 


i*  >; 


668 


THB  TREA3U11Y  OF  HISTOllY. 


which  iiiduRed  Louis  XVI.  to  assemble  the  states-general,  in  order  to 
consider  the  measures  by  which  tliis  serious  evil  might  bo  remedied. 

During  the  present  session,  a  message  from  tlieking  informed  the  house 
of  some  hostile  proceedings  on  the  part  of  Spain,  who  had  seized  thres 
British  ships  that  were  endeavoring  to  establish  a  foreign  trade  between 
China  and  xNootka  Sound,  on  the  west  coast  of  Nortli  America,  the  Span- 
iards insisting  on  their  exclusive  right  to  that  part  of  the  coast.  Orders 
were  immediately  issued  for  augmenting  the  British  navy ;  but  the  ex- 
pected rupture  between  the  two  countries  was  averted  by  timely  conces- 
sions on  the  part  of  Spain. 

A  new  parliament  having  met  on  the  20th  of  November,  the  king,  after 
making  some  remarks  on  the  state  of  Europe,  observed  that  the  peace  of 
India  had  been  disturbed  by  a  war  with  Tippoo  Sultan,  son  of  the  late 
Ilyder  Ally.  The  business  of  the  session  was  then  entered  into,  and 
various  debates  occurred  with  respect  to  the  convention  with  Spain,  and 
the  expensive  amount  that  had  been  prepared  anticipatory  of  a  war  with 
that  power. 

A.  I).  1791. — The  whole  kingdom  was  now  divided  into  two  parties, 
arising  from  the  opposite  views  in  which  the  French  revolution  was  con- 
sidered; one  condemning  the  promoters  of  Gallic  independence  as  tin) 
subvcrlcrs  of  all  order,  while  the  other  considered  the  new  constitutioi 
of  France  as  the  basis  of  a  system  of  politics,  from  which  peace,  hnppi. 
ness,  and  concord  would  arise  to  bless  ttie  world!  On  the  14ih  of  Jnlv, 
the  anniversary  of  the  demolition  of  the  Bastile,  the  "friends  of  liberty" 
agreed  to  celebrate  that  event  by  festive  meetings  in  the  principal  tonus 
in  the  kingdom.  These  meetings  were  rather  unfavourably  regarded  by 
the  opponents  of  the  revolution,  as  indicative  of  principles  inimical  to  the 
British  constitution ;  but  no  public  expression  of  disapprobation  had  yot 
appeared.  In  the  metropolis  and  most  of  the  other  towns  these  meetiiiirs 
had  passed  over  without  any  disturbance ;  but  in  the  populous  town  of 
Birmingham,  where  a  dissension  had  long  existed  between  the  liii^rh 
chin"chmcn  and  the  dissenters,  its  consequences  were  very  alarming,  "a 
seditious  handbill  having  been  circulated  about  the  town  by  some  unknown 
person,  created  a  great  sensation.  The  friends  of  the  intended  nieetnig 
thought  it  necessary  to  disclaim  the  sentiments  contained  in  the  liaiul- 
bills ;  but  as  their  views  were  misrepresented,  the  hotel  in  which  ilie 
meeting  was  held  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  tumultuous  mob,  who  ex- 
pressed their  disapprobation  by  shouts  of  "Church  and  King!"  In  the 
evening  the  mob  demolished  a  Unitarian  meelmg-house  belonging  to  the 
celebrated  Dr.  Priestly,  and  afterwards  attacked  his  dwelling-house  and 
destroyed  his  valuable  library.  For  three  days  the  rioters  continued  their 
depredations,  but  tranquillity  was  restored  on  the  arrival  of  the  military, 
and  some  of  the  ringleaders  were  executed. 

A.  D.  1793. — Parliament  assembled  Jan.  31,  and  were  agreeably  sur- 
prised by  a  declaration  of  the  minister,  that  the  finances  of  the  nation 
would  allow  him  to  take  off  taxes  to  the  amount  of  c£-200,000  and  to  appro- 
priate .£400,000  towards  the  reduction  of  the  national  debt.  He  tlien  des- 
canted  on  the  flourishing  state  and  happy  pros|)ects  of  the  nation,  ilc- 
claring  at  the  same  time  how  intimately  connccied  its  prosperity  was 
with  the  preservation  of  peace  abroad  and  tranquillity  at  home. 

The  duke  of  York  having  at  the  close  of  the  previous  year  married  the 
princess  Frederica  Cliarlotta,  eldest  daugiiler  of  the  king  of  Prussia,  tiie 
commons  passed  a  bill  to  settle  .£.25,000  per  annum  on  the  duke,  and 
jCh.OOO  on  tlie  duchess  should  she  survive  liini.  The  house,  also,  dnriiig 
this  session,  went  into  a  committee  on  the  African  slave-trade,  and  ijavc 
it  as  their  opinion  that  it  should  be  abolished.  In  the  course  of  debate 
Mr.  Pilt  and  many  otliers  8|)oke  in  favour  of  its  immediate  a!)olilioii. 
ATter  many  divisions  the  term  was  limited  to  the  1st  day  of  Jaiiu.rVi 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


669 


,1,  in  order  to 
emcdied. 
iTied  the  house 
d  seized  three 
trade  belweea 
rica,  the  Spau- 
coast.  Orders 
f;  but  the  cx- 
liinely  conces- 

,  the  king,  after 
lat  the  peace  of 
son  of  tlie  late 
itered  into,  and 
with  Spain,  and 
yr  of  a  war  with 

uto  two  parties, 
olution  was  con- 
pendenee  as  llu! 
new  conslituiini 
ich  peace,  liappi- 
the  14th  of  July, 
icnds  of  liberty" 
e  principal  towns 
ably  regarded  by 
es  inimical  to  the 
)robalion  had  yi;t 
ns  Ihesie  meeti!i<,'s 
populous  town  uf 
elween   llic  lii'^h 
ery  alarmin".    A 
by  some  unknown 
intended  meeti.ig 
ined  in  il>e  l''*!^'- 
jtel  in  whic'li  the 
JUS  mob,  who  ex- 
King!"    In  tlic 
.  beloii>;ing  to  the 
welling-house  and 
ers  continued  thoir 
al  of  the  military, 

ore  agreeably  siir- 
ices  of  the  nation 
0,000  and  to  appro- 
ebt.  He  then  dcs- 
of  the  nation,  de- 
its  prosperity  was 
at  home. 

19  year  married  the 
;ing  of  Prussia,  the 
J  on  the  duke,  and 
house,  also,  during 
ave-trade,  and  aavc 
.0  course  of  debate 
nmediiite  abolition. 
St  day  of  Janiurv, 


1796.     In  llie  house  of  lords  several  of  tlic  peers  were  in  favour  of  its 
indefinite  continuance. 

The  war  in  India  against  Tippoo  Saib  had  lately  been  vigorously  con- 
ducted by  Lord  Coriuvallis,  who,  having  surmounted  all  impedimenti», 
commonced  the  siege  of  Scringapatam,  liie  capital  of  Tippoo's  domin- 
ions. This  reduced  that  prince  to  such  difficulties  as  compelled  him  to 
conclude  peace  on  the  terms  offered  by  the  earl,  and  to  deliver  up  his  two 
sons  as  hostages  for  tiie  performance  of  the  conditions 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

THE  REIGN  OF  GEOROE  III.  (CONTINUED.) 

A.  D.  1790. — "When  your  neighbour's  house  is  on  fire  it  is  well  to  look 
after  your  own,"'  says  a  trite  but  wise  old  saw.  The  rapidity  with  which 
the  new  political  principles  of  the  French  republicans  were  diffused 
throughout  Great  Britain,  and  the  numerous  inflammatory  libels  which 
were  issued  from  the  press,  awakened  well-grounded  apprehensions  of 
the  government,  and  induced  the  legislature  to  adopt  measures  for  the 
suppression  of  tlie  growing  evil.  The  moral  as  well  as  the  political  re- 
sults of  French  republicanism  were  fast  developing  ;  and  every  reckless 
dein:igogue  was  busily  at  work,  disseminating  the  poison  of  infidelity  and 
sedition.  To  put  a  stop,  if  possible,  to  this  state  of  things,  a  royal  proc- 
lamation was  issued  for  the  suppression  of  seditious  correspondcneo 
abroad,  and  publications  at  home.  The  London  Corresponding  Society, 
and  various  other  societies,  had  recently  sent  congratulatory  addresses  to 
the  National  Assembly  of  France!  But  Ih?*  heart  of  England  was  still 
sound,  although  some  of  the  limbs  were  leprous. 

In  the  meanlime  affairs  on  the  continent  became  every  day  more  inter- 
esting. An  alliance  was  entered  into  between  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prus- 
pia,  the  ostensible  object  of  which  was  to  re-establish  public  security  in 
I-'rance,  with  the  ancient  order  of  things,  and  to  protect  the  persons  and 
property  of  all  loyal  subjects.  On  the  25tli  of  July  the  duke  of  Bruns- 
wick, commander-in-chief  of  tlie  allied  armies,  issued  at  Coblentz  his  cel- 
ebrated manifesto  to  the  French  people,  promising  protection  to  all  who 
should  submit  to  their  king,  and  threatening  the  city  of  Paris  with  fire  and 
sword  if  injury  or  insult  were  offered  to  him  or  any  of  his  family.  The 
republicans,  indignant  at  this  foreign  interference,  now  resolved  on  the 
king's  dethronement.  Having  by  their  mischievous  publications  turned 
the  tide  of  disgust  against  their  sovereign,  and  persuaded  the  populace 
that  the  royalists  had  invited  the  allies  to  invade  them,  the  suspension  of 
royal  authority  was  soon  after  decreed,  the  king  and  his  family  wi;ro 
closely  confined  in  the  Temple,  all  persons  who  were  attached  to  monar- 
chical government  were  cast  into  |)rison  or  massacred ;  and,  to  crown  the 
whole,  the  inoffensive  monarch  was  led  forth  to  execution,  and  while 
praying  to  the  Almighty  to  pardon  his  enemies,  ignominiously  perished 
by  the  guillotine. 

While  these  detestable  scenes  of  murder  were  dispayed  in  France,  the 
vigilance  of  the  English  f.n)vernincnt  was  excited  by  the  propagation  of 
revolutionary  principles,  and  it  was  compelled  to  employ  such  measures 
as  the  dangerous  circumstances  of  the  country  demanded.  The  sangui- 
nary conduct  of  the  French  revolutionists,  their  extravagant  projects  and 
unholy  sentiments,  naturally  alarmed  all  persons  of  rank  and  property, 
and  associations  of  all  classes  who  had  anything  to  lose,  were  formed  for 
the  protection  of  liberty  and  property  against  the  efforts  of  anarchists  and 
levellers.  Unt  still  there  were  many  desperate  characters  io;'.ily  to  kindle 
the  flamo  of  civil  war  on  thu  first  favourable  opportunity.    Another  pro 


V; 


670 


THE  TKKASUEYOF  HISTORY. 


clamatioii  was  ttiercfore  issued,  in  which  it  was  stated  that  evil-disposed 
persons  were  acting  in  concert  witii  others  in  foreign  countries,  in  order 
to  1  iibvert  the  laws  and  constitution  ;  and  that  a  spirit  of  tumult  and  sedi- 
lion  having  manifested  itself  on  several  occasions,  his  majesty  had  re- 
solved to  enibody  part  of  the  national  militia.  This  was,  in  fact,  a  mea- 
sure absolutely  necessary  on  another  account,  it  being  clear  that  the 
French  rc[)ublic  had  resolved  to  provoke  England  to  a  war,  by  the  most 
unjustifiable  breach  of  the  laws  of  nations:  this  was  their  avowed  design 
to  open  the  river  Scheldt,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  treaties  of  wlndi 
England  was  a  guarantee,  and  to  the  manifest  disadvantage  of  the  com- 
merce of  the  United  Provinces,  who  were  the  allies  of  England. 

So  portentous  was  the  political  aspect  at  this  lime,  that  it  was  thought 
necessary  to  summon  the  parliament.  In  tin;  speech  from  tiie  throne,  lus 
majesty  declared  that  he  had  hitherto  observed  a  strict  neutrality  in  rcgurd 
to  the  war  on  the  continent,  and  had  refrained  from  interfering  witli  Uie 
internal  affairs  of  France ;  but  that  it  was  impossible  for  hiin  to  sen., 
without  llie  most  serious  uneasiness,  the  strong  and  increasing  indicaii'.ns 
which  ap|)eared  there,  of  an  intention  lo  excite  disturbances  in  other  coun- 
tries, to  disregard  the  rights  of  neutral  powers,  and  to  pursue  views  of 
unjust  conquest  and  aggrandizement.  He  had  therefore  taken  steps  for 
making  some  augmentation  of  his  naval  and  military  force  ;  and  he  rc- 
commeiuled  the  subject  to  the  serious  attention  of  parliament.  After  very 
long  and  animated  debates  on  the  address  of  thanks  for  the  king's  speecli 
(during  which  many  of  the  opposition,  who  were  by  this  time  thoroughly 
disgustet',  witii  llie  French  revolutionists,  deserted  their  party),  the  inuiion 
was  carried  by  a  large  majority. 

The  ne.\t  subject  which  engaged  the  attention  of  parliament  was  the 
alien  bid,  which  authorized  government  to  dismiss  from  the  kingdom  such 
foreigners  as  they  should  think  fit.  During  the  month  of  Ueceinber  an 
order  of  government  was  also  issued  for  preventing  the  exportation  of 
corn  to  France ;  and  several  ships  laden  with  grain  were  compelled  la 
unload  their  cargoes. 

A.  D.  1793. — That  a  war  between  Great  Britain  and  France  was  speedily 
approaching,  was  believed  by  all  parties ;  yet  war  was  neither  foreseen 
nor  premeditated  by  the  king's  ministers ;  it  was  the  unavoidable  result  nf 
circumstances.  In  a  decree  of  the  Freu.-ii  convention  on  the  I'Jth  of 
November,  1792,  they  had  declared  their  intention  of  extending  their  fr.i 
ternity  and  assistance  to  the  disaffected  and  revolting  subjects  of  all  mon- 
archical governments.  The  disavowal  of  this  assertion  was  demanded 
by  the  British  ministry;  but  as  this  was  not  complied  with,  M.  Cliauvc- 
lin,  ambassador  from  the  late  king  of  France — though  not  acknowledijeJ 
in  thai  liglit  by  the  republic — received  orders  to  leave  the  kingdom,  in  virtue 
of  the  alien  a(;t.  In  consequence  of  this  ni-asure,  the  French  convention, 
on  the  1st  of  February,  declared  war. 

No  sooner  was  Great  Uritain  involved  in  this  eventful  war,  than  a 
treaty  of  commerce  was  concluded  with  Ilussia,  a  large  body  of  troops 
was  taken  intotiic  service  of  government,  and  an  engagement  was  entered 
into  by  the  king  of  Sardniia,  who  agreed,  for  an  annual  subsidy  of  ^OOiOOii/,, 
to  join  the  Austriaiis  in  Italy  with  a  very  considerable  military  foree. 
Alliances  were  likewise  formed  willi  Austria,  Prussia,  Spain,  Holland, 
Portugal,  and  Uussia,  all  of  whom  agreed  to  shut  their  ports  against  the 
vessels  of  Fran.e.  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Switzerland,  liowever,  re- 
fused lo  join  the  confederacy.  The  king  of  the  Sicili"s  agreed  to  iiirnish 
6000  troops  and  four  ships  of  the  line  ;  the  empire  also  furnished  its  con- 
tingent", to  the  Austrian  and  Prussian  armies,  and  British  troops  wcrp 
sent  to  the  protection  of  Holland,  under  the  comniMidof  the  duke  of  York. 

'i'lie  French  army,  commanded  by  General  Dumouriez,  invaded  Hol- 
land, and  having  taken  Urcda,  Gertruydcnburj,  and  some  other  places, 


lat  evil-dispoBcd 
untrics,  in  order 
tumult  and  scdi- 
majesty  had  re- 
in fact,  a  mea- 
g  clear  that  the 
ar,  by  the  most 
ir  avowed  design 
reaties  of  which 
tage  of  the  com- 
lugland. 

it  it  was  thought 
m  the  throne,  liis 
utraliiy  in  rcgurd 
erfering  with  the 
for  hnu  to  see., 
easing  indicati'Hia 
ces  in  other  coun- 
3  pursue  views  ot 
•e  taken  steps  for 
orce ;  and  he  re- 
ment.     After  very 
the  king's  speech 
s  time  tlioroughly 
party),  the  mouun 

larliament  was  the 

I  llie  kingdom  such 

II  of  Uecemher  an 
the  exportation  of 
vere  compelled  tu 

ranee  was  speedily 
IS  neither  foreseen 
[avoidable  result  nf 
n\  on  the  VM\  of 
xtending  their  fr.i 
ulijecls  of  all  nioii- 
lon  was  demaiuleil 
with,  M.  Chauvc- 
not  acknowledged 
kingdom,  in  virtue 
'rench  convcntiuii, 

■eutful  war,  than  a 
irge  body  of  troops 
aement  was  entered 
subsidy  of  •200,OOiU, 
■able  military  foree. 
,ia,  Spain,  lloUaiui, 
pir  ports  agatnsl  the 
rlaml,  however,  re- 
ps agreed  to  fiirmsli 
o  furnished  its  eoa- 
Uriiish  troops  werp 
of  the  duke  ot  York. 
uriez,  invaded  noi- 
some other  places, 


THE  TREASUttY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


671 


advanced  to  Williamstadt,  which  was  defended  by  a  delacliment  from  the 
brigade  of  the  Knglish  guards,  just  arrived  in  Holland.  Here  the  French 
met  with  a  repulse,  and  were  compelled  to  raise  the  siege  with  great  loss 
Dumouriez  then  left  Holland  to  defend  Louvain ;  but  being  aftervvardo 
defe  ited  in  several  engagements  with  the  allied  armies,  particularly  at 
Neer-winden,  his  soldiers  were  so  discouraged,  that  they  deserted  in  great 
lunnbers.  At  length,  weary  of  the  disorganized  state  of  the  French  gov- 
ernment, and  finding  himself  suspected  by  the  two  great  factions  which 
divided  tiie  republic,  Dumouriez  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  allied 
ge'ierals,  and  agreed  to  return  to  Paris,  diss(dve  the  national  convention, 
and  free  his  country  from  the  ijross  tyranny  which  was  there  exeriMsed 
under  the  specious  nan>o  of  equality.  But  the  conventionalists  withheld 
his  supplies,  and  sent  commissioners  to  thwart  his  designs  and  summon 
him  to  their  bar.  lie  instantly  arrested  the  officers  that  brought  the  sum- 
mons, and  sent  them  to  the  Austrian  head-quarters.  But  the  army  did 
not  share  the  anti-revolutionary  feelings  of  the  general,  and  he  was  him- 
self obliy;e(l  to  seek  safety  in  the  Austrian  camp,  accompanied  by  youn<» 
Kgalite  (as  he  was  then  styled),  son  of  the  execrable  duke  of  Orleans,  and 
;iow  Louis  Philippe,  king  of  the  French  ! 

Tiie  duke  of  York,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  allied  armies,  had  laid 
siege  to  and  taken  Valenciennes,  and  he  was  now  anxious  to  ext(;nd 
their  conquests  along  the  frontier;  he  accordingly  marched  towards  Dun- 
kirk and  commenced  the  siege  on  the  27lh  of  August.  lie  expected  a 
naval  armament  from  Great  Britain  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  land 
forces;  but,  from  some  unaccountable  cause,  the  heavy  artillery  was  so 
long  delayed  that  the  enemy  had  time  to  provide  for  the  defeiH^e  of  the 
town.  The  French  troops,  cominaiuied  by  Houchard,  pouit-d  upon  Ihein 
in  such  numbers,  that  the  duke  was  compelled  to  make  a  precipitate 
retreat,  to  avoid  losing  the  whole  of  his  men.  He  then  came  to  Fngland, 
and  having  held  a  conference  with  the  ministers,  returned  to  tiie  conti- 
nent. At  Valenciennes  it  was  decided  in  a  council  of  war,  that  the  em- 
peror of  Germany  should  lake  the  field,  and  be  invested  with  the  supremo 
eoinmand. 

The  principal  persons  of  the  town  and  harbour  of  Toulon  entered  into 
an  agreemenl  with  the  British  admiral,  Lord  Hood,  by  which  they  deliv- 
ered up  the  town  and  shipping  to  his  protection,  on  condition  of  Its  being 
restored  to  Fr;ince  when  the  Bourl)on  restoration  should  be  elTected. 
The  town,  however,  wiis  not  for  any  long  time  defensible  against  the  su- 
perior force  of  the  enemy  whi(;h  had  come  to  its  rescue;  it  was  therefore 
evacuated,  fourteen  thousand  of  the  inhabitants  taking  refuge  on  board 
the  British  ships.  Sir  Sidney  Smith  set  (ire  to  the  arsenals,  which,  to- 
gether with  an  immense  quantity  of  naval  stores,  and  ships  of  the  line, 
were  consumed.  On  this  occasion  the  artillery  was  commanded  by  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte,  whose  skill  and  courage  was  conspicuous,  and  from 
that  day  his  promotion  rapidly  took  place. 

The  efforts  made  by  the  French  at  this  time  were  trulv  astonishing. 
Having  prodigiously  increased  theirfoi  -  s,  they  were  resolved  to  conijuer, 
whatever  might  be  the  cost  of  human  life.  Kvery  day  was  a  day  of  bat- 
tle; and  as  they  were  continually  reinforced,  the  veteran  armies  of  tiie 
allies  were  obliged  to  give  way.  On  the  22nd  of  December  they  were 
driven  with  imnKuise  slaughter  from  Hagenau  ;  this  was  followed  ii|i  by 
successivo  defeats  till  the  17th,  when  the  French  army  arrived  at  VVcis- 
seu'.burg  in  triumph.  During  this  last  month  the  loss  of  men  on  both 
ikies  was  immense,  being  estimated  at  between  70,000  and  80,000  men. 
The  French  concluded  the  (campaign  in  triumph,  and  the  allied  |)ower3 
were  seriously  alarmed  at  the  diflicullies  which  were  necessary  to  be  sur 
mounted,  in  order  to  regain  the  ground  that  had  been  lost. 

la  the  East  and  West  Indies  the  English  were  successful     Tobaso, 


il. 

:v  H 

) 

f  ■  • 

;■ 

672 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


St.  Domingo,  Pondiclierry,  and  the  French  selUcmcnts  on  tho  coast  of 
Malabiir  and  Coroniandel,  all  surrendered  to  them. 

A.  D.  1791. — From  the  great  and  important  events  which  were  trati 
sacting  on  the  continent,  we  turn  to  the  internal  affairs  of  Great  Britain. 
The  P'rench  republic  having  menaced  England  with  an  invasion,  it  was 
pror-osed  by  ministers  that  associations  of  volunteers,  both  of  cavalry  uiid 
uifdntry,  might  be  formed  in  every  county,  foi-'the  purpose  of  defending 
the  country  froia  the  hostile  attempts  of  its  enemies,  and  for  supportin" 
the  government  against  the  etToris  of  the  disaffected. 

On  the  12ih  of  May  a  message  from  the  king  announced  to  parliament 
the  existence  of  seditious  societies  in  London,  and  that  the  papers  of  cer- 
tain persons  belonging  to  tlieni  had  been  seized,  and  were  submitted  to 
the  consideration  of  the  house.  Several  members  of  the  Society  for  Con- 
stitutional  Information,  and  of  the  London  Corresponding  Society,  were 
appr'^heiKicd  on  a  charge  of  high  treason,  and  coinmitted  to  the  Tower. 
Among  them  were  Thomas  Hardy,  a  shoemaker  in  Piccadilly,  and  Daniel 
Adams,  secretaries  to  the  berore-named  societies;  the  celebrated  John 
Iloriie  Tooke ;  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Joyce,  private  secretary  to  Karl  .Sian. 
hope  ;  John  Augustus  iJoimey,  an  attorney  ;  and  Messrs.  Thelwall,  Kidi. 
tor,  Lovatt,  and  Stone.  They  were  brought  to  trial  in  the  following  Ois 
toher,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  acquitted. 

Every  appearance  on  the  grand  theatre  of  war  indicated  a  continiinnc! 
of  success  to  the  French  in  the  ensuing  campaign.  The  diligence  and 
activity  of  their  irovernment,  the  vigour  and  bravery  of  their  troops,  the 
ability  and  firnaiess  of  their  coinmanders,  the  unwearied  exertions  of  ali 
men  employed  in  the  public  service,  astonished  the  whole  world.  Filled 
with  an  enthusiastic  devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  they  had  embarked, 
their  minds  were  intent  only  on  the  military  glory  and  aggrandiseuieni 
of  the  republic.  While  the  whole  strength  which  could  be  collected  by 
the  allies  amounted  to  less  than  four  himdred  thousand  men,  the  arniiua 
of  France  were  estimated  at  upwards  of  a  million. 

Though  the  superiority  by  land  was  at  present  evidently  in  favour  ol 
the  French,  yet  on  the  ocean  "Old  England"  maintained  its  predominance, 
During  the  course  of  the  summer  the  island  of  Corsica  was  subdued;  ami 
the  wiiole  of  the  West  India  islands,  e.vcept  part  of  Guadaloupe,  .surren- 
dered to  the  troops  under  the  command  of  Sir  Charles  Gray  and  Sir  John 
Jervis.  The  channel  fleet,  under  its  veteran  commander.  Lord  Howe, 
sailed  from  port,  in  order  to  intercept  the  Brest  fleet,  which  had  ver.lurcd 
out  to  sea  to  protect  a  large  convoy  that  was  expected  from  America, 
The  hostile  fleets  descried  each  other  on  the  'J8lh  of  May,  and  as  an  en- 
gagement became  inevitable,  the  enemy  formed  in  regularorder  of  bailie. 
On  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June  a  close  action  commenced  ;  the  enemy's 
fleet,  consisting  of  twenty-six  sail  of  the  line,  and  the  British  of  twenty- 
five.  Though  the  battle  did  not  last  long,  it  was  very  severe,  and  proved 
decisive,  seven  of  the  French  ships  being  comp(;lled  to  strike  their  colours, 
one  of  which.  La  Vengeur,  went  down  with  all  iicr  crew  almost  immedi- 
ately on  being  taken  possession  of.  In  the  ca[)tured  ships  alone,  the 
kill(;d  and  wounded  amounted  to  rJ70.  The  total  loss  of  the  British  was 
906,  When  intelligence  of  this  memorable  victory  arrived  in  England,  it 
produced  the  greatest  exultation,  and  the  metropolis  was  illuminated  three 
successive  nigl,ts. 

This  naval  loss  of  the  French,  though  it  considerably  diminished  the 
ardour  of  their  seamen,  was  greatly  overbalanced  by  the  general  success 
of  their  military  operations.  Tiie  principal  theatre  of  the  contest  was  the 
Netherlands,  where  generals  Jourdan  and  I'ichegru  had  not  less  than 
200,000  good  troops,  headed  by  many  expert  and  valiant  oflicers,  and 
abundantly  sujjplied  with  all  the  requisites  of  war.  To  oppose  this  formi- 
dable force,  the  allies  assembicd  an  army  of  140,000,  commanded  by  the 


THE  TIIKASUHY  OJ   HISTORY 


673 


the  coast  ul 

;h  were  tran 
Great  Briluin. 
ivasion,  it  was 
of  cavalry  und 
,e  of  defeiuVing 
for  supporting' 

tl  to  parliament 
e  papers  of  cer- 
•e  sulimilted  to 
society  for  Con- 
g  Society,  were 
tl  to  the  Tower, 
ihlly,  a"J  Daniel 
celebrated  John 
^ry  to  Karl  Sun- 
Thelwall,  Rich- 
ic  following  Oo-         : 

'd  a  coiUiiuianc". 
"he  diligence  and 
i  their  troops,  Ihc 
d  exertions  of  ali 
lie  world.  ImUliI 
py  had  enibarkeil, 
il  aggrandisemeiil 
lI  he  collected  by 
men,  th-e  armies 

eiUly  in  f'l^'o"^  °' 
1  its  predominance, 
was  subdued ;  and 
iiadaloupe,  siirrcu- 
Cray  and  Sir  John 
nder,  Lord  Howe, 
vhich  hail  venUircd 
[od  from  America, 
aay,  and  as  an  en- 
tilar  order  of  bailie, 
need ;  the  enemy  a 
British  of  iwcniy- 
Isuvere,  and  proved 
Istrike  their  colours, 
w  almost  immedi- 
■d  ships  alone,  the 
of  the  Urllisli  was 
,ived  in  Knsland, it 
|as  illuminated  three 

ably  diminished  ihe 
[the  fjeneral  success 
'  the  contest  was  ihe 
had  not  It-'ss  ihiin 
jaliaul  officers,  and 
fo  oppose  lliis  forini- 
<;oininanded  by  ine 


eraK'"0' 


«;ror  hi  porson,  assisted  by  generals  Clairfait,  Knunitz.  Prince  Coburg, 
the  3uko  oi  York,  &c.  Numerous  wore  the  battles,  and  enormous  the 
loss  ol  li^o  o.i  each  side  during?  this  campaign:  in  one  of  tliese  bloody 
conflicts  alcne,  the  battle  of  Uharleroi,  the  loss  of  tlie  Austrians  was  cs- 
timateJ  at  15,000  men.  Tlie  armies  of  France  were,  in  fact,  become  irre- 
sistible, and  the  allies  retreated  in  all  directions ;  Nieuport,  Ostend,  and 
Bruges ;  Tournay,  iNlons,  Oudenarde,  and  Brussels ;  Landrecies,  Valen- 
ciennes, Conde,  and  Quesnoi — all  fell  into  their  hands.  During  this  vic- 
torious career  of  the  French  in  the  Netherlands,  their  armies  oiillie  Rhine 
were  equally  successful ;  and  though  both  Austrians  and  Prussians  well 
maintained  their  reputation  for  skill  and  bravery,  yet  the  overwhelming 
masses  of  the  French,  and  the  fierce  enthusiasm  with  which  these  repub- 
licans fought,  were  more  than  a  match  for  the  veteran  bands  by  whom 
they  were  opposed. 

But  the  military  operations  of  the  French  were  not  confined  to  the 
Netherlands  and  the  froiiliers  of  Germany;  they  had  other  armies  both  in 
Spain  and  Italy.  The  kingdom  of  Spain,  which  was  formerly  so  powerful 
as  to  disturb,  by  its  ambition,  the  peace  of  Furope,  was  at  this  time  so 
much  reduced  by  suiierstition,  luxury,  and  indolence,  that  it  was  with  dif- 
liculty  the  court  of  Madrid  inain'ained  its  rank  among  the  countries  ot 
Kurope.  It  was  therefore  no  .  ,)iu!er  that  the  impetuosity  and  untiring 
energy  which  proved  so  destructive  to  the  warlike  Germans,  should  over- 
whelm the  inert  armies  of  Spain,  or  that  their  strongholds  should  i)rove 
unavailing  against  such  resolute  foes.  In  Italy,  to'>,  the  French  were  not 
less  fortunate.  Thougli  they  had  to  combat  the  ^lustrian  an<l  Sardinian 
armies,  a  series  of  victories  made  them  masters  of  Piedmont,  and  the 
campaign  ended  thorc,  as  elsewhere,  greatly  in  favour  of  revolutionary 
France. 

We  shall  now  return  to  the  operations  of  the  common  enemy  in  the 
Netherlands,  which,  notwithstanding  the  aj^proach  of  winter,  were  coii- 
jucted  with  great  perseverance.  The  duki  of  York  was  posted  between 
l)ois-le-I)uc  and  Bnnla,  but  being  attacked  \iith  great  impetuosity  by  the 
superior  numbers  of  Pichegru,  he  was  overpowered,  and  obliged  to  retreat 
across  the  Maese,  with  the  loss  of  about  1,,500  men.  On  the  ;50th  of  Sep- 
tember CrevecoBur  was  taken  by  the  enemy,  and  Bois-le-I)iic  surrendered 
immediately  after.  They  tlnn  followed  the  duke  across  the  Maese,  when 
his  royal  highness  found  it  necessary  to  cross  the  Hlijiie,  and  take  post 
at  Ariilieim,  Nimeguen  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French  on  the  7th  of 
November,  and  as  the  winter  set  in  with  uncromnion  severity,  the  whole 
of  the  rivers  and  lakes  of  Holland  were  bound  up  by  the  frost.  At  the 
Vginning  of  January,  17!)5,  the  river  Waal  was  frozen  over;  the  British 
.roops  were  at  the  time  in  a  most  deplorable  state  of  ill  health,  and  the 
enemy,  seizing  the  favourable  opportunity,  crossed  the  river  with  an  army 
of  70,000  men,  and  having  r'iimlsed  the  force  which  was  opposed  to  them, 
on  the  Ifith  of  Januar}  took  possession  of  Amsterdam.  The  fortresses  of 
WiUiainstadt,  Breda,  Bergen-op-Zoom,  admitted  the  French  ;  the  shattered 
remnant  of  the  British  army  was  obliged  to  retreat,  under  the  most  severe 
privations,  and  in  a  season  unusually  inclement ;  and  the  irinee  of  Orange 
escaped  in  a  little  boat,  .and  landed  in  England,  where  lie  and  his  family 
became  the  objects  of  royal  liberality.  The  United  Provinces  were  now 
revolutionized  after  the  model  of  France ;  the  rights  of  man  were  pro- 
claimed, representatives  chosen,  and  the  country  received  the  name  of  the 
ila'avian  Republic.  If  there  were  any  in  Holland  who  seriously  expected 
tiiat  this  new  order  of  things  was  likely  to  prove  beneficial  to  the  country, 
ihey  soon  had  experience  to  the  contrary ;  for,  on  the  one  hand,  tlie  En- 
glish seized  their  colonies  and  destroyed  their  commerce,  while  on  the 
other,  the  French  treated  them  with  all  the  hauteur  of  insolent  conquerors. 
A,  D,  1795. — At  the  conclusion  of  the  past  yeir  the  aspect  of  affairs  on 
Vol.  I.-4;i 


C74 


THE  Tll.KASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


the  coiitiiimit  was  most  gloomy  and  unpromising.  Tlie  French  republic 
had  suddenly  bccxime  more  extensive  by  its  eonquests  than  France  liad 
been  Since  the  days  of  Charlemagne;  they  had  acqnircd  an  incrciisocl 
popnlation,  estimated  at  thirteen  millions,  which,  added  to  twenty. loui 
millions  contained  in  France,  constituted  an  empire  of  .'}7,ono,000  people. 
As  this  immense  popvdaiion  ii'habited  the  centre  of  Kurope,  they  .vcre 
able  by  tlieir  position  to  defy  the  enmity  of  all  their  neighbours,  ainj 
to  exercise  an  inlhienco  almost  amounting  to  an  universal  soverciKiily. 

The  consternation  of  (Jrcat  IJritain  ami  the  allied  powers  wa-  grcjitly 
increased  by  the  conduct  of  tho  kmg  of  Prussia,  who  withdrew  from  iho 
coalition,  and  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  French  convention. 
This  act,  in  addition  to  the  dismemberment  of  Poland,  was  commentcil  on 
In  the  Hritish  parliament  in  terms  of  severe  and  merited  censure,  lie  had 
receiv(>il  larg(!  subsidies  from  Kngland,  and  was  pledged,  as  a  memlicr  of 
the  coalition,  to  do  his  utmost  towards  the  jverthrow  of  regicidal  Friiiic; 
and  the  restoration  of  the  Hourbons ;  and  his  defection  at  such  a  liniu  wan 
as  unprincipled,  as  the  eflect  of  it  was  likely  to  be  disastrous.  Ihit  ilio 
Enghsli  and  Austrians,  encouraged  by  the  distracted  state;  of  France',  more 
especially  by  the  royalist  war  in  La  Vendee,  continued  tlieir  eflTorls,  not. 
wilhslanding  Spain  followed  the  example  of  Prussia,  and  the  duk(  of 
Tuscany,  also,  deserted  ttie  allies. 

Though  unfortunate  in  her  alliances,  and  unsuccessful  in  the  attempts 
made  by  her  military  force  on  the  continent,  (Jreat  Uritain  had  snll  ilie 
satisfacliiiii  of  beholding  her  fleets  riding  triumphantly  on  the  ocean.  On 
the  i.*3d  of  June,  Admiral  Lord  Uridporl  attacked  the  French  fleet  oil"  I/On 
ent,  and  captured  three  ships  of  the  line.  Some  other  minor  actions  also 
served  to  show  that  Britain  had  not  lost  the  power  to  maintain  her  luual 
superiority.  As  Holland  was  now  become  subject  to  France,  letters  of 
reprisals  were  issued  out  against  the  Dutch  ships,  and  directions  wore 
given  for  Kviauking  their  colonies,  with  the  intention,  however,  of  reslorinsf 
them  when  the  stadthholder's  govermnent  should  be  re-established.  Tin' 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  obliged  to  submit  to  the  British  arms,  t()i,'(ilier 
with  'rrincomalee,  and  all  the  other  United  settlements  except  Hatavw. 

The  oilier  events  of  the  year  may  be  thus  summed  up : — 'I'lie  marrwiie 
of  the  prince  of  Wales  with  the  princess  Caroline  of  Uruiiswick  ;  a  inaidi 
dictated  by  considerations  of  what  are  termed  prudence,  rather  tiiar,  ul 
affection  ;  the  prince's  debts  at  the  time  amounted  to  6'J0,000/.,  and  |iarli,i- 
ment  agreed  to  grant  him  1~'.'),000/.  per  annum  in  addition  to  his  incoiiip 
arising  from  the  ihudiy  of  Cornwall,  a  jioriion  being  reserved  forlhcjjrad 
iial  liquiilation  of  his  debts. — 'I'lie  death  of  Louis  XVH.,  sou  of  the  iiiifor- 
lunate  I.ouis  XVL,  and  lawful  sovereign  of  France,  in  prison. — The  ac(]iii'.- 
tal  of  Warren  FListings,  aftc^r  a  trial  which  had  lasted  seven  years.— The 
commencement  of  the  societies  of  United  Irishmen  against,  and  of  Oraiise 
clubs  ill  favour  of,  the  government. — A  dearth  of  corn  in  England,  wiiii 
coiisefiuent  high  prices,  great  distress,  and  riots  which  created  iiiiich  iikuin. 

In  seasons  of  scarcity  and  c(nisequent  high  prices,  the  mulliiuili'  iiro 
easily  excited  to  acts  of  insubordination.  At  this  period  their  aiti'iiinm 
had  been  roused  to  political  subjects  by  some  meetings  held  in  the  oiifii 
fields,  at  the  instance;  of  the  corresponding  societies,  where  the  usual  ii:- 
vectives  against  government  had  formed  the  staple  of  their  discourse,  ami 
the  people  had  been  mere  than  usually  excited.  A  report  was  circiilateJ 
that  vast  bodies  of  the  ^  saffected  would  make  their  appearance  when  the 
king  proceeded  to  open  parliament;  and  so  it  proved,  for  the  amazing 
number  of  200,000  persons  assembled  in  the  park  on  that  occasion,  Ud. 
29.  An  immense  throng  surrounded  his  najesty's  carriage,  clamouroiisly 
'ociferating  "  Bread  !"  "  Peace !"  "  No  Pitt !"  some  voices  also  shoutint;  out 
No  King!"  while  stOMCs  were  thrown  at  the  coach  from  all  direciioiis, 
id,  ou  passing  through  Palace-yard,  one  of  the  windows  was  brukuibv 


pwim  -: 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


673 


reiu'li  republic 
nn  Franitt!  li;id 
il  an  incroased 
to  iwenly-l'om 
,000,000  pL'ople. 
rope,  i\wy  -vfre 
neiglibouvs,  ;md 
I  soveniiKniy. 
ers  wa^  gfn'^V 
ithdrew  from  Uic 

Mich    COUVCUUDll. 

ascoinmei>'<'ili'i> 
censure    He  liad 
1,  as  a  ineniber  el 
r'rcgicidal  Frmu',' 
It  sjchaliiiii;  was 
srtslrons.     Ibil  ilm 
l(!  of  Krance,iii()re 
tiicir  elTorls,  not. 
,  and  Ibe  duke  ot 

■\\\  in  Ibe  alUMTipls 
IJritviin  liad  suU  ihe 
on  Ibe  oeean.    On 
encii  rteel  olT  1-  *>ri 
r  minor  aelions  abo 
mainiain  ber  iia\;il 
,  France,  lellers  iit 
and  direclions  \v?ro 
owever,  of  reslonn? 
e-cslablislu-d.    '\y 
rilish  arms,  lo^t'ilier 
Its  except.  Uatavia. 

IJrunswiek  ;  a  laauh 
,„,e.  rather  tU;u',  o( 
6->0,000/.,andl>iitiw- 
dition  to  ins  uu;omo 
,(,servedforlbes™l 
11  son  of  Ibe  uulor- 
pnson.-'rbe  acqm'.- 
•d  seven  years.- 1 li^ 
^<rainsl,andofOvan?^ 

I,  created  uniebuUu. 
es.  the  niuUuu.U'  ja 
Seriod  their  aiU'imon 
'^.gsbeldintbovu 
i,  wiiere  tlie  usual  m- 
,f  their  discourse,  ffl 

report  was  eireula  i 
rappearaneevvlu'Uii. 

Led,  for  the  auva/m? 
'oil  that  occasion,  0>. 

^arriase,  clamouroublv 
i  from  all  d.^cuo^j^. 


a  bullet  from  an  air-gun.  On  entering  'he  lionso,  the  king,  much  agitated, 
g;ii(i  to  tin;  clianeellor,  "  My  lord,  I  have  oeen  shot  at."  On  his  return  these 
scandalous  outrages  were  repeated,  and  a  proclamation  was  issued  of- 
fering a  thousand  pounds  reward  for  the  apprehension  of  the  persons  con- 
cerned in  llies(i  seditious  proceedings. 

A.  n.  1796. — The  unremitting  struggle  on  the  continent  l>etween  the  allied 
armies  and  those  of  France,  was  far  loo  important  as  regarded  the  interests 
of  Great  Urilain  for  us  to  pass  it  lightly  over,  however  little  it  may  at  ."irst 
sight  appear  to  belong  strictly  to  llritisli  history.  The  French  armies  on 
llie  frontiers  of  (iermiiny  were  commanded  by  their  generals  Moreau  and 
Jourdan  ;  the  army  of  Italy  was  condui'ted  hy  Napoleon  Honapaite.  This 
extraordinary  man,  whose  name  will  hereafter  so  frequently  occur,  had, 
like  Pichegru,  Jourdan,  .Moreau,  iSrc,  attained  rapid  promotions  in  the  re- 
publican armies.  In  1701  hn  was  a  captain  of  artillery;  and  it  was  only 
at  the  siege  of  Toulon,  in  17!).'3,  that  his  soldierly  abi.iiies  began  to  be  de- 
veloped. He  had  now  an  army  of  50,000  veterans  under  his  command, 
opposed  to  wiiom  were  80,000  Austriaiis  and  Piedmontese,  commanded 
by  (teneral  Heaulien,  nn  oflicer  of  great  ability,  who  opened  the  campaign 
on  tiie  9ih  of  April.  Ilavinij,  after  several  engagements,  suflfercd  a  defeat 
at  Milb'simo,  ho  selected  7,000  of  his  best  troops,  and  attacked  and  took 
the  village  of  IJego,  wb(!re  the  French  were  indulging  themselves  in  se- 
curity. Massena,  having  rallied  his  troops,  made  several  fruitless  attempts 
dining  tlie  day  to  reiak(- it ;  but  Uonaparte  arriving  in  the  evening  with 
some  reinforcements,  renewed  the  attack,  drove  tlie  allies  from  Dego,  and 
made  1 1,000  prisoners,  ('omit  Colli,  the  general  ol  the  Sardinian  forces, 
having  been  defeated  by  Hoiiafiarte  at  Monilovi,  requested  a  suspension  of 
arms,  which  was  followed  by  the  king  of  Sardinia's  withdrawal  from  the 
foiifi-deracy,  the  surrenderof  his  most  important  fortresses,  and  the  cession 
of  the  ducliy  of  .Savoy,  &c.,  to  the  French.  This  ignominious  peace  was 
followed  by  similar  conduct  on  the  jiart  of  the  duke  of  Parma,  who,  like 
the  king  of  Sardinia,  appeared  to  have  no  alternative  but  that  of  utter  ex- 
liiieiion. 

The  Austrian  general,  Heaulien,  being  now  no  longer  able  to  maintain 
his  situation  on  the  Fo,  retreated  across  tiie  Adda  at  Lodi,  Fizzighettone, 
aiKi  Cremona,  leaving  a  detachment  at  Lodi  to  stop  the  progress  of  the 
enemy.  These  forces  were  attacked,  on  the  10th  of  May,  by  the  advanced 
guard  of  the  repulilican  army,  who  compelled  them  to  retreat  with  so 
much  precipitation  as  to  leave  no  time  for  breaking  down  the  bridge  of 
Loiii.  A  battery  was  planted  on  the  French  side,  and  a  tremendous 
cannoniiding  kept  up ;  but  so  well  was  the  brid'je  protected  by  the  Aus- 
trian iirtillery,  tliat  il  was  the  opinion  of  tlie  g(Mieral  olBirers  that  it  could 
not  b(!  fo^(^ed ;  but  as  Honapirii!  was  convinced  thiit  the  reputation  of  the 
French  army  would  suffer  much  if  the  .Vustrians  were  allowed  to  maintain 
their  position,  he  was  determined  to  encounter  every  risk  in  order  to 
effect  his  object.  Putting  himself,  therefore,  at  the  head  of  a  select  body 
of'his  troops,  he  passed  the  bridge  in  the  midst  of  a  most  destructive  fire 
of  the  Austrian  artillery,  and  then  fidl  with  such  irresistible  fury  on  his 
opponents,  lliat  he  gained  a  complete  victory.  Marshal  Heaulien,  with 
the  shattered  remnants  of  his  army,  made  a  hasty  retreat  towards  Mantua, 
pursued  by  a  large  body  of  the  French.  Pavia,  Milan,  and  Veronii,  were 
now  soon  in  their  hanils  ;  and  on  the  4lh  of  Juno  they  invested  Mantua, 
the  only  place  of  importance  which  the  emperor  held  in  Italy.  Not  long 
after,  Bonaparte  made  himself  master  of  Ferrara,  Bologna,  and  IJrbino; 
and  next  menaced  the  city  of  Rome.  As  the  pope  was  incapable  of  re- 
sisting this  unprovoked  invasion  of  his  territories,  he  was  reduced  to  the 
iieeessity  of  soliciting  an  armistice,  which  was  granted  on  very  huinilia- 
ling  terms.  He  agreed  to  give  up  the  cities  of  Bologna  and  Ferrara, 
^viili  the  citadel  of  Ancona,  and  to  deliver  up  a  great  number  of  paintings 


If 


y!» 


67G 


THE  TUEASUUY  OF  HISTOIIY. 


and  statues,  and  to  enrich  tlu;  fonquuror  witli  some  hundreds  of  the  ino»t 
curious  manuscripts  from  the  Vatican  hbrary. 

The  court  of  Vienna  now  recalled  licaulieu,  and  gave  the  command  to 
Marshal  VVurmscr;  hut  the  tide  of  success  ran  more  strong  against  hini, 
if  possible,  than  it  had  done  against  ids  predecessor.  As  iiunaparte  wns 
at  tiiis  time  employed  in  forming  a  republic  of  the  states  of  Reggie,  Mo- 
dena,  Bologna,  and  J''errara,  tin;  Austrians  had  leisure  to  make  new  inili. 
lary  arrangements.  They  reinforced  Marshal  VVurmscr,  and  formed  a 
new  army,  the  command  of  which  was  given  to  (Jeneral  Alvinzi.  At  the 
begiiming  of  November,  several  partial  engagements  took  place  between 
Alvinzi  and  Uonaparte,  till  the  15th,  when  a  most  desperate  cngagcinuiit 
at  the  village  of  Areola  ended  in  the  defeat  and  retreat  of  tiie  Auatriiiiis, 
who  lost  about  13,000  men.  Mantua,  however,  was  still  obstinately  de- 
fended, but  the  garrison  ceased  to  entertain  hopes  of  ultimate  success. 

While  the  French  army  under  Uonaparte  was  overrunninjj  Italy,  the 
armies  on  the  lihine,  under  .lourdan  and  Moreau,  w(.'re  unabie  to  niaku 
any  impression  on  liie  Austrians.  The  armistice  which  had  been  con- 
cluded at  the  Icrmination  of  the  last  campaign,  expired  on  the  31st  of  May, 
when  both  armies  look  the  field,  and  the  archduke  Charles,  who  coin- 
manded  the  Austrians,  gained  several  advantages  over  both  Jourd.in  ind 
Moreau,  till,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  the  hostile  armies,  having  been  harassed 
by  the  incessant  fatigues  they  had  undergone,  discontinued  their  military 
operations  for  the  winter. 

The  successes  of  Uonaparte  in  Italy,  and  the  general  aversion  with 
which  the  people  beheld  tiie  war,  induced  the  British  ministry  to  make 
overtures  for  peace  with  the  French  republi{!-.  Lord  Malmesbury  wiij 
accordingly  dispatched  to  Paris  on  this  important  mission,  and  pnijiosed 
as  the  basis  the  mutual  restitution  of  conquests  ;  but  there  was  no  diip ». 
sition  for  peace  on  the  part  of  the  French  dir('(;tory,  and  tlic  atteiript  at 
pacification  ended  by  a  sudden  order  for  his  lordslrp  to  leave  Paris  in  Ibrty- 
eight  hours.  While  these  negotiations  wc^re  on  the  tapis,  an  armaiiuiii 
was  prepared  at  Brest  for  the  invasion  of  Indand,  which  had  long  hecii 
meditated  by  the  French  rulers.  The  fleet,  consisting  of  tweiity-tivft 
ships  of  the  line  and  fifteen  frigates,  was  intrusted  to  Admiral  Buiivet; 
the  land-forces,  amounting  to  25,000  men,  were  commanded  by  Griieral 
Hochc.  They  set  sail  on  the  18th  of  December,  but  a  violent  tempest 
arose,  and  the  frigate  on  board  of  which  the  general  was  conveyed  being 
separated  from  the  fleet,  they  returned  to  harbour,  after  losing  one  ship  uf 
the  line  and  two  frigates. 

A  few  incidental  notices  will  serve  to  wind  up  the  domestic  events  of 
the  year : — Sir  Sidney  Smith  was  taken  prisoner  on  the  French  coast, 
and  sent,  under  a  strong  escort,  to  Paris. — 'l'!ie  princess  of  Wales  gave 
birth  to  a  daughter,  the  princess  Charlotte;  immediately  after  wliieh,  at 
the  instance  of  the  prince  on  the  ground  of  "incongeniality,"  a  separation 
look  place  between  the  royal  parents. — A  government  loan  of  18,000,000/. 
was  subscribed  in  fifteen  hours,  between  the  1st  and  5tli  instant.  One 
million  was  subscribed  by  the  bank  of  England  in  their  corporate  capacity, 
and  400,000/.  by  the  directors  individually. 

A.  D.  1797. — The  garrison  of  Mantua,  which  had  held  out  with  astonish- 
ing bravery,  surrendered  on  the  2d  of  February,  but  obtained  very  honour- 
able terms.  After  this,  Bonaparte  received  very  considerable  reinforce- 
ments, and  having  cut  to  pieces  the  army  under  Alvinzi,  he  resolved  on 
penetrating  into  the  centre  of  the  Austrian  dominions.  When  the  courtof 
Vienna  received  information  of  this  design,  they  raised  a  new  army,  the 
command  of  which  was  given  to  the  archduke  Charles.  The  French  de 
feated  the  Austrians  in  almost  every  engagement ;  and  Bonaparte,  after 
making  20,000  prisoners,  efltctcd  a  passage  across  the  Alps  and  drove  the 
emperor  to  the  necessity  of  requesting  an  armistice     ia  A[  ril  a  prehinn'- 


of  tlio  mosi 

iommantl  to 
against  him, 
napiirtc  was 
Ueggio,  Mo- 
te ui!W  iiiili' 
lul  forim^d  ;i 
iuzi.    At  ll>« 
lace  beuvfcn 
)  engagement 
lie  Auslri;ms, 
bsliaalely  de- 
le sueccss. 
iuvi  Italy,  the 
labic  to  make 
\ad  been  eou- 
lic31slof  May, 
les,  who  cum- 
li  Jounl.iii  I  lid 
J  been  harassed 
I  their  mihtary 

[  aversion  willi 
nistry  to  make 
jalniesbury  was 
n,  and  pmposud 
e  was  no  dispo- 
Wxc  attempt  at 
■0  I'aris  in  lurty- 
is,  an  arinuimul 
iiad  long  been 
of  twiMily-l'ivf 
Vdmiral  Umivel; 
ideil  by  Geiier;d 
violent  tempest 
conveyed  being 
osing  one  ship  uf 

nicstic  events  o{ 
le  French  coast, 
3  of  Wales  gave 
y  after  wlneli,  at 
ilv,"  a  separation 
Ian  of  18,000,0001. 
5ih  instant.  One 
orporate  capacity, 

out  with  astonish- 
lined  very  hoiiouv- 
derable  reinforce- 
7.i,he  resolved  on 
When  the  courlot 
a  new  army,  w 
The  French  do- 
■d  Bonaparte,  aflet 
AlpP  and  drove  the 
iakiriUprehinii'- 


THE  TUEA8U11Y  UiT  H18T011Y. 

uy  treaty  was  entered  into,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  that  Franco  should 
retain  the  Austrian  Notherlands,  and  that  a  new  republic  should  be  formed 
from  the  states  of  Milan,  Mantua,  Modena,  Ferrara,  and  Bologna,  wliich 
should  receive  the  name  of  the  Cisalpine  Republic.  He  then  returned  to 
Italy,  leaving  niinor  details  of  the  treaty  to  bo  adjusted  afterwards,  and 
pvhicii  was  accordingly  done  at  Campo  Formio,  in  the  following  October. 

England  was  now  the  only  power  at  war  witii  Franco  j  „nd  great  as 
Sad  been  the  exertions  of  the  people,  still  <rreater  were  of  course  required 
if  them.  The  large  sums  of  money  which  had  been  sent  abroad,  as  sub- 
pidics  to  foreign  princes,  had  diininislied  the  quantity  of  gold  and  silver  in 
tireat  Uritain  ;  tiiis  cause,  added  to  the  dread  of  an  invasion,  oc_'asioned 
ji  run  upon  the  country  banks,  and  a  demand  for  specie  soon  communi- 
rated  itself  to  the  metropolis.  An  order  was  issued  to  prohibit  the  directors 
i)f  the  bank  from  payments  in  cash.  On  the  meeting  of  parliament,  a 
committee  was  api)»inted  to  iiKjuire  into  the  slate  of  the  currency ;  and 
tliouifh  the  alTairs  of  the  bank  were  deemed  to  be  in  a  prosperous  state,  an 
act  was  passed  for  confirmmg  the  restriction,  and  notes  for  one  and  two 
pounds  were  circulated.  The  consternation  occasioned  by  these  measures 
was  at  first  very  general,  but  the  alarm  gradually  subsided,  and  public 
i.'oiilideiico  relumed. 

One  of  the  fiast  acts  of  Spain,  after  declaring  war  ag  linst  Fngland,  was 
ilu!  e(iuipment  of  a  large  number  of  ships,  to  act  in  concert  with  the 
i'r(M\cti.  The  Spanish  lli—t,  of  twenty-seven  sail  of  the  line,  was  descried 
on  the  llth  of  January  by  \dmiral  Sir  John  Jervis,  who  was  cruising  off 
Cape  St.  Vincent,  with  a  licet  of  fifteen  sail.  He  innnediately  formed  his 
line  in  order  of  battle,  and  iiaving  forced  his  way  through  the  enemy's 
fleet,  and  separated  one-third  of  it  from  the  main  body,  he  attacked  with 
vigour,  and  in  a  short  time  captured  four  first-rate  Spanish  men-of-war, 
and  blockaded  the  remainder  in  Cadiz.  The  Spaniards  had  COO  killed  and 
wounded;  the  British,  300.  For  this  brilliant  exploit  Sir  John  was  raised 
10  tile  peerage  by  the  title  of  earl  of  .St.  Vincent ;  and  Commodore  Nel- 
son, wlio  was  now  connnencing  his  brilliant  career,  was  knighted. 

Rejoicings  for  the  late  glorious  victory  were  scarcely  over,  when  a 
serious  mutiny  broke  out  in  the  cliannel  licet.  The  principal  cause  of 
this  untoward  event  was  the  inadequacy  of  the  sailors'  pay.  This  discon- 
tent was  first  made  known  to  Lord  Howe,  who  in  February  and  March 
received  anonymous  letters,  in  wliich  were  enclosed  petitions  fromdiff'er- 
cnt  ships'  companies,  requesting  an  increase  of  pay,  a  more  equal  distri- 
bution of  prize  money,  &c.  The  novelty  of  this  circumstance  induced 
his  lordship  to  make  some  inquiries;  but  as  there  was  no  appearance  of 
disaffection  in  the  fleet,  lio  concluded  that  the  letters  must  have  been 
forgeries,  and  took  no  further  notice  of  it.  On  the  15th  of  April,  when 
orders  were  given  for  preparing  to  sail,  the  crews  of  the  ships  lying  at 
Spithead  ran  up  the  shrouds,  gave  three  cheers,  and  refused  to  comply. 
They  then  chose  two  delegates  from  each  ship,  who  drew  up  a  petition  to 
liie  admiralty  and  the  house  of  commons,  and  each  seaman  was  bound  by 
an  oath  to  be  faithful  to  the  cause.  At  length  Lord  Bridport  went  on 
board,  and  told  them  he  was  the  bearer  of  redress  for  all  tlieir  grievances, 
and  the  king's  pardon ;  and  on  the  8th  of  May  sn  act  was  passed  for  aug 
inentiiig  the  pay  of  sailors  and  mariners.  The  facility  witli  which  these 
claims  had  been  granted  instigated  the  seamen  at  the  Nore  to  rise  in 
mutiny  and  make  further  demands.  A  council  of  delegates  was  elected, 
at  the  head  of  whom  was  a  bold  and  insolent  man  named  Richard  Parker, 
who  undertook  to  command  the  fleet,  and  prevailed  on  his  companions  to 
reject  repeated  offers  of  pardon.  Preparations  for  hostilities  were  com- 
menced on  botii  sides,  when  dissensions  among  the  disaffected  began  to 
appear,  and,  after  some  bloodshed,  all  the  ships  submitted,  giving  up 
Parker  and  his  fellow -dclejiates  ;  some  of  wlioin,  with  then  leader, 
"tliated  their  offences  by  an  ignominious  death. 


678 


THE  THEA8URY  OF  HISTOllY. 


Nolwitlistaniliiig  the  Into  dungorous  mutiny,  the  idea  was  very  prcvaleni 
ill  the  cuuiitry,  tiiiit  if  a  liostilu  tlect  wcrt!  tu  inalic  its  appearance,  il\o 
men  would  wliosv  tlienisDlves  as  t'aj;ei'  as  (!ver  to  fight  for  liio  lionoiir  M 
Old  Knulaiid.  In  a  fi;w  nioiilhs  afterwards  an  opportunity  occurred  of 
testiiij;  their  devoiioii  to  the  service.  Tlie  Uataviaii  republic  having  dttej 
out  a  licet  of  tifleeii  ships,  under  the  Loininand  of  their  admiral,  Do 
Winter,  witli  an  intention  of  joining  the  French,  Admiral  Duncan,  who 
commanded  the  British  lleet,  watched  them  so  narrowly,  that  they  found 
It  impracticable  to  venture  out  of  the  Texel  without  riskiiif;  an  eiiKiiTc. 
ment.  The  Uritish  admiral  beiiiff  oblijieil  by  tempestuous  we:ithfr''t() 
leave  his  station,  the  Dulcdi  availed  ihemsclves  of  the  opportunity, 
and  put  to  sea;  but  were  descried  by  the  Knjjlish  fleet,  which  iiiinu;. 
diately  set  sail  in  pursuit  of  them.  On  the  11th  of  October  the  Kn^jlisji 
came  up  witli,  and  attacked  them  off  (Jamperdowii;  and  after  a  {;.illaiit 
fight  of  four  hours,  eii;lit  ships  of  the  line,  including  those  of  the  admiral 
and  vice-admiral,  besides  four  frigates,  struck  their  colours.  The  loss  of 
the  Knglish  in  lliis  memorable  action  amounted  to  700  men  ;  the  loss  of 
the  Dutch  was  estimated  at  twice  that  number.  The  gallant  Adiiiiriil 
Duncan  was  raised  to  the  peerage,  and  received  the  title  of  Visconm 
Camperdown,  with  an  hereditary  pension. 

About  three  months  previous  to  this  action  Admiral  Nelson,  noting  on 
fallacious  intelligeiirc,  made  an  unsuc«;Hsful  attack  on  Santa  Cm/,  in 
the  island  of  Teiii  ilTe ;  on  which  occasion  the  assailants  sustuim-d 
great  loss,  and  Nelson  himself  had  his  arm  shot  off. 

A.D.  1798. — As  the  French  republic  had  at  this  time  subdued  all  it.s 
enemies  except  Kiigland,  iho  conquest  of  this  country  was  the  prini'iiiai 
object  of  their  hopes.  The  vast  extent  of  territory  which  the  French 
now  possessed,  together  with  th(!  influence  they  had  obtained  over  llic 
councils  of  Holland,  rendered  them  much  more  formidable  than  tlicy 
had  been  at  any  former  period.  The  circumstances  of  the  Hrilish  nation 
were,  however,  such  as  would  discourage  every  idea  of  an  inviisioi!. 
lis  navy  was  more  powerful  than  it  had  ever  been  ;  the  victories  whiih 
had  lately  been  gained  over  the  Dutch  and  Spanish  fleets,  had  confirnu'd 
the  general  opinion  of  the  loyalty  as  well  as  bravery  of  its  seamen  ;  and 
all  parties  burying,  for  a  time,  all  |  ist  disputes  in  oblivii)ii,  unanimous- 
ly resolved  to  support  the  government.  On  the  meeting  of  parliament. 
in  .lanuary,  a  message  from  the  king  intimated  that  an  invasion  of  tlir 
kingdom  was  in  contemplation  by  the  French.  This  communication 
gave  rise  to  very  active  measures,  which  plainlv  manifested  the  spirit 
of  unanimity  which  reiirned  in  Ureat  Hritain.  Hesidcs  a  large  addition 
m.ide  to  the  militia,  e\t  ,-y  county  was  directed  t  .  raise  bodies  of  cavalry 
from  the  yeomanry ;  and  a  uost  every  town  and  considerable  villa^'e 
had  its  corps  of  vuhint«i*r<«.  irained  and  armed.  The  island  was  never 
before  in  such  a  furnuwwcite  state  of  internal  defence,  and  a  warlike 
spirit  was  dilTused  tiMMglwut  the  entire  population.  A  voluntary  sub- 
scription for  the  suppW  of  the  w  r  also  took  place,  by  which  a  million 
and  a  half  of  money  »as  raised  .owards  defraying  the  extraordinary 
demands  on  thf-  public  purse. 

While  this  umversal  harmony  seemed  to  direct  the  councils  of  Great 
Hritvin,  the  Irish  were  greatly  divided  in  their  sentiments,  and  at  lcni,'th 
commenced  an  o^ien  ref^HKoR*  Ii  tb',  year  1791  a  society  had  been  ni- 
stituted  by  the  catlwjlics  \d  prolch  mt  dissenters,  for  the  purpose  of  ob 
taining  a  r  form  in  par  .mient,  an(.  an  entire  deliverance  of  the  Konum 
catholics  l,  <n  all  the  restrictions  ui.  "r  which  they  laboured  on  aerounl 
of  religior.  This  insiiiution  was  pi  'jected  by  a  person  named  Wol. 
Tone  an'  'he  member  who  were  te  med  the  United  Irishmen,  were  so 
nutnr  »U8,  \'%jtl  tlieir  dn  isioiis  and  si.idivisions  were,  in  a  short  taiie 
extenoi  i*  w«^r  the  whole  Lmgdom.    Thouirh  a  reform  of  parliaineiik  was 


mmm 


i  very  prevalent 
nppucirimcc,  iKo 
r  iliD  honour  of 
lily  occurred  of 
jlichiwing  liUud 
ii'ir  iidmiriil,  Do 
il  Uuucim,  wlio 
that  tlicy  fouiiil 
iiii^'  ail  fiiKii^'c 

ilOUS    WtNlUliT  to 

tlic  oppDrtiinity, 
cl,  wliu-li  iiniiui- 
ober  the  KnuUsli 
(1  after  ii  tJ.illaiU 
se  of  the  adminil 
urs.     The  luss  o( 

men  ;  the  loss  ol 
)  galliint  Aihiur;il 

title  of  Viscumii 

Nelson,  nr'ins  'w 
in  Sanl-.v  <'ni/,  in 
sailanis   suslamcd 

ic   subdued  all  il^ 
was  the  priiu-i|);il 
wliich  the  Freiicli 
ol)lained  over  llii' 
■inldiihlc  than  they 
f  the  British  nation 
ea  of  an  invasion. 
ihe  victories  which 
.pts,  had  conlirnu'd 
of  its  seamen ;  and 
:)livi(in,  unanimous- 
lint;  of  parliament, 
an  invasion  of  thf 
liis   communication 
lanifested  the  spirit 
lc9  a  largo  addilmr. 

bodies  of  cavalry 
^;oiisiderable  vilbse 
c  island  was  lu'v.'r 
nee,  and  a  warlike 

A  voluntary  sub- 
by  wliich  a  million 
the    extraordinary 

e  councils  of  Great 
nents,  and  at  lengtn 
society  had  been  in- 
.r  the  purpose  of  oii 
ranee  of  the  Horn;'" 
laboured  on  ac(-oimi 
leraon  named  \N  oi. 
Ced  Irishmen,  were  80 
ere,  in  a  short  tune 
•m  of  parliaineii'*  waa 


THE  TllRASUllY  OF  HISTORY.  (5r<' 

(he  ostensible  object  of  tills  society,  yet  it  soon  provedliiat  their  secret 
but  zcah)iiH  endeavours  were  diiTcled  to  the  hrini;in(j  about  a  revolution, 
and,  liy  eiJU-ctinir  a  disjiiiictioii  of  Irejaiu!  from  (Jreat  nritain,  to  nslablish 
a  republican  form  of  jjovernment  siuiil  ir  to  that  of  Franiic.  So  rapidly 
(lid  the  iiiiml)ers  of  these  re|)ui)lic'aii  enlliusiasts  increase,  and  so  conrKJcmt 
were  they  of  llie  ultimate  success  of  their  uiidertakiiiii,  that  in  I7l>7  ihey 
nomiii.iled  an  executive  directory,  coiisistiii),' of  i,ord  Kilward  Filzgcralil, 
Arlliiir  O'Connor,  Oliver  iloiid,  l)r.  Mac  Niveii,  and  Counsellor  Kimnet. 
T'leir  conspiracy  was  plaiiiiiMl  with  sueli  couHUinmato  art,  and  conducted 
wiih  such  profounil  secrcsy,  that  it  would,  doulitloss,  have  been  carried 
into  eflTcct,  but  for  its  timely  discovery  in  March,  by  a  person  employed 
by  th(!  {loveriiment,  when  the  principal  riiij^leaders  were  appndieiided,  and 
Fit/.jjcald  was  mortally  woiiiidcd  wiiilc  rcsistiiiif  the  ollicors  of  justice. 
\  second  consjiiracy  shortly  afterwards  was  in  the  like  manner  delected, 
lint  not  until  a  [,'i'iieral  insurreclion  had  been  determined  upon,  in  which 
the  easth^  of  Dublin,  the  cuinp  near  it,  and  the  artillery  barracks,  were  to 
be  surprised  in  one  niiflit,  and  other  places  were  to  In;  seized  at  the  same 
moment.  Hut  the  (Ip.mo  of  rebellion  was  not  easily  extinguished.  In 
May,  a  body  of  rebels,  armed  with  swords  and  pikes,  made  attempts 
■  m  the  towns  of  Naas  and  Wexford;  but  they  experienced  a  signal  defeat 
from  Lord  (iosford,  at  tlu!  head  of  the  Armagh  militia,  and  four  hundred 
of  them  were  left  dead  on  the  Held.  They  afterwards  marched,  ir),000 
stroiiu',  afjaiiist  Wexford,  and  upon  defeating  the  garrison,  which  sallied 
forth  to  meet  liiem,  obtained  possession  of  the  town.  Subsequently  they 
became  masters  of  Knniscorthy,  but  being  driven  back,  with  great  slaugh- 
ter, from  New  itoss,  they  wreaked  their  vengeance  upon  thiMr  captives 
at  Wexford  in  the  most  barbarous  manner.  On  the  iwelflh  of  June, 
(ieiieral  Nu^jent  attacked  the  rebels,  .'jOOO  in  number,  commanded  by 
Mimro,  near  Hallyn.ihineh,  and  routed  them  with  great  slaugliter.  But 
their  greatest  discomfiture  was  that  which  tiny susi  lined  in  their encamp- 
niini  on  Vinegar-hill,  where  (Jeneral  I.ak  ;tackcd  and  completely  routed 
llicm.     Various  other  minor  eiigageinoti;*  ensued  about  this  time,  in  all 

isiderablc  loss. 
-  -late  of  Ireland  it  was  ji.ugea 
u;  lieutenancy  of  tliat  country  a 
'lice  ;md  bravery.  T!ie  person 
»  ornwallis,  who  arrived  at  Dublin  on 
the  20th  of  June.  His  first  ac»  «sas  to  publisli  a  proclamation,  oll'ering 
his  majesty's  pardon  to  all  sii.,  Ii  insurgents  as  would  desert  their  leaders, 
and  surrender  tliemselvos  ai»d  'heir  arms.  This  proclamation,  and  the 
resolute  conduct  of  the  govt  niment,  had  a  great  eflTcct  on  the  rebels, 
and  tlio  insurrection  wa^  in  a  short  time  suppressed.  On  the  -3d 
of  August,  about  eijjht  hundred  Frenchmen,  under  tho  command  of 
General  Humbert,  \\\h)  had  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  rtiiellious 
Irish,  landed  at  Killaia,  and  made  themselves  masters  of  that  town. 
Dut  instead  of  being  joined  by  a  considerable  body  of  rebels,  as  they  ex- 
pected, they  wero  met  1  y  General  Lake,  to  whom  they  surrendered  as 
prisoners  of  war.  An  end  was  thus  temporarily  put  to  the  Irish  rebellion 
—a  rebellion  which,  though  never  completely  organized,  was  fraught  with 
excesses!  n  each  side  at  which  humanity  shudders.  It  was  computed  at 
tlic  time  that  not  less  iVan  30,0u0  persons  in  one  way  or  other,  wero  its 
victims. 

The  preparations  which  had  been  making  for  the  invasion  of  Knglano 
vere  apparently  continued,  out  at  the  same  time  an  armament  was  fitting 
nit  at  Toulon,  the  destination  of  which  was  kept  a  profound  secret.  U 
consisted  of  thirteen  ships  of  the  line,  with  other  vessels,  amounting  in  all  to 
forty.five  sail,  besides  200  transoorts,  on  board  of  whicli  were  30,000  choice 


of  which  till'  |i  liels  were  defeated 
111  the  piesiiit  divided  and  daii' 
prudent  by  the  legislature  to  app" 
military   man    of    acknowledii. 
chosen  for  the   station  was  l...rl 


f 


680 


THE  TREASDRY  OF  HISTOKY. 


troops,  with  horses,  artillery,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  provisions  aud 
military  stores.  All  Europe  behold  with  astonishment  and  ;ippreliensioii 
these  mighty  preparations,  and  seemed  to  wait  in  awful  expectation  for 
the  storm  of  war  that  was  about  to  burst  on  some  devoted  land.  This 
armament,  which  was  under  the  command  of  General  Bonaparte,  .set  s;iil 
May  'JOtli,  and  haviii'jf  taken  possession  of  the  island  of  Malta  on  the  Is', 
of  .June,  proceeded  towards  Euypt,  where  it  arrived  at  the  beginning  ui' 
July:  its  iillimato  dosliuation  being  said  to  be  the  Kast  Indies,  ?i,i  ihe 
Hed  Sea.  Sir  IJ.oralio  Nelson,  who  was  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  FriiiLK 
fleet,  being  wholly  ignorant  of  its  destination,  sailed  for  Naples,  where  Jio 
obtained  information  of  tiie  surrender  of  Malta,  and  accordingly  dirccud 
his  course  towards  that  island.  On  his  arrival  he  had  the  morlilicaiiou 
to  find  that  Honaparto  was  gone,  and  conjecturing  that  he  had  sailed  to 
Alexandria,  he  immediately  prepared  to  follow.  He  was,  however,  agaih 
disap[iointed,  for  on  reaching  Alexandria  he  learned  that  the  enemy  liad 
not  been  there.  After  this,  the  British  squadron  proceeded  to  Hhodcs, 
and  thence  to  Sicily,  where  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  that  tliu 
enemy  had  been  olf  Candia  about  a  month  before,  and  had  gone  to  Alex- 
andria. Thitherward  they  pressed  all  sail,  and  on  the  Ist  of  Auj;ust 
descried  the  French  fleet  lying  in  Aboukir  bav.  Bonaparte  had  huulcj 
his  army  on  the  5th  of  July,  and  having  made  himself  master  of  Alt,\. 
andria,  ho  drew  up  his  transports  within  the  inner  harbour  of  that  city, 
and  proceeded  with  his  army  along  the  banks  of  tl;e  Nile.  The  French 
fleet,  eoinmanded  by  Admiral  Brueys,  was  drawn  up  near  the  shore,  in  a 
compact  line  of  battle,  flanked  by  four  frigates,  and  protected  in  the  from 
by  a  battery  planted  on  a  small  island.  Nelson  decided  on  an  innnedi;ite 
attack  that  evening,  and  regardless  of  the  position  of  the  French,  led  liij 
fleet  between  them  and  the  shore,  so  as  to  place  his  enemies  between  two 
fires.  The  victory  was  coniplete.  Nine  sliips  of  the  line  were  taken, 
one  was  burnt  by  her  captain,  and  the  admiral's  ship,  L'Oricnt,  was  blown 
up  in  the  action,  with  her  commander  and  the  greater  part  of  her  cnnv 
The  loss  of  the  Knglish  was  900  sailors  killed ;  that  of  the  French  far 
greater.  The  glorious  conduct  of  the  brave  men  who  achieved  tl'.is 
signal  triumph  was  tlie  theme  of  every  tongue,  and  the  intrepid  Nel.ion 
was  rewarded  with  a  peerage  and  a  pension. 

The  victory  of  the  Nile  produced  a  powerful  efl'ect  throughout  Europe. 
The  formidable  preparations  which  had  menaced  Asia  and  Africa  with 
immediate  ruin  were  overthrown,  and  seemed  to  leave  behind  them  an 
everlasting  monument  of  the  extreme  folly  and  uncertainty  of  luiiiian 
undertakings.  The  deep  despondency  which  had  darkened  the  horizon 
of  Europe  was.  suddenly  dispelled,  the  dread  of  Gallic  vengeance  seemed 
to  vanisii  in  a  moment,  and  the  minds  of  men  were  awakened  into  action 
by  the  ardent  desire  of  restoring  tranquillity  to  Europe.  A  second  <  vili- 
tion  was  inmiediately  formed  against  France,  under  the  auspices  of  Ureal 
Britain,  and  was  entered  into  by  Austria,  Russia,  the  Ottoman  Porte,  and 
Naples.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  the  island  of  Minorca  surrendered, 
with  scarcely  a  show  of  resistance,  to  General  Stuart  and  Commodore 
Duckworth. 

We  must  now  take  a  glance  of  the  state  of  British  affairs  in  India. 
Tippoo  Saib  having  entered  into  a  secret  correspondence  with  the  Frendi 
republic,  the  governor-general  demanded  an  explanation  of  liis  intentions! 
and  as  this  demand  was  not  complied  with,  (Jeneral  Harris  invaded  his 
territories.  After  some  slight  engagements,  the  British  army  advanced  to 
Seringapatam,  the  capital  of  Tippoo,  and  on  the  4th  of  May,  after  a  gal- 
lant and  d{;sperate  resistance,  they  succeeded  in  taking  it,  the  sultan  being 
killed  while  defending  the  fortress. 

A.  D.  1709, — In  consequence  of  the  confederacy  which  had  been  formed 
against  the  French  republic,  the  campaign  of  this  year  bccnnie  parlicu 


THE  THEASUHY  OF  HISTORY 

larly  interestingf.  A  French  army  wliieli  Iiiid  advanced  inte  Suabia,  un 
der  General  Jourdan,  was  opposed  by  the  Aiistriuns  under  llie  archduke 
Charles,  and  being  discomfited,  was  compelled  to  retreat  into  Switzerland. 
Tlie  Austrians  pursued  them  as  far  as  /urich,  where  they  were  enabled 
to  make  a  stand  until  they  received  reinforcements.  In  the  meantime,  an 
.'rmy  of  Austrians  and  Russians,  under  General  Suwarrow,  havinnf  obliged 
the  French  to  relinquish  tlieir  conquests  in  Italy,  they  determined  to 
hasten  to  the  assistance  of  tlie  arcliduke;  but  being  anticipated  by  tlie 
French  general,  Massena,  the  Austrians  were  obliged  to  retreat  in  great 
haste,  and  the  Russians  were  surrounded  so  completely,  that  only  5,000, 
with  their  general,  escaped.  In  fact,  so  severe  were  the  several  contests, 
that  in  the  space  of  fifteen  days  30,000  men  on  both  sides  fell  victims  to 
the  unsparing  sword. 

While  these  events  were  transacting  in  Italy  and  Switzerland,  an  at- 
tempt was  made  by  Great  Britain  to  drive  the  French  from  Holland,  and 
to  reinstate  the  prince  of  Orange  in  his  authority  as  stadthokler.  A  land- 
ing was  accordingly  effected  at  the  mouth  of  the  Texel,  under  Sir  Ralph 
Abercrombie ;  and  immediately  afterwards  the  British  fleet,  commanded  by 
Admiral  Mitchell,  entered  the  Zuider  Zee,  and  captured  eight  sliips  of  the 
line,  besides  some  smaller  vessels  of  war  and  four  Indiamcn.  On  tiie  13th 
of  September  the  duke  of  York  assumed  the  chief  command  of  the  army, 
which  amounted  to  35,000  men,  including  17,000  Russians.  This  army 
was  at  first  successful,  and  drove  the  French  from  their  positions;  but 
their  reinforcements  arriving,  and  the  British  commanders  finding  no  sup- 
port from  tiie  Dutch,  a  suspension  of  arms  was  agreed  upon,  and  the  duke 
resolved  to  relinquish  the  enterprise.  Holland  was  consequently  evacu- 
ated ;  and,  as  the  price  of  being  allowed  to  re-embark  without  molestation 
8  000  seamen,  Dutch  or  French,  prisoners  in  Rngland.were  to  be  liberated. 

After  the  battle  of  the  Nile,  Bonaparte  led  his  army  into  Palestine,  with 
the  avowed  intention  of  taking  possession  of  Jerusalem,  rebuilding  the 
temple,  and  restoring  the  Jews.  El-Ariscli  and  Gaza  surrendered  to  him, 
Jaffa  was  carried  by  storm,  and  he  rapidly  advanced  as  far  as  the  city  ot 
Acre,  which  he  invested  with  an  army  of  10,000  select  troops ;  but  here 
he  met  with  an  opponent  who  arrested  his  progress.  The  pacha  had  the 
assistance  of  that  gallant  Fnglislwnan,  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  whose  former 
ilaring  exploits  on  the  coasts  of  France  had  rendered  his  name  far  more 
familiar  than  agreealde  to  Gallic  ears.  On  the  20th  of  March,  Bonaparte 
opened  his  trenches  ;  but  a  flotilla  conveying  part  of  lii^v  besieging  train 
had  been  captured  by  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  who  was  on  board  the  Tigre  of 
84  guns,  then  lying  off  Acre,  and  the  enemy's  guns  were  employed  in  its 
defence.  However,  the  French  made  a  breach,  and  attempted  to  carry 
the  place  by  assault,  but  were  again  and  again  repulsed  with  great  loss. 
An  alternation  of  attacks  and  sorties  followed  for  the  space  of  sixty  days, 
during  which  Bonaparte  uselessly  sacrificed  an  immense  number  of  his 
bravest  soldiers,  and  at  last  was  compelled  to  raise  the  siege.  Having  re- 
ceived intelligence  of  the  arrival  of  a  Turkish  army  in  Egypt,  Napoleon 
returned  from  Palestine  across  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  and  on  the  25th  ol 
July  obtained  a  great  victory  over  the  Turks  near  the  Pyramids. 

But  he  was  now  about  to  enter  on  a  new  theatre  of  action.  Party  dis- 
sensions in  France,  her  danger  of  external  foes,  and  the  opportunity 
which  was  thereby  afforded  to  the  ambition  of  this  extraordinary  leader, 
seems  to  have  suddenly  determined  him  to  leave  Egypt.  He  accordingly 
left  the  army  to  General  Kleber,  and  sailed  with  all  imaginable  sccresy 
from  Aboukir ;  his  good  fortune  enabling  him,  and  the  few  friends  he  took 
with  him,  to  reach  Frejus  on  the  7th  of  October,  unobserved  and  immo- 
lested.  Finding  that  the  people  generally  approved  of  the  step  he  had 
taken,  and  that  while  the  corruption  and  mismanagement  of  the  directory 
tad  rendered  them  very  unpopular,  he  was  regarded  "">  the  good  genius 


632 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


of  France,  he  in  the  true  Cromwellian  fashion,  with  tlie  assistance  of  a 
strong  party,  dissolved  the  assembly  of  representatives,  and  usurped  the 
government  with  tiic  title  of  chief  consul,  which  was  at  first  conferred  on 
him  for  ten  years,  but  was  afterwards  confirmed  for  life. 

In  order  to  render  his  usurpation  popular,  Bonaparte  began  to  make 
professions  of  a  pacific  character,  and  entered  into  a  correspondence  for 
a  negotiation  with  the  principal  powers  at  war  with  the  republic.  In  jilg 
communications  with  the  allied  sovereigns  he  departed  ftom  tlie  forma 
sanctioned  by  th^^  custom  of  nations,  and  personally  addressed  his  letters 
to  the  monarchs.  The  substance  of  the  note  addressed  to  his  liritaniiic 
majesty  was  conveyed  in  two  questions,  "  Whether  the  war  which  Juid 
for  eight  years  ravaged  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe,  was  to  be  eternal;' 
and  "  Whetiier  there  were  no  means  by  which  France  and  England  might 
come  to  a  good  understanding  ?"  In  answer  to  this  letter,  an  official  note 
was  returned  by  Mr.  Grenville,  who  dwelt  much  on  the  bad  faith  of  revo- 
lutionary rulers,  and  the  instability  of  France  since  the  subversion  of  the 
ancient  monarcliy.  The  overture  which  was  transmitted  to  the  court  ol 
Vienna  was  of  a  similar  nature,  and  experienced  similar  treatment;  but 
the  emperor  of  Russia,  being  disgusted  with  the  conduct  of  Austria  in  the 
late  campaign,  withdrew  from  the  confederacy. 

A.  D.  1800. — The  often  discussed  question  of  a  legislative  union  betwetn 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland  engaged  the  attention  of  politicians  at  this  time, 
and  gave  rise  to  much  angry  feeling.  Some  serious  difficulties  had  arisen 
from  the  existence  of  independent  legislatures  in  England  and  Ireland,  niid 
there  was  reason  to  fear  that  while  separate  interests  were  made  pan- 
mount  to  the  general  good,  old  grievances  might  again  lead  to  disaffection, 
and  the  result  be  a  dismemberment  of  the  empire.  To  prevent  such  an 
evil  the  ministers  of  the  day  considered  their  bounden  duty;  and  though 
the  measure  at  first  met  with  great  opposition,  it  was  eventually  carriud 
by  considerable  majorities,  and  took  place  on  the  1st  of  January,  ISOl. 
By  tills  arrangement  the  Irish  were  to  have  a  share  of  all  the  commerce 
of  Great  Britain,  except  such  parts  of  it  as  belonged  to  chartered  companies. 
The  commons  of  Ireland  to  be  represented  in  the  imperial  parliament  hy 
a  hundred  members  ;  the  spiritual  and  temporal  peerage  of  that  country 
by  four  bishops  and  twenty-eight  lay-lords,  holding  their  seats  for  life. 

During  the  past  winter  and  the  early  part  of  spring  the  greatest  distress 
was  felt  by  the  poorer  classes  on  account  of  the  scarcity  and  extraordinary 
high  price  of  bread  ;  in  order  to  mitigate  which,  an  act  was  passed  pro 
hibiting  the  sale  of  that  great  necessary  of  life  until  it  had  been  halved 
twenty-four  hours,  from  a  well-founded  notion  that  the  consuniption  o' 
stale  bread  would  be  much  less  than  new. 

On  the  15th  of  May,  as  the  king  wa^  reviewing  a  battalion  of  the  guards 
in  Hyde  Park,  a  ball  was  fired  in  one  of  the  vollies  by  a  soldier,  which 
wounded  a  gentleman  who  was  standing  not  many  yards  from  his  majes- 
ty ;  but  whether  it  was  from  accident  or  design  could  not  be  discovered 
And  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day  a  much  more  alarming  circumstance 
occurred  at  Drury-lane  theatre.  At  the  moment  his  majesty  entered  the 
royal  box,  a  man  stood  up  in  the  pit  and  discharged  a  pistol  at  the  king 
the  ball  providentially  missed  him,  and  the  offender  was  immediately 
seized,  when  it  appeared  that  his  name  was  .Tames  Hatfield,  formerly  a 
private  soldier,  and  that  he  was  occasionally  afflicted  with  mental  derange- 
ment, from  a  wound  he  had  received  in  the  head.  He  was  accordingly 
"  provided  for"  as  a  lunatic.  The  consternation  occasioned  by  these 
occurrences  was  succeeded  hy  many  signal  proofs  of  affectionate  loyalty, 
especially  on  the  4th  of  June,  his  majesty's  birth-day. 

The  campaign  of  1800  was  opened  with  great  resolution  on  both  sides. 
Independently  of  the  other  troops  of  France,  an  additional  army  of  G0,000 
men  was  assembled  at  Dijon,  and  it  was  publicly  announced  in  the  French 


issistance  of  a 
id  usurped  the 
3l  conferred  on 

began  to  maVe 
espondence  for 
ipublic.     In  hi3 
Vom  the  forms 
ssed  his  letters 
I)  his  Britannic 
war  which  had 
s  to  bettcrnal;' 
i  England  might 
',  an  official  note 
lad  faitli  of  revo- 
lubversion  of  the 
1  to  the  court  ol 
r  treatment;  but 
of  Austria  in  the 

^e  union  between 
:ians  at  this  time, 
icuUiesliad  arisen 
id  and  Ireland,  and 
were  made  para- 
sad  to  disaffection, 
prevent  snoli  an 
duty;  and  though 
eventually  carriLil 
of  January,  1301. 
all  the  connncrce 
irtercd  companies. 
rial  parliament  by 
;e  of  that  country 
ir  seats  for  life. 
le  greatest  distress 
r  and  extraordinary 
t  was  passed  pro 
it  had  been  baked 
le  consumption  c 

ialion  of  the  guards 
y  a  soldier,  whidi 
ds  from  his  majes- 
not  be  discovered 
ming  circumstance 
lajesty  entered  the 
pistol  at  tlie  king 
•  was  immediately 
latfield,  formerly  a 
ith  mental  derange- 
e  was  accordingly 
3casioned  by  these 
aflfectionate  loyalty, 

jtion  on  both  sides. 
onal  army  of  60,000 
unced  in  the  French 


THE  TREA8UEY  OF  HISTOEY. 

papers,  that  it  was  intended  as  a  reinforcement  to  the  armies  on  tlie  Rhine 
and  in  Italy,  as  circumstances  miglit  require.  No  one  suspected  that  any 
important  plan  of  military  operations  was  concealed  by  the  affected  pub- 
licity of  this  arrangement,  so  no  precaution  was  taken  to  obviate  the  con- 
sequences which  might  arise  from  its  movements.  The  Austrians  in 
Italy,  under  General  Melas,  attacked  Massena  in  the  territory  of  the 
Genoese  ;  and  being  successful  in  several  obstinate  conflicts,  the  surren- 
der of  Genoa  with  its  garrison  followed.  Just  at  this  time  Bonaparte 
suddenly  joined  the  army  of  reserve  at  Dijon,  crossed  the  Alps  over  Mount 
St.  Bernard,  which  before  had  been  deemed  impracticable,  and  descended 
into  the  Milanese  without  opposition.  Having  received  some  powerful 
reinforcements  from  the  army  in  Switzerland  he  placed  himself  in  the 
rear  of  the  Austrian  army,  and  resolved  on  hazarding  a  battle.  Their  first 
encounter  was  the  battle  of  Montobello,  in  which  the  French  had  the  ad- 
vantage; and  it  served  as  a  prelude  to  the  decisive  battle  of  Marengo. 
The  Austrians  numbered  00,000 ;  the  French,  50,000  ;  the  former  com- 
mencing the  fight  with  unusual  spirit  and  success.  For  a  long  time  the 
defeat  of  the  French  seemed  inevitable.  But  General  Desaix  having  ar- 
rived with  a  reinforcLment  towards  evening,  a  terrible  carnage  ensued,  and 
the  Austrians  v/rr<  '''y  routed.  Tlie  loss  on  each  side  was  terrific; 
the  French  stating  it  l',',000,  and  the  Austrians  at  15,000.     Ou  the 

following  day  a  c  s .  ..;  of  hostilities  was  proposed  by  the  allies,  whch 
was  granted  on  c  i.  ujon  of  their  abandoning  Piedmont.  Immediattly 
after,  Bonaparte  re-established  the  Cisalpine  republic. 

On  the  .Ird  of  December  the  Austrian  army,  under  the  archduke  Jol  n, 
was  signally  defeated  at  Ilolienlinden,  by  General  Moreau ;  tiieir  k  ss 
being  10,000  men  and  eigiity  pieces  of  cannon;  the  effect  of  which  was, 
that  the  emperor  was  driven  to  the  necessity  of  soliciting  an  armistice. 
This  was  followed  by  a  treaty  of  peace,  which  was  signed  at  Luneville, 
on  the  9th  of  Ff!bruary,  1801. 

A.  D.  1801. — On  the  1st  of  January  a  royal  proclamation  announced  the 
royal  style  and  title  as  "  George  the  Third,  by  tlie  grace  of  God,  of  the 
I'niled  Kingdom  of  (ireat  Britain  and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the 
Faith  ;"  the  absurd  titular  assumption  of  king  of  France  being  now  laid 
aside.  On  the  3rd  his  Majesty's  council  look  the  oaths  as  privy  council- 
lors for  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  ;  and  the  king 
presented  the  lord  cliancellor  with  a  new  great  seal  made  for  the  union. 

By  the  treaty  of  Luneville,  Great  Britain  became  the  only  opponent  ol' 
the  French  republic,  and  was  placed  in  a  situation  requiring  more  than 
common  energy  and  prudence.  Influenced  by  the  capricious  emperor 
Paul  of  Russia,  the  principal  northern  powers  resolved  on  reviving  the 
armed  neutrality,  and  claimed  a  right  of  trading  to  the  ports  of  France, 
without  submitting  to  their  vessels  being  searched.  At  this  critical 
juncture  the  British  ministry,  on  the  11th  of  February,  resigned  their 
offices.  The  ostensible  cause  was  a  misunderstanding  relative  to  catho- 
lic emancipation,  it  was  understood  that  Mr.  Pitt  had  pledged  himself 
to  obtain  a  repeal  of  the  disabilities  legally  pending  over  that  body  ;  but 
the  king's  objections  to  the  measure  were  too  deeply  rooted,  and  too 
conscientiously  formed  (it  being,  as  he  believed,  contrary  to  the  obliga- 
tion of  his  coronation  oath),  for  the  minister  to  remove  them ;  added  to 
which,  there  was  the  well-known  dislike  entertained  by  the  protestants 
of  Ireland  to  encounter  a  catholic  magistracy,  and  the  fears  of  the 
clergy  of  the  established  church.  Owing  to  the  indisposition  of  his 
majesty,  a  new  ministry  was  not  formed  till  the  middle  of  Marcii,  when 
Mr.  Addington  was  chosen  first  lord  of  the  treasury  and  chancellor  of  the 
exchequer ;  Lord  Kldon,  lord  high  chancellor ;  the  earl  of  St.  Vincent, 
first  lord  of  the  admiralty ;  the  lords  Hawkesbury  and  Pelham,  secro- 
lartes  of  state ;  and  the  Hon.  Col.  Yorke   secretary  of  war.    There  is 


584 


THE  THEASURY  OF  HISTORY 


little  doub'  'cat  the  new  ministers  were  brought  forward  to  do  what  their 
predecess  were  unable  or  unwilling  to  accomplish,  namely,  the  putting 
an  end  tu  tiie  war,  and  evading  the  agitation  of  the  catholic  question. 
Mr.  Addinglon,  it  is  true,  had  given  general  satisfaction  ai  speaker  of 
the  house  of  commons,  and  he  had  acquired  tlie  king's  personal  favours 
by  Ilia  decorous  manner  and  respectable  character;  but  neither  he  nor 
his  colleagues  had  any  political  reputation  to  entitle  them  to  be  entrusted 
with  the  pilotage  of  the  vessel  of  the  state,  especially  where  it  wiig 
necessary  to  steer  her  amid  the  rocks  and  breakers  of  a  tempestuous  sea. 
In  order  to  counteract  the  designs  of  tiie  northern  confederates,  an  arma- 
ment was  fitted  out  in  the  Britisii  ports  consisting  of  17  sail  of  the  line, 
with  frigates,  bomb-vessels,  &c.,  and  entrusted  to  the  command  of  Ad- 
miral Sir  Hyde  Parker  n\d  Vice-Admiral  Lord  Nelson.  The  fleet 
embarled  at  Yarmouth  on  the  12lh  of  March,  and  having  passed  the 
Sound  with  very  trifling  opposition,  appeared  before  Copenhagen  on  the 
30th.  Batteries  of  cannon  and  mortars  were  placed  on  every  part  of  the 
shore  where  they  might  be  used  in  annoying  the  English  fleet ;  the 
mouth  of  the  harbour  being  protected  by  a  chain,  and  by  a  fort  construct- 
ed on  piles.  An  attack  on  tliis  formidable  crescent  was  entrusted,  at 
his  own  request,  to  Nelson,  with  twelve  ships  of  the  line  and  all  tl  e 
smaller  craft.  It  began  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  was  kept  up 
on  both  sides  with  great  courage  and  prodigious  slaughter  for  four  hours; 
by  which  lime  17  sail  of  the  enemy  had  been  burnt,  sunk,  or  taken;  while 
three  of  the  largest  of  the  Enghsh  ships,  owing  to  the  intricacies  of  the 
navigation,  had  grounded  within  reach  of  the  enemy's  land  batteries.  At 
this  juncture  Nelson  proposed  a  truce,  to  which  the  prince  of  Denmark 
promptly  acceded.  The  loss  of  the  English  in  killed  and  wounded  was 
942 ;  that  of  the  Danes  ISOO.  The  sudden  death  of  Paul,  emperor  ol 
Russia,  who,  it  lias  been  authentically  said,  was  strangled  in  his  palace, 
caused  a  change  in  foreign  alTairs.  His  eldest  son,  Alexander,  ascended 
the  throne,  and.  renouncing  the  politics  of  his  father,  entered  into  a  tn-aty 
of  amity  with  England;  the  northern  confederacy  was  consequently  dis- 
solved. • 

At  the  time  the  expedition  to  Copenhagen  whs  on  the  eve  of  departure, 
a  considerable  British  force  had  been  sent  to  Egypt,  in  order  to  effect  the 
expulsion  of  the  French  from  that  country.  This  was  under  the  command 
of  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  who  on  the  8th  of  March  effected  a  disembarka- 
tion, with  great  spirit,  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  at  Aboukir,  the  fort  of 
which  surrendered  on  the  10th.  General  Kleber,  who  commanded  the 
French  troops  in  Egypt  after  the  departure  of  Bonaparte,  had  been  assas- 
sinated, and  IMenou  waa  now  the  general-in-chief.  On  the  13th  ?  severe 
action  took  place,  in  which  the  English  had  the  advantage  ;  hut  on  the  2l8t 
the  celebrated  battle  of  Alexandria  was  fought.  The  force  on  each  side  was 
about  12,000;  and  before  daylight  the  French  commenced  the  attack.  A 
long,  desperate  engagement  succeeded ;  but  at  length  the  assailants  were 
defeated,  and  the  famous  corps  of  "  Invincibles  "  almost  annihilated.  The 
loss  of  the  French  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  was  upwards  o( 
3500  ;  that  of  the  British  1400  ;  among  whom  was  the  gallant  Sir  Halph 
Abercrombie,  who  nobly  terminated  a  long  career  of  militiiry  glory.  He 
was  wounded  in  the  thigh,  about  the  middle  of  the  day;  but  that  he  might 
not  damp  the  ardour  of  his  troops,  he  concealed  his  anguish  until  the  bat 
tie  was  won. 

The  command  of  the  British  troops  devolved  on  General  Hutchinson, 
an  able  oflicer,  and  the  intimate  friend  of  Sir  Ralph,  who  having  made 
himself  master  of  the  ports  of  Rosetta,  Cairo,  and  Alexandria,  completed 
the  coiKjuest  of  Egypt  about  the  middle  of  September  ;  when  the  French 
capitulated,  upon  condition  of  their  being  conveyed,  with  their  arms,  artil- 
lery, &c.,  to  their  own  countr}'.    A  large  detachment  of  troops  from  iha 


1       \ 


THE  TKEASUllY  Oj?  HISTORY. 


685 


Indiar;  army  arrived,  by  way  of  the  Red  Sea,  under  Sir  David  Baird,  just 
after  the  coiKrlusion  of  the  treaty. 

Tiie  news  of  this  important  event  reached  I'^nghnid  on  the  same  day  that 
the  preliminaries  of  a  peace  with  Fran(;c  were  signed  by  .'Mr.  Otto,  on  tiie 
part  of  the  French  republic,  and  Lord  Hawkesbiiry,  on  the  part  of  his  Britan- 
nic majesty.  The  definitive  treaty  was  concluded  at  Amiens  on  the  27th  of 
March,  iBOG;  by  which  Great  Britain  consented  to  restore  all  her  con- 
quests, except  the  island  of  Trinidad,  and  the  Dutch  possessions  in  Ceylon. 
The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  to  remain  a  free  port  to  all  the  contracting 
powers.  Malta,  with  its  dependencies,  was  to  be  evacuated  by  the  Brit- 
ish, and  isstored  to  the  order  of  St.  .lohn  of  Jerusalem;  wliilc  the  island 
was  to  bo  placed  under  the  protection  and  sovereinrnty  of  the  king  of 
Naples.  Egypt  was  to  bo  restored  to  tlie  Sublime  Porte,  whose  terri- 
tories and  possessions  were  to  be  preserved  entire,  as  they  existed  pre- 
viously to  the  war.  The  territories  of  the  queen  of  Portugal  were  to  re- 
main e'ltirc  ;  and  the  French  agreed  to  evacuate  Rome  and  Naples.  The 
repubhc  of  the  Seven  Islands  was  recognised  by  France  ;  and  tlie  fishery 
of  Newfoundland  was  established  on  its  former  footing. 

The  restoration  of  peace  was  universally  received  with  transports  oi 
joy,  and  was  in  itself  a  measure  so  necessary  and  desirable,  that  the  terms 
ou  which  it  had  been  concluded  were  passed  over  in  silence  by  the  in- 
habitants of  both  countries.  When  tlie  subject  was  alluded  to  in  the 
house  of  commons,  Mr.  Sheridan  observed,  "  It  is  a  peace  of  which  every 
mail  is  i^Iad,  but  of  which  no  man  is  proud."  But  though  this  apparent 
lendenny  of  the  two  nations  to  forgi.'t  their  mutual  animosities  seemed  to 
prognosticate  a  long  coiHinuance  of  the  blessings  of  peace,  tlie  happy 
prospt'ct  was  soon  interrupted  by  symptoms  of  jealousy  which  appeared 
Detween  the  respective  governments. 

Having  in  various  ways  gained  the  popular  voice  in  his  favour,  Bonaparte 
was  appointed  consul  for  life,  with  the  (lower  of  naming  a  successor.  On 
this  occasion,  he  instituted  a  republican  order  of  nobility — the  legion 
of  honour — to  be  conferred  on  military  men  as  a  reward  for  skill  and 
bravery,  and  on  citizens  who  distinguished  themselves  by  their  talents  or 
their  strict  ^dministratiun  of  justice. 

Before  we  enter  upon  a  new  chaf)ter,  we  are  bound  to  notice  a  treason- 
able conspiracy  by  certain  obscure  individuals,  which,  at  the  time,  caused 
considerable  alarm.  Colonel  Despard,  an  Irish  gentleman  of  respectable 
family  and  connections,  who  had  formerly  given  distinguished  proofs  d( 
valour  and  g^ood  conduct,  but  had  subsequently  been  confined  in  Cold-batl.« 
fields  prison  for  seditious  practices,  was  apprehended  at  the  Oakley-Arm?, 
Lamb(!th,  with  thirty-six  ■■{  his  confederates,  principally  consistingof  the 
labouring  classes,  and  among  them  three  soldiers  of  the  guards.  It  ap- 
peared that  on  his  liberation  from  prison,  Despard  induced  a  number  of 
violent  fellows  to  believe  that  they  were  capable  of  subverting  the  pres- 
ent government,  and  establishing  a  democracy.  In  order  to  effect  this 
measure,  it  was  proposed  to  assassinate  the  king  and  royal  family,  to  seize 
the  Bank  and  Tower,  and  imprison  the  members  of  parliament.  Vast  as 
these  plans  were,  yet  it  appeared  that  the  time,  mode,  and  place  for  their 
execution,  were  arranged  ;  though  only  fifty  or  sixty  persons  were  con- 
cerned in  U.  Information  having  been  conveyed  to  ministers  ot  this  bold 
conspiracy,  its  progress  was  narrowly  watched,  and  at  the  moment  when 
the  designs  of  the  traitors  were  ripe  for  execution  they  were  suddenly 
■Iragged  from  their  rendezvous  and  fully  committid  on  a  charge  of  treason. 
\fter  a  trial  which  lasted  eighteen  hours  the  colonel  was  found  guilty; 
and  on  the  21st  of  February,  1800,  this  misguided  man,  with  six  fellow 
conspirators,  was  executed  on  the  top  of  the  new  gaol  in  Southwar> 
Despard  declined  spiritual  assistance,  and  met  his  fate  without  ccntritioi 
sorrow,  or  concern :  the  others  suffered  death  with  decency. 


,'"  !' 


\ 


■i  ,h 


6M 


THE  THEAaUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

HE   RKION    or   GEORGE  III.  (CONTINUED.) 

A.  n.  1803.-  ,;,e  treaty  of  Amicus  proved  delusive,  and  both  combjjt 
ants,  jealous  aiid  watchful,  stood  ready  to  renew  the  conflict.  The  un 
bounded  ambition  of  the  French  consul  induced  him  to  take  every  oppor- 
tunity of  insulting  our  ambassadors,  in  order  to  occasion  a  renewal  of 
hostilities.  Peace  had  hardly  been  concluded,  when  the  whole  fortresses 
of  Piedmont  were  dismantled,  and  that  country  was  annexed  to  Franre. 
The  same  measures  were  pursued  with  regard  to  Parma  .-^ud  Placentia; 
and  a  numerous  army  was  sent  against  Switzerland,  and  th...  govcrninent 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  dependents  of  Bonaparte.  Notwithstniid- 
iv.g  these  and  several  other  acts  of  tyranny,  his  Britannic  majesty  ear- 
nestly endeavoured  to  avoid  a  recurrence  to  arms,  and  seemed  willine  to 
suffer  the  most  unwarrantable  aijgressions,  rather  than  again  involve 
Europe  in  the  horrors  of  war.  Tliis  was  construed  by  the  Corsican  into 
a  dread  of  his  ill-gotten  power.  Some  ofhcial  papers  were  afterwards 
presented  to  the  British  ministry,  in  which  he  required  that  the  Frencli 
emigrants  who  had  found  shelter  in  Kngland  should  be  banished;  tlint 
the  liberty  of  the  press  in  Britain  should  be  abridged,  because  some  of 
the  newspapers  had  drawn  his  character  with  a  truthful  pen  ;  and  it  ap- 
peared, indeed,  that  iioiliiiig  short  of  a  specties  of  dictation  in  the  domestic 
affairs  of  (ireat  Britain  was  likely  to  satisfy  him.  Such  insolent  preteii- 
eions  could  not  be  brooked ;  all  ranks  of  men  seemed  to  rouse  from  llicir 
lethargy,  and  the  general  wish  was  to  uphold  the  country's  honour  by  a 
renewed  appeal  to  arms. 

The  extensive  warlike  preparations  going  forward  about  this  time  in 
the  ports  of  Franci'!  and  Holland,  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  Briiish  min- 
istry ;  though  it  was  i)ret('ii(icd  tliat  they  were  designed  to  reduce  tlieir 
revolt(>d  colonies  to  obedience.  An  explanation  of  the  views  of  tlie 
French  govt-rnment  was  requested  by  Lord  Whit  worth,  the  Kngiish  am- 
bassador,  liut  he  was  openly  insulted  by  the  first  consul,  who  had  the  in- 
decency to  intimate,  in  a  lone  of  gasconade,  that  (ireat  Britain  was  iin;i. 
ble  to  coiilend  single-handed  with  France.  On  the  Tith  of  .May  liOrd 
Whilworih  presented  the  iiltiinatum  of  the  British  government,  wliicli  be- 
ing rejected,  war  was  unnouiiccd  on  the  IGth,  by  a  message  from  his 
majesty  to  parliament.  Almost  immediately  upon  this,  Bonaparte  issued 
a  decree  for  the  detention  of  all  the  Fnglish  in  France ;  in  consequence  ol 
which  iiifringeinenl  of  international  law,  about  l'J,000  Knglish  subjeets, 
of  all  ages,  were  committed  to  custody  as  prisoners  of  war. 

This  event  \  as  followed  by  the  invasion  of  Hanover  by  a  republican 
army  uiider  '  'iieral  Mortier,  thus  o[)eniy  violating  the  neutrality  of  the 
German  empire,  and  breaking  the  peai^e  which  been  separately  conchided 
with  his  mtiesty,  as  elector  of  Hanover.  His  royal  highness  the  duke 
of  (;aint)ii(lge,  who  was  at  that  time  in  Hanover,  and  had  the  command 
of  a  sin;ill  body  of  troops,  was  resolved  to  oppose  the  progress  of  the 
invader^i ;  but  being  urged  by  the  regency  to  retire  from  the  command, 
he  returnid  lo  Kngland.  In  a  short  time  the  French  made  themselves 
masters  of  ihc  electorate,  and  committed  the  most  flagrant  acts  of  cruelty 
on  the  uiilortunate  inlial;ilants.  The  Kibe  and  the  Weser  being  now  un- 
der the  ciMiirol  of  the  French,  these  rivers  were  closed  against  Knglish 
commerce,  and  Bonaparte  also  insisted  that  the  ports  of  Denmark  should 
be  shut  against  the  vessels  of  (ireat  Britain.  In  retaliation  the  Brilisii 
governniciii  gave  orders  for  blockading  the  French  ports. 

But  It  appeared  that  all  minor  schemes  of  aggrandizement  were 
to  give  pliii'c  to  the  invasion  and  subjugation  of  (ireat  Britain;  for  which 
purpose  ail  immense  number  of  transports  were  ordered  to  bu  built  wilti 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


687 


(1  both  combat 
uflict.    The  un 
ke  every  oppor- 
m  a  renewal  ol 
whole  fortresses 
cxed  to  France. 
I  !>'id  Plaeentia; 
th...  govcrniiicnt 
Nolwilbstand- 
lic  majesty  ear- 
eemed  willins  to 
,n  again  involve 
he  Corsiean  into 
were  afterwards 
that  the  Freiicli 
le  banished;  ihul 
because  some  of 

I  pen;  and  it  ap- 
n  in  the  doniesiic 

II  insolent  preteii- 
3  rouse  from  ilicir 
try's  honour  by  a 

about  this  time  in 

)f  the  Uritish  mii\- 

led  to  reduce  their 

the  views  of  ilie 

1,  the  Kuglisb  am- 

,  who  Ivail  the  in- 

t  Britain  was  iiivi- 

I'ith  of  May  li'irJ 

irnment,  wliicli  he- 

message  from  his 

,  Bonaparte  issued 

in  consequence  ol 

Knglish  bubjecls, 

war. 

or  by  a  republican 
e  neutrality  of  the 
paralely  concluded 
highness  the  duke 
.  had  the  conimaiid 
he  progress  of  the 
rom  the  command, 
h  made  themselves 
rant  acts  of  cruelly 
Hser  being  now  un- 
ed  against  English 
of  Denmark  should 
aliatiou  the  Unlish 

irts. 

grandizement  were 
Uriiaiu;  for  which 
red  to  bo  built  wiU. 


the  greatest  expedition;  and  a  flotilla  was  assembled  at  Boulogne,  su(H- 
cieiit  to  carry  any  army  which  France  might  wish  to  employ.  This  flo- 
tilla was  frequently  attacked  by  the  Knglish,  and  .vhenever  any  of  their 
number  ventured  beyond  the  range  of  the  batteries  erected  for  their  pro- 
tection, tliey  were  generally  captured  by  cruisers  stationed  oflf  the  coast 
to  watch  their  motions.  These  mighty  preparations,  and  the  menacing 
altitude  whicii  was  not  allowed  to  relax  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  chan- 
nel, gave  a  new  and  vigorous  impetus  to  British  patriotism,  and  propor- 
lionably  ■'rcngthened  the  hands  of  the  governmei;*..  Kxclu.lve  of  the 
regular  and  sujiijlemcntary  militia,  an  additional  army  of  50,000  men  was 
levied,  under  the  title  of  tiie  army  of  reserve;  and  in  a  few  months,  vol- 
unteer corps,  amoiinting  to  300,000  men,  were  armed  in  their  country's 
defence. 

While  measures  were  being  taken  for  defending  the  country  against 
invasion,  a  new  insurrection  broke  out  in  Ireland,  which  had  for  its  object 
to  form  an  independent  Irish  republic.  It  originated  with  Mr.  Robert 
Emmet,  brother  to  hiin  who  had  been  so  deeply  implicated  in  the  rebel- 
lious transactions  of  17L)8,  and  who  had  been  expatriated.  This  rash 
attempt  to  ilistmb  the  public  tranquillity  was  made  on  the  03d  of  July, 
when  i''minet,  witli  a  crowd  of  desperadoes  armed  with  pikes  and  fire- 
arms, marched  througii  the  priiici|)al  streets  of  Dublin,  and  meeting  the 
carriage  of  Lord  Kilwarden,  cliiei'-justice  of  Ireland,  who  was  acrcompa- 
nied  by  his  nephew  and  daugiiter,  tiie  rulHans  dragged  them  from  tiie  car- 

•ige,  and  butcihcnul  the  venerable  judge  and  Mr.  Wolfe  on  the  spot,  but 
..  .  young  lady  was  allowed  to  escape.  Being  attacked  in  their  turn  by  a 
small  party  of  soldiers,  some  of  tlie  rioters  were  killt^d,  and  others  seized. 
Kmmet  and  several  of  the  most  active  rmgleaders,  afterwards  suthn-ed  the 
extreme  penalty  of  the  law  for  their  ofl'ence.  In  the  session  of  November, 
acts  were  passed  to  continue  the  suspension  of  the  habeas  corpus,  and 
enforce  martial  law  in  Ireland. 

In  tiie  West  Indies  the  Knglish  captured  St.  Lucie,  Demerara,  ana 
other  islainls.  A  British  fleet  also  assistetl  the  insurgent  blacks  of  St. 
Domingo  to  wrest  that  island  from  the  Frencii ;  but  it  was  not  efl"eeted 
without  a  most  sanguinary  contest.  It  was  then  erected  into  an  indepen- 
dent state,  under  its  ancient  Indian  naine  of  Hayti. 

In  the  Kast  Indies  much  greater  triumphs  were  achieved;  among  these 
was  the  famous  battle  of  Assaye  (Sept.  03),  where  Major-general  Arthur 
Wellesley,  with  a  comparatively  few  troo[)8,  completely  defeated  the  com- 
bined Mahralta  forces  commanded  by  Scindiah  ilolk.-.r  and  the  rajah  of 
Berar. 

A.  D.  IHOl. — It  was  the  opinion  of  men  of  all  parties,  that  in  the  present 
crisis  a  stronger  ministry  than  thai  which  had  been  formed  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Mr.  Addinii'ton,  was  iibsoliitcly  n(!cessary  to  direi^t  the  councils 
of  Oreat  Britain;  and  tlie  friends  of  Mr.  Pitt  became  most  anxious  that 
he  should  return  to  thfl  adminisi ration  on  the  renewal  of  war.  The  min- 
ister accordingly  sought  the  aid  of  tiiat  great  statesman  as  an  auxiliary; 
but,  adhering  to  his  well-known  maxim  'to  accept  of  no  subaltern  situa- 
tion,"-Mr.  Pitt  plainly  signified  that  the  premiersln'p  must  be  his.  "Aut 
C;csar,  a.u  nulbis."  Though  many  were  disappointed  to  find  that  a  pow- 
erful coalition,  in  which  Mr.  Fox  and  his  most  eminent  colleagues  were 
expected  to  be  included,  was  not  formed,  yet  the  manifest  necessity  of  a 
vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war  excited  a  spirit  ofimanimity  .n  the  nation, 
and  induced  the  parliament  to  second  every  motion  of  the  ministry. 

Grent  as  was  the  power  to  which  Bonap;>rte  had  by  artful  gradations 
advanced  himself,  it  was  not  sutricient  to  satiate  his  ambition ;  and  he 
resolved  to  secure  to  himself  t'le  title  of  emperor.  In  order  to  sound  the 
iuclinatioiis  of  the  people,  a  book  had  been  published  some  time  before, 
pointing  out  the  propriety  and  expediency  of  creating  him  emperor  of  the 


1    f 


1^  '!•  1 


« 


488 


THE  TKEASUUY  OF  HlSIOllY. 


Gauls;  aftnr  wliicli,  an  overture,  equally  insolent  and  absurd,  was  mafle 
to  Louis  XVMIl.,  olForing  him  indemnities  and  a  splendid  establishment, 
if  he  woidd  renounce  his  pretensions  to  the  crown  of  France.  This  pro- 
posal  bcini,'  treated  with  the  contempt  it  merited,  Bonaparte  resolved  on 
taking  away  the  life  of  the  duke  D'lCnghein,  eldest  son  of  the  duke  of 
Bourbon,  on  a  surreptitious  charge  of  having  engaged  in  a  conspiracy 
agamst  the  first  consul,  and  of  serving  iu  the  armies  of  the  emigrants 
against  France.  He  had  fixed  his  residence  at  Kttenheim,  in  the  neutral 
territory  of  the  elector  of  IJaden,  where  his  chief  occupation  was  study, 
and  hispriuripal  recreation  the  culture  of  a  small  gard'.-n.  From  this  ru- 
ral retreat  he  was  dragged  on  the  15th  of  March,  by  a  body  of  French 
cavalry,  under  the  command  of  (Jeneral  Caulincourt,  and  carried  the  same 
day  to  the  citadel  of  Strasliurgh,  where  he  remained  till  the  18th.  On 
the  20tli  the  duke  arrived  at  Paris  under  a  guard  of  gens  d'armes,  and, 
after  come  hours  at  the  barrier,  was  driven  to  Vincennes.  A  military 
commission  appoint(!d  to  try  him  met  the  same  evening  in  the  castle,  and 
the  foul  atrocity  was  completed  by  his  being  sentenced  to  immediate  e.x 
ecution  ;  wliicli  having  taken  place,  his  body  was  placed  in  a  coffin  partly 
filled  witli  lime,  and  buried  in  the  castle  garden. 

Bona[)arte  having  now  nothing  to  apprehend  either  from  his  declared 
or  concealed  enemies,  prevailed  on  the  people  to  confer  on  himself  and 
his  heirs  tlio  imperial  dignity.  The  ceremony  of  his  coronation  accor- 
dingly took  place,  with  remarkable  solemnity,  on  the  19th  of  November; 
and  in  the  following  February  he  addressed  the  king  of  Great  Britain  a 
letter,  soliciting  the  estahlisinnent  of  peace.  The  answer  of  his  Britannic 
majesty  acknowledged  that  no  object  would  bo  dearer  to  him  than  such 
ii  peace  as  would  be  consistent  with  the  security  and  interests  of  his  do- 
minions ;  but  it  added,  that  he  declined  entering  into  particular  discussion 
withoiit  consulting  his  allies. 

A.  D.  ISO"). — Knragcd  at  the  perseverance  of  Great  Britain,  and  elated 
by  tlu!  unparalleled  success  which  had  attended  all  his  measures,  the 
F  rench  emijcror  seemed  now  to  consider  himself  as  the  disposer  of  king- 
doms, and  disregarded  all  principles  of  justice  and  moderation.  In  order 
to  eecure  his  own  personal  aggrandizement  he  made  an  excursion  to 
Italy,  converted  the  Cisal,  ine  republic  into  a  kingdom,  and  assumed  the 
title  of  king  of  Italy.  FIi;  tiien  united  the  Ligurian  republic  to  F'rancc, 
and  erected  the  republic  of  Lucca  into  a  principality,  in  favour  of  his  sis- 
ter Eliza,  who  had  married  the  senator  Bacchiachi.  After  these  unpre- 
cedented acts  of  aggression,  he  returned  to  France,  and  being  once  more 
resolved  to  clfect  the  subjugation  of  the  British  isles,  he  repaired  to 
Boulogne  and  reviewed  his  troops  there,  which  were  ostentatiously 
named  "  the  army  of  Fngland,"  and  amounted  to  (;onsiderably  more  than 
a  hundr(;d  thousand  men. 

Spain  having  been  compelled,  in  consequence  of  its  dependence  on 
France,  to  become  a  party  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  Bonaparte  de- 
termined, by  uniting  the  naval  strength  of  botii  nations,  to  strike  a  blow 
in  several  parts  of  the  world  at  the  same  time.  The  greatest  activity  ac- 
cordingly prevailed  in  the  Frencii  ports,  where  the  fleets  had  hitherto  re- 
mained inactive ;  and  several  squadrons  having  eluded  the  vigilance  of  the 
British  cruisers,  put  to  sea.  A  squadron  of  five  ships  arrived  in  the  West 
Indies,  and  surprized  the  town  of  Uouseau  in  Dominica ;  but  being  gal- 
lantly opposed  by  General  Provost,  the  governor  of  the  island,  they  levied 
a  contribution  of  five  thousand  pounds,  and  precipitately  re-embarked  their 
troops.  They  next  proceeded  to  St.  Christopher's,  where,  having  made 
great  pecuniary  exactions,  they  seized  all  the  ships  in  the  Basseterre  road. 
These  prizes  were  sent  to  Gaudaloupe ;  and  the  F'rench  squadron,  fearful 
of  encountering  the  British  fleet,  returned  to  Kurope. 

In  the  meantime  a  formidable  fleet  of  ten  sail  of  the  line,  with  10,OOt 


ird,  was  mafle 
establishment, 
•e.  This  pro- 
to  resolvod  on 
)f  the  iluke  of 
11  a  conspiracy 

the  emigrants 
,  in  the  neutral 
tion  was  study, 

From  this  ru- 
ody  of  French 
arried  the  same 

I  the  18tli.  Ou 
3  d'armes,  and, 
es.     A  military 

II  the  castle,  and 
o  immediate  ox 
in  a  coffm  partly 

■cm  liis  declared 
•  on  himself  and 
oronation  accor- 
hof  Novcmher; 
f  Great  Britain  a 
■r  of  his  Britannic 
to  him  than  such 
lerests  of  his  do- 
nicular  discussion 

britain,  and  elated 
lis  measures,  tho 
.  disposer  of  king- 
oration.     In  order 
an  excursion  to 
and  assumed  the 
nublic  to  France, 
1  favour  of  his  sis- 
Vfler  these  unpre- 
d  being  once  more 
:s,  he  repaired  to 
■  re  ostentatiou^ly 
ilerably  more  than 

its  dependence  on 
am,  Bonaparte  de- 
5,  to  strike  a  blow 
.reatcst  activity  ac- 
CIS  had  hitherto  re- 
the  vigilance  of  the 

rrived  in  tho  West 
;a;  but  beiiiit  Ral- 
;  island,  lh(;y  levied 
V  re-embarked  their 
"here,  having  made 

ho  Basseterre  road. 
;h  squadron,  fearful 

,e  line,  with  lO.OOC 


It 


THE  TllEASURY  OF  HiaXOUY. 


089 


men  on  board,  set  sail  from  Toulon,  under  the  command  of  Ailmiral  Villc- 
neuvc ;  who,  iiaving  proceeded  to  Cadiz,  was  there  reinforced  by  the 
Spanish  a(hnirai,  Gravina,  and  six  large  siiips,  and  iinmedialely  embarked 
for  tiie  West  Indies.  When  Lord  Nelson  received  iuformatioii  that  tiie 
Frrmdi  and  Spaniards  had  put  to  sea,  he  supposed  that  iliey  were  destined 
for  an  attcinpt  on  Alexandria,  and  accordingly  set  sail  in  that  direction, 
lie  traversed  the  Mediterranean  with  the  utmost  celerity,  bavin;,'  a  squadron 
of  ten  ships  with  him ;  but  finding  that  ho  was  misiakcii  in  iiis  conjectures, 
he  concluded  that  the  enemy  had  sailed  for  the  West  Indies.  Ilu  imme- 
diately directed  his  course  towards  that  quarter,  and  by  drivini;  the  com- 
bined squadrons  from  island  to  island,  lie  iJrevented  them  from  making  an 
attack  on  any  of  the  British  possessions ;  nay,  so  universal  was  ilio  dread 
of  Nelson's  name,  that  they  had  no  sooner  arrived,  than  they  consulted 
their  safety  in  a  precipitate  lligtit,  and  hastily  returned  to  Kurope.  Wlico 
the  bravo  Nelson  was  assured  of  the  course  of  his  adversaries,  he  dis- 
patched a  messenger  to  England,  and  immediately  set  sail  in  liopes  of 
overtaking  the  fugitives.  He  arrived  at  Gibraltar  on  tlie  '-!Olli  of  July,  and 
having  refitted  his  ships,  he  resumed  his  position  ofif  Capo  St.  Vincent, 
sixty-three  days  after  his  departure  from  it  for  the  West  Indies. 

On  the  arrival  in  London  of  the  information  of  tlie  cneiiiy's  retreat,  a 
squadron,  (!onsisting  of  fifteen  sail  of  the  line,  was  dispatched  under  Sir 
Holiert  (balder,  in  the  hope  of  intercepting  ihein.  On  the  2-2d  of  .luly  Sir 
Robert  descried  the  object  of  his  mission,  off  Ferrol ;  and,  notwithstanding 
their  great  siqwiriority,  he  did  not  hesitate  a  moment  in  bringing  them  to 
action.  After  an  obstinate  engagement,  the  uiieijual  coiillict  terminated 
ill  the  defeat  of  the  enemy,  wlio,  having  lost  two  large  ships,  proceeded 
111  haste  to  Ferrol.  Being  reinfon^ed  by  the  admirals  Graiulallana  and 
Gourdon,  they'weiglied  anchor,  and  retired  to  the  harliour  of  Cadiz,  where 
they  were  blockaded  by  Sir  Robert  Calder.  Some  dissatisfaction  Iiaving 
been  expressed  in  the  public  papers,  relative  to  llie  conduct  of  the  British 
admiral  in  the  enifagement  off  Ferrol,  he  applied  for  a  court-martial  to  in- 
quire into  the  subject;  when,  to  his  groat  aslonishmciit,  and  to  tiie  regret 
of  tlic  wliole  navy,  he  was  found  guilty  of  an  error  of  judgment,  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  reprimanded — a  reproach  wliicli  he,  who  had  passed  forty-six 
years  with  honour  in  the  service,  fell  deeply. 

Subsequently  U)  \m  arrival  at  Cape  St.  Vincent,  Admiral  Nelson  tra- 
versed tlie  bay  of  Biscay  in  search  of  the  enemy;  but  being  oppressed 
with  fatigues'and  disa[)pointment,  be  resolved  on  returning  to  England 
He  arrived  at  Portsmouth  on  the  18tb  of  August,  and  having  reached 
London  on  the  20lh,  experienced  a  most  cordial  and  affectionate  reception 
from  his  grateful  countrymen.  Fie  would  not,  hov,-ever,  allow  himself  to 
remain  in  inactivity,  and  beintJ  olTered  the  command  of  an  armament  that 
was  tiien  preparing,  he  without  hesitation  embraced  the  opportunity  of 
serving  his  country.  Having  hoisted  his  (lag  on  board  the  Victory,  on  the 
following  day  he  i)ut  to  sea,  and  on  his  arrival  at  Cadiz  he  received  from 
Admiral  Collingwood  the  eonimand  of  the  British  (leet,  which  now  con- 
sisted of  twenty-seven  sail  of  the  line.  On  the  I9th  of  October  Nelson 
learned  that  the  combined  French  and  Spanish  fleets,  consisting  of  thirty- 
llirc;  sail  of  the  line,  bad  put  to  sea  from  Cadiz,  uiuler  admirals  VilliMieiivc 
and  (;ravina  ;  and  on  the  21st  he  discovered  them  off  Cape  Trafalgar.  He 
iiiiinediateiy  ordered  the  lle(!t  to  bear  up,  in  two  columns,  as  directed  by 
his  previous  plan  of  attack ;  and  issued  this  admonitory  signal — which 
has  since  become  a  national  proverb — "England  expects  every  man  to  do 
his  duty."  The  windward  column  of  the  English  ships  was  led  by  Lord 
Nelson,  in  the  Victory;  the  leeward  by  Uear-admiral  Collingwood,  in  the 
Royal  Sovereign.  About  noon  the  awful  contest  eoininenced,  by  the  lead- 
ing ships  of  the  columns  piercing  the  enemy's  line ;  the  others  breaking 
through  in  all  parts,  and  engaging  their  adversaries  at  the  muzzle  of  llieir 
Vol.  I.— 44 


i,   III     .  ' 
■  HI  -Vi,!"  f 


:^M#'v  ;! 


ii 


ao 


THE  TKEA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


guns.  Tlio  ciirmy  fouyhl  with  ini  rcpid  spirit ;  but  the  superior  skill  which 
opposed  ihcin  was  rcHi.sllcss.  Tiie  fury  of  the  biiiiie  wah  sustiiiiit'd  for 
three  hours,  when  m;viiy  ships  of  the  combined  fleet  havinj:  piruek,  their 
line  gave  way  :  iiincieeii  sailuf  tlie  line,  with  Viilciieuve  and  iwo  oilier Ihig 
ofllfers,  were  taken;  the  other  ships,  witti  Admiral  Oravina,  escaped. 

This  splendid  victory,  so  preeminent  in  the  annals  of  Britain,  was  pur- 
chasi'd  v,ith  the  life  of  her  greatest  naval  coniniander.  In  the  niiddh;  of 
the  conti'st  Lord  Nelson  received  in  his  left  breast  a  miisket-ball,  aimed 
ut  him  fruni  the  ship  with  which  he  was  engaged;  and  in  about  an  hour 
afterwarils  he  expired,  displaying  in  his  death  the  heroic  firmness  winch 
nad  distmguished  every  action  of  his  life.  The  loss  of  tins  gallant  iii:in 
damped  the  joy  which  the  news  of  so  important  a  victory  would  have  ex- 
iled; and  it  I's  dilficnlt  to  say  whether  the  general  grief  that  was  felt  for 
Ihe  hero's  death,  or  the  exultation  for  so  signal  a  triumph,  preponderated. 
Many  there  were,  most  assuredly,  who  would  have  relinquished  the  vie. 
,ory  to  have  saved  the  victim.  Mis  remains  were  deposited  in  6l.  Paul's 
:athedral,  and  were  accompanied  by  a  procession  more  extensive  and 
magnificent  than  Kngland  had,  on  any  similar  occasion,  beheld. 

Of  tliat  p;irt  of  the  Cadiz  diet  which  had  escaped,  four  sliips  were  aftor- 
tvards  captured  by  Sir  Kichard  Strachan,  ofl"  Ferrol,  and  were  conduct 'd 
.0  a  Untith  port.  Thus  the  enemy's  marine  was  virtually  annihilated,  and 
Ihc  navy  of  England  held,  undisputed,  the  mastery  of  the  seas. 

It  was  far  otherwise,  however,  with  her  continental  projects  and  alliau- 
CCS.  An  alliance  olTeiisive  and  defensive  had  long  been  inefrectually  iie. 
gotiatiu;{  with  ilussia,  Austria,  and  Sweden  ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  Ficiuli 
emperor  had  arbitrarily  annexed  Genoa  and  Parma  to  his  dominions,  that 
a  treaty  was  concluded.  The  objects  of  this  formidable  coalition  were 
the  liberation  of  Holland,  Sardinia,  Switzerland,  and  Ilanovcr,  from  Frciicli 
tyranny;  the  restoration  of  tranquillity  to  the  Italian  states,  and  the  re- 
cstablishment  of  safety  and  jjcace  in  all  Kurope.  It  was  stipulated  tliat 
the  three  coulinental  powers  should  furnish  500,000  men,  exirliisive  of  the 
British  troops.  The  military  force  at  the  disposal  of  France  was  G.jO.uOO, 
besides  a  considerable  number  of  auxiliaries.  By  one  article  of  the  con- 
federacy it  was  agreed  that  the  continental  powers  should  not  withdraw 
their  forces,  nor  Great  Britain  her  subsidies,  till  a  general  pacification  lo^ik 
place  with  the  common  consent  of  the  contracting  parties. 

The  dissatisfaction  evinced  against  the  French  emperor  in  all  the  trr- 
ritories  which  he  had  seized,  seemed  only  to  raise  his  ambition.  To  in- 
sure the  subjugation  of  Germany,  he  endeavoured  to  separate  Austria  from 
the  other  imperial  states,  He  issued  a  manifesto,  reprobating  the  folly 
and  injustice  of  the  confederate  powers,  and  declaring  that  if  hostilitn's 
were  commenced  against  any  of  his  allies,  particularly  against  Bavaria,  lie 
would  instantly  march  his  whole  army  to  revenge  the  alTront.  He  said 
that  the  war  was  created  and  maintained  by  the  gold  and  hatred  of  Gnat 
Britain,  and  boasted  that  he  would  fight  till  he  had  secured  the  indcpi-ii- 
dence  of  the  Germanic  body,  and  would  not  make  peace  without  a  sutli- 
cient  security  for  its  continuance.  The  Auslriaiis,  disregarding  these 
threats,  entered  Bavaria  with  55,000  men,  and  were  vigorously  supporluJ 
by  the  hereditary  states.  These  forces,  with  those  furnished  hy  Russia 
and  the  Tyrol,  seemed  to  promise  success;  but  through  the  preripitancj 
of  the  Austrians,  the  tardiness  of  the  Russians,  and  the  vigorous  measures 
of  Bonaparte,  the  great  objects  of  the  coalition  failed,  and  the  most  disas- 
trous reverses  were  experienced. 

The  French  reached  the  banks  of  the  Rhine  in  September,  and  e/Tcclrd 
a  passaije  over  the  river;  engaged  the  Austrians  before  the  Russians 
could  join  them,  and  defeated  them  with  great  loss  at  Wertingen  and 
Gunsburgh.  In  the  meantime  General  Bernadotte,  by  the  order  of  Uo- 
Aapartc,  eiitcre.dthe  neutral  territories  uf  Franconia,  and  was  there  JuiiumI 


to 
\'e 


out 
sncr 
(iigii 
prop: 


liad 

hini 

adiT 

(liat 

their 

posec 

long 

e.xtrc 

Th 

0\v;i 

comb 
parte 
giiiiie 
Iwttle 
Knipe 
maud 
in  kill 
iriuini 


ior  skill  whinli 
sustaiiii'd  for 
\r  Hi  ruck,  ihcir 
iwo  ulltcrllig 
,  escaped, 
itiiiii,  was  pur- 
1  llic  nuddlt!  of 
k(!l-l).ill,  iiiimd 
alioui  an  limir 
firiiincsb  winch 
lis  g.illaiil  mail 
would  have  ex- 
iHi  was  full  fur 
,  prcpoiideraU'il. 
luislied  the  vio 
ed  iri  M.  Paul's 
■  extensive  and 
elield. 

ships  were  after- 
werc  eoiiducl'd 
!  annihilaled,  mid 
seas. 

iijccls  and  allian- 
iiiefTeclually  no- 
lOUiU  the  iMCiich 
is  doininiDns,  Uwt 
lie  coalilioii  wcic 
over,  from  French 
ales,  and  ihc  re- 
us stipnlaled  tliat 
1,  exclusive  of  Hie 
anee  was  G'jOaiOO, 
article  of  the  eon- 
l)uld  not  wiihdraw 
[il  pacifieaiiou  look 

[ror  in  all  the  tor- 
ambition.    'I'o  >'>• 
arale  Austria  froiu 
Di-obating  the  folly 
that  if  Uosldili<:3 
nainst  Bavaria,  he 
,  alTront.     He  siii.l 
|nd  hatred  of  Grtat 
tured  the  indep-ij- 
Eiee  without  a  siitU- 
disregardiiig  lli^-se 
Ijrorously  supporlcd 
jrnished  by  Uussia 
rh  the  prei'ipiiaiicj 
f  vigorous  nieasiireJ 
[and  the  most  disas- 

lembcr,  and  cffeelrd 
lefore  the  Russians 
at  Wertingen  ami 
|)y  ibe  order  of  Un- 
Vnd  was  there  joiiieil 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


691 


by  the  bavarian  army  of  20,000  cavalry  and  infantry,  the  Batavian  divjflion, 
«nd  Dy  llie  army  of  Holland,  under  Marmont.  Tlic  losses  sustained  by 
the  Ausiriaiis  had  liilherto  been  very  inconsiderable;  but  on  the  13lh  of 
October,  Meniiigcn,  with  its  large  garrison,  surrendered  to  Marshal  Soult. 
On  the  litih,  the  Austrians  making  a  sortie  from  the  ri;y  of  Ulm,  and  at- 
tacking Dupoiit's  division,  were  defeated,  and  15,000  of  their  men  taken. 
A  few  days  afterwards  llie  Austrian  general.  Mack,  who  had  shut  himself 
up  in  Ulm,  with  30,000  men,  surrendered  to  the  French,  under  very  sus- 
picious circumstances,  and  his  whole  army  were  made  prisoners  of  war. 

The  first  Russian  division,  under  generals  Kutusoff  and  Merveldr,  hav- 
ing at  length  effected  a  junction  with  the  Austrians,  the  French  army, 
110,000  strong,  hastily  advanced  to  attack  them.  The  allied  troops  were 
unwilling  to  eiigagc  a  force  so  much  more  numerous  than  their  own,  and 
awaited  the  arrival  of  the  second  Russian  army.  That  arrival  w  as,  how 
ever,  delayed  for  a  very  considerable  time,  by  the  menacing  and  impolitic 
opposition  of  the  Prussian  armaments.  Had  the  king  of  Prussia,  by  join- 
ing the  confederates,  avenged  the  insult  offered  to  I. is  Franconian  territo- 
ries, the  French  would  soon  have  been  compelled  to  return  home  ;  but  the 
ill-fated  policy  he  now  adopted  was  the  cause  of  all  tlie  disasters  which 
Kurope  afterwards  suffered.  The  first  Russian  army,  tinable  to  maintain 
its  position  against  the  superior  power  of  the  cnoniy,  were  under  the  ne- 
cessity of  falling  back  upon  Moravia,  and  in  their  rout  had  no  alternative 
but  that  of  crossing  the  Uanubc,  above  Vienna.  The  imminent  danger 
with  which  his  capital  was  now  threatened,  induced  the  emperor  of  Aus- 
tria to  propose  an  armistice,  in  hopes  of  gaining  time  for  the  arrival  of 
reinforcements.  Count  (luilay  was  accordingly  dispatched  to  the  head- 
quarters of  Napoleon,  with  proposals  for  concluding  a  suspension  of  hos- 
tilities for  a  few  weeks,  as  a  preliminary  step  towards  a  negotiation  for  a 
general  peace.  Bonaparte  expressed  his  readiness  to  accede  to  the  armis- 
tice, on  condilior  .hat  the  Austrian  monarch  would  cause  the  allied  army 
to  return  home,  the  Hungarian  levy  to  be  abandoned,  and  the  duchy  of 
Venice  and  the  Tyrol  to  be  occupied  by  the  French. 

The  Russian  armies  having  at  length  effected  a  junction  with  those  of 
Austria, they  marched  towards  Au.^terlitz, where  the  French  were  posted; 
but  as  the  allied  sovereigns  were  desirous  of  preventing  the  dreadful 
sacrifice  of  lift;,  which  was  inevitable  from  the  conflict  of  two  such  pro- 
digious armies,  the  counts  Stadion  and  (niilay  were  sent  to  Napoli  on  to 
propose  an  armistice.  The  French  emperor  supposinj.'  that  they  merely 
wished  to  lull  him  into  a  false  security,  beguiled  them  with  artful  com- 
pliments, and  solicited  an  interview  with  the  Kinperor  Alexander.  He 
liad  previously  discovered  that  the  allies  were  rashly  advancing  against 
him  when  the  utmost  caution  was  necessary ;  and,  in  order  to  take  full 
advantage  of  the  circumstance,  he  coinn  anded  his  army  to  feign  a  retreat, 
tliat  his  enemy  might  be  eonlirmed  in  the  idea  of  his  being  unable  to  resist 
their  forces.  The  liussian  emperor  declined  m  his  own  person  the  pro- 
posed interview,  but  sent  his  aul-de-camp  as  a  proxy,  who  returned  after  a 
long  conference,  fully  persuaded  that  the  French  were  reduced  to  the  last 
extremities. 

The  French  having  by  cautious  movements  kept  up  the  idea  of  their 
own  weakness  and  alarm,  were  attacked  on  the  1st  of  December,  by  tho 
combined  army;  but  when  their  artifices  had  been  duly  prolonged,  Bona- 
parte brought  up  all  his  troops,  and  by  the  superiority  of  his  numbers, 
gained  a  complete  victory.  This  was  the  v/ell-conlested  and  memorable 
battle  of  Ausierlitz,  or,  as  it  was  often  called,  the  battle  of  the  "Three 
KiUjierors."  ThevAustro-Russian  armies,  amounting  to  80,000,  were  com- 
manded by  General  Kutiisoff  and  Prince  Lichteiistein  ;  and  nearly  30,000 
in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  with  100  pieces  of  cannon,  attested  the 
iriumoh  of  Naooleon.     In  consequence  of  this,  an  armistice  was  four  davs 


\  n 


THE  TUEA8URY  OF  HISTOttY. 

aflrrwards  f;flrpctc<l;  and  on  the  2Gth  of  tlio  samo  moiitli,  a  pacific  treat) 
was  concludcil  iit  I'n-'sbiirg  bulweeii  France  and  Austria.  IJy  llie  tertni 
agreed  on,  France  retained  possession  of  llio  Tranaalpino  territories ; 
Uoiniparle  was  acknowledged  king  of  Italy,  but  the  crowns  of  France  and 
Italy  were  to  be  forever  separated,  instead  of  being  united  under  one 
head ;  and  the  new  made  king  was  invested  with  the  power  of  anpointiiiir 
an  ai'knowleilged  successor  tu  the  Italian  throne.  On  the  other  iiand,  the 
French  emperor  guaranteed  the  integrity  of  the  empire  of  Austria,  in  liie 
state  to  which  he  had  now  reduced  it,  as  well  as  ilio  integrity  of  liie  pos- 
sessions  of  the  princes  of  the  house  of  Austria,  Russia,  (See. 

I'russia,  which  had  insidiously  held  back,  watching  tiie  progress  of  tlio 
campaign,  determined  for  the  present  to  preserve  peace  with  France,  and 
concluded  a  convention  with  that  power,  by  which  Hanover  was  pro- 
visionally  exchanged  for  Ansna/h,  Cleves,  antl  Neufchalel.  It  has  always, 
indeed,  appeared  to  us  that  tli»  policy  of  I'russia  was  constantly  diriclt d 
to  tilt!  dnninulion  of  the  Austrian  power,  in  the  hope  that  the  imperial 
crown  might  be  transferred  to  the  lioiisc  of  IJrandcnburg  :  a  feeling  whii-h 
IJonaparte  insidiously  encouraged  as  long  as  it  suited  his  own  views  oi 
aggrandizement. 

A.  D.  1806.— The  campaign  of  1805  having  thus  fatally  terminated,  a.id 
the  Russian  armies  having  returned  across  the  Elbe,  Napoleon  resolved 
to  take  vengeance  on  the  king  of  Naples,  who  had  provoked  his  wrath  by 
admitting  some  Dritish  and  Russian  troops  into  his  dominions.  On  the 
morning  after  he  had  signed  the  peace  of  Pre.sburg,  the  French  emperor 
issued  a  proclamation  from  his  head-quarters  at  Vienna,  declaring  that  llio 
Neapolitan  dynasty  had  ceased  to  r*  ign,  and  denouncing  vengeance  on 
the  royal  family.  Immediately  after  this  threatening  manifesto  reached 
Naples,  the  Russian  troops  re-cmliarked,  and  the  Uritish  determined  on 
retiring  to  Sicily,  without  waiting  the  arrival  of  the  enemy.  The  crown 
of  Naples  was  conferred  on  Joseph  Uonapartc,  who,  being  supported  by  a 
numerous  French  army,  took  possession  of  his  kingdom  on  the  13th  of 
February,  1^^0(i.  The  late  king  took  refuge  at  Palermo,  where  lie  was 
protected  by  the  troops  and  fleet  of  Great  liritain. 

As  that  part  of  the  Neapolitan  territories  called  Calabria  persisted  in 
opposing  the  invaders.  Sir  J.  Stuart,  commander  of  the  british  forces  in 
Sicily,  undertook  an  expedition  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  the  legitimale 
sovereign.  Having  landed  his  troops,  consisting  of  4,800  men,  he  imme- 
diately advanced  to  attack  the  French  general,  Regnicr,  who  occu|)ied  a 
strong  position  near  the  plains  of  Maida,  with  an  army  of  7000  men  ;  but 
the  British  troops  charged  the  enemy  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and 
obtained  a  glorious  victory ;  the  enemy's  loss  being  4000  men,  killed, 
wounded,  and  |irisoiicrs,  while  that  of  the  Fnglish  was  only  45  killed  and 
28'2  wounded !  The  battle  of  Maida  led  to  the  expulsion  of  the  French 
from  Calabria  in  less  than  a  month ;  but  such  considerable  reinforcements 
were  received  by  Joseph  Uonapartc  that  the  authority  of  the  new  mon- 
arch was  established  at  Naples,  and  the  Knglish  being  under  the  necessity 
of  withdrawing  their  forces  to  the  protection  of  Sicily,  the  Calabrians 
were  obliged  to  submit. 

Shortly  after  this  Bonaparte  erected  Holland  into  a  kingdom,  which  he 
bestowed  on  his  brother,  Louis,  whose  mild  administration,  while  it  gained 
him  the  good-will  and  affection  of  his  subjects,  incensed  his  despotic 
brother.  He  next  subverted  (he  Germanic  constitution,  and  established 
the  confederation  of  the  Rhine,  of  which  he  declared  that  he  had  taken  on 
himself  the  ofTice  of  "protector." 

These  momentous  transactions  on  the  continent  have  necessarily  inter- 
rupted our  narration  of  those  events  which  relate  exclusively  to  Gniil 
Britain,  An  important  acquisition  was  made  by  General  Baird  and  Sir 
Home  Popham,  who,  after  surmounting  the  most  formidable  obstacles 


a  pacific  treat) 
Uy  ihe  lermi 
ino  territories; 
I  of  Fraiicu  and 
lilcd  uiultT  one 
;r  of  .lupoinliiiu 
oilier  Imnd,  llio 
f  Austria,  in  lliu 
rviiy  of  tlie  iios- 

;c. 

proRrcss  of  llio 
villi  France,  and 
aiiovcr  was  \\ro- 
.  U  lias  always, 
instantly  dirrckd 
that  the  impnrial 
:  ;i  fcelinii  \vlii'--h 
liis  own  views  ol 

y  terminated,  a.id 
iJapoleon  resolved 
oked  Ilia  wralli  by 
jminious.    On  Uie 
0  French  cmpcrot 
,  declaring  thai  Uie 
ing  vengeance  on 
manifesto  rcachtd 
Lish  detcrniin(!d  on 
nemy.    The  crown 
.i;iiT  supported  by  a 
cm  vm  the  ISlliof 
•mo,  Nvhcre  lie  was 

ilahria  persisted  iv. 

,ie  Uritish  forces  in 

bring  the  Icgiliniate 

,800  men,  he  imim.'- 

or,  who  occupied  a 

of  7000  men  ;  but 

f  the  bayonet,  and 

,•  4000  men,  killed. 

\s  only  45  killed  and 

'siou  of  the  French 

able  reinforcements 

ftV  of  the  new  mon- 

r  under  the  necessity 

icily,  the  Calabriana 

.  kingdom,  which  he 
tuion,  while  it  gamed 
Icenscd  his  despoiic 
Itioii,  and  established 
Ihat  he  had  taken  on 

U'C  necessarily  |.it"- 
exclusively  to  Or.^.'t 
,neral  Baird  and  S.r 
formidable  obstacle^ 


THK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 

made  themsrlvrs  ninsters  of  the  Cape  of  (Jitod  Ilnpo,  on  the  lOlh  of  Jan- 
uary, experiencing  lilllc  rcaistunco  from  thi;  Dutcli  governor.  Tliis  con- 
quest was  followed  by  llic  ca[)inre  of  three  French  ships  of  ilie  line,  part 
of  a  Hcpiadron  that  had  escaped  from  the  iiaibonr  of  Brest,  and  which  Sir 
J.  Diickworlli  fortunately  met  with  in  the  West  Inilies. 

lUil  no  event  that  took  placo,  favoiiral)le  or  otiierwiso,  was  of  ecpial  im- 
portance to  the  death  of  Mr.  I'ilt,  wliicii  happened  on  the  '-^M  of  January. 
Exct^sHive  anxiety,  appiicalicni,  and  dcliility,  added  to  tin;  faihire  of  his 
plan  for  dtdivering  Knrope  from  Frenrli  lyranny,  aci'dcralcd  his  death, 
and  the  last  words  which  quivered  on  his  lips  wen;  "Oli,  my  country!" 
By  a  vote  of  the  commons,  his  remains  wtire  interred  in  Westminster 
abbey,  with  the  greatest  solemnity,  and  a  mDniinienl  was  erected  to  him 
at  the  piil)lic  expense.  Hy  the  same  vote,  his  debts  were  discliarged  by 
the  pul)li(r,  and  it  was  Mo  small  proof  of  his  entire  disinterestedness,  that 
during  a  long  administration  of  twenty  years,  he  did  not  accumulate 
money,  but  died  ins(dvent.  This  great  man  departed  in  the  47lh  year  of 
his  age ;  at  a  period,  too,  when  such  a  master-mind  seemed  to  be  more 
than  ever  needed  to  cminteract  the  vast  designs  and  universal  despotism 
of  the  tyrant  of  the  continent. 

Soon  alter  the  decease  of  Mr.  Pitt,  his  colleagues  in  olTice  unanimously 
resigned  their  employments,  and  a  new  ministry  was  formed,  the  (diief 
members  of  which  were  Lord  (irenville,  first  lord  of  the  treasury;  Mr. 
Fox,  sei'retary  of  state  for  foreign  allairs  ;  and  Mr.  F.rskine  (created  a 
peer),  lord  high  chancellor.  Negoiintiiuis  for  a  treaty  of  peace  were 
immediately  opened,  and  from  the  cordiality  with  which  the  two  govern- 
ments commenced  their  proceedings  the  most  happy  eonseqiiences  were 
antici()ated ;  but  it  soon  ap[)eared  tliat  the  iminoderatt'  ambition  of  the 
French  ruler  excluded  for  the  present  all  hopes  of  an  accommodalion. 

A  measure  which  will  forever  redect  glory  upon  the  British  nalion  was 
brought  about  by  the  new  administration  ;  we  mean,  the  abolition  of  the 
slave  trade.  The  bill  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Fox,  and  notwithstanding 
the  opposition  it  (■nconntereii  from  tiiose  who  were  interested  in  its  (ron- 
tinuaiice,  it  pass(!d  through  both  houses  with  a  great  majority.  This  dis- 
tinguished act  of  humanity  was,  in  fact,  one  of  his  last  measures;  this 
celebr.iti'd  and  mucli  rcspeeied  statesman  having  cx()ired  at  Chiswiek- 
hoiise,  ill  his  .')9th  year,  on  the  l.'tth  of  September.  Like  iiis  great  rival, 
the  lat(!  premier,  he  gave  early  iiulirations  of  superior  capacity,  and,  I  '  '^ 
him,  he  was  efhicaKul  for  jiolitical  life.  It  is  rather  remarkable,  that  rrt  • 
withstanding  the  irreconcilahle  opposition  between  him  and  Mr.  Pitt,  he 
receivcil  similar  honours  from  the  representatives  of  the  nation,  and  his 
remains  were  deposited  in  Westminster  abbey,  within  a  few  inches  of  his 
political  opponent. 

We  have  before  alluded  to  the  ill  feeling  existing  between  Aust -la  and 
Prussia,  which  had  iinluced  the  latter  to  cultivate  the  friendship  of  France, 
to  extend  her  inflnrnce  and  dominions  into  Germany,  ami  to  maintain  a 
strict  neutrality  with  the  hostile  powers.  F'rom  this  conduct,  which  for  a 
certain  time  insured  the  peace  and  entirety  of  Prussia,  many  advantages 
were  expected  to  result;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  the  military  system  of 
the  nation  declined,  and  its  reputation  had  greatly  decreased.  After  the 
battle  of  Ansterlitz,  so  fatal  to  the  liberties  of  Kurope.  the  king  of  Prussia 
became  eniir(dy  subservient  to  the  arbitrary  will  of  Bonaparte;  and,  being 
instigated  by  that  powerful  tyrant,  he  took  possession  of  the  electorate  of 
Hanover,  by  which  means  he  involved  himself  in  a  temporary  war  with 
(Jreat  Britain.  A  peace,  however,  was  in  a  short  time  concluded  ;  and  as 
his  Prussian  majesty  was  uiialih!  any  longer  to  submit  to  the  indignities 
imposed  upon  him,  he  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  (ireat  Britain, 
Russia,  and  Sweden.  An  instantaneous  change  took  place  in  the  conduct 
3f  the  Prussian  cabinet  the  precipitancy  of  whose  present  measures  could 


1      ■   ■!    S 


s     I 


1 1 


H  H^'v' 


f^  i 


:^' 


1 


«),''■(_", 


id* 


'  !     i'1 
i 

i 
1(1 


694 


THIt  TREASURY  OF  HT810RY. 


only  bn  equallpcl  by  Iheir  former  f;irdinoss.  The  armies  of  the  contend 
ing  parties  took  the  field  early  ii.  October,  and  aficr  two  engagements,  in 
which  the  success  was  doubtiul,  a  general  battle  took  place  at  Jena  on  the 
14th  of  that  month.  The  French  were  posted  along  the  Saale,  their 
centre  being  at  Jena.  The  Prussians,  under  Prinee  Ferdinand,  duke  of 
Brunswick,  were  ranged  between  Jena,  Auerstadt,  and  Weimnr.  The 
armies  were  drawn  up  within  musket-shot  of  each  other,  and  at  nine  in 
the  morning  about  i.OO.OOO  men,  with  700  cannon,  wore  employed  in 
mnlual  destruction.  Courage  and  disciphne  on  eacli  side  where  nearly 
equal,  but  the  French  evinced  superior  military  scipiice.  When  the  day 
was  far  gone,  Augercau  arrived  wiili  seasonal)le  reinforcements,  which 
being  suppoiicd  by  a  brilliant  charge  of  Murat's  cuirassiers,  victory 
declared  in  favour  of  the  French.  Napoleon,  from  the  height  whore  lie 
stood,  saw  the  Prussians  fly  in  all  directions.  More  than  l-'O.OOO  were 
killed  or  wounded,  and  .30,000  taken  prisoners,  with  300  pieces  of  camion. 
Prince  Ferdinand  died  of  his  wounds.  A  panic  seized  the  garrison  ;  at' 
the  principal  towns  of  Prussia,  west  of  the  (3der,  surrendered  soon  aftertlie 
battle  ;  and  the  remains  of  their  army  was  driven  as  far  as  the  Vistnh. 
Blucher  was  compelled  to  capitulate  at  Lnhec.  Bonaparte  now  entered 
Berlin,  and  while  there,  received  a  deputation  from  the  French  s(!ii:i:c, 
complimenting  him  on  his  woiulerful  successes,  but  recommending  peace. 

On  the  approacdi  of  the  French  to  the  Visiiila,  the  Russian  armies  ad- 
vanced with  great  rapidity  to  check  their  course;  a  formidable  body  of 
Swedes  was  assembled  ni  Pomerania;  and  the  king  of  Prussia  having 
assembled  his  scattered  troops,  and  reinforced  them  with  new  levies, 
prepared  to  face  the  enemy.  General  Himigsen,  who  commandi'd  the 
Russian  forces,  and  was  in  daily  expectation  of  a  reinforeemeiit,  was 
attacked  at  Pultiisk,  on  the  20ih  of  December;  the  engagement  was 
very  severe,  but  he  succeede<l  in  driving  the  enemy  from  the  field  of 
battle.     This  concluded  the  campaign. 

A.  n.  1807. — At  the  beginning  of  this  year  the  bill  for  the  emancipation 
of  the  Roman  ('atholics  passed  both  houses  of  parliament,  and  was  pre- 
sented to  the  king  to  receive  the  royal  assent.  His  majesly,  con- 
scientiously believing  that  he  could  not  sign  it  without  violating  his  coro- 
nation oath,  and  being  desirous  of  testifying  his  attachment  to  the 
established  religion,  iint  only  refused  to  sign  the  bill,  but  desired  that  his 
ministers  would  forever  abandon  the  measure.  This  they  refused  ;  and 
on  the  dismissal  of  Lord  Frskiiie  and  several  of  his  colleagues.  Lord 
Eldon  was  chosen  lord  chancellor;  the  duke  of  Portland,  first  lord  of  the 
treasury  ;  and  the  Right  Hon.  Spencer  Perceval,  chancellor  of  the 
exchequer. 

After  the  surrender  of  tlie  Cape  of  (lood  Hope  to  the  British  arms  an 
expedition  was  undertaken  against  the  Spanish  settlements  in  South 
America.  They  proceeded  up  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  having  surmounted 
innumerable  dilliciilties,  landed  their  troops  near  Buenos  Ayres,  andon 
the  28th  of  June,  180G,  took  possession  of  the  town.  A  general  insnrrec 
tion  having  been  excited  soon  afterwards,  the  British  troops  were  com 
polled  to  abandon  it,  and  it  was  found  expcduMit  to  send  to  the  Cape  for 
reinforcements.  Buenos  Ayres  was  again  attacked  on  the  7!h  of  July 
1807,  by  Rear-admiral  Murray  and  (Jeneral  Whiteloek.  The  soldiers 
beinp  ordered  to  enter  the  town  with  unloaded  mus''.;;ts,  were  received  by 
a  most  destructive  fire  from  the  houses,  and  after  having  lost  2  500  brave 
men,  were  forced  to  retire.  A  convention  was  then  entered  into  wiili  the 
Spanish  commander,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  that  a  mutual  restitutiim 
of  prisoners  should  lake  place,  and  that  the  Britislitroops  shouid  evacuate 
the  country.  For  his  unsoldierlike  condui'.t  in  this  fatal  expediiioii, 
General  Whiteloek  was  tried  by  a  court-martial  on  his  return  to  England, 
and  rendered  incapable  of  serving  iiis  majesti'  it;  future. 


THE  TttRASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 


G9& 


We  now  return  to  tlic  military  operations  on  tlie  continent.  Tlie  bat- 
tle of  Pultusk  had  left  the  contendin<r  purties  in  circumstances  nearly 
equal.  Bonaparte  had  retired  into  winter-quarters,  where  ho  intended  to 
have  remained  till  the  return  of  spring;  but  as  the  IJussians  were  con- 
scious of  tlic  advantages  resulting;  to  them  from  the  rigorous  climate, 
tiu'y  wore  resolved  to  allow  him  no  repose.  The  Uussian  general, 
Markow.  accordingly  attacked  the  French  under  Bernadotte,  at  Morungen 
in  East  Prussia,  when  a  very  severe  action  ensued,  which  terminated  in 
favour  of  the  allies.  Another  sanguinary  encounter  took  place  on  the  8lh 
of  February,  near  the  town  of  Eylau,  when  the  fortunes  of  France  and 
Bussia  seemed  to  be  equally  balanced,  and  each  party  claimcid  the  victory. 
Immediately  after  this  engagement  Bonaparte  dispatched  a  mcissonger  to 
the  Uussian  commander-in-chief,  with  overtures  of  a  pacific  nature  ;  but 
General  Benigsen  rejected  his  offers  with  disdain,  and  replied  that  "he  had 
b(  'n  sent  by  his  masters  not  to  negotiate,  but  to  figiit."  N'otwithstanding 
this  repulse,  siinilar  overtures  were  made  by  BonaparK;  to  the  king  of  Prus- 
sia, and  met  with  no  better  success.  The  weak  state  of  the  French  army  at 
this  time  seemed  to  prcmiise  tlie  allies  a  speedy  and  fortunate  termination 
of  the  contest ;  but  the  surrender  of  Danizic  totally  changed  the  face  of 
affairs,  and  by  supplying  the  French  with  arms  and  ammunition,  enabled 
them  to  niaiiit  lin  a  superiority.  On  the  14ih  of  June  a  general  engage- 
ment ensued  at  Friedlanu,  and  the  concentrated  forces  of  the  alliesVere 
repulsed  with  prodigious  slaughter.  On  the  23d  of  the  same  month  an 
armistice  was  concluded ;  and  on  the  8tli  of  July  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed  at  Tilsit,  between  the  emperors  of  France  and  Russia,  to  which 
his  Prussian  majesty  acceded  on  the  following  day. 

The  first  interview  between  Bona[)arte  and  the  emperor  Alexander 
took  place  on  the  25th  of  June,  on  a  raft  constructed  for  that  purpose  on 
the  river  Niemen,  where  two  tents  had  been  prepared  for  their  reception. 
The  two  emperors  landed  from  their  boats  at  the  same  time,  and  em- 
braced each  other.  A  magnificent  dinner  was  afterwards  given  by 
Napoleon's  guard  to  those  of  Alexander  and  the  king  of  I'russia;  when 
they  exchaii'ied  uniforms,  and  were  to  be  seen  in  motley  dresses,  partly 
French,  partly  Russian,  and  partly  Prussian.  The  articles  by  which 
peace  was  granted  to  Russia  were,  under  all  the  circumstaiu^es,  remarkably 
favourable.  Alexander  agreed  to  acknowledge  the  kings  of  Bonaparte's 
creation,  and  the  confederation  of  the  Rhine.  Napoleon  undertook  to 
mediate  a  peace  between  the  Porte  and  Russia  ;  Alexander  having  under- 
taken to  be  ilic  mediator  between  Franco  and  England,  or,  in  the  event  of 
his  mediation  being  refused,  to  shut  his  ports  against  British  commerce- 
The  terms  imposed  on  the  king  of  Prussia  were  marked  by  characteristic 
severity.  The  city  of  Dantzic  was  de(!lared  independent;  and  all  the 
Polish  provinces,  with  Westphalia,  were  ceded  by  Prussia  to  the  con- 
queror, by  which  moans  tlie  king  of  Prussia  was  stripi)ed  of  nearly  half  of 
his  territories,  and  one-third  of  his  revenues.  All  his  [lorls  were  likewise 
to  be  closed  against  England  till  a  permanent  peace. 

The  unexampled  inHuenco  which  Napoleon  had  now  acquired  over  the 
nations  of  Europe,  to  say  nothing  of  that  spirit  of  dominalion  which 
he  everywhere  exercised,  rendered  it  extremely  improbable  that  Den- 
mark would  long  preserve  her  neutrality;  nay,  the  English  ministers 
had  good  reasons  to  believe  that  a  ready  acquiescence  to  the  dictates 
of  the  Frencli  emperor  would  bo  found  in  the  court  of  Copenhagen.  As 
it  was  therefore  feared  that  the  Danish  fleet  would  fall  into  the  handt 
of  the  enemy,  it  was  thought  expedient  to  dispatch  a  formiilabie  arma- 
ment to  the  Baltic  and  to  negotiate  with  the  Danish  government.  The 
basis  of  the  negotiation  was  a  proposal  to  protect  the  neutrality  of  Den- 
mark, on  condition  that  its  fleet  should  be  deposited  in  tlie  British  porta 
(ill  the  termination  of  the  war  with  France.    As  this  proposal  was  re- 


!%• 


;|-:-f':i' 


ill!|*^^^^^^^' 3 


,i1'^ 


69G 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


tected,  aim  as  the  jrencral  conduct  of  the  Danes  betrayed  their  partiality 
or  the  French,  the  arniament,  which  consisted  of  twenty-seven  sail  o\ 
the  line  and  twenty  thousand  land  forces,  under  the  coinmand  of  Admiral 
Qambier  and  Lord  Calhcart,  made  preparations  foi  invest iny  the  city.  A 
tremendous  cannonading  liicn  commenced.  The  cathedral,  many  public 
edifices  and  private  houses  were  destroyed,  with  the  sacrifice  of  two 
thousand  lives.  From  the  2nd  of  September  till  the  evening  of  the  5th, 
the  conlbi|,nMtion  was  kept  up  in  dilTerent  places,  when,  a  considerable 
part  of  the  city  beinj?  consumed,  and  the  remainder  threatened  with 
speedy  dostrucition,  the  jroneral  commanding  the  garrison  sent  out  a  (lag 
of  truce,  desiring  an  armistice,  to  afford  time  to  treat  for  a  capitulation. 
This  being  arranged,  a  mutual  restitution  of  prisoners  took  place,  and 
the  Danisb  fleet,  consisting  of  18  sail  of  the  line  and  15  frigates,  together 
Willi  all  the  naval  stores,  surrendered  to  his  Hrilannic  majesty's  forces. 
The  Danish  government,  however,  refused  to  ratify  the  capitulation,  and 
issu(!d  n  declaration  of  war  against  England.  This  unexpected  enter- 
prize  against  a  neutral  power  served  as  an  ostensible  cause  lor  Russia 
to  conmieni-e  hostilities  against  Great  Britain ;  and  a  manifesto  was  pub- 
lished on  the  31st  of  October,  ordering  the  detention  of  all  British  ships 
and  property. 

The  two  grand  objects  to  wliich  the  attention  of  Bonaparte  was  prni. 
cipally  directed,  were  the  annihilation  of  the  trade  of  Great  Britain,  and 
the  extension  of  his  dominions.  In  order  to  attain  the  former  of  these 
objects,  he,  in  November,  180G,  issued  at  Berlin  a  decree,  by  which  the 
British  islands  were  d(!clared  to  be  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and  all  neutral 
vessels  that  traded  to  them  without  his  consent  were  subject  to  capture 
and  confiscation.  This  new  mode  of  warfare  excited  at  first  the  appre- 
hensions of  the  British  merchants ;  but  the  cabinet  were  resolved  to  re- 
taliate, and  accrordingly  issued  the  celebrated  orders  in  council,  by  which 
France  and  all  the  powers  under  her  influence  were  declared  to  be  in  a 
state  of  blockade,  and  all  neutral  vessels  that  should  trade  between  the 
hostile  jiowers,  without  touching  at  some  port  of  Great  Britain,  were 
liable  to  be  seized.  These  unprecedented  measures  were  extremely  det- 
rimental to  all  neutral  powers,  especially  to  the  Americans,  who  were  the 
general  carriers  of  colonial  produce.  They,  by  way  of  retaliation,  laid 
an  embargo  in  all  the  ports  of  the  United  States,  and,  notwithstanding 
the  extinction  of  their  commerce,  long  persisted  in  the  measure. 

In  the  conduct  pursued  by  Bonaparte  with  respect  to  Portugal,  he  re- 
solved to  act  in  such  a  manner  as  should  either  involve  that  nation  in  a 
war  with  Kngland,  or  would  furnish  him  with  a  pretence  for  invading  it. 
He  accordingly  ri  riuired  the  court  of  Lisbon,  first,  to  shut  their  ports 
against  (treat  Br.  .mi;  secondly,  to  detain  all  Knglishmen  resiling  in 
Portugal;  and  thirdly,  to  confiscate  all  English  property.  In  case  these 
demands  were  refused,  he  declared  tliat  war  would  be  declared  against 
them,  and,  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  he  gave  orders  for  detaining  all 
merchant-ships  that  w(!re  in  the  port  of  France.  As  the  prince-regent 
could  not  comply  with  these  imperious  demands  without  violating  the 
treaties  that  existed  between  the  two  nations,  he  endeavoured  to  avoid  the 
danger  which  threatened  him  by  agreeing  to  the  first  condition.  The 
ports  of  Portugal  were  ai-cordingly  shut  up,  but  this  concession  served 
only  to  inflame  the  resentment  of  Boiiaparl(;,  who  immediately  declared 
"  that  the  house  of  Braganza  had  ceased  to  reign,"  and  sent  an  immeriso 
army  into  Portugal,  under  General  Junot.  In  this  critical  situation  tlic 
prince-regent  removed  his  troops  to  the  seaports,  and  when  Junot  entered 
his  dominions  he  retired  with  his  family  to  the  Brazils. 

The  subversion  of  the  government  of  Spain  and  the  expidsion  of  the 
reigning  family  was  the  next  step  on  ihe  ladder  of  Napoleon's  ambition. 
In  order  to  accomplish  this  it  was  his  first  care  to  foment  discord  iu  the 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY.  697 

rojtJ  family,  wliich  he  was  too  successful  in  effpcting.  By  encouraging 
tht  ambition  of  the  heir-apparent,  he  excited  the  resentment  of  the  reign- 
ing rtion:ir(;li,  Charles  IV.,  rendered  them  mutual  objects  of  mistrust,  jeal- 
ousy, ami  hatred,  and  plunged  the  nation  into  anarchy  and  confusion.  In 
this  perplexed  state  of  afiairs,  he  invented  an  excuse  for  introducing  his 
armies  into  Spain,  and  compelled  Charles  to  resign  the  crown  to  his  son, 
who  was  invested  with  the  sovereignty,  with  the  title  of  Ferdinand  VII. 
The  new-made  king,  with  his  father  and  the  whole  royal  family,  were 
shortly  afterwards  prevailed  on  to  take  a  journey  to  Bayonne,  in  France, 
where  an  interview  took  place  with  the  French  emperor.  On  the  5lh  of 
May  the  two  kings  were  compelled  by  Bonaparte  to  sign  a  formal  abdi- 
cation, and  the  infants  Don  Antonio  and  Don  Carlos  renounced  all  claim 
to  the  succession.  This  measure  was  followed  by  an  imperial  decree, 
declaring  the  throne  of  Spain  to  be  vacant,  and  conferring  it  on  Joseph 
Bonaparte,  who  had  abdicated  the  throne  of  Naples  in  favour  of  Joachim 
Mural. 

As  the  French  forces,  amounting  to  about  100,000  men,  occupied  all  the 
etrongi'st  and  most  commanding  positions  of  Spain,  and  as  another  army 
of  20,000  men,  under  Junot,  had  arrived  in  Portugal,  it  was  imagined 
that  th(!  new  sovereign  would  take  possession  of  :lie  kingdom  without 
opposiiioti.  But  no  sooner  had  the  news  of  the  treatment  of  the  royal 
family  reached  Spain,  than  a  general  instirrection  broke  out;  juntas  were 
formed  in  the  different  provinces,  patriotic  armies  were  levied,  and  the 
assistance  of  Fngland  was  implored.  The  supreme  junta  of  Seville  iis- 
sumed  liie  sovereign  authority  in  the  name  of  Ferdinand  VII.,  whom  they 
proclaimed  king,  and  deidared  war  against  France.  Peace  with  Spain 
was  proclaimed  in  London  on  the  5th  of  July ;  the  Spanish  prisoners  were 
set  free,  clothed,  and  sent  home  ;  and  everything  that  the  Spaniards 
could  desire,  or  the  Knglish  afford,  was  liberally  granted.  The  sudden- 
ness of  the  insurrection,  the  unanimity  which  prevailed,  and  the  vigour 
with  which  it  was  conducted,  amaziMl  the  surrounding  nations,  and  called 
forlli  their  exertions.  The  efforts  of  the  Spaniards  were  crowned  with 
astonishing  success;  the  usurper  Joseph  was  driven  from  the  capital  al'ter 
having  remained  in  it  about  a  week;  and  the  French,  after  losing  about 
50,000  men,  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  greatest  part  of  the  kingdom, 
and  to  retire  to  the  n.orth  of  the  Ebro. 

A.  D.  180R. — Animated  and  encouraged  by  the  successful  resistance 
of  the  Spatiiards,  the  Portuguese  also  displayed  a  spirit  of  patriotic  loy- 
alty, and  a  general  insurrection  took  place  in  the  northern  parts  of  that 
kingdom-  In  the  provinces  from  which  the  French  had  been  expelled 
the  authority  of  the  prince-regent  was  re-established,  and  provisional 
juntas,  like  those  of  Spain,  were  formed.  Tlie  supreme  junta  of  Oporto 
having  taken  effectual  measures  for  raising  an  army,  dispatched  ambassa- 
dors to  Fngland  to  solicit  support  and  assista.nce.  In  consequence  of 
this,  an  army  under  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley,  consisting  of  10,000  men,  set 
sail  from  Cork  on  the  12lh  of  July,  and  landed  in  Oporto,  where,  after  a 
Revere  encounter,  he  compelled  the  French  general,  Laborde,  to  abandon 
a  very  strong  position  on  the  heights  of  Roleia.  In  the  following  night 
Laborde  effected  a  junction  with  (lencral  I.oison,  and  they  retreated  with 
their  united  forces  towards  Lisbon.  The  British  army  having  been  re- 
inforced by  a  body  of  troops  under  General  Anstruther,  proceeded  towards 
the  capital  in  pursuit  of  the  French.  On  the  21st  of  August,  the  French 
army  uniier  Junot,  who  had  been  created  duke  of  Abrantes  by  Bonaparte, 
met  the  British  troops  at  the  village  of  Vimierx,  when  a  very  severe  ac- 
tion ensued,  tind  terminated  in  the  total  defeat  of  the  French,  whose  loss 
in  killed  alone  amounted  to  3,500  nipn.  Sir  Hugh  Dalrymple,  who  had 
been  called  from  Gibraltar  to  lake  the  command  of  the  British  forces, 
joined  the  army  at  Cintra  on  the  day  after  this  splendid  victory,  and  con- 


fifcm 


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698 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


eluded  a  treaty  which  was  thought  in  England  to  he  disadvantageous,  and 
became  liie  subject  of  inilii  y  inquiry,  but  Sir  Arthur  VVellesley  giving 
his  testimony  in  its  favour,  it  may  safely  be  inferred  lo  have  been  wisely 
conc'udedi  and  such  was  .he  irsuli  of  iho  iiivesiigation.  It  fetipulated 
that  the  Krench  should  i '  acv  .e  Portugal,  with  their  arms,  bui  leaving 
their  magazines,  and  hv.  'rantported  to  Trance  in  British  shii)s,  without 
any  restriction  in  regard  to  future  service ;  having  leave  to  dispose  of 
their  private  properly  (viz.,  their  [ilimder  acquired  by  contributions),  ja 
Portugal.  The  Russian  fleet  in  the  Tagus,  consisting  of  nine  ships  of 
the  line  and  a  frigate,  was  to  be  surnMidered  to  tiic  Uritisli  government, 
but  to  be  restored  after  the  peace,  and  the  llursian  o/Ticers  and  men  to  be 
conveyed  home  in  Knglish  transports. 

The  couveiilion  of  Cintra  being  carried  into  effect,  the  British  forces 
advanced  to  Lisbon,  and  having  remained  in  that  city  about  two  months, 
proceeded  in  diClerent  divisions  towards  Salamanca,  in  Spain.  In  the 
meantinie  an  army  of  13,000  men,  imder  Sir  David  Uaiid,  having  landed 
at  Corunna,  was  marching  tlu'ough  the  northern  part  of  Portugal  towar.ls 
the  same  point,  lionafiarte  having,  with  an  immense  army,  entered 
Spain,  in  order  to  conduct  llie  operations  of  the  war,  the  patriot  troo|)3 
under  Belvidere,  Blake,  and  Castanos,  wire  successively  defeated,  and 
Na|)oleon  entered  Madrid  in  triumph.  Sir  .lohn  Moore,  the  commander- 
in-chief  uf  the  British  army,  being  unable  to  keep  the  field  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  enemy  so  much  superior  in  numbers,  while  his  own  troops 
were  sufl'ering  dreadfully  ""rom  liimger  and  fatigue,  retreated,  in  the  midst 
of  winter,  through  a  desolate  and  mountainous  country,  made  almost  im- 
passable by  snow  and  rain;  yet  he  effected  his  retreat  with  great  rapidity 
and  judgment,  and  arrived  at  Corunna  Jan.  il,  1809.  Soult  took  up  a 
position  above  the  town  in  readiness  to  make  an  attack  as  soon  as  the 
troops  should  begin  to  embark.  On  the  liith,  the  operation  having  be- 
gun, the  Frencth  descended  in  four  ciolumns,  when  Sir  John  .Moore,  in 
bringing  up  the  guards,  where  the  fire  was  most  destructive,  received  a 
mortal  wound  from  a  cannon-b.ill.  General  Baird  being  also  disabled,  the 
command  devolved  on  Sir  John  Hope,  under  whom  the  troops  bravely 
continued  the  fight  uniil  nightfall,  when  the  French  retreated  with  the 
loss  of  two  thousand  men,  and  otl't^red  no  further  molestation.  The  loss 
of  the  Knglish  in  this  battle  was  staled  at  between  scvei  and  eight  hun- 
dred men  ;  but  their  total  loss  in  this  arduous  expediiion  was  little  less 
than  six  thousand,  with  their  brave  and  noble  commander,  whose  soldierly 
skill  and  general  high  qualities  fairly  entitled  hiia  to  the  respect  and  ad- 
miration in  which  he  was  universally  held. 

A.  D.  1809. — The  most  vigorous  exertions  were  now  made  by  the  French 
for  the  complete  subjugation  of  .S()ain.  Having  defeated  and  dispersed 
several  bodies  of  the  Spanish  troops,  they  sat  down  before  Saragossa, 
and  made  themscives  masters  of  it  after  a  desperate  and  sanguin.iry  as- 
sault. The  French  army  then  entered  Porlug.il,  und'^r  Marshal  Soult, 
duke  of  Dalmalia,  and  took  0[)orto,  On  the  arrival  of  another  British 
armaineni,  consisting  of  above  thirty  thousand  men,  under  generals  Wel- 
lesley  and  Beresford,  Soult  was  obliged  to  retire  fr'.sm  Portugal  with  con- 
siderable loss.  Sir  Arlhiii  Wellesley  advanced  with  rapidity  into  Spain, 
and  liav'ing  united  his  troops  with  a  Spanish  army  of  thirty-eight  lliou- 
sanil  men.  under  CJcneral  Cuesta,  they  marched  on  Madrid.  On  the  ~'fith 
of  July  General  Cuesta's  advanced  guard  was  attacked  by  a  detaehiiieiit 
of  tli('  enemy,  and  as  a  general  engagemeni  was  daily  expe<-te(!.  Sir  Ar- 
thur Wellesley  took  a  strong  position  ai  Talayera.  On  the  following  day 
a  very  obstinate  engagement  com.neiiceii,  vliich  was  eoiitinued  with 
various  success  till  the  evening  of  the  28lh,  when  t!io  Frenidi  relieated, 
leaving  behind  them  seventeen  pieces  of  cannon.  The  battle  was  most 
•cvere,  the  English  losing  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  sjx  thousand 


,11  |S    !'!M" 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


699 


men,  while  the  loss  on  the  part  of  the  French  was  estimated  at  ten  thou- 
iand.  For  llic  great  skill  and  bravery  displayed  in  this  action  Sir  Arthur 
Wellesley  was  created  a  peer,  wiiii  the  title  of  Viscount  Wellington. 
The  French  army  was  commanded  by  Victor  and  Sebastiani ;  but  soon 
afterwards  the  junction  of  Ney,  Soull,  and  Mortier  in  tiie  rear  of  the  En- 
glish, compelled  them  to  fall  back  on  Ui'.Jajoz,  and  Cuesta  remained  in 
Spain  to  che(;k  the  progress  of  the  Frcm.'h. 

Austria,  stimulated  i)y  what  was  passing  in  Spain,  had  once  more  at- 
tempted to  assert  her  independence ;  and  Jjonaparte  had  left  the  penin- 
sula s"'>n  after  the  battle  of  Coiiiima,  in  order  to  conduct  in  person  the 
war  \\!.ich  was  thus  renewed  in  Germany.  Hostilities  had  been  declared 
on  the  Gih  of  April,  when  tlie  archduke  Charles  issued  a  spirited  address 
to  the  army  preparatory  to  his  opening  the  campaign.  The  whole  Aus- 
trian army  consisted  of^  nine  corps,  in  each  of  which  wore  from  thirty  to 
forty  thousand  men.  Bonaparte,  in  addition  to  the  French  corps,  now 
congregated  under  his  standard  Bavarians,  Saxons,  and  Poles;  and  such 
was  his  celerity  of  movemetit,  and  the  impetuosity  of  his  troops,  that  in 
the  short  space  of  one  month  he  crippled  the  forces  of  Austria,  and  took 
possession  of  Vienna  on  the  13th  of  May.  On  the  21st  and  22d  of  the 
same  monili,  the  archduke  Charles,  who  had  taken  his  position  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Danube,  engaged  Bonaparte  between  the  villages  of  As- 
perne  and  Kssling,  and  completely  defeated  him,  f;ompellinghmi  to  retire 
to  lioban,  an  island  on  the  Danube.  The  Austrians  were,  however,  so 
much  weak(.'ned  by  this  battle,  as  to  be  unable  to  follow  up  their  success, 
and  both  airnies  remained  inactive  till  the  4ih  of  July,  when  Bonaparte, 
having  been  greatly  reinforced,  relinquished  his  situaiion  amid  a  violent 
torrent  of  rain,  and  drew  u|)  his  forces  in  order  of  battle  on  the  extremity 
of  the  Austrian  left  wing.  The  allies  were  greatly  disconcerted  by  this 
unexpected  moveiiieiit,  and  being  obliged  to  abandon  the  strong  position 
which  they  held,  an  engagement  eoinmenced  near  Wagram,  under  every 
disadvantage,  wlien  the  French  were  victorious,  and  the  Austrians  re- 
treated towards  Bohemia.  A  sus[)ension  of  hostilities  was  soon  after- 
wards agreed  on,  which  was  followed  by  a  treaty  of  peace,  concluded  at 
Schoenbrun.  Oct.  15,  by  which  the  emperor  of  Austria  was  compelled  to 
cede  several  of  his  most  valuable  provinces,  to  discontinue  his  inter- 
course with  the  court  of  London,  and  to  close  his  ports  against  British 
vessels. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  was  fitted  out  with  great  secrecy  one  of 
the  most  formidable  armaments  ever  sent  from  the  shores  of  Fnglaiid.  It 
consisted  of  an  army  of  40,000  men,  and  a  (Icet  of  39  sail  of  the  line,  36 
frigates,  and  ntimerons  gun-bouts,  &c.  The  command  of  the  first  was 
given  to  the  carl  of  Chatham,  of  the  last  to  Sir  U.  Straehan.  '1  he  chief 
objects  of  tlie  enterprise  were  to  get  i)ossession  of  Flushing  and  the  island 
of  Walfheren,  wiili  the  French  ships  of  war  in  the  Scheldt;  to  destroy 
their  arsenals  and  dock-yards,  and  to  elTcct  the  reduction  of  the  city  of 
Antwerp.  The  preparations  which  had  been  made  for  this  expedition, 
and  the  immense  sums  of  money  expended  on  it,  raised  the  expectations 
of  the  nation  to  the  highest  pitch  ;  but  it  was  planned  without  judgment, 
and  therefore  necessarily  terminated  in  loss  and  disgrace.  On  the  arrival 
of  the  urmainent  in  the  Scheldt,  the  contest  tietween  Austria  and  France 
had  been  decided;  the  military  state  of  the  country  was  widely  diflerent 
from  what  had  been  represented;  and  Antwerp,  instead  of  being  defence- 
less, was  completely  fortified.  The  attack  on  the  island  of  VV'alcheren 
succeeded,  and  Flushing  surrendered  after  an  obstinate  resistance  of 
twelve  d.iys;  but  as  the  country  assumed  a  posture  of  defence  that  was 
totally  unexpected,  all  idea  of  proceeding  up  the  Scheldt  was  abandoned, 
and  the  troops  remained  at  VValeheren,  where  an  epidemic  fever  raged. 
Of  the  lino  army  that  left  Portsmouth  a  few  months  before,  one  half 


I      !■' 


<:i     ^       ^ 


Ci^iL* 


I 


f'-r 


roo 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HI8T0RV. 


perished  on  the  peslilcntial  sliotes  of  VViilchoren ;  and  of  the  nin8'n"?';r, 
wlio  returned  in  December,  many  were  alllieted  with  incurable  '.hiixan 
diseases. 

The  oilier  events  of  the  year  may  bo  briefly  tiiid.  7'i;o  Fren' !;  s  f:;tie. 
ment  at  Cayenne  r.iirrendered  to  an  Englitiv  and  Porl'itmese  f>rc!>,  arid 
ihc  islaiu!  of  Martinique  was  soon  afterwards  'Jii.tured  hy  British  irms. 
A  French  fleet,  coiiisisiing  of  ten  s.ii!  of  the  line,  which  lay  in  the  Lij.ique 
roads,  under  the  protection  c'"  the  Amis  of  the  ishiud  of  Aix,  \v;.s  attacked 
by  a  squadron  of  gun-boat^,  (ire-ships,  and  frigiU-.s,  under  Lord  Cochrane, 
who  captured  four  ships,  disabled  several  others,  and  drove  the  r:.st  >>n 
shore.  A  gallant  action  was  likewise  performed  li'y  Lord  Colil.igwood, 
who,  on  the  Isl  of  Octotwr  destroyed,  ii  the  bay  af  Rmas,  llsree  wail  of 
'lie  line,  t'v )  fi'gales,  aiid  twenty  transports.  To  these  8U':'ce«ses  m.^y 
be  added,  '.\>'j  'rihiction  ui"  some  small  islands  in  the  Wes'  Indies,  aiid 
the  cap'.nr-  <  i  a  Russian  flotilla  and  erjnvoy  in  the  Bait.'c,  by  Sir  Jai:;i-.i 
Sauinarez. 

In  the  caviy  part  o;'  ihe  yea",  public  attention  was  enprossed  with  & 
uarli^iinentaiy  iSijuiry  into  ilu:  conduct  of  his  royal  highnegis  the  duke  of 
Vor^.,  cominsnid'i  '■.chief;  afrainst  whom  Colonel  Wardle,  an  ofllcer  of 
tjiliiia,  li;id  brui:s;iii  forward  a  series  of  cliartjes,  to  the  ell'ect  that  Mrs. 
Vary  Aim  Clnrkc,  a  once  favoured  courtesan  of  the  duke,  had  carried  oii 
I  trailV;  m  nuiiiary  commissions,  with  his  knowledge  and  concurrence. 
During  the  |>i njrress  of  this  investigation  the  house  was  full}  attended,  its 
members  appearing  highly  edified  by  the  equivocal  replies  ar.d  sprightly 
sallies  of  tlie  frail  one.  Dut  the  duke,  though  guilty  of  greai  indiscre- 
tion, was  acquitted  of  personal  corruption  by  a  vote  of  the  house.  He, 
however,  thought  proper  to  resign  his  employment.  Various  circum- 
stances which  afterwards  transpired  tended  to  throw  consideraile  sus- 
picion on  the  motives  and  characters  of  the  parties  who  instituted  the 
inquiry. 

A.  D.  1810. — The  parlianientary  session  commenced  with  an  inquiry 
into  the  late  calamitous  expedition  lo  Walcheren;  and  after  a  long  debate 
in  the  house  of  commons,  the  conduct  of  ministers,  instead  of  being  cen- 
sured, was  declared  to  bo  worthy  of  commendation.  In  the  course  of  the 
discussion,  Mr.  Yorke,  member  for  Cambridge,  daily  enforced  the  stand- 
ing order  of  the  house  for  the  exclusion  of  strangers — a  measure  which 
was  very  unpopular,  and  became  the  subject  of  very  severe  animadver- 
sions ill  the  London  debating  societies.  John  Gale  Jones,  the  director  of 
one  of  these  societies  called  the  "  Hritish  Forum,"  having  issued  a  placard, 
notifying  that  the  following  question  had  been  discussed  there  : — "  Which 
was  a  greater  outrage  on  the  public  feeling,  Mr.  Yorke's  enforcement  of 
the  standing  order  to  exclude  strangers  from  the  house  of  commons,  or 
Mr.  Wiiidliam's  attack  on  the  press  T'  and  that  it  had  been  unanimously 
carried  against  the  former.  Mr.  Yorke  complained  of  it  as  a  breach  of 
privilege,  and  Jones  was  committed  to  Newgate.  On  the  12th  of  March, 
Sir  Francis  Burdett,  who  had  been  absent  when  Mr.  Jones  was  committed, 
brought  forward  a  motion  for  his  liberation,  on  the  ground  that  his  im- 
prisonment hy  the  house  of  commons  was  an  infringement  of  the  law  of 
the  land,  and  a  subversion  of  the  principles  of  the  constitution.  This  mo- 
tion beiiifi;  negatived.  Sir  Francis  published  a  letter  to  his  constituents,  the 
electors  of  Westminster,  in  which  he  stated  his  reasons  l"or  objecting  to 
the  imprisonment  of  Mr.  Jones,  and  adverted  in  very  pointed  terms  to  the 
illegality  of  the  measure.  This  letter  was  brought  forward  in  the  house 
oy  Mr.  I.ethbridge,  who  moved  that  it  was  a  scandalous  publication,  and 
that  Sir  Francis  I3urdett  was  guilty  of  a  flagrant  breach  of  privilege.  After 
an  adjournment  of  a  week,  these  resolutions  were  carried ;  and  a  motion 
that  Sir  Francis  Burdett  should  be  committed  to  the  Tower,  was  likewise 
carried  by  a  majority  of  thirty-seven  members.    A  warrant  was  accord- 


c  t<  ins-n'^ir, 
rabk  '..luuLio 

■"reiT  ';  !f;'.l-ie. 
ise  f;i'C!>,  and 
lirillsh  'rrns. 
ill  theliu.ique 

\k;.h  altiiekcd 
ord  Cocbrunc, 
IP.  the  rftst  .'n 

Colll.igwood, 
s,  titrec  H/dil  of 

;s'  Indies,  and 
,  by  Sir  Jan;c9 

'.rosscd  with  a 
Bss  llie  duke  o{ 
Ic,  un  officer  of 
!(Vcct  that  Mrs. 

hud  carried  oii 
d  concurrence. 
Uj  airended,  its 
s  ar,a  sprightly 

great  indiscrc- 
Ihe  house.  He, 
,^irious  circum. 
jnsideraole  sus- 
lO  insiiiuted  the 

with  an  inquiry 
pr  a  long  debate 
ad  of  being  cen- 
he  course  of  the 
jrced  the  stand- 
i  measure  wliich 
vcre  animadvcr- 
g,  the  director  of 
issued  a  placard, 
ihere:— "Which 
enforcement  of 
of  commons,  or 
}en  unanimously 
t  as  a  breach  of 
e  12ih  of  March, 
3  was  committed, 
und  that  his  im- 
cnt  of  the  law  of 
uiion.    This  mo- 
constituents,  the 
«  for  objeciiug  to 
ntcd  terms  to  the 
ard  in  the  house 
publication,  and 
f  privilege.   After 
■d ;  and  a  motion 
rter,  was  likewise 
rrant  was  accord- 


THE  TllEASUftY  OF  HI8T011Y. 


701 


tngly  signed  by  the  speaker  of  the  house  of  commons,  f(  r  the  apprehension 
r.iid  comiiiitinent  of  the  riglit  honourable  baronet.  Sir  Francis  urged  tha 
.'cgalily  of  tlie  speaker's  warrant,  and  resisted  the  execution  of  it  till  the 
".,1  of  April,  when  the  serjeant-at-arms,  accompanied  by  messengers, 
j.i^lice  olTicers,  and  detachinenls  of  tlie  military,  forced  open  the  baronet's 
liouse,  arrested  him,  and  conveyed  him,  by  a  circuitous  route,  to  the 
Tower.  The  greatest  indignation  prevaiiud  among  the  populace  when 
they  heard  of  the  apprehension  of  their  favourite ;  and,  having  assembled 
on  Tower  hill,  they  attacked  the  military  with  stones  and  other  missiles. 
,  n  a  time  the  soldiers  submitted  to  the  insults  of  the  midtitude ;  but  find- 
i.ig  that  their  audacity  increased,  they  fired,  and  three  of  the  rioters  were 
killed.  At  the  prorogation  of  parliament,  on  the  'Jlst  of  June,  Sir  Francis 
was  liberated  from  tiie  Tower,  and  great  preparations  were  made  by  his 
partizans  for  conducting  him  home,  but  he  prudently  declined  the  honour, 
and  returned  to  his  house  by  water,  to  avoid  the  risk  of  popular  tumult. 
As  for  Mr.  Gale  Jones,  who  claimed  a  right  to  a  trial,  he  refused  to  leave 
Newgate,  and  was  at  last  got  out  by  stratagem,  loudly  complaining  of  the 
double  grievance  of  being  illegally  imprisoned  andsuj  illegally  discharged. 

On  the  31st  of  May  an  extraordinaiy  attempt  at  assassination  was 
made  on  the  duke  of  Cumberland.  At  about  half-past  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  his  royal  highness  was  roused  from  his  sleep  by  several  blows 
about  the  head,  which  were  proved  to  have  been  given  by  a  sabre ;  and, 
jumping  up  to  give  an  alarm,  he  was  followed  by  the  assassin,  who  cut 
him  across  the  thighs,  lie  then  called  his  valet-iii-waitiug,  who  hastened 
to  his  master's  a.s.--istance,  and  alarmed  the  house.  Having  closely  in- 
spected the  room,  to  see  if  any  one  were  concealed  therein,  they  went  to 
the  porter's  room  to  awaken  Sellis,  a  I'iedmontese  valet ;  when,  on  forc- 
ing open  the  door,  they  found  him  stretched  on  tlio  bed,  with  his  throat 
cut.  Subsequent  circumstances  made  it  evident  that  this  wretch,  after 
having  failed  in  his  attempt  to  assassinate  the  duke,  had  retired  on  the 
first  alarm,  and  put  an  end  to  his  own  life.  Next  day  a  coroner's  inquest 
was  hold  on  the  body  of  Sellis,  and  after  bestowing  a  patient  attention 
to  the  evidence,  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  oi  felo-de-se.  The  assassin 
was  believed  to  have  been  actuated  by  private  resentment  for  some  sup- 
posed injury,  but  nothing  ilelinite  was  elicited. 

On  the  retitjat  of  Lord  Wellington  at  Talavera,  the  French  armies  ad- 
vanced with  astonishing  rapidity ;  and  having  defeated  and  dispersed  a 
Spanish  army  of  50,000  men,  at  tiie  battle  of  Ocana,  Nov.  li),  they  carried 
their  victorious  arms  into  almost  every  province  of  Spain.  They  were, 
however,  much  annoyed,  and  sometimes  repulsed  by  the  patriots,  who, 
wandering  from  place  to  place,  seized  every  opportunity  of  revenging 
themselves  on  their  rapacious  invaders.  The  French  army  in  Portugal 
was  greatly  superior  in  numbers  to  the  Fnglish,  and  was  commanded  by 
Marshal  Massena,  prince  of  Kssling,  who  employed  every  artifice  to  induce 
Lord  VVellinglon  to  leave  tiie  strong  position  which  he  held  on  tiie  moun- 
tains. With  this  view  he  unilertook,  successively,  the  sieges  of  Cuidad 
Rodrigoand  Almeida,  both  of  which  places,  at'terumost  spirited  resistance, 
were  compelled  to  surrender.  All  these  stratagems  of  Massena  could  not 
induce  the  British  general  to  hazard  a  battle  under  disadvantageous  cir- 
cumstances ;  and  the  cautious  conduct  of  his  lordship  on  liiis  occasion, 
was  as  laudable  as  his  courage  and  resolution  had  formerly  been.  Mas- 
sena at  length  began  to  suspect  that  his  opponent  was  actuated  by  fear; 
and  therefore  determined  to  attack  him  in  his  intrenchments,  on  the 
summit  of  the  mountain  of  Duzaco.  An  engagement  accordingly  took 
place  on  the  OTtli  of  .September,  when  the  combined  armies  of  Kngland 
and  Portugal  completely  defeated  the  French,  who  lost  on  the  occasion 
upwards  of  2U00  men.  A  few  days  after  this  engagement,  the  British 
general,  by  an  unexpected  movement,  retired  towards  Lisbon,  and  oc« 


4'  ;h       i 


fA 


\ 


^i 


'» 


70S 


THE  TRKA8UHY  OF  HI8TOHY. 


cupicd  ail  impregnable  position  on  Torres  Vcilras ;  whithor  he  was  fol. 
lowed  by  iMarsliul  Masscna,  who  encamped  dircclly  in  his  front. 

While  tliese  events  were  tailing  place  in  Spain  and  I'ortiijfal,  the  suc- 
cessful termiiialicni  of  some  distant  naval  expeditions  served  to  eonfinn  tlio 
gallantry  of  that  branch  of  the  service.  The  Dutch  settlement  of  Am- 
boyne,  with  its  dependent  islands,  surrendered  to  a  Uritish  force  Feb.  17. 
On  the  8ih  of  Aujjust,  a  party  of  1^0  Uritish  seamen,  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Cole,  attacked  Uanda,  the  principal  of  the  Dutch  spice  islands, 
and  obliijed  the  garrison,  consisting  of  1000  men,  to  surrender.  The  im- 
portant islands  of  Uourlion  and  the  .Mauritius  were  likewise  reduced,  at 
the  close  of  the  year,  by  a  Uritish  armament,  under  tlie  command  of  Ad- 
miral Hcrtie  and  .Major-Oeneral  Abercrombie. 

Several  events  took  place  at  this  time  on  the  eontinent  of  Europe,  not 
less  remarkable  for  their  novelty  than  for  their  importance.  Uonaparto, 
having  divorced  the  empress  .Ic  ;?piiine,  espoused  on  the  1 1th  of  March 
tho  archduchess  Muria  Louisa,  daughter  of  the  emperor  of  Austria.  Uii 
the  1st  of  July,  Lc.iis  IJonaparte,  king  of  Holland,  after  having  made  a 
fruitless  atten.pt  to  improve  the  condition  of  his  unforiunate  subjects, 
abdicated  the  throne  in  favour  of  his  eldest  son.  That  exhausted  country 
was  immediately  seized  by  Napoivon,  and  annexed  to  the  French  empire  ; 
Charles  XUI.  of  Sweden,  being  advanced  in  a^e  and  having  no  children, 
chose  fur  his  successor  Charles  Augustus,  prince  of  Auguslinberg;  but  as 
this  prince  died  su.ldenly,  it  became  necessary  to  nominate  his  successor. 
The  candidates  for  tliis  high  olhce  were  the  prince  of  Ilolstein,  tiie  king 
of  Denmark,  and  the  French  marshal  Uernadotte,  prince  of  I'onte  Corvo. 
The  hitler  being  favoured  by  Napoleon  and  by  the  king  of  Sweden,  he 
was  unanimously  ciiosen  crown  prince,  and  his  installation  took  place  on 
the  1st  of  Novembi  r,  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  diet.  A  few  days 
afterwards  war  was  declared  against  Cieat  I'ntain  ;  all  intercourse  was 
prohibited,  and  the  importation  of  colonial  produce  interdicted. 


CIIAPTFR  LXIII. 

TlIK  HEION  OV  CEonCK  lit-   [tUF.  BEOE.VCV.] 

A.  D.  1811. — One  of  the  first  legislative  acts  of  this  year  was  the  ai> 
pointment  of  ihe  [)riiice  of  VVales,  under  certain  reGtrictions,  as  regent  in 
consequence  of  a  return  of  that  mental  malady  with  wliich  the  king  had 
formerly  been  temporarily  afllicted.  The  restrictions  were  to  continue 
till  after  February  1,  IBll'.  It  was  expected  that  a  ehaiigo  of  ministers 
would  iMiinediatcly  take  place,  but  the  prince  declined  making  any  change 
in  the  administration,  or  to  accept  any  grant  foraa  establishment  in  virtue 
of  his  new  functions. 

The  progress  of  events  in  the  peninsula  ngalu  claims  onr  attention, 
Massena,  who  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  year,  had  posted  himself  at 
Santarem,  met  with  such  difficulties  in  procuring  the  necessary  supply  of 
provisions,  that  he  was  induced  to  abandon  his  position  on  the  5th  of 
March,  leaviiinf  behind  him  a  considerable  quantity  of  heavy  artillery  and 
animimitiim.  He  continued  his  retreat  through  Portugal,  closely  pursued 
by  Lord  Wellington  and  General  Hcresford.  Numerous  skirmishes  took 
place  between  the  outposts  of  the  hostile  armies;  but  on  the  16th  of  May 
a  more  important  action  ensued  at  the  river  Albuera,  between  iMarshal 
Soult  and  General  Ueresford  The  contest  continued  with  great  impetu- 
osity for  several  hours,  till  at  length  victory  declared  in  favour  of  the 
Anglo-Portuguese  troops,  and  the  French  were  compelled  to  retreat. 
The  loss  of  the  French  was  estimated  at  9,000,  among  whom  were  fivo 
generals ;  the  loss  of  the  allies  amounted  to  about  lialf  that  number. 


r  he  was  foU 

rout. 

ugul,  the  sue- 
tu  confiriii  the 
3mciit  of  Am- 
forcc  Feb.  17. 
the  command 
1  spice  isluiuls, 
(ler.  Tlie  im- 
sc  reduced,  at 
imiuud  of  Ad- 

of  Europe,  not 
[?.     Uoiiiipiirto, 
Utli  of  March 
f  Avislriii,     Oil 
having  niiide  a 
uniite  buhjects, 
liiustcd  country 
French  empire ; 
ng  no  children, 
slinhcrg ;  but  as 
[!  his  successor, 
dslein,  tlic  king 
L)f  I'onte  Corvo. 
of  Sweden,  he 
m  took  phice  on 
et.     A  few  days 
intercourse  was 
icled. 


ear  was  the  a]v 
jns,  as  regent  in 
ich  the  king  Imd 
ere  to  continue 
ge  of  ministers 
king  any  change 
.shment  in  virtue 

IS  our  attention. 
)ostcd  himself  at 
jcssary  supply  of 
on  on  the  5ih  of 
lavy  artillery  and 
closely  pursued 
skirmishes  took 
.  the  16lh  of  May 
between  Marshal 
viih  great  impelu- 
in  favour  of  the 
pelled  to  retreat, 
r  whom  were  five 
lalf  thai  number. 


THE  TREASURY  OK  HiaXORY. 


ro3 


After  lliis  victory  fienoral  Ileresford  invested  the  important  city  of  Ba- 
dajos,  but  was  ol)ligi'd  to  raisi!  the  siejjc,  in  (ror.sequence  of  he  junction 
of  the  French  armies  under  Soult  and  Marmont. 

The  war  was  at  the  same  time  conducted  with  great  spirit  in  diflferent 
parts  of  Spain.  In  Catalonia  the  operations  of  tlie  French  were  crowned 
witli  success;  but  in  Andalusia  they  were  compelled  to  retire  before  the 
determined  bravery  of  the  allifl  forces.  This  army  had  landed  at  Alge- 
siras,  under  General  Graham,  with  the  intention  of  attacking  the  French 
troops  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Cadiz.  On  the  .'ilh  of  March  they  took  a 
strong  position  on  the  heights  of  Harossa,  where  tiiey  were  attacked  on 
the  '-•■5th  by  a  superior  force  of  ttie  enemy,  .\fter  a  remarkably  severe 
engagement,  the  French  retired  in  disorder,  with  the  loss  of  3,000  men; 
but  the  numerical  inferiority  of  the  allies  preeltidi^d  the  hope  of  pursuing 
them  with  success.  The  subsequent  events  of  the  war  in  the  peninsula, 
during  this  year,  were  neither  numerous  nor  important.  The  French 
army,  who  had  threatened  to  "plant  their  easiles  on  the  walls  of  Lisbon, 
and  to  drive  the  Fnglish  into  the  sea,"  were  not  only  unable  to  carry  their 
throat  into  e.\eention,  but  were  frequently  defeated  by  troops  which  they 
liad  been  taught  to  despise. 

While  the  military  prowess  of  England  was  thus  displayed,  the  supe- 
nority  of  her  navy  was  suiriciontly  manifested  by  the  success  which  at- 
tended  all  its  o|)erations.  A  comt)ined  French  and  Italian  s(]uadron,  eon 
.«isliiig  of  five  frigates  and  six  smaller  armed  vessels,  was  eneountered  off 
the  island  of  Lissa,  in  the  gulf  of  Venice,  by  an  English  squadron  com- 
[Mis'.'d  of  four  friir;(les  only;  the  contest  was  (ierce  and  for  a  tune  doubtful, 
hut  at  length  Hritish  valour  prevailed,  and  three  of  the  enemy's  frigates 
were  taken.  On  the  21st  of  .Inly,  a  French  Hotilla,  consisting  of  twenty- 
six  vessels,  was  attacked  olT  the  coast  of  Calabria,  by  an  English  frigate 
and  a  sloop,  and  the  whole  of  them  were  captured  without  the  loss  of  a 
man.  These  and  other  gilhint  encounters,  tlioiigli  on  a  small  scale,  re- 
iloiiiided  much  to  otir  naval  credit. 

Fiinn  the  year  1307,  when  the  celebrated  "  orders  in  council"  were 
isssued,  a  secret  discontent,  indicative  of  hostilities,  had  evinced  itself  in 
tli<^  United  States  of  America.  This  niisunderstanding  was  greatly  iii- 
eieascd  in  the  present  year  by  an  unfortunate  encounter  between  the 
Ainirrican  frigate  President, commanded  by  ('ominodore  Rodgers,  and  the 
Hritish  slof)p  of  war  Little  Ihdt,  Captain  Bingham.  The  particulars  of 
this  occurrence  were  reported  by  the  captain  of  the  Little  Belt,  who  at- 
triliuted  llu!  blame  entirely  to  tin;  Ami^ricaus.  At  any  rate,  the  American 
states  i)repared  for  war,  whi(di  was  soon  afterwards  declared. 

Ihning  the  months  of  November  and  Defeinher  the  internal  tranquillity 
of  tlie  country  was  disturbed  by  frecpienl  riots  in  the  manufacturing  dis- 
tricts of  Nottinghamshire,  Derbyshire,  and  Leicestershire.  The  princinal 
cause  of  discontent  was  the  iiUroduction  of  a  new  kind  of  machinery  for 
stocking-weaving.  The  rioters  aspiimed  the  name  of  Luddites,  and  they 
became  so  dangerous  that  the  legislature  deemed  it  necessary  to  use  se- 
vere measures  for  their  snppressiori. 

A.  D.  1812. — The  restrictions  which  had  been  imposed  upon  tl'e  prince 
of  Wales  by  the  regency-nlll  were  now  withdrawn,  it  being  the  nnani- 
nious  opinion  of  the  medical  authorities  that  there  was  not  the  slightest 
prospect  of  his  majesty's  return  to  a  state  of  perfect  sanity.  The  prince 
therefore  assumed  the  full  powers  belonging  to  the  sovereignty  of  Uritaiii ; 
and,  contrary  to  general  ex[)eetation,  very  little  change  was  made  in  the 
cabinet.  On  the  13ih  of  February,  the  regent,  in  a  letter  to  the  dnk(!  of 
York,  declared  tliat  he  "  had  nn  predilections  to  indulge,  lor  resentments 
to  gratify  ;"  intimating,  however,  a  desire  that  his  government  might  be 
strengthened  by  the  co-operation  of  those  with  whom  his  early  habits  had 
been  furtned,  and  authorizing  the  duke  to  communicate  his  scntimpnts  to 


^ 


I 


"»* 


Is 


704 


TUK  TEEASL'llY  OF  HISTORY. 


Lords  Oroy  iiiul  Greiivillc.  To  tliiti  ovmtiiro  lliisc  iioijlpiripn  replied,  bj 
unresrrvi'illy  fixpressin^j  dio  iiiipossiliilily  of  !lu;ir  uiiitiiitj  with  llie  prt.i-t'iit 
govfrnmeiit,  owinij  to  tlicir  dilfi  reiiccsof  opi'iiou  btin{f  too  iiiiiiiy  ami  too 
important  •.(;  admit  of  si:ch  tiiiioii.  Tlie  moasint's  proposed  for  rcpcidiiiir 
tho  pniial  laws  against  the  p:ipi»;s  vvrri'  ajfitaled  iu  bolli  liousus  of  parlia. 
mf'iit  this  session,  hut  wt.-rc  )ie(,;ativ<'d  liy  a  irreat  majority. 

The  distiiri)aiii;es  among  the  manufactm'ing  daf^scs,  whieh  began  last 
year  in  Notlinghamsiiire,  had  extended  into  Laneashirc,  Ciieslure,  and 
the  wesl-riiiin|,f  of  Yorkshire.  Tl;e  properly  of  indivic.'nals  as  well  as  tho 
machinery  was  destroyed  by  nightly  marauders;  a  system  of  military 
training  was  adopted,  md  secret  oatlis  administered  ;  in  short,  the  num- 
ber and  dariaj;;  spirit  of  the  rioterii,  and  the  steadin^-'ss  with  which  their 
plans  were  conducted,  rendered  tliem  so  formidable  as  to  ffMjuire  the  in- 
terposition of  the  Iciiislaturc.  A  large  military  force  was  accordin^ny  sta- 
tioned in  the  disturbed  counties,  and  by  a  rijjid  (  nforcement  of  the  buy, 
and  the  ad(>i>!!on  of  remedial  measures  for  the  distresses  of  the  labour 
ing  poor,  trauijuillity  was  at  length  restored. 

Wlnh;  tlie  public  mind  w  as  agitated  by  tiiese  occurrences,  an  event  oc- 
curred which  was  at  once  tridy  lamentable  and  important.  On  the  llih 
of  May,  as  Mr.  i'ereeval,  cliaiicellor  of  the  e,\clie>iuer,  was  cnteriu),'  the 
lobby  of  the  iiouse  of  commons,  about  five  o'(doek,  a  person  named  Dd 
lingham  presented  a  pistol  to  Ins  breast,  and  shot  bun  through  the  iu  :irt. 
The  act  was  so  sudden  and  nstounding  that  no  one  of  tiie  many  individ- 
uals present  precisely  knew  what  had  happened,  and  it  was  tho  fail  ofllie 
martyr  only,  that  developed  the  nature  of  the  atrocious  deed.  The  ua- 
fortunate  ^^entleman  f(dl  back  towards  his  left,  against  the  door  and  ;he 
wall,  ex(daimi:ig  faintly,  "  O  God!"  the  last  words  he  utterred;  for  im- 
mediately, as  if  moved  by  an  impulse  to  seek  for  saft.ty  in  the  house,  he 
made  an  etTorl  to  ru;;h  forward,  but  merely  staggered  a  few  paces,  and 
dropped  down.  Hellingham  was  taken  without  resistance,  a  few  minutes 
afterwards.  It  ap[)eared  that  he  was  •,:  Liverpool  ship-broker  who  had 
sustained  some  commercial  losses  in  Uussia,  I'or  wduch  he  thought  the 
government  was  bound  to  procure  redress,  and  his  n'.emorials  on  the  sub 
jcct  being  disregarded,  lie  li.id  worked  tijy  his  gloomy  mind  to  the  nioii- 
fitrous  conviction  that  he  was  justified  in  taking  away  the  life  of  the  prime 
minister.  Li  the  (diange  of  administration  whi(  h  took  place  in  conse- 
quence of  this  mtdamdioly  circumstance,  Lord  .Sidmoutii  was  appointed 
secretary  of  state  ;  the  earl  Ilarrowby,  lord  president  of  tho  council ;  and 
Mr.  Vansitfart,  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 

At  the  cDinmeiicenicnt  of  the  campaign  in  the  Spanish  peninsula  fortune 
seemed  at  (list  to  favour  the  enemy,  who,  on  t'le  9th  of  January,  mailc 
themselves  masters  of  the  city  of  Valencia,  whi(di  (Jencral  Blake,  after  a 
feeble  resistance,  suircndercd,  witii  in, 000  men.  The  strong  town  of 
I'euiscida,  wbicli,  on  account  of  its  commanding  situation,  was  of  great 
importance  to  its  possessors,  was  soon  after  surrendered  to  the  Freiudi  by 
the  treachery  of  the  governor.  Serious  as  these  misfortunes  wen;  to  the 
allies,  tbey  were  in  a  sIkm'I  time  coinUcrbalance^l  by  the  success  which  at- 
tended the  exertions  of  the  British  commander.  Aflera  fortnight's  siejc, 
Lord  Wellington  carried  Cuidad  H  drigo  by  assault,  on  tho  J9th  of  Janu- 
ary; and  on  tho  lOih  of  April  the  strong  city  of  Badajns  surrendered  to 
him,  after  a  long  and  most  obstinai''  resistance.  After  the  capture  of  tins 
city  the  allied  armies  proceeded,  w ithout  opposition,  to  Salamanca,  where 
they  were  received  oy  the  inhabitants  with  benedictions  and  acclamations. 
Afl  the  hostile  armies  were  noiv  so  situated  as  to  render  a  battle  almost 
inevitable,  Lord  Wellington  made  his  necessary  dispositions,  and  as  a 
favourable  opportunity  occurred  on  the  22d  of  Jnly  for  attacking  the  ene- 
my, he  immediately  took  advantage  of  it.  An  action  accordingly  ensued, 
in  which  tho  French,  after  u  determined  and  obstinate  resibldiicc,  were 


THE  TRKASUIIY  OF  HISTORY, 


703 


obliifrd  to  givfi  way  to  tlu;  superior  hrivery  of  thn  nssailants,  and  to  retreat 
ill  tlu>  iiliiioMt  cuiifii-^ion.  Tlio  darkness  of  llin  niplit  was  very  f.ivoiirable 
to  tlio  fuy:iiiv(<s,  yet  '  I p wards  of  7,000  prisoners  were  taken,  with  eajfleB, 
colours,  i-anuon,  and  aniniunilion. 

After  I  .l<ui>r  possession  of  tlie  Spanish  capitid,  VVeliinRlon  advanced  to 
Ilurf.'os  ;  hut  Immui;  detained  a  long  time  in  liesiej;uijj  it,  the  enemy  had  an 
opportunity  of  coneentratinsr  their  force,  and  of  re-oeciipyiiig 'Madrid. 
This  was  (Mir  of  the  last  military  transactions  which  took  place  on  the 
peninsula  durnifi  the  ycir.  For  his  eminent  services,  which  though  fjen- 
erally  aiiprcciated  wen;  not  over-rated,  tlie  corles  hestowedon  thcMrilish 
commander  the  title  of  duke  of  (,'nidad  Kodriao,  and  eonstituteil  him  ^er 
cralissimo  of  the  Spanish  armies.  The  prince  reirent  of  (Jrcat  Uritain, 
also,  who  had  previously  conferred  on  him  the  title  of  carl,  now  raised 
him  to  the  dij,niily  of  a  marquis  of  the  llnited  Kingdom. 

The  foreuoini,'  oulliiii'  of  the  transactions  in  Spiiin  will  put  the  reader 
in  possessiiMi  of  the  principal  features  of  the  war  in  that  quarter.  We 
must  now  diri"cl  his  attention  to  events  in  the  north  of  Kuro[)e.  The 
fondly-cherishvd  scheme  of  Itouiiparte  for  ruiniiiu;  tiic  finances  of  (Jrcat 
llritain  hy  cultiufj  off  her  eoniiiiercial  intercourse  with  I'hiropc,  was, 
through  inlriu'iK?  or  intimidation,  adopted  hy  all  the  neutral  powers.  The 
6la;;iiatioii  oi' trade  on  tlie  continent,  though  it  was  submitted  to  hy  their 
respective  sovereiyiis,  was  very  distressiiiL,'  to  tiieir  suhjecis,  especially 
tiie  Kiissians,  who  had  heen  accustomed  to  consider  Kmilaiid  as  their 
natural  ally.  At  Iciii^ih  the  eniperor  of  Russia  resolved  to  submit  no 
longer  to  the  arbitrary  restrictions  wiiich  thi;  will  of  Napoleon  had  dictat- 
ed; am!  a  wtir  between  those  great  powers  was  the  immediate  result. 
Ill  this  contest  the  most  considerable  states  in  l*]uro[)o  were  involved, 
'i'lie  allies  of  France  were  the  (Jermaii  states,  Italy,  Prussia,  Austria,  and 
Poland;  to  whom  were  opposed  the  combined  powers  of  Great  Uritain, 
Russia,  Sweden,  and  Sjiam. 

Napoleon  placed  himself  at  tiie  head  of  an  immense  army,  and  now 
(.'ommciiced  the  ever-memorable  striurglc.  After  |)assing  throuLfh  Dres- 
den, .ind  visiimp;  in  rapid  succession  Dantzie  and  Konigsberg,  he  reached 
the  Niemcn,  the  frontier  river  of  Hussia,  on  the  'J3d  of  June.  On  the  line 
of  march  were  half  a  million  of  soldiers,  in  the  highest  state  of  equipment 
mid  discipline :  to  whom  ho  issued  a  jiroelamation  in  his  usual  confident 
and  laconic  style :  "  Hussia,"  said  he,  "  is  driven  onwards  by  fatality  ;  let 
her  destinies  be  fulfilled,  and  an  end  put  to  the  fatal  intluencc  which  for 
(he  last  fifty  years  she  has  h;Kl  on  the  atTairsof  I'hirope.  Let  us  cross  the 
Niemeri,  and  carry  the  war  into  her  territories."  On  the  other  side  vast 
preparations  had  also  been  inaih; ;  and  the  army,  consisting  of  about  three 
liundred  thousand  men,  was  under  tin;  immediate  command  of  the  em- 
peror Alexander,  and  his  sagacious  minister,  Darclay  de  Tolly.  The  plan 
of  the  Russians  was  to  draw  ibe  invaders  from  their  resources;  to  make  a 
Jtand  oiilv  in  favourable  situations:  and  to  weary  the  French  by  endless 
marches  over  the  dreafy  plains,  till  the  inclemency  of  a  Russian  winter 
should  lend  its  aid  to  stop  tlniir  ambitious  career.  Various  partial  en- 
gagements took  place  as  the  French  advanced,  the  circumstances  of 
whicii  were  so  ditrerently  related  in  the  bulletins  of  the  opposite  parties, 
diat  nothing  is  certain  but  the  general  result.  Considering  the  immense 
masses  of  men  that  wore  in  motion,  the  French  proceeded  with  great 
4-apidity,  notwithstanding  the  checks  they  occasionally  experienced,  till 
the  7th  of  September,  when  the  Russians  determined  to  make  a  vigorous 
riflbrt  against  their  farther  advance.  The  two  armies  met  between  the 
rillages  of  ^5oskwa  and  Borodino,  when  a  most  sanguinary  battle  took 
olace.  On  this  occasion  each  of  the  hostile  armies  numbered  1"3.5,000 
men  ,  and  when  "  night's  sable  curtain''  closed  the  horrid  scene,  the  bodies 
jf  (i  ny  thousand,  either  dead  or  wounded,  were  stretched  on  the  field  of 
\.o\..  i.— 45 


, 


1;  '  :'M 

■■BfllpHrri 

• 

\\\ 

i        <' 


1 


706 


THK  THEA8UIIY  OF  HISTORY. 


battir  !  Doth  parties  chtimcil  the  victory,  tlioufrh  tlio  udvantiige  was  pvi. 
dently  on  the  siiln  ol'llio  Kreiii'li,  as  lliey  prtxineded  witliout  farlhnr  oppo. 
■itioii  to  Moscow,  whnri!  lliey  fxpeclcd  to  rcHt  from  lluMr  toils  in  pcuco 
and  ({ood  wiiitcrMiiiiirlcrH.  Aboui  iiiid-day  on  the  Hth  tlu;  turrets  of  Mog. 
cow,  (rjittcriiip  in  the  sun.  wt-ro  (h'scricd.  The  troops  entered;  txit  ilio 
city  was  dcHcrteil.  '....4  till  was  sldl.  'I'he  capital  of  ancient  Uun  la  wag 
not  (h'stnied  to  1  e  tlio  abidinKplacc  of  its  present  occupants,  a  cIi use 
BUioke  hei^an  tc  issue  from  niuneroiiH  huildiiifjs  at  tiie  same  instant.  |)y 
order  of  tlie  governor,  (."oiuil  lioslopcliiu,  hands  of  incendiaries  had  hci'u 
emph)yed  to  work  disiruction,  I'uhlic  cdilices  and  private  liouses  suj. 
dei\ly  hurxl  into  (lames  ;  and  every  moment  explosions  of  Kunpowder 
mingled  with  the  sound  of  the  crackluisf  timbers,  while  frantic  men  and 
women  were  seen  runnini,'  to  and  fro,  with  llambtanx  in  their  li.uidii, 
8prea(hiij;  the  work  of  destruction. 

Paralysed,  as  it  were,  l)y  the  awful  secno,  and  by  the  extreme  danger 
which  he  could  no  loiiirer  fail  to  ai)prt!liend.  Napoleon  lingered  five  weeks 
nmoiii;  the  ret^kiiiff  ruins  of  .Mimcow.  Around  him  the  Russians  wert! 
daily  iiici'ca^in;;;  in  ttrciii>lli,  especially  in  cavalry;  and  it  was  not  till 
Murat  had  been  defeated,  and  the  lirst  snow  had  falltMi,  that  he  (h'leriiinifd 
on  retreat.  At  length  he  left  the  city  of  the  czars,  on  the  l!)th  of  Oc- 
tober, taking  with  him  all  the  plunder  that  could  be  saved  from  the  tirr; 
having  at  the  time  one  liumlred  thousand  elleclive  men,  fifty  thoiivuid 
horses,  live  hundred  and  fifty  ficld-pici-es,  and  two  thousand  artillery 
wae:ons,  exclusive  of  a  motley  host  of  followers,  amounting  to  forty 
thousand.  He  had  no  choice  left.  To  subdue  the  whole  Russian  army, 
and  by  that  means  to  secure!  to  himself  an  honourable  peace,  apiieared 
beyond  the  verge  of  possibility  ;  to  return  with  all  jiossible  expeditnm 
was  the  (uily  coursi;  to  |)ursue  ;  and  Ik;  accordingly  directed  the  march  of 
liis  army  towards  Smoleiisko,  where  he  arrived  with  his  imperial  guard  oa 
the  '.ith  of  November.  Alternate  frost,  sleet,  and  snow  made  the  wcallur 
insipportable  ;  overcome  by  iiold,  hunger,  and  fatigue,  the  soldiers  and 
their  horses  perished  by  thousands.  At  length,  after  taking  leave  of  iii!j 
marshals  at  Smorgony,  Dccrember  5,  Najioleon  privately  witiidrew  frnm 
the  army,  and  reached  Paris  on  the  lOlh.  The  Russians  never  relaxed 
in  tlu!  pursuit  till  they  reached  the  Vistula,  and  not  a  day  passed  in  wlindi 
some  of  the  fugitives  did  not  fall  into  their  hands.  Ry  Christmas-ilay 
they  estimated  their  captures  at  -ll  generals,  1,'JD8  otiicers,  l(i7,.'>l()  pri- 
vates, and  1,131  pieces  of  cannon :  the  grand  army  was,  in  fact,  anniliilalcil. 

During  the  absence  of  Ronaparle  in  this  disastrous  expedition,  an  at- 
tem[it  was  made  to  subvert  his  power  at  home,  which,  liad  it  not  bnn 
speedily  suppressed,  would  probably  have  occasioned  anotluir  revoliiiion. 
The  conductors  of  the  conspiracy  were  the  ex-generals  Mallet,  Lalioni', 
ami  (itiidal,  who,  having  framed  a  fictitious  sesatus  consulliim,  went  to  the 
barrack  of  the  first  division  of  the  national  guards,  and  read  a  proclama- 
tion, slating  that  the  emperor  had  been  killed,  and  commanding  tin;  tniDps 
to  follow  them.  The  soldiers,  little  suspecting  any  forgery,  obeyed,  and 
suffered  themselves  to  be  led  to  different  posts,  where  they  relieved  tin; 
guards.  The  conspirators  then  arrested  the  ministers  of  police,  and  hav- 
ing assassinated  General  HuUin,  who  had  marched  into  the  city  wiili 
some  troops,  they  attempted  to  seize  the  chief  of  the  etat-major  of  Pans; 
but  being  arrested,  they  were  committed  to  prison,  and  tried  before  a  mili- 
tary commission,  when  the  three  generals  and  eleven  others  received 
sentence  of  death,  which  being  put  into  execution,  tranquillity  was  re- 
stored to  Paris. 

A.  D.  1813. — The  attempts  made  by  ministers  to  arrange  the  differeiufis 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  were  unsuccessful;  the  in- 
fluence of  President  Madison,  the  English  contend,  being  exerted  in  the 
rejection  of  ail  pacificatory  proposals.    'Ilie  conquest  of  Canada  was  re 


itage  vias  cvi. 
t  farther  oppn. 

toils  m  pt'iu'O 
turrplsof  Mos- 
ilert'il  -,  l>ui  lUo 
lit  RuH  lii  was 
iviits.     A  (It  ii'iC 
[ic  iu»liuii.    »y 
iarut  liiiil  hicn 
iilc  housi'H  Kiul- 
*  of  gunpowiliir 
[riiiUic  im-n  and 

111  tlicir  li.iuilM, 

exlioitic  (liiuRrr 
ijrcriMl  fivo  wrrlis 

\  it  was  mil  liH 
lull  lie  acltTiiuiiud 
II  ilic   lOOi  of  0(- 
Bd  from  111"'  t'"'i 
en,  fifty  lli"'i^:'"'l 
Ihovis'.mil  ariillfry 
nouiUiiiK  to  forty 
,lo  Uussinn  iirmy. 
,(!  pence,  ;>p|)<'.«rea 
,ossil)li!  expiHlHinn 
ecled  the  luanh  of 
a  impcrr.il  KH'i"!"" 
mmle  tlio  woallu'r 
,  Uio  soldit'ia  MM 
akiuK  If.'Vi-  of  lii^ 
■ly  wilfctlrew  Iri'in 
|laii9  lu-vcr  rc-liixrd 
i;iV  passcil  in  wln''" 
"I'ty  Chritiliiv.is-day 
llkers.  107.510  pn- 
ill  fiR-l,  annilnl;anl. 
cxpe«hlion,  an  al- 

h,  hatl  ii  ii*>^  '"''" 
,  another  rcvohiuoii. 

Lis  Mallet,  Lahoru', 
^sultum,  went  to  Hio 
d  read  a  proclmva- 
mmandinsr  the  troops 
forgery,  obeyed,  '.luii 
c  they  relieved  Hu! 
s  of  policf!,  ai>'l  ''''\- 
[  into  the  ciiy  wnli 
etdt-major  of  Pims 
id  tried  before  n  nnli- 
■ven  others  receiv.;a 
tranquilhiy  was  re- 

Itanee  the  differen- cs 
Unsuccessful;  the  m- 
Jhein'^  exerted  m  '"< 
It  of  "Canada  was  re 


TUB  THKASUllY  OF  HISTOaY. 


707 


folvcd  on  by  the  Americans,  and  troops  were  ilispalelied  into  that  country ; 
but  tlie  vi^ilani-e  of  the  Kritish  romnianders  ballled  ilie  scheme,  and  obli({ed 
them  to  desist  from  llie  enleri)rizo.  The  Americans,  however,  were  8uc- 
ccssful  at  sea,  and  captured  several  Urilish  frigates  and  other  vessels. 

After  t\w  retreat  of  Hoiiaparle  from  Russia,  the  emperor  Alexander 
nursned  the  remaining;  Wrench  forces  as  far  as  I'oseii,  a  eily  in  Poland. 
Ho  was  here  joined  by  the  king  of  Prussia,  who,  considering  the  prcannl 
an  advantageous  opportunity  for  restoring  tlie  equilibrium  of  Kurope,  re« 
nounced  his  alliance  wilh  France,  ami  concluded  a  treaty  with  (Ireat 
liritain  and  her  allies.  In  the  meantimo  Bonaparte  was  using  all  his  ef- 
forts  to  revive  the  spirit,  and  call  forth  the  resources  of  his  empire,  and 
having  appointed  the  emjiress  regent  during  his  ahHcnce,  ho  joined  his 
army,  now  consisting  of  350,0i)i)  new  troops.  On  the  7th  of  May  the 
hostile  armies  engaged  at  I,ntzen,  in  Upper  Saxony,  wIhto  the  French 
were  commanded  by  Bonaparte,  and  the  allies  by  (Jeneral  Winzingerode. 
The  contlict  was  long  ami  bloody,  and  both  parties  claimed  the  victory. 
On  the  IDili,  ..'(lili,  21st,  and  !i-»d  of  the  same  month,  severe  actions  took 
place,  and  not  hsss  than  10,000  were  killed  or  wounded.  On  the  1st  of 
June,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  emperor  of  .\ustria.  Napoleon  made  propo- 
sals to  the  emperor  Alexander  for  a  suspension  of  hostilities;  in  conse- 
(pieiici!  of  whicii  an  armistice  was  concluded,  which  was  to  tcrminato  on 
•Aw.  v>Oih  of  .luly. 

It  now  became  necessary  for  Honaparte  to  withdraw  about  twenty 
tliousand  of  his  best  troops  from  Spain,  to  reinforce  this  grand  army  in 
the  north  of  Kurope.  Tliis  diminution  of  tlie  French  force  in  the  penin- 
sula could  not  fail  to  gratify  the  Anglo-Spanish  army;  yet  a  com-urrence 
of  unavoidable  circumstances  prevented  the  manjuis  of  Wellington  from 
opening  the  campaign  till  about  the  middle  of  May.  Having  obliged  the 
French  to  evacuate  Salamanca,  he  pursued  them  with  as  much  haste  as 
po^  lible,  and  having  passed  the  Kbro,  he  came  up  with  them  at  Vittoria, 
atiiwnin  the  province  of  Biscay,  where,  on  the 'Jlst  of  June,  a  battle 
w  '.s  fought  between  the  allied  trooiis  under  liord  Wellington,  and  the 
French,  commanded  by  Josepli  Bonaparte  and  Marshal  Jourdan.  Admi- 
rable bravery  and  perseverainie  were  displayed  by  the  allies,  who  com- 
pletely vaiKiuislied  the  French,  and  took  one  hundred  and  fifty  cannon 
and  four  hundred  and  fifteen  wagons  of  ammunitioii.  On  the  side  of  the 
allies  tlicrc  were  seven  Uumlred  killed  and  four  thousand  wounded;  and 
it  was  known  that  the  loss  of  the  French  was  much  greater.  Ueing  hotly 
pursued,  the  French  retreated  across  the  Bidassoa  into  France.  The  b". 
ton  of  Marshal  Jourdan  being  taken,  was  sent  to  the  prince  regen»,  who, 
ill  return,  created  the  maniuis  of  Wellington  field-marsiial  of  tlie  allied 
armies  of  Great  Britain,  Spain,  and  Portugal.  The  Spanisii  government 
acknowledged  their  obliu:ations  to  the  British  hero,  by  conferring  on  him 
the  dignity  of  prince  of  Vittoria. 

While  the  cause  of  rational  freedom  was  so  nobly  sustained  by  Lord 
Wellington  in  this  part  of  .Spain,  Sir  John  Murray  had  landed  his  troops 
at  Tarragano,  in  order  to  invest  that  place.  After  he  had  made  himself 
master  of  Fort  St.  Philippe,  on  being  informed  of  the  approach  of  .Mar- 
shal Sucht.t,  he,  without  waiting  for  information  of  the  enemy's  strength, 
disembarked  his  troops,  leaving  behind  him  his  artillery.  For  this  pre- 
cipitation Sir  John  was  severely  censured  by  some  political  writers,  and 
being  tried  at  Winchester,  in  February,  1815,  he  was  found  guilty  and  ad- 
judged "  to  be  admonisliod  in  such  a  manner  as  his  royal  highness  the 
coinmander-in-chief  may  think  proper."  His  royal  highness  approved 
the  sentence  of  the  court,  but  as  the  conduct  of  Sir  John  Murray  was 
attributed  merely  to  an  error  of  judgment,  the  cat.e  did  not  appear  to  him 
'o  call  for  any  further  observation. 

Aftur  the  battle  of  Viiioria  the  French  army  retreated  wilh  great  pre- 


J^U 


,1,      IV 


\t 


Sm:V 


■fell; 


•  i' 


708 


THE  THEASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


I 


cipitation  into  France,  pursuetl  by  the  lij;lit  troops  of  tlic  allies,-  and  Ihe 
marquis  of  VV'ellington  caused  the  forts  of  Pampcluna  and  St.  Sebastian 
to  be  immediately  invested.  When  Bonaparte  received  intelligence  ol 
these  successes  of  tiie  British  army,  he  dispatched  Marshal  Soult  with 
some  forces  to  check  their  progress.  On  the  13th  of  July  tlic  French 
marslial  joined  the  army,  and  on  the  24th  lie  made  a  vigorous  attack  on 
the  right  wing  of  tlie  allies,  at  Uonccsvalles,  commanded  by  General 
13yng.  From  that  day  till  the  2d  of  August  the  hostile  armies  were  coii 
tinually  engaged  ;  tiie  passes  of  the  mountains  were  bravely  disputcr] 
by  the  French,  but  the  British  were  irresistible,  and  the  French  again  re- 
treated beyond  the  Pyrenees.  The  fortresses  of  St.  Sebastian  and  I'ani- 
peluna  surrendered  to  tiie  British  arms  afterwards,  and  on  the  7tii  o| 
October  Lord  Wellington  entered  the  French  territory  at  the  head  of  his 
army. 

W'hile  in  the  south  of  Europe  tliese  transactions  were  taking  place,  a 
great  crisis  was  at  hand  in  tiic  north.  During  the  armistice,  which  had 
extended  to  the  lllh  of  August,  several  attempts  were  made  by  tiie 
allies  to  obtain  such  a  peace  as  would  effect  and  confirm  the  safety  and 
tranquillity  of  the  continental  states.  These  endeavours  were,  however, 
rendered  abortive  by  tlie  insolent  pretensions  of  the  French  ruler,  which 
induced  tiie  emperor  of  Austria  to  relinquish  his  cause,  and  to  join  in  the 
alliance  against  him.  Hostilities  were  resumed  on  tlie  17th  of  August, 
when  Bonaparte  immediately  prepared  to  attack  the  city  of  Prague  ;  but 
being  informed  that  his  Silesian  army  was  exposed  to  imminent  danger 
from  the  threatening  posture  of  the  allies,  he  was  obliged  to  change  his 
plan  of  operations.  He  accordingly  left  Bohemia,  and  made  an  at- 
tack on  the  allied  army  under  the  Prussian  (Jciicral  Blucher,  who  was 
compelled  to  make  a  retrograde  moveincnt.  The  further  progress  of  the 
French  in  this  quarter  was  arrested  by  the  advance  of  the  grand  army 
Df  the  allies  towards  Dresden,  wiiich  made  Un  immediate  return  of  Najii)'- 
Icon  necessary.  He  accordingly  advanced  by  forced  marches  to  tlie 
proteciion  of  that  city,  and  having  thrown  into  it  an  army  of  130,000  men, 
lie  awaited  the  attack  of  his  enemies.  The  grand  assault  was  made  on 
the  20th  of  August,  but  as  there  was  no  prospect  of  taking  Dresden  by 
escalade,  the  allies  abandoned  the  attempt,  and  took  a  very  extended  po- 
sitioii  on  the  heights  surrounding  the  city,  where  tiiey  were  attacked  by 
the  French  on  the  following  day,  and  oblige  d  to  retire  with  considerable 
loss.  It  was  in  this  engagement  that  General  Moreaii,  who  had  left  his 
retreat  in  America  to  assist  in  restoring  liberty  to  Furope,  was  mortally 
woiiiKied,  while  conversing  with  the  emperor  Alexander.  A  cannon-ball, 
which  passed  through  his  horse,  carried  otT  one  of  his  legs  and  shattered 
the  other.  He  had  bolii  legs  amputated,  but  survived  his  disaster  only  a 
few  (lays,  dying  from  exhaustion. 

In  the  following  month  several  well-contested  battles  took  place,  in 
which  victory  was  uniformly  in  favour  of  those  wlio  contended  against 
tyranny  and  usurpation.  But  as  Leipsic  was  the  point  to  which  the  efforts 
o{  the  confederates  were  principally  directed,  Bonaparte  left  Dresden,  and 
concentrated  his  forces  at  Kochlitz. 

/Vt  this  period  an  important  accession  was  made  to  the  allied  cause,  by 
a  treaty  with  Bavaria,  who  agreed  to  furnish  an  army  of  fifty-five  triou- 
Band  men.  The  hostile  armies  were  now  both  in  the  vicinity  of  Leipsic; 
the  French  estimated  at  about  !!00,000  men ;  the  allies  at  250,000.  On 
the  night  of  the  15th  rockets  were  seen  ascending,  announcing  the  ap- 
proach of  Blucher  and  the  crown  prince  of  Sweden.  At  day-break  on  the 
16th,  the  P'rench  were  assailed  along  their  southern  front  with  the  great- 
est fury,  but  they  failing  to  make  any  impression,  Napoleon  assumed  tbo 
offensive.  Throughout  the  day,  by  turns,  each  party  had  the  advantage; 
but  at  night-f^U  the  French  contracted  their  position,  by  drawing  nearer 


THE  TREABURY  OF  HISTORY. 


709 


the  Willis  of  Leipsic.  The  following  day  was  spent  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  a  renewal  of  the  contest ;  and  on  the  18th  another  general  en- 
gagement took  place.  Tiie  loss  of  the  victors,  during  a  battle  which 
raged  from  the  dawn  of  day  till  aight,  was  severe,  but  that  of  the  van- 
niiisiied  was  infinitely  more  so.  Above  forty  thousand  of  the  French 
.  ere  either  killed,  wounded,  or  taken  prisoners ;  seventeen  battalions  of 
Saxons,  with  their  artillery,  joined  the  ranks  of  tiie  allies,  who  took  also 
Bixty-fivo  pieces  of  cannon.  Tlie  immediate  fruits  of  this  splendid  victory 
were,  the  capture  of  Leipsic  and  of  the  Saxon  king,  of  thirty  thousand 
prisoners,  and  of  all  the  baggage  and  ammunition  of  the  flying  foe. 

The  allies  did  not  fail  to  follow  up  the  advantages  which  had  been 
gained,  and  their  close  pursuit  of  the  French  army  rendered  its  retreat 
to  the  lihine  in  some  respects  as  calamitous  as  their  recent  flight  from 
Russia.  The  troops  under  Ulucher  and  Schwartzenburg,  who  had  greatly 
(listiuguislied  thinnselves  during  the  late  encountcirs,  entered  the  French 
territories  on  \ew-ycar's  day,  1H14.  All  tlie  minor  states  of  Germany 
now  joined  tli(!  grand  alliance,  the  confederation  of  the  Rhine  was  dis- 
solved, and  the  conlinental  system  established  by  Bonaparte  was  broken  up. 

The  siiiril  whicli  had  att(>nded  the  march  of  the  allied  armies  commu- 
nicated Itself  to  tlie  United  Provinces,  and  occasioned  a  complete  revolu- 
tion in  that  i)art  of  Kurope.  The  arbitrary  annexation  of  that  country  was 
dctriiiUMit:il  tu  their  cominerciiil  interests;  and  at  lengili,  oii  the  approach 
of  tiie  allii's  to  die;  Diiich  frontier,  the  peopit;  of  Amsterdam  rose  in  abody, 
and  with  tlie  rallying  cry  of  "  Orange  Uoveii,"  universally  displayed  the 
(jriiige  colours,  and  proclaimed  the  sovereignty  of  that  illustrious  house. 
The  exanijile  of  Amsterdam  was  followed  by  the  other  towns,  tlic  inde- 
(lendence  of  Holland  was  a.jserted,  and  a  deputafion  sent  to  London,  to 
amioiince  the  revohiiion  ami  invite  the  prince  of  Orange  to  place  himself 
at  the  liead  of  his  countrymen.  The  Dutch  patriots  were  assisted  with 
all  the  succours  that  Kngland  could  furnish,  and  the  ])rince  of  Orange 
u'ciii  and  assiiin>;d  the  reins  of  government,  not  under  the  ancient  tule  of 
.siadtliolder,  but  as  king  of  the  Netherlands.  Denmark,  the  only  remain- 
ing ally  of  Rona[)artc,  was  compelled,  by  tlie  crown-prince  of  Sweden,  to 
accept  such  terms  as  the  allied  sovereigns  pleased  to  prescribe. 

On  the  1st  of  December  the  allied  sovereigns  issued  from  Frankfort  a 
declaration  explanatory  of  their  views.  "  Victory,"  they  said,  "  had  con- 
ducted thein  to  the  banks  of  the  Riii'ic,  and  the  first  use  which  ihey  made 
of  it  was  to  offer  peace.  They  desired  that  Franco  might  be  great  and 
powerful;  because,  in  a  state  of  greatness  and  strength,  she  constituted 
giie  of  the  foundations  of  the  social  edifice  of  Europe.  They  ofl"ered  to 
'joiifirm  to  tiie  French  empire  an  extent  of  territory  which  France,  under 
fier  kings,  never  knew.  Desiring  peace  themselves,  they  wished  such  an 
cfjuilibriiim  of  powe*-  i..  be  established,  tliat  Kurope  might  be  preserved 
from  the  calainitie--  niiich  for  tiie  last  twenty  years  had  overwhelmed 
her."  Tliis  declaration  was  based  on  moderation  and  justice,  and  in  their 
conduct  to  France,  the  allies  acted  up  to  their  professions. 

A.  D.  181J. — After  his  hasty  retreat  to  Pari.s,  the  emperor  assembled  the 
senate,  and  neglected  no  means  that  wen;  likely  to  rouse  the  spirit  of  the 
French  to  resist  their  invaders.  liittle  eflfect  was,  however,  produced  by 
liis  appeals  to  the  people,  and  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  appointing 
twenty-five  commissioners,  invested  with  absolute  power,  to  accelerate 
the  levy  of  new  forces.  Having  confided  the  regency  to  the  (impress,  he 
left  Paris  on  the  -,'3th  of  .January,  and  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  such 
troops  as  he  could  muster.  Ills  dominions  were  al  this  time  threatened 
on  one  side  by  the  British  troops  under  Wellington,  and  on  the  other  by 
the  allied  forces  commanded  hy  their  respective  sovereigns  and  generals. 

Tlie  army  under  the  marquis  of  Wellington  attacked  Soult's  on  the  27th 
<)f  February,  and,  after  an  obstinate  battle,,  drove  the  enemy  from  a  strong 


m^ 


mi 


III, 


l-iiii^*' 


ff  ■  - 


710 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


position  near  Orthes ;  and  on  the  13tli  of  March,  a  division  under  Marshal 
Beresford  advanced  to  tlie  important  city  of  Uourdeaux,  and  entered  it 
amid  the  acclamations  of  the  inhabitants. 

After  the  entry  of  the  northern  allies  into  France,  several  sanguinary 
contests  took  place,  when  Bonaparte,  linding  that  it  was  impracticable  to 
prevail  by  force,  attempted  to  retrieve  his  affairs  by  negotiations.  PlenU 
potentiaries  appointed  by  the  belligerent  powers  accordingly  assembled 
at  Cliatillon,  and  the  allies,  whose  moderation  had  on  every  occasion 
been  particularly  conspicuous,  offered  to  sign  preliminaries  of  peace, 
which  would  have  secured  to  Bonaparte  very  important  advantages.  But 
these  offers  were  rejected  by  Napoleon,  who  required  that  his  family 
should  be  placed  on  foreign  thrones,  and  insisted  on  terms  incompatible 
with  the  liberties  of  Hurope.  The  conferences  wer*^  discontinued,  and 
the  allied  sovereigns  iiuiignaut  at  the  conduct  of  one  who  displayed  such 
an  aversion  to  peace,  resolvcil  on  vigorously  prosecuting  war.  In  all  the 
engagements  which  ensued,  the  superiority  of  the  allies  was  manifested. 
Napoleon  now  adopted  liie  singular  resolution  of  getting  to  the  rear  of 
his  enemies,  and  by  this  ill-judged  movement  left  open  the  road  to  Paris. 

As  soon  as  the  Prussian  and  Austrian  commanders  could  form  a  junc- 
tion, they  advanced,  at  the  head  of  '200,000  combatants,  towards  the  cap- 
ital  of  France,  and  having  gained  a  complete  victory  over  the  army  com- 
manded by  Marmout  and  Morticr,  under  Joseph  Bonaparte,  they  entered 
the  city  which  capitulated  on  the  31st  of  March.  The  enthusiasm  exhibited 
on  this  occasion  surpassed  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  con- 
querors. The  whole  city  seemed  to  rise  ai  masse,  and  to  hail  the  allies 
as  the  liberators  of  Europe  and  the  avengers  of  tyranny.  The  while 
cockade  was  generally  worn,  the  air  resounded  with  oliouts  of  "  Vive  le 
Roi,  Louis  XVlll!"  "Vivent  li;s  Bourbons!"  and  the  conquerors  were 
welcomed  with  the  acclamations  of  "  Vive  THmpereur  Alexandre !" 
"Vive  le  Roi  de  I'russe!"  "Vivent  nos  liberateurs!" 

The  French  senate  now  assembled  and  appointed  a  provisional  govern- 
ment, at  the  head  of  which  was  the  celebrated  Talleyrand,  prince  of  Bene- 
ventc).  At  a  subseipirnt  meeting  they  declared  that  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
and  his  family  had  forfeited  all  claim  to  tlie  throne,  and  that  the  army  and 
nation  were  conscquiMiiiy  ab  solved  from  the  oaths  of  allegiance  to  him. 
The  senate  then  diriMted  their  attention  to  the  choice  of  a  sovereign  ;  and 
after  a  long  consultation,  in  whi(,'h  there  was  considerable  difference  of 
opinion,  they  determined  to  recall  the  Boiirb(ins.  Marshal  Marmont,  after 
obtaining  a  [iromise  tliat  the  HA;  of  the  emperor  should  be  spared,  and 
that  his  troop-^  might  pa.ss  into  Normandy,  joined  the  allies  at  the  head  of 
twelve  tiiousand  men. 

Bonaparte,  wh.o  had  retired  to  P'ontainblcau,  finding  tliat  he  had  been 
deposed  by  the  senate,  and  that  the  allies  were  fully  determined  not  to 
treat  with  him  as  the  ruler  of  Fniiice,  now  offered  to  abdicate  in  favour 
of  his  infant  son;  but  this  was  peremptorily  rejected,  and  he  solemnly  ab- 
dicated hi.s  usurped  crown  on  the  Gth  of  April,  on  which  day  a  new  con- 
stitution was  given  to  France,  and  Louis  XVIII.  wasr.-'called  to  the  throne 
of  his  ancestors.  As  soon  as  the  emperor  Alexander  was  informed  of 
this  event,  he  proposed,  in  the  name  of  the  allied  sovereigns,  that  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte  should  choose  a  place  of  retreat  for  himself  and  family 
By  a  mistaken  sense  of  generosity,  the  small  island  of  Elba,  situated  in 
the  Mediterranean,  lictween  Corsica  and  the  Tuscan  coast,  was  given  to 
him,  in  full  sovereignty,  with  an  annual  revenue  of  two  millions  of  francs, 
to  be  paid  by  the  French  government ;  and,  what  was  a  still  more  extrav 
agant  stretch  of  misplaced  liberality,  a  further  allowance  of  two  millionsi 
five  hundred  thousand  francs  was  to  bn  allowed  to  the  different  branches 
of  his  family  ;  who,  as  well  as  Napoleon,  were  to  be  suffered  to  retain  thou 


THE  TllEASUIlY  OF  HISTORY. 

asurped  titles.  Tlie  principality  of  Parma  was  also  settled  on  Maria 
Liouisa,  his  wifci,  in  which  she  was  to  be  succeeded  by  lier  sou- 

Louis,  who  had  for  several  years  resided  at  Hariwell  in  Buckingham- 
shire, having  accepted  the  basis  of  the  constitution,  made  a  public  entry 
into  London,  and  was  accompanied  to  Dover  by  the  prince  regent,  from 
whence  his  majesty  embarked  for  Calais,  being  conveyed  to  that  port  by 
the  duke  of  Clarence.  He  entered  Paris  on  the  3rd  of  May,  where  he  was 
favourably  received  by  the  inhabitants,  but  the  soldiery  were  far  from  ap- 
pearing satisfied  with  the  change  wliich  had  been  so  suddenly  wrought. 
On  the  same  day  Uonaparte,  after  a  variety  of  adventures,  in  which 
he  iiad  several  narrow  escapes  fiom  the  populace,  arrived  at  his  abode  in 
Elba. 

Owing  to  some  imaccountable  delay  in  the  transmission  of  the  treaty 
co'icluded  at  Paris,  or  to  lh(!  v.nvy  of  Marslial  Soult,  who  hoped  to  defeat 
his  opponent,  a  sanguinary  battle  was  fought  near  Toulouse,  on  the  10th 
of  April,  between  his  army  and  'hat  of  ilie  marquis  of  Wellington  But 
this  useless  and  dt^plorable  effusion  of  blood  only  added  fresh  trophies  to 
those  already  gained  by  the  British  commander.  The  last  a.'iion  of  the 
peninsular  war  was  fought  at  Bayonu.;,  in  which  Sir  John  Hope  was 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  and  (Tcneral  Andrew  Hay  was  killed. 

Among  the  minor  transactions  of  this  period  we  must  noc  omit  that  at 
the  close  of  the  preceeding  year  Hanover  was  recovered  by  the  <^-o«*t 
prince  of  Sweden,  who  also  reduced  Holstcin  and  Westphalia.  The 
king  of  Denmark  joined  the  grand  alliance,  and  Dantzic  fiorrend^red  after 
a  long  siege.  The  British,  however,  were  repulsed,  with  considerable 
loss,  in  the  attempt  to  take  the  strong  fortress  of  B'-rgen-op-Zoom. 

A  treaty  of  peace  and  amity  was,  on  the  30th  of  May,  concluded  a*  Paris, 
between  his  Britannic  majesty  and  his  most  Christian  majesty,  by  which 
it  was  stipulated  that  the  kingdom  of  France  should  retain  its  limits  entire, 
a.s  it  existed  previously  to  the  revolution ;  that  Malta  should  be  ceded  to 
(Ireat  Britain  ;  and  that,  with  the  exception  of  Tobago,  St.  Lucie,  and  the 
Mauritius,  all  other  possessions  iield  by  the  F'rench  in  January,  J'^i;::, 
should  be  restored.  These  and  a  few  minor  conditions  being  arrange  I  u'. 
the  time,  it  was  agreed  that  all  other  subjects  should  be  sei'.lP'i  at  a  con- 
gress, to  be  held  a'  Vienna  by  the  high  contracting  parties,  at  some  future 
period.  The  return  of  peace  was  celebrated  by  illuminations,  feastiiigs, 
and  every  joyful  demonstration  that  so  happy  an  event  could  inspire. 

A.  0.  1H[F>, — We  now  r-  sume  our  brief  narrative  of  the  event-s  which 
were  occuring  on  the  other  side  of  the  English  channel.  Lo'd:  XVllL 
devoted  his  attention  to  the  reestablishment  of  order  in  the  government, 
and  endeavoured  by  every  kind  and  conciliatory  act  to  soothe  tlu  ainnios- 
ities  that  sti'l  rankled  in  the  bosoms  of  the  roya'ists,  republicans,  and  Bo- 
napartistp.  The  new  constitution,  which  was  uiodelkd  upon  that  of  Kng- 
land,  was  readily  accepted  by  tiie  senate  and  legislative  body.  The  con- 
scription was  abolirihed  ;  the  unsold  property  of  the  emigrants  was  re- 
stored to  them;  tile  shop.s,  which,  during  the  republic  and  the  reign  of 
Bonaparte,  had  always  remained  open  on  .'Sundays,  were  now  ordered  to 
be  closed,  and  tlie  liberty  of  the  press  was  re;vtri(ted. 

A  congress  of  the  allied  powers  was  now  heid  at  V'ienna,  for  the  purpose 
of  making  such  poiiti';al  and  territorial  regulations  as  should  elTectually 
restore  the  equilibrium  of  power,  and  aford  a  more  certain  prospect  of 
permanent  tranquillity.  But  a  .state  of  lraiK|ijilli(y  wasnof  so  near  as  their 
sanguine  wishes  contemplated.  An  event  happened  ere  theirdehterations 
were  brought  to  a  contdusioii,  wiiich  made  it  neceK»an'  for  them  to  lay  aside 
their  pen,  and  once  more  take  up  the  sword.  The  restless  and  intriguing 
spirit  ol  Napoleon  was  iioi  to  be  confined  totiie  isle  of  Klba,  and  the  allied 
armies  were  no  sooner  withdrawn  from  France  than  he  medi!ated  a  dt;- 
scent  on  Us  coast.    He  ?.ecordiiigly  took  advantage  of  the  first  onportunitv 


712 


THE  THJiASiraY  OF  HISTOHY. 


that  offered  of  leaving  the  island,  attended  by  the  ofilcers  and  troops  who 
had  followed  him  thither,  with  many  Corsieans  and  Elbese,  and  landed 
at  Cannes,  in  Provence,  on  the  1st  of  March. 

The  news  of  his  landing'  was  instantly  conveyed  to  Paris,  and  large 
bodies  of  troops  were  sent  to  arrest  his  progress,  and  make  him  prisoner. 
But  Louis  was  surrounded  by  traitors ;  the  army  regretted  the  loss  of 
their  chief  who  had  so  often  led  them  to  victory;  they  forgot  his  de- 
sertion of  their  comrades  in  the  moment  of  peril,  and  doubled  n  u  that 
his  return  would  efface  their  late  disgrace,  and  restore  them  to  that  nroud 
pre-i'ininence  from  which  they  had  fallen.  At  his  approach,  the  ar.-iies 
that  had  been  sent  to  oppose  him  openly  declared  in  his  favour,  and  iic 
pursued  iiis  journey  to  Paris,  augmenting  his  numbers  at  every  si.e[),  till 
all  resistance  on  the  i)art  of  the  king  was  deemed  useless.  On  reacliing 
the  capital,  he  was  received  by  the  inconstant  multitude  with  acclamatiDiis 
as  loud  as  those  which  so  ici  cntly  had  greeted  the  arrival  of  Louis.  Such 
is  the  instability  of  -  I'.at  is  termed  jiopular  favour.  The  unfortunate  king 
retired  lirst  to  Lisle,  ami  then  to  Ghent. 

When  the  allied  sovereigns  were  informed  that  Napoleon  liad  broken 
his  engagements,  and  saw  tiiat  his  bad  faith  was  fully  equal  to  his  ainbi- 
tion,  they  published  a  declaration  to  the  effect  that  llonaparte,  having  vici. 
lated  the  convention,  had  forfeited  every  claim  to  publiir  favour,  aiui 
would  lieneeforth  be  r  onsidered  only  as  an  oiitl- ,/.  In  answer  to  tiiis,  lie 
published  a  connler-declaration,  asserting  lliat  he  was  recidled  lu  the 
throne  by  the  unanimous  voice  uf  the  nation,  and  tlia^  he  was  resolved  to 
devote  the  remainder  of  his  life  ni  cultivating  tiie  arts  of  peace. 

In  the  meantime  preparations  for  war  were  made  by  all  the  allied 
powers.  The  English,  whoso  army,  under  tiie  command  of  the  duke  of 
wellmgtoii,  was  at  this  time  in  the  Nctiicrlands,  ri'sulved  not  to  leave  tiie 
man  they  had  once  eonqaered  in  quiet  possession  of  the  throne  of  Franco, 
and  every  engine  was  put  in  motion  to  re-asseml)le  the  troops.  Bonaparte, 
hkcwise,  actively  prc^pared  for  the  contest  that  was  to  decide  his  fate.  He 
collected  together  all  ilie  disposable  forces  of  France,  and  led  them  towards 
the  Netherlands,  hopinj  to  arrive  before  fresh  troops  could  (H)nie  to  the 
aid  of  the  English  and  Pruosians,  and  liuis  defeat  them  and  get  posscssiun 
of  Brussels. 

The  army  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  French  emperor,  includ- 
ing the  corps  of  Grouchy,  amounted  to  upwards  of  ldO,000  men,  with  350 
pieces  of  camion.  In  an  ordi.T  of  tiie  day,  issued  the  11th  of  June,  he  said, 
"the  moment  liaa  arrived  for  every  Frenchman  who  has  a  heart,  to  con- 
quer  or  perish."  The  allied  troops  in  Flanders  were  yet  quiet  in  their 
cantonments.  The  Prusso- Saxon  army  formed  the  left,  the  Anglo-Bel- 
gian army  the  right.  The  former  was  ll.j,000  st'-ong,  commanded  by  the 
veteran  Blucher ;  the  latter  about  80,000,  commanded  by  tiie  iliike  of  Wel- 
lington, wliose  head-quarters  were  at  Brussels;  those  of  l!lu(;lier  \\cre 
at  Nanuir,  about  sixteen  leagues  distant. 

On  tiie  15th  of  June  the  memorable  campaign  of  1815  was  begun,  by 
Napoleon  driving  in  the  advance  posts  of  tin;  Prussians  on  the  river  .Sain- 
bre,  "iijle  Marshal  Ney  crossed  the  river  at  Mareiiiennes,  re|)nlsed  the 
i'russians,  and  drove  back  a  Belgian  brigade  to  Quatie-Bras.  In  the 
ever.iiig,  at  eleven  o'clock,  the  duke  of  Wellington  (who,  together  with 
the  duke  of  Brunswick,  and  the  principal  officers  then  in  Brussels,  were 
participating  in  liie  festivities  of  a  ball,  given  by  the  duchess  of  Kichmond), 
received  a  dispatch  from  Marshal  Blucher,  informing  him  that  Bonaparte 
was  on  hiii  inarch  lo  Brussels,  at  the  head  of  an  hundred  and  fifty  thous- 
and men.  TIk;  dance  was  suspended,  and  orders  issued  for  assembling 
the  troop.s.  On  the  Ifiih  was  fought  the  battle  of  Ligny,  in  which  Blucher 
was  defeated,  and  forced  to  retreat  to  Wavrc,  having  narrowly  escaped 
being  taken  prisoner.     On  the  same  day  the  duke  of  Wellington  had  di 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


713 


1  troops  who 
!,  and  liiivled 

,s,  and  large 
liui  prisoner, 
id  the  loss  of 
jrgol  liis  de» 

to  that  nroud 

;ll,  thl'  iiU-XKS 

ivour,  and  uc 
very  step,  till 
On  reaching 
1  ucclainaluius 
;  Louis.  Su"h 
iforiunatu  king 

an  had  brokon 
d  to  his  ambi- 
rle,  having  vio- 
ic  favour,  and 
swcr  to  this,  he 
recalled  to  the 
was  resolved  to 
eaec. 

yr  all  tlic   allied 
of  the  duke  of 
I  not  to  leave  the 
ironeof  rraiicc, 
l,ps.     Bonaparte, 
de  his  fate.     He 
altliem  towards 
,uhl  eon\c  to  the 
d  gel  possession 

emperor,  includ- 
)0  men,  with  3j0 
of  June,  he  said, 
a  heart,  to  eon- 
t-t  ipiiet  in  their 

,  the  Anglo^c^- 
.aunanded  by  the 
thedukeof  N^el- 
if  lUueher  %\orc 

was  begun,  by 
hn  the  river  Sarn- 
ies, repulsed  the 
ic-Bias.     In  the 
ho,  together  with 
1  Brussels,  were 
•ss  of  Kiehmond), 
that  Bonaparte 
and  lifiy  tlious- 
for  assembling 
,n  which  Ulucher 
narrowly  escaped 
oUiiigio"^  had  di 


reeled  his  whole  army  to  advance  on  Qiiatre-Dras,  wit!i  the  iiitoution  of 
Buccourini^  Bhicher,  but  was  himself  altacked  by  a  larg(!  body  of  cavalry 
and  iiif.uUiy,  before  his  own  cavalry  had  joinecl.  In  the  meantime  the 
Englisli,  under  Sir  Thomas  Picton,  and  Belgians,  under  tlie  duke  of  Bruns- 
wick, iia<l  to  sustain  the  impetuous  altaeks'of  the  French,  cominanded  by 
Marshal  Ney,  wiio  w^as  eventually  repulsed,  though  with  considerable 
loss,  in  this  action  fell  the  gallant  duke  of  Brunswick,  who  was  univer- 
sally and  deservedly  lamented.  The  whole  of  the  17th  was  employed  in 
preparations  for  the  eventful  battle  that  ensued. 

T!ic  retreat  of  Bluclier's  army  to  VVavre  rendered  it  necessary  for  Wel- 
lington to  make  a  corresponding  retrograde  movement,  in  order  to  keep  up 
a  communication  with  the  Prussians,  and  to  oci.'upy  a  jjosition  in  front  of 
the  village  of  Waterloo.  Coiifronling  the  position  of  the  allies  was  a 
chain  of  heights,  separated  by  a  ravine,  half  a  mile  in  breadih.     Here  Na- 

Koleoii  arrayed  his  forces,  and  having  rode  llirouLih  the  lines  and  given 
is  last  orders,  he  placed  himself  on  the  heights  of  llossome,  whence  he 
had  a  complete  view  of  the  two  armies. 

About  a  (piarter  before  eleven  o'clock  the  battle  beg  ui  by  a  fierce  attack 
on  the  British  division  posted  at  Ilougomont;  it  was  taken  and  retaken 
Bcveral  times,  the   English  guards  bravely  defendin  r  and  eventually  re- 
maining in  possession  of  it.     At  the  same  time  the  French  kept  an  inces- 
Kant  cannonadi.' against  the  whole  line,  and  male  rei)ented  charges  with 
lieavy  masses  of  cuirassiers,  supported  by  close  eolum  is  of  infantry,  which, 
except  in  one  instance,  when  tlu;  farm  of  La  Haye  Sainte  was  forced, 
were  uniformly  repulsed.     (Charges  and  connter-tdiargos  of  cavalry  and 
infantry  followed  with  astonishing  pertinacity.     Tl  c  brave  Sir  Tliomas 
Picton  was  shot  at  the  head  of  his  division;  a  gra.id  charge  i  '   British 
cavalry  then  ensued,  which  for  a  moment  swept  everything  before  it ;  but, 
assailed  in  its  turn  by  masses  of  cuirassiers  and  Pcdish  lancers,  it  was 
forced  back,  and  in  the  desperate  onco-mter  Sir  William  Ponsenby  and 
other  gallant  officers  were  slain.     Soon  after  this,  it  is  said,  the  duke  felt 
himself  so  hard  pressed,  that  he  was  heard  to  say,  "Would  to  (lod  night 
or  Blucher  would  come."     As  the  shades  of  evening  approached,  it  ap- 
peared almost  doubtful  whether  the  troops  could  much  longer  sustain  th" 
unequal  conHicl ;  but  at  this  critic;il  moment  the  Prussian  camioiiade  was 
heard  on  the  L'ft.     Bonaparte  immediately  dispatched  a  force  to  hold  them 
111  check,  while  he  brought  forward  the  imperial  guards,  sustained  by 
the  best  regiments  of  horse  and  foot,  amid  shouts  of  "Vive  rempereur," 
and  nourishes  of  martial  music.     At  tliis  moment  the  duke  of  Wellington 
brought  forward  his  whole  line  of  infantry,  supported  by  the  cavalry  and 
artillery,  and  promptly  ordered  his  men  to  "charge !"     This  was  -o  unex- 
pected by  the  enemy,  and  so  admirably  performed  by  the  British  troops, 
that  the  French  fled  as  though  the  whole  army  were  panic-stricken.     Sfa 
poleon,  perceiving  the  recoil  of  his  columns  on  all  sides,  exclaimed,  "it  is 
all  over,"  and  retreated  with  all  possible  speed.     The  French  left  the  field 
in  the  utmost  confusion  and  dismay,  abandoning  above  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pieces  of  cannon.     They  were  pursued  by  the  victors  till  long  after 
dark,  when  the  British,  exhausted  by  fatigue,  halted ;  the  Prussians  there- 
fore continued  the  pursuit,  and  nothing  could  be  more  complete  than  the 
discomfiture  of  the  routed  army  :  not  more  than  forty  thousand  men,  partly 
without  arms,  and  carrying  with  them  only  twenty-seven  pieces  out  of 
their  numerous  artillery,  made  their  retreat  through  Charleroi.    The  loss 
of  the  allies  was  great ;  that  of  the  British  and  Hanoverians  alone  amounted 
to  thirteen  thousand.    Two  generals  and  four  colonels  were  among  the 
killed;  nine  generals  and  five  colonels  were  wounded;  among  them  wa 
Lord  Uxbridge,  who  had  fought  gallantly,  and  was  wounded  by  almo 
the  laf-t  sliot  that  was  fired  bv  the  enemy.     Such  is  the  general,  thoug 
necessarily  meagre,  outline  of  the  cver-mcmorable  battle  of  Waterloo 


Mr 


:;  ,,.i*|i 


7U 


THE  TREASIJEY  OF  HISTORY. 


evincing  one  of  tlie  noblest  proofs  upon  record  of  British  valour,  and  oJ 
the  talents  of  a  great  national  commander. 

Bonaparte  returned  to  Paris,  in  the  gloominess  of  despair,  and  admitted 
that  his  army  was  no  more.  The  partisans  of  Louis  looked  forward  to 
the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons;  another  party  desired  a  republic  ;  while 
the  Bonaparlists  showed  their  anxiety  to  receive  Napoleon's  abdication, 
and  to  make  iVIaria  Louisa  empress-regent  durmg  her  son's  minority 
Meanwhile  the  representatives  of  the  nation  declared  their  sittings  per- 
manent, and  some  of  the  members  having  boldly  asserted  that  the  un- 
conditional abdication  of  Bonaparte  could  alone  save  the  state,  the  declar- 
ation was  received  with  applause,  and  the  fallen  emperor  was  persuaded 
once  more  to  descend  from  his  usurped  throne. 

A  commission  was  appointed  to  repair  to  the  allied  armies  with  propo- 
sals of  peace,  but  the  victors  had  formed  a  resolution  not  lo  treat  but  under 
the  walls  of  Paris.  The  duke  of  Wellington  then  addressed  a  i)roclama- 
tion  to  t\w  I'^rench  people,  stating  that  ho  had  entered  the  country  r.ot  as 
an  enemy,  except  lo  the  usurper,  with  whom  there  could  be  no  pi",;  e  nor 
truce,  but  to  enable  them  to  throw  off  the  yoke  by  which  they  w:re  op- 

[)reRsod.  Wellington  and  Ulucher  continued  their  march  to  Paris  with 
ittle  opposition,  and  on  the  .'!()lh  it  was  invested.  The  heights  about  the 
city  were  strongly  fortified,  and  it  was  defended  by  fifty  thousand  tro)p8 
of  the  line,  besides  national  guards  and  volunteers.  On  the  3d  of  July, 
Marshal  Davoust,  the  French  commander,  concluded  a  convention  \vi;h 
the  generals-in-chief  of  the  allied  armies,  who  stipulated  that  Paris  should 
be  evacuated  in  three  days  by  the  French  troops;  all  the  fortified  posts 
and  barriers  given  up;  and  no  individual  prosecuted  for  his  political  upiii. 
ions  or  conduct.  The  provisional  government  now  retired,  and  on  the  (itli 
Louis  made  his  public  entry  into  Paris,  where  he  was  hailed  by  his  fickle 
subjects  with  cries  of  "Vive  le  roi!"  'I'he  military,  however,  tlioutrh 
beaten,  were  still  stubborn,  and  it  required  some  lime  and  address  toiiKike 
them  acknowledge  the  sovereignty  of  the  Bourbons. 

Bonaparte  in  the  meantime  had  reached  the  port  of  Rochefort  in  safely, 
from  whence  he  anxiously  hoped  to  escai)e  to  America ;  but  finding  it  im- 
possible to  elude  the  British  cruisers,  he  went  on  board  the  Btdlerophon, 
one  of  the  vessels  blockading  the  coast,  and  surrendered  himself  to  Cap- 
tain Maitland.  Prior  to  this  he  had  i;oiight  to  stipulate  for  a  free  piis- 
sage,  or  to  surrender  on  condition  of  being  allowed  to  reside  in  Eiiglimd 
in  honourable  exile  ;  but  neither  proposal  could  be  listened  to;  the  allied 
powers,  aware  of  his  restless  and  intriguing  disposition,  had  determined 
upon  the  island  of  St.  Helena  as  his  future  residence,  and  that  there  lie 
should  be  kejit  unde  the  strictest  guard.  The  Bel'eroplion  proceeded  lo 
Torbay;  Napoleon  ^  as  tu -sfcrred  to  the  Northumberland,  cominandrd 
by  Admiral  Sir  G.  Cockburn,  and,  attended  by  some  of  his  most  attached 
friends  and  domestics,  he  in  due  course  achf^d  his  destination,  but  n-n 
without  violently  protesting  against  the  injustice  of  his  banishment,  aft'  r 
having  thrown  himself  upon  the  hospitality  of  the  British  nation. 

Mural,  the  brother-in-law  of  Napoleon,  having  joined  the  allies  wIk  ti 
he  found  the  career  of  his  friend  and  patron  growing  to  a  close,  rejoiim! 
him  again  on  his  return  from  filba;  but  having  been  driven  from  the  throne 
of  Naples,  he  joined  a  band  of  dtdperadoes,  and  landed  in  Calabria,  where, 
being  speedily  overcome  and  taken,  he  was  instantly  shot.  Marslial  Ncy 
fwho  had  promised  Louis  to  bring  Napoleon,  "like  »  wild  beast  in  a  rage, 
to  Paris")  and  Colonel  Labedoycre,  suffered  for  their  treacheryi  but  Lav- 
alette,  who  was  sentenced  to  the  same  fate,  escaped  from  prison,  dis- 
guised in  his  wife's  clothes,  and,  by  the  assistance  of  Sir  Robert  V^'ilson, 
Mr.  Hutchinson,  and  Mr.  Bruce,  got  out  of  the  country  undiscovcrc*!. 

A  congress  was  held  at  Vienna,  and  several  treaties  between  the  ai!ied 
powers  and  France  were  finally  adjusted.    (Nov.  20.)    The  additions  m»<k 


li«P|^T>' 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


715 


valour,  and  ol 

•,  and  utlmiltcd 
cd  forward  to 
e public ;  while 
lu's  al)ilicalion, 
ion's  minority 
ir  siliinss  per- 
ed  lliHt  tun  m- 
late,  the  de(!lar- 
was  persuaded 

SIRS  with  propo- 

0  ircui  l)ut  undt'i 
i3cd  a  proclama- 
)  country  r.ol  as 

be  no  pi>v.'  e  nor 
ch  they  w^-rn  op- 
•li  to  Varis  wiili 
i,cighis  about  the 
.  tliousaad  troips 
)ii  thfi  3d  of  July, 

1  convention  wi'h 
that  I'ariB  f.houW 

ihe  fortified  posts 
his  political  opiu- 
•cd,  and  on  the  Ml 
lailed  by  his  fickle 
however,  though 
p,d  address  to  nwke 

lochefort  in  safety, 
I  •  hut  finding  U  "«• 
frd  the  Bellerophon, 
red  himself  to  tlap- 
latc  for  H  free  p'.ib- 
L  reside  in  Kng y.Hid 
Itcned  to ;  the  allicJ 
Ln,  had  determined 
[,and  that  there  be 
ophon  proceeded  to 
'lerland,  commanded 
if  his  moat  atlachud 
destination,  but  lyn 
lis  banishnAcnt,  af'  t 
ritish  nation, 
ned  the  allies  wlun 
2  to  a  close,  rejouvd 
,ven  from  the  throue 
1  in  Calabria,  where, 
shoi.     Marshal  Ncy 
I  wild  beast  in  a  rugo, 
r  treachery;  but  Lav- 
Ted  from  pn«on,  ills- 
ff  Sir  Robert  V<ilson, 
Lry  undiscovered. 
■8  between  the  aLiw 
The  additions  m»rt« 


to  the  French  territory  by  the  treaty  of  1814  were  now  rescinded ;  seven- 
teen of  the  frontier  fortified  towns  and  cities  of  France  were  to  be  gar- 
risoned by  tlie  allies  for  five  years  ;  one  hundred  and  fifty  tliousand  troops, 
as  an  army  of  occupation  under  the  uuke  of  WcUingloii,  were  to  be  main- 
tained for  the  same  space  of  time  ;  and  a  sum  of  900,000,000  francs  was 
to  be  paid  as  an  indemnity  to  the  allies.  It  was  further  agreed,  that  all 
the  worlis  of  art  whicli  had  been  plundered  by  the  French  from  other 
countries,  should  be  restored.  Thus  the  master-pieces  of  art  deposited 
in  the  gallery  of  the  Louvre  (the  Venus  dc  Medicis,  the  Apollo  Delvi- 
dere,  &c.,  Ac),  were  reclaimed  by  their  respective  owners— an  act  of 
stern  justice,  but  one  which  excited  the  utmost  indignation  among  the 
Parisians. 

In  order  to  secure  the  peace  of  Germany,  an  act  of  confederation  was 
concluded  between  its  respective  rulers,  every  member  of  whicli  was 
free  to  form  what  alliances  he  pleased,  provided  they  were  such  as  could 
not  prove  injurious  to  the  general  safety,  and  in  cuse  of  one  prince  being 
attacked,  all  the  rest  were  bound  to  ;irin  in  his  defence.  Thus  ended  this 
long  and  sanguinary  warfare,  the  events  of  which  were  so  rapid  and  ap- 
palling, and  their  conseciuences  so  mighty  and  unlooked-for,  tli.it  future 
ages  will  be  tempted  to  doubt  the  evidence  of  facts,  and  to  believe  that  the 
history  of  the  nineteenth  century  is  interwoven  with  and  embellished  by 
tlic  splendour  of  fiction. 

A.  n.  ISli:. — It  has  been  justly  observed,  that  "it  was  only  after  the 
storm  had  subsided  that  Kngland  became  sensible  of  the  wounds  received 
in  her  late  tremendous  struggle*.  While  hostilities  lasted,  she  felt  neither 
weakness  nor  disorder.  Though  a  princrj)al  in  the  war,  she  had  been  ex- 
empt from  its  worst  calamities.  Haltles  were  fought,  countries  were  over- 
run and  desolated,  but  her  own  border  remained  unassailable.  Like  a 
spectator  viewing  securely  the  tempest  at  a  distance,  she  was  only  sei>«(i- 
blc  of  its  fury  by  the  wreck  of  neighbouring  nations,  v  aftcd  at  ijuervals 
to  her  shores.  The  cessation  of  hostilities  in  1815,  was  like  the  cessation 
of  motion  in  a  gigantic  machine,  which  has  been  urged  to  its  maximum 
velocity.  One  of  the  first  results  of  peace  was  an  ""o>-n-|ous  diminution 
ill  the  war  expenditure  of  the  government.  During  the  la^:  five  years  of 
tlio  war,  the  public  expenditure  averaged  10^,7  .'0,000/.  During  the  flrst 
rive  years  of  jjeace,  it  averaged  Ol.'iUO.OOO/.  Peace  tltus  caused  an  imme- 
diate reduction  of  nearly  fifty  millions  in  the  amount  of  money  expended 
by  government  in  the  support  of  domestic  industry. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  session  tl;e  ministers  were  defeated  in  at- 
tempting to  continue  the  property  tax  for  one  year  longer;  and, chagrined 
at  this  result,  they  abandoned  the  war  duty  on  inalt,  thereby  relinquishing 
a  tax  that  would  have  produced  'J,000,000/.  The  bank  restriction  bill  was 
extended  for  two  years  loiiirer,  and  another  ineffectual  attempt  was  made 
iu  favour  of  the  Roman  catholic  claims. 

Tlie  house  was  now  informed,  by  a  message  from  the  prince  regent, 
that  a  matrimonial  alliance  was  about  to  f»ke  place  between  his  daughter 
and  Prince  Leopold  of  Saxo  Cobourif :  uiH>n  which  parliament  voted  an 
annual  provision  of  (>0,000/,  for  supp-i>rting  a  suitable  establishment,  anJ, 
III  tlie  event  of  the  deceasf  of  the  princess,  50,000/.  per  annum  was  secured 
to  his  royal  highness  for  life.  The  nuptials  were  solemnized  with  be- 
."oming  splendour,  on  the  2d  of  Mny,  at « "arlton  house.  In  the  .fuly  follow- 
ing the  princess  Mary  gave  her  hand  to  nerrousin  the  duko  of  Gloucester. 
The  event  i;,jxt  aeinaiKhn  j  noiic",  was  one  which  placed  the  glory  of 
lirilish  Aftns  und  Hntish  huMvipiiy  m  a  conspiruous  light.  The  Algerines 
and  their  iieighnonrs.  the  Tun  --lan*.  had  long  been  in  the  habit  of  com- 
mitting atrocities  on  lue  subjects  o<  r-,  f -y  Thristian  power  that  happened 
10  fall  into  their  hands.  Repealeu  r«pon»tr  mees  had  been  made,  without 
procuring  redress,  and  it  wa*  now  determined  that  thw  horde  of  pirates 


V'\-J. 


I  .^j';. 


't^.i^iV-. 


m 


ifia»j.,«v..vc;ri 


716 


THE  TUEA8URY  OP  HI3T0HY. 


should  either  accede  to  certain  proposals,  or  sufTer  for  so  long;  and  i)arbar 
ously  defying  the  laws  of  civilized  nations.  Accordingly,  Lord  Kxinoutli 
was  sent  wiih  a  fleet  to  the  states  of  Uarbary,  to  (.onclude  a  trciily  of 
peace  between  tlieni  md  the  kings  of  Naples  and  Sardinia,  to  atiolisli 
Christian  slavery,  and  to  obtain  from  them  a  promise  to  respect  tlie  il;ig 
of  the  Ionian  islands,  which  had  lately  become  aa  independent  coiiniry. 
Tlie  boys  of  Tunis  and  Tripoli  acceded  to  all  these  demands ;  but  the  dey 
of  Algiers  demurred,  as  far  as  re<fardcd  the  abolition  of  slavery.  Shortly 
after,  notwithstanding  this  treaty,  a  considerable  lumiber  of  unarnu'd 
Christians,  who  iiad  landed  at  llona,  having  been  massacred  by  the  Mo. 
hammcdans,  Lord  Lxmouth  returned  and  commenced  a  furious  bomli;n(i- 
ment  of  the  city  of  Algiers,  which  lasted  six  hours;  tlie  contest  u.is 
severe  ;  eight  hundred  of  the  assailants  fell  in  the  action,  and  the  HimsIi 
ships  sullt'red  considerably,  bui  the  gallant  admiral  had  the  satisf;ntii)ii 
of  deniolisiiing  the  Algerine  batteries,  and  destroying  tiieir  slupinn;;, 
arsenal,  and  magazine,  while  the  dey  was  forced  to  agree  to  tlie  ubohtiGii 
of  Christian  slavery,  and  the  release  of  all  within  his  dominions. 

Tlie  distresses  of  the  labouring  and  manufacturing  classes,  and  the  liiirl, 
price  of  jirovisions,  at  length  produced  serious  disturbances  iu  various 
parts  of  England.  The  malcontents  in  the  eastern  counties  broke  (ut 
into  open  violence,  and  were  not  suppressed  without  the  assistance  of  the 
military.  In  London  similar  attem|)ts  were  made.  Mr.  Hunt,  a  populin- 
•demagogue,  had  on  the  15th  of  November  convened  a  public  meeting  in 
Spa-fields,  to  draw  up  a  petition  to  the  regent.  On  the  2d  of  Deceinlur 
another  meeting  was  called  to  receive  the  answer  to  their  petition.  Wiiiio 
this  meeting  was  awaiting  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt,  a  band  of  desperadoes 
appeared  on  the  ground  with  a  tri-coloured  flag  and  other  banners,  beaded 
by  a  young  man  named  Watson,  who,  after  using  violent  language  from  a 
w  gon,  proceeded  towards  the  city,  accompanied  by  a  vast  crowd  of  the 
po[)ulace.  On  arriving  at  Snow-hill  they  jihiiiderea  iNe  shop  of  Mr.  Heck- 
with,  a  gunsmith;  and  a  person  named  I'latt,  who  remonstrated  aguiiist 
the  proceeding,  was  sliot  at  and  wounded  by  young  Watson-  Tliey  tlien 
hurried  on  towards  the  Royal-exciiange,  where  they  were  met  by  a  body 
of  the  police,  headed  by  Mayor  Wood,  who  ordered  the  gates  to  be  shut, 
and  seized  several  who  had  arms.  The  mob  plundered  some  more  j.'uii- 
sniilhs'  shops  in  the  Minories,  but  the  military  coming  to  the  aid  of  tiio 
civil  power,  several  of  the  rioters  were  apprehended,  and  the  remainder 
dispersed.  One,  named  Cashman,  sufl!"ered  capital  punishment,  but  tlie 
ringleader  contrived  to  effect  his  escape  to  America,  although  a  large  re- 
ward was  offered  for  his  apprehension. 

A.  I).  l-!l7. — In  tiie  regent's  .speech  at  the  opening  of  parliament,  allusion 
was  made  to  the  popular  discontents,  wliich  he  ascribed  to  the  efforts  ol 
dcF. j.niig  peifsons  to  mislead  the  people.  On  his  return  through  tit. 
.laniis'  park  an  imrnenso  mob  had  assembled,  who  saluted  him  with 
groans  and  hisses,  and  as  he  passed  the  back  of  Carlton-liouse  the  glass 
of  the  royal  carriage  was  perforated  either  by  a  stone  or  the  ball  from  an 
air-gun.  To  meet  tlie  j.ublic  exigencies,  his  royal  highness  soon  after 
Burrendered  iifiy  tliousaad  pounds  per  annum  of  his  income.  This  ex- 
ample w.i%  lollowed  by  the  marquis  Camden,  who  patriotically  gave  up 
the  (evi  of  tlie  tellership  of  the  exchequer,  valued  at  thirteen  thousand 
porinds  per  annum,  reserving  only  the  salary  of  two  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred pounds.  Alas!  the  noble  marquis  had  no  imitators  ;  but  though  his 
p^nerous  example  was  not  followed,  the  deed  will  not  be  wholly  ob- 
literated fro«j  his  country's  annals. 

\  melancholy  event  now  occurred.  The  princess  Charlotte,  daughit  r 
of  iho  legf'iit  and  consort  of  Prince  Leopold,  expired  on  tlie  5ih  of  No- 
rember,  after  having  given  birtii  to  a  dead  child.  The  untimely  fate  ol 
•Jus  amiable  princess  caused  a  regret  which  was  universally  exprohsed. 


'•'^r^ 


PT'V 


THK  TUKASnUY  OF   HISTOUy 


717 


rami  l)arbar 
iri]  Kx mouth 

11  treaty  ol 
a,  to  abolish 
pect  the  lliig 
lent  couutiy. 
;  bvit  the  (ley 
iTy.    Shortly 

of  vniiirnu'ii 
il  by  the  Mo. 
ions  honili'.inl- 
j  contest  was 
lid  the  15r;:isU 
lie  satisf;iitii)n 
Lheir  shipiiint;, 
o  the  abolUiun 
nions. 

|.s,  amlthehi|Th 
ices  ia  various 
ities  broke  (ul 
ssistaiice  of  tV.c 
tUnit,  a  populiu- 
blic  meptinu  m 
2d  of  DeceinluT 
petition.     NMul'^ 
il  of  ilespeiaducs 

banners,  Veadod 
language  from  a 
ist  crowd  of  till' 
hop  of  Mr.  Hi'fk- 
jnsttated  a<juuisi 
,ou.  They  llien 
c  met  by  u  body 
nates  to  be  shut, 

some  more  (.niu- 

o  the  aid  of  the 
.d  the  remainder 
[ushmcnt,  but  Uie 

liough  a  large  rc- 

irliamcnt,  allusion 
[d  to  the  efforts  ol 
jturn  through  St^ 
rfaluted  him  with 
fi-house  the  glass 
Ir  the  ball  from  au 
Thncss  soon  after 
Income.    This  ex- 
Kriotieally  gave  up 
Ithirteen  thousand 
lusand  seven  hmi- 
Is  ;  but  though  nis 
Tot  be  wholly  ob- 

Iharlotte,  daugUur 
In  the  5lh  ol  N^'- 
I  untimely  fate  ot 
tersally  cxprotsed- 


Her  unnstentalious  ami  frank  demeanour,  lier  domrstie  virtiira  nnd  be- 
nevolent disposilion,  had  inspired  the  people  wilii  i  liigli  idea  of  her  worth, 
and  they  fondly  autieiputed  t'lat  iindLi  Iwr  aiispu-cs  the  glory  and  pros- 
perity of  KiiLflund  would  again  become  resplendent. 

There  is  lUlle  else  of  a  domestic  nature  to  record  this  year,  if  «'(■  except 
the  three  days'  trial  of  William  IImhc,  the  parodist,  who  wa,s  aniigiied  upon 
criminal  infoririation  as  a  profane  !ii)eller  of  parts  (d'  the  iitiirijv.  lie  was 
tried  b^  Lord  Kllenborough  aiwl  Mr.  Justice  Abholf,  and  having  conducted 
his  deii'iice  with  unusual  ingenuity  and  perseverance,  he  nf»t^oi;ly  cpme 
oil"  victor,  but  actually  pocketed  the  sum  of  three  thousanrl  poiimly,  the 
amount  of  a  public  suliscription,  raised  to  remunerate  him  for  hiving  un- 
dergone tiie  pcrild  of  a  government  prosecution,  or  as  a  reward  for  t ho 
landabie  intention  of  bringing  into  contempt  both  church  and  slate! 

A.  n.  If^lB. — The  parliamentary  session  was  opened  by  commission. 
The  habeas  corpus  act  was  restored,  and  a  bill  passed  to  screen  ministers 
from  the  legal  penalties  they  might  have  incurred  through  the  abuse  of 
lheir  power  during  the  liiiKMtf  its  suspension.  At  lln' same  time  meet- 
ings wer(!  held  in  nearly  every  populous  town  throiighonf  the  eouutrv,  for 
the  purpose  of  petili<nung  for  parliamentary  ref(nin.  When  lln'  sessions 
dosed  on  the  lOtli  of  .lune,  ihe  [)arliainent  w.;s  dissolved,  and  writs  issued 
for  new  tdeclions.  All  the  ministerial  candiflates  in  the  city  of  London 
we;i!  thrown  out,  and  Sir  .Samuel  Konnlly  and  Sir  Francis  jimdell  were 
returned  for  Westminster;  but  in  the  country  ihe  (dectmns  pp.ssed  oflf 
quietly,  and  little  change  was  produced  in  the  parliamentary  nnjority  of 
ininisiers. 

liiieen  <"iiarlotte,  who  had  been  some  time  indisposed,  expireil  at  Kcw, 
in  the  7,')tii  yi'ar  of  her  age,  and  the  of?th  of  her  marriage  with,  the  Uin^r. 
Owing  to  her  exemplary  conduct  the  court  of  Knglaiid  was  pre-eminent 
for  its  strict  decorum. 

The  year  lril8  was  fertile  in  royal  marriages;  tlie  princess  Elizabeth 
ivas  married  to  the  prince  of  Hess*;  Homberg ;  the  duke  of  (.'iarencc  to 
the  princes.s  of  Meiiiengen ;  the  duke  of  Kent  lo  the  prii;(H>ss  dovi-agcr 
Leinengen,  sister  to  Prince  Leopold  ;  and  the  duke  of  Cambridge  to  the 
princess  of  Hesse  l-ass(d. 

The  liritish  army  relurmnl  from  France,  which  they  had  lately  occupied, 
HCTordmg  lo  the  stiimlations  of  tin;  treaty  at  thc>  restoration  of  Louis 
XVill.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  the  expedition  which  hid  been 
sent  to  explore  the  arctic  regions  also  returned  to  Knglaiul,  but  without 
accoinplishmg  their  object — the  progress  of  the  vessels  having  been  so 
impeded  by  tlie  ice, 

A.  n.  1810. — The  coimtry  was  still  pregnant  with  disaffection,  and  the 
iloctriiie  of  annual  parliaments  and  universal  suffrage  was  advocated  by 
(lemagogiii's  as  the  only  remedy  for  a  corrupt  slate  of  the  re[)resentation. 
At  length  the  meetings  assumed  a  very  serious  aspect;  one  of  which, 
I'ruiii  Its  being  attended  with  tatal  consequences,  and  having  •^'iven  rise 
Id  much  snbscciucnt  discussion,  it  is  necessary  to  describe.  'I'his  w.is 
llie  ".^lal"•hester  reform  meetiiifr."  It  was  originally  convened  for  tlie 
choice  of  a  parliamentary  representative,  and  had  been  fixed  to  take 
place  on  thr;  Ith  of  August;  bat  in  consequence  of  a  spirited  notice  put 
forth  by  the  magistrates,  declaring  that  the  intended  meeting  was  illegal, 
it  was  postponed,  nnd  Impes  were  entertained  that  it  would  ultimately  have 
tii^en  abandoned.  However,  new  placards  were  issued  for  the  ICth,  and 
'parliamentary  reform"  was  substituted  for  the  original  object.  A  piece 
of  ground  called  St.  Peter's  field  was  the  spot  chosen  for  tin's  exhibition; 
and  hither  large  bodies  of  men,  arrayed  in  regular  order,  continued  to 
march  during  the  whole  of  the  morning,  the  neighbouring  towns  and 
rillages  pouring  out  their  multitudes  for  the  purpose  of  centering  in  this 
focus  of  radical  discontent,      Each  party  had  its   banner,  with  some 


'i    .!    k 


718 


THK  THlCAfr.llY  OF  HISTORY, 


motto  tlicrcoii  inscribed,  ciiararti'ristic  of  the  grand  objc(  t  thoy  had  in 
veiw,  mottoes  wiiicli  liavc  since  become  fainihar  even  to  ears  pohte  — such 
as  "  No  Corn  Laws,'  "  Annual  I'arlianientsi,"  "  Votel)y  Halloi,"  "Liberty 
or  Deatii,"  ice.  Nay,  such  was  tiie  enthusiasm  of  tlic  liour  thai  uiiKiig 
them  were  seen  two  ehibs  of  "  female  reformers,"  tiicir  white  flaRS  ('  '.. 
ing  in  the  breeze.  At  ihe  lime  Mr.  Hunt  took  the  (;hair  not  s 
than  fifty  thousand  persons — men,  women,  and  ehildrcn — had  • 
•embled,  and  while  he  was  addressin";  his  audience,  a  body  of  tlio  '.a- 
chesler  yomanry  cavalry  came  m  sight,  and  directly  galloped  up  to  ilie 
hustingis,  seiziiijf  the  orator,  together  with  liis  comjianions  and  their  ban- 
ners. A  dreadful  seene  of  terror  and  confusion  ensued,  nuiiihers  heiii)} 
trampled  under  the  horses'  feet,  or  cut  down.  Six  per'^ons  were  kiliti), 
and  about  a  hundred  wounded.  Coroners'  inquests  were  held  on  the 
dead  bodies,  but  the  verdicts  of  the  juries  led  to  no  judicial  i)roe(,'e(Kiig  ; 
true  bills,  however,  were  found  against  Hunt,  Moorhouse,  Johnson,  and 
seven  others,  for  a  conspiracy  to  overturn  the  governmeut,  but  at  tlic 
same  tune  they  were  adiiiilted  to  bail. 

Public  meetings  were  now  held  in  all  the  principal  towns  in  the  kiajj. 
dom,  and  adiircssi's  were  jjiesented  to  the  regent  and  tiie  iiaiTiami'iu, 
condeninatiiry  of  the  civil  and  military  authorities  at  Manehesttr,  \\iii(li 
were  mei  by  counter-addresses,  caliing  for  the  repression  of  sedition,  An';, 
At  the  ojieniiigof  parliament  the  subject  underwent  a  thorough  diseiij^sioii, 
and  aiiiendmenls  to  the  address  wen;  moved  in  botii  houses,  characlcr- 
ising  the  Mtincheoter  [iroceedings  as  nnconstitutional ;  tlu^y  were,  how- 
ever, ni'g.iiiv?(i  by  overwlK^liniiiy;  majorities.  At  thi,'  same  time  strniifj 
measur* s  we^e  resorted  to  for  preventing  the  occurrence  of  similar  (hs- 
orders,  hv  ;:as!-...ig  certain  iireventive  and  i)ro!iibilory  acts  of  parlianuut, 
aftci  >i  iri!:i  iiiii'  liarly  known  as  the  "  six  acts."  These,  though  decidedly 
coercive,  -cemed  callcil  for  liy  the  stale  of  tlu;  country,  and  received  thu 
ready  sam   ;i>u  of  the  legislature. 

On  the  ~'.Ui  of  January,  l»M,  died  at  Sidmonth,  in  his  53d  year,  Prince 
Kdwani,  duke  of  Kent;  leaving  a  widow,  and  one  child,  the  Princess 
Victoria,  then  only  eight  months  old.  'I'iie  duke  had  never  mixed  nuicti 
in  the  tiiniioil  of  [lolilics,  his  lile  having  been  chiefly  spent  in  the  ariiiv, 
where  he  obtaine(l  a  high  ciiaracler  (or  bravery,  but  was  regardiMl  as  a  too 
strict  (iisiiplinarian. 

Scarcidy  had  the  news  of  the  duke's  decease  reached  the  more  disi.iiit 
parts  of  (Jrcal  Britain,  before  the  death-knell  of  his  venerable  (atlicr, 
George  111.,  was  heard.  The  bodily  li"a!lli  of  his  maj»'Sty  had  ol  lale  Imyu 
fast  declining,  and  on  the  29';i  of  Janiiaiy  lie  expired.  Some  lucid  in- 
tervals, though  few,  had  been  !.!>tii;ed  during  the  tiiiio  he  laboured  under  !iis 
distressing  malady;  but  he  had  long  lieen  blinrl,  and  latterly  deafti'ss  was 
added  to  his  other  adlielions.  The  >  ng  wa.s  in  the  8i.*d  year  of  his  age, 
and  the  fii'th  of  his  reign  ;  leaving  six  sons  and  four  daughters  living  at  the 
timf»  of  his  decease.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the  royal  \aiilt 
at  Windsor. 

In  speaking  of  the  character  of  (Jeorgc  the  ThinJ,  no  one  will  deny 
that  he  a[ipeared  invariably  to  act  up  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscieii'.'c  ;  as 
a  monarch,  he  studied  the  welfare  of  his  subjects;  as  a  father,  he  neglect- 
ed not  the  honour  and  happiness  of  his  children.  Helej'ta  nameuiiSiillicd 
by  any  jjarticular  vice,  and  his  memory  will  be  honoured  by  posterity 
for  the  goodness  of  his  hear",  for  Ins  piety,  clemency,  and  fortitude. 


iwift"^ 


y  had  in 

iie— such 
"  L\l)«.Tiy 

Ul    Allli'llg 

iiol        s 
-liiui    ■' 

■  t\io  '■..«- 
up  to  itie 
their  l';iii- 

hers  ln'ing 
vcvo  kiUi'il, 
eld  oil  ihfi 
)roftHHlnig  ; 

bul  at  tlic 

111  tlin  Uiiis- 

p.ulianii'iit, 

l-StlT,  wiuili 

3cililion,&'- 

h  (Usi'ti^'^i""! 

i,  clr.iriiclt'r- 

r  were,  lunv- 

liiiu-  strong 

■  similar  dis- 
r  parliament, 
igh  (Icculedly 

ieci;iv(Hl  tlio 


tlic 


year,  Prince 

I'l-inciss 
nuxi'il  imifli 
the  army, 
io,l  as  a  too 


tiiore  (lisr.mt 

rable   (atlicr, 

ml  ol  late  Im-imi 

01110  lufit!  m- 

,urcdunilt;rhis 

dcal'n 'ss  \vas 

ar  of  liis  "-'^' 
rsliviiU'-'a'''''"' 
e  royal   ^anlt 

one  will  (U  ny 
onscieii'M' ;  as 
ler,  he  ii'^C^"''''- 
uaiiiouiii'iillif'^ 
[I  by  posteritv 

orliUnle« 


THlJi  TRRASUUY  OF  HISTORY.  719 


CIIAPTKU   LXIV. 

THE    ni:iQN    OF   OEOUOB    IV. 

A.  n.  1300. — Ocorgo  iho  Fourth,  eldest  sou  of  the  late  vi nerablo  mon- 
arch, will)  had  exercised  sovereigu  ijower  as  regent  durm  royal  fath- 
cr'H  menial  ineanaciiy,  was  iinuiediately  proclaiinod  1  '  ii  ■  new 
reign  cDniiiieuced  without  any  cxpe'jtation  of  oillci,  -'  the 
verv  inoine lit  of  iiis  accession,  and  for  some  time  li, !  ,  .ous 
conspiracy  existed,  havinij  for  its  objiM^t  the  assassina;  Ic  of 
his  niajesly's  ministers.  The  sanguinary  iulcuiions  >  rators 
reiidir  a  detail  of  their  (ilans  necessary. 

Several  wretched  indiviiluals,  headed  by  Arthur  Thisilewood  -a  mail 
who  iiail  formerly  been  a  lieutenant  in  the  army,  but  who  had  subsequently 
sulTered  line  and  im|irisomnent  for  challeiiginj,r  Lord  Sidmoutii  to  fij;ht  a 
duel,  and  was  now  rediiccil  to  indiiiencc! — hired  i  stable  in  Cato-sirect, 
Kd^cwaie  road,  for  thti  express  piiipose  of  asseniblinif  there  and  consult- 
ing on  ih(^  best  plan  nf  |)iittiiiir  tlie  design  into  execution.  The  time 
cliosen  fi'ir  the  enminissiou  of  the  bloudy  deed  was  on  the  occasion  of  a 
cabinit-innier  at  Lord  narrowby's.  in  (Jrosvenor-si[iiare;  they  intemlod 
to  proceed  in  a  body  to  his  lurdshi|)'s  hoiiv,  and,  liaviiig  gained  admission 
by  stratagem,  murder  all  present.  Actin.  on  previous  luforination  from 
one  of  the  conspirators,  who  had  assocuUed  with  them  for  the  ])urpose  of 
their  betrayal,  Mr.  Uirnie,  a  How  street  magistrate,  with  twelve  of  the 
patrol,  Weill  to  ("atostreet,  and  there,  in  'i  liay  lolt,  they  found  the  con- 
spir.itors  assembled.  The  entrance  was  by  a  laildtT,  which  some  of  the 
polici!  (illicers  ascended,  and  on  the  door  being  opened,  twenty-five  or 
tliirly  incn  a|ipeared  armed.  A  desperate  struggle  ensued  in  tlie  dark,  tho 
ligiits  h  iviiijf  been  (ixtinguished,  and  Smithers,  one  of  the  police,  was  run 
through  iho  body  by  Thisllewond;  meantime,  a  com[)any  of  the  foot 
guards,  comniumled  by  (Japtain  ["'itzclarence,  arrived  at  the  place  of  ren- 
de/vous,  which  iliey  surrouniied,  ain!  succeeded  in  capturing  iiin<!  of  the 
desperadoes.  'I'liistlewood  and  the  rest  escaped;  but  he  was  afterwards 
taken  in  an  obscure  lodging  at  Finsbury,  while  in  bed.  'I'hey  were  all 
found  guilty;  an  1  live  of  them,  namely,  Thistlewood,  logs,  lirimt,  Tidd, 
and  Davidson,  were  hanged  and  then  dceainlated  at  the  Old  Uailey ;  the 
other  live  had  their  sontcnces  commuted  for  transportation.  About  the 
s:im(!  time  the  trial  ol  Hunt  and  others  took  place  at  York,  for  their  con- 
duct at  .Maucliestcr  Oii  the  16th  of  .Vugiist ;  Hunt  was  sentenced  to  be  im- 
prisoiieil  in  Ilchester  'ail  for  two  years  and  si.v  months,  and  Healy, 
Johnson,  and  Baniford  to  one  year's  imprisonment  in  Lincoln  jail. 

The  ccnmtry  had  been  in  a  very  unsettled  slate  in  consequence  of  the 
foregoing  proceedings,  but  they  were  treated  as  matters  of  little  impor- 
tance when  compared  with  a  scene  that  followed  :  we  mean  tlie  trial  of 
Queen  (Caroline.  Her  majesty  had  been  six  years  absent  from  England, 
and  for  tho  last  twenty  three  years  she  had  been  separated  from  her  hus- 
band. She  had  been  charged  with  comuibial  infidelity,  and  a  rigid  inves- 
tigation into  her  conduct  had  taken  place ;  but  though  an  undignified  levity 
had  been  proved  against  her,  'he  charge  of  criminality  was  not  established; 
yet  w.is  she  visited  with  a  l.ind  of  vimlietivc  persecution  that  rendered 
her  life  a  burden.  The  princ;i  had  declared  he  would  not  meet  her  in 
ytiblic  or  in  private;  and  among  ilie  magnates  of  rank  and  fashion  his 
mathema  operated  with  talismanic  power;  she  was  consequently  put  out 

)f  the  pale  of  society,  of  which  she  had  been  described  to  be  "  the  grace, 
life,  and  ornament."  Thus  neglected  and  insulted,  she  sought  for  recrca- 
)ion  and  repose  in  foreign  travel;  and  during  her  absence  rumour  was 
•Jusy  at  home  in  attributing  to  her  amours  of  tho  most  degrading  kind.    It 

f/As  currer.tlv  reported  that  tho  princess  of  Wales  was  living  in  adultery 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


780 


THE  TKEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


with  an  Italian  named  Bergami,  whom,  from  the  menial  station  ot  a 
courier,  she  had  created  her  chamberlain,  and  familiarly  admitted  to  her 
table.  To  elicit  evidence  and  investigate  the  truth  of  these  reports,  a 
commission  had  been  appointed  under  the  direction  of  Sir  John  Leach, 
who  proceeded  for  that  purpose  to  the  continent ;  and  the  result  of  his  in< 
quiries  wai,  thnt  the  English  ministers  abroad  were  not  to  give  the  prin- 
cess, in  their  official  character,  any  public  recognition,  or  pay  her  the  re- 
spect due  to  her  exalted  station. 

On  the  death  of  George  III.  the  first  step  taken  to  degrade  her  was  the 
omission  of  her  name  in  the  liturgy ;  but  she  was  now  queen  of  England  ; 
and  notwithstanding  an  annuity  of  50,000^  per  annum  was  offered  on  con- 
dition of  her  permanently  residing  abroad,  and  not  assuming,  in  the  event 
of  the  demise  of  the  crown,  the  title  of  queen,  she  indignantly  rejected  the 
proposal,  challenged  the  fullest  inquiry  into  her  conduct,  and  returned  to 
England  on  the  Gih  of  June,  with  a  full  determination  to  face  her  enemies. 
She  was  accompanied  by  Alderman  Wood  and  Lady  Hamilton,  and  her 
entry  into  London  was  greeted  with  the  joyful  acclamations  of  assembled 
multitudes. 

The  charges  against  the  queen  being  resolutely  persisted  in  by  her  cc 
cusers,  and  her  guilt  as  pertinaciously  denied  by  her  defenders,  all  attempts 
at  reconciliation  failed,  and  a  secret  committee  of  the  house  of  lords  pro- 
ceeded to  examine  the  inculpatory  documents  contained  in  the  "green 
bag."    On  the  5th  of  July  Lord  Liverpool  presented  a  bill  of  pains  and 

f)enalties  against  the  queen,  providing  that  her  majesty  be  degraded  from 
ler  rank  and  title,  and  her  marriage  with  the  king  dissolved.  The  queen 
protested  against  these  proceedings  at  every  step,  and  was  occasionally 
present  during  the  examination  of  witnesses.  Meanwhile,  the  excitement 
was  intense.  Guilty  or  not  guilty,  the  public  sympathized  with  her  as  a 
woman  who  had  been  subject  to  systematic  persecution  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  carried  on  by  a  man  as  relentless  as  he  was  licentious  ;  and  how- 
ever great  her  delinquencies  miglit  be,  her  persecutor  was  the  last  man  in 
his  dominions  who  could  justify  himself  in  pursuing  the  object  of  his  hate 
with  cruel  viudictiveness.  During  all  this  time  addresses  and  proces- 
sions in  honour  of  the  queen  kept  the  metropolis  in  such  a  ferment  that 
its  mechanics  and  artizans  appeared  as  if  engaged  in  a  national  saturnalia. 
Sir  Robert  Gifford,  the  attorney-general,  assisted  by  the  solicitor-general, 
conducted  the  prosecution ;  Mr.  Brougham,  Mr.  Denman,  and  Dr.  Lush- 
ington,  the  defence.  The  proceedings  having  at  length  been  brought  to 
a  close,  the  lords  met  on  the  2d  of  November,  to  discuss  the  second  read- 
ing of  tlie  bill  of  degradation.  Some  declared  their  conviction  of  the 
Jueen's  guilt ;  others  as  confidently  asserted  her  innocence;  while  several 
enicd  both  the  justice  and  expediency  of  the  bill,  and  would  not  consent 
to  brand  with  everlasting  infamy  a  member  of  the  house  of  Brunswick. 
Upon  a  division  for  a  second  reading  there  was  a  majority  of  23.  Some 
were  in  favour  of  degradation,  but  not  divorce.  Upon  the  third  reading 
of  the  bill,  the  ministerial  majority  was  reduced  to  9 ;  when  Lord  Liver- 
pool immediately  announced  the  intention  of  government  to  abandon  the 
further  prosecution  of  this  extraordinary  proceeding.  The  filthy  details, 
as  they  fell  from  the  lips  of  well-paid  Italians,  couiiers,  valets,  and  cham. 
bermaids,  while  under  examination,  were  given  with  prurient  comments 
in  the  newspapers ;  and  thus  a  mass  of  impurity  was  circulated  through- 
out the  country,  more  contaminating,  because  more  minutely  discussed 
and  dwelt  upon,  than  anything  that  was  ever  publicly  recorded  in  the 
chronicles  of  shamelessness.  On  the  23d  the  parliament  was  suddenly 
prorogued  ;  and  on  the  29th  the  queen,  attended  by  a  cavalcade  of  gentle- 
men on  horseback,  went  in  state  to  St.  Paul's  to  return  thanks  for  hei 
^appy  deliverance. 
A  D.  1821.— On  opening  the  parliamentary  session,  his  majesty  men- 


THE  TREASUHY  OF  HISTdRY. 


y*i 


)n,  his  majeatv  meu- 


tioned  the  queen  by  name,  and  recommended  to  the  house  of  comirions  a 
provision  for  her  miiintenance.  At  first  slie  declined  to  accept  any  pecu- 
niary allowance  until  her  name  was  inserted  in  the  liturgy ;  but  she  sub- 
sequently  altered  her  determination,  and  an  annuity  of  50,000/,  was  settled 
upon  her. 

Duiing  this  session  the  subject  of  parliamentary  reform  excited  much 
mterest ;  the  borough  of  Grampound  was  disfrancliised  for  its  corruption} 
and  the  necessity  of  retrenchment  in  all  the  departments  of  government 
was  repeatedly  urged  by  Mr.  Hume,  whose  persevering  exposition  of  the 
large  sums  ibat  were  uselessly  swallowed  up  in  salaries  and  sinecures 
made  a  great  impression  on  the  public,  and  though  none  of  his  motions 
were  carried,  the  attention  of  ministers  was  thereby  directed  to  the  gradual 
diminution  of  the  enormous  expense  incurred  in  the  different  public  offices. 

The  anticipated  coronation  was  now  the  all-absorbing  topic.  The 
queen  having,  by  memorial  to  the  king,  claimed  a  right  to  be  crowned, 
her  counsel  were  heard  in  support  of  her  claim,  and  the  attorney  and 
solicitor-general  against  it.  The  lords  of  the  council  decided  that  queens- 
consort  were  not  entitled  to  the  honour — a  decision  which  the  king  teas 
pleased  to  approve.  Tlie  li^th  of  July  was  the  day  appointed  for  the  august 
ceremony,  preparations  for  which  had  long  been  making;  and  nothing 
more  magnificent  can  be  imagined  than  the  appearance  of  Westminster- 
abbey  and  hall.  The  covered  platform,  over  which  the  procession  moved 
from  the  hall  to  the  abbey  was  1,500  feet  in  length ;  and  on  each  side  of 
the  platform  an  amphitheatre  of  seats  was  erected,  to  accommodate  one 
hundred  thousand  spectr.tors.  Every  spot  in  the  vicinity  from  which  a 
view  of  the  gorgeous  pageant  could  be  obtained  was  covered  with  scats 
and  galleries,  for  which  the  most  extravagant  prices  were  given.  As 
early  as  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  streets  were  filled  with  the  car- 
riages of  persons  going  to  witness  the  ceremony ;  and  before  five  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  company  had  taken  their  places  at  the  hall.  It 
had  been  currently  reported  that  the  queen  would  be  present  as  a  specta- 
tor of  the  scene ;  and  so  it  proved ;  for  about  five  o'clock  her  majesty 
arrived  in  her  state-carriage  ;  but  no  preparation  had  been  made  for  her 
reception,  and,  not  having  an  admission-ticket,  she  had  to  bear  the  hu- 
miliating indignity  of  a  stern  refusal,  and  was  obliged  to  retire!  The 
king  arrived  at  ten,  and  the  procession  moved  from  the  liall  towards  the 
abbey,  his  majesty  walking  under  a  canopy  of  cloth  of  irold,  supported  by 
the  barons  of  the  cinque-ports,  among  whom  was  i-lr.  Brougham,  the 
queen's  legal  adviser  and  leading  counsel !  The  ancient  solemnity  of  the 
coronation  in  Westminster-abbey  occupied  about  five  hours ;  and  when 
the  king  re-entered  the  hall,  with  the  crown  on  his  head,  he  was  received 
with  enthusiastic  cheers.  Soon  after  five  o'clock  the  royal  banquet  was 
served;  and  the  king,  having  dined  with  and  drank  the  health  of  "his 
peers  and  his  good  people,"  left  the  festive  scene.  The  populace  were 
afterwards  gratified  with  a  balloon  ascent,  boat-races  on  the  Serpentine, 
a  grand  display  of  fire-works  in  Hyde-park,  and  free  admission  to  the 
various  theatres.  The  expenses  of  the  coronation  amounted  to  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-eight  thousand  pounds. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  queen  made  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  witness 
llie  coronation  of  her  royal  husband.  The  proud  spirit  of  the  houye  of 
Brunswick,  which  had  borne  up  against  a  load  of  regal  oppression  and  the 
contumely  of  sycophantic  courtiers,  was  now  doomed  to  yield  before  a 
slight  bodily  attack.  Eleven  days  after  her  majesty  had  been  repulsed 
from  the  doors  of  Westminster-hall,  she  visited  Dniry-lane  theatre,  from 
which  place  she  retired  early  on  account  of  a  sudden  indisposition,  and 
in  one  week  more  this  heroic  female  was  a  corpse  As  long  as  she  was 
an  object  of  persecution,  she  was  the  idol  of  popular  applause ;  those  even 
who  did  not  account  her  blameless,  felt  for  her  as  the  victim  of  a  heart 
Vol.  I.— 46 


tn^id: 


r- 


w 


THfc  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


less  systf<m  of  oppression.  But  the  excitement  in  her  favour  soon  oegao 
to  subside,  and  it  was  believed  that  the  comparatively  little  interest  which 
the  public  scuined  to  lake  in  her  favour  on  the  day  of  the  coronatio.i.siink 
deep  into  her  heart.  She  died  August  the  7th,  aged  52 ;  leaving  tiie  world, 
Bs  she  herself  declared,  without  regret.  Her  body  lay  in  state  at  Bran- 
denburg-house,  her  villa  near  Hammersmith;  and  on  the  19th,  it  wasco'i- 
veyed  through  London,  on  its  way  to  Harwich,  the  port  of  embarkatioii 
for  its  final  resting-place  at  Brunswick.  Countless  multitudes  had  a*, 
sembied  to  join  in  the  procession;  and  when  it  was  discovered  that  a  cir- 
cuitous route  had  been  prescribed  for  the  funeral  train,  in  order  to  avoid 
passing  through  the  streets  of  the  metropolis,  the  indignation  of  the  ptople 
Knew  no  bounds,  and  in  an  affray  with  the  guards  two  lives  were  lost. 
By  obslruetiiig  and  barricading  the  streets  the  people  succeeded  in  forcing 
the  procession  through  the  city,  and  the  royal  corpse  was  hurried  with 
indecent  haste  to  the  place  of  embarkation.  On  the  24th  oi  August  tiie 
remains  of  the  queen  reached  Brunswick,  and  were  deposited  in  the 
family  vault  of  her  ancestors. 

We  s\u\\\  now  turn  for  a  moment  to  notice  some  events  of  importance, 
though  not  connected  with  the  domestic  history  of  Great  Britain.  The 
first  is  the  death  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who  died  of  cancer  in  the  stomrcli, 
aged  51.  The  disease  was  constitutional,  but  it  had  probably  been  accel- 
erated by  mental  agitation  and  the  unhealthy  climate  of  St.  Helena. 
Those  who  wish  to  know  the  character  of  this  extraordinary  man  must 
read  it  in  his  actions,  nnder  the  various  and  varying  aspects  of  his  fortune. 
His  aim  was  to  astonish  and  aggrandize,  to  uphold  or  trample  upon  jus- 
tice, as  best  suited  the  object  he  had  in  view.  Before  his  love  of  univer- 
sal domination,  every  other  passion  and  principle  was  made  to  give  way: 
religion,  honour,  truth — all  were  sacrificed  to  personal  ambition.  In  his 
will  he  expressed  a  wish  that  his  "  ashes  might  repose  on  the  banks  of  the 
Seine,  in  the  midst  of  the  French  people,  whom  he  loved  so  well."  Tliat 
wish  has  since  been  gratified. 

In  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Naples,  a  sort  of  revolutionary  crisis  had  com- 
menced. Kncouraged  by  the  di""  ■'tents  of  the  middle  ranks,  the  troops, 
under  the  influence  of  Riego  other  gallant  officers,  succeeded  in 

making  Ferdinand  swear  fideli  the  constitution  of  1812.     Simihir 

conauct  was  pursued  by  the  peoj-iC  of  Portugal,  whose  declared  objects 
were  the  esiabliahment  of  a  constitutional  monarchy.  And  in  Naples  tiie 
popular  mind  took  the  same  direction:  and  effected  the  same  object. 

A.  D.  1822. — This  ^  ear,  though  not  marked  by  any  great  event,  was  one 
of  interest  as  regarded  important  questions  in  parliament.  Amonif  the 
leading,  were  agricultural  distress  in  England,  and  scarcity  and  distress 
in  Ireland.  Some  changes  during  January  took  place  in  the  cabinet; 
ministers  strengthened  themselves  by  a  union  with  the  Grenville  party; 
and  Lord  SUmouth  retired  from  his  oflice  of  home  secretary,  to  maiie 
room  for  Mr.  Peel. 

On  the  5th  of  February  the  king  opened  parliament,  and  took  occasion 
to  express  regret  that  his  visit  to  Ireland  had  failed  to  produce  tranquillity. 
He  also  admitted  that  agriculture  had  to  contend  with  unexpected  diffi- 
culties, but  congratulated  the  house  on  the  prosperity  which  attended 
the  manufartures  and  commerce  of  the  country. 

The  state  jf  Ireland  did  indeed  demand  attention.  On  one  hand,  coer- 
cive measures  were  necessary  to  repress  the  disorder  that  reigned  through 
the  island,  for,  owing  to  the  daring  nocturnal  bands  of  White  boys,  &c., 
neither  life  nor  property  was  safe.  On  the  other,  so  universal  web  th« 
failure  of  the  potato  crop  that  the  price  was  quadrupled,  at'd  the  peas 
sntry  of  ihe  south  were  in  a  state  of  starvation.  To  meet  the  former 
evil,  it  was  found  necessary  to  suspend  the  habeas  corpus  act,  and  to 
renew  the  insurrection  act.    To  alleviate  the  latter,  a  committ^o  was 


THE  TREASURY  CF  HISTORY. 


r23 


vour  soon  oegan 
le  iiileresl  wliich 
coronatio.i,  sunk 
saviiig  tlie  world, 
n  slHte  at  Bran- 
19lh,  it  was  co'v 
L  of  embarkaliav.; 
ultitudes  had  a». 
overed  that  a  cir- 
in  order  to  avoid 
Uion  of  the  people 

0  lives  were  lost, 
cceeded  in  forcing 
was  hurried  with 
4th  ol  August  tlie 

deposited  in  the 

nts  of  importance, 
eat  Britain.  The 
icer  in  the  storotch, 
•obably  been  aecel- 
ite  of  St.  Helena. 
ordinary  man  must 
)ecl8  of  his  fortune, 
r  trample  upon  jus- 

1  his  love  of  univcr- 
made  to  give  way ; 

il  ambition.  In  his 
on  the  banks  of  the 
vcdsowell."    That 

ary  crisis  had  com- 
le  ranks,  the  troops, 
ficers,  succeeded  in 
n  of  1812.  Similar 
use  declared  ohjecU 
And  in  Naples  the 
same  object, 
great  event,  was  ono 

ament.    Amon^'  the 
icarcity  and  distress 

iice  in  the  cabinet; 

ihe  Grenville  parly; 

secretary,  to  make 

It,  and  took  occasion 
produce  tranquillity. 
ilh  unexpected  diffi- 
irity  which  attended 

On  one  hand,  coer- 
that  reigned  throuph 
of  White  boys,  &c., 
80  universal  wes  th« 
Aipled,  ai'd  the  peas 
Ti»  meet  the  former 
)S  corpus  acS  and  to 
ler,  a  commilt^o  was 


formed  in  London,  and  corresponding  committees  in  different  parts  of  the 
country ;  British  sympathy  was  no  sooner  appealed  to  than  it  wag 
answered  with  zealous  alacrity ;  and  such  was  the  benevolence  of  indi- 
viduals that  large  funds  were  speedily  at  their  disposal,  so  that  before  the 
close  of  the  year  the  subscriptions  raised  in  Great  Britain  for  the  relief 
of  the  distressed  Irish  amounted  to  350,000/. ;  parliament  made  a  grant  of 
300,000/.  more;  and  in  Ireland  the  local  subscriptions  amounted  to  150,- 
000/. ;  making  altogether  a  grand  total  of  800,010/. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  year  to  the  end  of  the  session  in  August,  the 
houses  \Vere  occupied  on  questions  of  the  highest  importance ;  agricul- 
tural distress,  for  which  various  remedial  measures  were  proposed;  Lord 
John  Russell's  plan  for  a  parliamentary  reform ;  Mr.  Vansittart's  scheme 
for  relieving  the  immediate  pressure  of  what  was  called  the  "  dead  weight ;" 
the  currency  question,  which  referred  to  the  increased  value  of  money 
caused  by  Mr.  Peel's  act  of  1819,  for  the  resumption  of  cash  payments: 
the  improvement  of  the  navigation  laws,  &c. 

Pailiament  was  prorogued  on  the  6th  of  August,  and  on  the  tenth  the 
king  embarked  at  Greenwich  for  Scotland.  On  the  15th  he  landed  at 
Leith,  and  the  19th  held  a  levee  in  the  ancient  palace  of  Holyrood,  where 
he  appeared  in  the  Highland  costume.  Having  enjoyed  the  festivities 
which  his  loyal  subjects  of  Edinburgh  provided  for  the  occasion,  he  re- 
embarked  on  the  27th,  and  m  three  days  was  again  with  his  lieges  ia 
London. 

During  his  majesty's  absence  intelligence  was  brought  him  of  the  death 
of  the  marquis  of  Londonderry,  secretary  of  state  for  the  foreign  depart- 
ment. This  nobleman,  who  had  been  the  leading  member  of  government, 
was  in  his  54th  year,  and  in  a  temporary  fit  of  insanity  committed  suicide, 
by  cutting  the  carotid  artery.  In  consequence  of  his  tory  principles  and 
the  share  he  tooK  in  effecting  the  union  with  Ireland,  he  was  the  most 
iinpopulir  member  of  the  administration,  but  he  was  highly  respected  in 
private  life,  and  enjoyed  the  personal  esteem  of  his  sovereign. 

Little  of  domestic  interest  occurred  this  year,  but  a  few  words  relative 
to  foreign  affairs  are  requisite.  The  congress  at  Verona  terminated  in 
December;  the  allied  sovereigns  were  disposed  to  re-establish  the  despo- 
tism of  Ferdinand  in  Spain,  in  opposition  to  thecortes  ;  but  to  this  policy 
England  objected,  denying  the  right  of  foreign  powers  to  interfere  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Peninsula.  The  "  sanitary  cordon,"  established  on  the 
frontiers  of  France  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  preventing  the  fever  which 
raged  at  Barcelona  from  spreading  to  that  country,  changed  its  name 
to  "army  of  observation,"  while  the  design  of  the  French  govern- 
ment to  check  the  progress  of  revolutionary  principles  in  Spain  were 
developed,  and,  indeed,  soon  afterwards  openly  expressed. 

A.  D.  1823. — On  the  death  of  Lord  Londonderry,  Mr.  Canning,  who  was 
about  to  set  out  to  India  as  governor-general,  relinquished  that  employ- 
ment, and  accepted  the  vacant  secretaryship,  as  one  more  congenial  to  his 
taste,  and  for  the  duties  of  which  he  was  supposed  to  be  perfectly  efficient. 
Some  popular  changes  now  took  place  in  the  ministry.  Mr.  Vansittart, 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  resigned  in  favour  of  Mr.  Robinson,  and  ac- 
cepted the  chancellorship  of  the  duchy  of  Lancaster,  with  a  seat  in  the 
upper  hbuse  and  the  title  of  Lord  Bexley ;  and  Mr.  Huskinson  was  made 
president  of  the  board  of  trade,  in  room  of  Mr.  Arbulhnot.  Parliament 
was  prorogued  by  commission  on  the  19th  of  July;  much  altercation 
having  taken  place  between  Mr.  Canning  and  his  political  opponents, 
who  plainly  convinced  him  that  he  was  not  "reposmg  on  a  bed  of  roses." 
But  he  had  the  satisfaction  at  the  close  of  the  session  of  dwelling  on  the 
flourishing  condition  of  all  branches  of  commerce  and  manufactures,  aud 
a  considerable  abatement  of  the  difficulties  felt  by  the  agriculturists  at  ita 
eommencement. 


■  v:  ■  ,  ■ 


m>:i 


I 


^  .',,(, ll-^. 


724 


THB  TRKASUaY  OF  HISTORY. 


In  April  the  French  army  of  observation  crossed  the  Pyrenees ;  and  tne 
duke  of  Angoiileme,  its  commander,  published  an  address  to  the  Spainards 
declaratory  of  the  objects  of  this  interposition  in  their  affairs;  defining  it 
to  be,  the  suppression  of  the  revolutionary  faction  which  held  the  kino 
captive,  that  excited  troubles  in  France,  and  produced  an  insurrection  in 
Naples  and  Piedmont.  They  then  marched  onward,  and,  without  meet- 
ing any  resistance  of  consequence,  occupied  the  principal  towns  and  for- 
tresses.  In  October  the  city  of  Cadiz  surrendered,  and  French  interfer. 
ence  terminated  with  the  liberation  of  Ferdinand  from  the  cortes,  who  in 
all  their  movements  had  carried  the  unwilling  king  with  them.  Tlio 
French  then  retraced  their  steps,  leaving  forty  thousand  men  in  possession 
of^the  fortresses,  to  maintain  the  authority  of  the  Spanish  king  in  case  of 
a  reaction. 

A.  D.  1824.— Favourable  as  the  political  aspect  of  Great  Britain  appeared 
at  the  commencement  of  1823,  there  was  now  an  evident  improvement  in 
almost  every  branch  of  commercial  industry ;  while  the  cultivators  of  ihe 
soil  found  their  condition  materially  assisted  by  natural  causes,  without 
the  aid  of  legislatorial  interference.  It  was  therefore  a  pleasing  task  for 
Mr.  Robinson,  when  he  brought  forward  his  budget,  to  describe  in  glowini;; 
terms  the  general  prosperity  of  the  country,  and  declare  his  intention  of 
effecting  an  annual  saving  of  .€375,000  by  reducing  the  interest  of  the  four 

fier  cent,  stock  to  three  and  a  half.  But  a  course  of  prosperity  in  England, 
ike  true  love's  course,  "  never  did  run  smooth"  for  any  length  of  time. 
There  was  now  an  abundance  of  capital,  and  money  was  accordingly  to 
be  had  at  low  rates  of  interest.  Safe  investments  were  difficult  to  be 
found  at  home ;  hence  foreign  loans  were  encouraged,  till  there  was 
scarcely  a  state  in  the  Old  or  New  World  which  had  not  the  benefit  of 
English  capital.  It  was  a  rare  era,  too,  fur  the  gambling  speculations  uf 
a  host  of  needy  adventurers ;  and,  under  pretext  of  having  discovered  ad- 
vantageous modes  of  employing  money,  the  most  absurd  schemes  were 
daily  set  afloat  to  entrap  the  avaricious  and  unwary.  Many  of  these 
devices  were  so  obviously  dishonest,  that  the  legislature  at  length  inter- 
fered to  guard  the  public  against  a  species  of  robbery  in  which  the  dupes 
were  almost  as  much  to  blame  as  their  plunderers.  A  resolution  passed 
the  house  of  lords  declaring  that  no  bill  for  the  purpose  of  incorporating 
any  joint-stock  company  would  be  read  a  second  time  till  two-thirds  of 
the  proposed  capital  of  the  company  had  been  subscribed.  This  certainlj- 
checked  the  operations  we  have  alluded  to ;  but  the  evil  had  been  allowed 
to  proceed  too  far,  as  experience  proved. 

A  convention  between  Great  Britain  and  Austria  was  laid  on  the  tabic 
of  the  house  of  commons,  by  which  the  former  agreed  to  accept  de2,500,000 
as  a  final  compensation  for  claims  on  the  latter  power,  amounting  to 
•£30,000,000 — a  composition  of  one  shilling  and  eight-pence  in  the  pound! 
Among  matters  of  domestic  interest,  although  not  of  a  nature,  perhaps, 
to  demand  notice  in  a  condensed  national  history,  we  may  mention  two 
occurrences  which  supplied  the  public  with  fertile  topics  of  discourse. 
We  allude  to  the  trial  of  John  Thurtell,  who  was  executed  for  the  murder 
of  William  Weare,  as  they  were  proceeding  in  a  gig  towards  the  cottage 
of  their  mutual  friend  Probert,  near  Elstree,  where  they  had  been  invited 
to  take  the  diversion  of  shooting :  and  also  to  the  execution  of  Mr.  Fauiit- 
leroy,  the  banker,  who  was  tried  and  found  guilty  of  forging  a  power  of 
attorney  for  the  transfer  of  stock.  The  first-mentioned  ofTender  against 
l^e  laws  of  God  and  man  was  the  son  of  a  respectable  alderman  at  Nor- 
wich ;  but  by  associating  with  gamblers,  and  indulging  in  brutal  sports, 
he  had  contracted  habits  of  ruffianism  to  which  such  a  course  of  life  almost 
invariably  leads.  The  latter  violator  of  a  sacred  trust  had  committed 
forgeries  to  the  enormous  extent,  as  was  asserted  at  the  time,  of  about  a 
quarter  of  a  million. 


THE  TREASUaV   OF  HI3TOUY. 


726 


<  IV: 


renecs :  and  tne 
,0  the  Spainards, 
fairs;  d':;finingit 
h  held  the  king 
I  insurrection  in 
d,  without  rneet- 
\\  towns  and  for- 
French  interfer- 
le  cortes,  who  in 
ath  them.     Tho 
nen  in  possession 
ih  king  in  case  of 

t  Britain  appeared 
It  improvement  in 
cultivators  of  the 
al  causes,  williout 
I  pleasing  task  for 
escribe  in  glowinfj 
re  his  intention  jf 
interest  of  the  four 
sperily  in  England, 
iny  length  of  inne. 
was  accordingly  to 
were  difficult  to  be 
rod,  till  there  was 
[  not  the  benefit  of 
ling  speculations  of 
ving  discovered  ad- 
surd  schemes  were 
ly.     Many  of  these 
ure  at  length  inter- 
in  which  the  dupes 
A  resolution  passed 
)se  of  incorporating 
ne  till  two-thirds  of 
Bed.    This  cerlandy 
iril  had  been  allowed 

vas  laid  on  the  table 
;o  accept  dE2,5OO,O00 
ower,  amounting  to 
pence  in  the  pound! 
of  a  nature,  perhaps, 
ve  may  mention  two 
topics  of  discourse, 
cuied  for  the  murder 
towards  the  cottage 
ihev  had  been  invited 
cution  of  Mr.  Faunt- 
•  forging  a  power  o 
med  offender  agmnsl 
ble  alderman  at  Nor- 
ine  in  brutal  sports, 
1  course  of  life  almost 
trust  had  committed 
A  the  time,  of  about  a 


A.  D.  1825.— One  of  the  first  steps  in  legislation  this  year  was  an  act  to 
ruppress  the  catholic  association  of  Ireland.  Daniel  O'Connell  assumed 
to  he  Itie  representative  and  protector  of  ihe  catholic  population  in  that 
country,  and  continued  to  levy  large  sums  from  the  people,  under  the 
absurd  and  hypocritical  preteiice  of  obtaining  "justice  for  Ireland."  Sub- 
sequently a  committee  of  the  lords  sat  to  inquire  into  the  general  state  of 
thit  country;  and  in  the  evidence  it  clearly  appeared  that  the  wretched 
state  of  existence  to  which  the  peasantry  were  reduced  was  greatly  aggra- 
vated by  their  abject  bondage  to  their  own  priests,  and  that  while  the  arch 
aguator  and  his  satellites  were  allowed  to  inflame  the  passions  of  the 
people,  and  delude  them  into  a  belief  that  they  were  oppressed  by  their 
connexion  with  Great  Britain,  no  remedy  within  the  power  of  the  legisla- 
ture presented  itself. 

The  catholic  relief  bill  passed  in  the  house  of  commons,  but  was  re- 
jected in  the  lords  by  a  majority  of  178  against  130.  The  debate  was 
carried  on  with  great  animation ;  and,  in  the  course  of  it,  the  duke  of 
York  strenuously  declared  against  further  concession  to  the  catholics. 
"Twenty-eight  years,"  sa-d  he,  "have  elapsed  since  the  subject  was  first 
agitated ;  its  agitation  was  the  source  of  the  illness  which  clouded  the 
last  ten  years  of  my  father's  life ;  and,  to  the  last  moment  of  my  existence, 
1  will  adhere  to  my  protestant  principles — so  help  me  God!" 

^Ve  have  seen  what  an  astonishing  impulse  had  been  given  to  speculations 
of  all  kinds  last  year  by  the  abundance  of  unemployed  capital  and  the  re- 
duction of  interest  in  funded  property.  The  mania  for  joint-stock  com- 
panies was  now  become  almost  universal.  During  the  space  of  little 
more  than  a  twelvemonth,  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  companies  had 
been  projected,  of  which  the  pretended  capital  was  c£l74, 114,050.  Though 
many  of  these  were  of  an  absurd  character,  and  nearly  all  held  out  pros- 
pects that  no  sane  man  could  expect  to  see  realized,  yet  the  shares  of 
several  rose  to  enormous  premiums,  especially  the  mining  adventures  in 
South  America.     But  a  fearful  reaction  was  at  hand. 

Several  country  banks  stopped  payment  in  December,  and  among  them 
the  great  Yorkshire  bank  of  Wentworlh  and  Company.  A  panic  in  the 
money  market  followed  ;  and  in  a  few  days  several  London  bankers  were 
unable  to  meet  the  calls  upon  them.  On  the  12th  December  the  banking- 
house  of  Sir  Peter  Pole  6c  Co.,  stopped  payment.  This  caused  great 
dismay  in  the  city,  it  being  understood  that  forty-seven  country  banks 
were  connected  witli  it.  During  the  three  following  days  five  other  Lon- 
don banking  firms  were  compelled  to  close  ;  and  in  a  very  short  space  of 
time,  in  addition,  sixty-seven  country  banks  failed  or  suspended  payments. 
The  merchants  of  the  city  of  London,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  Mr.  Bar 
ing,  feeling  that  something  was  necessary  to  restore  confidence,  assembled 
at  the  mansion-house,  and  published  a  resolution  to  the  efiect  that  '^  the 
unpiecedented  embarrassments  were  to  be  mainly  attributed  to  an  un- 
founded panic;  that  they  had  the  fullest  reliance  on  the  banking  estab 
lishmeiits  of  the  country,  and  therefore  determined  to  support  them,  and 
public  credit,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power." 

In  two  days  after  this  declaration,  the  Bank  of  England  began  to  re-issue 
one  and  two  pound  notes  for  the  convenience  of  the  connlry  circulation. 
For  one  week,  1.50,000  sovereigns  per  day  were  coined  at  the  Mint,  and 
post-chaises  were  hourly  dispatched  into  the  country  to  support  the  credit, 
and  prevent  the  failure,  of  the  provincial  firms  which  still  maintained 
their  gronml. 

A.  D.  1826. — The  eflfects  of  the  panic  were  severely  felt;  but  it  must  be 
admitted  that  the  Bank  of  England  made  strenuous  efforts  to  mitigate 
pecuniary  distress,  and  the  course  pursued  by  government  was  steady  and 
iudicious.  The  main  ingredient  in  producing  the  mischief  had  been  the 
bcility  of  creating  fictitious  money ;  ministers,  therefore,  prohibited  the 


i-:i;r  i! 


%^' 


726 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


circulation  of  one  pound  notes,  while  incorporated  companies  wen 
tllowed  to  ciirry  on  the  business  of  banking.  Deyond  this  they  could 
scarcely  go  :  it  was  next  to  impossible  that  they  could  afford  an  cfTuctive 
guarantee  against  future  panics,  over-trading,  or  the  insolvency  of  bankers. 

On  the  8(1  of  February  parliament  was  opened  by  commission.  The 
royal  speech  adverted  to  the  existing  pecuniary  distress,  and  showed  that 
it  was  totally  uncoimected  with  political  causes  It  also  alluded  to 
measures  in  contemplation  for  the  improvement  of  Ireland.  After  sitting 
till  the  end  of  May,  the  parliament  was  dissolved,  and  active  preparations 
were  made  for  a  general  election. 

Certain  leading  questions  had  now  got  such  possession  of  the  public 
mind,  that,  at  most  of  the  elections,  tests  were  offered  and  pledges  re- 
quired  from  the  several  candidales.  The  most  important  of  these  were 
catholic  emancipation,  the  corn  laws,  and  the  slave  trade  :  and  out  of  the 
members  returned  for  England  and  Wales,  one  hundred  and  thirty-threc 
had  never  before  sat  in  parliament.  It  was  observed  that  now,  for  the 
Srst  time,  the  catholic  priests  of  Ireland  openly  began  not  only  to  take  an 
tctive  part  in  elections,  but  to  inculcate  the  doctrine  that  opposition  to  an 
anti-catholic  candidate  was  a  christian  duty.  The  Knglish  radicals  were 
also  extremely  noisy  and  active  in  their  endeavours  to  return  Co'ibcit, 
Hunt,  and  others  of  that  clique ;  but  for  the  present  they  were  unsuccessful. 

The  new  parliament  was  opened  by  the  k  ng  in  person.  No  hiiniiipss 
of  any  great  importance  was  brought  before  the  house;  but  an  expose  of 
the  numerous  joint  stock  companies  that  had  been  established  was  made 
by  Alderman  Waithman.  He  observed  that  six  hundred  had  been  formed, 
most  of  them  for  dishonest  purposes  ;  the  directors  forcing  up  or  depress- 
ing the  market  as  they  pleased,  and  pocketing  the  difference  between  the 
Belling  and  buying  prices.  As  members  of  the  house  were  known  to  be 
directors  of  some  of  these  bubble  companies,  he  inoved  for  a  commitioe 
of  inquiry  with  reference  to  the  part  taken  by  members  of  parliament  in 
the  joint-stock  mania  of  1824-6~B. 

A  few  foreign  occurrences  claim  our  notice.  The  death  of  Alexander, 
emperor  of  Russia,  a  powerful  ally  of  England,  and  a  noble  and  benevo- 
lent prince,  who  sincerely  desired  the  good  of  his  people.  It  was  his 
wish  that  his  brotl>«r  Nicholas  should  succeed  him;  and,  in  compliance 
with  that  wish,  the  grand  duke  Constantine,  who  was  next  heir  to  the 
throne,  publicly  renounced  his  right  to  the  succession  in  favour  of  his 
younger  brother. — Also,  the  death  of  John  VI.,  king  of  Portugal  and 
titular  emperor  of  Brazil ,  whither  he  had  retired,  with  his  court,  on  the 
invasion  of  Portugal  by  Bonaparte. — Missolonghi,  the  last  asylum  of  the 
Greeks,  taken  by  storm,  by  the  combined  Kgyptian  and  Turkish  forces, 
who,  rendered  furious  by  the  bravery  of  the  besieged,  put  all  the  males  to 
the  sword,  and  carried  the  women  and  children  into  slavery. — The  de- 
struction of  the  Janissaries  by  Sultan  Mahmoud,  followed  by  an  entire  re- 
modelling  of  the  Turkish  army,  and  the  introduction  of  European  military 
discipline. — Remarkable  coincidence  in  the  deaths  of  two  ex-presidents 
of  the  United  States  of  America:  Mr.  Adams  and  Mr.  Jefferson  not  only 
expiring  on  the  same  day,  but  that  day  being  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  declaration  of  American  independence. 

A.  D.  1827. — We  closed  our  last  record  with  a  notice  of  the  deaths  of 
two  distinguished  men  on  trans-Atlantic  ground.  We  are  compelled 
to  commence  the  present  year  with  the  decease  of  an  illustrious  indivuluai 
in  England.  His  royal  highness  Augustus  Frederick,  duke  of  York,  pre 
sumptive  heir  to  the  throne,  and  commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  at  the 
head  of  which  ho  had  been  thirty-two  years,  and  under  whose  adminis- 
tration it  had  won  imperishable  laurels,  died  on  the  5th  of  January,  in  the 
*4th  vear  of  his  age.    In  person  he  was  noble  and  soldierlike,  in  disposi- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


nt 


companies  wen 
d  this  they  could 
afford  an  effective 
(Ivency  of  bankers, 
commission.  The 
8,  and  showed  that 
It  also  alludeil  to 
land.  After  sitting 
active  prepnrations 

ssion  of  the  public 
cd  and  pledges  re- 
rtant  of  these  were 
ade  :  and  out  of  the 
red  and  thirty-three 
d  that  now,  for  the 
not  only  to  take  an 
hat  opposition  to  an 
nglish  radicals  were 
i  to  return  Co':)bott, 
y  were  unsuccessful, 
orson.  No  hiiaiiiess 
so ;  but  an  cxpos6  of 
slablished  was  made 
red  had  been  formed, 
arcing  up  or  dcpress- 
fferenco  between  the 
se  were  known  to  be 
jved  for  a  commiltee 
bcrs  of  parliament  in 

!  death  of  Alcxandor, 
a  noble  and  beiicvo- 
,  people.     It  was  his 
i;  and,  in  compliance 
was  next  heir  to  the 
sion  in  favour  of  his 
Ling  of  Portugal  and 
with  his  court,  on  tlie 
;he  last  asylum  of  the 
and  Turkish  forces, 
d,  put  all  the  males  to 
nto  slavery.— Tlie  de- 
lowed  by  an  entire  re- 
of  European  military 
of  two  ex-presidems 
Mr.  Jefferson  not  only 
fiftieth  anniversary  of 

otice  of  the  deaths  of 
We  are  compelled 
in  illustrious  indivulual 
iok,  duke  of  York,  pre 
lef  of  the  army,  at  the 
under  whose  adminis- 
,5th  of  January,  in  the 
soldierlike,  in  dispoai- 


lion  frank,  amiable  and  sincere ;  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  iuties,  im- 
partial and  exact. 

Tlie  first  topic  of  domestic  interest  was  the  change  of  ministry,  which 
took  place  in  consequence  of  Lord  Liverpool,  the  premier,  being  sud- 
denly disabled  by  a  stroke  of  apoplexy,  which,  though  he  survived  the 
attack  nearly  two  years,  terminated  his  public  life.  His  lordship  wai 
free  from  intrigue  and  partisanship,  and  his  official  experience  enabled 
him  to  take  the  lead  in  conducliufr  the  ordinary  affairs  of  tlie  government, 
but  his  oratory  was  commonplace,  and  he  was  incapable  of  vigorously 
handling  the  great  questions  which  during  his  premiership  agitated  the 
country. 

Nearly  two  months  elapsed  before  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  Lord 
Liverpool's  illness  was  filled.  The  king  then  empowered  Mr.  Canning 
to  form  a  new  ministry,  of  which  he  was  to  be  the  head;  and  he  accor- 
dingly began  to  make  arrangements.  But  he  met  with  almost  insupera- 
ble diirictilties,  for  within  forty-eight  hours  after  he  had  received  his  ma- 
jesty's commands,  seven  leading  members  of  the  cabinet — his  former 
colleagues — refused  to  serve  under  him,  and  sent  in  their  resignations.  In 
this  perplexity  he  waited  on  the  king,  who  suspected  there  was  not  only 
a  confedcracv  against  Mr.  Canning,  but  also  a  disposition  to  coerce  the 
royal  will.  The  king  was  not  likely  to  withdraw  his  support  from  the  min- 
ster, and  ultimately  a  mixed  administration  entered  on  tiie  duties  of  ofHce, 
Mr.  Canning,  premier  ;earlofHarrowby,  president;  duke  of  Portland,  privy 
seal ;  Viscount  Dudley,  foreign  secretary ;  Mr.  Slurges  Bourne,  home  sec- 
retary; Mr.  Huskisson.  board  of  trade ;  C.  Wynn,  board  of  control;  Vis- 
count Palmersion,  secretary  of  war;  Lord  Bexley,  chancellor  of  the  duchy 
of  Lancaster ;  Lord  Lyndhurst,  lord  chancellor.  The  other  ministerial  ap- 
pointments were.  Sir  John  Leach,  master  of  the  rolls;  Sir  A.  Hart,  vice- 
chancellor  ;  Sir  James  Scarlett,  attorney-general ;  Sir  N.  Tindal,  solicitor- 
general  ;  duke  of  Clarence,  lord-high-adiniral ;  marquis  of  Anglesea, 
master-general  of  ordnance;  duke  of  Devonshire,  lord-chamberlain;  duke 
of  Leeds,  master  of  the  horse ;  and  VV.  Lamb,  secretary  for  Ireland.  Sub- 
sequently, the  marouis  of  Lansdowne  accepted  the  seals  of  the  home  de- 
partment, and  Mr.  Tierney  was  made  master  of  the  mint. 

A  treaty  which  had  for  its  object  the  pacification  of  0  -ococ,  by  putting 
an  end  to  the  sanguinary  contest  between  the  Porte  an  ■. ;  Grecian  sul^ 
jecls,  was  signed  at  London,  on  the  6th  of  July,  by  the  min  sters  of  Great 
Britain,  France,  and  Russia. 

From  the  hour  that  Mr.  Canning  undertook  the  ofHce  of  premier  he  had 
been  suffeiing  under  a  degree  of  nervous  excitement  which  made  visible 
inroads  on  his  constitution;  but  it  was  expected  that  a  little  repose  during 
the  parliamentary  recess  would  reinvigorate  him.  Not  so,  for  on  the  8th 
of  August  he  expired,  the  immediate  cause  of  his  death  being  an  inflam- 
mation of  the  kidneys.  This  highly  gifted  statesman,  who  was  in  the 
57th  year  of  his  age,  was  not  less  remarkable  fur  scholastic  acquirements, 
than  for  brilliant  oratory  and  pungent  wit ;  weapons  which  he  often  used 
with  success  in  demolishing  tlie  more  solid  arguments  of  his  opponents. 
In  politics  he  was  a  tory,  though  possessing  the  good  sense  to  avow  and 
act  upon  liberal  principles.  He  was  long  the  efficient  representative  of 
Liverpool,  and  his  constituents  were  proud  of  one  who,  while  he  shone 
in  the  senate,  combined  the  graces  ol^  scholarship  with  elegant  manners 
and  amiability  of  temper. 

On  the  death  of  Mr-  Canning  there  were  but  few  changes  in  the  minis- 
try. Lord  Goderich  became  the  new  premier,  and  Mr.  Merries  chancellor 
of  the  exchequer;  the  duke  of  Wellington  resumed  the  conmiand  of  the 
army,  but  without  a  seat  in  the  cabinet. 

Thd  treaty  for  attempting  the  pacification  of  Greece,  not  being  palatablO' 
to  the  sultan,  he  declined  the  mediation  of  the  allied  powers,  and  recom. 


728 


THE  TKEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


menccd  tlic  m  ar  furiously  against  the  Greeks.  To  put  a  stop  to  this  the 
coinl)iiu'tl  fliM'ts  proceeded  to  the  Iniy  of  iNuvanno,  wiili  a  deteriiiiiiutiun  to 
capture  or  destroy  tlia  Turkisii  fleet  which  liiy  there,  if  Ibrahiui  I'acha 
rcuised  lisleii  to  pucifie  overtures.  No  satisriietioii  beiiiK  ()t)tuiiied,  Ad- 
miral Codrington,  followed  by  the  Freneh  ships,  under  i)e  Rigny,  aiul  the 
Russian  squadron,  entered  tiiu  bay ;  and  after  four  liours  from  the  com- 
mcneenient  of  the  conflict,  which  had  been  carried  on  with  great  fury,  the 
enemy's  tlcct  was  wholly  destroyed,  and  tiiu  bay  strewn  with  the  frag. 
ments  of  his  ships. 

A.  D.  182S, — It  was  seen  from  the  first,  that  the  (iodcrich  ministry  did 
not  possess  the  ingredients  for  a  lasting  union.  DilTerences  between  the 
leading  members  rendered  his  lordship's  position  untenable,  and  he  re> 
signed  his  seals  of  oflicc.  Upon  this  the  king  sent  for  the  duke  of  We|. 
lington,  and  commissioned  liim  to  form  a  new  cabinet,  with  himself  at  the 
head  ;  the  result  was,  that  his  grace  immediately  entered  into  comniuui< 
cation  with  Mr.  Peel,  and  other  members  of  Lord  Liverpool's  niiniutry, 
who  had  seceded  on  the  elevation  of  Mr.  Canning;  and,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  the  same  parties  once  more  came  into  power.  The  duke,  on 
becoming  the  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  resigned  the  oflice  of  connnander- 
in-chief. 

On  the  fith  of  May  the  catholic  claims  were  again  brought  forward, 
when  Sir  Francis  Uurdett  moved  for  a  committee  of  the  whole  house  on 
this  subject,  with  a  view  to  a  conciliatory  adjustment.  After  a  three 
nights'  debate,  this  was  carried  by  a  majority  of  six.  A  conference  with 
the  lords  was  then  held,  after  which  there  was  a  two  nights'  debate  in  tlie 
lords,  when  the  duke  of  Wellington  opposed  the  resolution,  and  it  failed. 

In  Ireland,  during  the  Canning  and  Goderich  ministries,  all  was  com- 
paratively siill ;  but  this  year  the  excitement  of  the  people,  led  on  by  the 
fiopular  demagogues,  was  greatly  increased  by  the  formation  of  a  Wei- 
ington  and  I'eel  administration.  The  Catholic  Association  was  again 
in  full  activity  ;  Mr.  O'Connell  was  returned  for  Clare,  in  defiance  of  the 
landed  gentry  of  the  county ;  the  priests  seconded  the  efl°orts  of  ithieraiit 
politicians,  and,  in  the  inflated  rhetoric  of  Mr.  Shiel,  "  every  altar  became 
a  tribune  at  which  the  wrongs  of  Ireland  were  proclaimed."  Meanwhile, 
ministers  looked  supinely  on,  till  the  smouldering  embers  burst  into  a 
flame,  which  nothing  within  their  power  could  extinguish.  How  could  it, 
indeed,  be  otherwise,  when  the  marquis  of  Anglesea,  the  king's  represen- 
tative, wrote  a  letter  to  Dr.  Curtis,  the  titular  catholic  primate  of  Ireland, 
to  the  efl'ect  that  the  settlement  of  the  catholic  question  was  unavoidable, 
and  recommending  the  catholics  to  "  agitate,"  but  refrain  from  violence, 
and  trust  to  the  legislature.  What  more  could  the  great  agitator  himself 
require  than  aiich  an  ally  1  It  is  true  that  the  marquis  was  forthwith  re- 
called from  the  government  of  Ireland  for  writing  the  said  letter — but  he 
was  not  tmpeachcd. 

The  repairs  and  improvements  of  Windsor  :.astle,  which  had  been  for  a 
long  time  in  hand,  were  this  year  completed,  and  the  king  took  posses- 
sion of  his  apartments,  December  0th.  A  parliamentary  grant  of  450,000/. 
had  been  devoted  to  this  truly  national  edifice,  and  great  ability  was  shown 
in  retaining  the  principal  features  of  the  original  building,  while  studying 
the  conveniences  of  modern  civilization. 

At  the  latter  end  of  the  year,  owing  to  the  discovery  of  a  systematic 
plan  of  murder  liaving  been  pursued  by  some  wretches  at  Kdinburgli,  an 
mdescribable  feeling  of  horror  and  disgust  pervaded  the  country.  It  ap- 
peared, on  the  trial  of  William  Uurko  and  Helen  M'Dougal,  who  lodged 
in  a  house  kept  by  a  man  named  Hare,  that  they  had  been  in  the  harni  of 
decoying  persons  into  the  house,  where  they  first  made  them  iiitoxicaied, 
aiid  then  sutTocated  them.  The  bodies  were  then  sold  for  anatomical 
purposes,  and  no  questions  asked  respecting  the  mode  in  which  they  had 


THE  TaEAbUBY  OF  HISTORY. 


7S0 


top  to  this  the 
acriiiiit'ktion  lu 
bnOum  I'aiha 
r  obuiineil,  Ad- 
Uigiiy,  ami  llu; 
from  llie  com- 
grcHl  fury,  ihe 
wiih  lite  frag- 

ch  ministry  ilid 
;es  biilwccu  Uie 
Me,  and  ii«  re- 
le  duke  of  VVel- 
ill  liiiiiself  al  the 
I  into  commuiu- 
rpool's  miuiBlry, 
1,  with  very  few 
r.  The  duke,  on 
B  of  coiuinauder- 

jfought  forward, 
>  whole  house  on 
.      After  a  three 
^  conference  with 
>ht8'  debate  in  the 
on,  aiul  It  failed, 
•ies,  all  was  com- 
iple,  led  on  by  the 
•malion  of  a  Wei- 
ciation  was  again 
ill  defiance  of  the 
efforts  of  itinerant 
very  altar  became 
led."     Meanwhile, 
ibers  burst  into  a 
ih.    How  could  it, 
le  king's  represen- 
)riinaie  of  Ireland, 
I  was  unavoidable, 
■ain  from  violence, 
il  agitator  himself 
was  forthwith  re- 
said  letter— 6u<  he 

lich  had  been  for  a 
king  took  posses- 
y  grant  of  450,000/. 
,  ability  was  shown 
ing,  while  studying 

ry  of  a  systematic 
s  at  Kdinburgli,  an 
le  country.  It  ap- 
ougal,  who  lodged 
B)een  m  the  hahit  of 
I  them  nitoxicated, 
old  for  anmomical 
in  which  they  had 


been  prorurnd.  Tlio  number  of  their  victims  it  was  dilflcult  to  ascertain, 
thnu({n  Hurke  ('onfi'sscd  to  upwards  of  a  dozen.  This  wretch  was  exe- 
cuted amid  till!  exultations  and  exccialloiis  of  an  immense  coneourse  of 
spectators  ;  and  the  system  of  slraiigulaiion  wliich  lie  had  practised  was 
afterwards  known  by  the  term  of  liuiliin!^. 

The  hireigii  events  of  this  year  bear  too  little  on  Hnelish  history  to 
render  necessary  more  than  a  meiuion  of  them.  In  April  Russia  declared 
war  against  Turkey.  The  deslruclioii  of  the  Turkish  licet  at  Navarino 
left  the  former  power  masters  of  the  HIack  Sea;  and  on  land  115,000 
Russians  were  assembled  to  open  the  campaign  on  llic  Damibo.  Several 
great  battles  were  foiigiit,  the  Turks  ofTcriiig  a  much  more  ( tTeclual  rcsis- 
taneu  to  their  invaders  than  was  aiitici|)atcd  ;  at  Icn^'lii  the  Russians  retired 
from  the  contest,  hut  did  not  return  to  St.  i*(!tcrsbui«h  till  October.  The 
affairs  of  Greece  had  gone  on  more  favourably  in  consequence  of  the  war 
between  Turkey  and  Rug.«;ia;  and,  assisted  by  Franco  and  England,  that 
country  was  restored  to  the  rank  of  an  independent  nation. 

A.  P.  18J!>. — Soon  after  the  opening  of  parliament,  ministers  declared 
their  intentioii  to  bring  forward  the  long-ii^itatcd  question  of  catholic 
emancipation,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  it  forever.  In  Ireland  the  catholic 
population  was  estimated  at  five  millions  and  a  half,  whereas  not  more 
than  one  million  and  three  quarters  were  prolestants  j  but  in  Kngland, 
Scotland,  and  Wales,  ihe  nuinbcr  of  catholics  fell  short  of  a  million.  It 
was  well  known  that  the  duke  of  Weliingtoirs  repugnance  to  the  measure 
had  been  gradually  abating;  that  he  thought  the  security  of  the  empire 
deptMided  upon  its  bein^  carried;  and  that  he  had  laboured  hard  to  over- 
come the  king's  scruples.  Tliese  being  at  length  removed,  Mr.  Peel,  in 
a  long,  cautious,  and  elaborate  speech,  introduced  the  "  Catholic  relief  bill" 
hito  the  house  of  commons  on  the  5th  of  March.  Its  general  objects  were 
to  render  catholics  eligible  to  seats  in  both  houses  of  parliament,  to  vote 
at  the  eh'ction  of  members,  and  to  enjoy  all  civil  franchises  and  offices, 
upon  their  taking  an  oath  not  to  use  their  privileges  to  "weaken  or  disturb 
the  prolestant  establishment."  As  il  was  a  course  of  policy  which  the 
whigs  advocated,  it  had  their  support ;  the  chief  opposition  comiiifr  from 
that  section  of  the  toiy  party  who  fell  it  to  be  a  measure  dangerous  to  the 
prolestant  institutions  of  the  country.  The  majority  in  favour  of  the  bill, 
however,  at  the  third  reading,  was  320  to  142.  In  the  upper  house  a  more 
resolute  stand  was  made  against  il;  the  lords  Eldon,  Winchelsca,  Tenter- 
den,  and  others,  backed  by  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury  and  York,  and 
the  bishops  of  Londor.,  Durham,  and  Salisbury,  in  the  most  solemn  man- 
ner denouncing  it  as  u  measure  pregnant  with  the  most  imminent  peril  to 
church  and  state  as  by  law  established.  It  was,  however,  carried  on  the 
lOih  of  April,  and  received  the  royal  assent  on  the  13th. 

A  few  official  changes  followed.  Sir  Charles  \N  etherell,  attorney-gen- 
eral, was  dismissed  for  his  anti-catholic  opposition  to  the  ministers,  and 
Sir  James  Scarlett  appointed.  Chief-justice  Best  was  elevated  to  the 
peerage  by  the  title  of  Lord  Wynford  ;  and  was  succeeded  in  the  common- 
pleas  by  Sir  Nicholas  Tindal,  the  solicitor-general,  whose  office  was  given 
to  Mr.  sugden. 

The  year  1830  commenced  without  any  circumstance  occurring  in  or 
out  of  parliament  worth  relating.  The  position  of  ministers  was  a  difficult 
one,  hut  it  was  what  they  had  a  right  to  expect.  By  conceding  catholic 
emancipation  they  had  lost  the  support  of  their  most  influential  friends, 
and  they  were  now  compelled  to  accept  as  auxiliaries  those  hybrid  \yhigs, 
whose  co-operation,  to  be  permanent,  must  be  rewarded  by  a  share  in  the 
government.  But  the  stern  unbending  character  of  "  the  duke"  would  not 
allow  him  to  share  even  the  glory  of  a  conquest  with  mercenaries  whom 
he  could  not  depend  on ;  and,  therefore,  as  the  lories  were  divided,  it  was 
clear  that  their  lule  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close. 


730 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


An  event,  by  no  means  iinoxppctcd,  now  look  place.  For  a  consic  crabla 
time  past  the  king  had  been  indisposed,  and  he  was  rarely  seen  beyond 
the  limits  of  his  royiii  domain  at  Windsor;  where,  when  he  was  well 
enough  to  take  exentise,  he  wonld  enjoy  a  forest-drive,  or  amuse  himself 
by  fishing  and  8Uiiin(>  on  his  favourite  Virginia-water.  Hut  gout  and 
dropsy  had  made  sad  havoc  on  the  royal  invalid  ;  and  in  April  bulletins  ol 
his  health  began  to  be  published-  His  illness  gradually  increased  fruiii 
that  time  to  the  2Gth  of  June,  the  day  on  which  he  died.  After  a  severe 
paroxysm  his  majcsiy  appeared  to  be  fainting,  and,  exclaiming  "this  if 
death,"  in  a  few  minutes  ho  ceased  to  breathe. 


CHAPTER  LXV. 


THE    REIGN    OF    WILLIAM    IT. 


A,  D.  1830,  June  20. — William  Henry,  duke  of  Clarence,  third  son  ol 
George  HI.,  succeeded  to  the  throne  as  William  IV.,  being  at  the  time  of 
hia  accession  in  the  ()5tli  year  of  his  age.  This  monarch  was  brou^iht  up 
to  the  navy,  having  entered  the  service  as  a  midshipman  in  1779,  on  boad 
the  Royal  George,  a  98  gun-ship,  commanded  by  Captain  Digby ;  and,  hy 
regular  gradations,  he  became  rear-admiral  of  the  blue  in  1790.  From  that 
time  he  saw  no  more  active  service  afloat,  although  he  wished  to  share  in 
his  country's  naval  glories  ;  and  nothing  was  heard  of  him  in  his  profes- 
sional capacity,  till  Mr.  Canning,  in  1837,  revived  the  oflice  of  lord-hi^h 
admiral,  whicn  for  more  than  a  century  had  been  in  commission,  lie, 
however,  resigned  it  in  the  following  year,  the  duke  of  Wellington,  as 
prime  minister,  disapproving  of  the  expense  to  which  the  lord-high-admirul 
put  the  nation,  by  an  over-zealous  professional  liberality. 

On  the  23d  of  July  parliament  was  prorogued  by  the  king  in  person,  the 
royal  speech  being  congratulatory  as  to  the  general  tranquillity  of  Europe, 
the  repeal  of  taxes,  and  certain  reforms  introduced  into  the  judicial  estab- 
lishment of  the  country. 

It  was,  notwithstanding,  a  period  pregnant  with  events  of  surpassing 
interest,  hut  as  they  chiefly  belong  to  the  history  of  France,  the  bare  men- 
tion of  them  is  all  that  is  here  necessary.  An  expedition  on  a  large  scale 
was  fitted  out  by  the  French,  with  the  ostensible  view  oi  chastising  the 
Algerincs  for  their  piratical  insults;  but  it  ended  in  theu  ''apturiiig  the 
city,  and  in  taking  measures  to  secure  Algeria  as  a  French  co  >ny.  Then 
came  the  revolutionary  struggle  on  the  appointment  of  the  Poi.gnac  min- 
istry, which  ended  in  the  expulsion  of  Charles  X.  from  the  throne  of 
France,  and  the  elevation  of  Louis  Philippe,  duke  of  Orleans,  as  "king  of 
the  French,"  who  swore  fidelity  to  the  constitutional  charter. 

This  great  change  in  the  French  monarchy  was  elTected  with  less  blood- 
shed, and  in  far  less  time,  than  could  have  been  anticipated  by  its  most 
sanguine  promoters ;  for,  from  the  date  of  the  despotic  ordinances  issued 
by  the  ministers  of  Charles  X.,  to  the  moment  that  the  duke  of  Orleans 
accepted  the  oflTice  of  lieutenant-general  of  the  kingdom,  preparatory  to 
his  being  elected  king,  only  four  days  elapsed,  during  two  of  which  there 
were  some  sharply  contested  battles  between  the  citizens  and  the  royal 
troops  under  Marmont.  Of  the  citizens  three  hundred  and  ninety  were 
killed  on  the  spot,  and  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  wounded,  three  hun- 
dred died.  Of  the  royal  guard,  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  were  killed 
and  wounded,  and  of  gens-d*armes  two  hundred  and  two. 

A  similar  revolution  in  Delgium  followed.  When  that  country  was 
joined  to  Holland  in  1815,  to  form  the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  and 
thereby  raise  a  powerful  bulwark  on  the  frontier  of  France,  it  was  avow- 
edlv  a  mere  union  of  political  convenience,  in  which  neither  the  national 


THE  theasury  of  history. 


731 


ch  irarirr.  llie  instiimions,  nor  the  religion  of  the  inhabitants  was  consulted. 
No  HiKiiit-r  did  the  oulbreiik  in  Paris  t)ecome  known,  than  Brussels.  I.iego, 
Niimiir,  (ihciit,  Antwerp,  and  other  cities,  showed  an  inveterate  spirit  of 
hostility  to  their  Dutch  rulers,  and  insurrections,  which  soon  amounted  to 
a  state  of  civil  war,  were  general  throughout  Uelgiuni.  The  kingdom  of 
the  Netherlands  having  been  created  t)y  Great  Britain,  Austria,  Prussia, 
Russia,  and  France,  these  powers  assumed  a  right  of  mediation  between 
the  belligerents;  and  on  the  4th  of  November  a  protocol  was  signed  at 
London,  declaring  that  hostilities  should  cease,  and  that  the  troops  of  the 
contending  parties  should  retire  within  the  limits  which  formerly  separated 
Belcium  trom  Holland. 

The  effect  of  these  successful  popular  commotions  abroad  was  not  lost 
upon  the  people  of  Kngland ;  and  "parliamentary  reform"  became  the 
watch-word  of  all  who  wished  to  harass  the  tory  ministry.  The  duke  of 
Wellington  was  charged,  though  most  unjustly,  of  having  given  his  sup- 
port, or  at  least  been  privy  to  the  arbitrary  measures  of  tiie  Polignac  miiu 
istry ;  and  a  clamour  was  raised  against  him  and  his  colleagues  which  was 
beyond  their  power  to  control. 

By  degrees  the  small  ministerial  majority  dwindled  away,  and  !•>  leas 
than  a  fortnight  from  the  assembling  of  parliament  the  turies  found  them- 
81  Ives  in  a  minority  of  20,  on  a  motion  for  the  settlement  of  the  civil  list. 
This  was  a  signal  for  the  Wellington  ministry  to  resign,  and  their  seals 
of  oirict!  were  respectfully  tendered  to  the  king  on  the  following  day,  No- 
vember 16. 

The  celebrated  "reform  ministry"  immediately  succeeded;  at  the  head 
of  which  was  Lord  Grey,  as  first  lord  of  the  treasury.  The  other  inem- 
bers  of  the  cabinet  were  the  marquis  of  Lansdowne,  lord-president ;  Lord 
Brougham,  lord-chancellor;  Viscount  Althorp,  chancellor  of  the  exche- 
quer; Viscount  Melbourne,  home  secretary;  Viscount  Palmerston,  foreign 
secretary;  Viscount  Ooderich,  colonial  secretary;  Lord  Durham,  lord 
privy  seal;  Lord  Auckland,  president  of  the  board  of  trade;  Sir  James 
Graham,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty ;  Lord  Holland,  chancellor  of  the  duchy 
of  Lancaster;  Honourable  Charles  Grant,  prraident  of  the  India  board; 
and  the  earl  of  Carlisle,  without  any  official  appointment.  Among  the 
ministers  who  had  no  seats  in  the  cabinet,  were  Lord  John  Russell,  pay- 
master-general ;  the  duke  of  Richmond,  postmaster-general ;  the  duke  of 
Devonshire,  lord-chamberlain ;  Marquis  VVellesley,  lord-steward ;  Sir  T. 
Denman,  attorney-general;  and  Sir  W.  Home,  solicitor-general.  The 
Marqui?  of  Anglesea  was  invested  with  the  lord-lieutenancy  of  Ireland, 
and  Lord  Plunkett  was  its  lord-chancellor. 

During  the  autumn  of  this  year  a  novel  and  most  destructive  species  of 
outrage  prevailed  in  the  agricultural  districts  of  the  south  of  England, 
arising  from  the  distressed  condition  of  the  labouring  population.  Night 
after  night  incendiary  fires  kept  the  country  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm, 
and  farming-stock  of  every  description  was  consumed.  There  was  no 
open  rioting,  no  mobs ;  nor  did  it  appear  that  it  was  connected  with  any 
political  object.  In  the  counties  of  Kent,  Hants,  Wilts,  Bucks,  and  Sussex, 
tliese  disorders  rose  to  a  fearful  height ;  threatening  letters  often  preceding 
tite  contlagrations,  which  soon  after  night-fall  would  simultaneously  burst 
out,  and  spread  over  the  country  havoc  and  dismay.  Large  rewards  were 
offered  for  the  discovery  of  the  offenders,  the  military  force  was  increased, 
and  si)ecial  ccmmiissions  were  appointed  to  try  the  incendiaries.  Alto- 
gether upwards  of  eight  hundred  offenders  were  tried,  the  greater  part  of 
whom  were  acquitted;  and  among  those  convicted,  four  were  executed, 
and  the  remainder  sentenced  to  diffeient  terms  of  transportation  and  im- 
prisonment. 

In  referring  to  foreign  affairs,  we  have  to  notice:  1.  The  trial  of  the 
French  ministers,  Polignac,  Peyronnet,  Chantelauze,  and  Ilanville,  on  a 


ii. 


733 


THE  TREASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


charge  of  liigrli  treason  for  the  part  they  took  in  enforcing  the  "  ordinances" 
of  Charles  X.,  which  led  to  the  memorable  revolution  of  July.  2,  The 
Polish  insurrection.  This  arose  from  the  grand  duke  Constantino  of 
Russia  having  severely  punished  some  of  the  young  military  students  at 
Warsaw  for  toasting  the  memory  of  Kosciusko.  The  inhabitants,  assisted 
by  the  Polish  regiments,  after  a  sanguinary  contest  in  the  streets,  com- 
pelled the  Russians  to  retire  to  the  other  side  of  the  Vistula.  However, 
dreading  the  resentment  of  their  tyrannical  masters,  they  afterwards  en- 
deavoured to  effect  an  amicable  settlement;  but  the  emperor  Nicholas 
refused  to  listen  to  their  representations,  and  threatened  them  with  con- 
dign punishment.  Meanwhile,  the  Poles  prepared  to  meet  the  approaching 
conflict,  and  General  Joseph  Chlopicki  was  invested  with  the  office  of  "  dii;- 
tator."  3.  The  death  of  Simon  Bolivar,  the  magnanimous  "liberator"  ol 
Columbia,  who  expired,  a  voluntary  exile,  at  San  Pedro,  December  17,  in 
the  48th  year  of  his  age. 

A.  D.  1831. — On  the  3d  of  February  parliament  re-assembled,  and  it  was 
announced  that  a  plan  of  reform  would  speedily  be  introduced  by  Lord 
John  Russell.    In  the  meantime  Lord  Althorp  brought  forward  the  budget ; 
by  which  it  appeared  that  the  taxes  on  tobacco,  newspapers,  and  adver 
tisements  were  to  be  reduced;  and  those  on  coals,  candles,  printed  cot 
tons,  and  some  other  articles,  abolished. 

The  subject  of  parliamentary  reform  continued  to  absorb  all  other  polit« 
leal  considerations,  and  was  looked  forward  to  with  intense  interest.  In 
announcing  his  scheme.  Lord  John  Russel  proposed  the  total  disfranchise- 
ment of  sixty  boroughs,  in  which  the  population  did  not  amount  to  two 
thousand,  and  the  partial  disfranchisement  of  forty-seven,  where  the  pop- 
ulation was  only  four  thousand.  The  bill,  after  a  spirited  discussion  of 
seven  days,  was  read  a  first  time.  The  second  reading  was  carried  on 
the  22d  of  March,  by  a  majority  of  one;  and  on  General  Gascoyne's  mo- 
tion for  the  commitment  of  the  bill,  there  was  a  majority  against  ministers 
of  eight.  Three  days  afterwards,  on  a  question  of  adjournment,  by  which 
the  voting  of  supplies  was  postponed,  this  majority  had  increased  to  twenty- 
two;  whereupon  the  ministers  tendered  their  resignations  to  the  king. 
These  he  declined  to  accept,  but  adopted  the  advice  of  Earl  Grey,  who 
recommended  a  dissolution  of  parliament,  which  took  place  on  the  22d 
of  April. 

On  the  14th  of  June  the  new  parliament  met,  and  was  opened  by  the 
king  in  person.  On  the  25th  Lord  John  Russell  made  his  second  attempt. 
The  debate  lasted  three  nights,  and  on  a  division  there  was  a  majority  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-six  in  favour  of  the  bill.  It  then  underwent  a  long 
and  severe  scrutiny  in  committee ;  every  clause  was  discussed,  and  many 
imperfections  remedied.  These  occupied  the  house  till  the  19ih  of  Sep- 
tember,  when,  after  another  debate  of  three  nights,  the  bill  was  carried 
by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  nine,  and  taken  up  to  the  lords — where 
it  failed. 

That  we  may  not  interrupt  the  thread  of  our  narrative,  we  pass  on  to 
April  14,  1832;  when,  after  a  four  nights' debate  in  the  house  of  lords, 
this  popular  bill  was  carried  by  a  majority  o(  nine.  After  this,  innumera- 
ble difficulties  were  raised,  but  the  majority  on  its  third  reading  was  one 
hundred  and  six  to  twenty-two. 

We  shall  now  briefly  refer  to  a  few  occurrences  hitherto  omitted.  The 
Russiiiiis  sustained  a  severe  defeat  at  Wawz,  after  a  battle  of  two  days, 
their  h)ss  being  fourteen  thousand  men  ;  their  opponents  the  Poles,  suffer- 
ed comparatively  little.  But  on  the  30th  a  Polish  corps,  under  Dwernicki, 
being  hard  pressed  by  the  Russians,  retreated  into  Austrian  Gallicia,  «nd 
surrendering  to  the  Austrian  authorities,  were  treated  as  prisoners  and 
sent  into  Hungary.  In  short,  after  bravely  encountering  their  foes,  and 
strugglinjf  against  superior  numbers,  Warsaw  capitulated,  and  the  idea  of 


.  ttM(J.4a!iU>-M»»aSl.,»/«*ii*, 


^^^'■1        « 


HE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


733 


Polish  independence  was  farther  removed  than  ever. — In  June,  Piince 
Leopold  was  elected  king  of  Belgium  by  the  congress  at  Brussels,  his 
territory  to  cfjnsist  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  as  settled  in  1815. 

On  the  7th  of  September  the  coronation  of  their  majesties  took  place  ; 
but,  as  compared  with  the  gorgeous  display  and  banqueting  when  George 
IV.  was  crowned,  it  must  be  considered  a  frugal  and  unostentatious 
ceTcmoiiy.  There  was,  however,  a  royal  procession  from  St.  James' 
palace  to  Westminster-abbey  ;  and  in  the  evening  splendid  illuminations, 
free  admission  to  the  theatres,  and  a  variety  of  other  entertainments. 

On  the  21st  of  October,  the  London  Gazette  contained  precautions  to  be 
adopted  against  the  spread  of  tiie  Asiatic  cholera,  that  dreadful  pestilence 
having  lately  extended  from  Moscow  to  Hamburgh.  It  was  ordered  that 
a  board  of  health  should  be  established  in  every  town,  to  correspond  with 
the  board  in  London,  and  effect'-al  modes  of  insuring  cleanliness,  free 
ventilation,  Ice.  were  pointed  out.  These  precautionary  measures  were 
doubtless  of  great  use,  and  worthy  of  the  paternal  attention  of  a  humane 
government ;  but  owin?:,  as  was  supposed,  to  the  quarantine  laws  having 
been  evaded  by  some  persons  wlio  came  over  from  Hamburgh  and  landed 
at  Sunderland,  the  much-dreaded  infection  visited  many  parts  of  Great 
Britain,  and  produced  indescribable  alarm  among  all  ranks  of  people. 

One  other  event,  that  we  would  fain  omit  altogether,  remains  to  be 
mentioned  among  the  domestic  occurrences  of  the  year.  On  the  29th  of 
October  the  city  of  Bristol  became  the  scene  of  dreadful  riots,  which 
were  not  overcome  till  that  large  commercial  town  appeared  to  be  on  the 
verge  of  total  destruction.  Sir  Charles  Wetherell,  an  uncompromising 
opponent  of  the  reform  bill,  was  recorder  of  Bristol ;  and  maledictions  on 
his  head  were  freely  uttered  by  the  base  and  vulgar,  for  the  vigorous  stand 
he  made  against  the  bill  during  its  progress  through  the  commons.  On 
the  recorder's  making  liis  public  entrance  the  cruel  storm  commenced, 
and  did  not  cease  till  the  third  day,  by  which  time,  besides  immense  de- 
struction of  private  property,  tlie  mansion-house,  custom-house,  excise- 
office,  and  bishop's  palace  were  plundered  and  set  on  fire ;  the  prisons 
were  burst  open,  and  tlieir  inmates  set  at  liberty ;  and  during  one  entire 
day,  Sunday,  tiie  mob  were  unresisted  masters  of  tiie  city.  On  Monday 
morning,  when  the  fury  of  the  rioters  had  partly  spent  itself  in  beastly 
orgies,  and  many  had  become  tlie  victims  of  excessive  drinking  in  the 
rifled  cellars  and  warehouses,  the  civil  magistrates  appeared  to  awake 
from  their  stupor,  and,  with  assistance  of  the  military,  this  '•  ebullition  of 
popular  feeling,"  as  it  was  delicately  termed  by  some  who  had  uncon- 
sciously fanned  the  (lame,  was  arrested.  The  loss  of  property  was 
estimated  at  half  a  million.  The  number  of  rioters  killed,  wound- 
ed, or  iniured,  was  about  110;  but  of  these,  far  more  suffered  from 
the  vile  excesses  of  intemperance,  and  from  being  unable  to  escape  from 
the  flames  which  tliey  had  themselves  kindled,  than  from  the  sabres  of 
the  soldiery  or  the  truncheons  of  constabulary  protectors.  One  hundred 
and  eighty  were  taken  into  custody,  and  tried  by  a  special  commission ; 
when  four  were  executed  and  twenty-two  transported.  Their  trials  took 
place  on  the  2d  of  January,  1832.  Not  many  days  afterwards  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Brereton,  who  had  command  of  the  troops,  committed  suicide, 
pending  an  inquiry  in.o  his  conduct  by  court-martial.  He  was  charged 
with  not  having  displayed  the  firmness  and  decision  necessary  for  quelling 
a  tumult  of  such  magnitude.  That  more  energy  and  decision  ought  to 
have  been  shown  at  tlic  commencement,  by  the  civil  power,  is  evident; 
how  far  the  colonel  was  in  error  is  very  questionable.  The  whole 
transaction  proves  to  what  excesses  the  unbridled  fury  of  the  populace 
will  lead  during  a  period  of  political  excitement,  and  ought  to  serve  as  a 
perpetual  warning  to  all  those  unquiet  spirits  who  love  to  "  rido  on  the 
whirlwind,"  but  know  not  how  to  "direct  the  storm." 


'4:i| 


734 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


A.  D.  1B32. — Havingr  in  onr  previous  notice  stated  the  result  of  the  long, 
continued  contest  respecting  parliamentary  reform,  we  have  now  only  to 
describe  the  changes  effected  in  the  representative  system  when  xhe  bills 
came  into  operation.  As  soon  as  the  royal  assent  was  given  to  the  En- 
glish reform  bill  (June  the  7th),  congratulatory  addresses  and  other  peace- 
ful demonstrations  of  public  joy  were  very  generally  indulged  in;  but  if 
we  may  judge  by  the  triumphant  chuckle  of  the  victors  and  the  lofty 
scorn  of  the  vanquished,  thT  angry  invectives  of  the  late  political  dispu- 
tants were  neither  forgottei  nor  forgiven.  Yet,  though  the  war  of  words 
had  not  wholly  passed  away,  it  was  now  as  a  mere  feather  in  the  balance — 
the  reform  bill  had  become  the  law  of  the  land. 

During  the  months  of  February,  March,  and  April,  the  cholera  became 
very  prevalent,  not  only  in  the  country  towns  and  villages  ii»  'Jie  north  of 
England,  where  it  first  appeared,  but  also  in  the  metropolis.  Every  pos- 
sible attention  was  paid  to  the  subject  by  government ;  parochial  and  dis- 
trict hoards  were  forthwith  organized,  temporary  hospitals  got  ready  for 
the  reception  of  the  sick,  and  every  measure  that  humanity  and  pru- 
dence could  suggest  was  resorted  to,  to  check  the  progress  of  the  malady. 
The  virulence  of  the  disease  abated  during  the  three  succeeding  months, 
but  at  the  end  of  the  summer  it  appeared  again  as  malignant  as  ever.  In 
the  whole  year,  the  deaths  from  cholera,  within  the  limits  of  the  bills  of 
mortality,  amounted  to  S.QOO  ;  and  the  total  number  of  deaths  exclusive  of 
London,  was  24,180;  the  amount  of  cases  being  68,855.  In  Paris,  1000 
deaths  occurred  during  the  first  week  of  its  appearance  there  ;  nay,  so 
fatiil  was  it,  that  out  of  45,075  deaths  which  took  place  in  the  French 
capital  in  1832,  the  enormous  number  of  19.000  was  occasioned  by 
cholera.  This  frightful  epidemic  next  appeared  m  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  It  thus  made  the  tour  of  the  globe  ;  beginning,  as  was  supposed, 
in  Hindostan  ;  then  devastating  Moscow  and  the  northern  parts  of 
Europe ;  visiting  Great  Britain  and  France ;  and  lastly,  crossing  the 
Atlantic. 

In  this  year's  obituary  are  the  names  of  several  men  of  eminence.  From 
among  them  we  select — Sir  James  Mackintosh,  an  eloquent  writer  and 
statesman. — Jeremy  Benlham,  celebrated  as  a  jurist  and  law  reformer; 
a  man  who  had  his  own  specifics  for  every  disease  of  the  body-politic,  but 
who  never  had  the  happiness  to  see  one  of  them  effect  a  cure.  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  the  "  wizard  of  the  north,"  as  some  of  his  eulogists  have 
called  him  ;  a  romance  writer  and  poet,  of  acknowledged  merit,  who  for 
a  long  period  enjoyed  a  popularity  unknown  to  any  of  his  cotemporaries. 
He  possessed  an  extraordinary  union  of  genius  and  industry,  and  had  he 
been  satisfied  with  his  literary  gains,  instead  of  joining  in  the  speculations 
of  his  printers  and  publishers,  his  latter  days  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  been  spent,  as  they  ought,  in  the  enjoyment  of  case  and  aflluence. 

A.  D.  1833. — On  the  29ih  of  January  the  first  reform  parliament  was 
opened  by  commission,  and  on  the  5th  of  February  the  king  dehvered  his 
speech  in  person.  Among  other  topics  of  interest,  ho  emphatically  dwelt 
upon  the  increasing  spirit  of  insubordination  and  violence  in  Ireland,  and 
on  the  necessity  which  existed  for  entrusting  the  crown  with  additional 
powers  for  punishing  the  disturbers  of  the  public  peace,  and  for  strengthen- 
ing the  legislative  union  of  the  two  kingdoms.  This  led  to  the  passing 
of  the  insurrection  acts  in  the  following  month ;  empowering  the  lord- 
lieutenant  to  prohibit  public  meetings  of  a  dangerous  tendency ;  sus- 
pending the  writ  of  habeas  corpus ;  authorizing  domiciliary  visits  by 
magistrates,  &c. 

Great  Britain  had  in  1807  abolished  the  "slave  trade,"  but  slavery  itself 
was  now  to  become  extinct  in  the  West  Indies.  By  the  act  for  the 
"abolition  of  colonial  slavery,"  all  children  under  six  years  of  age,  or 
born  after  August  1, 1834,  were  declared  free  ;  all  registered  slaves  above 


.tf..*JA:«i'^.>'-.tf-'A**ij«*^-u*^riM'..:i 


H 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY 


735 


BIX  years  became,  from  the  same  date,  apprenticed  labourers,  with  weekly 
pay,  eillier  in  money  or  by  board  and  lodging,  possessing,  at  the  samo 
lime,  all  the  rights  and  immunities  of  freemen.  In  effecting  so  great  a 
change,  it  wiis  necessary  that  the  owners  of  slaves  should  receive  some 
adequate  compensation.  To  meet  this  object,  ministers  at  first  proposed 
advancing  a  loan  of  fifteen  millions  to  the  West  India  proprietors;  but 
the  idea  of  a  loan  was  soon  converted  into  a  gijft,  and  of  a  still  higher 
amount ;  the  sum  of  c£20,000,000  being  finally  voted  to  the  slave-owneps 
as  a  liberal  compensation  for  the  losses  they  might  sustain  by  this 
humane  measure.  An  end  was  thus  put  to  a  question  M'hich  had  agitated 
the  religious  portion  of  the  community  from  the  day  that  Mr.  Wilberforce 
first  stood  forward  as  the  champion  of  African  emancipation. 

With  regard  to  renewing  the  ciiarter  of  the  Bank  of  England,  there 
were  questions  on  which  the  legislature  were  divided  ;  the  majority,  how- 
ever, insisted  on  tlie  expediency  of  continuing  the  exclusive  privileges  of 
the  bank,  so  that  it  should  remain  the  principal  and  governing  monetary 
association  of  the  empire. 

A.  D.  1834. — The  desire  to  move  onward  in  legislating  for  and  removing 
everything  that  seemed  to  obstruct  tlie  progress  of  "liberal"  principles, 
was  the  natural  consequence  of  the  reform  bill ;  and  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  year  the  "  pressure  from  without "  was  felt  by  ministers  to 
be  a  most  inconvenient  appendage  to  their  popularity.  This  state  of 
things  could  not  long  remain  ;  and  on  Mr.  Ward  bringing  forward  a 
motion  in  the  house  of  commons  for  appropriating  the  surplus  revenue  of 
the  Irish  church  to  the  purposes  of  government,  it  appeared  that  there 
existed  a  difference  of  opinion  in  the  cabinet  as  to  the  mode  in  which  the 
motion  should  be  met.  The  majority  was  in  its  favour  ;  but  the  appro- 
priation of  church  properly  to  other  than  ecclesiastical  uses  was  incom- 
patible with  the  notions  of  Mr.  Stanley,  Sir  James  Graham,  the  earl  of 
Rjpon,  and  the  duke  of  Richmond  ;  and  they  accordingly  resigned  their 
places  in  the  ministry.  This  happened  May  27th ;  the  28tl.  being  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  king's  birth-day,  the  Irish  prelates  presented  an  address  to  his 
majesty,  in  which  they  strongly  deprecated  ecclesiastical  innovations. 
The  king  promptly  replied,  and  in  an  unstudied  speech  of  considerable 
length,  warmly  expressed  his  attachment  to  the  chun^h.  He  said  that  he  had 
always  been  friendly  to  toleration  in  its  utmost  latitude,  but  opfosed  to 
licentiousness,  and  that  he  was  fully  sensible  how  much  both  thj  prot.es- 
tant  cliurch  and  his  own  family  were  indebted  to  the  revolutio',  of  1G88  ; 
emphatically  and  somewhat  naively  adding,  "  The  words  whirii  you  hear 
from  me  are  spoken  from  my  mouth,  but  they  proceed  from  iny  heart." 

The  rupture  with  ihe  ministers  above-named  was  speedily  followed  by 
another,  which  ended  in  the  resignation  of  Karl  Grey,  the  premier.  In 
the  communications  which  had  from  time  to  time  been  made  by  ministers 
to  Mr.  O'Connell  on  Irish  affairs,  it  had  been  confidently  stated  to  him  that 
when  the  Irish  coercion  bill  was  renewed,  the  clauses  prohibitory  of 
meetings  would  not  be  pressed  ;  nevertheless,  the  obnoxious  clauses  ap- 
peared in  the  bill ;  and  Mr.  O'Connell  declared  that  he  considered  it  dis- 
solved the  obligation  of  secrecy  under  which  the  communication  had 
been  made.  Lord  Mthorp  finding  himself  unable  to  carry  the  coercion 
bill  tkrough  the  commons,  with  the  clauses  against  public  meetings,  sent  in 
his  resignation  ;  and  as  Karl  Grey  considered  himself  unable,  without  the 
assistance  of  Lord  Althorp  as  ministerial  leader  in  the  house  of  commons, 
to  carry  on  the  government,  he  also  resigned. 

An  arrangement  was,  however,  soon  etTected  to  form  another  minis- 
try, Lord  Althorp  consenting  to  resume  the  chancellorship  of  the  ex- 
chequer under  the  premiership  of  Viscount  Melbourne.  The  new 
cabinet  then  stood  thus  :  Viscount  Melbourne,  first  lord  of  the  treasury  ; 
Lord  Brougham,  lord-chancellor;  Viscount  Althorp,  chancellor  of  the 


V 


th:t 


m^ 


*%i' 


i-1 


if!*" 


730 


THE  THEA8UEY  OF  HISTORY. 


exchequer;  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  president  of  the  council;  Earl  of 
Mulgrave,  privy  seal;  Viscount  Duncannon,  home  secretary;  Viscount 
Palnierston,  foreign  secretary ;  Spring  Rice,  colonial  secretary ;  Lord 
Auckland,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty ;  Charles  Grant,  president  of  the 
India  board  ;  Marquis  of  Conyngham,  postmaster-general ;  Lord  Holland, 
chancellor  of  the  duchy  of  Lancaster;  Lord  John  Russell,  paymaster  of 
the  forces  ;  and  E.  J.  Littleton,  secretary  for  Ireland. 

An  event  now  took  place  which  was  regarded  as  a  national  calamity, 
not  merely  on  account  of  the  loss  sustained,  but  also  from  the  historicul 
and  personal  associations  connected  with  it.  On  the  evening  of  the  ICth 
of  October  a  fire  broke  out  in  one  of  the  offices  at  the  lower  end  of  tlie 
house  of  lords,  which  continued  to  rage  throughout  the  night,  and  was  not 
completely  extinguished  for  several  days.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  for 
the  safety  of  that  ancient  edifice,  Westminster-hall ;  and  even  the  vener- 
able and  magnificent  gothic  pile  opposite,  Westminster-abbey,  was  at  one 
period  in  great  danger;  but  nothing  that  skill  or  intrepidity  could  aciiicve 
was  neglected  in  arresting  the  progress  of  the  flames;  and  though  the 
two  houses  of  parliament  were  destroyed,  neither  the  hall  nor  the  abbey 
sustained  material  damage  ;  and  the  libraries  and  state  papers  in  the  lords 
and  commons  were  preserved.  The  fire,  as  appeared  on  inquiry,  was 
caused  by  negligence,  in  burning  the  exchequer-tallies  in  a  building 
adjoining  the  house  of  lords. 

One  month  after  the  destruction  of  the  houses  of  parliament  the  Mel. 
bourne  ministry  was  summarily  dismissed.  On  the  14th  November,  Lord 
Melbourne  waited  on  his  majesty  at  Brighton  to  take  his  commands  on  the 
appointment  of  a  chancellor,  in  the  room  of  Lord  Althorp,  removed,  by 
the  death  of  his  father,  Karl  Spencer,  to  the  house  of  peers.  The  king,  it 
is  said,  objected  to  the  proposed  re-construction  of  the  cabinet,  and  made 
his  lordship  the  bearer  of  a  letter  to  the  duke  of  Wellington,  who  waited 
upon  his  majesty,  and  advised  him  to  place  Sir  Robert  Peel  at  the  head  of 
the  government.  Sir  Robert  was  at  the  time  in  Italy,  whither  a  courier 
was  dispatched,  and  the  baronet  arrived  in  London,  Dec.  9,  saw  the  king, 
and  accepted  llic  situation.  Thus  again,  though  for  a  brief  space,  the  tory 
party,  or  conservatives,  as  they  were  now  called,  were  in  the  ascendant. 

A.  D.  1835. — The  Melbourne  cabinet  had  been  looked  upon  as  the  dregs 
of  the  Grey  ministry ;  and  the  losses  it  had  sustained  by  the  withdrawal 
of  the  earl  of  Durham,  the  Stanley  section,  and  the  noble  premier  himself, 
had  not  been  supplied  by  men  of  suitable  talents.  The  public,  therefore, 
had  no  great  reason  for  regret,  when  the  king  so  suddenly  dispensed  with 
their  services.  Yef  when  the  same  men  were  entrusted  with  the  reins  of 
government  who  had  been  the  strenuous  opposers  of  reform,  an  instanta- 
neous outcry  burst  forth,  and  the  advent  of  toryism  was  regarded  by  the 
populace  with  feelings  of  distrust  and  dread.  Sir  Robert  Peel,  however, 
explicitly  declared  that  he  considered  the  reform  bill  as  a  final  and  irre- 
vocable settlement ;  and  he  appealed  to  several  measures  that  had  for- 
merly emanated  from  himself,  as  proofs  that  he  was  not  opposed  to  the 
redress  of  grievances.  But  when,  on  the  30th  of  March,  Lord  John  Rus- 
sell brought  forward  his  resolution — "  that  the  house  should  resolve  itself 
into  a  committee  of  the  whole  house,  to  consider  the  temporalities  of  the 
church  of  Ireland,"  the  motion  was  met  by  Sir  E.  KnatchbuU  with  a  direct 
negative,  and  after  a  long  and  stormy  debate,  ministers  found  themselves 
in  a  minority  of  33.  The  hill  was  then  discussed  in  committee  ;  and  after 
three  nights'  debate  there  was  still  a  majority  against  them  of  27.  Find. 
ing  that  neither  concessions  nor  professions  of  liberality  were  of  any 
avail,  the  duke  of  Wellington  in  the  upper  house,  and  Sir  Robert  Peel  in 
the  lower,  announced  their  resignations  ;  the  latter  at  the  same  time  de- 
claring, that  though  thwarted  by  the  commons,  he  parted  with  them  on 
friendly  terms. 


.mutUKMLUatt  "^  «■" 


THE  TKEASUttY  OF  HISTORY. 


737 


These  changes  in  the  ministry  sadly  impede  us  in  the  progress  of  this 
succinct  history ;  but  as  they  engrossed  universal  attention  at  the  time,  so 
must  they  now  be  rehtcd,  as  affording  the  readiest  clue  to  the  principal 
transactions  in  the  arena  of  politics.  Once  more,  then,  we  see  Lord  Mel- 
bourne as  the  premier ;  Lord  John  Russell,  home  secretary ;  Palmerston, 
foreign  secrstary ;  Right.  Hon.  Spring  Rice,  chancellor  of  the  exchequer ; 
marquis  of  Lansdowne,  president  of  the  council ;  the  other  appointments 
filled  nearly  as  they  were  when  the  "  liberals"  were  in  power,  except  that 
the  great  seal  was  put  in  commission. 

Let  us  a  moment  pause  m  our  domestic  narrative,  to  mention  a  diabolical 
contrivance  in  France,  which  might  have  involved  Europe  in  another  scene 
of  blood  and  tumult  but  for  its  providential  failure.  On  the  28th  of  July, 
during  the  festivities  of  the  annual  commemoration  of  the  revolution  of 
1830,  as  Louis  Philippe,  attended  by  his  sons  and  a  splendid  suite,  was 
riding  along  the  line  of  the  national  guard,  on  the  boulevard  of  the  Temple, 
an  explosion  like  a  discharge  of  musketry  took  place  from  the  window  of 
an  adjoining  house,  which  killed  Marshal  Mortier  and  another  general 
officer,  besides  killing  or  wounding  nearly  forty  other  persons.  But  the 
king,  who  was  the  object  of  this  indiscriminate  slaughter,  with  his  three 
sons,  escaped  unhurt.  The  assassin,  who  was  a  Corsican  named  Ficschi, 
was  seized  by  the  police  in  the  act  of  descending  from  the  window  by  a 
rope,  and  wcunded  by  the  bursting  of  some  of  the  barrels  of  his  "  infernal 
machine."  The  deadly  instrument  consisted  of  a  frame  upon  which  were 
arranged  twenty-five  barrels, each  loaded  with  ^..llets,  &c.,  and  the  touch- 
holes  communicating  by  means  of  a  train  of  gunpowder.  On  his  trial  he 
made  no  attempt  to  deny  his  guilt,  but  nothing  could  be  elicited  to  prove 
that  any  formidable  conspiracy  existed,  or  that  he  was  influenced  by  any 
political  party  to  undertake  the  horrid  act.  The  atrocious  attempt,  how- 
ever, served  for  a  convenient  pretext  to  introduce  a  series  of  severe  laws 
for  the  prevention  and  punishment  of  state  crimes  and  revolutionary 
attempts. 

We  shall  close  our  sketch  of  this  year's  occurrences  by  briefly  noticing 
the  deaths  of  two  persons,  who,  in  their  career  for  popular  applaus<s  at- 
tained a  more  than  ordinary  share  of  notoriety.  The  one  was  I.enry 
Hunt,  late  M.P.,  for  Preston,  who  had  figured  as  a  leader  amo'.g  the 
radicals,  and  whose  zeal  for  "  the  people"  at  the  too  memorable  meeting 
at  Manchester  had  been  rewarded  by  a  long  imprisonment  in  Ilchester 
jail.  He  was  originally  a  respectable  and  wealthy  Wiltshire  farmer; 
hut  having  renounced  the  charms  of  country  life  for  tlio  euphonious  greet- 
ings of  "  unwashed  artisans,"  he  for  many  years  continued  to  hold  un- 
divided empire  over  their  affections.  In  personal  appearance  Mr.  Hunt 
was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  English  yeoman ;  he  was  naturally  shrewd, 
uniting  caution  with  boldness,  but,  above  all,  greedy  of  political  popvilarity. 
During  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  his  name,  which  used  to  grace  the  walls 
in  juxta-position  with  "  universal  suffrage,"  was  allied  with  "  matchless 
blacking ;"  and  it  was  while  he  was  on  a  journey  of  business  through 
the  south-western  counties  that  he  met  with  his  death,  owing  to  a  violent 
fit  of  paralysis  with  which  he  was  seized  as  he  was  alighting  from  his 
phaiton  at  Alresford,  Hants.  His  more  distinguished  cotemporary  and 
coadjutor,  though  sometimes  powerful  rival,  was  William  Cobbett,  M.P. 
for  Oldham ;  a  man  remarkable  for  persevering  industiy,  and  of  unques- 
tionable talents,  who,  from  following  his  father's  plough,  and  afterwards 
serving  with  credit  as  a  British  soldier  in  America,  passed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  tVic  unceasing  strife  of  politics,  and  wfs  able,  by  the. 
force  of  his  extraordinary  and  versatile  powers  as  a  wrter,  to  keep  .a 
strong  hold  on  public  opinion  for  nearly  half  a  century.  He  died  in  June, 
not  three  months  after  his  quondam  friend,  Mr.  Henry  Hunt. 
A.D.  1836. — The  year  opened  auspiciously,  both  with  regard  to  its  com- 
VoL.  L— 47 


B-i     ,i!. 


n  : 


738 


THE  TKEA8URY  OF  HISTORY. 


morcial  prospects  and  its  political  aspect.  The  whole  manufacturing  dis- 
tricts were  in  a  state  of  activity ;  money  was  abundant  wherever  tolerable 
security  was  offered ;  and  though  an  immense  absorption  of  capital  was 
taking  place  in  extensive  public  undertakings,  such  as  railways,  some  ot 
which  were  already  highly  successful,  there  was  very  little  of  that  wild 
spirit  of  adventure  which  ten  years  before  had  nearly  brought  the  country 
to  the  brink  of  ruin.  Mercantile  confidence  rested  upon  a  better  basis 
than  it  liad  dune  for  a  long  time  past;  the  ports  bore  ample  evidence  of 
the  prosperity  of  British  commerce  ;  and  though  there  were  still  just  com. 
plaints  of  agricultural  distress,  they  were  partial  rather  than  general. 

In  tlie  obituary  fur  this  year  are  several  distinguished  names :  Lord 
Stowcll,  aged  00,  an  eminent  civilian,  many  years  judge  of  the  high  court 
of  admiralty,  and  brother  of  lord-chancellor  Lldon. — Nathan  Meyer  Uoilis. 
child,  tlie  greatest  millionaire  of  the  age  ;  a  man  who  in  conjunction  with 
oilier  members  of  his  family  on  the  continent  may  be  said  to  have  gov- 
erned  tiie  European  money  market. — James  Wood,  the  rich,  eccentric, 
and  penurious  banker  of  Gloucester. — James  Mill,  the  historian  of  British 
India. — Charles  X.,  ex-king  of  France,  who  died  an  exile  in  Illyria,  in  the 
80ih  year  of  his  age. — And  the  Abbo  Sieyes,  who  under  all  the  phases  ol 
the  I^  reneh  revolution  maintained  an  elevated  station,  and  on  the  full  of 
the  republic  became  a  count  and  peer  of  the  empire. 

A.  D.  1837. — It  was  remarked  at  the  commencement  of  the  previous  year 
that  symptoms  of  prosperity  appeared  in  all  the  leading  branches  of  com- 
mercial industry.  But  over-trading,  led  on  and  encouraged  by  over-bank- 
ing, again  produced  evils.  During  the  year  183G  no  less  than  fo-ty-five 
joint-stock  banks  had  been  established.  It  was  therefore  natural  that  one 
of  the  subjects  recommended  to  the  attention  of  parliament  in  the  opening 
spcLc!),  should  be  "a  renewal  of  the  inquiry  into  the  operation  of  joint- 
stock  bunks."  Little  progress,  however,  was  made,  when  an  event  oc- 
curred which  for  a  time  ab.sorbed  all  matters  of  minor  interest. 

The  public  had  been  apprised  by  the  publication  of  bulletins,  that  his 
majesty  was  seriously  ill,  and  on  the  20ih  of  June  his  death  was  announced 
as  having  taken  place  early  that  morning.  He  was  perfectly  conscious 
of  his  approaching  fate,  and  had  expressed  a  wish  to  survive  the  anniver- 
sary of  tlie  battle  of  Waterloo  on  the  18th.  The  good  old  king  was  so 
far  gratified;  but  the  symptoms  of  internal  decay  rapidly  increased,  and 
he  breathed  his  last,  as  his  head  rested  on  Q,ueen  Adelaide's  shoulder,  in 
the  presence  of  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  dean  of  Hereford,  &e., 
faintly  articulating,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  The  queen's  attentions  to  her 
afflicted  consort  had  been  unremitting ;  for  twelve  days  she  did  not  take 
off  her  clothes,  but  was  constantly  in  the  sick  chamber  administering  con- 
solation. His  majesty  was  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age,  and  had  nearly 
completed  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign.  The  royal  corpse  lay  in  state 
till  the  8th  of  July,  when  it  was  deposited  in  St.  George's  chapel,  Windsor. 
The  duke  of  Sussex  attended  as  chief  mourner;  and  the  qneen  dowager 
was  present  in  the  royal  closet  during  the  funeral  service. 

Many  were  the  eulogiums  pronounced  upon  the  deceased  monarch;  but 
no  testimony  was  more  just,  or  more  characteristic  of  his  real  qualities, 
than  the  following  tribute  by  Sir  Robert  Peel.  He  said,  "it  was  the  uni- 
versal feeling  of  the  country,  that  the  reigns  of  government  were  never 
committed  to  the  hands  of  one  who  bore  himself  as  a  sovereign  with  more 
nffability,  and  yet  with  more  true  dignity — to  one  who  was  more  compas- 
sionate for  the  sufferings  of  others — or  to  one  whose  nature  was  more 
completely  free  from  all  selfishness.  He  did  not  believe  that,  in  the  most 
exalted,  or  in  the  most  humble  station,  there  could  be  found  a  man  who 
felt  more  pleasure  in  witnessing  and  promoting  the  welfare  of  others." 


,8!    ^Jj»*..*rtfc-l*v* 


ifacturing  dis- 
rever  tolerable 
jf  capital  was 
.vays,  some  ol 
le  of  that  wild 
;ht  the  country 
'a  better  basis 
lie  evidence  o( 
■  Btill  just  com- 
in  general. 
1  names:  Lord 
•  the  high  court 
Ti  Meyer  Roilis- 
onjunction  with 
,d  to  have  gov- 
rich,  eccentric, 
torian  of  British 
in  lllyria,  in  the 
all  the  phases  ol 
nd  on  the  fall  of 

he  previous  year 
jranches  of  corn- 
ed by  over-bank- 
18  than  fo-ty-five 
B  natural  that  one 
jnt  in  the  opening 
peration  of  joinl- 
len  an  event  oc- 
Lterest. 

bulletins,  that  his 
th  was  announced 
>rfectly  conscious 
rvive  the  anniver- 
old  king  was  so 
idly  increased,  ani! 
lide's  shoulder,  in 
of  Hereford,  &c., 
attentions  to  lier 
p  she  did  not  talve 
administering  con- 
re,  and  had  nearly 
corpse  lay  in  state 
8  chapel,  Windsor. 
he  qnecn  dowager 

ce-  ,.    u  . 

ased  monarch ;  but 

his  real  qualities, 

d,  "  it  was  the  uni- 

rnment  were  never 

)vereien  with  more 

was  tnore  coinpas- 

,  nature  was  more 

e  that,  in  the  most 

.  found  a  man  wlio 

Ifare  of  others." 


THK  TUKASUKY  OF  IlISTORY.  739 


CHAPTER  LXVI 

THE     KEION     OF     VICTORIA. 

A.  D.  1837 — Intelligence  of  his  majesty's  death  having  been  officially 
communicated  to  the  Princess  Victoria  and  the  duchess  of  Kent,  at  Ken- 
sington palace,  preparations  were  immediately  made  for  holding  a  privy 
council  there  at  eleven  o'clock.  A  temporary  throne  was  erected  for  the 
occasion ;  and,  on  the  queen  being  seated,  the  lord-chancellor  administered 
to  her  majesty  the  usual  oath,  tiiat  she  would  govern  the  kingdom  accord- 
ing to  its  laws  and  customs,  &c.  The  cabinet  ministers  and  other  privy 
councillors  then  present  took  the  oallis  of  allegiance  and  supremacy  :  and 
the  ministers  having  first  resigned  their  seals  of  office,  her  majesty  was 
graciously  pleased  to  return  them,  and  they  severally  kissed  hands  on  their 
re-appointment. 

By  the  death  of  William  IV.  the  crowns  of  tlie  United  Kingdom  and 
Hanover  were  dissevered  through  tlie  operation  of  the  salic  law  excluding 
females  from  the  Hanoverian  kingdom,  which  consequently  descended  to 
the  next  heir,  the  duke  of  Cumberland  ;  and  Adelaide,  as  queen-dowager, 
was  entitled  to  c€lOO,000  per  annum,  settled  upon  her  for  life  in  1831,  with 
Marlborough-house  and  Bushy-house  for  residences. 

On  tlie  20lh  of  October  the  new  parliament  assembled,  when  her  majesty 
opened  in  person  the  business  of  tlie  session.  In  her  progress  to  and  from 
tlie  house,  the  queen  was  received  by  the  populace  with  the  strongest 
demonstrations  of  enthusiasm.  Tlie  speech,  which  her  majesty  delivered 
in  a  clear,  audible  voice,  concluded  with  the  following  sentence :  "  The 
early  age  at  which  I  am  called  to  the  sovereignty  of  this  kingdom,  renders 
it  an  imperative  duty  that,  under  Divine  Providence,  I  should  place  my 
reliance  upon  your  cordial  co-operation,  and  upon  the  love  and  adection 
of  ail  my  people."  In  tlie  house  of  lords,  the  address  in  answer  to  her 
majesty's  gracious  speech  was  moved  by  her  uncle  the  duke  of  Sussex, 
who  "  trusted  ,he  might  be  allowed  to  express  iiis  conviction  that  when 
the  chroniclers  at  a  future  period  should  have  to  record  the  annals  of  her 
reijfn,  which  had  so  auspiciously  commenced,  and  which,  with  the  blessing 
of  (i((d,  he  trnste  1  ould  be  continued  for  many  years,  they  would  not  be 
written  in  letters  m  blood,  but  would  commemorate  a  glorious  period  of 
prosperity,  the  triumphs  of  peace,  the  spreading  of  general  knowledge,  the 
advancement  of  the  arts  and  manufactures,  the  diffusion  of  commerce,  the 
content  of  all  classes  of  society,  and  the  general  welfare  of  the  country." 
No  great  progress  was  made  during  the  first  session  of  Victoria's  par- 
liament in  sellling  the  various  important  subjects  under  discussion.  At 
its  dose,  however,  the  civil  list  bill  was  passed;  it  provided  a  total  sum 
of  three  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  pounds,  which  was  thus  classed : 
1,  privy  purse,  sixty  tlious.ind  pounds  ;  2,  salaries  of  household  and  retired 
allowances,  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty 
pnmuls  ;  3,  expenses  of  household,  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  thousand 
five  hundred  pounds  ;  4,  royal  bounty,  &c.,  thirteen  thousand  two  hundred 
pomids ;  5  pensions,  one  thousand  two  hundred  pounds;  unappropriated 
inoni^ys,  eight  thousand  and  forty  pounds.  On  the  23d  her  majesty  went 
in  person  to  give  it  her  royal  assent,  and  then  adjourned  the  parliament 
to  the  ICth  of  Jaimary. 

A.  n.  1838. — P  nr  some  time  there  had  been  symptoms  of  discontent  in 
Lower  Canada,  fomented  by  the  old  French  party,  which  at  length  broke 
oiii  into  the  appearance  of  a  civil  war.  To  check  an  evil  so  pregnant  with 
mischief,  it  was  deemed  advisable  that  no  ordinary  person  should  be  sent 
out  to  that  important  colony.  Accordingly,  it  was  notified  in  the  London 
Giizt!ite,  Jan  16,  that  the  earl  of  Durham,  G.C  B.  was  appointed  governor- 


740 


THE  TllEASUHY  OF  HISTOHY. 


general  of  "  all  her  majesty's  provinces  within  and  ndjaeent  to  the  con- 
tinent of  North  America,  and  her  majesty's  high  commissioner  for  the 
adjustment  of  certain  important  aflairs  affecting  the  provinces  of  Lower 
and  Upper  Canada."  His  lordship  did  not  arrive  in  Canada  till  nearly 
the  end  of  May.  Actual  contests  had  taken  place  between  considerable 
parties  of  the  insurgents  and  the  troops  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Wether- 
all,  who  had  succeeded  in  driving  them  from  all  the  villages  on  the  line  of 
the  river  Richelieu.  At  len  jth,  on  the  13th  of  December,  Sir  John  Col- 
borne  hinisrlf  marched  from  Montreal  to  attack  the  chief  post  of  the  rebels 
at  the  Grand  Brule.  On  the  following  day  an  engagement  took  place  in 
the  churchyard  of  St.  Kustache,  when  the  loyalist  army  proved  once 
more  victorious,  eighty  of  the  enemy  having  been  killed,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty  taken  prisoners.  Dr.  J.  O.  Chenier,  their  leader,  was  slain, 
and  the  to^vn  was  more  than  half  burned  down.  On  the  15ih,  on  Sir 
John  Colhorne's  approach  to  the  town  of  St.  Ucnoit,  a  great  portion  of  tiic 
inhabitants  came  out  bearing  a  white  flag  and  begging  for  mercy ,  but  iu 
consequence  of  the  great  disloyalty  of  the  place,  and  the  fact  of  the  prin- 
cipal  leaders  having  been  permitted  to  escape,  some  of  their  houses  were 
fired  as  an  example.  Dr.  Wolfred  Nelson,  one  of  the  rebel  leaders,  hav- 
ing been  nine  days  concealed  in  the  woods,  was  brought  in  prisoner  to 
Montreal.  In  the  Upjicr  Province,  a  body  of  rebels,  which  occupied  a 
position  about  three  miles  from  Toronto,  threatening  that  city,  were  suc- 
cessfully attacked  and  dispersed  on  the  7th  of  December,  by  Sir  Francis 
Bond  Head,  at  the  head  of  the  armed  citizens,  with  such  reinforce mciita 
as  had  spontaneously  joined  them  from  the  country.  The  rebels  had, 
however,  established  a  camp  on  Navy  island,  on  the  Niagara  river ;  and 
many  citizens  of  the  United  States  wen;  implicated  in  the  insurrectionary 
movements  there  and  elsewhere  on  the  frontier. 

On  the  3d  of  March  a  sharp  engagement  took  place  between  licr  maj- 
esty's troops  and  the  insurgents,  in  which  the  latter  were  totally  dcfeatud 
at  Point  Pele  island,  near  the  western  boundary  of  the  British  possessions. 
This  inland  had  been  occupied  by  about  five  hundred  men,  well  armed  and 
equipped  ;  when  (Colonel  Maitland,  in  order  to  dispossess  them,  marched 
from  Amherstburgh  with  a  few  eompa'iies  of  the  32d  and  83d  regiments, 
two  six-pounders,  and  some  volunteer  cavalry.  The  action  that  followed 
assumed  the  character  of  bush-fighting — the  island,  which  is  about  seven 
miles  long,  being  covered  with  thicket,  and  the  pirates  outnumbering  the 
troops  in  the  proportion  of  nearly  two  to  one.  Ultimately,  however,  they 
were  driven  to  flight,  leaving  among  the  dead.  Colonel  Bradley,  the 
commander-in-chief,  ^Iajor  Howdley,  and  Captains  Van  Rensellaer  and 
M'Keon,  besides  a  great  many  wounded  and  other  prisoners.  The  insur- 
gents being  thus  foiled  in  their  daring  attempts,  it  is  not  necessary,  for  the 
present,  for  us  to  allude  further  to  Canadian  affairs,  thai:  to  observe  that 
some  of  the  most  active  ringleaders  were  executed,  and  others  transported 
to  the  island  of  Bermuda. 

In  narrating  the  domestic  occurrences  of  this  year,  we  have  to  com- 
mence with  one  which,  like  the  great  conflagration  of  the  houses  of  par- 
liament, filled  the  inhabitants  of  the  metropolis  with  alarm.  Soon  after 
ten  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  10th  January,  a  fire  broke  out  in  the 
Royal  Exchange.  The  firemen  were  promptly  on  the  spot,  but  owing  to 
un  intense  frost,  great  delay  was  occasioned  before  their  services  became 
effective.  Every  effort  was  made,  but  the  work  of  destruction  went  on, 
from  room  to  room  and  from  one  story  to  another,  till  that  fine  building, 
with  its  various  offices  and  royal  statues,  was  utterly  demolished.  It  was 
remarked  by  those  present,  that  at  twelve  o'clock,  when  the  flames  had 
just  reached  the  north-west  angle  of  the  building,  the  chimes  struck  up, 
as  usual,  the  old  tune  "  There's  nae  luck  about  the  house,"  and  continued 
for  about  five  minutes.    The  effect  was  extraordinary ;  for  although  the 


"  CMMMtvd  t  ,imtr^'itkr'  •» '  i 


THE  TRBASUttY  OP  HISTORY. 


741 


lit  to  tho  con- 
jsioner  for  tho 
iiices  of  Lower 
lada  till  iiciirly 
;u  considerable 
:oloncl  Wether- 
>a  on  the  line  ot 
,  Sir  John  Col- 
losl  of  the  rclicls 
It  took  place  in 
iiy  proved  onco 
and  one  huiulred 
ader,  was  slain, 
the   I5ili.  on  Sir 
;at  portion  of  tlic 
r  mercy ,  but  iu 
fact  of  tho  prin- 
icir  houses  were 
ibel  leaders,  hav- 
it  in  prisoner  to 
■\uch  occupied  a 
t  city,  were  sue- 
r,  by  Sir  Francis 
,h  reinforctmcnls 
The  rebels  had, 
iagara  river;  and 
\c  insurrectionary 

between  her  niaj- 
rc  totally  defealud 
ritish  possessions. 
;n,  well  armed  and 
ss  them,  marched 
lid  83d  regiments, 
ction  that  followed 
icU  is  about  seven 
outnumbering  the 
ely,  however,  they 
louel  Dradlcy,  the 
an  Uensellaer  and 
oners.    The  insur- 
t  necessary,  for  the 
ar.  to  observe  that 
1  others  transported 

,  we  have  to  com- 
the  houses  of  par- 
alarm.    Soon  after 

broke  out  in  the 

spot,  but  owing  to 
eir  services  became 
istruction  went  on, 

that  fine  building, 
lemolished.  It  was 
hen  the  flames  hail 

chimes  struck  up, 
)U8e,"  and  continued 
y ;  for  although  the 


flfo  was  violently  raging,  and  discordant  sounds  arose  in  every  quarter, 
the  tunc  was  distinctly  heard. 

A.  D.  1839.— Can  ida  again  demands  our  notice.  Lord  Durham  had 
been  sent  out  with  extraordinary  powers  to  meet  tho  exigency  of  affairs 
in  that  colony.  It  was  now  admitted  that  he  had  exceeded  the  scope  of 
those  powers,  by  deciding  on  tlie  guilt  of  accused  men,  without  trial,  and 
by  banishing  and  imprisoning  them ;  but  tho  ministers  thought  it  their 
duty  to  acquiesce  in  passing  a  bill,  which,  while  it  recited  the  illegality  ot 
the  ordinance  issued  by  his  lordship,  should  indemnify  those  who  had  ad- 
vised or  acted  under  it,  on  tlie  score  of  their  presumed  good  intentions 
The  ordinance  set  forth  that  "  VVolfred  Nelson,  R.  S.  M.  Uouchetto,  and 
others,  now  in  Montreal  jail,  having  acknowledged  their  treasons  and  sub- 
mittcd  themselves  to  tho  will  and  pleasure  of  ht;r  majesty,  shall  be  trans- 
ported to  the  island  of  Ucrmnda,  not  to  return  on  pain  of  death  ;  and  the 
same  penalty  is  to  be  incurred  by  Panineau,  and  others  who  have  abscond- 
ed, if  found  at  largo  in  the  province.*'  Government  had  intended  merely 
to  substitute  a  temporary  legislative  power  during  the  suspension  of,  and 
in  substitution  for,  the  ordinary  legislature ;  and  as  the  ordinary  legisla- 
ture would  not  have  had  power  to  pass  such  an  ordinance,  it  was  argued 
that  neither  could  this  power  belong  to  llie  substituted  autliority. 

The  passing  of  the  indemnity  act  made  a  great  sensation  as  soon  as  it 
was  known  in  Canada ;  and  Lord  Duiham,  acutely  feeling  that  his  implied, 
condemnation  was  contained  in  it,  declared  his  intention  to  resign  and  re- 
turn immediately  to  England,  inasmuch  as  he  was  now  deprived  of  the 
ability  to  do  the  good  which  he  had  hoped  to  accomplish. 

Mea  iwhile,  the  Canadas  again  became  the  scene  of  rebellious  war  and 
piratical  invasion.    Tho  rebels  occupied  Deauharnois  and  Acadie,  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Kichelicu  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  establishing  their 
head-quarters  at  Napierville ;  and  tiieir  forces  mustered,  at  one  time,  to 
the  number  of  eight  thousand  men,  generally  well  armed.    Several  actions 
look  place ;  and  Sir  John  Colbornc,  who  had  proclaimed  martial  law,  con- 
centrated his  troops  at  Napierville  and  Chateauquay,  and  executed  a 
severe  vengeance  upon  the  rebels  whom  he  found  there,  burning  the 
houses  of  the  disaffected  through  the  whole  district  of  Acadie.    But  it 
was  a  part  of  the  plan  of  tho  traitors  and  their  republican  confederates  to 
distract  the  attention  of  the  British  commander  and  to  divide  the  military 
force,  by  invading  upper  Canada;  and  at  the  moment  Sir  John  Colborne 
was  putting  the  last  hand  to  tho  suppression  of  the  rebellion  in  B<  ouhar- 
nois  and   Acadie,  eight  hundred  republican  pirates  embarked    a  two 
schooners  at  Ogdensburgh,  fully  armed,  and  provided  with  six  or  eight 
pieces  of  artillery,  to  attack  the  town  of  Prescott,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river.    By  the  aid  of  two  United  States  steamers,  they  effected  a  land- 
ing a  mile  or  two  below  the  town,  where  they  established  themselves  in 
a  windmill  and  some  stone  buildings,  and  repelled  the  first  attempt  made 
to  dislodge  them,  killing  and  wounding  forty-five  of  their  assailants,  among 
whom  were  five  oflicers ;  but  on  Colonel  Dundas  arriving  with  a  rein- 
forcement of  regular  troops,  with  three  pieces  of  artillery,  they  surren- 
dered at  discretion.     Some  other  skirmishes  subsequently  took  place, 
chiefly  between  American  desperadoes  who  mvaded  the  British  territory 
and  the  queen's  troops ;  but  the  former  were  severely  punished  for  their 
temerity.     The  conduct  of  Sir  John  Colborne  elicited  the  praise  of  all 
parties  at  home  ;  and  he  was  appointed  governor-general  of  Canada,  with 
all  the  powers  which  had  been  vested  in  the  earl  of  Durham. 

The  adjustment  of  a  boundary  line,  between  Maine  and  New-Brunswick, 
had  been  a  subject  of  dispute  from  the  time  the  independence  of  the 
States  was  acknowledged  in  1783.  Though  the  tract  in  dininite  was  of 
no  value  to  either  claimant  generally  as  likely  to  become  profitnble  undei 
fultivation,  yet  some  part  ot  it  was  found  necessary  to  Great  Britain  as  a 


!l^ 


742 


THK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


menna  of  communication  between  New-Brunswick  and  the  Canadas,  and 
thus  Ihruu^rli  aii  tlie  Urititih  colonies.  (Jreat  Britain  liad,  moreover,  flinct> 
1783,  remained  in  dn  farto  possession  of  tlic  desert,  as  far  as  a  desert 
can  be  said  to  be  occupied.  At  length,  however,  the  state  of  Maine  inva- 
ded this  debateabic  land,  and  several  conflicts  took  place,  which  for  a  time 
seemed  likely  to  involve  Great  Britain  and  America  in  a  general  war. 
The  colonists  showed  great  alacrity  and  determination  in  defending  their 
right  to  the  disputed  territory ;  and  it  was  eventually  agreed  that  both 
parties  were  to  continue  in  possession  of  the  parts  occupied  by  them  re- 
spectively at  the  {;oninii'nccment  of  the  dispute,  until  the  federal  govern- 
ment and  (ireat  Britain  should  come  to  a  definitive  arrangement. 

The  proceedings  of  parliament  had  lately  been  watched  with  interest, 
the  state  of  parties  being  too  nicely  balanced  to  insure  ministerial  majori- 
ties. On  the  0th  of  April  leave  was  given  to  bring  in  a  bill,  on  the  motion 
of  Mr.  Laboucherc,  to  suspend  the  executive  constitution  of  Jamaica.  It 
appeared  that,  in  conHcquenco  of  a  dispute  between  the  governor  and 
house!  of  assembly,  no  public  business  could  be  proceeded  with  ;  and  it 
was  proposed  by  tliis  bill  to  vest  the  government  in  the  governor  and  a 
council  only — to  be  continued  for  five  years.  When  the  order  of  the  day 
for  going  into  committee  on  the  Jamaica  bill  was  moved,  it  was  oppo.'cd 
by  Sir  Kobert  Peel,  in  a  speech  in  which  he  exposed  the  arbitrary  p.-o- 
visions  of  the  bill,  the  enormous  po^wer  it  would  confer  on  the  governor 
and  commissioners,  and  the  imposs'ibility  of  imposing  an  eflcctual  check 
on  the  abuse  of  power  exercised  at  a  distance  of  three  thousand  miles. 
In  support  of  the  view  he  had  taken,  Sir  Robert  alluded  to  the  mode  of 
treating  refractory  colonies,  formerly  suggested  by  Mr,  Oaiming,  who  had 
declared  that  "  nothing  short  of  absolute  and  demonstrable  necessity 
should  induce  him  to  moot  the  awful  question  of  the  transcendental  powci 
of  parliament  over  every  dependency  of  the  British  crown  ;  for  that  tran- 
cendental  power  was  an  urcanum  of  empire  whieh  ought  to  be  kept  back 
within  the  penetralia  of  the  constitution."  After  an  adjourned  debate.  May 
the  Gth,  the  house  divided,  when  there  appeared  for  going  into  committee 
294,  against  it  280,  the  majority  for  ministers  being  only  five.  The  next 
day  Lord  John  Russell  and  Lord  Melbourne  stated,  that  in  consequence 
of  this  vote,  the  min'sl.y  had  come  to  the  resolution  to  resign,  it  being 
evident  that  with  such  a  want  of  confidence  on  the  part  of  so  Targe  a  pro- 
portion of  members  in  the  house  of  commons,  and  the  well-known  oppo- 
sition in  the  house  of  lords,  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  administer 
th*e  affairs  of  her  majesty's  government  in  a  manner  which  could  be  use- 
ful and  beneficial  to  the  country. 

The  fierce  and  cruel  contest  that  had  raged  for  the  last  three  years  in 
the  Spanish  peinuRi'la,  between  the  Carlists  and  Chrislinos,  was  now  vir- 
tually terminated  \>y  the  active  and  soldier-like  conduct  of  Espartero,  the 
aueen's  general  ar/J  chief.  The  British  legion  had  sometime  since  with- 
rawn,  the  queen'c  party  daily  gained  ground,  and  Don  Carlos  had  found 
it  necessary  to  seek  refuge  in  France. 

In  narrating  the  affairs  of  Britain,  it  will  be  observed  that  we  are  neces- 
aarily  led,  from  time  to  time,  to  advert  to  the  events  which  take  place  in 
British  colonies  and  possessions,  wherever  situate  and  however  distant. 
For  a  considerable  time  past  the  government  of  India  had  been  adopting 
very  active  measures,  in  consequence  of  the  shah  of  Persia,  who  was 
raised  to  the  throne  mainly  by  British  assistance,  being  supposed  to  be 
acting  under  Russian  influence,  to  the  prejudice  of  this  country.  Stimu- 
lated by  Russia,  as  it  appeared,  the  Persian  undertook  an  expedition  to 
Herat,  an  important  place,  to  which  a  small  principality  is  attached,  in 
tlie  territory  of  Affghanisian.  Lord  Aucklana,  the  governor-general  of 
India,  thereupon  determined  to  send  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men 
towards  Candahar,  Caboul,  and  Herat ;  and  this  force  was  to  be  joined 


THE  TilEASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


743 


ic  Canadas,  ond 
moreover,  Bince 
fur  as  a  desert 
3  of  Maine  inva- 
wliicli  for  a  lime 

a  general  war. 
1  defending  llieir 
greed  llial  boll) 
ied  by  them  ro- 

federal  govern- 
{cnient. 

•d  with  interest, 
inisterial  niiijori- 
ill,  on  the  motion 
1  of  Jamaica.  It 
le  governor  and 
led  with  ;  and  it 

governor  and  a 
■  order  of  the  day 
I,  it  was  opposed 
he  arbitrary  p.-o- 

on  Ihc  governor 
n  effectual  check 

thousand  miles, 
il  to  the  mode  of 
Hanning,  who  had 
istrable  necessity 
iiscendental  powoi 
wn ;  for  that  tran- 
X  to  be  kept  back 
urned  debate,  May 
ig  into  committee 
y  five.  The  next 
it  in  consequeni!e 
to  resign,  it  being 

of  so  Targe  a  pro- 
well-known  oppo- 

hem  to  administer 

ich  could  be  use- 

ast  three  years  m 
inos,  was  now  vir- 
t  of  Kspartero,  the 
netime  since  with- 
Carlos  had  found 

that  we  are  neces- 
hich  take  place  in 

however  distant, 
lad  been  adopting 
■  Persia,  who  was 
ng  supposed  to  be 
8°country.    Stimu- 

an  expedition  to 
ility  is  attached,  in 
overnor-general  of 
,'irty  thousand  men 
e  was  to  be  joined 


oy  about  forty-fivo  lliousund  men,  furnished  hy  Hinijcct  Sinq;Ii,  tlie  .sove- 
reign of  the  I'uiijanb.  In  tlie  mcnntiinc  it  appeared  that  the  I'ersians  had 
snfTercd  great  loss  at  llcr.it.  It  was  soon  ufierwards  rumourod  (hat  the 
chiefs  of  Affuhanislaii  were  prepared  to  meet  a  much  stronger  force  than 
the  Anglo-Indian  government,  tlion^ili  reinforced  hy  Runjeet  Singh,  could 
bring  into  tlie  field,  and  thai  they  would  listin  to  notcrnisof  acconwnoda- 
tion.  The  next  accounts,  however,  announced  that  the  Uritish  had  o:i- 
lered  Candahar,  that  the  didici:liie9  experienced  with  respect  to  provi.sions 
had  vanished,  and  that  the  troops  were  received  with  open  arms.  Shah 
Soojali  was  crowned  with  acclamation  ;  and  the  army  proceeded  forthwith 
to  Caboul. 

On  the  -Jlst  of  September  the  fort  of  .loudpore,  in  Uajpootana,  surren- 
dered to  the  IJrilish ;  and  that  of  Kurnaul,  in  the  Dcccan,  on  the  Gth  of 
October.  The  camp  of  the  rajah  wa;»  attacked  by  (Jeneral  Willshiro, 
which  ended  in  the  total  rout  ol  the  enemy.  A  very  great  quantity  of 
military  stores  were  found  in  Kurnaul,  ai\d'treasnro  amounting  to  nearly 
1,000,000/.  sterling.  In  the  camp  an  immense  (piantity  of  j(!wols  was  cap- 
tured, besides  150,000/.  in  specie.  The  sliali  of  Persia  consented  to  ac- 
knowledge Shah  Soojah  as  king  of  Airfrhanislan  ;  but  Dost  .Maiiomed,  the 
deposed  prince,  was  still  at  large,  and  there  was  no  doubt  that  a  widely 
ramified  conspiracy  existed  among  the  native  chiefs  to  rise  against  the 
British  on  the  first  favourable  opportunity. 

The  country  had  been  much  diS'tir:c'.'  during  the  year  by  large  and  tu- 
multuous assemblages  of  the  people,  of  a  revolutionary  character,  under 
the  name  of  chartists ;  and  many  exeessrs  were  committed  by  them  in  the 
large  manufacturing  towns  of  Manchest3r,  Uolton,  Hirmingham,  Stock- 

[lort,  &c.,  that  required  the  strong  arm  of  the  law  to  curb.  This  was  al- 
uded  to  10  her  majesty's  speech,  at  the  close  of  the  session  of  parliament, 
as  the  first  attempts  at  insubordination,  wliich  happily  had  been  checked 
by  the  fearless  administration  of  the  law. 

On  the  10th  of  December  a  special  commission  was  held  at  Monmouth, 
for  the  trial  of  the  chartist  rebels  at  Newport,  before  Lord-chief-justico 
Tindal,  and  the  judges  Park  and  Williams,  the  chief-justice  opening  the 
proceedings  with  a  luminous  and  eloquent  charge  to  the  grand  jury.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  1  Jth,  true  bills  were  returned  against  John  Frost,  Charles 
Waters,  James  Aust,  William  Jones,  John  Lovell,  Zephaniah  VVilliams, 
Jenkin  Morgan,  Solomon  Uritton,  Kdmond  KdmonJs,  Richard  Benfield, 
John  Rees,  David  Jones,  and  John  Terner  (otherwise  Coles),  for  high 
treason,  in  order  to  comply  with  the  forms  customary  in  trials  for  high 
treason,  the  court  was  then  adjourned  to  Dec.  31,  when  John  Frost  was 
put  to  the  bar.  The  first  day  was  occupied  in  challenging  the  jury; 
the  next  day  the  attorney-general  addressed  the  covrt  and  jury  on  the 
part  of  the  crown,  and  the  prisoner's  counsel  objecl<>d  to  the  calling  of  the 
witnesses,  in  consequence  of  the  list  of  them  not  having  been  given  to 
the  prisoner.  Frost,  agreeably  to  the  terms  of  the  o'.a'.ute ;  on  the  third 
day  the  evidence  was  entered  into ;  and  on  the  eighth  day,  after  the  most 
patient  attention  of  the  court  and  jury,  a  verdict  of  guilty  was  recorded 
against  Frost,  with  recommendation  to  mercy.  1  he  trials  of  Williams, 
and  Jones  each  occupied  four  days,  with  a  like  verdict  and  recommenda- 
tion. Walters,  Morgan,  Rees,  Benfield,  and  Lovell  pleaded  guilty,  and 
received  sentence  of  death,  the  couri;  i:i».imating  that  they  would  be  trans- 

Korted  for  life.  Four  were  discharged,  two  forfeited  their  bail,  and  nine, 
aving  pleaded  guilty  to  charges  of  conspiracy  and  riot,  were  sentenced 
to  terms  of  imprisonment  not  exceeding  one  year.  Frost,  and  the  other 
ringleaders  on  whom  sentence  of  death  had  been  passed,  were  finally 
transported  for  life. 

The  spirit  of  chartism,  though  repressed,  was  not  subdued.    Sunday, 
January  12th,  had  been  fixed  on  for  outbreaks  in  various  parts  of  t>ie  rouu- 


m 


§ 


h 


I 


?.ll 


TUB  TllBASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


try  ;  out  hy  llii'  prciiautioiiiiiy  ineasures  of  (jovcniimrit  and  the  police 
vSeii- (Ii'r>ii;ii8  weri!  friiBtriited.     Iiifoiiiiatioii  w:in  afturwanU  rorcivd  that 
thu  cliartiKtti  intuuded  tu  lire  thu  town  of  Slicllhdd.     Tlioy  br^an  to  ansctr. 
blu,  but  troo|)s  and  conMtabUiH  bciii);  on  tlio  alert,  they  suL-ctteded  in  taking 
Iho  rintjli  ach-rH,  but  not  before  several  persons  were  wounded,  tliree  ol 
whom  were  pohreinen.      Au  innncnMe   (|uantity  of  flro-arniH,  ball-car 
trid^cs,  iron  bullets,  hand-grenades,  flre-lialls,  diitrgers,  pikes,  and  swords 
were  found,  together  with   a  i|iiantity  of  crowfeet  for  disabling  horses. 
The  rin|{leadcr8  were  connnitted  to  York  castle,  and  at  the  ensuin^f  ai- 
sizes  were  tried,  found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  various  terms  of  impi  it. 
oiiment.  of  on.-,  two,  and  three  years.     At  the  same  time  four  of  the  lii.ij 
ford  charti^.ls  were  sentenced  to  three  years'  imprisonment,  aiul  tl"ce  fr  ■ 
Barnshjy  for  the  term  of  two  years.     At  the  same  assizes,  Fcari    i '  >'('on. 
nor  was  convicled  of  having  put)lislie<l,  in  the  iVHr//(t'r/»  oior  i  <  \v.  jiuper, 
of  wlii(;h  \w  was  the  editor  and  pro|)rietor,  certain  seihticub  iibcla;  and 
tiie  noted  dema^oKUe  orators,  Vincent  and   ICdwar(N.  who  W(  re  at  thr 
time  uiidei>;oin^f  a  former  sentence  in  prison,  were  convicted  at  Monmo'ith 
of  a  conspiracy  to  etlcct  great  chaiiircs  in   the  uovcrninent  by   illuyid 
means,  tVc,  and  were  severally  sentenced  to  a  fm  iher  imprisoninem  of 
twelve  and  fourteen  months.     In  various  other  places,  also,  London  among 
the  rest,  chartist  conspirators  were  tried  and  punished  for  their  misdeeds 

A.  n.  1 1^10. — For  the  space  of  two  years  and  a  half  the  Ihtisli  sceptro 
had  been  swayed  by  a  "  virgin  queen ;"  it  w  as  therefore  by  no  means  sur- 
prising  that  tier  majesty  should  at  length  consider  that  the  cares  of  regal 
state  might  bo  rendered  more  Nupporlahle  if  shared  by  u  consort.  That 
Buch,  indeed,  had  been  the  subject  of  her  royal  musnigs,  was  soon  made 
evident;  for,  <'ii  Uie  lUtli  of  January,  she  met  her  parliament,  and  com- 
menced her  ini.^i gracious  speech  with  the  following  plain  and  unafTectciJ 
sentcnuc  . —  •  My  lords  and  gentlemen :  Since  you  were  last  assembled 
1  have  dechired  n.y  inicntion  of  allying  myself  in  marriage  with  the  prince 
Albert  uf  8axc-C'obourg  and  Gotha.  1  humbly  implore  that  the  Uiviiic 
blessing  may  prosper  this  union,  and  render  it  conducive  to  the  interests 
of  my  people,  as  well  as  to  my  own  domestic  happiness." 

There  could  be  no  reasonable  ground  for  caviling  at  her  majesty's 
choice.  The  rank,  age,  character,  and  connexions  of  the  prince,  were  all 
in  his  favour;  and  the  ncccBsary  arrangements  were  made  without  loss 
of  time.  A  naturalization  bill  for  his  royal  highness  was  immediately 
passed  ;  and  Lord  John  Russell  moved  a  resolution  authorizing  her  maj- 
esty to  grant  fifty  thousand  pounds  a  year  to  the  prince  for  his  life.  This 
was  generally  thought  to  be  more  than  suiru-ient,  and  Mr.  Hume  moved 
as  an  amendment,  that  the  grant  be  twiiity-one  thousand  pounds  ;  how- 
ever, on  a  division  there  was  a  maj  iii}  of  'C  against  the  anendent. 
Upon  this,  C(  [nicl  Sibthorp  moved  a  brcnnd  unendment,  siihstilutin^ 
thirty  thousand  pounds,  which  was  s'  ■lovtedir  'lOoulbu  a  J.  Gra- 
ham, and  Sir  U.  Peel,  who  considei  '  Jiy  ti.'  usand  pounds  a  just  and 
liberal  allowance  for  the  joint  lives  of  the  queen  and  the  prince,  and  for 
the  prince's  possible  survivorship,  should  there  bo  no  issue  ;  if  an  heir 
should  bo  born,  then  liic  thirty  thousand  might  properly  be  advanced  to 
fifty  thousand  pounds ;  and,  should  there  be  a  numerous  issue,  it  would 
be  reasonable  to  make  a  still  further  increase,  such  as  would  befit  the 
father  of  a  large  family  of  royal  children. 

(Jn  the  Cth  of  the  ensuing  month,  the  bridegroom-elect,  conducted  by 
Vi3(  umt  Torrington,  and  accompanied  by  the  duke  his  father,  and  his 
el.'"  brother,  arrived  at  Dover;  and  on  the  10th  "the  marriage  of  the 
qu  en's  most  excellent  majesty  with  the  field-marshal  his  royal  highness 
f'rancis  Albert  Augustus  Charles  Emanuel,  duko  of  Saxe,  prince  of  Saxe- 
Coboiirg  and  Gotha,  K.  G.,  was  solemnized  at  the  chapel-royal,  St. 
lames'."    The  processions  of  the  royal  bride  and  bridegroom  were  con- 


II  Miiii  »M  I  Hi  II  >i«i»i  mfji»iMi! 


THE  TUJEA    i  nV  OF  KISTCrT 


74S 


ductcrl  ill  a  itylo  of  HpUmdour  suitablo  to  iin  occasion.  Tlio  tiukc  "f 
Sussex  k;iv(!  away  \m  royul  nitce;  ami  at  that  pan  tliP  snvico  whi  ^ 
the  ari'libisliop  of  Cmilcrbiiry  rnad  tlin  words,  "1  pruiiouiKc  tli.il  ihey  bi 
Hiiiii  and  wife  tOKclhor,"  the  park  and  Ti.  ■  r  guiis  fired.  In  ilm  afternoon 
hor  majesty  and  tlio  prince  proceeded  to  \  '«(ir  ca.  ie,  n  banntiet  wa8 
given  at  St.  Janios'  palaeo  to  the  members  the  hou  'hold,  wlii  h  was 
honoured  i)y  tiie  presenee  of  the  dueiiess  of  nt,  and  the  rei^riiiiij,'  duko 
and  hereditary  prince  of  Saxe.(.'obourg,  and  Ih  lay  was  universally  kept 
as  a  holiilay  throughout  the  country;  t{rand  (. miers  were  Kiven  by  the 
cabinet  ministers,  and  in  the  evening  the  splendid  illuininatioii  of  the  me- 
tropolis gave  additional  eclat  to  the  hymiiieal  rcjoieiiiKs. 

For  many  months  past  there  had  been  an  intehupl  iiloihn  .'  relations 
of  amity  and  commerce  which  for  a  long  period  had  en  ii  liiitnined  be- 
tween Kngland  and  China.  It  originated  in  the  di  LTiniiiilion  on  the 
part  of  the  Chinese  government  to  put  an  end  to  tlir'  impo'talion  of  opium 
mto  the  '•  celestial  empire,"  and  the  opposition  made  to  tiiat  decree  by 
Uritish  merchants  engaged  in  that  trallic.  Early  in  tlu-  i  "ccdinj,'  year  a 
large  quantity  of  opium,  belonging  to  British  merchun:-  vas  ijiven  up, 
on  the  requisition  of  Mr.  KUiot,  the  (luccn's  representotp  ai  Canton,  to 
be  destroyed  by  the  Chinese  authorities.  The  quantity  sti/,'  i'  was  twenty 
thousand  chests,  supposed  to  be  worth  c£J,()00,0!)O ;  an'  !vir.  Klliot 
pledged  the  faith  of  the  goverment  he  represented;  ha;  \'  ■  laerchants 
should  receive  compensation. 

The  Knglish  government  was  naturally  desirous  to  keep  on  ood  terms 
with  a  country  from  which  so  many  commercial  advantage  had  been 
derived ;  but  the  Chinese  authorities  daily  grew  more  arroga  and  un- 
reasonable, and  several  outrages  against  the  Knglish  were  (  nimittod 
At  length,  in  an  affray  Jvjlween  some  seamen  of  the  Volage  aiii  the  Chi- 
nese, one  of  the  latter  was  killed  ;  and  on  Captain  Elliot  having  refused 
to  deliver  up  the  homicide  to  Commissioner  Lin,  the  most  sever'  and  ar- 
bitrary measures  were  immediately  taken  to  expel  all  the  Britisi  inhabi- 
tants from  Macao.  This  hostile  conduct  was  quickly  followed  b)  an  out- 
rage of  a  still  more  serious  character.  The  Black  Joke,  having  o,  board 
one  passenger,  a  Mr.  Moss,  and  six  Lascars,  was  obliged  to  an>  hor  in 
the  Lantaod  passage,  to  wait  for  the  tide.  Here  she  was  surrounled  by 
three  mandarin  boats,  by  whose  crews  she  was  boarded,  five  of  tlu  Las- 
cars butchered,  and  Mr.  Moss  shockingly  mutilated.  These  procci  lings 
gave  rise  to  further  measures  of  hostility.  On  the  4th  September,  Cap- 
tain Elliot  came  from  Hong  Kong  to  Macao  in  his  cutter,  in  company  with 
the  schooner  Pearl,  to  obtain  provisions  for  the  fleet.  The  mandarins, 
however,  on  board  the  war-jiniKs,  opposed  their  embarkation,  when  <  ap- 
!  un  Elliot  intimated  that  if  in  half  an  hour  the  provisions  were  not  allow- 
^  to  pass,  he  would  open  a  fire  upon  them.  The  half  hour  passed,  and 
the  gun  was  fired.  Three  war-junlcs  then  endeavoured  to  put  to  sea,  but 
were  compelled  by  a  well-directed  fire  of  the  cutter  and  the  Pearl  to  seek 
shelter  under  the  walls  of  Coloon  fort.  About  six  o'clock  the  Volage 
frigate  hove  in  sight,  ana  the  boat  of  Captain  Douglas,  with  twenty-four 
British  seamen,  attempted  to  board  the  junk,  but  without  success.  The 
boat's  crew  then  opened  a  fire  of  musketry,  by  which  a  mandarin  and  four 
Cbuwse  soldiers  were  killed,  and  seven  wounded.  The  result,  however, 
wa»,  that  the  provisions  were  not  obtained,  and  that  the  Chinese  junks 
cscnpnd ;  while,  instead  of  any  approach  to  a  better  understanding  be- 
tween the  two  countries,  it  was  regarded  rather  as  the  commencement 
of  a  war.  wlucia,  indeed,  the  next  news  from  China  confirmed. 

Oil  tliR  Appearance  of  another  British  ship,  the  Thomas  Coutts,  at 
Whainpoa,  Ciimnuiirtioner  Lin  renewed  his  demand  for  the  surrender  o^ 
the  murderer  uf  th«  Chinese,  and  issued  an  edict  commanding  all  British 
ships  to  enter  the  port  of  Canton  and  sign  the  opium  bond,  or  to  deoart 


*i''t 


*;  'i 

\  I 


i: 


746 


THE  TttEASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


from  the  coast  immediately.  In  case  of  non-compliance  with  either  ol 
these  conditions,  within  three  days,  tiie  commissioner  declared  he  would 
destroy  the  entire  Uritish  fleet.  On  the  publication  of  this  edict.  Captain 
Elliot  demanded  an  explanation  from  the  Chinese  admiral,  Kawn,  who 
at  first  pretended  to  enter  into  a  negotiation,  but  immediately  afterwards 
ordered  out  twenty-nine  war-junks,  evidently  intending  to  surround  the 
Britisli  ships.  The  attempt  ended  in  five  of  the  junks  being  sunk,  and 
another  blown  up,  each  with  from  150  to  200  men  on  board,  and  on  tlie 
rest  making  off,  Captain  Elliot  ordered  the  firing  to  cease. 

A  decree  was  now  issued  by  the  emperor  prohibiting  the  importation  of 
all  British  go§ds,  and  the  trade  with  China  was  consequently  at  an  end; 
but  the  Americau  ships  arrived  and  departed  as  usual.  In  the  meantime 
preparations  on  a  large  scale  were  making  in  India  to  collect  and  send 
a  large  force  to  China,  so  as  to  bring  this  important  (juarrel  to  an  issue. 
Several  men-of-war  and  corvettes,  from  England,  and  various  stations, 
were  got  ready,  and  the  command  given  to  Admiral  Elliot  to  give  the 
expedition  all  the  co-operation  possible. 

A  great  sensation  was  caused  in  tlie  public  mind  by  an  attempt  to  as- 
sassinate the  queen.  On  the  10th  of  June,  as  her  majesty  was  starting  for 
an  evening  drive,  up  Conslitution-hill,  in  a  low  open  carriage,  accompa- 
nied by  Prince  Albert,  a  young  man  deliberatetly  fired  two  pistols  at  her, 
but  happily  without  effect.  His  name  proved  to  be  Edward  Oxford,  the 
son  of  a  widow  who  formerly  kept  a  coffee-shop  in  Southwark.  He  was 
about  eiglucen  years  of  age,  and  had  been  lately  employed  as  a  pot-boy  in 
Oxford-street,  but  was  out  of  place.  He  was  instantly  seized,  and  sent 
to  Newgate  on  a  charge  of  high  treason ;  but  it  appeared  on  his  trial  that 
there  were  grounds  for  attributing  the  act  to  insanity,  and  as  there  was  no 
proof  that  the  pistols  were  loaded,  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  "  guilty, 
but  that  at  the  time  he  committed  the  act  he  was  insane."  The  conse- 
quence was,  that  he  became  an  inmate  of  Bethlcm  for  life,  as  was  tlie 
case  with  Hatfield,  who  forty  years  before  fired  off  a  pistol  at  George 
III.,  in  Drury-lane  theatre. 

The  murder  of  Lord  William  Russell  by  Courvoisier,  his  Swiss  valet, 
had  just  before  excited  considerable  interest.  The  crime  was  committed 
at  his  lordship's  residence  in  Norfolk-street,  Park-lane,  early  in  the  night. 
and  the  murderer  had  employed  the  remainder  of  the  night  in  carefully 
destroying  all  marks  which  could  cast  suspicion  upon  himself,  and  in 
throwing  the  house  into  a  state  of  confusion,  in  order  that  it  might  bear 
the  appearance  of  having  been  broken  into  by  burglars.  Nor  would  it 
have  been  an  easy  matter  to  have  convicted  him  on  circumstantial  evi- 
dence, had  not  a  missing  parcel  of  plate  been  discovered  on  the  very  day 
the  trial  commenced,  which  it  appeared  he  had  left  some  days  before  the 
murder  with  Madame  Piolane,  the  keeper  of  a  hotel  in  Leicester-square. 

It  is  some  time  since  we  had  occasion  to  notice  anything  relative  to 
French  affairs ;  but  an  event  transpired  in  August  which  wc  cannot  well 
omit.  On  the  6th  of  that  month,  Louis  Napoleon,  (son  of  the  late  king 
of  Holland,  and  heir  male  of  the  Bonaparte  family),  made  an  absurd 
;»ttempt  to  effect  a  hostile  descent  upon  the  coast  of  France.  He  cm- 
harked  from  London  in  the  Edinburgh  Castle  steamer,  which  he  had  hired 
from  the  Commercial  Steam  Navigation  Company,  as  for  a  voyage  of 
pleasure,  accompanied  by  about  fifty  men,  including  General  Montholon, 
colonels  Voisen.  Laborde,  Montauban,  and  Parquin,  and  several  other 
oflScers  of  inferior  rank.  They  landed  at  a  small  port  about  two  leagues 
from  Boulogne,  to  which  town  they  immediately  marched,  and  arrived 
at  the  barracks  about  five  o'clock,  just  as  the  soldiers  of  the  42d  regiment 
of  the  line  were  rising  from  their  beds.  At  first  the  soldiers  were  a  little 
■taggered,  as  they  understood  a  revolution  had  taken  place  in  Paris,  and 
Jtey  were  eummoned  to  joia  the  imperial  eagle.    One  of  their  officers 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


747 


however,  having  hurried  to  the  barracks,  soon  relieved  tiie  men  from 
their  perplexity,  and  tliey  acknowledged  his  authority.  Louis  Napoleon 
drew  a  pistol,  and  attempted  to  shoot  the  inopportune  intruder  ;  but  the 
shot  took  effect  upon  a  soldier,  who  died  the  same  day.  Finding  them- 
selves tiuis  foiled,  the  Bonapartists  took  the  Calais  road  to  the  colonne 
de  Napoleon,  upon  the  top  of  which  tiiey  placed  their  flag.  The  town 
autliorilies  aini  n-itional  guard  then  went  in  pursuit  of  the  prince,  who, 
being  intercepted  on  the  side  of  the  column,  made  for  the  beach,  with  a 
view  to  embark  and  regain  the  packet  in  which  he  had  arrived.  He  took 
possession  of  tlie  life-boat ;  but  scarcely  had  his  followers  got  into  it  when 
the  national  guard  also  arrived  on  the  beach  and  discharged  a  volley  on 
the  boat,  which  immediately  upset,  and  the  whole  company  were  seen 
struggling  in  the  sea.  In  the  meantime  the  steam-packet  was  already 
taken  possession  of  by  tiie  lieutenant  of  the  port.  The  prince  was  then 
made  prisoner,  and  about  three  hours  after  his  attempt  on  Boulogne,  he 
and  his  followers  were  safely  lodged  in  the  castle.  From  Boulogne  he 
was  removed  to  the  castle  of  Ham,  and  placed  in  the  rooms  once  occu- 
pied by  I'riuce  Polignac.  On  being  tried  and  found  guilty,  Louis  Napo- 
icon  was  sentenced  to  perpetual  imprisonment  in  a  fortress  ;  Count  Mou- 
iholon,  twenty  years'  detention  ;  Parquin  and  Lombard,  the  same  period ; 
others  were  sentenced  to  shorter  periods  ;  Aldenize  was  transported  for 
life,  and  some  were  acquitted. 

This  insane  attempt  to  excite  a  revolution  probably  owed  its  origin  to 
the  "  liberal"  permission  granted  by  Louis  Philippe,  and  the  no  less  lib- 
eral acquiescence  of  the  English  ministers,  to  allow  the  ashes  of  the  em- 
peror Napoleon  to  be  removed  from  .St.  Helena,  that  they  might  find  their 
last  resting-place  in  France.  This  had  undoubtedly  raised  the  hopes  of 
many  a  zealous  Bonapartist,  who  thought  that  the  fervour  of  the  populace 
was  likely  to  display  itself  in  a  violent  emeuie,  which  the  troops  would  be 
more  ready  to  favour  tiian  to  quell.  A  grant  of  a  million  of  francs  had 
been  made  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  expedition  to  St.  Helena  (which 
was  to  be  under  the  command  of  Prince  de  Joinville),  the  funeral  cere- 
mony, and  tiie  erection  of  a  tomb  in  the  church  of  the  Invalides  ;  so  that, 
in  tlie  language  of  the  French  minister  of  the  interior,  "  his  tomb,  like  his 
glory,  should  belong  to  his  country."  The  prince  arrived  at  Ciicrbourg, 
with  iiis  "  precious  charge,"  on  the  30th  of  November ;  and  on  the  I5th 
of  Uccember  Napoleon's  remains  were  honoured  by  a  splendid  funeral 
procession,  the  king  and  royal  family  being  present  at  the  ceremony,  with 
sixty  tliousand  national  guards  in  attendance,  and  an  assemblage  of  five 
liundred  thousand  persons.  It  was  observed  at  the  time  of  Bonaparte's 
exhumation,  that  his  features  were  so  little  changed  that  his  face  was 
recognized  by  those  who  had  known  him  when  alive  ;  and  the  uniform, 
tlie  orders,  and  the  hat  which  had  been  buried  with  him,  were  very  little 
changed.  It  was  little  contemplated  when  the  body  was  deposited  in 
"  Napoleon's  Valley,"  at  St.  Helena,  that  it  would  ever  be  removed  ;  nay, 
't  seems  that  especial  care  was  taken  to  prevent  such  an  occurrence  ;  for 
ive  read,  that  after  having  taken  away  the  iron  railing  which  surrounded 
•he  tomb,  "  they  then  removed  three  ranges  of  masonry,  and  came  to  a 
'ault  eleven  feet  deep,  nearly  filled  with  clay ;  a  bed  of  Roman  cement 
hen  presented  itself,  and  underneath  was  another  bed,  ten  feet  deep, 
jouiid  together  with  bands  of  iron.  A  covering  of  masonry  was  then  dis- 
covered, five  feet  deep,  forming  the  covering  of  the  sarcophagus." 

We  conclude  tliis  year's  occurrences  with  the  accouchement  of  her 
majesty,  Queen  Victoria,  who  on  the  2lst  of  November  gave  birth  at 
Uiickingiiam  palace  to  a  princess,  her  first-born  child  ;  and  on  the  10th  of 
t'ebruary  the  iifant  princess-royal  was  christened  Victoria  Adelaide 
Wary  Louisa. 

A.  D.  1841.— During  the  past  '-ea' the  attention  ot  the  great  European 


lit 


749 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTOR^i. 


powera  had  been  drawn  to  the  condition  of  Syria  and  Turkey,  and  an 
alliance  was  entered  into  between  England,  Russia,  Austria  and  Prussia, 
to  put  an  end  to  the  dispute  which  existed  between  the  sultan  and  Me- 
hemet  Ali,  tiie  warlike  pacha  of  Egypt.  For  this  purpose  it  was  deemed 
expedient  to  dispatch  a  fleet  to  the  Mediterranean ;  and  on  the  14th  of 
August  Commodore  Napier  summoned  the  Egyptian  authorities  to  evacu- 
ate Syria.  In  reply  to  this  summons,  Mehemet  Ali  declared  that  on  the  first 
appearance  of  hostility  by  the  powers  of  Europe,  the  pacha,  Ibrahim,  would 
be  commanded  to  march  on  Constantinople.  Soon  afterwards  hostilities 
commenced,  and  the  town  of  Beyrout  was  bombarded  on  the  11th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  completely  destroyed  by  the  allies  in  two  hours.  The  war 
in  Syria  was  now  carried  on  with  great  activity.  The  troops  of  Ibrahim 
sustained  a  signal  defeat  early  in  October,  witii  a  loss  af  seven  thousand 
in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners;  in  addition  to  which.  Commodore  Na- 
pier, with  a  comparatively  triflnig  number  of  marines  and  Turkish  troops, 
succeeded  in  expelling  the  Egyptians  from  nearly  the  whole  of  Lebanon, 
captured  about  five  thousand  prisoners,  with  artillery  and  stores,  and 
efl!"ccted  the  disorganization  of  an  army  of  twenty  thousand  men.  In 
short,  more  brilliant  results  with  such  limited  rneans  have  rarely  been 
known,  particularly  when  it  is  considered  under  what  novel  circumstan- 
ces they  were  accomplished.     But  the  great  exploit  remains  to  be  related. 

St.  Jean  d'Acre  was  taken  by  the  allies  on  the  3d  of  November.  Col- 
onel Smith,  who  commanded  the  forces  in  Syria,  directed  Omar  Bey, 
with  two  thousand  Turks,  to  advance  on  Tyre,  and  occupy  the  passes  to 
the  northward  of  Acre ;  in  the  meantime  Admiral  Stopford  sailed  from 
Beyrout  roads,  having  on  board  three  thousand  Turks,  and  detachments 
of  English  artillery  and  sappers.  The  forces  and  fleet  arrived  off  Acre  at 
the  same  time.  At  two  o'clock  P.  M.  a  tremendous  cannonade  took 
place,  which  was  maintained  without  intermission  for  some  hours,  the 
steamers  lying  outside  throwing,  with  astonishing  rapidity,  their  shells 
over  the  ships  into  the  fortification.  During  the  bombardment  the  arsenal 
and  magazine  blew  up,  annihilating  upwards  of  twelve  hundred  of  the 
enemy,  forming  two  entire  regiments,  who  were  drawn  up  on  the  ram- 
parts. A  sensation  was  felt  on  board  the  sliips  similar  to  that  of  an  earth- 
quake. Every  living  creature  within  the  area  of  sixty  thousand  square 
yards  ceased  to  exist.  At  two  o'clock  on  the  following  morning  a  boat 
arrived  from  Acre,  to  announce  that  the  remainder  of  the  garrison  were 
leaving  the  place,  and  as  soon  as  the  sun  rose,  the  British,  Austrian,  and 
Turkish  flags  were  seen  waving  on  the  citadel.  The  town  was  found  to 
be  one  mass  of  ruins — the  batteries  and  houses  riddled  all  over — killed 
and  wounded  lying  about  in  all  directions.  The  slain  were  estimated  at 
twenty-five  hundred  men,  and  the  prisoners  amounted  to  upwards  of  three 
thousand.  The  Turkish  troops  were  landed  to  garrison  Acre,  where  a 
vast  quantity  of  military  stores  were  found,  besides  an  excellent  park  of 
artillery  of  i200  guns,  and  a  large  sum  in  specie. 

As  tlie  foregoing  successes  led  to  the  termination  of  the  war  in  Syria, 
and  its  evacuation  by  Ibrahim  Pacha,  it  is  unnecessary  to  speak  of  oper- 
ations of  a  minor  character.  Mehemet  Ali  eventually  submitted  to  all  the 
conditions  ofi'ered  by  the  sultan,  and  which  were  sanctioned  by  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Austria,  France,  Great  Britain,  Prussia,  and  Russia  :— 
1.  The  hereditary  possession  of  Egypt  is  confirmed  to  Mehemet  Ali,  and 
his  descendants  in  a  direct  line. — 2.  Mehemet  Ali  will  be  allowed  to  nom- 
inate his  own  oflScers  up  to  the  rank  of  a  colonel.  The  viceroy  can  only 
confer  the  title  of  pacha  with  the  consent  of  the  sultan. — 3.  The  annua) 
contribution  is  fixed  at  80,000  purses,  or  40,000,000  of  piastres,  or  400,000/. 
—4.  The  viceroy  will  not  be  allowed  to  build  a  ship  of  war  without  the 
permission  of  the  sultan. — 5.  The  laws  and  regulations  of  the  empire  are 
to  be  observed  in  Egypt,  with  such  changes  as  the  peculiarity  of  the 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


749 


Egyptian  people  may  render  necessary,  but  which  changes  must  receive 
the  sanction  of  the  Porte. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  news  was  brought  from  China  that 
the  differences  which  had  existed  were  in  a  fair  train  of  settlement,  and 
that  the  war  might  be  considered  as  at  an  end.  HostiUties  had,  liowever, 
recommenced,  in  consequence  of  Keshen,  the  imperial  commissioner, 
having  delayed  to  bring  to  a  conclusion  the  negotiations  entered  into  with 
Captain  Elliot.  Preparations  were  accordingly  made  for  attackin"'  the 
outposts  of  the  Bogue  forts,  on  the  Docca  Tigris.  Having  obtained'pos- 
session,  the  steamers  were  sent  to  destroy  the  war-junks  in  Anson's  bay ; 
but  the  shallowness  of  the  water  admitted  only  the  approach  of  the 
Nemesis,  towing  ten  or  twelve  boats.  Tiie  junks  endeavoured  to  escape, 
but  a  rocket  blew  up  the  powder  magazine  of  one  of  them,  and  eigiiteen 
more  which  were  set  on  fire  by  the  English  boats' crews  also  successively 
blew  up.  At  length  a  flag  of  truce  was  dispatched  bv  the  Chinese  com- 
mander, and  hostilities  ceased.  On  the  20th  of  January  Captain  Elliot 
announced  to  her  majesty's  subjects  in  China  that  the  following  arrange- 
ments had  been  made  :  1.  The  cession  of  the  island  and  harbour  of  Hong 
Kong  to  the  British  crown.  2.  An  indemnity  to  tlie  British  governmenl 
of  $6,000,000,  $1,000,000  payable  at  once,  and  the  remainder  in  equal 
annual  instalments,  ending  in  18  Ifi.  3.  Direct  official  intercourse  between 
the  two  countries  upon  an  equal  footing.  4.  The  trade  of  the  port  of 
Canton  to  be  opened  within  ten  days  after  the  Chinese  new  year. 

Thus  far  all  appeared  as  it  should  be ;  but  great  doubts  of  the  sincerity 
of  Keshen,  the  Chinese  commissioner,  were  felt  both  in  England  and 
at  Canton.  Accordingly  the  Nemesis  steamer  was  sent  up  the  river  to 
reconnoitre,  and  on  nearing  the  Bogue  forts  (30  in  number),  it  was  discov- 
ered that  preparations  for  defence  had  been  made,  batteries  and  field-works 
had  been  thrown  up  along  the  shore,  and  upon  the  islands  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  a  barrier  was  in  course  of  construction  across  the 
channel,  and  there  were  large  bodies  of  troops  assembled  from  the  in- 
terior. Keshen  finding  his  duplicity  discovered,  communicated  that 
further  negotiations  would  be  declined.  The  emperor,  it  appeared,  had 
issued  edicts  repudiating  the  treaty,  and  denouncing  the  English  barbari- 
ans, "who  were  like  dogs  and  sheep  in  their  dispositions."  That  in 
sleeping  or  eating  he  found  no  quiet,  and  he  therefore  ordered  eight  thou- 
sand of  his  best  troops  to  defend  Canton,  and  to  recover  the  places  on  tho 
coast ;  for  it  was  absolutely  necessary  (said  the  emperor),  "  that  tlie  rebel- 
lious foreigners  must  give  up  their  heads,  which,  with  the  prisoners,  were 
to  be  sent  to  Pekin  in  cages,  to  undergo  the  last  penalty  of  tho  law."  He 
also  offered  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  apprehension  of  Elliot,  INIorison, 
or  Bermer  alive,  or  thirty  thousand  dollars  for  either  of  their  heads.  In 
addition,  five  thousand  dollars  for  an  officer's  head,  five  hundred  for  an 
Englishman  alive,  three  hundred  for  a  head,  and  one  hundred  for  a  Sepoy 
alive.  Tho  emperor  also  delivered  Keshen  in  irons  over  to  the  board  of 
punishment  at  Pekin,  and  divested  the  admiral  Kwan  Teenpei  of  his  but- 
ton. Before  the  hostile  edicts  had  appeared.  Captain  Elliot,  confiding  in 
Die  good  faith  of  Keshen,  had  sent  orders  to  General  Burrel  to  restore 
ilie  island  of  Chusan  (which  the  English  had  taken  many  months  before), 
to  the  Chinese,  and  to  return  with  the  Bengal  volunteers  to  Calcutta. 
This  order  had  been  promptly  obeyed,  Chusan  having  been  evacuated 
February  29. 

Captain  Elliot  set  sail  on  B'cb.  20,  up  the  Canton  river.  On  the  24th 
ho  destroyed  a  masked  field-work,  disabling  eighty  cannon  there  mounted. 
On  the  2.5th  and  26th  he  took  three  adjoining  Bogue  forts,  without  losing 
a  man,  killing  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  Chinese,  and  taking  one  thou- 
sand three  hundred  prisoners.  The  subsequent  operations  of  the  squad 
roH  presented  one  unbroken  succession  of  brilliant  achievements,  until,  on 


760 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


the  S8th  of  March,  Canton,  the  second  city  in  the  Chineeft  empire,  con- 
lainiiig  a  million  of  souls,  was  placed  at  the  mercy  of  the  British  troops 
Every  possible  means  of  defence  had  been  used  by  the  Chinese  command- 
ers, but  nothing  could  withstand  the  intrepidity  of  the  British.  In  con- 
sequence of  the  Chinese  firing  on  a  flag  of  truce,  the  forts  and  defences  of 
Canton  were  speedily  taken,  the  flotilla  burnt  or  sunk,  and  the  union-jack 
hoisted  on  the  walls  of  the  British  factory.  But  Captain  Elliot  seemed 
doomed  to  be  made  the  sport  of  Chinese  duplicity.  He  no  sooner  issued 
a  circular  to  the  English  and  foreign  merchants,  announcing  that  a  sus- 
pension of  hostilities  had  been  agreed  on  between  the  Chinese  commis- 
sioner Yang,  and  himself,  and  that  the  trade  was  open  at  Canton  n:id 
would  be  duly  respected,  than  the  emperor  issued  another  proclamation, 
ordering  all  communication  with  "  the  detestable  brood  of  English"  to  be 
cut  off.  Several  other  imperial  proclamations  in  a  more  furious  style  fol- 
lowed, the  last  of  which  thus  concludes  :  "If  the  whole  number  of  them 
(the  English),  be  not  effectually  destroyed,  how  shall  I,  the  emperor,  be 
able  to  answer  to  the  gods  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and  cherish  the 
hopes  of  our  people."  Captain  Elliot,  however,  whose  great  object  hith- 
erto appears  to  have  been  to  secure  the  annual  export  of  tea,  had  succeed- 
ed in  liiiving  11,000,000  lbs.  shipped  before  the  fulminating  edicts  of  Ino 
emperor  took  effect. 

In  October,  dispatches  of  importance  were  received  from  General  Sir 
Hugh  Gough,  commanding  the  land  forces,  and  Captain  Sir  H.  F.  Sen- 
house,  the  senior  naval  officer  of  the  fleet,  detailing  a  series  of  brilliant 
operations  against  Canton,  whitiier  they  had  proceeded  by  the  direction 
of  Ca|itain  Elliot.  On  tiie  20th  of  May  the  contest  began  by  the  Chinese 
firing  on  the  British  ships  and  letting  loose  some  fire-ships  among  them, 
which,  however,  did  no  damage.  Next  morning  the  fort  of  Shaming  was 
silenced,  and  a  fleet  of  about  forty  junks  burnt.  On  the  24lh,  a  favourable 
landing-place  having  been  discovered,  thi;  right  column  of  the  26lh  regi- 
ment, under  Major  Pratt,  was  convoyed  by  the  Atalanta  to  act  on  the 
south  of  liie  city,  while  the  Nemesis  towed  the  left  column  up  to  Tsin- 
ghae.  After  some  sharp  fighting,  the  Canton  governor  yielded,  and  the 
troops  and  ships  were  withdrawn,  on  condition  of  the  three  commissioners 
and  all  the  troops  under  them  leaving  Canton  and  its  vicinity,  and  six  mil- 
lions of  dollars  to  be  paid  within  a  week,  tl'.e  first  million  before  evening 
that  day ;  if  the  whole  was  not  paid  before  the  end  of  the  week,  the  ransom 
was  to  bt-  raised  to  seven  millions  ;  if  not  before  the  end  of  fourteen  days, 
to  eight  millions;  andif  not  before  twenty  days,  to  nine  millions  of  dollars. 
After  tliree  days,  the  conditions  having  been  fulfilled,  the  troops  left  for 
Hong  Kong,  having  had  thirteen  men  killed  and  ninety-seven  wounded. 
Sir  H.  l'\  Senhouse  died  on  board  of  the  BLnheim  from  a  fever  brought 
on  by  excessive  fatigue.  Notwithstai;ding  this  defeat,  the  Chinese  were 
still  deirrmined  to  resist,  and  Yeh  Sh  in  had  reported  to  the  emperor,  his 
uncle,  that  wnen  he  had  inducted  the  barbarians  to  withdraw,  he  would 
repair  all  the  forts  again.  The  emperor,  on  his  part,  declared  that,  as  a 
last  result,  he  would  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  army,  and  march  to 
India  and  England,  and  tear  up  the  English,  root  and  branch  ! 

Sir  Henry  ruttiuger,  the  new  plenipotentiary,  and  Rear-admiral  Parker, 
the  new  naval  commander-in-chief,  arrived  at  Macao  on  theOlhof  August. 
/  notification  of  Sir  Henry's  presence  and  powers  was  sent  to  Canton 
immedi.iii'ly  on  his  arrival,  accoinpaiiied  by  a  letter  forwarded  to  the  em- 
peror at  I'ekin,  the  answer  to  which  was  required  to  be  sent  to  a  northern 
etalion.  The  fleet,  consisting  of  nine  ships  of  war,  four  armed  stcanicrs, 
and  twenty-two  transports,  sailed  for  the  island  and  fortified  city  of  Amoy, 
on  the  ai.sl  of  August. 

This  island  is  situated  in  a  fine  gulf  in  the  province  of  Fokein,  the  great 
tea  district  of  Chiua,  opposite;   the  island  of  Formosa,  and  about  three 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


7M 


hundred  and  fifty  miles  northeast  of  the  gulf  of  Canton,  five  hundred  miles 
south  of  Chusan,  and  one  thousand  tlirre  hundred  miles  from  Pekin.  It 
was  fortified  by  very  strong  defences,  of  granite  rocks  faced  with  mud, 
and  mounted  with  no  less  than  five  hundred  pieces  of  cannon.  On  the 
26th,  a.\er  a  brief  parley  with  a  mandarin,  the  city  was  bombarded  for 
two  hours.  Sir  Hugh  Gough,  with  the  18th  regiment,  then  landed,  and 
seized  one  end  of  the  long  battery;  w!\ile  the  2Cth  regiment,  with  the 
sailors  and  marines,  carried  the  strong  butteries  on  the  island  of  Koolang- 
see,  just  in  front  of  Amoy.  Tiie  Chinese  made  an  animated  defence  for 
four  hours,  and  then  fled  from  all  their  fortifications,  and  also  from  the 
city,  carrying  with  them  their  treasures.  The  Chinese  junks  and  war- 
beats  were  all  captured  ;  and  the  camion,  with  immense  munitions  of  war, 
of  course  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Hnglish.  Not  a  single  man  of  tho 
British  was  killed,  and  only  nine  were  wounded.  The  next  day  SirHuch 
Gough  entered  the  city  at  tlio  head  of  his  troops  without  opposition. 

Tiie  next  dispatches  from  Ciiina  stated  that  Chusan  had  been  recaptured 
on  the  iKt  of  October.  A  resolute  stand  was  made  by  the  Chinese  ;  but 
the  troops,  supported  by  the  fire  of  the  ships,  ascended  a  hill,  and  escala- 
ded  Tingiiae,  the  capital  city,  from  whence  the  British  colours  were  soon 
seen  Hying  in  every  direction.  On  the  7th  the  troops  attacked  the  city  of 
Cinhae,  on  the  main-land  opposite  Chusan,  which  is  inclosed  by  a  wall 
thirty-seven  feet  thick,  and  twenty-two  feet  high,  with  an  embrasured 
parapet  of  four  feet  high.  The  ships  bombarded  the  citadel  and  enfiladed 
the  batteries ;  the  seamen  and  marines  then  landed,  and  Admiral  Sir  W. 
Parker,  with  the  true  spirit  of  a  British  sailor,  was  among  the  first  to 
scale  the  walls.  Here  was  found  a  great  arsenal,  a  cannon-foundry  and 
gun-carriage  manufactory,  and  a  great  variety  of  warlike  stores. 

Several  other  engagements  took  place,  in  all  of  which  the  British  con- 
tinued to  have  a  most  decided  advantage,  although  it  was  admitted  that 
the  Cliinese  and  Tartar  soldiers  showed  more  resolution  and  a  better  ac 
quaintance  with  the  art  of  war  than  on  former  occasions.  However,  as  a 
large  reinforcement  of  troops,  with  a  i)attering  train  which  had  been  sent 
from  Calcutta,  was  shortly  expected.  Sir  Henry  Pottinger  put  off  the 
execution  of  some  intended  operations  on  a  mc;  o  extended  scale  until 
their  arrival. 

Home  affairs  again  require  attention.  The  finances  of  the  country  had 
latterly  assumed  a  discouraging  aspect;  and  on  the  chancellor  of  the  ex- 
chequer bringing  forward  his  annual  budget,  he  proposed  to  make  up  the 
deficiency  of  the  present  year,  which  he  stated  to  be  2,421,000;.,  besides 
the  aggregate  deficiency  of  5,000,000/.,  mainly  by  a  modification  of  the 
duties  on  sugar  and  timber,  and  an  alteration  of  tlie  duties  on  corn.  The 
opposition  censured  the  proceedings  of  ministers,  and  Sir  Robert 
Peel  ('(mnnenled  severely  on  the  enormous  deficiency  of  7,500,000/.  incur- 
red (huing  the  past  five  years,  with  a  revenue,  too,  which  had  been  through- 
out improving.  It  appeared  tiiat  the  Melbourne  administration  wps  on  tiie 
wane;  and  its  permanency  was  put  to  the  test  when  Lord  Jo!m  Bussell, 
in  moving  that  tiie  house  should  go  into  a  committee  of  ways  and  means, 
to  consider  the  sugar  duties,  entered  into  a  defence  of  the  present  policy 
of  government.  Lord  Sandon  then  moved  the  amendment  of  which  he 
had  given  notice,  "that  considering  the  efforts  and  sacrifices  which  par- 
liament and  the  country  have  made  for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  this  house 
is  not  piep.\red  (especially  with  the  present  prospects  of  the  supply  of 
sugar  frim  British  possessions),  to  adopt  the  measure  proposed  by  her 
majesty's  government  for  the  reduction  of  duties  on  foreign  sugars."  The 
debate  which  ensued  adjourned  from  day  to  day,  and  lasted  for  the  unpre- 
cedented extent  of  eight  nights.  Wiien  the  house  divided,  on  the  18th  of 
May,  there  appeared  for  Lord  Sandon's  amendment,  three  hundred  and 


•■"■fi 


752 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


seventeen ;  agnintit  it,  two  hundred  and  eighty-one ;  majority  against  min 
isters,  thirty-six. 

On  the  '27ih  of  May  Sir  R.  Peel  took  an  opportunity  of  minutely  review- 
ing  the  measures  tliat  had  been  submitted  to  parliament  by  ministers,  and 
afterwards  abandoned,  and  tlie  prejudicial  effects  on  the  finances  of  the 
country  wliich  had  accrued  from  tiie  passing  of  others.  Sir  Robert  added, 
that  in  every  former  case  where  tliC  house  had  indicated  that  its  confidence 
was  witlidrawn  from  tlie  ministry,  the  ministers  had  retired.  Tlie  wliole 
of  their  conduct  betrayed  weakness  and  a  truckling  for  popular  favour, 
and  the  prenigatives  of  the  crown  were  not  eafe  in  their  hands.  He  tlien 
moved  the  following  resolution  "  That  lier  majesty's  ministers  do  not  suf- 
ficiently possess  tlie  confidence  of  liio  house  of  commons  to  enable  them 
to  carry  IhrouKh  measures  which  they  deem  of  essential  importance  to 
the  public  welfare,  and  that  tlieir  continuance  in  office,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, is  at  variance  with  the  spirit  of  the  constitution."  This  mo- 
tion was  carried  in  a  full  iiousc,  (the  number  of  members  present  being 
six  hundred  and  twenty-tlirec)  by  a  majority  of  one.  On  the  22d  of  Juue 
her  majesty  pri)ro},nied  parliament,  "with  a  view  to  its  immediate  disso- 
lution," and  it  was  accordingly  dissolved  by  proclamation  on  the  follow- 
ing day. 

On  the  meeting  of  tiie  new  parliament,  August  24th,  the  Btrengtli  of  tiie 
conservative  parly  was  striking.  The  ministers  had  no  measures  to  pro- 
pose beyond  iliose  on  which  they  had  before  sustained  a  defeat ;  and  when 
an  amendment  to  the  address  was  put  to  vote,  declaratory  of  a  want  ol 
confidence  in  her  majesty's  advisers,  it  elicited  a  spirited  debate  of  four 
night's  continuance,  terminating  in  a  majority  of  ninety-one  against  min- 
isters. This  result  produced  an  immediate  change  in  the  minis'ry.  The 
new  cabinet  was: — Sir  R.  Peel,  first  lord  of  the  treasury;  duke  of  Wel- 
lington, (without  office) ;  Lord  Lyndhurst,  lord-chancellor ;  Lord  Wharn- 
cliffe,  president  of  the  council ;  duke  of  Buckingham,  privy  seal ;  Right 
Honourable  H.  Goulburn,  chancellor  of  the  exchequer ;  Sir  James  Graham, 
home  secretary  ;  earl  of  Aberdeen,  foreign  secretary ;  Lord  Stanley,  colo- 
nial secretary ;  earl  of  Haddington,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty;  Lord  El- 
lenborougb,  president  of  tiie  board  of  control ;  earl  of  Kipon,  president  ol 
the  board  of  trade;  Sir  I'cMiry  Ilardinge,  secretary  at  war;  Sir  Edward 
Knatchbull,  treasurer  of  the  navy  and  paymaster  of  the  forces.  Earl  de 
Grey  was  appointed  lord-lieutenant  of  Ireland,  and  Sir  Edward  Sugden, 
Irish  lord-chancellor. 

On  the  30th  of  October  a  destructive  fire  broke  out  in  the  Tower,  about 
half-past  ten  o'clock  at  night,  and  conliimed  to  rage  with  the  utmost  fury 
for  several  hours.  It  was  first  discovered  in  the  round  or  bowyer  tower, 
and  quickly  spread  to  the  grand  armory,  where  the  flames  gained  a  fearful 
ascendency.  Notwilhstan<'ing  the  exertions  of  the  firemen  and  mihtary, 
the  conflagration  continued  to  spread,  and  apprehensions  were  entertained 
that  the  jewel  tower,  with  its  crowns,  sceptres,  and  other  emblema  of  roy- 
alty  would  fall  a  prey  to  the  devouring  element.  Happily,  by  prompt  ex- 
ertion, they  were  all  taken  to  the  governor's  residence,  and  the  gunpowder 
and  other  warlike  stores  in  the  ordnance  oflice  were  also  removed.  In 
addition  to  the  armory  and  bowyer  tower,  three  other  large  buildings  were 
consumed.  The  gra.id  armory  was  three  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  long, 
and  sixty  feet  broad.  1 1  the  tower  floor  were  kept  about  forty-three 
pieces  of  cannon,  made  by  founders  of  different  periods,  besides  various 
other  interesting  objects,  and  a  number  of  chests  containing  arms  in  rcadi 
ness  for  use.  A  grand  staircase  led  to  the  upper  floor,  called  the  small 
armory,  in  which  were  above  150,000  siand  of  small  arms,  new  flinled, 
and  ready  for  immediate  service.  As  that  part  of  the  building  where  the 
fire  originated  was  heated  by  flues  from  stoves,  It  was  the  Dpinion  that 


THE  TREA8UUY  OF  HISTORY. 


763 


ity  against  min 

linutely  review- 
r  ministers,  and 
finances  of  the 
ir  Robert  added, 
tt  its  confidence 
gd.    Tlie  whole 
popular  favour, 
lands.     He  then 
sters  do  not  suf- 
to  enable  them 
I  importance  to 
under  such  cir- 
ion."    This  mo- 
•s  present  being 
1  the  22d  of  June 
mmediate  disso- 
)n  on  the  follow- 

le  strengtli  of  tne 
measures  to  pro- 
lefeat;  and  when 
ory  of  a  want  ol 
ed  debate  of  foui 
one  against  min- 
e  ministry.    The 
y ;  duke  of  Wei- 
or ;  Lord  Wharn- 
privy  seal ;  Right 
ir  James  Graham, 
ord  Stanley,  cole 
niralty;  Lord  El- 
ipon,  president  ol 
war;  Sir  Edward 
^  forces.    Earl  de 
r  Edward  Sugden, 

the  Tower,  about 
h  the  utmost  fury 

or  bowyer  tower, 
es  gained  a  fearful 
jmen  and  military, 
s  were  entertained 
!r  emblems  of  roy- 
jily,  hy  prompt  ex- 
md  the  gunpowder 
ilso  removed.  In 
rge  buildings  were 
forty-five  feet  long, 

about  forty-three 
is,  besides  varioui 
ning  arms  in  rcadi 
or,  called  the  small 

arms,  new  flintcd, 

building  where  the 
,3  the  Dpinion  that 


tbe  accident  was  thereby  occasioned.    The  loss  sustained,  includini  the 
expense  of  rebuilding,  was  estimated  at  about  £2.50,000. 

The  closing  paragraph  in  the  occurrences  of  last  year  recorded  the  I  jrth 
of  the  princess  royal.  We  have  now  to  stale,  that  on  the  3lh  of  Novem- 
ber the  queen  gave  birth  to  a  prince  at  Buckingham-palace,  nearly  a 
twelvemonth  having  elapsed  since  her  majesty's  former  accouchement 
The  happy  event  having  taken  place  on  lord-mayor's  day,  it  was  rDOst 
loyally  celebrated  by  the  citizens  so  opportunely  assembled.  On  the  25th 
of  the  ftillowing  January  the  infant  prince  of  Wales  received  the  name  of 
Albert  Kdward,  the  king  of  Prussia  being  one  of  the  sponsors. 

A.  D.  1842.— The  year  commenced  with  most  disastrous  intelligence 
from  India.  In  consequence  of  reductions  having  been  made  in  the  tri- 
bute paid  to  llie  eastern  Ghilzie  tribes,  for  keeping  open  the  passes  be- 
tween Caboul  and  Jeilalabad,  in  AfTghanistan,  the  people  rose  and  took 
possession  of  those  passes.  Gen.  Sir  R.  Sale's  brigade  was  therefore 
directed  to  re-open  the  communication.  The  brigade  fought  its  way  to 
Gundamnck,  greatly  harassed  by  the  enemy  from  the  high  ground,  and 
after  eighteen  days'  incessant  fighting,  reached  that  place,  much  exhausted; 
they  then  moved  upon  Jeilalabad.  Meantime  an  insurrection  broke  out 
at  Caboul.  Sir  A.  Burnes,  and  his  brother  Lieutenant  C.  Burnes,  Lieu- 
tenant Bmadfoot,  and  Lieutenant  Sturt  were  massacred.  The  whole  city 
then  rose  in  arms,  and  universal  plunder  ensued — while  another  large 
l)arty  attacked  the  British  cantonments,  about  two  miles  from  the  town. 
These  outrages,  unfortunately,  were  but  the  pre'ude  to  others  far  more 
friglitCiil.  Akhbar  Khan,  the  son  of  Dost  Mahommed,  on  pretence  of 
making  arrangements  with  Sir  W.  M'Naghten,  the  British  envoy  at  the 
court  of  Shah  Soojah,  invited  him  to  a  conference  ;  he  went,  accompanied 
by  four  officers  and  a  small  escor»,  when  the  treacherous  Aff"ghan,  after 
abusing  the  British  ambassador,  drew  a  pistol  and  shot  him  dead  on  the 
spot.  Captain  Trevor,  of  the  3d  Bengal  cavalry,  on  rushing  to  his  assist- 
ance, was  cut  down,  three  other  officers  were  made  prisoners,  and  the 
nnitilaied  body  of  the  ambassadoi  was  then  barbarously  paraded  through 
the  town.  It  was  also  .stated  that  some  severe  fighting  had  taken  place, 
but  under  the  greatest  disadvanlige  to  the  British  and  native  troops,  and 
that  the  army  in  Caboul  had  been  almost  literally  annihilated.  A  capitu- 
lation  was  then  entered  into,  by  which  the  remainder  of  the  Anglo-Indian 
army  retired  from  the  town,  leaving  all  the  sick,  wounded,  and  sixteen 
ladies,  wives  of  officers,  behind.  They  had  not,  however,  proceeded  far 
before  they  were  assailed  from  the  mountains  by  an  iminense  force,  when 
the  native  troops,  having  fought  three  days,  and  wading  through  deep 
snow,  gave  way,  and  nearly  the  whole  were  massacred. 

So  terrible  a  disaster  had  never  visited  the  British  arms  since  India  first 
acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  England.  A  fatal  mistake  had  been  com- 
mitted by  the  former  government,  and  it  was  feared  that  all  the  energy 
of  the  new  ministry  would  be  insufficient  to  maintain  that  degree  of  influ- 
ence over  the  vast  and  thickly  peopled  provinces  of  India,  whicli  was 
necessary  to  ensure  the  safety  of  our  possessions.  The  governor-general, 
Lord  Auckland,  was  recalled,  and  his  pi  ice  supplied  by  Lord  Kllenborough, 
wliose  reputation  fora  correct  knowledge  of  Indian  affairs  was  undisputed. 
His  lordship  arrived  at  Calcutta  on  Feb.  28,  at  which  time  Sir  lloliert 
Sale  was  safe  at  Jeilalabad;  but  he  was  most  critically  situated.  The 
garrison,  however,  maintained  their  post  with  great  gallantry,  and  were 
able  to  defy  the  utmost  efforts  of  the  Affghans,  having  in  one  instance  sal- 
lied forth  and  attacked  their  camp,  of  C,000  men,  and  gained  a  signal  vic- 
tory. At  length  General  Pollock  efftctcd  a  junction  with  the  troops  of 
Sir  R.  Sale,  and  released  them  from  a  siege  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
days'  duration;  having  previously  forced,  with  very  little  loss,  the  dreaded 
uass  of  the  Khyber,  twenty-eight  miles  in  length.  Gen.  Nott,  also,  who 
Vol.  I.— 48 


ivi-i 


i; 


fill 


I      J^l 


754 


THE  TllEASUllY  OF  HISTORY. 


advanrt'd  from  Candaliar  to  mort  General  England,  wlio  had  sustainoj 
consiilcrahlc  loss  at  the  pass  of  Kojui-k,  eiicounturcd  a  larj-.  fon-e  of  AIT- 
ffhanf^and  compUtidy  defeated  tiicin.  Hut.  on  the  other  hand,  Colonel 
Palmer  siirreiulered  the  celebrated  fortress  of  Ohuznee,  on  condition  that 
the  garrison  should  be  safely  conducted  to  Caboul. 

Tlu!  day  of  retribution  was  at  hand.  (Jeneral  Nott,  at  the  head  of  seven 
thousand  men,  liiving  left  Candahar  on  the  'Olh  of  August,  fjroeeedcd 
towards  (ihuziu-e  and  Caboul,  while  General  Kngland,<viih  the  remainder 
of  the  troops  lately  stationed  at  Candahar,  inarched  back  in  safety  to 
Qneiia.  On  the  30lli  of  August,  Shah  Shoodeen,  the  governor  of  Ghuznee, 
with  nearly  tlie  whole  of  his  army,  amounting  to  not  Ic:  than  twi  he 
thousand  men,  arrived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  tlu."  British  camp,  and  (ien 
eral  Nott  jirepared  to  meet  him  witii  one  half  of  his  force.  Tlie  enemy 
came  boldly  forward,  each  division  cheering  as  they  camo  into  position, 
and  occupying  their  ground  in  excellent  style  ;  but  after  a  short  and  spirited 
contest,  they  were  completely  defeated,  and  dispersed  in  every  dinu-tion, 
their  gims,  tents,  ammunition,  &c.,  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Enylish. 
On  the  iiii  of  September  General  Nott  invested  thecily  of  Ghuznee,  wliicli 
was  strongly  garrisoned,  while  the  hills  to  the  north-eastward  swarmed 
with  soliiiery  ;  but  they  soon  abandoned  the  place,  and  tlic  IJritish  fla^s 
were  hoisted  in  triumph  on  the  Bala  Hissar.  The  citadel  of  Ghuznee, 
and  other  formidable  works  and  defences,  were  razed  to  the  ground. 

Early  in  September  General  Poll.)ck  marched  from  Gundamuck  on  his 
way  to  CaDoul.  On  reaching  the  hills  which  command  the  road  through 
the  pass  of  .lugdulluck,  the  enemy  was  foimd  strongly  posted  and  in  con- 
siderable numbers.  In  this  action  most  of  the  innuential  AlTghan  chiefs 
wfTC  engaged,  and  their  troops  manfully  maintained  their  position  ;  but 
at  length  the  heights  were  stormed,  and,  after  much  arduous  exertion,  they 
ivere  dislodged  and  dispersed.  Gen.  Pollock  proceeded  onwards,  anil 
does  not  appear  to  have  encountered  any  furtlier  opposition  until  his 
arrival.  Scjptember  13,  in  the  Tehzear  valley,  where  an  army  of  lG,00i) 
Tien,  commanded  by  Akhbar  Khan  in  person,  was  assembled  to  meet  him 
\  desperate  fight  ensued  ;  the  enemy  was  completely  defeated  and  drivcu 
."rem  the  field.  On  the  day  followmg  this  engagement  the  general  ad- 
vanced to  Boodkhak,  and  on  the  16tli  he  made  his  triumphal  entry  into 
the  citadel,  and  planted  the  British  colours  on  its  walls.  "Thus,"  said 
Lord  Kllenborough,  in  his  general  orders,  "have  all  past  disasters  been 
retrieved  and  avenged  on  every  scene  on  which  they  were  sustained,  and 
repeatvd  victories  in  the  field,  and  the  capture  of  the  citadels  of  GliuzntM! 
and  Caboul  have  advanced  the  glory  and  established  the  accustomed 
superiority  of  the  British  arms." 

At  length  the  long  and  anxiously  desired  liberation  of  the  whole  of  the 
British  prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  AflTghans  was  eflfecled.  Their  num- 
ber was  ;J]  olTicers,  9  ladies,  and  12  children,  with  51  European  soldiers, 
2  clerks,  and  4  women,  making  in  all  109  persons,  who  had  suffered  <'ap. 
tivity  from  .Tan.  10  to  Sept.  27.  It  appeared  that,  by  direction  of  Akhbar 
Khan,  the  prisoners  had  been  taken  to  Bamecan,  90  miles  to  the  west- 
ward, and  that  they  were  destined  to  be  distributed  among  the  Toorkistan 
chiefs.  General  Pollock  and  some  other  officers  proposed  to  the  Airgh.in 
chief,  that  if  he  would  send  them  back  to  Caboul,  they  would  give  him 
,£2,000  at  once,  and  .£l,200  a  year  for  life.  The  chief  com|)lied,  and  on 
the  second  day  they  were  met  by  Sir  Richmond  Shakspear,  with  (ilO 
Kuzzilbashes,  and  shortly  afterwards  by  General  Sale,  with  2,000  cavalry 
and  infantry,  when  they  returned  to  Caboul.  Besides  the  Europeans, 
there  were  327  sepoys  found  at  Ghuznee,  and  1,200  sick  and  wounded 
who  were  begging  about  Caboul.  On  the  arrival  of  General  Noll's  di\  i- 
gion,  the  resolution  adopted  by  tVu  British  government  to  destroy  all  the 
.^.ffghaii  stronn^holds  was  carried  into  execution,  Uiougii  not  without  rt 


amma 


THE  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


756 


lad  sustained 

forre  of  A(T- 

laiid,  Colonel 

L-oiiilitiuu  that 

bead  of  seven 

ist,  proiH-cded 
the  remair.dnr 
L  in  safety  to 
jr  of  (Jhnzr.nr, 
i;  than  twdve 
amp,  and  <>cn 
.     Tlie  eupmy 
n  into  position, 
art  and  spirited 
■very  dirt'ftion, 
)f  tlic  Knjilisli. 
Jluiznce.wliich 
ward  swarmed 
10  Hritisli  fla^s 
el  of  Ohuznce, 
\c  ground. 
daniHclt  on  his 
l\e  road  tlirou'„'h 
sted  and  in  eon- 

AlTglian  cliiefs 
ir  position  ;  l)ut 
js  t!xertion,  they 
id  onwards,  and 
isition  until  his 
[army  of  16,000 
)led  tompotliini 
"eated  and  driven 

the  tjoneral  ad- 
iiphal  entry  into 
"Thus,"  said 

t  disasters  been 
re  sustained,  and 
dels  of  (lluiznee 

the  accustomed 

the  whole  of  the 
ed.     Their  nnni- 
iiropean  soldiers, 
liad  suffered  cap- 
•eetion  of  Akhbar 
,les  to  tlie   wc^t- 
asjthe  Toorkistan 
(!d  to  the  Aff^han 
■  would  give  him 
complied,  and  on 
tkspear,  with  li'O 
with  'J,000  cavalry 
s  the  Europeans, 
ick  and  wounded 
neral  Nolt's  divi. 
to  destroy  »ll  the 
'ii  not  without  rt 


Bistnnco,  particularly  at  the  town  and  fort  of  Istaliff,  where  a  strong  body 
of  Affgiians,  led  on  by  Ameer  Oola,  and  sixteen  of  their  most  determined 
eiiiefs,  had  posted  themselves.  This  town  consisted  of  masses  of  houses 
built  on  the  slope  of  a  mountain,  in  the  rear  of  which  were  lofiy  eminences 
shutting  in  a  defile  to  Toorkistan.  The  number  of  its  inhabitants  exceed- 
cd  15,000,  who,  from  their  defences  and  difRculties  of  approach,  consider- 
ed their  position  unassailable.  The  greater  part  of  tlie  plunder  seized 
hist  January  from  the  British  was  placed  there ;  the  chiefs  kept  their 
wives  and  families  in  it;  and  many  of  those  who  had  escaped  from  Ca- 
boul  ha(  songlit  refuge  there.  Its  capture,  however,  was  a  work  of  no 
very  groat  difficulty,  the  Ikiiish  troops  driving  the  enemy  before  them 
with  considerable  slaughter.  Tlie  Anglo  Indian  troops  soon  after- 
wards commenced  their  homeward  mareii  in  three  divisions ;  the  first 
under  General  I'ollock,  the  second  under  General  M'Caskill,  and  the 
third  under  General  Nott.  The  first  division  elTected  their  march  viiroiigh 
the  passes  without  loss ;  but  the  second  was  less  successful,  the  moun- 
taineers attacking  it  near  Ali-Musjid,  and  plundering  it  of  part  of  the 
b;'"gage.  General  Nott,  with  his  division,  arrived  in  safety;  bearing 
w  ihem  the  celebrated  gates  of  Somnauih,  which  it  is  said  a  Mohame- 
dan  conqueror  had  taken  away  from  an  Indian  temple,  and  which  for 
eight  centuries  formed  the  chief  ornament  of  his  tomb  at  Ghuznce. 

The  Niger  expedition,  which  was  undertaken  last  year  by  benevolent 
individuals,  supported  by  a  government  grant  of  X"fiO,000,  was  totally  de- 
feated by  the  pestilential  effects  of  the  climate.  The  intention  was,  to 
plant  in  the  centre  of  Africa  an  Knglish  colony,  in  the  hope,  by  the  proofs 
afforded  of  the  advantages  of  agriculture  and  trade,  to  reclaim  the  natives 
from  the  custom  of  selling  their  captives  into  slavery. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  as  her  majesty,  accompanied  by  Prince  Albert, 
was  returningdownConstilution-hillto  IJnckingham-palace,  from  her  after- 
noon's ride,  a  young  man,  named  .John  Francis,  fired  a  pistol  at  the  car- 
riage, but  without  effecting  any  injury.  He  was  immediately  taken  into 
custody,  when  it  appeared  that  he  was  by  trade  a  carpenter,  but  being 
out  of  employ,  had  attempted  to  establish  a  snuff-shop,  in  which  he  was 
unsuccessful.  It  was  supposed  that  he  was  incited  to  this  criminal  act 
partly  by  desperation,  and  partly  by  the  cclJt  and  permanent  provision — 
though  in  an  apartment  at  bedlam— awarded  to  Edward  Oxford,  who  it 
will  be  remembered,  performed  a  similar  exploit  at  nearly  the  same  spot 
in  June,  1840.  The  news  reached  the  house  of  commons  while  the  de- 
bate on  the  property  tax  was  in  progress,  which  was  suddai.iy  stopped, 
and  the  house  broke  up.  The  next  day,  however,  the  hill  was  again  pro- 
posed, and  carried  by  a  majority  of  100. 

A  joint  address  congratulating  her  majesty  on  her  happy  escape,  was 
presented  from  both  houses  of  parl-ament  on  the  1st  of  June,  anC  a  form 
of  thanksgiving  was  sanctioned  by  the  privy  council.  It  appealed  that 
loine  danger  had  been  apprehended  in  consequence  of  the  same  f.eison 
•laving  been  observed  in  the  park  with  a  pistol  on  the  preceding  day ;  and 
Lord  Fortman  stated  in  the  house  of  lords  that  her  majesty  in  '.•onse- 
quence  would  not  permit,  on  the  30ih  of  May,  the  attendance  of  those 
ladies  whose  duty  it  is  to  wait  upon  her  on  such  accasions.  Fianeis  wa.i 
examined  before  the  privy  council,  and  then  committed  to  Newgate ;  I;o 
was  tried,  found  guilty  of  high  treason,  and  sentenced  to  be  hung,  bo- 
headed,  and  quartered  ;  but  it  was  deemed  proper  to  remit  the  exiremo 
penalties  and  commute  his  sentence  to  transportation  for  life. 

Scarcely  more  than  a  month  had  elapsed,  when  a  third  attempt,  or 
retended  attempt,  on  the  life  of  the  queen  was  made  in  St.  James'  park, 

er  majesty  being  at  the  time  on  her  way  from  Buckingham-palace  to  the 
chapel  royal,  accompanied  by  Prince  Albe.'t  and  the  king  of  the  Belgians. 
4  lad,  about  eighteen  years  W  uge,  named  John  William  Bean,  was  ob- 


•'. 


I  :ii 


^i;i 


766 


THE  TRBASURV  OF  HISTORY. 


•erved  to  presrnt  ii  pistol  at  licr  majesty's  carriage,  by  a  youth  named 
Dasset,  who  seized  liim,  and  related  the  circumstance  to  two  policemen. 
They  treated  it  as  a  joke,  and  Dean  was  allowed  to  depart;  but  ho  was 
subscquuiitly  apprehended  at  his  father's  house,  and  committed  to  prison. 
On  his  examination  he  persisted  in  asserting  that  that  there  was  nothing 
but  powder  and  paper  in  the  pistol,  and  that  he  did  not  intend  to  hurt  the 
queen ;  in  fact,  he  appeared  to  be  one  of  those  weak  beings  who  seem 
actuated  by  a  morbid  desire  of  notoriety. 

It  was  evident  that  the  false  sympathy  shown  to  Oxford  had  encouraged 
others  in  their  base  attempts  ;  and  &)ir  Robert  Feel,  acting  on  that  con- 
viction, introduced  a  bill  into  parliament  for  the  better  security  of  her 
majesty's  person,  his  object  beinij  to  consign  the  offenders  to  that  con- 
tempt which  befitted  their  disgraceful  practices.  The  bill  was  so  framed 
as  to  inflict  for  the  offences  of  presenting  fire-arms  at  her  majesty,  or  at- 
tempting to  strike  her  person  with  missiles,  and  *cr  other  acts  intended 
to  alarm  her  majesty,  or  disturb  the  public  peace,  the  penalty  of  seven 
years'  iransporatation,  with  previous  imprisonm«;U  ind  flogging,  or  other 
bodily  chastisement. 

We  must  once  more  recur  to  the  warlike  opcialions  in  China.  After 
an  arrival  of  reinforcements,  the  British  expedition,  June  13ih,  entered 
the  large  river  called  Yang-tze-Kiang,  on  the  banks  of  which  were  im- 
mense fortifications.  The  fleet  at  daylight  having  taken  their  stations, 
the  batteries  opened  a  fire  which  lasted  two  hours.  The  seamen  and 
marines  then  landed,  and  drove  th3  Chinese  out  of  their  batteries  before 
the  troops  could  be  disembarked.  253  guns  were  taken,  of  iieavy  calibre, 
and  11  feet  long.  On  the  19th  two.  other  batteries  were  taken,  in  which 
were  48  guns.  The  troops  then  '<  jk  possession  of  the  city  of  Shanghai, 
destroyed  the  public  buddings,  and  distributed  the  contents  of  the 
granaries  among  the  peo;jle.  Two  oilier  field-works  were  also  taken,  and 
the  total  number  of  guns  captured  amounted  to  3G4.  The  squadron 
set  sail  from  VVoosung  on  the  Gthof  July  ;  on  the  20th  the  vessels  aiichor- 
ed  abreast  the  city  of  Ching-Keang-foo,  which  commands  the  entrance 
of  the  grand  canal,  and  the  next  morning  the  troops  were  disembarked, 
and  marched  to  the  attack  of  the  Chinese  forces.  One  brigade  was  direct- 
ed to  move  against  the  enemy's  camp,  situated  about  three  miles  distant, 
another  was  ordered  to  co-operate  with  this  division  in  cutting  off  the  ex- 
pected retreat  of  the  Chinese  from  the  camp,  while  the  third  received  in- 
structions to  escalade  the  northern  wall  of  the  town.  Thn  Chinese,  after 
firing  a  few  distant  volleys,  fled  from  the  camp  with  precipitation,  and 
dispersed  over  the  country.  The  city  itself,  however,  was  manfully  de- 
fended by  the  Tartar  soldiers,  who  prolonged  the  contest  for  three  hours, 
resisting  with  desperate  valour  the  combined  efforts  of  the  three  brigades, 
aided  by  a  reinforcement  of  marines  and  seamen.  At  length  opposi- 
tion ccasrd,  and  ere  nightfall  V,e  British  were  complete  masters  of  the 
place.  Ching-Keang-foo,  like  Amoy,  wns  most  strongly  fortified,  and 
the  works  in  excellent  repair  It  is  supposed  that  the  garrison  consist- 
ed of  not  less  than  3,000  me  i,  and  of  these  about  1,000,  and  40  man- 
darins, were  killed  and  woun-'-^d.  The  Tartar  general  retired  to  his 
house  when  he  saw  that  all  was  lost,  made  his  servants  set  it  on  fire, 
and  sat  in  his  chair  till  he  was  burned  to  death.  On  the  side  of  the 
British,  15  officers  and  154  rnen,  of  both  services,  were  killed  and 
wounded. 

A  strong  garrison  being  left  behind  for  the  retention  of  Ching-Keang- 
foo,  the  fleet  proceeded  towards  Nankin,  about  forty  miles  distant,  and 
arrived  on  the  6th  of  August,  when  preparations  were  immediately  made 
for  an  attack  on  the  city.  A  strong  force  under  the  command  of  Major- 
j":n«*ral  Lord  Saltoun,  was  landed,  and  took  up  their  position  to  the  west 
of  the  town  :  and  operations  were  about  to  be  commenced,  when  a  letter 


THE  TRKABURY  Oi*'  HISTORY. 


7*7 


was  «ciit  o(T  to  the  piciiipntenliary,  ruqiiestiiig  a  Irucu,  as  certain  ♦lijh 
com'nisrtioiit-rs.  speciiilly  dcU-giiud  hy  Hie  emperor,  and  possessed  o<  l-Ul 
poWLM's  lo  iiegoUalc,  wen;  on  tlieir  way  to  treat  witli  llie  Kiiglisli.  jxlXot 
several  visits  and  lonjf  discussions  between  Hie  contracting  powira,  llio 
treaty  was  publicly  si;rned  on  board  the  Cornwallis,  by  Sir  11.  Pottinjer 
an<l  llu!  lliree  commissioners.  Of  this  convention  tiio  followinn  are  the 
most  important  articles:  1.  Lasiiiijr  peace  and  friendship  between  the 
two  empires.  2.  China  to  pay  twenty-one  millions  of  dollars  in  the 
course  of  that  and  three  succeeding  years.  3.  Tlie  ports  of  CantoUi 
Amoy,  Koo-choo-foo,  Niiijjpo,  and  Shanghai,  to  bo  thrown  open  to  British 
merchants,  consular  olhcers  to  be  appointed  to  reside  at  them,  and  rejrulai 
ind  Just  taritTs  of  ini|)ort  and  export  (as  well  as  inland  transit)  duties  to 
be  established  and  published.  4.  The  island  of  lioiiK-lvon<j  lo  be  ceded 
In  perpetuity  to  her  Urilaiinic  majesty,  her  heirs,  and  successors.  5.  A!l 
iubjecis  of  her  Uriiannic  majesty  (whether  natives  of  Europe  or 
India),  who  may  be  confined  in  any  part  of  the  Chinese  empire,  to  be  un- 
condiiioiially  released.  G.  An  act  of  full  and  entire  amnesty  to  be  pub- 
lished by  the  emperor,  under  his  imperial  siy;n-manual  and  seal,  to  all  Chi- 
nese subjects,  on  account  of  their  having  held  service  or  intercourse  with, 
or  resided  under,  the  Uritish  government  or  its  ollicers.  7.  Correspon 
dence  to  be  conducted  on  terms  of  perfect  equality  among  the  ollicers 
of  both  governments.  8.  On  the  emperor's  assent  being  received  to  this 
treaty,  and  the  payment  of  llic  first  instalment,  six  millions  of  dollars,  her 
Britannic  majesty's  forces  to  retire  from  Nankin  and  the  grand  canal, 
and  the  military  posts  at  Chinghai  to  be  also  withdrawn;  but  the  islands 
of  Chusan  and  Kolangsoo  are  to  be  held  until  the  money  payments  and 
the  arrangements  for  opening  the  ports  arc  completed. 

A.  D.  1813.— On  the  sjd  of  February  the  parliamentary  session  com 
nieuced;  the  royal  speech,  which  was  read  by  the  lord-chancellor,  referred 
in  terms  of  just  cimgralulatioii  lo;  1.  The  successful  termination  of  hos 
tilities  with  China,  and  the  prospect  it  afforded  of  .assisting  the  commer- 
cial enterprise  of  her  people.  2.  The  complete  success  of  the  recent  mil- 
itary operations  in  Affghanistan,  where  the  superiority  of  her  majesty's 
arms  had  been  established  by  decisive  victories  on  the  scenes  of  formei 
disasters,  and  the  complete  liberation  of  her  majesty's  subjects,  for  whom 
she  felt  the  deepest  interest,  had  been  effected.  3.  The  iidjuslment  ot 
those  differences  with  the  United  States  of  America,  which  from  their 
long  continuance  had  endangered  the  preservation  of  peace.  4.  The  ob- 
taining, 111  concert  with  her  allies,  for  the  Christian  population  of  Syria, 
an  establishment  of  a  system  of  administration  which  they  were  entitled 
lo  expect  from  the  engagements  of  the  sultan,  and  from  the  good  faith  of 
this  country.  And,  .5.  A  treaty  of  commerce  and  navigation  with  Russia, 
which  her  majesty  regarded  as  the  foundation  for  increased  intercourse 
between  her  subjects  and  those  of  the  emperor. 

When  the  expedition  to  Affghanistan  was  first  undertaken,  it  was  in- 
tended to  open  the  Indus  for  the  transit  of  British  merchandise,  and  ren- 
der it  one  of  the  great  highways  to  Asia.  The  object  was  not  lost  sight  of, 
though  Atrghiuisian  bad  been  abandoned;  and  endeavours  were  made  to 
obtain  from  the  Ameers  of  Scinde  such  a  treaty  as  would  secure  the  safe 
navigation  of  that  river.  In  Uecember,  .Major  Outram  was  dispatched  to 
Hyderabad  to  conclude  tiie  best  terms  in  his  power  with  the  native  chiefs. 
Not  being  in  a  condition  immediately  to  refuse  to  give  up  for  the  use  of 
navigation  certain  strips  of  land  lying  along  the  river,  they  temporised, 
until  at  length  their  troops  were  collected,  when  on  the  I4th  of  February 
they  sent  word  lo  Major  Outram  to  retire  from  their  city.  The  major, 
not  supposiii!^  they  would  proceed  to  extremities, delayed.  The  next  day 
the  residence  of  the  Urilish  p.diiical  agent  was  attacked  ,  it  was  gallantly 
defended  by  one  hundred  men  for  several  hours;  but  at  lengtl.,  ti;e;r  am- 
vauniiion  having  been  expended,  the  British  siddiers  leUred  with  a  small 


) 


\ 


758 


THK  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


los.'  to  tlio  steamers,  lunl  proceeded  to  join  Sir  C.  J.  Niipicr,  then  nt  the 
head  uf  ubout  twiMUy-aevcn  hundred  men,  at  a  distance  o(  about  twenty 
miles  from  the  capital  of  the  Ameers.  Tiie  latter  hastened,  at  the  head  o( 
twenty-two  thousand  men,  to  attacit  the  British  force.  On  the  17ih  a  bat- 
tle look  place,  in  which,  after  a  severe  slrujjRle  of  three  houis,  the  Ameers 
wcr(!  tut.dly  routed,  although  they  outnumbered  the  Uriiish  force  by  seven 
to  one.  The  Ameers  on  till!  followin^f  day  surrendered  iheniMclves  piia- 
oners  of  war,  and  Hyderabad  was  occupied  by  the  connuciers.  Treas- 
lire  and  jewels  were  found  lo  an  amount  (Considerably  exceeding  one  mil- 
lion slerlinij.  In  conseciuence  of  this  su(!ces8,  the  territories  of  Sciiidc, 
with  ilie  <!Xce|)tion  of  that  portion  belonging  to  Meer  Ali,  tlu-  morad  of 
Khyrpore,  was  then  declared  by  the  governor-general  lo  be  a  ilrilibh 
province,  and  Sir  Ciiarles  J.  Napier  wa-j  appointed  governor. 

The  new  governor,  however,  was  not  to  remain  in  undisturbed  possps- 
BJon  for  any  i»jngth  of  time.  An  army  of  Ueloochees,  twenty  thousand 
strong,  iiiuier  the  command  of  Meer  Shere  Mahomed,  had  taken  up  a 
strong  position  on  the  liver  Fulla'.ic,  near  the  s|)ot  where  the  Ameers  of 
Scinde  were  so  signally  defeated,  and  Sir  C  J.  Napier,  on  ascertaining 
tlic  fad,  resolved  to  attiKik  them  forthwith.  On  the  ^Mth  of  March  he 
moved  from  Hyderabad  at  the  head  of  five  thousand  men.  'llie  batl.e 
lasted  for  three  hours,  when  victory  declared  for  the  Hriiish  ;  (deveii  guns 
and  nineieeii  standards  were  taken,  and  about  one  thousand  of  the  enemy 
were  killed,  and  finir  thousand  woundeil ;  the  loss  of  the  Uritish  amount- 
ing to  only  .30  killed  and  '.'Gl  wounded.  By  this  victory  the  fate  of  Scinde 
and  11(  luochislan  was  sealed,  and  the  whole  territory  finally  annexed  to 
the  .Vnglo-lndian  empire. 

In  an  age  of  experimental  science  like  the  present,  it  appears  almost 
invidious  in  a  work  of  this  kind  to  allude  to  ani/.  In  trnlli,  our  limits 
have  compelled  us  to  omit  the  mention  of  many  works  of  national  impor- 
tance, but  we  trust  to  be  cxcuseii  for  such  omissions,  while  we  insert 
the  following  :  In  order  to  save  the  vast  amount  of  manual  labour  neees- 
sary  to  form  a  sea-wall  on  the  course  of  the  south-eastern  railway,  neat 
DoViT,  the  great  experiment  of  exploding  eighteen  thousand  five  hundred 
pounds  of  gunpowder,  under  Round-down  cliff,  was  on  the  20th  of  Janu- 
ary allempled  by  the  engineers,  with  p('rlect  success.  On  the  signal 
being  givtMi,  the  miiu.'rs  communicated,  by  connecting  wires,  the  electric 
spark  to  the  gunpowder  deposited  ill  chambers  formed  in  the  clifl*;  the 
earth  trembled  for  half  a  mile  each  way  ;  a  stifled  report,  not  loml  but 
deep,  was  heard,  and  the  clifl",  extending  on  either  hand  to  five  hundred 
feel,  gradually  subsided  seaward ;  in  a  few  seconds,  not  less  then  one 
million  tons  of  chalk  were  dislodged  by  the  shock,  settling  into  the  sea 
below,  frothing  and  boiling  as  it  displaced  the  liquid  element,  till  it  occu- 
pied the  exi)anse  of  many  acres,  and  extended  outward  on  its  ocean  bed 
to  a  distance  of  two  or  three  thousand  feet.  This  operation  was  man- 
aged with  such  admirable  skill  and  pnicision,  that  it  would  appear  just  so 
much  of  the  cliff  was  removed  as  was  iiecess.iry  lo  make  way  for  I  he  sea- 
wall, while  an  immense  saving  in  time  and  labour  was  also  elTeeted. 

Now  that  we  have  tres[)assed  on  the  province  of  art,  we  cannot  forbeai 
lo  notice  that  wonderful  and  gigantic  underlaking,  the  Thames  tunnel 
For  twenty  years  that  stupendous  labour  had  been  going  on,  when  on  the 
25th  of  May  it  was  opened  for  foot  passengers,  at  one  penny  each.  At 
a  recent  meeting  of  the  proprietors,  a  vote  of  thanks  was  olfered  to  the 
PUffineer  in  the  following  terms:  "That  the  cordial  thanks  and  congrat- 
ulation of  "he  assembly  are  hereby  tendered  to  Sir  Isambert  Brunei,  F.  U.S., 
for  the  dis.'iiguished  talent,  energy,  and  perseverance  evinced  by  him 
in  the  desigi..  construction,  and  completion  of  the  Thames  tunnel,  a 
work  unpreeedenied  in  tl>c  annals  of  science  and  ingenuity,  and  exhibiting 
«  triumph  of  genius  over  physical  diincullies,  declared  by  some  of  tha 


THE  TRRASIIRY  OF  HISTOHV. 


759 


most  enlijfliU'ntMl  men  of  ttw  a^o  to  he  iiisunnoiiiitablc."  This  ^rf  at  wort 
waa  coiniiiuiiccd  iii  H.V),  bin  stDppcd  iit  18v.'8  byaii  irruption  of  the 
TliainnB,  aiiil  no  fiirtlicr  proyrnss  w,u  iiiado  until  181.').  Loans  \vi  re  then 
granicui  by  gDvcnimrnt,  and  tlu;  works  were  uninterruptedly  con/'iiucd, 
tile  total  (.'xpcii.^u  binug  £110,000. 

On  the  'JUt  of  April,  lii!t  royal  Iii({!incs3  the  duke  of  Sussex  died.  On 
the  'JStli  the  (jniH-n  was  s.ifely  delivered  of  a  princes."",  who  was  ehris- 
tcned  Aliet!  Maude  Mary.  And  on  the  same  afternoon  that  the  qnoea 
cave  birth  to  a  princess,  the  kin;,'  of  Hanover  arrived  in  London,  from 
Calais,  it  being  his  majesty's  first  visit  to  KnKhmd  since  his  accession. 

On  the  Q8th  of  June  the  prin(;ess  Auijnsta,  tddest  daughter  of  the  duke 
of  Canibridge,  was  married  to  his  royal  highness  Frederic  Wiiliani,  he- 
reditary grand  duke  of  Mecklcnbur^j-Strclitz.  A  grant  of  three  thousand 
pounds  per  annum  was  settled  on  licr  by  the  government,  and  in  i  few 
days  after  the  marriage  they  embarked  for  the  continfMit, 

In  Carmarthenshire  and  souk;  of  tin;  neighbouring  Welsh  counties,  a 
novel  si)ecies  of  insurrection  had  kept  the  country  in  a  slate  of  alarm,  and 
rendered  unlitary  assistance  necessary.  Certain  small  farmers  aiid  the 
agricultural  poi)ulationg(Mieraliy,  united  under  the  the  singular  appcil.itior, 
of  "  Itt.becea  and  her  daughters,"  for  the  avowed  object  tf  resisting  the 
payment  (»f  turnpike  tolls,  whicli  were  notoriously  exorbitant  tin  re,  anc 
for  the  abatement  of  certain  other  grievances — the  present  admiuistratior. 
of  the  poor  laws  being  among  llie  number— of  which  they  loudly  and  with 
no  little  show  of  justice  com(>l. lined.  .Scarcely  a  night  was  sudered  to 
pass  without  the  removal  of  a  gate  or  the  demolition  of  a  tollhouse  ;  and 
It  usually  happened  that  as  soon  as  the  work  of  destruction  was  com- 
pleted, Kebecca's  band  quietly  and  stealthily  dispersed  to  their  respective 
iioines.  It  will  be  sufllcient  to  give  merely  one  instance  of  these  riots; 
but  we  should  remark  that  the  not  w(!  here  subjoin  an  account  of,  was 
on  a  mucli  larger  sc.ile,  and  attended  with  more  serious  results,  than  any 
that  occurred  either  before  or  since  : — They  were  expected  to  attack  the 
town  of  (.'armarllien  on  Simday  the  Hth  of  June,  but  did  not  come.  On 
the  following  morning,  however,  at  12  o'clock,  several  thousand  of  the 
rioters  were  seen  approaching,  about  nine  hundred  being  on  horseback, 
with  one  in  front  disguised  with  a  woman's  curls,  to  represent  Rebecca, 
and  from  seven  to  eiglit  thousand  on  foot,  walking  about  fourteen  or  fif- 
teen abreast.  Kvery  man  was  armed  with  a  bludgeon,  and  some  of  them 
had  plsti'ls.  At  their  head  were  carried  two  banners,  bearing  inscriptions 
in  Welsh,  yf  "  l''reedom.  Liberty,  and  Better  Feed;"  and  "  Free  Toll  and 
Liberty."  On  reaching  the  work-house,  they  broke  open  the  gates  of  the 
court  in  front,  and  havnig  gained  an  entrance  into  the  house,  they  imme- 
di:itcly  demolished  the  furniture,  a.id  threw  the  beds  and  bedding  out  of 
the  windows.  While  they  were  thus  pursuing  the  work  of  destruction  a 
troop  of  the  'Ith  light  dragoons  arrived  from  Neath,  and  having  entered 
the  court  succeeded  in  taking  all  those  within  prisoners,  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  number,  during  which  time  they  were  pelted  with  stones 
and  other  missiles.  The  riot  act  being  read,  and  a  cry  being  raised  that 
the  soldiers  were  going  to  charge,  the  mob  fled  in  every  direction,  leaving 
more  than  sixty  horses,  besides  the  above  prisoners,  in  the  hands  of  tho 
captors. 

With  respect  to  the  proceedings  in  parliament,  a  great  portion  of  the 
session  was  occupied  in  opposing  tho  "  Irish  arms  bill."  On  the  second 
reading,  May  the  S20th,  the  attorney-general  for  Ireland  dcclaroil  that  the 
objects  of  the  present  repeal  agitators  were,  first,  tlie  total  abolition  of  the 
tithes  commutation  rent-charge  ;  next,  the  extension  of  tlic  parliamentary 
suffrage  to  all  sane  male  adults  not  convicted  of  a  crime  ;  next,  fixity  oi 
tenure — a  phrase  meaning  the  transfer  of  the  whole  landed  property  of 
Ireland  from  the  landlord  to  the  tenant ;  and  some  other  extreme  propo- 


[I 


V 


t 


''1  V  ^ 

i  ^B 

i 

1 

reo 


THB  TREASURY  OP  HISTORY. 


sitions  of  the  siiniR  class.  The  measures  provided  by  this  bill  had  been 
in  existcnoo  with  little  intermission  for  almost  a  ciMitnry,  and  the  exlrcmo 
avidity  shewn  by  the  Irish  peasantry  for  the  possession  of  arms  proved 
its  necessity  to  be  most  urgent.  For  about' a  month,  almost  every  alter- 
nate evening;  was  occupied  with  discussions  in  committee  on  the  said 
bill.  Afterwards  a  motion  was  brought  forward  by  Mr.  O'Brien  for  "  tho 
roaress  of  grievances  in  Ireland,"  tlie  debate  on  which  was  again  and 
again  adjourned,  till  at  length  the  motion  was  negatived.  On  tiiat  ocea- 
sion,  Sir  Robert  Peel  discussed  the  ailedged  grievances  seriatim;  and  in 
reply  to  an  observation  of  Lord  Howick's,  he  said  that  the  Roman  catho- 
lies  now  enjoyed  equal  civil  rights  with  the  othcrsubjectsof  the  crown,  and 
that  the  oaths  were  so  altered  that  the  offensive  portions  relating  to  iran- 
Bubstanlialion  were  abolished.  "lam  asked,"  said  the  right  honourable 
baronet,  "  what  course  I  intend  to  pursue  1  '  Declare  your  course,'  is  the 
demand.  I  am  prepared  to  pursue  that  course  which  I  consider  I  have 
pursued,  namely,  to  administer  the  government  of  Ireland  upon  llic  prin- 
ciples of  justice  and  impartiality.  I  am  prepared  to  recognize  the  princi- 
ple established  by  law,  that  there  shall  be  equality  of  civil  privilegtis.  I 
am  prepared  in  respect  of  the  franchise  to  give  a  substantial  and  not  a 
fictitious  right  of  suffrage.  In  respect  to  the  social  condition  of  Ireland 
we  are  prepared  also  to  consider  the  relations  of  landlord  and  tenant  de- 
liberately, and  all  the  important  questions  involved  therein.  With  respect 
to  the  established  church,  we  arc  not  prepared  to  make  one  alteration  in 
the  law  by  which  that  church  and  its  revenues  shall  be  impaired.  Ho 
was  not  ashamed  to  act  with  care  and  moderation  ;  and  if  the  necessity 
should  arise,  he  knew  that  past  forbearance  was  the  strongest  claim  to 
being  entrusted  with  fuller  powers  when  they  thought  proper  to  ask  for 
thom."  On  the  9th  of  August,  the  third  reading  of  the  Irish  arms  bill  was 
carried  by  a  majority  of  sixty-six.  Parliament  was  prorogued  on  the  24lh 
August  by  (he  queen  in  person ;  on  which  occasion  her  majesty  expressed 
herself  hignly  gratified  with  the  advantageous  position  in  which  tho 
coimtry  was  piac^ed  by  the  successful  termination  of  the  war  in  China  and 
India,  and  with  the  assurances  of  perfect  amity  which  she  continued  to 
receive  from  foreign  powers. 

A.  D.  1844. — The  events  of  this  year  are  so  recent  as  to  require  but 
ilight  notice.  The  Irish  state  trials,  resulting  in  the  imprisonment  and 
subsequent  pardon  of  Daniel  O'Connell  and  his  associate  traversers,  are 
familiar  to  all. — The  visit  of  the  emperor  of  Russia  to  Queen  Victoria,  as 
well  as  her  trip  to  France,  Belgium,  &c.,  and  the  return  of  lu  r  majesty's 
visit  by  Louis  Philippe  (after  an  absence  of  quarter  of  a  century  from  the 
shores  of  Britain)  may  be  chronicled  as  events  something  more  than 
commonplace. — The  birth  of  another  prince,  in  August,  who  was  chris- 
tened Alfred  Ernest  Albert,  is  also  of  some  importance. — In  the  same  year 
died,  in  London,  Sir  F.  Burdett,  aged  7i.,  of  whom  considerable  mention 
has  been  made  in  this  history. — About  the  same  time,  at  Bath,  died  Sir 
R.  S.  Fitzgerald,  vice-admiral  of  the  red.---At  Bolhwell  castle,  Scotland, 
Lord  Douglass,  aged  71. — And  in  or  near  London,  the  lords  Say  &  Seal, 
Grafton,  Keane,  &c. 

A.  D.  1845. — The  year  commenced  auspiciously.  The  queen's  opening 
address  to  the  houses  of  parliament,  declared  her  entire  satisfaction  with 
the  aspect  of  affairs,  both  domestic  and  foreign.  Farming  interests,  man- 
jfactures,  and  trade,  were  in  a  sound  and  flourishing  condition;  and  the 
country  at  large  was  now   reaping  the  wholesome  fruits  of  a  universal 

iieace.  Death,  however,  in  the  first  three  months  of  the  year,  cut  down 
ords  Morninglon,  Aston,  and  Wynford,  the  marquess  of  Westminster, 
and  Rev.  Sidney  Smith — the  last  named  gentleman  being  distinguished 
as  one  of  the  clearest  and  best  of  British  writers,  as  well  as  a  powerful 
yd  unpretending  advocate  of  humanity. 


TlIK  TUEASUKY  OF  IIISTOIIY. 


761 


bill  had  been 
i  tli(!  cxlrcrno 

arms  provcj 
it  every  alter- 
3  on  the  said 
(rieii  for  "  the 
as  a;^ain  and 
On  thai  occa- 
inliin;  and  in 
ddiTian  ealho- 
lie  crown,  and 
alinjj  lo  tran- 
hl  honourable 
course,'  is  the 
:)nsider  1  have 
upon  the  prin- 
ize  the  princi- 

privileg(;s.  I 
tial  and  not  a 
ion  of  IrelaiKl 
and  tenant  dc- 

Wilh  respect 
le  alteration  in 
impaired.  Ho 
r  the  necessity 
ingest  claim  to 
oper  to  ask  for 
1  arms  bill  was 
led  on  the  24  ih 
esty  expressed 

in  which  the 
ar  in  China  and 
le  continued  to 

to  require  but 

irisonment  and 

traversers,  are 

;en  Victoria,  as 

lur  majesty's 

ntury  from  the 

n(4  more  than 

who  was  chris- 

the  same  year 
erable  mention 

Bath,  died  Sir 
astie,  Scotland, 
ds  Say  &  Seal, 

ueen's  openinjj 
lisfaetion  with 
interests,  man- 
rlition ;  and  the 
of  a  universal 
year,  cut  down 
f  Westminster, 
g  distinguished 
as  a  powerful 


A.  D.  184G. — Tin's  will  always  he  regarded  as  an  important  year  in  the 
annals  of  English  history.  First,  it  was  a  witness  of  those  great  changes 
in  the  commercial  policy  of  England,  involved  in  the  repeal  of  the  Cora 
Laws,  and  ihe  triumph  of  the  I'rit'ndsof  Free  Trade,  under  the  leadership 
of  Sir  Robert  Peel.  Early  in  the  jirectding  Decemher,  the  Cabinet,  at  the 
head  of  which  was  the  above-namt'd  disiinguished  siatesnian,  were  com- 
pelled to  resign  on  the  Corn  Law  question  ;  and  the  (xnver  of  Corming  a 
new  Minisiry  was  eniruste<l  by  the  Queen  to  Lord  John  Kussfll.  His 
Lordship  being  unable  to  bring  together  one  of  concordant  materials,  Sir 
Robert  was  atier  a  few  days  recalled.  The  session  of  Parliainent  was 
opened  on  the  aSd  of  January,  the  Queen  in  iier  speech  strongly  recom- 
mending, among  other  topics,  a  reduction  of  the  Tarifl";  and  on  the  27th, 
in  the  presence  of  a  crowded  house,  Sir  Itohert  entered  upon  a  lull  siaie- 
ment  of  his  tinancial  scheme  relating  lo  this  subject.  The  lirst  vote  ujjon 
the  question  whs  taken  on  the  28th  of  February,  when  the  views  of  the 
Premier  were  sustained  by  a  majority  of  97.  The  bdl  was  subsequently, 
amidst  much  opposition  from  the  landed  interests,  pressed  lo  a  second  and 
third  reading,  passed  the  Commons,  and  late  in  June  received  the  sanction 
of  the  House  of  Lords. 

Simultaneously,  iiowever,  with  the  success  of  the  Peel  ministry  in  re- 
gard lo  the  Corn  Laws,  came  their  defeat  on  the  Irish  Coercion  Edl. 
This  took  place  on  the  25ih  of  June,  there  np|)earing  against  the  govern- 
ment, on  a  division,  a  majority  of  73.  Sir  Robert  and  his  colleagues  im- 
mediately resigned  office,  and  a  new  Minisiry  was  formed  under  Lord  John 
Russell. 

The  second  great  event  we  may  notice,  was  the  settlement  of  the  long- 
standing dispute  with  the  United  States  in  regard  to  the  boundary  of  the 
Oregon  territory.  A  question  that  had,  at  various  stages  of  iis  discussion, 
occasioned  much  acilaiion — that  had  long  been  attempted  in  vnin  to  be 
adjusted  by  negotiation,  or  by  a  reference  to  some  friendly  power  for  arbi- 
tration— was  linally  decided  in  a  peaceful  and  mutually  satisfactory  man- 
ner, by  a  treaty  ratified  by  Lord  Palci.erslon  and  Mr.  McLane,  the  Ameri- 
can Minister,  on  the  17th  of  July,  at  the  Foreign  OlFice.  The  intelligence 
was  aimounccd  liie  same  day,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  by  the  Marquis  of 
Lansdowe,  and  in  the  Commons,  by  ihe  Minister  of  the  Foreign  Office. 
The  treaty  had  previously  been  sanctioned  by  the  American  Senate.  Its 
leading  features  were,  a  division  of  the  territory  by  the  49ih  parallel  of 
latitude,  giving,  however,  Vancouver's  Island  lo  Great  Britain  ;  free  navi- 
gation of  the  Columbia  river  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  during  the 
continu;iiice  of  its  Charier  ;  indemnity  to  said  Company  for  all  forts  and 
trading  stations  south  of  49°  ;  and  also,  indemnity  lo  British  subjects  who 
micht  wish  to  abandon  their  property  south  of  that  line,  and  remove 
within  British  jurisdiction. 

On  the  2oth  of  May,  of  this  year,  her  Majesty  was  delivered  of  a 
princess. 

Early  in  the  year,  intelligence  was  received  of  a  sanguinary  battle  in 
India,  with  the  Sikhs,  inhabiting  the  Punjaub,  which  continued  ihrouch 
the  12th,  IXth,  and  14th  of  the  previous  December,  and  in  which  3  300 
British  and  native  troops  were  killed  and  wounded,  with  an  estimated  loss. 
on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  of  30,000.  This  great  victory  was  received 
with  marked  enthusiasm  ;  the  thanks  of  Parliament  were  voted  the  Indian 
army,  and  a  form  of  prayer,  compofcd  by  ihe  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
thanking  (lod  for  his  favourable  interposition,  was  offered  up  in  all  the 
established  churches  of  the  kingdom. 

A.  D.  1847. — The  prominent  events  of  this  year  relate  lo  the  operation 
of  the  new  measures  of  government  upon  the  subject  of  the  tariff:  the 
failure  of  the  potato  crop  in  Inland,  and  the  consequent  nppalliiiff  famine 
and  distress  which  prevailed  there  ;  the  commercial  revulsion  which  took 


I 


7C2 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HIST  ORY. 


place  in  England  about  the  middle  of  the  year,  causing  the  failure  of  the 
bank  of  Liverpool,  and  of  a  large  number  of  the  oldest  and  most  extensive 
mercantile  houses ;  ending,  at  the  close  of  the  year,  with  an  abundant 
liarvest,  and  a  restoration  of  public  confidence  and  prosperity. 

Long  before  the  close  of  the  previous  year,  the  voice  of  distress  was 
heard  from  Ireland,  which  evenlually  grew  inloa  universal  cry  of  anguish 
and  despair.  At  the  opening  of  Parliament,  on  the  19ih  of  January,  her 
Majesty  recommended  that  the  ports  be  immediately  opened  for  the  free 
admission  of  foreign  corn  of  every  kind,  and  the  suspension  of  tlie  naviga- 
tion laws.  Notwithstanding,  however,  the  most  liberal  and  energetic 
measures,  both  on  the  part  of  gc^vernment  and  of  private  individuals,  the 
famine  continued  to  spread,  and  the  lecords  of  the  year  present  the  most 
heart-rending  details  of  suffering,  disease,  and  death,  among  the  Irish  pea- 
santry. Contributions  for  the  relief  of  the  sufl'erers  were  received  from 
various  quarters  ;  and  none  distinguished  themselves  more  for  their  benev- 
olence, than  did  the  United  States  of  America,  at  thai  sad  crisis. 

Her  Majesty,  this  year,  paid  a  visit  to  her  Scotch  subjects,  and  was 
everywhere  received  with  the  most  loyal  demonstrations.  The  year  is 
also  remarkable,  as  being  that  wliich  witnessed  the  death  of  the  celebrat- 
ed Irish  repealer,  Daniel  O'Connell.  This  event  took  place  at  Genoi, 
May  15ih,  whither  he  was  travelling  for  his  health.  He  directed,  at  his 
death,  that  his  heart  should  be  deposited  at  Rome,  and  his  body  returned 
to  Ireland  for  burial,  which  was  faithfully  executed. 

Parliament  was  dissolved  in  person  by  the  Queen,  on  the  22d  of  July, 
to  re-assemble  on  the  18th  of  November,  with  a  largely  increased  majori- 
ty on  the  side  of  the  government,  as  a  result  of  the  intervening  elections. 

A.D.  1848. — The  history  of  1848,  was  emphatically  one  of  internal  distur- 
bance throughout  the  kingdom.  The  spirit  of  revolution  which  burst 
forth  in  France  in  February,  causing  the  abdication  of  Louis  Philiipe,  and 
the  proclamation  of  a  Republic,  and  which  was  communicated  to  nearly 
every  kingdom  of  Europe,  also  displayed  itself  in  the  most  serious  out- 
breaks in  Ireland,  and  in  manifestations  of  popular  discontent  throughout 
England  and  Scotland.  On  the  10th  day  of  April,  look  place  in  London, 
the  great  Chartist  demonstration.  An  immense  procession,  bearing  a  peti- 
tion signed,  as  Mr.  Feargus  O'Connor  declared  in  his  place  in  the  House 
of  Commons,  by  5,760,000  persons,  marched  through  the  streets  of  the 
metropolis,  with  flags  and  banners,  greatly  to  the  alarm  of  the  citizens, 
who  apprehended  a  scene  of  popular  violence  as  the  result.  The  affair 
passed  off  quietly,  however,  and  the  defensive  arrangements  of  the  govern- 
ment were  not  called  into  requisition.  The  petition  prayed  for  annual 
parliaments,  universal  sufl'rage,  vote  by  ballot,  equal  electoral  districts,  no 
properly  qualification,  and  payment  of  members  of  Parliament;  for  the 
prevalence,  in  short,  of  Ciiartist  principles.  Thouch  this  demonstration 
was  allowed  to  pass  without  interruption,  other  gatherings  of  n  more  vio- 
lent and  insurrectionary  character  attracted  the  attention  of  government, 
and  resulted  in  the  trial  and  transportation  of  a  number  of  the  leaders 
engaged  in  them. 

Meantime  sedition  reigned  in  Ireland,  the  people  under  their  leaders 
resorting  to  arms  and  threatening  civil  war,  if  their  wishes  in  regard  to  a 
repeal  of  the  Union  were  not  acceded  to.  To  meet  the  emergency,  gov- 
ernment ordered  a  large  additional  body  of  troops  into  Ireland,  while  the 
local  constabulatory  force  was  proportionately  increased.  The  insurrection 
was  finally  quelled  by  the  arrest  of  the  prominent  leaders,  Mitchell, 
O'Brien,  McManus,  Meagher,  O'Donohue,  and  oihers,  who  were  tried  and 
condemned  to  death  ;  a  sentence  which  was  subsequently  conmiuied  to 
transportation  for  life. 

Her  Majesty,  on  the  18th  of  March,  was  delivered  of  another  princess; 
and  in  the  autumn  repeated  her  visit  to  Scotland.    Among  the  notable 


T" 


w. 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


763 


'I     t 


deaths  of  this  year,  we  may  mention  that  of  D'Isracli,  the  author  of 
"  Curiosities  of  Literature,"  at  the  advanced  age  of  82;  also,  of  Lord 
Ashburton,  the  negotiator  of  the  treaty  with  America  bearing  that  name, 
on  the  14th  of  May. 

A.  D.  1849.— Parliament  was  opened  by  the  Queen  in  person,  early  in 
February,  and  the  general  interests  of  the  country  at  the  commencement 
of  the  year  wore  an  encouraging  aspect.  In  the  manufacturing  districts, 
and  in  most  departments  of  trade  and  commerce,  increasing  activity  pre- 
vailed. As  the  summer,  however,  progressed,  that  dreadful  scourge,  the 
Cholera,  which  had  prevailed  in  England  to  some  extent  the  preceding 
year,  broke  forth  with  terrible  violence  in  the  larger  cities  of  the  kingdom, 
causing  great  public  alarm,  and  in  a  measure  affecting  unfavourably  the 
industry  and  business  of  all  classes.  The  mortality  attending  the  disease 
was  most  appalling,  in  some  localities  reaching  as  high  as  1,000  deaths  a 
week. 

An  attempt  on  the  life  of  the  Queen  was  made  on  the  19lh  of  April. 
Her  Majesty  was  returning  in  company  with  Prince  Albert,  from  a  ride  in 
Hyde  Park,  in  an  open  carriage,  when  a  person  wearing  the  dress  of  a 
laborer,  presented  a  pistol  at  her  person.  Before  he  could  carry  his  con- 
templated act  of  violence  into  effect,  the  miscreant  was  seized  by  some  of 
the  park-keepers  and  soldiery  near,  and  taken  away  under  arrest.  He 
proved  to  be  an  Irishman,  by  the  name  of  John  Hamilton,  aged  about  35, 
and,  apparently,  in  a  rational  state  of  mind. 

Her  Majesty  this  year  paid  her  long  contemplated  visit  to  Ireland,  arriv- 
ing at  Cork  on  the  2d  of  August.  Her  presence  was  everywhere  greeted 
with  enthusiasm  by  her  Irish  subjects.  The  royal  party  visited  Kingstown, 
Dublin,  and  Belfast,  and  were  received  by  the  authorities,  nobility,  and 
populace,  with  every  demonstration  of  loyal  regard. 

Intelligence  of  the  outbreak  in  Canada,  which  occurred  on  the  25th  of 
April,  and  involved  the  burning  of  the  Parliament  buildings  and  other  acts 
of  popular  violence,  was  received  and  laid  before  Parliament,  on  the  15th 
of  May.  At  a  later  period  of  the  year,  public  attention  was  drawn  to  the 
efforts  of  a  small  portion  of  her  Majesty's  subjects  in  Canada,  in  favour  of 
annexing  that  colony  to  the  United  Slates.  An  address  was  issued,  advo- 
cating a  separation  from  the  mother  country,  on  terms  of  amity  and  mutual 
agreement.  But  the  friends  of  the  project  proved  too  inconsiderable  in 
numbers  and  influence  to  impress  these  views  very  extensively  upon  the 
public  mind. 

From  India,  came  news  of  a  disastrous  battle  in  the  Punjauh,  in  which 
the  British  fo'ces  sufl'ered  a  loss  of  2,500  men,  and  nearly  100  general 
officers.  The  army  was  commanded  by  Lord  Gough,  who  was  at  once 
suspended,  and  Sir  Charles  Napier  sent  out  to  supply  his  place. 

Willi  conijiarative  quiet  at  liome,  ihe  government  were  called  upon  to 
regard  with  watchfulness  the  progress  of  affairs  on  the  Continent.  The 
Hungarian  war,  and  the  bombardment  of  Rome  by  the  French,  were 
matters  of  too  exciting  and  important  a  nature  in  their  bearings  to  be 
overlooked  ;  and  the  diplomacy  of  tiie  foreign  olTice  was  called  into  active 
exercise  during  this  period. 

A.  D.  1850. -^Parliament  was  convened  on  the  olst  of  January,  and  the 
speech  from  the  throne  delivered  by  proxy.  An  attempt  was  made  in  the 
early  pan  of  the  session,  to  restore,  in  a  measure,  the  system  of  protective 
duties,  but  it  was  destined  to  defeat.  Prominent  among  the  events  which 
signalized  the  year,  was  the  affair  with  Greece,  which  grew  out  of  the 
refusal  of  that  government  to  make  reparation  for  losses  sustained  by  cer- 
tain British  subjects  residing  in  that  kingdom.  The  property  of  these 
individuals  had  been  seized,  and  their  residences  invaded  by  the  populace ; 
but  to  all  demands  for  redress,  ihe  goveriiiiient  of  Greece  turned  a  deaf  ear, 
until  force  was  necessarily  resorted  to,  her  ports  blockaded,  and  a  bom- 


! 
i 


764 


TUE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


bardment  threatened.  The  demandsof  Great  Britain  were  finally  acceded 
to.  But  in  the  nieanlime,  France  having  ofTered  her  mediation  in  the 
controversy,  and  Russia  regarding  with  a  jealous  eye  the  doctrine  of  pro- 
tection to  British  subjfcts  residing  in  foreign  countries,  as  understood  and 
upheld  by  Britain,  a  misunderstanding  arose  with  those  governments, 
which  for  a  time  wore  a  somewhat  threatening  aspect.  The  dispute  was, 
by  the  firmness  and  diplomacy  of  the  Foreign  Office,  eventually  brought 
to  a  settlement. 

The  domestic  incidents  of  the  year  were  both  varied  and  interesting. 
Foremost  among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  birth  of  a  Prince  on  the 
28th  of  April,  to  whom  was  given  the  name  of  "  Arthur  William  Patrick 
Albert." 

On  the  S7th  of  June,  a  dastardly  and  unprecedented  assault  was  made 
on  the  Queen,  while  riding  in  an  open  carriage.  A  discharged  oiiicer, 
named  Robert  Pate,  was  the  assailant.  With  a  cane  he  inflicted  a  blow, 
which  cut  through  her  Majesty's  bonnet  and  r..igi>tly  wounded  her  fore- 
head. He  was  inmiediately  arrested  by  tne  bystandeis,  and.  it  being 
proved  that  he  was  subject  to  turns  of  insanity,  was  merely  sentenced  to 
transportation  for  seven  years. 

The  2d  of  July  witnessed  an  event  which  produced  a  profound  sensa- 
tion, not  only  in  Britain,  but  throughout  the  world.  We  allude  to  the 
death  of  the  distinguished  statesman,  Sir  Robert  Peel.  The  ex-premier 
had,  on  the  29ih  of  June,  been  lo  pay  his  respects  to  the  Queen  at  Buck- 
ingham Palace  ;  on  his  return,  he  was  accidentally  thrown  from  his  horse, 
and  so  seriously  injured  that  all  medical  aid  proved  unavailing  fur  his  re- 
covery. He  expired  on  the  night  of  July  2d,  after  pasting  through  much 
suffering.  The  proceedings  in  Parliament  in  view  of  the  event,  and  the 
general  public  demonstrations  of  gritf,  attested  lo  the  great  popularity  and 
eminent  reputation  of  the  deceased.  A  public  funeral,  proffered  by  the 
government,  was  declined  in  accordance  with  the  previously  expressed 
wishes  of  Sir  Robert,  and  he  was  committed  without  display  or  pomp,  to 
the  family  vault  at  Tamwor;h.  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  born  on  the  .5ih  of 
February,  17S8,  and  was  therefore  G2  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

No  statesman  of  lute  years  has  wielded  the  influence  which  was  pos- 
sessed by  the  subject  of  ihese  remarks.  For  forty  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Commons;  and  whether  acting  m  this  capacity,  or  as  a 
subordinate  member  of  the  Cabinet,  or  as  Premier,  he  always  displayed 
the  resources  of  a  gifted  mind,  and  has  left  a  lasting  impress  upon  the  age. 
Originally  the  advocate  of  the  views  of  the  Tory  party,  his  furesiglit  and 
prudence  enabled  him  to  discern  how  far  it  was  sale  to  go,  and  led  him  to 
the  adoption  of  thof?  wise  concessions  which  marked  the  history  of  his 
career.  Thus,  frotn  being  its  opponent  for  eleven  years,  he  became  the 
advocate  of  the  Bullion  law  ;  from  opposing,  he  eventually  gave  bis  warm 
support  to  the  Catholic  Emancipation  hill ;  and  from  being  for  a  third  of  a 
century  a  firm  protectionist,  his  was  the  very  arm  which  finally  dealt  the 
death-blow  to  the  Corn  Laws,  and  opened  the  ports  of  Britain  to  free  trade. 
In  the  death  of  Sir  Robert,  England  was  deprived  of  her  greatest  states- 
man and  wisest  counsellor.  A  monument  to  his  memory  was  ordered  by 
the  government  to  be  erected  in  Westminster  Abbey. 

On  the  £6ih  of  this  month,  Baron  Rothschild,  who  had  been  returned  to 
the  House  of  Commons  from  T.ondon,  made  formal  claim  to  his  seat  in 
that  body,  and  demanded  to  be  sworn  on  the  Old  Testament.  This  was 
the  first  instance  in  which  a  Jew  had  ever  been  elected  '  "Parliament,  and 
the  novelty  of  the  event,  combined  with  the  extraordinary  demand  just 
alluded  lo,  created  no  little  public  excitement.  The  subject  was  debated, 
at  great  length,  and  its  final  deiermiriuiion  postponed  to  the  next  session. 

One  of  those  popular  exhibitions  of  aversion  to  tyrants  and  .heir  tools 


■«v- 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


765 


which  occasionally  will  occur  among  honcst-hcarted  Englishmen,  accus- 
tomed themselves  to  liberty  and  just  rule,  took  place  in  Lonilun  in  Septem- 
ber, on  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  Austrian  General,  llayn»u,  to  the 
metropolis.  General  Haynau  i)ad,  as  Commander  of  the  Austrian  forces 
in  the  Hungarian  war,  acquired  an  infamous  reputation  for  tlie  cruelty  of 
his  treatment  towards  his  Hungarian  captives,  and  the  general  severity  of 
his  measures  during  the  Campaign.  Being  in  London,  he  chose  to  visit 
the  extensive  brewery  establishment  of  Metisrs.  Barclay  &  Co.,  when,  his 
presence  becoming  known  to  the  workmen,  he  wis  assailed,  driven  from 
the  premises,  and,  but  for  the  police,  would  hardly  have  escaped  the  fury 
of  his  pursuers.  The  event  elicited  much  newspaper  connnent,  public 
opinion  for  the  most  pan  sustaining  the  honest  act  of  indi;,'nation  on  the 
part  of  the  populace;  while  the  General  very  shortly  left  the  kingdom,  to 
seek  an  atmosphere  more  congenial  to  the  agents  of  tyrannic  cruelty  and 
oppression. 

Her  Majesty,  this  year,  paid  a  visit  to  Belgium,  and  also  renewed  her 
visit  to  Scotland. 

In  reviewing  the  Parliamentary  measures  of  the  year,  we  find  nothing 
of  striking  interest  accomplished,  although  a  variety  of  bills  for  social  and 
political  reform,  among  them  one  for  abolishing  the  Viceroyaliy  in  Ireland, 
were  introduced  and  discussed.  Parliament  was  prorogued  on  the  loth 
of  August. 

In  November,  an  event  of  unusual  interest  occurred,  which  agitated  the 
public  mind  in  England  to  a  high  degree — it  being  no  less  than  the  estab- 
lishment by  the  Pope  of  Roman  Catholic  jurisdiction  in  England.  This 
matter  met  with  indignr.nt  opposition,  and  Protestantism  was  seriously 
startled  by  its  bearing  ai^d  tendency.  As  it  came  to  be  more  fully  under- 
stood, however,  it  was  seen  that  the  act  involved  no  interference  wiih  the 
temporal  powers  of  the  government,  and  the  excitement  has  since  measur- 
ably subsided,  although  Catholic  influence  continues  to  be  regarded  with 
unusual  watchfulness. 

Among  the  deaths  of  eminent  personages,  may  be  chronicled  that  of  the 
distinguished  poet-laureate,  William  Wordsworth,  which  occurred  on  the 
23d  of  April,  of  this  year.     His  age  was  SI. 

A.I).  1851. — The  opening  of  the  session  ci' Parliament  'k  place  on  the 
4th  of  February.  Among  the  first  acts,  was  the  introtiuction,  by  Lord 
John  Russell,  of  a  bill  relating  to  the  Catholic  Ecclesiastical  question.  It 
imposed  a  penalty  of  .i'lOO  for  the  assum])tion  bv  r'luiiolic  prelates  of 
titles  to  existing  sees  in  any  city  or  place  in  the  kingdom,  and  renders  the 
acts  of  such  prelates  under  such  titles  without  eflect. 

On  the  21st  of  the  month,  the  Cabinet  having  sustained  a  defeat  on  the 
question  of  extending  the  elective  franchise  to  the  occupiers  of  tenements 
of  the  value  of  c£10,  in  the  counties  as  well  as  in  boroughs,  resigned 
office.  Several  days  wer.^  spent  in  a  fruitless  endeavor  to  form  a  new  min- 
istry ;  when  Lord  John  Russcl  was  recalled,  and  resumed  office  with  a 
cabinet  slightly  re-constructed. 

We  cannot  better  close  our  summary  of  events  for  the  year,  as  far  as  we 
hav  it  in  our  power  to  extend  it,  than  by  noticing  the  great  event  of  the 
age — the  Industrial  Exhibition  in  progress  in  London, — the  preparations 
for  which  have  occupied  the  public  mind  for  a  year  past. 


768 


THE  TREASURY  OF  HISTORY. 


THE  CRYSTAL  PALACE. 

The  origin  of  this  remarkable  building  is  generally  understood.  The 
idea  was  broached,  early  in  the  year  1850,  of  getting  up  an  extensive 
Industrial  Exhibition,  in  which  all  the  nations  of  'he  world  should  be  in- 
vited to  participate,  by  contribu'-ng  thereto  specimens  of  their  respective 
productions,  both  natural  and  artificial.  But  a  diflicuTty,  and  a  serious 
one  too,  arose  in  regard  to  the  kind  of  an  editice  adapted  to  such  a  pur- 
pose. A  structure  that  should  be  at  once  light,  yet  substantial,  cheap,  yet 
imposing,  was  what  was  evidently  needed  ;  but  any  building  composed  of 
the  ordinary  materials,  and  after  the  prevailing  architectural  modes,  would 
nut  answer  these  demands,  especially  when  the  required  dimensions  of  the 
place  of  exhibition  were  taken  into  account.  Alter  much  deliberation, 
and  the  examination  and  rejection  of  a  variety  of  plans  submitted  to  the 
Building  Committee  by  eminent  architects,  the  dil'iculty  was  at  length 
solved  by  Mr.  Joseph  Paxton,  Horticulturist  to  the  Duke  of  Devonsiiire, 
who  conceived  the  idea  of  a  building  to  be  constructed  of  iron  and  glass, 
upon  the  model  of  a  small  conservatory  which  he  had  had  occasion  to 
erect  upon  the  grounds  entrusted  to  his  charge.  The  plan  of  such  a 
building  was  soon  arranged  by  him,  and  was  no  sooner  submitted  to  the 
judgment  of  the  Committee,  than  it  was  adopted  as  being  precisely  the 
thing  demanded  by  the  emergency.  The  work  was  immediately  put 
under  contract,  and  in  five  months  from  the  time  of  iixing  upon  a  site  for 
its  erection,  the  edifice  was  complete  in  all  its  parts.  The  materials  were 
all  cast  and  fitted  at  Birmingham,  and  had  simply  to  be  put  together  when 
brought  on  to  the  ground.  The  quantity  of  glass  used  is  said  to  amount 
to  1,200,000  square  feet ;  iron,  4,500  tons ;  besides  24  miles  of  one  descrip- 
tion of  gutter,  and  218  miles  of  sash-bar.  The  accompanying  engraving,  a 
faithful  representation  of  the  building,  executed  by  one  of  the  best  aitisis 
in  the  country,  will  afford  the  reader  a  just  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the 
Crystal  Palace.  It  is  situated  in  Hyde  Park,  and  thus  derives  additional 
impressiveness  from  the  beauty  of  its  locality,  and  the  convenient  extent 
of  the  surrounding  unoccupied  grounds. 

A  few  general  statements  as  to  the  extent  and  arrangement  of  this  won- 
derful structure  may  be  read  with  interest.  Its  length  exceeds  a  third  of 
a  mile,  or  in  exact  figures,  1851  feet  :  with  a  breadth  of  456  feet  on  the 
ground.  There  are  three  series  of  elevations  to  the  building  ;  the  first  24 
feet  high,  the  second  44,  and  the  third  64;  while  through  the  middle,  as 
will  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  engraving,  there  runs  a  transept  72  feet 
wide,  with  a  semicircular  roof,  which  attains  in  the  centre  to  the  height 
of  108  feet,  and  encloses  a  row  of  trees  growing  in  their  natural  state. 
Besides  the  ground  Hoor,  which  covers  a  superficies  of  18  acres,  there  are 
tiers  of  galleries  containing  an  area  of  217,100  square  feet,  and  hanging- 
space,  for  the  display  of  articles,  to  the  amount  of  500,000  square  feet. 
Such  are  the  dimensions  of  the  Crystal  Palace,  affording  estimaied  room 
for  nine  miles  of  tables;  and  when  to  this  be  added  the  various  contrivan- 
ces for  ventilation,  for  carrying  off  rain-water,  and  the  internal  arrange- 
ments for  passing  about  the  building,  and  for  subserving  the  general  pur- 
poses of  its  erection,  the  observer  fails  not  to  be  impressed  with  the  vast 
magnitude  of  the  undertaking,  and  with  the  forecast  and  skill  ev'nccd  bj 
its  projeciors. 


■»■  '"*ivgs^ 


rstood.  The 
an  extensive 
should  be  in- 
iir  respective 
ind  a  serious 

0  such  a  pur- 
al,  cheap,  yet 

composed  of 
modes,  would 
lensionsof  the 

1  deliberation, 
bmilied  to  the 
vas  at  length 
Df  Devonshire, 
iron  and  glass, 
ad  occasion  to 
Ian  of  such  a 
bniitted  to  the 
r  precisely  the 
mediately  put 
upon  a  site  for 
materials  were 
together  when 
iaid  to  amount 
of  one  descrip- 
ig  engraving,  a 
the  best  artists 
learance  of  the 
ives  additional 
ivenient  extent 

;nt  of  this  won- 
ecds  a  third  of 
5G  feet  on  the 
[ig  ;  the  first  24 
ihe  middle,  as 
ransept  72  feet 
e  to  the  height 
r  natural  state, 
acres,  there  are 
•1,  and  hanging- 
UO  square  feet, 
esiimaicd  room 
rious  contrivan- 
iternal  arrnnge- 
llie  general  pur- 
d  with  the  vast 
skill  ev'nccd  by 


4 


now  ir 
llie  qui 
nient  a 


•T;H:i^ 


X  I 


l^•-\ 


.1    I  tliitMl'.h  m|   Ihi-    W  '  '  II,   I'   s     Mi.hi    h 


ij.[;  X'y^L  i„ 


\) 


A    t,  A.(i    ill 


,t.ili,  I,  Mlihi-    W  '  '  II.   I'   "^     ri.l:i  .lr\     ■!    I  ..II, I,. I 


<^*^^ 


*^ 


J.i' 


This  splendid 
was   opi-nud   by 
monies,  wliicli  tc 
were  cxcecdinglj 
readiness  by  the 
the  premises,  at 
formance  of  the  i 
place  on  the  thro 
the  oflicers  of  sta 
was  read  to  iier  P 
ers  ;  to  which  he 
concerned,  upon 
warm  approval  o 
bisliop  uf  Canter! 
an  anthem.     A  p 
the  royal  party  ; 
in<r  again  to  the 
Ibrmally  opened, 
cannon,  and  the  c 

Asa  source  of 
Palace  (ClaO.OOd 
were  fixed  by  the 
season  ticket  for  i 
the  ho:  ers  of  sei 
days  suoceedinnf, 
shiliinrrs  ;  to  be  r< 
except  on  Friday! 
demanded.  Frori 
numerously  visiti 
down  10  the  hun 
who  iiave  been  a 

Wiiiiout  devoti 
to  give  anything 
to  be  witnessed  v 
of  nearly  every 
most  costly  and 
arranged  to  the 
treme  West— fro 
samples  of  man 
ble  comi>arison  a 
sent  iheir  humbl 
wiih  her  beauii 
her  shawls  and  c 
her  gold — and 
stand  ihe  varied 
of  Europe  and  A 
ity,  and  taste,  w 
With  all  the  res 
stones,  and  jew 
the  great  Koh-i-r 
is  variously  esii 
effect  which  th 
produce  on  the  n 
reflection — consi 
flow  from  the  wl 
the  quickening  i 
meat  and  prospe 


fi 


II 


■t ,- 


'**'***^a* 


f 


THE  TKEASUUY  OF  HISTORY. 


767 


This  splendid  struciure  liavinc;  been  pomplelcd,  tlie  great  Exhibition 
was  opined  by  the  Queen  in  person,  on  the  1st  of  May.  Tiie  cere- 
monies, wiiich  look  place  in  the  presence  ol'  a  large  assembly  of  persons, 
were  exceedingly  interesting  and  novel.  Everyihinaj  liaviiifr  been  got  ia 
readiness  by  the  exhibitors,  and  the  crowd  of  spectators  admitted  within 
the  premises,  at  noon  her  Mnjcsly  arrived  in  slate,  and  amidst  the  per- 
formance of  ihe  national  anihein  of  "(rod  save  the  (jueeii,"  assumed  her 
place  on  the  throne  erected  (or  the  occasion  There  were  also  assetnbled 
the  oflicers  of  stale,  foreign  ambassadors,  and  other  oflicials.  An  address 
was  read  to  her  Majesty,  by  I'rince  Aiburl,  Chairman  of  the  Commission- 
ers ;  to  which  her  Majesty  responded  in  a  gracious  manner,  felicitating  all 
concerned,  upon  the  successful  result  of  their  efl'orts,  anil  expressing  a 
warm  approval  of  the  objects  aimed  at  in  the  undertaking.  The  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  then  olfered  up  a  prayer,  which  was  succeeded  by 
an  anthem.  A  procession  was  then  formed,  at  the  head  of  which  walked 
the  royal  party  ;  after  performing  the  circuit  of  the  building,  and  return- 
ing again  to  the  jjoint  of  dejiariurc,  her  Majesty  declared  the  Exhibition 
formally  ojiened,  an  announcement  which  was  received  by  the  liring  of 
cannon,  and  the  cheers  of  the  multitude  asscn)bled  without. 

As  a  source  of  revenue,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  construction  of  the 
Palace  (  CL'jO.OOO).  and  other  accruing  charges,  the  prices  for  admission 
were  fixed  by  the  Commissioners  of  the  Exhibition  at  three  guineas  for  a 
season  ticket  for  a  gentleman,  and  two  guineas  lor  a  lady  ;  and  none  but 
the  ho  ers  of  season  tickets  to  be  admitted  at  the  opening.  On  tlie  two 
days  succeeding,  a  charge  of  twenty  shillings ;  on  the  Iburth  day,  five 
Bhillings  :  to  be  reduced  on  the  22ii  day,  to  one  shilling,  and  so  continue, 
except  on  Fridays  and  Saturdays,  when  a  somewhat  larger  fee  should  be 
demanded.  From  the  day  of  the  ojiening  of  the  Exhibition,  it  has  been 
numerously  visited  by  all  classes  of  tlic  population,  from  her  Majesty 
down  to  the  humblest  subject,  and  by  thousands  from  foreign  countries 
who  have  been  attracted  hither  by  the  novel  and  imposing  spectacle. 

Without  devoting  a  volume  to  the  subject,  it  would  be  an  idle  undertaking 
to  give  anything  like  a  satisfactory  description  of  the  wonderl'ul  display 
to  be  witnessed  within  the  walls  ot  the  Crystal  Palace.  The  productions 
of  nearly  every  country  on  the  lace  of  the  globe,  some  of  them  of  the 
most  costly  and  magnificent  description,  are  here  collected  and  tastefully 
arranged  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder.  From  the  fariliest  East  to  the  ex- 
treme West— from  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  America— have  come  up  tlie 
samples  of  man's  industry  and  skill,  to  be  placed  side  by  side  in  honora- 
ble comparison  and  generous  competition.  Even  the  isles  of  the  sea  have 
sent  their  humble  offerings  to  swell  the  grand  cidlection.  China  is  here 
with  her  beautiful  porcelain — India  with  her  curious  fabrics — Persia  with 
her  shawls  and  carpels — Ceylon  with  her  elephant  tusks — California  with 
her  gold — and  in  juxtaposition  with  the  products  of  Barbaric  splendor 
stand  ihe  varied,  and  beautiful,  and  useful  contributions  from  every  state 
of  Europe  and  America— monun^'nts  of  the  power,  the  skill,  the  ingenu- 
ity, and  taste,  which  civilization  and  knowledge  imparts  to  its  possessors. 
With  all  the  rest  are  a  collection  of  the  most  valuable  diamonds,  precious 
stones,  and  jewels,  known  to  exist  in  the  world,— among  the  first  named, 
the  great  Koh-i-noor,  or  "Mountain  of  Liiilit,"  a  diamond  whose  value 
is  variously  estimated  at  from  X1,500,()110,  to  £3,000,000.  Imagine  the 
efTect  which  this  wondrous  exhibition— all  this  dazzling  splendor— must 
produce  on  the  mind  of  the  observer.  And — what  is  a  still  more  profitable 
reflection — consider  the  roults  which  may  be  legitimately  expected  to 
flow  from  the  whole — the  interchange  of  acute  thought  and  observation, 
the  quickening  impulse  to  mutual  advance  in  the  road  of  national  improve- 
ment and  prosperity  ! 


18 


t>r 


« 
r 
1 
I 


'I 


768 


TlIK  TUEASUKY  OF  HISTORY. 


After  bfinjr  open  to  the  public  for  a  period  of  a  little  more  than  flte 
month*,  ihe  Kxhibiiion  wns  brous[ht  to  a  cIohc  on  tiie  Llih  of  October. 
The  clcuinff  scenes  were  as  impressive  as  at  the  opening,  and  in  keeping 
with  the  tjreainess  of  the  occasion.  For  three  days,  previous  to  the  1 'uli, 
the  Exhibition  had  been  closed  lo  ijencral  visitors,  and  none  but  exhibitors 
and  their  friends,  and  those  oHieially  connected  willi  it,  permitted  tj  enter, 
On  the  lull,  the  (inal  close  took  place  in  the  presence  o(  the  Executive 
Committee,  Suciety  of  Arts,  Prince  Albert,  the  various  odicials,  the  exhibit* 
ors  and  their  friends— in  ail  coniprisina;  an  assembly  of  about  (ifiy  tiiousand 
persons.  This  last  act  in  the  drama  is  described  as  having  been  grand  in 
the  extreme.  As  the  appointed  hour  struck,  the  National  Anthem  burst 
forth  in  one  grand  chorus  from  all  the  orif.ins  in  the  vast  edilice,  aided  by 
the  swell  of  voices  from  the  itntnei\?e  multitude  present.  Then  arose 
cheer  upon  cheer,  causing  the  biiildin;^  to  tremble  in  all  its  parts.  Finnlly, 
at  a  given  signal,  the  whole  collection  of  bells  and  jfongs  were  set  in  mo- 
tion, and  amidst  this  solemn  and  sublime  dir<rc  the  Exhibition  was  brought 
to  an  end,  and  the  Crystal  Palace  slowly  cleared  of  its  mass  of  human 
beinffs. 

'J'he  receipts  of  the  Exhibition,  in  round  numbers,  are  estimated  at  about 
.£o()l),0()i1,  and  the  expenses  attendant  at  about  half  that  sum;  leaving  a 
surplus  of  prulils  from  the  enterprise,  of  about  X^aO.OdO.  The  disp'^siiion 
of  this  fund,  and  also  the  future  use  to  be  made  of  the  Palace  itself,  are 
questions  which  have  called  Ibrth  much  discussion. 

An  interesting  duty  connected  with  the  Exhibition,  was  the  awarding  of 
the  prizes,  by  the  juries  selected  fur  that  purjiosc,  to  the  successful  compe- 
titors, from  among  the  various  nations  there  represented.  'J'he  jiri/es  were 
of  two  grades,  namely.  Council  Medals  and  Jury  Medals.  Of  the  first 
named,  or  highest  grade,  !)Ul  Hi'J  were  awarded,  and  bh  fcdiows :— (^ireat 
Britain  70,  (Jermany  ]:>,  Austria  I,  Belgium  2,  Tuscany  2,  tpain  1,  France 
56,  the  United  Slates  5,  Russia  '.i,  Switzerland  2,  Holland  1,  Rome  1,  and 
Turkey  1.  The  second  grade  o(  prizes  were  about  2,000  in  number,  and 
awarded  nearly  in  the  foregoing  proportion.  A  third  distinction  was  intro- 
duced, under  tlie  title  of  "  Honorable  Mentions,"  which  was  still  more 
liberally  applied.  As  might  have  been  anticipated,  the  juries  to  whom 
this  duty  was  assi^'ned  did  not  escape  the  charge  of  being  inlluenced  to 
some  extent  by  a  fei  ling  of  partiality  in  tiieir  awards;  and  some  dissatis- 
faction was  publicly  expressed  at  the  result,  in  several  instances.  Hut  in 
the  judgment  ofcaiuliii  and  impanial  observers,  their  decisions  have  been 
pronounced  tor  liie  mo>t  part  just,  and  true  merit  received  its  proper  appre- 
ciation and  award,  as  nearly  perhnps  as  could  have  been  expected  at  the 
hands  of  any  boiK  of  human  and  '  lerefore  imperfect  umpires. 

Ani'  ,'  the  many  objects  of  va-i  utility  in  the  Exhibition,  it  is  proper  to 
say  thai  noiit-  iMciied  greater  aneniion  than  two  of  American  invention, 
namely,  tue  aping  machine  of  .M'Curmick,  and  the  revolving  pistol  of 
Colt.  In  wMichinery  and  manufactures,  generally,  Great  Britain  may  truly 
be  satii  I')  have  stood  unajiproachable  ;  in  the  more  delicate  and  curious 
specifn*^i  -  hao'icraft  France  shone  pre-eminent;  other  nations  chal- 
lenged n«- aiiiiiirai.  jn  of  the  assembled  representatives  of  the  world,  in  the 
beauty  aind  r;ir>'ness  of  their  productions;  but  tlie  United  States  not  only 
redeemed  the  (.-nera  poverty  of  its  collection  of  contributions,  but  imparted 
am  impressive  b,  n'ri^e  to  its  various  national  competitors,  by  tlie  remarka- 
ble-imp;  ment  oi  a  icu'.iure  before-named,  and  the  deadly  in^runient  of 
detViice,  \-  oh,  in  ii  language  of  the  leading  journal  of  the  Bn  sh  metro- 
polis, "tl  atens  to  r  volutionize  military  tactics  as  completely  as  the  ori- 
ginal discovery  of  gun   iwder." 

As  in  idenial  to  the  '".xhibition,  may  also  be  mentioned  the  match  of 
ingenuity  in  locks,  and  lie  spirited  yacht  contest  off  Cowt-«,  in  both  of 
which  the  Americans  boi    away  the  palm, — in  the  former  tnai,  by  the  skill 


-  A 


<"•<•"«  of  ,„„>„,         "'""''^«'"»- ".■  .„s.,„„v. 

,  n?  Kit;::;,}"*  ;i;--  '"'• """ '"  "■« '-".  -y  .1.  .„p„,„ 

.  wmmmm 

owns  of  note:  on  IS.  f,      '"""-^'"""-  ManHu,    ''/'""T^  ''"'J  acMr""  "' 

w'"ch  he  portrayed  hi         '"  '"^  f'-'jucnt  nn  1  ^    " '" '"""«"nsc  ,„a^4s 
constitutional  l.bertv  in  r  ""''^'^  ^^ougs,  tl  e  dlr''"'"!'"^'''  ^f"'<''^lies    fn 


no 


TIIK  TKEASURY  OF  IIISTOKY. 


nations,  and  the  demnnds  of  Hungary  upon  the  sympathies  of  the  friends 
of  liberty  and  humanity  everywhere. 

At  all  of  these  popular  demonstrations,  the  feeling  of  enthusiasm  in 
b'-half  of  the  noble  exile  was  unbounded.  His  singularly  impressive  elo- 
quence touched  and  moved  tiie  masses  at  pleasure.  Even  those  who  at  first 
looked  coldly  and  doubtingly  upon  the  exiled  chief  and  his  purposes,  be- 
ea.ne  his  warm  admirers,  as  they  listened  to  his  earnest,  respectful,  and 
judicious  representations  in  regard  to  the  political  prospects  of  Continental 
Europe,  and  the  interesis  of  Great  Britain  as  involved  in  those  prospects. 
The  Press  lent  its  powerful  aid  to  the  exile,  in  the  faithful  and  detailed  re- 
port of  these  speeches  to  the  British  public.  Many  of  the  most  inlluential 
men,  especially  the  liberal  leaders  in  Parliament,  gave  him  their  cordial 
support,  ana  at  various  banquets  held  in  the  country,  warm  responses  were 
made,  of  a  favorable  import,  to  the  earnest  appeals  of  the  Hungarian  chief. 
Everywhere  he  seemed  to  be  regarded  as  the  true  champion  of  constitu- 
tional liberty  in  Europe,  and  treated  with  a  degree  of  deference  and  kind- 
ness, as  honorable  to  the  character  of  the  English  people  as  it  must  have 
been  gratifying  to  the  persecuted  cxile. 

After  being  in  the  country  about  a  month,  Kossuih  and  his  family  left  for 
the  United  States,  on  a  temporary  visit  of  respect  to  the  nation  that  had 
exerted  so  important  an  influence  in  procuring  his  liberation  ;  leaving  be- 
hind him,  however,  a  glowing  remembrance  of  his  eloquence,  and  a  silent 
but  powerful  influence  at  work  in  the  hearts  of  the  English  people. 

"The  close  of  the  year  was  signalized  by  another  political  event  of  deep 
import.  The  news  was  received  of  a  new  revolution  in  France,  ellected 
under  peculiar  circumstances.  Louis  Napoleon,  the  president  of  tlie  repub- 
lic, on  the  night  of  the  1st  of  December,  seized  the  entire  power  of  the 
government,  declared  the  dissolution  of  the  National  Assembly,  arrested 
the  leading  members  (;f  that  body  opposed  to  his  policy,  and  announced  hia 
intention  of  appealing  to  the  army  and  people  of  France,  in  support  of  these 
extraordinary  measures,  and  of  an  immediate  election  of  a  president,  who 
ihould  retain  office  for  the  term  of  ten  years. 

So  bold  and  stupendous  an  act  of  usurpation  could  not  but  deeply  fix  the 
attention  of  the  English  people,  and  lead  to  a  consideration  of  the  circum- 
stances inducing  to  its  occurrence.  And  first,  it  seemed  evident  that  the 
failure  of  Louis  Napoleon  to  ellect  the  prolongation  of  his  otiicial  term  by 
legal  means  caused  him  to  resort  to  force  for  the  gratification  of  his  ambi- 
tion. He  had  vainly  endeavored,  in  a  variety  of  modes,  to  induce  the  Assem- 
bly to  consent  to  a  revision  of  the  Constitution,  which  expressly  forbade  an 
incumbent  of  the  presidency  boiling  ollice  for  two  terms  in  succession. 
He  had  been  defeated  in  his  project  of  restoring  the  elective  franchise,  in 
its  full  extent,  to  the  people,  after  having  been  the  chief  agent  in  restricting 
that  privilege,  by  which  he  had  rendered  himself  odious  in  the  estimaiian  of 
(he  thousands  unfavorably  effected  by  the  law  of  May.  Meanwhile  the  time 
for  a  new  election  was  drawing  near.  He  must  soon  yield  the  honors  ol'  his 
station  to  another.  Rather  than  do  this,  he  resolves  upon  a  forcible  seizure 
of  the  government,  and  the  utter  destruction  of  the  established  consiituiion 
and  order  of  things.  Again,  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  this  step  was 
prompted  in  a  measure  by  the  instinct  of  self-defence.  The  Asseml)ly  and 
the  President  were  at  open  war,  and  had  been  for  a  long  time.  It  is  said, 
and  no  doubt  with  truth,  that  a  scheme  had  been  matured  and  was  on  the 
point  of  being  put  into  execution,  for  his  arrest  and  trial,  on  articKs  of  im- 
peachment. The  President  was  probably  aware  of  this,  and  determined  to 
anticipate  the  movement,  by  the  summary  arrest  of  those  who  were  plan- 
ning his  own  downfall.  Preparatory  to  the  contemfilaied  coup  iV  etal, 
Louis  Napoleon  had  taken  great  pains  to  ingratiate  himself  wilh  the  army. 
To  the  powerful  influence  attached  to  his  name,  as  a  relative  of  the  great 
Napoleon,  he  sought  to  add  the  weight  of  a  personal  popularity,  and  on  va- 


I 


' 


lj      k 


THE  TREASUKY  OF  IIISTOUY. 


771 


rious  occasions,  by  well-timed  ccmpiiments  to  the  army,  and  professions  of 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  working;  classes,  he  undoubtedly  did  much 
toward  reconciling  the  people  to  tiie  event  about  to  follow,  as  well  as  secu- 
red the  power  which  would  enable  hiiu  to  carry  liis  ambitious  projects  into 
successful  effect. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  the  daring  act  of  usurpation  was  effected  on 
the  night  of  the  1st  December ;  the  next  morning  Paris  and  the  whole  of 
France  awoke  under  the  rule  of  a  military  dictator,  and  martial  law.  The 
act  created,  strange  to  behold  at  first,  no  general  uprising  among  the  peo- 
ple; but  this  was  explained  when  it  came  to  be  understood  that,  as  between 
the  Assembly  and  the  President,  the  sympathies  of  the  people  were  with 
the  latter ;  the  former  had  rendered  itself  exceedingly  unpopular  by  its 
bickerings,  its  divisions,  its  warfare  upon  the  Executive,  its  attack  upon  the 
•elective  franchise;  the  dissohuion  of  such  a  body  tlierefore  could  only  afford 
gratification  to  the  people,  and  they  were  disposed  rather  to  thank  the  in- 
strument by  which  that  dissolution  had  been  effected.  Such  at  least  is  the 
explanation  which  some  have  given  of  the  remarkable  acquiescence  of  tlie 
French  people  in  the  act  of  usurpation  of  Louis  Napoleim.  There  was  no 
general  rising,  but  the  revolution  wa«;  not  altogether  bloodless.  In  Paris 
barricades  were  erected  in  some  (juarters,  and  for  one  or  two  days  there 
was  fighting  in  the  streets  in  small  panics.  The  fire  of  the  troops  on  these 
occasions  did  vastly  more  damage  to  nnocent  spectators  and  passers-by, 
and  to  the  peaceful  occupants  of  neighboring  houses,  than  to  any  body  of 
insurgents  with  which  they  were  called  lo  deal.  It  is  estimated  that  hun- 
dreds of  innocent  persons  fell  victims  t )  the  fire  of  the  soldiery.  In  the 
provinces  of  France,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  the  act  of  the  President 
met  with  the  same  passive  ac(iuiescunce.  The  whole  afiair  seems  to  have 
been  managed  with  great  skill  and  precaution  ;  and  with  scarcely  anything 
worthy  the  name  of  opposition,  Louis  Napoleon  found  himself  the  sole 
master  of  France,  with  an  army  at  his  command,  ready  to  yield  him  impli- 
cit obedience. 

The  election  for  a  ne'v  President  was  held  during  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber.    The  proposition  submitted  was — the  Klection  of  Louis  Napoleon,  as 
President,  for  the  term  of  ten  years  :  Yes,  or  No.    I3y  a  very  large  majority 
the  sull'rages  have  declared  him  elected. 

Incidentally  connected  with  the  coup  iVctat  in  France,  and  also  with 
other  qucsiions  of  European  policy,  is  the  resignation  of  Lord  Palmerston 
as  Secretary  for  Foreign  Affairs  in  this  country — an  event  which  occurred 
lale  in  December,  and  created  a  marked  sensation  at  its  announcement. 


J 


!  ) 


AGSNTS  WANTED 


TO  CraCULATH 

THE  HISTORY  OP  THE  WORLD. 

Thi  (jrent  iinpnlarity  of  this  work,  as  well  ns  its  Intrinsic  merits  (iiiil  Its  complete  adaption  to  tho 
public  wantH  presents  Inducements,  to  enterprising  young  men  of  liusincss  lialiits  and  good  uddrossi 
to  act  as  Agents  for  tlie  same,  rarely  mot  with  In  snbscription  bo'iks. 

No  pilns  or  expense  has  been  spared,  In  any  department,  to  make  It  nt  once  useful  and  attractive, 
.\nil  tlie  exceeding  low  price  at  wlticlt  it  is  ullurded,  places  this  great  work  witliin  tlie  reacti  of  the 
huiiihlest  citi/.en. 

Nofvilhstanding  but  a  small  portion  of  the  country  has  been  canvassed,  already  fifty  thousand 
names  have  been  enrolled  for  the  book,  and  the  ajicnts  in  the  dilli  rent  parts  of  the  United  States 
snd  Canada  aro  daily  adiling  large  numbers  of  tlie  intulligont  of  all  classes,  for  the  work. 

This  raplil  anil  immense  sale  furnishes  the  best  commentary  npon  Its  intrinsic  value  and  adml 
rab'o  adaptation  to  the  public  wants. 

Agents  will  not  l)e  required  to  canvass  territory  previously  ocwplcil,  (unless  they  choose,)  and  all 
books  not  sold  may  be  rclurneil  at  prices  originally  charged,  if  in  gmxl  condition. 

Being  connected  with  the  extensive  publishing  house  of  Messrs.  Harper  Si,  lirotbers,  New  York, 
I  supply  Agents  with  their  puhlicallons  at  their  regular  wholesale  prices.  Persons  wishing  to 
embark  as  Agents,  or  to  obtain  further  inforiiiation  on  llio  suliject,  w  ill  call  at  the  otlice  of  the  Sub- 
icTibor,  or  address  by  mail,  post  uuid, 

HENRY  BILL, 

Norwich,   Connecticxit. 

The  following  are  a  few  extracts  from  the  numerous  recnmiiiendations  tlie  work  has  already 
looeivnd ; 

Amherst  Com.kok,  Mass. 
I  have  carefully  e.iaminod  "  The  History  of  the  World,"  by  John  Inman,  V.m\..  and  find  it  a  work 
exhil>itinz  gr'at  historical  research;  and  it  cannot  fall  to  bo  useful  and  instructive  as  a  work  for 
general  circulation  and  1  would  therefore  recommend  it  to  all. 

EUWAUD  iriTCIlCOCK,  President. 

Sot  Til  llxni.K.  r.vi.Ls,  Mass. 
I  am  prepared  to  express  my  concurrence  in  the  remarks  of  Prciilent  llitclicock. 
.\s  a  b'Kik  of  rel'orenrc  or  general  hisliTy,  I  lliink  it  vuluahle  to  all  vho  may  possess  It,  and  it 
must  in  a  great  measure  supply  the  place  of  larger  and  more  expensive  works,  whii  h  few  fnniiliea 
foci  able  to  possess.  ItKV.  h.  TIIO.MPSDN. 

From  Prof.  Emerson,  of  .■Indovcr  {.Mass.)  Scminnnj. 

Andovkr,  Feb.  3,  la')!. 
I  have  examined  the  "History of  the  World,"  and  think  it  particularly  valuable,  especinlly  to 
such  as  have  not  access  to  more  extended  wo-ks  of  hii.iory ;  and  even  to  those  who  have  such 
works,  it  will  o^'ten  Ihj  fourul  an  important  help,  as  it  brings  (Ir>wn  tlie  liistory  of  the  countries  to  iho 
present  time.    So  far  as  I  have  observed,  the  author  a|i|iears  impartial.  U.^LPll  K.MKKSOM. 

Krom  the  Baltimorf  Clipprr. 
lIuToRY  or  TUK  Would. — This  new  work  from  the  press  of  IIo..ry  Rill,  Is  one  of  the  most 
nisgnlticont  issues  for  a  long  time.  We  were  shown  a  cojiy  on  Friilay,  and  were  higlily  pleased 
with  its  contents.  It  consists  of  two  royal  octavo  volumes,  embellished  with  40  splemlld  engravings, 
and  euiliraci's  a  comploti'  hisiiiry  of  all  nations  and  prominent  events,  and  making  it  iuvaiuable  to 
•ither  the  private  or  public  library. 

From  the  Brookville  (fnd)  .Imcrican, 

History  ok  tiik  WoRt.n. — The  agent  is  now  in  our  county  soliciting  suliscriliers  to  Manndcr's 
Hisiiry  of  the  World.  Wa  have  read  the  work  with  interest  and  prolit.  Its  style  is  easy,  plain 
and  comprehensive. 

Hanover  Colleoe,  Ind, 

I  havo  examined  the  History  of  the  World,  and  know  it  to  Im  a  work  of  high  character  .ind 
»aluo,  which  1  can  cordially  recommend  to  pniUic  patronage.        M.  STUKlJUri,  Prof.  Languages. 
from  the  J^ortrich  (Cotin.)  .tiirora. 

History  of  tiik  Woni.n — .V  very  consideralile  portion  of  the  reading  pulillc  arc  already  (ler- 
snnallv  aciiuaintcd  with  the  merits  of  the  work  entitled  "The  Treasury  of  History,  or  a  History  of 
the  Woriil,"  published  by  Mr.  Henry  mil  of  this  city.  It  has  met  with  a  more  extensive  sale,  pro- 
bably, than  any  other  work  of  a  similar  character  ever  issued  from  the  press  in  this  couiitry  :  and 
at  no  lime  hiis  the  demand  liir  it  lieen  greater  than  at  present — numerous  agents  being  successfully 
employed,  in  nearly  every  Slate  and  the  most  Important  counties  in  the  I'nion,  in  its  dissimination ; 
in  short,  the  aim  has  been  to  i;et  up  iirecisely  such  a  book  as  the  great  mass  of  the  people  want, 
and  we  congratulate  the  publisher  on  iiis  success.  'I'hat  we  do  not  too  highly  extol  the  work,  every 
one  will  admit,  u  ho  has  ex.imined  it,  or  who  may  take  the  trouble  to  do  so. 
From  the  .Xoncirh  (C'imit.)  Courier. 

I'  presents  to  us  every  .ago  and  every  nation,  and  gives  ".s  a  knowleilge  of  the  great  men  of  anti- 
quity as  well  111  of  modern  times— sets  their  aetions,  their  ncbievemcnis,  virtues  and  faults 
btf  >ro  us.  ,\  la.ge  p.irtion  of  the  work  's  devoted  to  this  country,  covering  even  the  late  war  with 
Mexico,  t'aiifurnia,  &c. ;  and  the  name  of  Mr.  Inman  as  the  author  of  the  same,  is  a  sutficient 
{natality  for  i;s  inrreriness.  As  a  whole  it  does  honor  to  tlio  proprietor,  Mr.  Henry  Hill,  of  this  city 
tad  its  sale  is  unparalleled. 

From  thi  Chicago  (III.)  Trilitaie. 

Histort  or  TUB  Wom.D.— The  nb.vo  is  a  succinct  and  accurate  description  of  historical  events 
from  thi"  date  of  Iho  e.srliest  authentic  records  down  to  tho  present  time.  As  a  book  of  reference 
lo  tlie  student  and  piofessional  man,  as  well  as  for  those  who  have  not  leisure  to  pursue  historical 
•ludios  iu  detail,  we  regard  it  as  Iho  very  best  book  that  has  fallen  under  our  observation. 


